A Healthier Utah Valley January 25, 2015
heraldextra.com
6 Tricks
of the fitness trade Beat the mental roadblocks to exercise your way through winter
On Track for
Success Popular devices used to monitor every aspect of fitness provide immediate, constant feedback, but experts warn users to exercise caution
Burn, BaBy‌ Burn Got heartburn issues? So does country music mega-group, Rascal Flatts
6 tricks of the fitness trade Beat the mental roadblocks to exercise your way through winter Dana Carman
T
CTW FEATURES
he easiest part of committing to consistent exercise is rationalizing the excuses to consistently skip workouts — it’s too cold or hot; work is too busy; ooooh, television. The brain doesn’t always cooperate with the body’s needs, which is why sometimes we must trick it into doing what’s best for us — even when the couch, DVR and pint of ice cream are calling. Loudly. Try some of these tricks of the trade to quiet the excuses and turn up the motivation.
triathlon and post training updates. Once you’ve put it out there, it’ll be a whole lot harder to justify skipping workouts.
IT A SOCIAL EVENT 4.MAKE Susan Reardon, a Boston-based certified personal trainer and nutrition/lifestyle coach, likes to create social engagements centered around activity. “Everything we do socially involves food or beverage,” she says. “I try to make plans that get us moving.” Instead of meeting for a glass of wine, Reardon suggests finding a new class or signing up for an event together, such as a 5K.
WON’T ACTUALLY KNOW YOU’RE EXERCISING 1.YOU “The simplest thing is to use whatever is around,” says Kimberly Garrison, a Philadelphia-based fitness, health and wellness coach. In particular, Garrison suggests using the stairs as much as, and whenever, possible, and not running, but simply taking your time up those flights. Not only is it a “tremendous heart workout” but Garrison notes that stairs improve balance and strengthen the legs and gluteal muscles.
THE BURPEE 5.MASTER Well-known for its place within the world of CrossFit, the burpee is a four-step, full-body exercise that Garrison recommends — and you can do it in the comfort of your own home. Find tutorials online and, once mastered, Garrison suggests adding a push up to it.
SLIGHTLY MORE FIT FRIENDS 2.FIND Knowing there’s a friend waiting for you at the gym may get you in the door, but researchers at Michigan State University found during a 2012 study that exercising with a more fit partner improved performance, and exercising as part of a team improved it even more. (Reference: Irwin BC, Scorniaenchi J, Kerr NL, et al. “Aerobic Exercise Is Promoted when Individual Performance Affects the Group: A Test of the Kohler Motivation Gain 2
A HEALTHIER UTAH VALLEY
Effect.” Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2012; 44(2): 151-159). Training groups can be the perfect place to start, not only to find the inspiration and support of others, but to keep things simple. “It’s always easier when your workout is already planned for you,” says Mike Norman, co-owner and co-founder of Chicago Endurance Sports. “You’re also much less likely to cut the
January 25, 2015 Daily Herald
workout short since you’re not just making something up on the fly.”
A GOAL AND ANNOUNCE IT 3.SET Setting intentions privately makes them easy to disregard. Harness the power of social media and announce to friends and followers that you’re going to run a marathon or tackle a
6.BEREALISTIC Ultimately, what keeps people exercising is staying healthy. “A crucial ingredient to success is being honest about your current ability,” Norman says. Going out too hard can lead to injury, which can lead to prolonged absence. Ease in and remember that exercise starts with just one step — and you can take it right next to your couch.
App T
Fitness apps, technology about but are they worth the effort?
Happy
4 A HEALTHIER UTAH VALLEY January 25, 2015 Daily Herald
Dana Carman CTW FEATURES
aking stock of your health has never been easier. On the market today is no shortage of tools to assess, monitor and improve fitness, nutrition and overall wellbeing. Whether it’s an actual device or a virtual one, people are spending a lot of time and money tracking their every move and morsel. But is more necessarily better? Health and fitness technology, like everything, is not a one size fits all solution. It can be a great complement to wellness goals, but swallow it with a grain of salt. Just don’t
forget to log that in. The have-to-have-it device of the moment is Fitbit, an activity band with several different versions that tracks a number of fitness and health metrics, such as steps taken, elevation gained and calories burned. The most important thing these monitors do is shed light on just how much a person is moving, or really how much they’re not moving, in a given time period. Susan Reardon, a Boston-based certified personal trainer and nutrition and lifestyle coach, likes these for her clients that aren’t already entrenched in the fitness arena, especially older clients, as the bands bring awareness to movement. Bruce Metcalf, certified
personal trainer and owner of From Couch to 5K app, which is MBC Fitness in Chicago, agrees pretty much exactly as it sounds, with the positive impact these using a run/walk interval devices can impart. “For sedapproach. After the birth of her entary individuals that resist third child, Lapeer was looking an active lifestyle, just having for a way to lose weight and get the knowledge of one’s steps fitter on a limited budget. The taken during the day can be an low-cost app provided exactly important piece of information,” that. After a 75-pound weight he says. However, after trying loss, she still feels motivated to various devices himself, Metcalf continue. “It’s like a personal feels that an avid exerciser will trainer in my phone and doesn’t “essentially be looking at the cost a fortune,” she said. same results day after day.” For No less important but those already exercising reguapproaching health from a more larly, Metcalf says the tried and holistic perspective are apps true heart rate monitor (which that focus on guided meditation, you can get with various bells deep breathing and yoga, among and whistles also, including a other things. “There can’t be Fitbit version) is still the best enough of these apps,” says Dr. tool for effective LeVine, who training. “Havnotes that stress “For sedentary ing the capabilreduction is ity to track one’s very important individuals that heart rate is an to overall health. resist an active extremely useful Nutrition tool in measurlifestyle, just having apps, however, ing the intensity can be a little the knowledge of a workout,” more problemof one’s steps he says. atic. Reardon The usefulpoints out that taken during the ness of any these apps have day can be an device, however, general formulas lies in the user’s built into them important piece ability to interthat don’t necof information.” pret and use the essarily account data to improve for your specific Bruce Metcalf, certified health. Wearing body and its personal trainer and owner the Fitbit alone metabolic rate. of MBC Fitness in Chicago doesn’t actually “I don’t love do anything to how it genimprove health — an important eralizes everybody,” she says. distinction that people don’t “They’re a little more progressive always necessarily recognize. now and it’s great to give you a “Wearing a Fitbit does not mean general idea, but you can’t get that one is going to get fit and fully reliant on it. It gives you doesn’t ensure that a person is some accountability to yourself going to do everything he can to and an awareness of what you’re get 10,000 steps a day,” says Dr. eating but they’re not always Steven A. LeVine, a physician accurate and you shouldn’t get with Northwestern Medicine in obsessive about it.” Chicago. In other words, people Knowledge is power but it still need to do the hard work must be used wisely, meaning of eating right and exercisthat if tracking what you eat or ing plenty. knowing how many steps you That’s where health and missed is going to stress you fitness apps can play a role. out, put down the Fitbit and Recording workouts has long back away from the iPhone. If been a solid way of improvusing trackers and apps will help ing performance. Many apps you start or continue down the take this to the next level with path to better health and wellinteractive aplomb. And apps ness, download away. The key that encourage users to get mov- to success is balance and moding can be life changing. Katie eration — with fitness, diet and Hanks, 29, of Lapeer, Mich., technology. And that trend will found success using the popular never change.
There’s an for that!
app
N
ot every app is created equal and wading through the hordes of them can be pretty overwhelming. Here are a few suggestions: Figwee: Bruce Metcalf, owner of MBC Fitness in Chicago, likes Figwee. This nutrition-related app helps users properly size up food portions (as in, users can actually see portions and increase or decrease them and assess the related nutritional content). This can be particularly helpful for those with health conditions in which it is essential to be consumption conscious. Map My Run: Susan Reardon, a Boston-based certified personal trainer and lifestyle/nutrition coach, likes this app to map running routes, keep track of routes used, and the searchable database of other routes as well as the ability to connect with others. From Couch to 5K: This interval run/walk plan eases users into running a 5K by slowly increasing running time and decreasing walking time. For those looking to start an exercise program, it doesn’t get much more inexpensive than running, which requires shoes and motivation. Add the $1.99 for this app and you’ve got a great deal and a goal. Lose It!: Reardon also likes this app (and website),
which counts calories and tracks exercise to help users lose weight. It is compatible with many of the popular devices and features a strong community of support. Argus or Moves: Both of these apps are budget friendly options (Moves is free while Argus is $1.99) for those looking to track activity but not willing or able to shell out the cash for an expensive band. The big downside to them is the drain on the phone battery but if you’re looking for a cheaper way to get started, this is it. Daily Yoga: This free app has a large library of Yoga programs for aspiring yogis of all levels. Even better, if you’re short on time and high on stress, there’s a quickie Yoga session for that.
Daily Herald January 25, 2015 A HEALTHIER UTAH VALLEY 5
Hearts on
FIRE
More than 20 million Americans suffer from heartburn. Country megastars, Rascal Flatts, are among them. Find out how they — and you — can control the symptoms Lisa Iannucci CTW FEATURES
G
ary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney have gone through so much together since becoming one of the most popular country music bands ever, Rascal Flatts. These long-time friends have experienced more than a decade of tremendous success, international tours and awards and, on a more personal note, marriages and the births of their children. Today, however, they are going through something else together that’s less enjoyable — heartburn. Heartburn, which really has nothing to do with the heart, is a painful, burning feeling in the chest or throat. When stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. More than 20 million Americans suffer from heartburn at least once a week. Causes of heartburn include certain trigger foods, obesity, smoking and, like the trio does, snacking close to bedtime. “We live an unpredictable schedule, day in and day out,” says lead singer Gary LeVox, who says that anything spicy and covered in barbecue sauce is what causes his flare ups. “With the way we travel and the different time zones we fly in and out of, it’s hard to stay on a consistent schedule to eat.” Lately they’ve been on the road 6
A HEALTHIER UTAH VALLEY
promoting their newest album, “Rewind,” their ninth release since their debut on the music scene in 2000 with their self-titled “Rascal Flatts.” The journey began when Jay and Gary, from the Columbus, Ohio, area, and Joe Don, from Picher, Okla., teamed up in a club in Nashville’s Printer’s Alley. Their success was practically instantaneous and the next year they were awarded the American Country Music Award’s Top New Vocal Group award. Since then, they’ve won multiple awards and released many mega-hits including “God Bless the Broken Road,” “What Hurts the Most,” and “Life is a Highway.” Rascal Flatts was honored with an induction into the Grand Ole Opry and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This band admits that this successful, yet extremely busy lifestyle has contributed to their heartburn. “We don’t always make the healthiest choices,” says the 44-year-old LeVox, who is married to wife, Tara, and a father of two. Guitarist Joe Don Rooney noticed an increase in his acid churning when he got into his 30s. “I’m 39 now and have suffered from more frequent heartburn for the past 8 years or so than ever before in my life. Sometimes, just trying to find time to eat is difficult and trying to eat completely healthy becomes difficult too.” Growing up in a big Italian family, Jay DeMarcus, bass guitarist and vocalist, says it’s the pasta and
January 25, 2015 Daily Herald
John Huba
heavy Italian foods that trigger his heartburn. “Italian food is in my blood, so I can’t help it and I’m certainly not going to stay away from it,” says the 43-year-old who is married to wife Allison. To get their heartburn under control, the band started to make healthier choices including the food they ate while on the road. A catering company takes care of the band and their crew and, says Rooney, “They are very cognizant about using certain oils and things that help promote better health consciousness. It keeps morale up to have good food around. They definitely have structured the menus so they cut back on the foods that can cause the heartburn that nobody likes. You don’t want to be out there on the road eating bad all the time.” DeMarcus makes sure to watch his portion controls. “I try to be sensible about it and watch my caloric intake too,” he says.
They all recently partnered with Nexium 24 Hours to help keep their symptoms at bay. “Now, we get to live life without hesitation,” LeVox says. “We can eat what we want and it’s one less thing to have to worry about when we’re on the road.” Stress and lack of sleep also contribute to flare-ups, so the group also makes sure to keep their worries under control. “It’s tough to juggle everything,” says LeVox. “Especially when you have kids at home that are sick, and we’re traveling and touring.” To protect his very recognizable voice, he says he makes sure to drink plenty of water and get plenty of rest. “Everybody has their own way of warming up, but for me it’s just rest.” To relax, the singer heads to his farm outside of Nashville. “I don’t hear cars or anything. It’s like my gas station; it’s where I go to refuel. It’s a Godsend, it truly is.”
Getting him back to being SUPER is our #1 priority.
Emergency Care in Minutes.
For current average ER wait times, text “ER� to 23000