Lost YOUR Mind? How Does Exercise Benefit Brain Health?

FIND YOUR BALANCE 2020

• Lost YOUR Mind? How Does Exercise Benefit Brain Health?

• To Stretch or Not to Stretch? Why is Stretching An Integral Part of MY Workouts?

• Proper and Consistent Exercise May Benefit Chronic Pain Sufferers.

• Let's GET Moving! It's Never too Late to GET FIT!

Lost YOUR mind?

What Can You Do to FIND YOUR MIND?

Have you felt stressed, tired, and at times mentally drained? Did you know those feelings can be diminished or even eliminated? Stress, mental fog and impaired focus can lead to a multitude of issues when it comes to cognitive function, internal health and overall happiness. So, what can you do to FIND YOUR MIND?

EXERCISE... How Does Exercise Benefit Brain Health?

Research has shown that exercise increases attention, focusing capabilities, memory and overall emotional happiness. And who doesn’t want to improve in at least one of these categories? When you exercise your brain is working much harder than you realize. You are interpreting and analyzing a vast array of information to perform the many bodily movements you do when you exercise. By consistently exercising you are improving your executive functions, which in turn, help with emotional regulation: How you react to a given stimulus; Motor Learning: How you perform a particular skill; and even Memory: How much you can retain.

So... Let’s Get Moving and Improve Our Minds!!!

Here are some Tips that may help you:

Tip 1: Create an exercise related goal, visualize said goal and start taking action. (Goals give us the motivation to get moving and to stay moving).

Tip 2: Perform some type of exercise daily. Per ACSM cardiovascular/resistant training standard, perform moderate intensity exercise 30 minutes a day for 3 to 5 days a week.

Tip 3: Always have a plan when it comes to your exercise. Don’t wing it… Have a program to follow or a coach to help you stay on track because with planning everything goes better.

~Scott Tibbs

(Always contact your medical provider before you embark upon any fitness or nutrition program. You can find additional information in ACSM Health & Fitness Journal Volume 22. Number 6, regarding this topic).

To Stretch or Not to Stretch?

Why is stretching an integral part of any workout?

Many of my clients think they can skip stretching. Now, this is a topic I want to scream in the face of every fitness enthusiast and gym goer... stretching is 100% crucial to a successful training protocol! Why you ask? Because without stretching, over time our joints, muscles and connective tissues will become less mobile and more rigid. Moreover, in time it will increase the likelihood of injury. Stretching is one of those things that even the best of us try to get out of doing. However, it's an integral part of any well rounded workout prescription.

Stretching not only helps individuals with weight loss and muscle definition, but it helps regulate stress hormones. Give stretching a chance. It won’t let you down. Per ACSM flexibility standard, following the FITT-VP principle for static stretching: Stretch for approximately 5 to 10 minutes after each session, at least 2 to 3 days a week, holding each stretch approximately 15 to 60 seconds. This can yield results when it comes to improving your range of motion (ROM) as well as improving posture, and more.

Here are some tips that may help you…

Tip 1: Plan stretching into your exercise sessions (add the extra 5 to 10 minutes into your workout schedule).

Tip 2: Hold each stretch to a low to moderate muscular tension level to ensure you are not stretching a muscle past its limits. When you stretch properly, over time you will be able to go deeper and deeper into each stretch with comfort and ease.

Tip 3: If you are running low on time, don’t skip stretching. This way you are still improving your overall health, range of motion and preventing unwanted injury (and don't forget to contact a fitness professional for proper stretching guidelines).

~Scott Tibbs

Proper and Consistent Exercise May Help Chronic Pain Sufferers.

MOVE the pain out of the way by combating it with exercise.

Many individuals suffer from chronic pain and I am one of them. It’s an issue that effects nearly 20% of adults in the United States. Chronic pain is a very tricky issue because everyone experiences pain differently. Anthony Carey explains this phenomenon: (ACSM Health & Fitness Journal, Volume 23, number 2 & 4) “Think for a moment about someone you love. Notice and label the sensations that arise. Although many have felt love, no two experiences are the same. The experience of Love is entirely unique just like pain."

If you feel that you fall into the category of a chronic pain sufferer, someone who has been dealing with pain for 3 or more months without dissipation, you may need to take up an exercise program designed by an exercise professional.

Benefits:

1. To aid in proper muscle development.

2. To provide prevention methods.

3. To alleviate and/or diminish your chronic pain.

For chronic pain sufferers there may be a way to decrease pain levels without the pharmacist. You guessed it... proper and consistent exercise. Proper exercise can help fix muscle imbalances, which in most cases is the root of chronic low back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain, etc. It’s not a fix-all, but for many cases, individuals can at least lower the pain they are suffering with a properly designed exercise prescription by a health and fitness professional (pain may also be a sign of serious issues, so don’t skip that doctor visit and always confirm with your medical provider before taking on any exercise program).

~Scott Tibbs

Let's Get Moving! It's Never too Late to Get FIT!

Did you think it was too late to get fit? It's never too late! So let's get moving!

Our bodies are designed to move at every stage of our lives, no matter our age. Of course, our bodies at 75 years will perform differently than at 18 years, however we can take steps to stay active and healthy. The most crucial aspect of getting fit in our elderly years is to first contact your health care provider to determine if you have any health concerns or contradictions to starting an exercise program. Once you have determined your physiological and physical limitations or lack thereof, a fitness professional can help you take appropriate steps to become fit and healthy.

Research has shown that people who are regularly active live longer and have higher quality lives than individuals who do not exercise regularly.

The Benefits of exercising as a Senior:

1. Improve muscular strength and endurance to stay as independent as possible.

2. Provides your body more energy to do what you love most.

3. Resistance training can help improve your balance, which can help you prevent a life altering fall.

4. Help those suffering from depression.

5. Improve cognitive functions (memory, mood and motor skills).

6. Prevent and delay diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, and heart disease.

~Scott Tibbs

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