It has been said that the quality of one’s life is in direct proportion to the quality of the questions one asks. While the quality of the questions you ask is crucial, I believe it’s how these questions get answered that will ultimately determine the quality of your life. Self-help expert Anthony Robbins puts it this way: “Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers,” I would argue that this theory works both for the individual asking questions of themselves and outwardly toward others.

If you are unhappy with how you look and feel; if you’re not seeing your efforts to lose weight and get in shape rewarded, then I suggest you look at what type of questions you’re asking.

If you are engaged in an exercise and nutrition program, then it may seem logical to look at the design of the program to see what’s wrong.  Make no mistake about it, taking a critical look at your program is important; it’s just not the first thing you should do.  I would suggest that you first take a long, hard look at the type questions you’re asking - especially the questions you’re asking yourself.

My experience as a personal trainer and physical therapist has taught me the importance of asking the right questions. Over the years, I’ve seen how different people facing similar obstacles can respond in completely different ways to those challenges, and as a result, experience completely different outcomes. I used to think it was due to a difference in attitudes; those that did the best had the best attitudes. So I would encourage and challenge my patients and clients who were struggling to get the results they desired to look at their attitudes.

Even though I meant well, I really didn’t know how to help them change their attitudes, however. That is, until I started listening to how they were talking - specifically the type of questions they were asking. I found something very interesting: everyone was asking “what if” questions, albeit in very different ways.

“What if” questions have the power to propel you to your destiny or keep you stuck right where you are - living a life less than what you were designed to live. Less than what you want to live. What if I fail again? What if I can’t keep the weight off? What if I can’t change the way I am eating? These are examples of poor quality “what if” questions. They focus on possible negative outcomes and not the positive outcomes the individual desires. What if this time I finally achieve my goals? What if I keep the weight off how will my life change? What benefits will I experience if I change my eating habits? Now these are examples of positive result driven questions.

So, in closing, I want you to ask yourself these few questions:

• What if I finally achieve lasting weight loss? How will my life change?
• What if I improve my appearance? How will that make me feel about myself?
• What if I increase my energy levels? How will that change the quality of my life?
• What if I develop a positive outlet for my stress? How will that affect my health?

Remember, ask better questions and you’ll get better answers.  Ask questions that focus on the positive benefits of achieving your goals and watch your life change.

If you would like to find out how to achieve that positive focus, combined with a customized fitness and nutrition program, then please consider Fitness Together of East Orlando’s Summer Kick Start Program. It’s an eight-week program designed to provide accelerated results. Call the studio at 407-208-0620 to learn more about this and all our programs.

Article by Glenn Beard, PT

We are busy people.  Schedules jammed packed with work responsibilities, family commitments and social events can leave us feeling as if there are not enough hours in the day.  As a result, the activities that promise to fulfill us can leave us emotionally and physically depleted.

Being too busy is serious business - with serious consequences.  Being too busy can cause us to trade purpose for prestige.  Being too busy can cause us to choose popularity over passion.  Being too busy can cause us to mistake activity for accomplishment.  Being too busy can also rob us of our health and, ultimately, the life we were designed to live.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of being too busy; I know I have.   In the past, I’ve actually paraded my busyness around as if it were some type of badge of honor.   I made the mistake of thinking that the busier I was, the more good I was doing. Boy, was I wrong.

What about you?  Do you feel like your life is too busy - do you feel like you’re too busy to take care of yourself?  Is your family, job or career more important than taking time for yourself?

“My kids are my priority… My job keeps me so busy I can’t… My career is priority one… There’s not enough hours in the day to…” are all comments I have heard (and frankly have used myself) in the past.  Because of what I do, these comments usually come from individuals explaining why they’ve been unable to fit working out and taking care of themselves into their overworked, busy lives. Truth be told, comments like these can apply to just about any neglected area of your life, not just fitness.

The truth is that comments like these are usually little more than smokescreens used to hide the real reason we fail to make our health and well-being a priority.  What’s the real reason?  I have thought long and hard about the issue and I think it has to do with what we value.  My experience as a personal trainer and physical therapist tells me that we don’t value our health enough - that is, until we lose it. Once again my experience tells me that we’re one bad doctor’s report from changing what we value.

Suddenly, when we get that bad news, business men and women who have been burning the candles at both ends abruptly “see the light” and find time to take care of their health.   Stay-at-home moms who find time for everyone else finally learn how to take time for themselves.  Families who live on drive-thru fast-food find the time to sit down at their dinner table to enjoy a healthy meal prepared at home together.  Priorities change, life slows down and we really start to understand what’s important.

In closing, I have three questions for you to think about.  First, what are the three most important things in your life?  Second, why are they important to you?  Third, what happens to these areas of your life if you’re not healthy?  Take a moment and really think about your answers. They may surprise you.

I’d like to share a quote with you that makes a lot of sense in this context:

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” - John Lennon

It’s true and sometimes, yes, life gets in the way of living.  That’s just a fact of life.  But sometimes we, with our decisions to overload our schedules, are the ones who get in way.  My message for this month’s column is to say let’s not let that happen any longer.  Let’s take time for ourselves and watch what’s really important become crystal clear.

Article by Glenn Beard, PT

Call Glenn at 407-208-0620 and schedule a complimentary fitness consultation to learn how Fitness Together of East Orlando can
help you reach your goals today.

Glenn is the owner/operator of Fitness Together of East Orlando. To learn more about his private one on one personal training
studio visit www.FitnessTogether.com/East-Orlando or call 407-208-0620. The studio is located at 11317 Lake Underhill Rd., Suite 500 (across from Legacy Middle School). You can also email Glenn at glennbeard@fitnesstogether.com.

Visit the Fitness Together of East Orlando YouTube channel with exclusive video content and client testimonials at www.youtube.com/fteastorlando.

It’s the time of year to TRI something new. Throughout Central Florida people just like you are training their minds and bodies to tackle one of the most grueling, and most rewarding, competitions on the planet: a triathlon. To complete a triathlon, athletes must conquer three components of the race - swimming, biking and running.

You’re not the only one thinking about training for a triathlon this year. In 2007 alone more than 280,000 individuals purchased one-day membership to compete in USA Triathlon (USAT) sanctioned events, and that’s in addition to the more than 100,000 yearly members the organization supports. The average age of a triathlon athlete is 38 with just under 60 percent of competitors being male. Of all participants, roughly 63 percent are married and 49 percent report to white-collar jobs.

The stresses placed on you can be mental, financial and, obviously, physical. While training and competing in your triathlon, you will be able to overcome the mental and financial stresses placed on you. However, the physical burdens may be too much for the body to handle if you aren’t training properly.

“Proper training is one of the best tips I could give anyone to avoid injury and achieve better results at a faster pace,” says Dr. Samuel Blick, MD, of Orlando Orthopaedic Center.  Blick is board certified in sports medicine and knee replacement.  “When training, do not schedule a race that is closer than 10 weeks out so your body has time to build muscle and prepare for the various stresses you’re going to put on it during the event.”

He cautions that the proper warm up is one of the best ways, in addition to strength and conditioning training, to prepare the muscles for the activity to come, reducing the chance for injury. “The number one problem a person who trains by themselves will experience is overtraining, which in addition to being uncomfortable, can lead to harmful injuries” Blick says. The most common of which include Swimmer’s Shoulder, Achilles Tendonitis and Runner’s Knee.

Freestyle swimming causes the shoulder to undergo repetitive overhead motion which may compromise microvasculature in the rotator cuff, leading to what’s commonly referred to as Swimmer’s Shoulder. “This repeated microtrauma may lead to an inflammatory response which causes pain,” says Blick. Often a result of increased volume or intensity overload with poor technique, treatment usually includes the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy if the problem becomes severe enough. “Before you reach the point of needing therapy however we suggest RICE, or rest, ice, compression and elevation of the shoulder,” he says.

“Runner’s Knee, or chondromalacia patella, is one of the most common injuries in runners and cyclists,” says Blick. “With runner’s knee, excessive force causes cartilage to become either softer or rougher which in turn makes the patella glide uncharacteristically over the femur causing pain,” he says. Treatment involves RICE therapy and a decreased workload.

“Remember that knee pain experienced during activity is more serious than pain experienced after activity. Any sign that the knee is ‘giving out’ can be bad as well because that means one of the stabilizing components of the knee, such as a ligament, is compromised,” says Blick.

One of the most common overuse injuries resulting from an increase in training intensity is Achilles Tendonitis. “Many cases of tendonitis occur in the ankle because the muscles in the calf have tendons that cross the ankle,” says recent sprint triathlon competitor and Eastwood resident, Dr. Daniel Wiernik, DPM, Orlando Orthopaedic Center and specialist in foot and ankle surgery. “Improper shoes and increasing distance or intensity too fast are major causes,” he says. “A heel pad, ice and stretching can help, but if the problem continues or worsens you should see a specialist.”

There you have it — some of the most common injuries experienced by the inexperienced triathlon athlete while training. Remember that before beginning any training regimen, you should always consult with a qualified sports medicine doctor.

“I enjoy training and competing in triathlons because it is challenging but also a lot of fun,” says Wiernik. “The satisfaction of crossing the finish line keeps me coming back for more.”

Article by Corey Gehrold

As you may or may not know, I co-publish Insight Magazine with my wife, Jennifer Thompson. We live very active lifestyles and it seems like we’re always on the go. When it came to physical fitness, we do what we enjoy; I play basketball and jog while Jennifer runs in marathons and swims, and somehow we also find time to cycle. But a few years ago we decided we needed something more, something different.

That’s what brought us to Fitness Together of East Orlando and I have to say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised with just how much the one-on-one fitness training studio has changed our lives for the better.

Each week, Jennifer and I schedule our workouts at various times because of our hectic schedules. We like it because we book time in our calendars for a workout session we’ve scheduled with the Fitness Together staff and it really makes us more accountable. We have appointments to keep with our trainers, rather than just saying, “I’ll workout after work if there’s time and if I have energy.” That alone has helped us stay focused through the weeks.

But the real difference is when you walk inside the studio, located just off of Lake Underhill Road. The first thing I notice every time I come in for my private workout session is just how clean the facility is. They do a wonderful job of making you feel like you, as a client, are what’s important and it just so happens they do it in a spot-free environment that doesn’t smell like sweat or a gym sock, something I know Jennifer appreciates.

Aesthetics aside, the concept is what really sets Fitness Together apart. Their motto is “One Client. One Trainer. One Goal.” Believe it or not, that summarizes their concept quite well. Each workout session is just for you - with a personal trainer at your side every step of the way. Your workout, your plan, your pace and even your rest periods are all determined by the knowledgeable staff so you have nothing to worry about. The workouts vary by intensity depending on what you’re trying to accomplish whether it be weight loss, muscle building or just toning.

Trust me when I say the workouts are intense. You’ll sweat, you’ll be tired and, sometimes, you’ll be plain worn out - but isn’t that the point of a workout? The trainers do everything they can to ensure you stay on track and stay motivated throughout your stay. They’re attentive and ready to answer any questions you have. Over the course of a program, you really do feel like you get to know them, especially when they’re entirely focused on you and not looking around the gym. The studio itself also lends to that fact because you train in your own private area - just the equipment, the trainer and you. No distractions and no judgmental eyes.

One thing we also enjoy is how the workouts differ from one another. My routine has never gotten stale and my body has never gotten used to a regimen because the trainers are always changing what we’re doing to keep it fresh and interesting. I never really knew how big of a difference that would make, or how fast it would make the time fly by.
When I used to workout on my own (once in a great while, years ago) I would go in, do some curls; maybe some bench presses; something on a leg machine and call it good. My 45 minutes in the gym took an eternity, but not anymore. From the warm-up to the cool down and all the work in between - time flies and it makes a big difference. Oftentimes, I find myself thinking, “I feel like
I just got here and I’m done already?” For me, the less stress, the better.

With all of that said, I feel confident in recommending Fitness Together of East Orlando to anyone, male or female, who is looking for a private, one-on-one style training environment close to home. For us, the results have been great; and now, after more than a year, I wouldn’t want to work out anywhere else. We really feel like we are achieving fitness together.

Article by David Mullins

In last month’s article I introduced you to Fitness Together’s new nutrition program called Nutrition Together.  In case you missed last month’s article, Nutrition Together has been designed and written by Dr. Janet Brill (our National Director of Nutrition, a registered dietician and PhD exercise physiologist) for the purpose of empowering our clients to implement sensible strategies for eating healthy and staying fit.  The Nutrition Together program has been founded on ten specific strategies, the first five of which I discussed last month.  In review, strategies 1 - 5 are:

Strategy 1: Eat Healthy to Stay Healthy

Strategy 2: Lose Weight at a Safe Rate

Strategy 3: Learn to Control Emotional Eating

Strategy 4:  Control Calories and Portions

Strategy 5: Keep a Journal

This month I’ll be discussing strategies 6 through 10 to help you live a healthier, more satisfying life.

Strategy 6: Weigh Yourself Often.

While this strategy may surprise you, the evidence is overwhelming.  Frequently weighing in helps individuals lose weight and maintain their successful weight loss more consistently.  Weekly weighing has been shown to be effective during the losing phase while daily weighing has demonstrated to be most effective for maintaining weight loss. Nutrition Together encourages private, weekly weigh-ins as well as periodic body fat analysis.

Strategy 7: Receive Support and Get Rewards for Your success Along the Way.

People are most successful at making positive lifestyle changes when they receive weekly contact with a support person and when they are provided incentives for their changes, in this case, weight loss.  At Nutrition Together we reward you for a job well done (no matter how small) via contests, prizes and non-food rewards. We also provide you with ongoing support in two ways: in person and online.  Nutrition Together consultants are specially trained to give you personalized weekly coaching to help motivate you during your session. But, for anytime you have a question or need support from others going through the program just like you, we’ve created an internet forum resource for you to ask questions or lean on other clients and health professionals when you need them most.

Strategy 8: Eat Small, Frequent Meals.

The fewer meals you eat a day the higher your body weight will be.  Sounds counter intuitive doesn’t it?  But it’s true nonetheless.  Furthermore, people who eat breakfast are often leaner and healthier.  Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day will actually raise your metabolic rate - your total calorie burn - making it an ideal strategy for achieving your weight loss goals. With Nutrition Together you’ll learn how to ensure your eating the right foods, in the right amounts at the right times, to fire up your metabolism!

Strategy 9:  Choose Macronutrient Content of Meals Wisely.

The food you choose to eat can help boost your metabolism as well as help you stay fuller and satisfied longer.  Generally, foods containing lean protein and fiber are most effective in elevating your metabolism and keeping you satisfied for longer periods of time.  At Nutrition Together we teach you how to select foods and snacks that will increase your metabolism and keep you satisfied throughout the day.

Strategy 10: Combine Exercise and Diet for Better Health, Fitness and Weight Control.

The most successful programs for promoting health and long-term weight control have involved combinations of exercise and diet.  Although it is popular to hear the “gurus” confidently state that weight loss success is 80 percent nutrition (or some similar percentage) there is no support for such a statement.  It is, in fact, the synergy created from combining proper exercise (strength training and cardiovascular exercise) and nutrition that delivers the most impressive results.  Fitness Together combines the support and customization of private one-on-one training with our Nutrition Together program to provide a comprehensive, integrated program that delivers results like no other.  After all, training & nutrition really is better together.

If you would like to learn more about Nutrition Together including how you can get Nutrition Together for FREE contact Glenn at 407-208-0620 to learn more.

Article by Glenn Beard, PT