Jeff Angel

The Push-Up. It is such a basic movement for the human body to do, however, one of the best exercises to perform in order to increase muscular strength and endurance, 2 of the 11 components of physical fitness. A basic push-up involves several muscle groups: upper and lower pectorals (chest), all 3 heads of the deltoids (shoulders), triceps (the back of the upper arm), rhomboids and teres major and minor (smaller muscles in the upper back), and the core. When done properly, the push-up can increase muscle mass, improve one’s posture, and increase stamina during daily activities and recreational sports.

The basic push-up is great for beginner and intermediate fitness enthusiasts. However, for those of you that can pump out 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions with ease, it is time to progress by making the basic push-up more challenging. More advanced push-ups can be done by incorporating the use of medicine balls, fit-balls, BOSU, aerobics step, or leg movements. Utilizing equipment not traditionally used in a standard push-up will not only make your upper body stronger, it will increase muscular strength and endurance throughout your entire body, especially the core.

Our latest YouTube video will give you examples of the most basic push-up and gradually progress you to more advanced push-ups using a fit-ball and BOSU. If you can master a fit-ball push-up on your toes with a pike for 3 sets of 15 repetitions, then you are certainly advanced in your training and ready to move on to even more challenging exercises. These I will save for another video.

So if you want a challenge, check out the “Push-Up” video on my YouTube channel. Choose three of the push-ups presented. Try to do 3 sets of 15 reps for each push-up you choose. Give about 45-60 seconds rest between each set. Don’t be disappointed if you can’t reach this goal. It takes time and a lot of determination to master these advanced push-ups. Just keep trying every week and your strength and endurance will improve. Stay motivated, GOOD LUCK!

 

Heart Disease and stroke are directly related to certain factors in life. The following risk factors can be changed through diet and exercise and lifestyle changes. 

Common risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke that can be controlled or treated include high LDL cholesterol levels, low HDL cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, smoking, type II diabetes, physical inactivity, and being overweight or obese.

Cholesterol

High levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol contribute to the development of atherosclerosis as the cholesterol is deposited in artery walls, increasing the buildup of plaque. Low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol raise stroke risk because HDL cholesterol carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver where it is removed from the body. Cholesterol levels should be checked annually.

Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, 140/90 mm Hg or higher, causes the heart to work harder than normal. Both the heart and arteries are then more prone to injury. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, CHF (coronary heart failure), atherosclerosis and kidney failure. High blood pressure damages the inner lining of the blood vessels, which promotes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Over time the arteries become narrowed, hardened and less elastic, contributing even more to the high blood pressure.

African Americans are more likely to suffer from hypertension; for instance, 80 percent of African Americans over 65 have high blood pressure. As a result, they have a greater rate of nonfatal stroke, fatal stroke, heart disease death and endstage kidney disease.

High blood pressure also increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke by weakening blood vessels. Also increasing hemorrhagic risk are arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and aneurysms, which are both vascular diseases that can be affected by high blood pressure.

Smoking

For smokers, the risk of developing coronary heart disease is two to four times higher than for nonsmokers. Smoking is also a significant risk factor for stroke. Exposure to other people’s smoke increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, even for nonsmokers. The nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke damage the cardiovascular system in many ways.

Nicotine causes a short-term increase in blood pressure, heart rate and the flow of blood from the heart. It also causes the arteries to narrow. Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry. This, combined with the nicotine effects, creates an imbalance between the demand for oxygen by the cells and the amount of oxygen the blood can supply. Toxic products in cigarette smoke can damage the arterial wall, contributing to atherosclerosis. Smoking can make blood platelets stickier, which means clots are more likely to form.

Diabetes

Type II diabetes seriously increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In fact, up to 75 percent of people with diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease, and their heart disease death rates are about two to four times higher than for adults without diabetes. Even when glucose levels are under control, diabetes increases your risk. If blood sugar is not well controlled, the risks are even greater. In addition, diabetes causes nerve damage that can make the pain of heart attacks harder to diagnose.

Physical Activity

A physically inactive lifestyle is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. Physical activity can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes and weight, as well as help lower blood pressure in some people.

People who have excess body fat, especially if a lot of it is in the waist area, are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors. Excess weight increases the heart’s work. It also raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and lowers “good” cholesterol levels. It can also make type II diabetes more likely to develop.

If you or a loved one has one or more of the mentioned risk factors, action should be taken. It is never too late to change your lifestyle and improve upon your health.

 

Your metabolism is not making you fat, you are making you fat. Yes, I said it. Don’t blame being overweight on your metabolism, blame it on your dietary habits and your lack of exercise. I’m not trying to offend anyone, so don’t take this personally. I’ve been a personal trainer for over 15 years and I can honestly say that maybe 5% of my clients that are overweight or obese can blame it on their metabolism due to serious illnesses and/or medications. If you research this subject, most health/fitness professionals agree that it is the lack of discipline and consistency individuals have when it comes to proper eating and daily exercise.

Metabolism is defined as the chemical processes the body needs to sustain life. You may have even heard someone you know say, “I can’t lose weight because I have a slow metabolism”. There may be a little truth to this excuse that many people use, however, other factors such as how many calories you consume and how much exercise is performed greatly out-weighs having a “slow metabolism”.

Your metabolism is influenced by a few factors: age, sex, proportion of lean body mass, and heredity. After the age of 40 your metabolism starts to slow down by approximately 5%; men tend to burn more calories at rest than women do; having a higher amount of lean body mass can lead to a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR); lastly, some lucky people are just born with a high metabolism.

It is a fact that people that carry more weight on their body also have higher metabolisms because the body has to work harder to sustain itself. That’s why it is much easier to lose weight and reach short terms goals at the beginning of a new diet/exercise program and harder later on in the program. When an individual is overweight, the metabolism is running so high that cutting back on calories will result in very rapid weight loss. Then, when you lose body fat and muscle, your body needs fewer calories to sustain itself. That helps explain why it’s so easy to put the weight back on after you lose it. Most people go back to old habits of eating the same amount of calories they ate while being overweight.

In order to keep your metabolism high you must exercise and eat properly.

Cardiovascular training must be done in order to burn body fat and strength training must be done in order to build and maintain muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat.

Eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day also keeps your metabolism high. Six smaller meals spread out about every three hours throughout the day is the best way to do it. Larger meals are more difficult for the body to digest efficiently. Eating smaller meals more often will help to burn more calories throughout the day.

Lastly, I want to discuss factors that can’t significantly affect your metabolism. Weight-loss supplements, regardless of their claims, will not increase your metabolism. Supplements can be dangerous, are not researched enough, not backed by the FDA, and not recommended by this personal trainer. Also we’ve all heard on television about certain foods such as green tea, chili peppers, and other spicy foods that can increase our metabolism. However, most real research shows that these foods cause only a small, very short term boost. These foods are healthy and have other benefits for our bodies, but please don’t consume these thinking you are going to drastically increase your metabolism for the rest of your life.

Metabolism is a tricky subject when it comes to weight loss. People need to make informed decisions when it comes to dietary behaviors. I hope we’ve cleared up some misconceptions about eating and exercise and the role they play on your metabolism. When it comes to weight loss, we must exercise consistently, eat smaller meals, and be patient. You must make these factors a part of your life, for the rest of your life. Following these guidelines will help you to reach the goals you’ve set and maintain a healthy lifestyle.