Mid-Fall Exercising

Hi Athletes,

This is the time of the year where it is great to mix it up a little.  Anything that you can do to get yourself outside and smell the great scents of Autumn.  Take the kids for a 15 min walk down an old country road - just park the car walk up and down the rolling hills looking at the trees and the leaves.  You will be amazed also by how tiring those little hills can be as you work muscles that you might not be used to such as the hamstrings, calfs, and gluts the next morning might be screaming at you.  You will also have a calming evening since the kids will be running around in the great country air.

Hope on your bike and breath in the Autumn air.  Dress appropriately because you can days in northern Ohio right now in the low 70s to the mid 30's.  Make sure if you leave in the morning that you are dressed in layers so that they can be removed easily if it starts to heat up or cool down depending on the time of the day for your exercise and how long you are outside.

Anyway you look at it you can get out the door be warm and stay fit.  Fall is a great month for this.  It is also a great month to look ahead to 2012 and start to look at some goals and/or raises that you want to set for yourself this coming year.  Start thinking now to achieve these goals for later.

Happy Exercises,
Jonathan Schauss, MBA, PT, CSCS

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am back and am roaring to get started blogging again.  There has been so much going on in my life that I must admit that I have barely been exercising, but I have done some great reading on Plant Based protein vs. Meat Based protein.  And the great thing about that is that they are both recognized by the body as the same type of protein for building muscle and many top super athletes are strictly plant based protein athletes i.e.- Scott Tinley (Iron-Man Winner i believe 6 times).  Just wanted to post a quick note and see what anyone else has to say about the plant based protein vs. meat protein.  I am not converting yet but some foods like gummi bears which I love now sort of gross me out since I just found out they come from the hoofs of animals to make the gelatin.

Jonathan Schauss, PT

"10 Things You Can Do Now to be Healthy"

Hi Everyone,

I have been busy with life and have been absent from my blog for a while and apologize to you all.  But now it is time to get up and Go or at least get Moving!  These 5 activities are from the Wellness Council of America that help employees stay healthy and help to decrease employer costs.

1. Don't spend another dime or minute on anthing (book , clinic, TV show, etc.) or anybody (doctor, dietician, guy off the street) that even remotely suggests it or they will help you lose weight permanently. 

Nothing the medical or health fields has been proven more soundly, than the fact that focusing on weight loss is unlikely to lead to permanent weight loss or more likely to to lead to weight cycling and weight gain.

2. Just Say No!

Do not use (or let anyone else use) your weight or BMI or any other measurement of body size or composition as an indicator of health.  None of these has been shown to be strongly related to or a predictive of one's health. People can be healthy with a wide variety of weight, BMIs, Body fat percentages, etc. Many people with the same measurements can have various health problems.

3. Ask for Answers!

If you have a health condition commonly considered to be "weight-related:, (most likely candidates are Hypertension, abnormal cholesterol, abnormal blood glucose) and a health professional recommends weight loss as a solution, ask her/him the following questions.

4. Use Your Imagination!  If you do not have a health condition but you areworried that you will develop one if you don't make some lifestyle changes to loss weight, try the following:

a. Imagine that you are, right now, at the weight that you believe will be healthier.
b. Work out a plan of the kinds of lifestyle changes you think you might be able to sustain to remain healthy at that weight.
c. Implement that plan, right now, at your current weight.

Be sure your plan does not include any type of externally determined caloric intake or food restriction, since these have been proven not to work for most people.

5. Consider Moving Your Body!!! If you are relatively sedentary, consider finding ways to move your body tht feel good to you.

For the vast majority of people, fitness is a much more important indicator of health than fatness.
a. Going from sedentary to even small amounts of physical activity is a start.
b. Physical activity does not have to be done all at once to achieve significant health benefits - three 10-minute periods of exercise are as good as one 30-miutes period.
c. All kinds of movement count, including walking, gardening, dancing, sports and running after your kids.

I hope you find these guidelines a starting point and I will post 5 more next time I hit the computer.

Wellness and Fitness,
Jonathan Schauss, PT, CSCS

Hernia Pain is nothing with Open Procedure

Hi Athletes,

Well it has been 16 days since my surgery and I walk/ran up to 3.1 miles on the treadmill today with NO PAIN!!!!

I cannot believe it.  That laproscopic surgery sucked. Well at least the first doctor did.... I can tell who not to use.  This other doctor was a man of few words, but he is one of the best in the world at what he does.

He is on the west side of Cleveland and not affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation at all.  He has his own surgery center.  He only does Hernias. A specialist.

Jonathan

Hernia Surgery and working out!

Hi everyone,

As a physical therapist and personal trainer I am often approached by individuals on how much is too much exercise after surgery.  Well, from a personal note I have had to date 9 different surgeries.  With my most recent just 9 weeks ago which did not go well for a hernia that I had anticipated but was confirmed last Friday.  I will be going back in for a revision and open reduction surgery.  Excluding the pain that comes with a Hernia (the most pain I have ever had after a surgery in my life!!!) repair there is the desire for the driven to get back into shape.  Let me clarify that I was very good and followed all precautions even after the doctor told me I could start to exercise, because with 19 years of experience in sports med/PT I didn't believe him.

Anyways, I was able to return yesterday and today to light TM running on a soft absorbent surface such as a treadmill or soft rubber high school track or padded trail i.e.- mulched.  Stay away from hard surfaces such as concrete or asphalt or stone.  Anyone should not push themselves until they have first been cleared by doctor and released to exercise again.  Then they should not increase the amount of training by more than 10% per week.  So if you started off running 2 miles don't run more than 2.2miles the following week allowing your body to adapt to all the stress and heal itself.  This rule can be carried over to types of sports whether it is weight lifting, aerobics, repetitive sports such as cycling, swimming, or running all the same laws apply to us all on recovery.  No one is a super man until they find out they are not invulnerable.

Today I ran 4.0 miles which was too much after running yesterday 4.25 miles.  But i was working from a very sold Winter base and had minimal pain with these two runs in the hernia area.  One must be careful not to strangulate the small intestine though if the hernia is still active. Wearing an active binder might help hold the inguina or abdomen regions more stable, but always get clearance from your doctor before exercising. 

My misfortune is that I happen to have fallen in the 10% that gets a recurrent hurnia folks and it doesn't make me happy that I have to have a revision performed.

Maybe I'll post a blog on my hernial revision for everyone to read and my return to exercise before summer begins.

Jonathan Schauss, PT, CSCS

Don't Give Up!!!

Hi Everyone,

Spring is right around the corner and I know everyone out there wants to have that great in shape sculpted body.  You Can Do It!  Get off your booty right now and crank out some sit ups and push ups. 

On my next Blog I will give everyone specific caloric burn rates for multiple sports/activities so everyone can see how much they can burn off before spring break and summer vacation.

Remember to train SMART!!!!

Wellness and Fitness for a Lifetime!,
Jonathan Schauss, MBA, PT, CSCS

Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure - 25 Walking Tips for Better Health

Hi Gals this one is especially for you with the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure approaching fast.  I thought I would give you a quick list on how to make a walking program lead to better health for the rest of your life.

1. Plan a walking program.

2. Consult your doctor before starting it.

3. Keep a journal of your progress.

4. Gradually increase the time you walk.

5. Aim for 30-6- Minute walks most days of the week.

6. Wear loose clothing.

7. Choose well-fitting shoes with good support and traction.

8. On  cold days, dress in layers so you can shed them if you get too hot.

9. Wear a reflective vest in early morning and at night.

10. When it's hot, wear cotton that lets perspiration evaporate.

11. Put on clean, absorbent socks.

12. Wear a hat and sunglasses.

13. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15.

14. Choose a safe place to walk.

15. Drink plenty of water beforehand and take water along.

16. If possible, walk with a friend/relative/dog.

17. Stretch out thoroughly first before walking and then after walking.

18. Warm up slowly then increase your pace.

19. After warming up, walk at a brisk pace to increase your heart rate and breathing.

20. If you find yourself breathing too hard as you walk, slow down.

21. Cool down and stretch after walking.

22. Walk after dinner.

23. Stop walking and seek medical care at once if you feel uncomfortable pressure, squeezing or pain in your chest or down the left arm.

24. Walk to reduce stress, increase your energy, strengthen your hear and decrease body fat.

25. Make walking a lifelong habit.

Remember that exercise (walking) should be fun!!! You can wear your iPod with music or download an audio book or talk with your spouse or friend on issues you want to work through in your life.  Exercise will increase blood flow and open up your mind to think through problem solving more clearly and lead to increase resolutions.  Feel free to vary the pace between telephone poles or driveways.  Make the trip fun and enjoy this minimal stress to your joints as you increase your cardiovascular health and strengthen your legs.

Happy walking and we hope to see your at the 3 Day for the Cure in Cleveland July 29th -31st.

"Health and Wellness for a Lifetime"

Jonathan Schauss, MBA, PT, CSCS