Please join us at Mobile Fitness Personal Training, for our 4th Annual Holiday Party, Thursday December 1st from 5:00-8:00pm.

But can we turn that around?

Read this article on NPR.ORG

Today I am challenging Portland, ME residents looking to improve their health and fitness in 2011, to make lifestyle changes they can live with for the long haul.

As eyes look forward into the new year, many active adults are hoping that this year will be the one that catapults them into better health. But, new exercisers and gym members often overlook a key element when making their plans and resolutions.

New Year’s resolutions often fail, not due to the fact people aren’t sincere in their desire for change, but because they lack specific goals with a plan of action. Mobile Fitness Personal Training helps keep people accountable to their goals and provides a path for success, safely and effectively. What it takes is a strategy people can commit to, usually small changes that are permanent.

Here I offer some strategies to help new gym members improve their chance for success.

· Don’t procrastinate. Waiting until life gets easier or you have more time is the surest way to fail. Start by incorporating exercise into daily life. For example, stand on one leg while chopping vegetables, stretch while watching television, or do one set of pushups on the arm of the sofa while walking across the house. Little bits of movement add up and make a difference over the long run. If you think workouts need to be 60 minutes long and at least 3 days per week, you likely won’t be able to consistently carve out large chunks of time and you’ll have failed before you ever get started.

· Acknowledge that you will slip and forgive yourself. There are always obstacles in any path. Forgive yourself and keep the long range goal in the forefront of your mind. Keep moving forward, even if only with small steps.

· Get support. People who achieve success have a network of support. Workout with friends or a personal trainer who can keep you motivated and accountable.

Jeff Eckhouse, Owner
Mobile Fitness Personal Training

Raffle ended in December 2010 – thank you to everyone who participated!! (Please think of us again next year)

Buy a $10 Raffle ticket at the Mobile Fitness Studio located on 49 Dartmouth St, Portland, ME for a chance to win $600 in personal training.  All proceeds go to WinterKids, St. Mary’s Food Pantry, Wayside Soup Kitchen, and the Biodiversity Research Institute. Please write checks to the charity you choose to support.

“Experts say the best approach to restoring or maintaining muscle mass and strength is exercise, particularly resistance training.”

Read this interesting article in the NY Times -

Doctors Seek Way to Treat Muscle Loss

All of us are caretakers in some capacity and most of us put the needs of others before we consider taking care of ourselves. Young children, ailing parents, commitments to spouses…

Time is limited and responsibilities are endless, but don’t forget to take time for your own emotional health and physical well being. Regular exercise that elevates your heart rate and challenges your muscles has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to manage your stress, anxiety, and lack of energy and can actually improve your ability to care for others.

Where to begin?

Anywhere, as long as it’s fun and attainable. In most cases, failure to sustain a regularly scheduled fitness routine seems to have more to do with a lack of interest in exercise than with a busy schedule. Hire a personal trainer or find a friend to meet with at a regularly scheduled time so you can have a social interaction and be accountable to someone else for your fitness program. To be successful, set a realistic short-term goal and achieve it, perhaps just adding 5 minutes to your daily walk.

Success breeds success, and you only need to increase your activity level by small amounts to begin the process. Life changes don’t happen overnight, so take baby steps that can you can live with, forever.

For more information about personal training in Portland, Maine go to http://mobilefitnessmaine.com

Written by Jeff Eckhouse

BS Exercise Science, NASM certified personal trainer

Owner of Mobile Fitness Personal Training

There are many things to consider when choosing a personal trainer for fitness, martial arts, or both. One of the many considerations is having a personal trainer come to your home to take you through a workout. There are many benefits to having an in home trainer, but there is also some things for you to consider.

One of the benefits is the convenience. Think about it, no driving to and from the gym or studio, which also means no driving in traffic. No getting in your car sweaty, smelly, and dirty, in fact you can run right up stairs and take a shower in your own bathroom. That’s right, no more grimy locker room showers. Have a home office? How great would it be to respond to email, take important phone calls, or check stock quotes in between exercises or techniques?

Having a personal trainer come to your home also gives you the convenience of time. The drive to and from the gym can take 10, 20, 30, sometimes 60 minutes out of your day. Those are precious minutes that can be put to good use by stay at home moms who are running around all over the place for the family.

In home trainers are also great for people who like privacy and/or anonymity. There are those among us who at times prefer not to be in the eye of the public and there are others who would just like to keep their training and exercise regiment private.

The type of equipment you need in your home depends on the type of workout you plan on doing. There are some training regiments that need very little in the way of equipment and your trainer may even be able to bring these items with him/her. But if you are looking for a workout using weights and machines you may have to have a room dedicated strictly to exercise.

Now the price of having a trainer come to your home varies. In general, in home or at home personal trainers are more expensive then trainers who work exclusively out of a gym, studio, or dojo. The reason is opportunity cost. A trainer who works out of a gym can schedule an appointment directly before and after yours. But a trainer out on the road must factor in travel time to and from your home as an opportunity cost he/she missed. They must also factor in gas, insurance, and wear and tear on their vehicle.

Prices can range from $75.00 to $500.00 per hour depending on the experience of the trainer, the uniqueness of his/her program, and the number of people he/she might have to handle in that hour (if you workout with other family members or friends).

Having an in home personal training program is a very convenient luxury if you can afford it. You can stay in shape, be more productive in other areas of your life, and enjoy a healthy activity in the beautiful home you’ve created!

Reprinted with permission:

Calasanz is the creator of his own martial arts and fitness system. It is available from in home personal trainers in Connecticut and New York through The Perfect Fit. [http://www.the-perfectfit.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Calasanz_Martinez
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Benefits-and-Considerations-of-In-Home-Personal-Training&id=1399299

A personal fitness trainer or coach can be an invaluable way to embark on a new fitness regime or to spice up your existing exercise plan. James Brooks from Mint Condition explores the many benefits.

Time saving – booking a personal trainer saves you time. Instead of wasting hours in the gym, running, cycling with no specific goal a trainer will ensure you use your valuable ‘spare’ time optimally, carefully planning and implementing a fitness plan specific to your needs and wants.

Fitness testing – any good fitness training company like Mint Condition will insist upon a thorough fitness evaluation. This will set the benchmark for your fitness plan and will screen you for any concerns that may need further investigation by a doctor or other medical professional, potentially saving you from injury or worse.

Planning – careful planning is the key to any fitness programme. Whether your goal is sports specific or not a plan is imperative. Your trainer will develop short, medium and long term goals and will utilize some kind of ‘periodisation protocol’ to gradually improve your fitness without over-training or burnout.

Motivation – a great personal trainer will motivate you to achieve those goals once thought impossible. Some think of a personal trainer as a fitness psychologist, understanding your every weakness and strength and pushing you directly and indirectly to an improved level of fitness and well-being.

Never miss an appointment – the very nature of a fitness trainer means that you are booked in to a diary. Therefore, its hard to miss and appointment without changing or canceling. Canceling could incur a charge, and you are also letting down your trainer. We are all very used to our days being scheduled; why not schedule your fitness too.

Pay only for what you get – with a traditional gym you pay a relatively small amount of money every month to use (or not) the facility. If you use the gym every week you will get great value for money. However, the gym industry knows that you are very unlikely to use the gym every week, if at all! They commit you to an annual contract and hope never to see you. That were a personal trainer is different, you pay only for what you get. Surely it’s far better to pay for something that you are using?

Access to the latest exercise science – personal fitness trainers are continually updating their knowledge base through attending courses, reading journals and by being members of the relevant industry body. With a good trainer they will constantly ensure your programme is optimised to the latest science and research giving you the best results available.

Goals – goals are the most important part of any fitness programme. They are the reason you first pick up the phone to a gym or personal fitness trainer. Your fitness trainer will help you fine-tune these goals and clarify the possible and impossible. Giving you realistic fitness, weight-loss goals for example helps both you and your trainer see progress throughout your programme.

Training partner – your trainer will become an essential training partner for you. Although most exercises will be completed without your trainer they will be with you all the way. Working as closely as possible to optimise your body position and movement patterns throughout your workout. They are also a shoulder to cry on when things don’t go to plan, and someone to congratulate you on your success too.

Safety – a safe workout is essential. A personal trainer has a professional responsibility to ensure your workout is carried out in a safe manner. From firstly evaluating your fitness and screening for any medical problems through to making sure you are wearing suitable footwear and are lifting correctly at all times. They will act as your guardian throughout your time working out in the gym. They will also by qualified in CPR and first aid should anything untoward happen.

Reprinted with permission:

About the Author: Training and fitness routines are a very personal thing and reading the advice of James Brooks will help before you select a personal trainer or a company to use for a new personal training programme.

Source: www.isnare.com

(Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=367475&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet)

As a personal trainer who specializes in helping older adults and seniors maintain and create more independent lifestyles, nothing draws attention more than watching someone “plop” down into a chair, because the intention to move with purpose is lost. To me, this is a clear indication that someone has already taken the first step of muscular deterioration leading down the “slippery slope” towards an unnecessary fall.

Certified as a Senior Populations Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, my fitness training has shown me that older adults with osteoarthritis experience tremendous lifestyle benefits by performing purposeful exercises just one-two times per week. That is good news, because for folks who don’t list exercise as a favorite pastime, starting a fitness program after retirement is a challenge, even when the benefits are well understood.

In fact, the Center for Disease Control reports only six percent of adults over age 64 meet the national objectives for physical activity and strength training!

And the facts about the risk of falling are strikingly clear…

Osteoarthritis affects approximately 49% of seniors over 65 years of age (National Academy of Sports Medicine) and often impacts an individual’s strength and sense of balance. Compound that with normal muscle atrophy which occurs every year after age 30, and it’s not surprising that the Center for Disease Control states that falls among older adults are the most common cause for injury and trauma-related hospital admissions.

Hire a personal trainer?

While you might choose to hire a professional fitness trainer to help you exercise safely and keep you motivated, there are simple things you can do at home to improve balance, leg strength, and core stability. With targeted exercises to address these three key areas, you’ll see strength and balance improvements in a matter of weeks, reducing the chances of a fall.

At my personal training studio, clients with osteoarthritis understand that, even though some joint discomfort may be present during weight lifting and cardio based activity. By contrast, sedentary individuals typically experience more rapid deterioration in cartilage and joint health. This is because cartilage is very avascular (has few blood vessels) and the corresponding lack of blood supply means that the only way to nourish the cartilage is to force nutrients into the joint/cartilage through movement.

Simple exercises can help keep your joints healthy and muscles strong

(*Always consult your physician prior to starting any new exercise program and seek professional guidance to adapt the following exercises to match your fitness level and adapt to restrictions given to you by your doctor).

1) Standing Squat:

Start with your feet hip to shoulder width apart. With (or without) dumbbells held by your side, sit down into a chair and stand up, without gaining momentum on the way up, or plopping on the way down.  Keep your knees tracking straight ahead over your toes. Raise or lower your seat to adjust for fitness level.

2) Balance Reach:

Standing on 2 feet hip width apart, reach both arms forward as far as possible, bending only at the hip, and keeping your back flat.  Try this standing on one foot if two feet is too easy.

3) Elevated Push up:

Place your hands shoulder width apart on a counter top or the arm of a sofa. While squeezing your butt muscles together and keeping the abdominals braced (as if prepared to be punched in the belly), keep your body as straight as possible. Lower your entire body down in one segment using only your arms. Do not let your back arch or your belly sag. Move slowly through each repetition and find a height that matches your ability.

4) Walking Stairs:

In your house, as you walk up the stairs, consciously try to squeeze the glute (butt muscle) with every step. Drive through the heel and stand up tall.

5) Curl Up:

Laying on your back in bed, do your best to sit up straight, reaching your hands toward your toes.  Try to avoid placing your hands down on the bed, unless you need the assist.

6) Hand Walk:

Standing with feet shoulder width apart, place your hands on the ground or elevated surface, allowing the knees to bend if necessary.  Walk your hands out toward a push up position, then walk your hands back toward your feet and stand up tall. This is a great technique for getting up or down to the floor for folks with really bad knee pain, but reasonable upper body strength and healthy wrists.

Each of the above exercises should be done in a way that challenges you to perform 12–15 repetitions. If you can do more, it’s too easy!  If you can’t get to 12 reps, the exercise is too hard and you increase your risk for injury.

Strength & balance training in addition to proper nutrition are all critical for fall reduction and injury prevention. For more information about personal training in Portland, Maine with an expert who specializes in fitness for older adults, go to the Mobile Fitness Personal Training home page to browse the rest of our website.

Jeff Eckhouse
Certified Senior Populations Specialist
Owner of Mobile Fitness Personal Training in Portland, Maine