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"I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.” -Frank Lloyd Wright

Do you get your 8 hours?

People who don't get enough sleep regularly seem to have high levels of a hormone called ghrelin (which causes hunger) and low levels of a hormone called leptin (which normally helps curb hunger).

Solution: Strive to get 8 hours of sleep ideally from 10pm - 6am (hours of our natural sleep rhythms) EVERY DAY. As an experiment, try this for 14 days and take note (in a journal to really cite the results) of the affect to your energy levels, stress levels, hunger patterns and weight - you'll be pleasantly surprised. At the end of the 14 days, share with me how your "sleep experiment" went for you.

“Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit." - Ralph Marston

Can a lack of healthy nutrients lead to respiratory illness and disease? http://ping.fm/tvCa4

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“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.” Seneca

What's your WHY?

I just returned from a business conference in Las Vegas (yes it was all business) and was reminded of an important aspect of reaching the goals and vision for your life - your WHY. In a roundtable discussion, one of the members of the group was asked what his "why" was for his business - his reason for creating it and pursuing his vision. He drew a blank. In a tough year mired by a break-up with former business partners, stress at home and some other work issues, he had lost sight of his goals. Sound familiar?

It's sometimes easy to lose focus on what's truly most important to us when we're in the midst of "the daily grind" with work, family and other obligations pulling us in a million different directions. It's important to take time to reconnect to that purpose for our lives - our WHY. Do you know what your WHY is? Did you have that purpose or resolution set early in the year? Have you remained focused on that reason for improving your health, or like my colleague at the conference, have you lost sight of it?

Either way, try this simple, quick exercise to help you discover or revisit your WHY:

Simply set a timer for 3 minutes and start writing your WHY - your primary reason for wanting change in your life. It can relate to your health & wellness but may also spill into other areas that influence your ability to feel better altogether. Does it include feeling a greater sense of energy? Getting off certain medications? Losing weight so you feel more comfortable and active? Setting an example and being a good role model for your kids?

Whatever it is, be detailed; write the entire time without lifting the pen. Open your mind to all that's possible and drive deep into the core of the true purpose you have for getting healthy.

Trust me when I say that this exercise will be well worth the time. Writing creates clarity and clarity preceds success in our goals and lives.

Fit in 10 minutes - ANYWHERE, ANYTIME

We all know time is of the essence and in the midst of our busy lifestyles it may seem challenging or downright impossible to stay healthy and be active - but IT IS POSSIBLE!

Each of us have the same amount of time, it's simply a matter of how we choose to use that time. We have to make time for those things most important to us, and at the top of that list should be our health. There are ways to make it practical and feasible for our schedules, and following a quick simple workout like the one here is a great start:

- Walking 5 min

- Bodyweight Squat or Chair Sit (literally sitting and standing from a chair) 30 seconds

- Wall Push-up (stand approx. 3 ft from a wall; place hands at shoulder height and about shoulder width apart; bend elbows and bring body toward wall keeping back straight; push away) 30 seconds

- Desk Lunge and Lift ( Place hand on desk for balance; bring one foot forward and one back; bend the knees slightly and lower hips towards floor; straighten legs and lift back foot off floor bringing knee up to waistline; lower leg to original position and repeat) 30 seconds on each side

- Door Open (Grip door handle with feet wide and knees well bent, door should line up with mid-line of your body; keep back straight and use arm to pull door open until arm is out to side of body; slowly lower door back to starting position at mid-line; repeat) 30 seconds on each side

- Desk Plank ( Place forearms on edge of desk with feet behind and body entirely straight from head to heels; place feet slightly wider than hip width apart; brace your abdominal muscles by imagining the sensation of a cough or sneeze) Hold for 30 seconds.

- Hamstring/Hip Stretch (Keeping your back straight, fold in half at the waist as though you're bowing; knees can be slightly bent) Hold for 30 seconds

- Chest/Shoulder Stretch (Place an outstretched arm against a door frame; place the other arm behind you as though you are trying to scratch your back; bend your knees and slowly turn away from the door frame until the stretch is felt across the chest and shoulder; repeat on opposite side) Hold for 30 seconds on each side.

Total exercise time: 10 minutes

This is a simple routine you can perform at work or at home and is a great way to get moving and feel better. Try it out and let me know how it works for you!

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." -- Albert Einstein

Back to Basics...with a twist

Sometimes in the pursuit of breaking through a fitness or weight loss plateau we tend to get overly creative with our exercise routines; looking for a new way to do this, or a new machine to work that. Sometimes the answer lies not in something new, but something "old." Simplifying your program and incorporating some traditional movements that you've shied away from can often be a great way to challenge to your body. To keep it interesting, try this Back to Basics (B2B) routine that includes a few "twists":

Perform each move consecutively for 10-15 reps through 3 circuits:

B2B Move: Squat
Twist: Trunk Rotation
Perform a Bodyweight Squat as usual but when returning to the top, slowly rotate your trunk - from shoulders to waist.

B2B Move: Lunge
Twist: Single Arm Overhead Dumbbell
Perform a forward lunge but for additional challenge to your core and shoulder stability, hold a light-moderate dumbbell overhead in one hand. Switch hands and leg position and repeat.

B2B Move: Push-Up
Twist: T-Pushup with Rotation
Perform a standard push-up but as you push away from the floor, raise one arm and rotate your shoulders and waist until that hand points to the ceiling and your body forms a "T".

B2B Move: Pull-Up
Twist: Single-leg Body Row
Instead of a traditional pull-up which is a very difficult and advanced movement, try performing a Body Row. Set a bar about 3-4 ft from floor secured in a Smith Machine or on a rack. Position your body under the bar facing the ceiling. Grip the bar with hands shoulder-width apart and legs straight. Be sure that your entire body is in alignment, forming a straight line fro the tip of your head to your heels. Engage your abdominals and pull your body up towards the bar so that your chest nearly touches it. For the added challenge and "twist", Keep one foot off the floor throughout the movement and switch sides on your second set.

Each of these "twists" will force your body to work differently than it's accustomed to, and that variation can make the difference in how your body responds and adapts. These variations also incorporate more total calorie-burn and recruit your core to a greater degree.

Now get Back to Basics and GET RESULTS!

"Change is automatic. Progress is not. Progress is the result of conscious thought, decision, and action." - Anthony Robbins

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Can Strength Training Actually Hurt You?

There are myriad of benefits derived from strength and resistance-based exercise: improved muscular strength, neurological enhancement, increased bone density, greater metabolic efficiency, etc. Strength training exercise is a key component to a well-rounded fitness program; but can strength training actually hurt you?

The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio discovered a nearly 50% increase between 1990 and 2007 from weight training injury-related incidence. Injuries were most prevalent between males and youths and were typically sustained from free weight usage. Most of these injuries were soft tissue related sprains and strains, while some were related to weights being dropped on a person. During the 18-year span, the greatest increase resulted from people aged 45 and older.

What lessons can be learned from the results of this study? Is it best to avoid all strength exercises and free weights? On the contrary. Free weights and strength training are an integral part of every exercise program. The key is to consider the following points when either beginning or maintaining a strength training program:

1) Get professional help. Seek out a qualified fitness professional to help develop your program and train you on appropriate strength training techniques/exercises.
2) Proper form is paramount. Proper form and technique on every exercise is essential to prevent injury and achieve the desired results.
3) Not every exercise is for “every body.” Far too often, exercisers jump onto a machine or attempt an exercise because they see others doing it or have read about it in a magazine. Different exercises have different purposes and require different skill levels to perform; therefore, the best way to ensure that the exercises that you are doing are a good “fit” for your goals and present fitness level is to consult with a qualified fitness professional who will assess your starting point and design your program accordingly.
4) Slow and steady. Tempo is a variable often overlooked when performing strength exercises. The tempo can be modified to elicit different responses from your neuromuscular system and in doing so, elicit different results in your body. All in all, for basic improved fitness and strength, slower is better as it allows you to maintain control and prevent injury. Also, be sure to progress your program slowly – just because you completed and exercise with 20 lbs last week doesn’t mean it time to jump up to 50 this week. Gradual progression of the complexity of the exercise as well as the resistance, tempo and volume, is the appropriate way to make true gains in the gym.
5) Rethink strength exercise. It’s also a good time to perhaps rethink how and what strength exercise you incorporate into your fitness program. While traditional strength training is a foundational element of fitness, new methods and techniques have emerged that provide users with a variety of options. Bodyweight, kettlebells, suspension training and more, have all revolutionized the fitness industry and challenged even the most seasoned exercisers to revamp the way they train. Continual strength routines using the same equipment, same exercises and same set and rep schemes can lead to boredom, monotony and most importantly overuse injury. The point – get up off of the machine. Break free from the 3 sets of 10 reps scheme you have been doing for years. Change up your program and you’re guaranteed to change the way your body responds. As mentioned, finding a credentialed professional to assist you in learning new technique and exercise protocol is important and should be your first step when trying something new.

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Elimiate Your Limiting Beliefs

MONDAY MOTIVATION: Eliminate your limiting beliefs of what you can and can't do, be and not be. Gain a fresh perspective on your situation in life and what you can accomplish be it a fitness goal or any other life achievement.



This video and this man's outlook on life is amazing. Sometimes we each get a little caught up in the daily grind or our own problems and struggles and lose sight of the things we have to be thankful for in our lives. Hearing and seeing someone like this truly puts things in perspective.

It's a true testament to the indomitable human spirit that each of us possess inside. We all have the power to tap into that strength and make a mental shift towards approaching the challenges we face in a way that produces results and positive impact in our lives. Each challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Whenever you feel overwhelmed, over-stressed and frustrated with where you are with your goals and station in life, simply take some quiet time to reflect; then refocus on what you want to achieve be it weight loss, improved nutrition, or better life balance. In the midst of your introspection, you'll discover your true intentions and the means to achieve all that you desire in your life.

"Reflection leads to introspection; introspection to perspective."

Do you live by The Optimist's Creed?

We all have stress. We all have times where we can feel down, defeated, and challenged. The question is, what do we do in those times of challenge? How do we feel? React? Think? If we allow those times to constantly drag us down, we'll never move forward, progress, and be happy.

The best thing to do is to start with the right mindset so that when trials and tribulations arise, we are in the right frame of mind and of the right attitude that we can not only handle the situation, but learn and grow from it.

In 1912 author and thought leader Christian Larson developed "The Optimist's Creed" - a mantra for positive thinking:

Promise Yourself:

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in
them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come
true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect
only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are
about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater
achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every
living creature you meet.

To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to
criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not
in loud word, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as
you are true to the best that is in you.

Consider adopting all or pieces of it for yourself. It can be used as a daily affirmation or a resource to review when you start to think pessimistically - a friendly reminder that we control our thoughts and emotions and can choose to be positive and happy.

Sitting Can Kill You

We all know that sitting too often and being inactive isn't great for our health, but can it KILL YOU?

A recent study conducted in Canada followed 17,000 over the course of 12 years examining mortality rates and any correlation to sedentary behavior. The results, published in the May 2009 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2009; 41 [5], 998-1005), compared those mortality rates of participants against baseline results. The researchers identified a "progressively higher risk of mortality across higher levels of sitting." These results were regardless of leisure-time physical activity.

The study authors and researchers emphasized, "In addition to the promotion of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and a healthy weight, physicians should discourage sitting for extended periods of time."

The bottom line? GET UP AND MOVE. Find time throughout the day to walk around and take breaks from your desk or sitting. Stand up even once an hour to stretch and move around.

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Triceps & Glute Kick? BOSU Ballast Squat Toss? Lunge Lift? Curious about these unique exercises? See them LIVE on FOX 45 at 8:20am tomorrow!

BACK ON THE AIR! Check us out on Tuesday AM FOX45 Morning Show around 8:20. Appearing again with a new, unique tip. Share this w/friends

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Why Warm-up?

A basic warm-up is an essential component to an exercise program and to each workout you perform. Here are some of the main reasons a warm-up will benefit your body and enhance your workout:


- Warm-ups provide essential neurological and physiological preparation needed for vigorous exercise


- A proper warm-up increases blood flow to working tissues, velocity of nerve impulses to muscles and delivery of oxygen and foodstuffs for energy liberation


- Enhances removal of waste products from muscles


- Enhances muscles' metabolic properties


- Includes pre-exercise injury prevention component that increases elasticity of muscle & tendon

(Source: IDEA Fitness Journal, Stretching Research Retrospective, Nov Dec 2009)

A good, effective warm-up should be performed at a moderate intensity and induce some mild sweating but without fatigue. You can opt for a machine-based cardiovascular warm-up, calisthenics such as jumping jacks, etc., or very light resistance strength-based movements to prime the neuromuscular system for the resistance exercises you will be performing as part of your workout.


Make a warm-up part of the first thing you do when you get ready for your workouts and you'll realize a number of benefits to your body and to the workout itself. For more ideas on warm-up options, feel free to contact me at info@synergyhf.com, subject "Why Warm-up?"

Your Top 10

If you've been feeling frustrated with your weight loss, your nutrition or exercise program, this brief exercise will serve to help provide some perspective and hopefully open to up to some new possibilities:

10 Things - Where were you?
Begin by thinking of where you were physically and in terms of health, fitness, nutrition, etc. 3 months ago, 6 months ago, 1 year ago, 5 years ago.

Write down 10 things that you were never able to do or struggled with before starting your exercise program and getting healthy; 10 things that you can do now yet were unable to achieve only months or a few years ago.

10 Things - Where are you now?
Now reflect on where you currently are - where your changes have led you. What can you do now that you would have thought of as an impossibility years back?

Write down 10 things you've noticed a difference in or have been able to do since improving your health that have surprised you or made you feel proud/accomplished.

10 Things - Where do you want to go?
Finally, project into the future - where would you like to go and what would you like to do with your newly acquired fitness? Dream big--challenge yourself.

Write down 10 things you WANT TO DO in the future with you newly created sense of health & fitness. This could be "hike in a national park" or "complete a 10K for charity" or "try out for The Amazing Race" - no dream or challenge is too big - in fact, the only way we truly grow is by constantly challenging ourselves to be better; to improve and in doing so, inspire others to do the same.

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Creating a Food Log

Looking for something to do while your snowed in? If you've been trying to eat better or lose weight this year but have fallen short of your goals so far, get specific by creating and using the most effective tool for weight loss: a food log.

Creating a food log or journal provides you with specific feedback as to what you're actually eating and often serves as an eye-opening experience. When you start an exercise program, you look to keep track of the exercises performed, weights, sets, reps, etc. - so why should your nutrition be any different? It shouldn't. Gaining a sense of the amount and type of calories you put in your body is a surefire way to not only ensure a healthier diet, but to have an accurate depiction of how many calories you're taking in - a crucial piece of information when attempting to lose weight.

The weight loss equation is a simple one: burn more than you take in and you'll lose weight - so if you don't know how much you eat, then you'll never be sure of how many calories you need to burn or how many less you need to consume to create the deficit required for losing weight.

Check out this link for more tips on how to create a food log:
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In addition to keeping a paper version, you can opt for a digital one on food tracking websites like LiveStrong.com's Daily Plate feature. Log on, create a FREE profile and begin tracking! While on, feel free to connect to me and become a "friend" through the site - you can search for me under my username JasonSynergyHF. There, you can ask me questions and get feedback as you begin to track!

ATTENTION PERSONAL TRAINERS, FITNESS INSTRUCTORS & MASSAGE THERAPISTS: Recruiting volunteers to work with cancer patients as part of the Hope Lodge Wellness Program. Hope Lodge offers services & programs to those undergoing treatment. Interest meeting & orientation Sat. 2/27. For more on Hope Lodge visit http://ping.fm/yQExJ and contact me to attend orientation.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A FAT SPRINTER?

When performing cardio many people look to the "fat burning zone" on cardio machines to gage their intensity. The truth is, although working at lower intensities does rely more on fat stores for energy, only a small amount of fat is used when exercising just below the lactate threshold. The RATE of caloric expenditure and the TOTAL number of calories expended are much greater when working to higher intensities than they are when exercising at a lower intensity, so the total amount of fat used is also greater. (Karp, The Fat Burning Zone, IDEA Fitness Journal Oct. 2009)

Sprinters train almost exclusively at high intensity levels and anaerobically, relying not on fat but carbohydrates for energy; yet they are still lean. The bottom line: what truly matters in the case of both fat and weight loss is the total number of calories burned and the total number consumed. Develop an exercise program that burns calories in excess of those consumed as part of a healthy diet and you'll lose both fat and weight.

In addition, consider utilizing the Rate of Perceived Exertion to work to a challenging enough intensity level. On a scale from 6 (very light) to 20 (extremely difficult) judge your intensity by the way you feel and how your body responds. Begin at a moderate level and challenge yourself as your fitness level improves to work up to a more difficult intensity level.

Think about the last time you had a good night's rest - one where you didn't wake up in the middle of the night, and woke up completely rested and energized in the morning. Can't recall? Here are a few tips to ensure you get better sleep:

- Get to sleep by 11pm (preferably 10:30pm). Your body has natural sleep cycles that when disrupted, particularly over time, can cause an increase in stress hormones such as cortisol. This chronic stress can impair your body's ability to...

Learn more and view additional articles on fat-loss and exercise at http://ping.fm/ahcoN