Skinny Jeans Danger

Ever heard of "meralgia paresthetica?" Me neither. Consumer Reports recently ran an article about this condition that can be caused from trying to constantly squeeze into those "skinny jeans." I found it pretty interesting. Check it out here: http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health/2009/07/health-risks-of-skinny-jeans-tight-jeans-nerve-damage-meralgia-paresthetica-.html

Beat the Heat

With Boston temperatures oppressively warm this week (I'll be jealous when I look back at this entry in January when we have a foot of snow), please be certain to ensure you drink plenty of fluids. If you're exercising for over 60 minutes at a vigorous level or if you perspire a lot, it's safe to ingest beverages such as Gatorade that will help replace electrolytes (i.e. sodium, calcium and potassium). In essence, listen to your body. Temperatures exceeding 90 degrees with strong humidity don't warrant a hard run. I've seen many people out jogging and cycling this week, and I'm just hoping they're drinking enough water. Signs of dehydration include headaches, chills, nausea, and muscle cramping, the latter of which I've had when I didn't adequately hydrate before playing a basketball double header last summer. Long story short: take it easy this week and take the time to hydrate.

Sleep deprivation linked to negative emotions

I'm forever on my clients about getting enough sleep as a means of recovery from their workouts, but there's an emotional link to the story as well. Radiologist Seung-Schik Yoo of Brigham & Women's Hospital conducted a study where MRI testing proved that people who slack on sleep experience stronger negative emotions the following day after poor/inadequate sleep.

Moral of the story: if you want to feel refreshed, positive, and experience positive results from your workouts, make sure you get enough sleep every night. Additionally, try going to sleep and waking up around the same time every night- even on the weekends.

Sugar Drinks have become the target in the obesity battle

Stephen Smith of The Boston Globe recently wrote a piece about how sugary drinks have become the key target in the battle against obesity. Some of the key points in his article were the following:

• The cost of treating obesity has doubled in the past decade


• Research conducted by Dr. Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health showed that women who drank more than 2 sodas/day had an almost 40% higher risk of heart disease than those who rarely drank soda.


• According to Willett, a 20-ounce soft drink contains the equivalent of 17 teaspoons of sugar.


• "Calories in liquid form appear to be inherently less filling than calories in solid form."
  

To read the full article, click here:

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2009/08/03/how_sugary_drinks_have_become_the_target_in_the_fight_against_obesity/?page=1

Did You Know...?

...that the total spent on gym memberships in the U.S. is $19 billion? We must be the fittest country in the world, right? Guess again.

...that the total # of calories in a 20 oz. bottle of Gatorade is 130?

Article Published

Hi Everyone- I just wanted to share some good news. An article I recently wrote appeared in today’s Watertown Tab. To check out the article, click the following link and let me know what you think: http://www.wickedlocal.com/watertown/news/opinions/x772298609/Connolly-August-is-the-time-for-fitness-goal-reassessment

I’ll be in touch on SEP. 1 when my next newsletter comes out. Until then, have a wonderful weekend.

To your health,
-PC
Founder: PC Conditioning Pers. Training Services
http://pcconditioning.blogspot.com/

Healthy Meal Idea

I'm fortunate to have friends with vegetable gardens who share, along with co-workers who share good recipes. Yesterday, I made a delicious salad with all ingredients from a friend who grows lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, etc... in his garden. I topped the salad with various beans I purchased @ Trader Joe's. On the side, I had two turkey meatballs a co-worker made for me. Nothing like a delicious, nutritious, and FREE (minus the beans) lunch.

As for nutrient density, the beans represent good quality fiber and plant-based protein. The turkey meatballs provide complete protein. Good stuff!

For more on the nutrient values of beans, click here: http://www.training-conditioning.com/2007/10/19/magic_beans/index.php

PC Conditioning Boot Camp: An Inside Look

We had a great session tonight @ Boot Camp. We're halfway done and the group is doing excellent. I am seeing a lot of improvement in everyone. The "campers" know by now what a lot of my clients already do- that my goal is to make our time together a learning experience, not merely a training experience. Sure I could yell and scream for an hour and make 'em sweat 'til they puke, but if they're not learning how to eat better, why sleep is crucial to recovery, and how to implement total body workouts, I'd be wasting their money and my time.

Tonight I brought along a delicious snack for everyone to try. It was an "Omeaga Trek Mix" from Trader Joe's that consisted of individually pre-portioned dried cranberries, almonds, walnuts, and pecans. It's got plenty of good ("unsaturated") fat and curbs hunger until the next meal comes. I often use it as an afternoon snack. Here's the link for a complete caloric breakdown (http://www.thedailyplate.com/nutrition-calories/food/trader-joes/omega-trek-mix). Everyone seemed to like it. I just wanted to provide a healthy "go-to snack" when hunger hits (often in the mid/late afternoon for most people when they're at their desk at work).

We've been getting in some good quality circuit training at Boot Camp. I posted a few pics above of some of the campers going through one of the circuits they did tonight. I had them perform incline sprints, push-ups, and prone planks- tough stuff, particularly in this humidity. Great job everyone!

For homework, I am having everyone read the cover story from this week's Time Magazine entitled "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin." I'll be sure to highlight some of the positive and negative aspects of the article and we'll chat about it as a group to further their knowledge of quality ways to burn calories and maintain a healthy weight. If you're interested in checking out the article, click here: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html I welcome your feedback.

SEP. Newsletter

I worked for a while today on the nutrition section of September's newsletter. I'll be quoting pieces of a fantastic article I came across recently and providing further insight to help you with your fat loss goals. Here's a sneak peak:

• “What you eat and how you eat it can really make or break the effectiveness of your program, regardless of how good it is.”- Sadly, I’ve had clients over the years eat like sh--, yet train their butts off and saw little, if any results. Pairing excellent nutrition with excellent training yields excellent results.
• “If you drop your calories too low, you will drastically slow down your metabolism and your body will start to feed off of muscle tissue. Not good!”- I’ve had clients both past and present drop their calories to a point they weren’t losing weight or getting stronger and this was the reason why. Adequate caloric ingestion can become a trial and error process, but be patient.

Muscle Dysmorphia

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) has received a fair amount of press over the years, but muscle dysmorphia (MD) has been more prevalent in recent times. A former workout partner of mine showed definite signs, but never seeked professional help. Interestingly enough, the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) published a paper covering MD I found very interesting and wanted to share with my readers. Check it out here: http://nsca-lift.org/HotTopic/download/Muscle_Dysmorphia.pdf

Save money on gas, ingest lots of sugar!

Talk about one stop shopping- a local grocery store (rhymes with "Pop and Stop") is offering 10 cents off/gallon of gas if you purchase "participating items" in their weekly circular. Here are some of your choices:

• Frosted Flakes


• Pop Tarts


• Cheese & crackers


• 100-calorie cookie packs


• Rice Krispie Treats


• Eggo Waffles

Talk about empty calories and sugar. But hey, you get to save 10 cents/gallon gas, right? Wow...

Tanning Beds Boost Risk of Skin Cancer

The International Agency for Research on Cancer recently published a study that said using sunbeds before age 30 increases your risk of melanoma by 75 percent. I assumed the number was high, but not that high. It's a sad reminder of how unsafe these stupid tanning beds are. Sadly, I've had 2 friends battle melanoma over the last few months. One of them will be okay, having had successful surgery. Unfortunately, the second person passed away just over a month ago. I see many peers, clients, friends, etc... bask in the sun or in tanning beds. It's awful. Sure I'd like to have a more tan appearance so many are after, but not for the sake of contracting skin cancer. I'll take my 15 minutes/day outside to get my Vitamin D and be good. Sorry for the rant, but that stat just scared me when I read it this week.

For further info, here's a quick read on how to stay safe in the sun:
http://www.consumerreports.org/health/conditions-and-treatments/skin-cancer-squamous-cell/what-works/sunscreens/staying-safe-in-the-sun.htm

Your First Instinct Is Significantly More Challenge

I just got done reading my 8th book of 2009 (yes I track the books I read, and yes I know I'm a nerd) titled "The Instinct Diet." Anyway, I'll be doing a full review in a future newsletter, but for now I wanted to highlight one point I liked. Author Susan Roberts, PhD., discussed how when people want to lose weight, the majority of them believe increasing their physical activity should be their first step. It spoke to me because I encounter this all the time.

Improving nutrition habits should occur FIRST. Of course exercising helps, but you'll be wasting your time if all you do is exercise more. No workout plan is going to EVER outperform a poor nutrition plan. Start slow (i.e. increase veggie intake by 1-2 servings daily and cut out all fried and high-saturated food for 3 weeks, THEN focus on a 2nd goal). Several small steps ad up over the long haul. Email me if you need any specific advice.

Fundamentals of Nutrition & Fat Loss

I'm always one for a good article on nutrition fundamentals, particularly if it's conveyed sensibly and can be applied in my clients' lives. That being said, Nick Tumminello wrote a solid piece I recently came across entitled "The Fundamentals of Nutrition & Fat Loss" for Strength Coach.com, an organization I am a proud member of. My September newsletter will contain a full breakdown of the highlights I extracted from the article, but here are a few to get your August nutrition practices on track:

• "What you eat and how you eat it can really make or break the effectiveness of your program, regardless of how good it is."


• If you drop your calories too low, you will drastically slow down your metabolism and your body will start to feed off muscle tissue.


• A negative calorie food is one that requires more energy to digest than it provides (i.e. celery, spinach, and lettuce).

If you enjoyed the above and would like to see more, continue to check out my constantly-updated blog and monthly newsletters. In addition, I'd strongly consider registering for Strength Coach.com, the best source for the leading information on strength & conditioning. Some of the benefits of this site include the following:

• Unlimited access to over 1,370 Pages of Sports Training Programs and Articles


• Access to Video Clips and Exercise Images


• Access to over 50 Hours of Audio Interviews with Professional Strength Coaches!


• Unlimited access to our private members-only forums


• 10% Discount on all Training Equipment orders from Perform Better


• Access to brand new articles and programs added every week!
  And much more!

Click on the following link to get started:

http://www.sportspecific.com/members/738.cfm?affID=pc835

Movie Recommendation

Organic Milk

Organic, pasture-fed milk does the body better. Check out the full article here: http://blogs.webmd.com/health-ehome/2009/02/organic-milk-does-body-better.html

Higher Protein Diet for Athletes

The protein needs of athletes is a common point of disagreement among nutrition professionals. In response, many established researchers have investigated this question in controlled clinical trials. Check out the following protein recommendations according to the results of this study: http://issnblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/national-dairy-council-endorses-higher.html. As you'll read, both competitive and recreational exercises may benefit from greater levels of protein than that of the RDA.

Incredible Story

The 2009 recipient of the Jimmy V. Award went to Coach Don Meyer, during the 2009 ESPY's on ESPN. He's another hero of mine and his speech was incredibly moving. Let me know what you think. A couple of my fav. portions:

-Don't whine
-Don't complain
-Don't make excuses

The "F words" Coach Meyer and his team use regularly: faith, family, and friends.

Precision Nutrition Video Clips

As you may be aware, I recently affiliated with the top international nutrition company, Precision Nutrition. Their president, Dr. John Berardi, was a guest on a Canadian call-in show recently. Click the link below to see the video clips of that show and let me know what you think: http://precisionnutrition.com/cmd.php?pageid=987117&u=www.precisionnutrition.com/on-the-line-tv

Are Supplements a Substitute for Real Food?

I was reviewing some articles in my "to read" pile and came across this one from one of my mentors, nutritionist Debra Wein. In this article (http://www.nsca-lift.org/Perform/articles/080305.pdf), Debra not only discusses supplements, but provides a well-written chart on those who could benefit from certain supplements.

Eating like a pro athlete is simple!

Steve Nash is my 2nd favorite player in the NBA- Ray Allen is my favorite. That being said, Nash remains one of the top conditioned players in the world. While work ethic and proper training play considerate roles, proper nutritional habits and adequate rest are the key reasons why Nash stays in top shape. You may surprised to learn that there are no fancy ways getting around eating healthy.

The core of his diet consists of fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, chicken and fish. He also supplements by taking vitamins that you can find at any supermarket. Several of Nash's teammates have mirrored his successful habits and they are seeing great results as well. Check out the full article here: http://www.nba.com/suns/news/feature_nashdiet_090709.html

Irish Under-18 National Team @ Saltonstall Park

As part of their inaugural two-week tour of America, the Irish Under-18 national basketball team participated in a double-header at Saltonstall Park last night. The agenda went as follows:
Irish National Team vs. Donohue's Kaos Club: 8:30
Irish National Team vs. Papas Elite All Stars: 9:30

There were tons of people there and my Dad was DJing the event. Good times.

ACSM 2009 Position Stand Revealed

The latest report from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has recently been published. It adds to the previous 2002 position stand. While the full article is available here (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/137328.php) the section I took away was this: "...the 2009 ACSM position stand encourages the use of concentric, eccentric, and isometric actions in the resistance training program design.

Change Your Environment

I just read an excellent article on the Precision Nutrition titled, "Change Your Environment." Check it out here: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/change-your-environment

As you'll recall, Precision Nutrition is the company I have recently affiliated with as I find their products quite helpful. Here is the link to check out their products: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cmd.php?pageid=987117

Lutein-rich Produce

According to Bausch & Lomb, Lutein is an antioxidant carotenoid a pigmented nutrient that is responsible for the yellow colors of fruits and vegetables and is present in the highest quantities in dark, leafy green vegetables. You're born with a certain amount of lutein in your eye, but your body doesn't reproduce it. Long story short, we know it's important to implement sources of lutein in your diet. That being said, here are some of my the top choices for lutein (recall that a serving is 1/2 cup cooked):

• Kale


• Spinach


• Collard greens


• Swiss chard

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

How Many Servings of Fruits & Veggies to Consume Each Day

I get asked a lot how many servings of produce one should consumer daily. Too many recommendations set forth by the various professional organizations are vague. Specifically, they target a range of numbers, but don't make it relative to one's activity level, goals, body weight, etc... That being said, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has put together a web site where you can plug in your age and acitity level and it calculates the exact number of servings you need each day. Check it out here: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/index.html

Losing Weight AND Improving Strength Simultaneously

It IS possible to lose weight AND induce strength gains at the same time. One of my mentors, Alwyn Cosgrove, recently wrote a mini article for Core Performance and spoke on this matter. Check it out here: http://www.coreperformance.com/daily/live-better/q-a-lose-weight-stay-strong.html

Your iPhone as a HR Monitor

If you're like me, you think your iPhone may be the best gadget ever invented. That being said, New Zealand-based developer Bluespark has come up with a very simple and great idea - a heart rate monitor for the iPhone. Chceck out the full story here: http://www.appcraver.com/heart-monitor/.

Webinar Key Points

Monday night I attended a strength & conditioning "webinar." For those unfamiliar with the term, a webinar is essentially an online seminar where attendees simply log on to a live presentation. In this case, presenter Frank Dolan discussed evaluation and program design for teams and large groups. Coach Dolan is the President of Sports and Fitness Performance, a company dedicated to helping people achieve their sports and fitness goals through cutting edge training methods.

A few points I drew from the presentation were the following:

• "Entrepreneurs are always pursuing the impossible-" This is something Dolan was told as he started his career and he chose to continue to work hard and has become quite successful in the strength & conditioning industry.


• "Fix the movement, not the muscle-" As a trainer, strength coach, etc..., it is important we not address muscles in an isolative fashion. Rather, we need to continue to look at functional movements and work hard to "fix" those.


• "Be willing to be influential"- Go against the grain, even it means doing the opposite of what everyone else in the gym is doing. The machines are sexy marketing, but free weights and body weight exercises continue to be the best approach towards optimum function.

At the conclusion of the presentation, you can ask the presenter questions and I asked him about presentation style and how to improve the logistics of presenting. He referred me to a specific computer program he uses and additionally suggested the book "Presentation Zen," found here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0321525655?tag=pccon-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0321525655&adid=1TJBSH3PA5XBZXAB5H78. I've added that to my ever-growing "To Read" list for 2009. If you read it, let me know what you think.

Core Training Revisited

Great links here on true "Core Training:"

http://www.coreperformance.com/daily/movement/core-training-misunderstood.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/magazine/21FOB-physed-t.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=Phys%20Ed&st=cse

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/phys-ed/

Positive Feedback Received

I received an unexpected email this week from an individual who participated in an 8-week group exercise program I conducted in Danvers, MA last fall. Each week, I saw improvements in her workouts, but little did I realize I'd be helping her make such great changes in her long-term exercise patterns. Here is what she wrote to me...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hi Paul,

I just wanted you to know that because of you and your class I have been going to the gym 2-3x/wk for exercise and Zumba - I have lost a few pounds, but several inches, my clothes are all falling off (oops?), and the best is that I feel soooooooo much better. I have more strength, stamina and I don't feel fatigued during the day anymore. I just wanted you to know that you're a miracle worker. I hope you're well and having fun. Keep in touch."

Carol F.
Danvers, MA

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the kind of stuff that continues to make me love what I do. It's truly rewarding. Keep up the great work Carol!

Taking the Path (Stairwell) Less Traveled

In my June newsletter (http://pcconditioning.com/newsletters/2009June.pdf) I wrote a piece on how effective Step Mill machines were. I'm a huge fan of stair training, assuming your joints can tolerate it. Ironically, the New York Times recently ran a really good article on how stairs need to be encouraged more in the architecture of new building construction. I couldn't agree more. I was in a situation recently where I went to visit a relative at a local area hospital and when I asked where the stairs were, the woman I asked looked at me like it was strange for me not to take the elevator. Ironically, we went to the same floor and I beat her up :-)

Then, on my way out, I was only allowed to take the stairs to the 3rd floor. To go to the ground floor via the stairs, I'd have to know the keypad code to exit the building or the alarm would go off. Thankfully, a nurse was on her way out (soon-to-be lit cigarette in hand, mind you) and let me out too. Wow.

The full article from the New York Times can be read by clicking the following link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/health/research/16fitn.html?_r=1&ref=nutrition

Precision Nutrition

Last post I announced my upcoming affiliation with a nutrition company and today it's official. I have linked up with Precision Nutrition as I have found their resources incomparable. I'm excited to be able to share the countless resources they offer, including recipes, online forums, and positive motivation. To get started, you'll need to click the following link: http://precisionnutrition.com/cmd.php?pageid=987117

I continue to realize as time goes on that nutrition is where my clients, friends, family, etc.. need the most assistance, so I have chosen this area as an increased focal point to get people on track towards meeting their goals.

Again, check out the link to get started. We're halfway through '09 and if you're not on track towards meeting your goals, there's no better time than NOW to get going!

Nutriton Resource Announcement

Hi everyone-

I'm pleased to announce that after a long time of researching various companies, products, etc..., I've found a nutrition company whose services, products, etc... I'll be sharing with you in the immediate future and over time. In upcoming newsletters, I'll post various links with specific pieces of info. that have been proven to not only help your training and conditioning, but improve your body composition and achieve your best results.

Using this summer to follow the forthcoming nutritional guidelines and resources I include in emails and upcoming blog postings should be a priority if you're finding your nutrition isn't already on point. More to come in the near future so stay tuned...

-PC

Choose a Rainbow on your plate

When peeking through the produce at the grocery store, remember that color matters. Each color of a specific fruit or vegetable contain specific "phytonutrients" that help promote optimum health. Next time you sit down to eat, look at your plate and make sure there are as many different colors represented as possible. As the saying goes, you want a "Rainbow on your plate."

50 pounds of weight loss

Glenn Yoder of The Boston Globe wrote a piece in today's newspaper how he made simple changes in his life and now he's down 50 pounds. It's continued evidence that small changes implemented systematically over time can go a long way. Click the link below to read the full story:

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2009/06/17/bostoncoms_glenn_yoder_details_his_50_pound_weight_loss/

Sneak Preview of an Upcoming Article

I've got an article that will soon appear in the newspaper on goal re-assessments. I'll post the link when it's published, but for now here's a super brief sneak preview:
..."without a specific plan, resolutions are too vague to maintain over time..."

Naturally Flavor That Water

Celebrity trainer Valerie Waters recently had a couple successful clients of hers disclose some of the items they added to their water to get them to drink more (I always use the first one). The suggestions were as follows:

lemon slices
cucumber slices
fresh squeezed lemon
mint
sliced strawberries
watermelon chunks
frozen grapes
lemons

Water, milk, sports drinks- what's the best choice?

The American College of Sports Medicine had a roundtable on Hydration and Physical and Activity I wanted to share: http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Past_Roundtables&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=2729

Let me know what you think. My approach is simple: if you're working out hard for over 60 minutes, consider the implementation of a sports drink. Milk has also proven effective post-workout.

Nutrition Tips

I have a few good ones for you today:

-Buy in season (i.e. berries in the summer)
-Consume beans (good source of plant-based protein)
-Choose store brands (a GREAT way to save money)
-Shop the perimeter (I'm sure you've heard this one before. The perimeter is where the most nutritious foods like fish, poultry, produce, etc... reside)

Great job Lunenberg Fire Dept.

Monday's schedule took me out to Lunenberg, Massachusetts where I conducted a 90-minute strength & conditioning seminar for their Fire Department. The folks who came did a great job. We went over a lot of the FAQ's on exercise and reviewed form and technique on about 15 different exercises. I made it a point to stress that a lot of their exercises can be done by using their own body weight (i.e push ups and split squats). In addition, many of the folks hadn't been using the fire dept. fitness center, but I think many of them now will.

I'll most likely head back in the fall for a follow-up program. Between then and now, I'll have them check in with me individually over the summer like I do with a lot of other clients I've worked with in the past. It's a great way to stay motivated and ensure proper exercise progressions are intact.

Great job Lunenberg. Can't wait to see you in the near future!

Shining Star

I had a very proud moment this week as one of my top clients finished up her high school athletic career. I always feel like a proud parent when an athlete I train prepares to head off to college after training with me. Today I tip my hat off to Lexington High School's Sabrina Gordon.

Sabrina started training with me a few months back to engage in some pre-season lacrosse strength & conditioning, but more specifically, to engage in injury prevention methods as she suffered through several ankle injuries. While her lacrosse skills were in check, my role as her strength & conditioning coach has been to prepare her body for the rigors of a season. As you may or may not be aware, the primary goal of a sound strength & conditioning program is injury prevention. Of course Sabrina's agility, strength, and stamina all improved throughout our training, but I am thrilled to say since she began training with me, she hasn't suffered a single injury.

Injuries come about in many young athletes from overuse patterns. This is why the training program I engaged Sabrina in entailed multi-directional movements, varying intensities of conditioning, and varying loads with strength work. In other words, I had Sabrina do different things on different days so as not to overwork certain muscles. We began each workout with a dynamic warm-up and engaged in agility work 2-3 days/week in addition to the total body strength training 3 days/week. Interval conditioning also played a major role in our training.

I can say with all honesty that few, if any, athletes I've trained work as hard as Sabrina. She truly defines the term student athlete. I think that term gets thrown around a lot, but Sabrina truly captures it. It's a thrill working with great athletes and great students, but not too often do I encounter students who enroll in more AP classes in one semester then I took my entire high school career.

Sabrina's lacrosse career came to an end in the MIAA tournament this week with a tough loss to Reading. Recently, however, Lexington triumphed over Middlesex-league rival Winchester High School (http://www.wickedlocal.com/lexington/sports/high_school/x1083516813/Girls-lacrosse-beats-Winchester), a team it had not beat in 10 years! I was so happy for Sabrina as that was a high point in her lacrosse career. She played well, scoring three times with one assist.

This Sunday, Sabrina will graduate from Lexington High and head to Tufts University at the end of the summer. This summer, we'll be preparing her for her next big step as her collegiate career will begin before she knows it. Having worked with Division 1 women's lacrosse players at Boston University in the past, I'll be able to apply what I've learned to prepare Sabrina for the rigors of NCAA lacrosse.

I often tell Sabrina to say to herself during each training session, "I will not be outworked." It's one of my favorite mantras that I instill in the athletes I train. They know there are others out there in weight rooms across the country training hard who may possess more talent, but they will certainly not outwork the athletes I train.

Please join me in wishing Sabrina the best for a successful academic and athletic career at Tufts University. Keep up the great work Sabrina!

Importance of Sleep

I preach to my clients about it all the time because it's true. Sleep is critical in more ways than one. In fact, here are six reasons not scrimp on sleep, courtesy of the Harvard Women's Health Watch:

1. Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.



2. Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.



3. Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.



4. Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.



5. Cardiovascular Health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.



6. Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.

Boot Camp Underway

We just finished up session #1 of the 2009 PC Conditioning Boot Camp tonight. I'm psyched to have another great roster this summer. I worked them pretty hard, even though it was only our first session. I'm so blessed to have such a good following of people who know they need to work hard to achieve results. These ladies and gentlemen are the reason I love what I do and hope to do it for a long time. Keep up the great work everyone! Only 9 more classes to go :-)