so 40
MAGAZINE w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
GORGEOUS ISLANDS FOR YOUR
+
❝New You❞
GYMS FITNESS GUIDE
GETAWAY
Hate Your Job?
Happiness Awaits You!
TIPS TO STAY FOCUSED AT WORK
HE A LT H. FITNESS. BEAUT Y.
5
WAYS TO UNCLUTTER YOUR LIFE
u
TOTAL WELLNESS INSIDE
www.SOFITCITY.com SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best
TM
SoFitMag
1
inside this issue
47
Avoid Colds & Flus
24 40+ Gyms
Fitness Guide
30 Gorgeous Islands For Your “New You” Getaway
38 Happiness Awaits You!
5 Ways to Live an Uncluttered Life
46 Hate Your Job?
4 Tips to Stay Focused at Work
contents
14
Flexibility Conditioning
fitbody 12 2014 Resolutions
14 Tips to Make Yours Stick
14 Flexibility Conditioning
A Vital Component to Fitness
18 Self-Care
After Your Massage
fitprofile 19 Fit Bodies I.N.C.
with Owner Robin Boubelik
21 Why Fitness Lovers Need Massages
with Owner Susan Lucas
❝...there are many risks to
42
Children & Emotional Intelligence
engaging in physical activities at higher elevations that everyone should be aware of before making the trip. ❞ —BREATHLESS ALTITUDES, By Mariska Rowell
2
28 w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
Search
so
FREE GIFT
40
MAGAZINE w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
GORGEOUS ISLANDS FOR YOUR
+
`New Youa
GYMS FITNESS GUIDE
SoFit Magazine
Like SoFit Magazine for awesome perks!
GETAWAY
Hate Your Job?
Happiness Awaits You!
5
WAYS TO UNCLUTTER YOUR LIFE
TIPS TO STAY FOCUSED AT WORK
HEALTH. FI TNESS. BEAU T Y.
X
YOU’LL GET...
TOTA L W EL L NESS I NSI D E
EXCLUSIVE BODY-BLASTING WORKOUTS
“” Wall Info Become a Fan
SPECIAL HEALTHY EATING PLANS
Get More SoFit Discussions Photos
ADVICE FROM SOFIT CONTRIBUTORS AND EXPERTS
‹-› Our Page Terms
About Health/Beauty | More Fit People.
616 people like this See All
Likes
Google Plus
Like
INSPIRATIONAL INTERVIEWS & MORE TOOLS FOR A HEALTHIER NEW YOU!
30
fitlife
Island getaways to inspire a new you
23
Cravings CAN be Controlled
23 Mastering Urge Control
fitventures 28 Breathless Altitudes
The Risk of Exercising at Higher Elevations
fitmind 40 Personal Freedom
Discovering the Emotional Keys that Unlock It
42 Raising Emotionally
Intelligent Children
fitmoney 44 How Women Are
Different From Men, Financially Speaking
healthwatch 47 Best Practices
to Avoid Flus & Colds
12 Sticking to your 2014 Resolutions
❝ How can we for example, tell ourselves and others we are feeling happy, when we are in fact desperately lonely or afraid? We distort and lose our emotional truth when we repress it, bury it, avoid it. ❞ —PERSONAL FREEDOM, By Dr. Michael Cornwall
4
44 Planning for your Financial Future
40
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
LIFE’S ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS
There is no “I” in team. On the field or in the clinic, we do better working together. And at Sutter Health, working together means hundreds of doctors and clinicians collaborating together on your care, to help you attain your health goals...whether it’s recovering from a torn ACL or helping your child breathe easier on the field. It’s how you plus us and we plus you.
(800) 4-SUTTER
checksutterfirst.org SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
5
6
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
Long Road. Worth the Ride. True fitness is a journey that begins with a decision to start. The healthier you become the stronger you become. Pick something you love or try something new, because there is no finish line. But there is a new start line every morning.
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
SoFit
7
All the information you have been asking for‌ Our Mission to You SoFit Magazine is the total resource for wellness and inspiration to live your best. In each issue we feature the people, and businesses that are making a difference in their communities. SoFit means better living. We bring together tips for emotional well-being, physical fitness, internal health, beauty and nutrition from experts who care. Our desire is not that you be so thin, but that you be so fit. Fitness is for every body, and everybody fits here.
SoFit Inspiration to Live Your Best
TM
Publisher OMAGINE MEDIA, LLC
Advertise with SoFit Magazine ads@sofitmag.com
Managing Editor Jessica Adele
Want to share your inspirational story or be featured as a weight loss success profile? share@sofitmag.com Interested in being a SoFit model? model@sofitmag.com We want to hear from YOU! opinion@sofitmag.com For all other general questions Mail SoFit Magazine P.O. Box 2548 Vacaville, CA 95696 Phone 707.929.3565 Fax 707.929.3565 Web www.sofitmagazine.com Email info@sofitmag.com
8
CONTENT Editor JEss lander Design Director Crystal Scott FEATURE PhotographERS MICHELLE R. Slape (MRS Photography) ADVISORY BOARD Michael S. Parker, Samantha Cooprider, Taron johnson, Stephanie Musillo, Dr. Kristin Mattingly, Jim Riley CFP™, EA
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Christopher Walker, Michael Cornwall, Mariska Rowell, Susan Lucas, Myra Nissen, Ken Wert, Jess Lander, Kayla Rose, John Gottman and Theodore J. Spinardi
SPECIAL THANKS TO Dr. John Gottman
SoFit Publications SoFit Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements, in that the opinions expressed therein may not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor, SoFit Magazine, or Omagine Media. The appearance of these articles and advertisements does not constitute an endorsement by Omagine Media or SoFit Magazine. Omagine Media and SoFit Magazine do not endorse any form of medical treatment or fitness program, nor do we encourage you to undertake any such treatment or program on your own. We urge you to see your family physician before undertaking any kind of medical treatment or fitness program. Omagine Media and SoFit Magazine accepts no responsibility or liability, either expressed or implied, for any products featured, advertised or demonstrated. All submissions are the property of SoFit Magazine and we reserve the right to edit as we see fit for the publication. SoFit Magazine assumeS no responsibility for errors and/or omissions, although care is taken to ensure accuracy. This publication and all of its contents are copyrighted. Reproduction in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher, is prohibited.
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
Welcome Guest Editor,
Mariska Rowell
H
ealth and fitness have played an important role in my life since the time of my birth. Picture this: Billy Blanks marries Denise Austin and they have kids. Yes, I am a child of fitness fanatics. I don’t remember a time when dinner did not have grilled chicken, brown rice or broccoli if not all 3. Though my parents can be a little obsessive, they always encouraged me to pay close attention to my health and to my wellbeing. I was 21 when I started my master’s degree program in Internationalized Business Law and Globalization. Due to my age – I was the youngest person in my graduating class – I knew that the odds were against me since most of my fellow students had a wealth of experience and knowledge. Analyzing the challenge that lay before me led me to become keenly aware that my health was the foundation of any success I wished to achieve. That is when health became spiritual to me. Food became a means of allowing my body to function properly and exercise was my therapy, mentally and physically. Being healthy created balance in my life. Although I now run the family business, and am studying to become a Mergers and Acquisitions negotiator, I am also an NASM certified personal trainer. As such I can appreciate the challenges many face with resolutions and high hopes. It’s important to remember that even the low points are part of the overall journey. Keep steady, stay patient and you will gradually progress with your goals toward a healthier you. There is nothing more important than your well-being and health. As my experience has taught me, “achieving your dreams is possible as long as you have good health”.
Keep SoFit,
Mariska
Mariska Rowell
Contributors
MICHAEL CORNWALL, PhD/MFT
MRS Photography
Myra Nissen, CCH, RSHom(NA)
Kayla Rose, Personal Trainer, Model
In this issue: Flexibility Conditioning
In this issue: FitBodies
In this issue: Avoiding Colds & Flus
In this issue: Mastering Urge Control
In this issue: Personal Freedom
925.997.3047 mweiss@altahps.com altahps.com
1MRSPhotography 619.397.8497 www.MRS-Photography.com
MyraNissen.Homeopath 707.750.4455 www.myranissen.com
kaylarosefitness @ kkaylarose www.lcnmlifestyle.wix.com/kaylarose
michael.cornwall.16 707.853.6808 www.michaelcornwall.com
MIKE WEISS, MS, ACSM‐HFS
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
9
TRAINING PROGRAMS
SportRehab Physical Therapy using Pilates for Rehab
SPORTS BRAS
TOP QUALITY APPAREL KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF
81 Cernon Street Vacaville
354 Merchant Street • Downtown Vacaville 707.449.9266 • fleetfeetvacaville.com
707.447.9750
Pilates Studio
www.sportrehabphysicaltherapy.com
www.napaturkeytrot.com 10
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
body
No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.
Tips that Stick 12 | Flexibility Conditioning 14 | Self-Care After Your Massage 18 SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
11
fit body body
Y
ou say it every year: I’m going to workout and get in shape, look great in my bikini and make my ex insanely jealous. How do you ensure you keep your promise this time around? Here are 14 tactics to make your 2014 fitness resolutions stick—and at least one of them is bound to work for you.
1
Pack your gym bag in the morning and go straight to the gym after work. If you stop at home, one look at the couch, TV, bed, fridge or significant other and the gym never stood a chance.
2
Still haven’t found a type of exercise that you don’t hate? Shop around. Look for local, month-long specials (i.e. Groupon, Living Social, new customer trials) that will allow you to try everything from kickboxing to Yoga to Bar Method until something sticks—and something will.
3
Have a wedding on the horizon? Buy the dress/suit now in the size you want to slim down to (be realistic), cut off the tags and throw away the receipt so you’re stuck with it. Then hang it somewhere you can see it. Planning a tropical getaway? Do the same with a bathingsuit.
4
If you’ve set goals like finishing a 5K, halfmarathon or a Tough Mudder, sign up for the race NOW and lock yourself in as events are generally non-refundable. If it’s a race for charity even better—when the going gets tough, focus on the cause.
12
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
fit body body
5 6 7 8 9 10
Prioritize your workouts by treating them like business meetings. Block out the time on your calendar and think about how disappointed the boss (you) will be if you slack off. Your No. 1 client is you.
Get a workout buddy, preferably someone with a similar fitness level, goals and schedule. You’re a lot less likely to break your commitment if someone is waiting on you.
If your gym attendance has a bad habit of dropping off after Feb. 1, sign up for a facility that requires a six-month minimum commitment. There’s no better motivation than seeing your membership fees disappear from your bank account. Group-X classes may seem intimidating, but it’s a lot easier to suffer when you’re suffering with a room full of people. Also, chances are that someone in that room is having a harder time than you.
If you live by more of an all play, no work mantra, join a recreational sports league. Whether you’re shooting hoops or scoring goals, you’ll be having too much fun to realize you’re exercising until after—just watch out for the post-game drinks, they’ll get ya.
Invest in a tracking device. There are hundreds of apps on your phone, or devices like Fitbit and Jawbone that will log your workouts—calculating things like time, calories burned, distance and heart rate—to hold you accountable and keep you on track towards your goals.
11 12 13 14
Don’t have the time? Workout from home with Beachbody or a TRX Suspension Trainer while the laundry is going or dinner is in the oven. Or, up the intensity of your workouts with intervals and burn more calories in half the time. If you’ve been going to the gym in old, oversized cotton T-shirts and sweat pants, it’s time for a new workout wardrobe. Gain some instant confidence with slimming-spandex and moisture wicking fabric tanks, and feel better about yourself before you even break a sweat. If your goal is to lose weight, don’t obsess over the scale, calories or inches. Focus on exercising to increase strength, endurance and flexibility and the inches will follow—fall off, that is.
It’s great if you attack your resolutions with 110 percent effort, but make sure you still give yourself a break. Take at least one day a week off from working out to let your body recover. Otherwise, you’ll burn out quick and long before you’ve hit your goals. Jess Lander is social media manager for TRX in San Francisco. Originally from Napa, California, Jessica’s obsession for all things healthy is rivaled only by her love of good food, and good wine. And she loves to write about both. Contributing Writer to “How the Red Sox Explain New England” - http://www.trxtraining.com/
Rosina’s
Carrie lost 27lbs in 90 Days!
European Skin Care & Wellness Center 5030 Business Center Dr. Ste 390 Fairfield, CA 94534 T (707)428-3444 www.RosinasSpa.com
Specializing in Medical Skin & Body Treatments Massage & Wellness Hypnotherapy Treatment
Do you want to trim down, shape up, or completely transform your body?
560 First Street #D-200 • Benicia 707-373-9245
"Rewarding over $25 MILLION a year in free product, prizes and vacations!"
Pilates Strength TRX Personal training Small group training
"The shake mix that tastes like cake mix"
WPROMOTER ES & CARRIE BAUMGARNER & BIMMER CLUB MEMBER (707) 628-3069 • (707) 372-2109
www.pilatesfromthecore.com
SoFit Magazine
It's easy, it's fun & it works!
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
Nancy Camilli-Hevener
www.baumgarner.myvi.net SoFitMag
13
fit body body
W
hen asked what the definition of physical fitness is many people think of a well developed cardiovascular system obtained through engaging in aerobic activities such as walking, running, cycling, or gym based cardio machines (e.g., elliptical and treadmills). Another typical response would be the implementation of a strength and conditioning program involving the use of external weights (e.g., dumbbells, pulleys, or weight stack machines), elastic resistant bands, or even body weight exercises such as push-ups or single leg squats. However, in addition to maintaining the vitality of our cardiovascular system and conditioning our muscles we must also be aware of the role flexibility offers to health and fitness.
14
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
fit body body FITT-VP General Recommendations for Flexibility Exercises
BENEFITS OF FLEXIBILITY TRAINING
It is well documented that flexibility exercises improve range of motion about a joint contributing to greater mobility. For the general population, including stretching exercises is a valuable component to providing health-related fitness benefits. Activities of daily living (ADL) such a brushing one’s hair, doing laundry, dressing, or putting groceries in the cupboard all require the necessity of freedom of movement to perform these tasks effectively and in the absence of pain. Though the evidence is not definitive research has suggested “that engaging in a stretching exercise may help prevent muscle and tendon related injuries, muscle soreness following exercise, and low back pain.”4 For individuals who have sustained overuse injuries (e.g., tendonitis) stretching exercises are not likely to have any preventative value, though there is some evidence demonstrating reduction in the risk of muscle strain injuries – excessive forces producing an overstretched muscle.4 As stated earlier the principle objective of stretching is to improve range of motion, though this purpose can be subdivided according to specific application. Along with enhancing functional capacity for ADL and decreasing the risk of injury associated with muscle imbalance and improper movement patterns, stretching can also have a restorative effect on our mood by imparting a sense of calmness to the body by providing an avenue to release stored tensions accumulated throughout the day.3 These benefits can immediately be felt following a few stretches while at work or prior to bedtime helping to ensure a more quality sleep.
Frequency:
≥ 2 – 3 d /wk
Intensity:
Perform stretch to a point of feeling tightness or mild discomfort.
Time:
Hold stretch 10 – 30 seconds, older individuals may achieve greater flexibility gains by holding stretch 30 – 60 seconds.
Type:
• Ballistic: Bouncy stretches involving sudden and/or forceful body movements to produce the stretch. Not recommended due to possible development of muscle microtears.
• Active static: Using the contribution of your muscles to achieve the stretch.
• Passive static: Assisting the stretch by holding a limb or other part of the body with or without assistance from a partner or device (e.g., elastic bands).
Volume:
• Repetition of each stretch should be 2 – 4 times.
• Total time for each stretch exercise should be 60 seconds (e.g., 2 stretches at 30 seconds or 4 stretches for 15 seconds).
Progression:
For those initiating a stretching program start with 2 – 3 sessions per week and progress to daily for enhanced benefits and greater flexibility.2
Additional Notes: Performing just one flexibility exercise can result in immediate improved range of motion surrounding a joint. Adaptations resulting in chronic improvements can be expected performing a frequency of at least 2 – 3 sessions per week for 3 – 4 weeks. Cessation of stretching and flexibility exercises for 4 – 8 weeks results in a reversal of joint range of motion.2
Adapted from reference 1.
References: American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 9th ed. Philadelphia (PA): Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2013. pp. 186-88. Bushman BA. Wouldn’t You Like to Know. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal. 2012; 16(1): 4-7. Frederick A, Frederick C. Stretch to Win. Champaign (IL): Human Kinetics; 2006. p. 38. Magal M, Thomas K. Static Stretching in Perspective. ACSM’s Certified News. 2013; 23(3): 7, 12.
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
15
fit body body Unfortunately as we transcend from youth, to adulthood, and into old age, our level of activity generally decreases due to a variety of factors (e.g., reduced time due to job and family commitments, health issues, or change in social atmosphere). Reduced activity is associated with muscle tightening followed by decreased freedom of movement, which can contribute to the loss of independence often experienced by the elderly. Thus, the addition of flexibility exercises along with a properly designed strength conditioning program will provide the added benefit of enhancing postural stability and balance, thereby reducing the risk of injuries associated with falls.1, 4 Sports performance is generally enhanced by increasing or maintaining flexibility. In fact with some sports such as ice skating or gymnastics flexibility training is an integral part of achieving the required maneuvers. However, too much flexibility is ill-advised for strength and power sports such as football or wrestling. Research has demonstrated that stretching may result in immediate, short-term decrease in strength and power when executed prior to a strength workout or competition.1 Nevertheless, based on available evidence, for most individuals engaged in a fitness program it is generally recommended to include flexibility exercises as part of a complete conditioning program.1 An additional benefit to stretching, especially during extended periods of inactivity associated with sitting, is the effect on our breathing. When skeletal muscles are stimulated sensory information known as proprioceptive is transmitted to our inspiratory center in our brain which responds by stimulating our breathing. This results in greater oxygenation of pulmonary blood enhancing oxygen delivery to the tissues including the brain, which increases cognitive abilities and alertness. So next time you feel yourself feeling a little sleepy at work, don’t reach for your coffee, instead stand up and do a few stretches – flexibility will be improved and wakefulness will be restored.
MOBILITY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH INFLEXIBILITY
Lifestyle factors contributing to extended periods of sedentary activity such as sitting, whether at a desk, commuting in a car, or prolonged television viewing can result in tightened muscle and surrounding connective tissue leading to reduced mobility along with discomfort in performing ADL. Most sports require varying degrees of flexibility in order to perform the required movements (e.g., dancing or gymnastics) or to accomplish the objective of the sport such as twisting the torso and stretching the arm to execute a winning backhand shot in tennis. Though on a smaller scale if flexibility in sport provides efficiency of movement then the same principle would apply to ADL. When major joint complexes such as the hips and shoulder girdles are mobility compromised then the body will develop movement compensations to adapt to imbalanced movement patterns.3 For example tightness in the hip region can result in restricted movement of our hip flexors, which can easily be identified in the difficulty experienced in putting on one’s socks. This common activity requires the thigh to be brought into the chest via flexion of a group of muscles known as the hip flexors. If these muscles are tight the body will compensate by overflexing the spine leading to potential discomfort.3 Worse yet this biomechanically incorrect movement becomes absorbed in the body’s memory bank for compensatory movement patterns. As a result the incorrect movement leaves the back and knee (when standing) less stable and more vulnerable to injury that is amplified throughout the course of one’s day producing the greater likelihood of pain and inflammation by day’s end.3 The physical manifestations of this are inefficient use of energy, increased onset to fatigue, ineffective movement quality, discomfort, and increased likelihood of chronic pain and injury. Not surprising with the enhanced intensity experienced in sport these undesirable effects will become more acute and accelerate the risk of injury. This is often the case with the “weekend warrior” who goes “all out” on the weekend only to wake-up the following day with limited mobility and omnipresent pain due to fundamental muscle imbalance resulting from impaired flexibility.3
“…engaging in a stretching exercise may help prevent muscle and tendon related injuries, muscle soreness following exercise, and low back pain.”
16
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
FLEXIBILITY TRAINING DO’S AND DON’TS Do’s:
Don’ts
✔ Choose stretches that incorporate the major muscle-tendon units
✖ Do not engage in sudden or prolonged stretches (i.e., ballistic
involving: shoulder girdle, chest, neck, trunk, lower back, hips, front and back legs, and ankles.1
stretches, see Table for stretching guidelines). Immediate tightening could result as well as the occurrence of muscle microtears, both counter acting any potential gains from the stretch itself.3
✔ While performing stretches focus on breathing. Increasing awareness on breathing helps to establish the linear relationship between tension and relaxation, thereby, increasing the effectiveness of the stretch.3 Exhale upon initiating the stretch and inhale as you release the tension returning to the starting point.
✔ Synchronize your stretches with controlled, relaxed, and elongated breaths. The goal is to use your breathing to assist in relaxing your muscles to generate an optimal stretch response.3
✔ Contrary to general fitness where the primary goal is to improve range of motion, performing stretching following an intense workout or competition the objective is to enhance recovery and restoration of flexibility as quickly as possible to ensure a smooth transition free of injury and to adequately prepare the body for the next training session.
✖ Upon completing a stretch do not return to the starting position along the same movement pathway going into the stretch, otherwise one risks recontracting the very muscles initially intended to stretch.3
✖ Flexibility
exercises are most effective when the muscles and connective tissues are warm; therefore, refrain from engaging in stretching exercises when body is cool. Increase their pliability either actively through light cardiovascular activity or passively by externally warming the tissues via immersion in a hot bath, applying moist heat packs, or exposure to heated air (e.g., sauna bath or steam room).1 Since the active method of warming up the body initiates the elevation of temperature from the inside out and it is more convenient, the recommended method is to perform flexibility exercises following the conditioning or cool-down phase of an exercise session.
As a final thought, remember that the primary goals of physical fitness are to maintain and enhance functional capacity to benefit ADL, preserve independent living, and reduce the occurrence of injury and the onset of chronic disease. Flexibility conditioning is a vital component to realizing these objectives.
smile
Michael D. Weiss M.S., ACSM-HFS, is an exercise physiologist and founder of Alta Health and Performance Solutions (Alta HPS) based in Benicia. He is a frequent lecturer, and a corporate fitness consultant who also provides customized training programs to endurance athletes. Call (925)997-3047 or email mweiss@altahps.com for more information.
tis the season.
500OFF
$
Using the latest technology in orthodontic treatment including: Invisalign, SureSmile and Self-Ligation. • No down payment • Flexible payment plans • State-of-the-art technology (Expires 1/3/14. New patients only. Not to be combined with • Top 1% Invisalign other offers. Valid on full treatment only.)
FullOrthOdOntictreatment
VacaVille (Located in the Nut Tree Plaza) 1671 East Monte Vista Avenue, # 200 | Vacaville, CA 95688
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
707.450.1427 www.imageOrthOdOntics.cOm SoFitMag
17
fit body body
elf-Care
after your Massage By Susan Lucas, CMT
M
assage and other types of Bodywork are often discussed for the benefits they will provide the receiver, but seldom do we discuss the importance of self-care after your massage or bodywork session to actually gain all those benefits. As a Certified Massage Therapist operating my own business for 5 years, I admit that I am guilty of not communicating what my clients should be doing after their session to feel better longer as much as I should, but it is very important to the success of their treatments. In order to better grasp the importance of and reasons for self-care after your massage or bodywork session, lets first take a look at some of the benefits. By understanding what is going on in the body during and after a massage, I think you will have a better understanding of why selfcare is so important. During a massage your body is receiving a massive amount of stimulation – to almost every muscle, tendon, ligament, joint and all of your various sense receptors in the skin – which your central nervous system is processing and then integrating. In essence, it’s like doing a software update and a full-body workout at the same time. While touch and movement were stimulating all those different parts of the body and your central processing center, we were also increasing circulation of fluids (blood and water) and oxygen within the body. This increase of circulation has the important role of flushing our tissues and muscles of toxins so that we can eliminate properly and the body can repair and heal itself. Our body also experiences an increase in the hormones adrenalin/epinephrine and dopamine, which are the balancing, pain relieving and feel good chemicals our body naturally produces. Add these hormones to the increase of circulation and suddenly you are able to experience the benefits of increased range of motion, flexibility and alertness, lower blood pressure and anxiety, more effective digestion and immune function, and much more. The very first thing you need to do after a
18
massage is drink a lot of water! As all these fluids and hormones are moving through our blood stream replacing stale fluids and toxins we want to make sure that they are being eliminated properly. For some people, drinking a lot of water comes naturally but others have to work at it and be more aware of their fluid intake. Making sure you drink half your weight in ounces of water a day (e.g. if you weigh 150lbs, you should drink 75ounces of water per day) will not only ensure that your body is eliminating wastes properly, but you will notice your skin is clearer and more smooth and your joints will feel better. Drinking water can also help control over eating or snacking between meals.
and relaxing. Some forms of yoga or stretching are appropriate, as is a relaxing walk in some beautiful location; just leave the heavy duty exercise for another day. Your self-care after a massage or bodywork treatment should include things that make you happy and rejuvenate your spirit. Appropriate post massage or bodywork activities could include reading a book, an Epson salt bath with herbs or aromatherapy to continue your relaxation and body detox, napping, meditation, breathing exercises and healthy nourishment such as organic fruits and vegetables.
Next is the issue of exercise. Exercise should be an important part of your daily routine to keep your body toned and fit. It really is true that if you don’t move it you lose it. Your movements don’t have to be physically demanding, but keeping all those joints moving stimulates the body to produce synovial fluids that keep our joints well lubricated. Why no strenuous exercise after massage? Well, on more than one occasion I have had clients return for their next appointment saying they felt worse the day after a previous treatment. When I asked what they did that day, it usually goes something like this, “I felt so good after my treatment that I went home and spent 2 hours in my garden, then cleaned my entire house.” In short, they over did it. My recommendation for exercise on massage day is to do it before your massage, especially the more strenuous activities like weight lifting, cardio work, gardening or cleaning your whole house. As I said before, we are getting a fullbody work out in our massage, so any activity we do after our massage should be very gentle
A massage or bodywork session is not only a software update in the form of massive amounts of stimulation to the brain (central nervous system), but it also stimulates the physical body with movement, increased circulation and hormone production. That is a lot! So let’s be kind to ourselves and refresh our systems with a lot of water, well rounded nutritious foods and activities that feed our soul.
Susan Lucas, CMT and owner of Shen Jing Holistic, 560 First St, Suite D-100, Benicia, CA has been a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist since 2006, has a Florida Massage License, California Massage Certification and specialized training in Herbal Treatments, Postural Alignment and The MyoKinesthetic System. To schedule an appointment call or email your request: 707-7047315, shenjingholistic@gmail.com. Visit www.shenjingholistic.abmp.com to learn more.
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
fit profile body
FITBODIES I.N.C. with Owner Robin Boubelik
By Jess Lander Photos by MRS Photography
S
imply stated, Robin Boubelik puts the personal in personal training. When she opened her Vacaville studio FITBODIES I.N.C (which stands not for Incorporated, but instead for Individual Needs Customized) ten years ago, Boubelik was looking to provide clients a unique atmosphere that they wouldn’t be able to find at most gyms. “It’s definitely more personal. Everyone who comes in is greeted at the door by the trainer. We know these people as a person, not just a number that we check in and then say, ‘See ya,’” she said.
Robin Boubelik
Her group fitness sessions are kept small with a strictly enforced 10-person maximum, and similar to the draw of smaller class sizes when choosing a school, her clients benefit from extra individual attention. “I felt like at the class level in most clubs, people weren’t getting really what I thought they should. There’s a lot of interaction with each person. We modify everything for the individual if they need it.” Boubelik, 52, knows that her way is not the only way and encourages every person to find what works for them when it comes to their fitness. But as someone who has both worked out and worked for gyms over the course of about 20 years, she’s trying to fill in where she sees gyms are lacking. “A lot of people get turned off by trainers that are just going through the motions,” she said. “You can walk into a class and stumble through and follow along, but you’re not getting the full benefits of that participation because you don’t understand what you’re doing or how to do it. I educate people in learning how to use their body correctly to get the most benefit of what they’re doing.”
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
19
Her studio however, which offers everything from Pilates to weight training and cycling, is not for the casual exerciser, as all clients are held to their fitness commitments. “They’re accountable, so they sign a contract committing to certain days and times. They let us know if they’re not coming, we contact them if they no-show,” she said, admitting that the studio has a tough love “Right to refuse service” kind of policy. “I’ve actually discouraged people from coming to my studio because I want it to be incorporated into their lifestyle. I want to give it to everybody, but I can’t. You have to put the time and effort into it. A lot of people maintain that they just don’t have time. Thats just an excuse. You have to make the time. I have a tough time swallowing that excuse.” Boubelik is also careful in how she measures success—and it’s not just by the numbers on the scale. She says too many people are under the false impression that weight loss is a quick fix. Instead, it’s a lifestyle. “There’s all these advertisements like, ‘In just two weeks, get abs like this.’ People have an unrealistic expectation of what they should be getting in that amount of time. There’s so much more to it. I think a lot of people get discouraged because they don’t realize it’s not a quick fix,” she said.
❝I’m an advocate for fitness being a lifestyle not just a means to an end, and I would hope one day if I go back into gyms, I’d see people that I trained or taught still there working out.❞ —Robin Boubelik
Instead of worrying solely about pounds, she tries to shift the focus of her clients to other, more realistic measurements of success. “A lot of times they don’t realize all of the benefits they’ve already accomplished because they’re so obsessed with being a size three from a size 18,” she said. “I try to get them to focus on all the positive benefits they’ve accomplished instead of just that one thing that’s not happening. I never guarantee anything to anyone, but I can guarantee they will be healthier if they incorporate my program into their life.” Of her 35 clients, her poster child is a 76-year-old, who’s been with her since she first opened FITBODIES. “I have to keep telling her, you have to take a rest.
Anti-Aging and Rejuvenation Center - MEDICALLY SUPERVISED HCG WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM - ANTI-AGING THERAPIES/ WELLNESS AND NUTRITIONAL MEDICINE - SKIN CARE, BOTOX, FILLERS - MEDICAL AESTHETICS
DR. LISA MESSINA
ANTI-AGING MEDICINE
h DR. CHERYL CRUMPLER
CLINICAL HEALTH EDUCATION
Now offering Ulthera ...the only FDA approved non-invasive face lift procedure
1502 Tennessee Street Vallejo, CA 94590
She does Pilates, weight training, cycling, she’s basically there from 8 a.m. til noon. She’s not only incorporated this into her life, but gained so much from it in regards to her strength, endurance, health. If you saw her, you would not believe she was 76,” said Boubelik. At the end of the day, Boubelik is just hoping to make a lasting impression on her clients, however small, and whether they’re at her studio or somewhere else. “Success isn’t a room of people I personally train and then who never do anything ever again,” she said. “I’m an advocate for fitness being a lifestyle not just a means to an end, and I would hope one day if I go back into gyms, I’d see people that I trained or taught still there working out.” Jess Lander is social media manager for TRX in San Francisco. Originally from Napa, California, Jessica’s obsession for all things healthy is rivaled only by her love of good food, and good wine. And she loves to write about both. Contributing Writer to “How the Red Sox Explain New England” - http://www. trxtraining.com/
707.652.2928
www.infinityantiagingcenter.com 20
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
fit profile body
G
etting a massage is most often viewed as a luxury, an unnecessary frill on the same level as a mani pedi or a wine club membership. But Susan Lucas, a certified massage therapist, argues that massages offer benefits far beyond an hour of relaxation and bliss. “I think most people think the luxury massage is just sort of a feel good thing. They go because they know it’s going to feel good, help them relieve stress and their focus is generally not on some of the other health benefits that massage has,” said Lucas. And yet, the list of those other health benefits seems endless: increased circulation, increased immunity to colds and flus, allergy and sinus relief, lowered blood pressure, improved digestion and help sleeping, to name a few.
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
Lucas just moved her massage therapy business Shen Jing Holistic to a new space in downtown Benicia, and she admits that most of her clients have a chronic problem and need regular visits to help reduce pain and function and move better. On the other side of the coin are clients who have a sudden, acute problem, like an injury from an auto accident. But she still insists that even healthy individuals should consider getting regular massages, whether it’s on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. “Even for somebody who is pretty much healthy, it’s going to benefit them in some way,” she said. “For some people, just being able to get a good night sleep more regularly is going to be a huge benefit.” Another benefit? Preventative care and saving money (believe it or not). Massage can decrease the risk of sickness, injury and pain and therefore, help save money on doctors visits and medication later, likely much more SoFitMag
21
expensive than massage therapy in the end. “Investing in the massage takes care of little issues like cold and flus. People are willing to go to doctor and get pain medication, and pay for that for the rest of their lives instead of investing into a massage once a month. Everybody wants a quick fix,” said Lucas. The problem is pain pills and muscle relaxers don’t fix. They just ward off the issue temporarily. “Medication doesn’t address why the pain has occurred, it just covers it up. Come in for a massage and we try to figure out what it is that possibly caused that pain and work on that specifically to get rid of the pain and tension and increase the range of motion again,” she said. Some might argue that incorporating an exercise regimen into their lifestyle can replace massages in that it’s also proven to reduce stress, assist with sleep and increase overall health. But
Lucas argues that athletes or people who exercise regularly, need massage therapy more than anyone. “I think massage therapy is probably neglected by most people who are really into fitness,” said Lucas who believes there is a common misconception among fitness enthusiasts. “Muscles are not supposed to be hard and firm all the time, they’re supposed to be soft and supple. You can be strong without having rock hard abs. You want your muscles to have some amount of flexibility to them still, even though they’re very strong.”
Susan Lucas
❝If their muscles are already in a state of stress they will be more likely to injure themselves or tire from fatigue.❞
Bodybuilders provide a good example of this. “It’s not natural. The body is not supposed to look like that. It’s really a fight or flight way that they’re forcing their body to be constantly hard. It drains the hormonal system, their adrenals, it really gets the body out of balance to have those hormones constantly pumped into your muscles,” she said.
Instead, the body and muscles need time to rest and relax. Lucas used the metaphor of a lion hunting its prey. The lion is calm and collected until the high-intensity moment it pounces, and then once it has its dinner, it goes back down to a relaxed state. It’s all about the highs and lows, said Lucas.
HEALTH & WELLNESS PARTNERS 560 FIRST ST., SUITE D-100, BENICIA
Constantly hard muscles aren’t just bad for the hormonal system, they can also increase the risk of injury. Take for example a pending auto accident: if you see the car coming and tense up, you’re more likely to get hurt than if you were relaxed and didn’t foresee the accident at all. “The same would hold true for an athlete when facing an opponent. If their muscles are already in a state of stress they will be more likely to injure themselves or tire from fatigue,” she said. To be clear, Lucas isn’t saying don’t exercise. She’s a big proponent of working out, but says that massage can help offset some of the side effects. “What I find with some people who are really into their exercise programs is they overdo it. Your body needs time to rest, rejuvenate and rebuild itself. A lot of people will use massage to help with that; massage is going to help the circulation, to get the fresh fluids and oxygen into the muscles to build back naturally,” she said. Plus, it feels good.
Susan Lucas, Certified MYK Practitioner, 707-704-7315 Myra Nissen, CCH,RSHom(NA), 707-750-4455 Michael Cornwall, P.hD. MFT, 707-853-6808
22
Jess Lander is social media manager for TRX in San Francisco. Originally from Napa, California, Jessica’s obsession for all things healthy is rivaled only by her love of good food, and good wine. And she loves to write about both. Contributing Writer to “How the Red Sox Explain New England” - http://www. trxtraining.com/
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
fit lifebody
Mastering Urge Control By Kayla Rose
I
think we can all agree that the hardest part with the fitness lifestyle is cutting out our favorite foods, right? I know that it took a great amount of time for me to train my own will power and self control. It didn’t matter if I was at home alone or out in social situations, I couldn't seem to control my urges. If it's in sight it's in mind, and I am a sucker for sweets and CARBS. Yes, I could down a whole loaf of bread in a heartbeat, and inhale a cheeseburger like its air…and once that flavor was on my tongue, I would seem to go on a gorge day!
Just like with anything else, practice makes perfect, so the more you say “no,” the easier it does get! But now, I don't even think about fast food, and even if a thought crosses my mind like "oh it sounds so good to just have one piece," I
acknowledge the thought for what it is, letting it pass, without acting on it. I weigh out the factors, and ask myself, is it really worth it? Remember, "a second on the lips, forever on the hips!" I am here to report that these temptations and cravings CAN be controlled and will diminish over time if you start practicing now. I am also here to tell you that it is not easy. Oh no, I won't sugar coat this issue, it is probably the hardest part, BUT the feeling you get after not giving into a craving is so great. You feel proud of yourself and it actually motivates you to keep making healthy choices. Giving in is the worst feeling, and you may feel disappointed in yourself leading to thoughts like, "well I already ruined it for today so I might as well not care." NO! Even if you do make that one bad choice, continue on knowing that the rest of your choices will be healthy ones. It pays off in
the long run; don't let one bad choice lead to a number of bad choices. What finally helped me was remembering this truth, "if it were easy, everyone would do it." Repeating that to myself, helped. It is very hard to say “no,” when all we see on TV or driving down the street are unhealthy food options. It is hard, but it does get easier. Just like with anything else, practice makes perfect, so the more you say “no,” the easier it does get! And don't say you'll start again tomorrow! Tomorrow never comes. The time to start is NOW! So get that before picture and start charging toward your happily ever after! Here’s to your after! Kayla Rose is a fitness model and health activist. Follow Kayla on Instagram @kkaylarose and on www.facebook.com/kaylarosefitness
EAT WELL - Did you know?
Pomegranates are a superfood and a powerhouse of antioxidants! A recent UCLA study showed that a glass of this super food packs higher levels of antioxidants than a glass of red wine!
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
23
Fitness Center
American Canyon -Napa Amica Studios, Fitness for Women Custom Health & Fitness Inc Downtown Pilates Napa Valley Exertec Health & Fitness Center Healthquest Fitness Center In-Shape City Pilates Napa Valley Synergy Wellness Center Bencia Benicia Health & Fitness Benicia Fitness Griffin Fitness Jazzercise From the Core Fitness Dixon Anytime Fitness Core Fitness Curves Fairfield 24Hr Fitness Millennium by In Shape In Shape In Shape Pinnacle Fitness Your Body Works Suisun City Curves In Shape Kroc Center Vacaville Active Lifestyles DioAmore Dance & Fitness FITBODIES I.N.C. Fitness 19 Gold's Gym In Shape In Shape Millennium by In Shape Old Skool Iron Pilates by Design Vacaville Fitness Vallejo 24Hr Fitness In Shape Knuckle-Up Millennium by In Shape: Vallejo Olympic Gym Planet Fitness Rio Vista The Gym Cross Fit Crossfit 707 (Benicia) CrossFit Solano (Fairfield) Wine Country CrossFit (Napa) Cross Fit Vacaville Compound CrossFit North
SoFit Magazine
Location
Phone
Website
1014 Coombs St, Napa 520 California Blvd Ste 12, Napa 1338 Pearl St, Napa 1500 1st St, Napa 3175 California Blvd, Napa 120 W. Am Canyon Rd, American Canyon 1360 Trancas St, Napa 3421 Villa Lane, Napa
 255-2367 224-2300 257-7382 226-1842 254-7200 644-4110 253-2214 251-1395
amicastudios.com customhealth-fitness.com downtownpilates.com exertec.com napahealthquest.com inshapeclubs.com pilatesnapavalley.com wellnesscenternapa.com
1150 West 7th Street 606 1st Street 1100 Rose Drive ste 160 378 E. Military Street 560 1st Street, #D-200
751-0273 745-1511 747-6677 746-0970 373-9245
beniciahealthandfitnessclub.com www.beniciafitness.com griffinfitness.com jazzercise.com pilatesfromthecore.com
1900 North Lincoln St #102 400 Gateway Plaza #B 1901 N. Lincoln St #104
693-9500 693-9171 678-4200
anytimefitness.com facebook.com/CoreFitnessDixon curvesdixon.com
1519 Gateway Blvd 3250 Rancho Solano Pkway 1471 Holiday Lane 3001 Dover Avenue Fairfield, CA 424 Executive Ct North Ste C
423-9450 438-2582 429-4363 422 - 2858 321-1937 320-8367
24hourfitness.com inshapeclubs.com inshapeclubs.com inshapeclubs.com PinnacleFitness707.com yourbodyworksfairfield.com
110 RailRoad Ave G-2 125 Sunset Avenue 278-A Sunset Avenue
434-1555 439-4004 439-7880
curves.com inshapeclubs.com gokroc.org
560 Main Street 854 Alamo Drive 97 Dobbins Street ste C 70 Peabody Road 201 Main Street 615 Elmira Road 894 Alamo Drive 3446 Browns Valley Road 33 Commerce Place ste D 331 Main Street, Suite B 787 Orange Drive
455-0190 761-5214 628-5600 447-1919 447-4653 455-5010 455-5026 446-2350 446-0496 290-3131 451-7300
facebook (not named) dioamoredance.com studiofitbodies.com fitness19.com goldsgym.com inshapeclubs.com inshapeclubs.com inshapeclubs.com oldskooliron.com pilatesbydesign-vacaville.com vacavillefitness.com
4300 Sonoma Blvd ste 408 765 Sereno Drive 4380 Sonoma Blvd ste 224 124 Lincoln Road East 939 Tennessee Street 3505 Sonoma Blvd ste 40
558-8085 552-4653 642-5425 644-7788 643-6887 643-1041
24hourfitness.com inshapeclubs.com knuckleuptrainingcenter.com inshapeclubs.com none planetfitness.com
40 N. 2nd Street
374-2432
www.facebook.com/thegymriovista
4856 E. 2nd Street 1052 Horizon Ste A 852 Jackson St 1021 Hume Way 3777 Vaca Valley Pky
853-3556 421-1629 337-9441 474-5292 628-8740
crossfit707.com crossfitsolano.com winecountrycrossfit.com crossfitvacaville.com crossfitvvn.com
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
Go
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
ChildCare
Lockers
Weights
Personal T
Group X
★ ★
★ ★
★
★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★
★ ★ hydrolics
★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★
★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★
hydrolics ★ ★
★ ★ ★
★
★
★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★
★
★
★ ★
★
★
★
★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★
$
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
=
$25 or under
$$ = $25-50 $$$ = $50+
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Yoga/Pilates
Pool
Spa/Saun
★ ★
★ ★ ★
★
★ ★
★ ★
$$ $$ $$$ $$ $$ $ $$ $$ $$$ $$ $$$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★
★ ★
★ ★
★ ★
★ ★ ★
★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★
★
★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
*costs are approximations, and may vary greatly depending on package. Please contact your health center of choice for a club tour.
Cost/Mo*
$$ $$$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$$ $ $$ $ $$ $$ $$ $$$ $ $$$ $ $$ $ $$ $$$ $ $ $
Share Your Selfie! Love Your Center?
Share your Selfie with us at your fav center!
#SoFit
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Helping you plan for your financial future.
pilatesbydesign-vacaville.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS PARTNERS 560 FIRST ST, SUITE D-100 BENICIA, CA
SUSAN LUCAS Certified MYK Practitioner -
shenjingholistic.abmp.com
707-704-7315
Theodore J. Spinardi II, CFP速 SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR
5030 Business Center Drive Suite 110 Fairfield, CA 94534 Office: 707.439.3483 ted@summitwealth.net
www.summitwealth.net 26
MYRA NISSEN CCH,RSHom(NA) -
www.myranissen.com
707-750-4455 MICHAEL CORNWALL P.hD. MFT -
www.michaelcornwall.com
707-853-6808
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
GO. “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” Share your
with us at share@sofitmag.com
ventures
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Breathless Altitudes 28 | 7 Gorgeous Island Getaways 30 SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
27
fit money ventures body
28
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
fit money ventures body
T
he Eldora trail run in Nederland, CO was not only the first trail race I ran outside of California, but it was also my first foot race at an elevation higher than 2,500 feet. Unlike most seasoned travel runners, I did not do any research about running at a higher elevation. In fact, when my dad sent me the link to register for the race, all I thought was, “oh, this looks pretty and adventurous” while I should have been considering the potential hazards of running at an elevation of 10,000 ft. Unfortunately, my lack of research and preparation for racing at such a high altitude took a toll on my body and negatively affected the outcome of my race. With snow season upon us, many of us are going to be travelling to higher elevations to enjoy wonderful winter activities. As I learned the hard way, there are many risks to engaging in physical activities at higher elevations that everyone should be aware of before making the trip.
Elevation Travel Risks
I am not a physician, but I personally experienced a few side effects during my Colorado adventure. Below are six risks I wish I would have known before participating in my race at Eldora: 1. Your body cannot supply your muscles with as much oxygen as it can on sea level. The higher the elevation, the less oxygen there is in the air. As a result, your body responds by increasing production of free radical damage to cells, especially after working out. These free radicals can slow down your recovery after exercise and increasing your chance of fatigue, explaining why I was so tired for so long after the race. 2. Your breathing rate increases in the first 5 to 9 days: in order to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the mountain air, your body may react to the decrease in oxygen by hyperventilating in an effort to acquire the same amount of oxygen as you did at a lower elevation. 3. Fatigue: another side effect of traveling to a higher elevation is fatigue, especially during exercise. I personally found myself exhausted from the tour of Celestial Seasonings and I didn’t even have Sleepy Time tea.
Helpful Acclimatization Tips
Knowing the affects the altitude can have on your body can make travelling to higher elevations seem intimidating. Here are some tips that you can follow to help prevent or at least lessen the affects the altitude can have on your body: • Take your time on day one. Acclimatization to altitude takes days or possibly weeks, and, according to renowned running coach Greg McMillan, most athletes train too hard too soon; I was definitely not an exception to the norm. The morning after we arrived, I went to the gym and decided to get on the treadmill and started running at my normal pace. Within minutes, I started becoming tired and woozy. I instantly got off the treadmill and moved on to the free weights. Again, I did too much too soon and I ended up hitting myself in the head with a 5 lb. weight due to my dizziness. Trust me, it’s better to be safe than sorry. • Take a walk or nap. Again, running may not be a good option. Give your body time to adjust before taking on a full workout. • Drink lots of water throughout your trip. • Avoid depressants such as alcohol and cigarettes. • Limit your intake of diuretics, including alcohol and coffee. • Eat carbs. According to Dr. Randy Eichner, M.D., carbs are good for athletes in general and at altitude there’s another benefit-the extra CO2 they produce spurs the breathing response. • Get a good night’s sleep but do not take sleeping aids. • Lather your skin with extra sunblock to avoid skin damage As you can see, there is much to consider if you plan to exercise at a higher elevation. Nevertheless, physical reactions to travelling to higher elevations are personal and your reaction may be completely different from anyone else’s. If you are concerned, you should consult your physician. Personally, I am glad that I know more about exercising at a higher elevation and now that I am better prepared, I am excited for my next altitude challenge!
4. Dehydration. Due to the particularly dry environment at higher altitudes, one becomes dehydrated more quickly. Unfortunately, I did not know this crucial fact during my 10k race. It seemed odd to me that there would be 3 water stations during a 10k and I mistakenly skipped the final water station, thinking is was excessive. About half a mile later, I became dizzy and I tripped over my own feet, twisting my ankle. Next time I won’t skip the last water station. 5. Sunburn: Your skin burns much more quickly at a higher elevation. This is probably the only risk I did remember from my snow days. 6. Depressants decrease the respiratory drive during sleep, worsening your symptoms: Though I enjoy an occasional glass of wine, I don’t drink before a race as I know that I have to be sufficiently hydrated leading to the race. However, it’s important to note that alcohol can have a negative effect on your body in the first few days at a higher elevation.
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
29
money body
1
Isla Mujeres
Decompress from civilization just off the mainland of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. In the 16th Century, the Spanish named this sleepy little getaway, the “Island of Women� for all the images of the Mayan goddess, Ix Chel. Isla Mujeres is known for scuba diving, sea turtles, sandy beaches and the hopping happy hour festivities. Highlights: Cancun Underwater Museum
TripTip:
30
While Aluxes, Na Balam and other hotels offer fitness classes, some available for walk-ins, there is plenty of swimming and snorkeling that should fit your schedule.
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
2
Perhentian Islands
This tropical jungle paradise is just 40 miles south of the Thai border. White sandy beaches cover the island, so if you’re looking for foot trails or roads, you won’t find them. The only island access is by boat from nearby fishing villages. Perhentian means “stopping point” in Malay; in fact, due to the eastern monsoon season, travel is restricted to the time between early March and late October. Highlights: Telu Keke, the most famous beach on the island has powdery warm sand and obscenely beautiful views you have to see.
TripTip: SoFit Magazine
Sorry, the “fitness” activities are limited to snorkeling, sea-kayaking, and sunbathing if you’re extra energetic do the jungle trek!
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
! But
SoFitMag
31
money body
3
Bora Bora
, Society Islands
Within the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia rests Bora Bora, a major international tourism spot. Over-water bungalows and crystal clear water dives provide an exotic experience that is simply stunning. Highlights: Sting Ray and Shark feeding dives
TripTip:
32
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
Public transportation is non-existent. Travel around the island by motorboat or bicycle.
SoFitMag
4
Santa Catalina Island
Why leave the time zone when a brief boat ride 22 miles southwest of the Los Angeles, California coast can transport you to an island paradise? Once a choice spot for the golden-age stars of Hollywood, Catalina offers a wealth of fun that includes zip lines, camping and watersports. Highlights: Kayaking, hiking, camping and underwater cave end wreck exploration
TripTip:
SoFit Magazine
TM Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
We love walking too, but take the Jeep Eco Tour. It’s the preferred way to experience the gorgeous outback terrain without having to trek around with nothing but your wits and a compass.
SoFitMag
33
money body
5
Santorini
, Cyclades
The Cyclades are a group of Greek islands with white sands, crystalline waters and ancient structures that bring meaning to the word “classic.� Ruins from the 11th century, glamorous beaches, and lush valleys will make this region a priority on your bucket list. Highlights: Did you know about the red and even black sandy beaches? Santorini is an active volcano, whose crater is in the sea.
TripTip:
34
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
Indulge in the benefits of thalassotherapy, a rejuvenating treatment using sea water. Forms of application include seaweed wraps, marine mud, algae paste and even sea fog inhalation.
SoFitMag
6
Ambergris,
Belex Cayes
Just northeast of Beliz, Ambergris is its largest island. Divers delight over the Belize Barrier Reef (2nd largest in the world) and the Blue Hole, a 400ft deep circle of limestone teeming with cleaner shrimp, stalactites, angelfish, and elkhorn coral. Highlights: Manatee viewing, snorkeling at remote cayes or excursions on glass bottom boats
TripTip:
SoFit Magazine
TM Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
No golf, tennis or full scale spa facilities, but the gentle waters and constant trade winds make Ambergris a great place for water sports and beginning wind surfers.
SoFitMag
35
money body
7
St John
, US Virgin Islands
No list would be complete without arguably the most famous and romantic of the Caribbean Islands. St John is accessible only by boat and is located four miles east of St Thomas. It boasts numerous attractions and plenty of history, culture and food to tempt the palate. With over 60% of the island preserved as a national park, St John ensures a natural pristine environment of untarnished beauty. Highlights: World famous snorkeling and annual events like the St John Festival, a month long party from June to July 4
TripTip:
36
Tourism stars late October through June. If you rent a car, prepare to drive on the left side of the road.
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
mind
Did you know that fatigue begins as an emotion? It triggers a self-fulfilling prophecy that persuades the body to give up long before actual muscle failure. Instead focus on your pending success by pushing through fatigue to do a few reps more!
Unclutter Your Life 38 | Personal Freedom 40 | Emotional Intelligence 42 SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
37
fit mind body
emotional minimalism The 5 Ways to Live an Uncluttered Life
t
By Ken Wert
“Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all.” —Nathan W. Morris
oo many of us suffer from our own cluttered emotional closets stuffed
with messy habits of thought and feelings we’ve held for far too long. By “emotional minimalism”, I’m not suggesting a life of emotional constipation, stifling feelings or beating ourselves up for feeling a bit sad or mad. Rather, this is a call to rid ourselves of emotional clutter—all the junk we no longer want or use but that sits in our hearts gathering dust and causing problems.
5 Ways to an Unclutter 1. Minimize Anger Anger can be like an unused book on and old library shelf: old news. Our hearts get stuffed with too many emotional doohickeys that get increasingly difficult to clean out. Anger compounds upon anger and soon tiny infractions start to seem bigger, darker and more difficult to shrug off. If anger has been getting in the way of your happiness or your relationships, it’s time to do something about it. The binding habit of anger can be a powerful habit to break though. But you can start by refusing to blame others for your mood any longer. Stop assuming evil intent in others’ misplaced word, look or tone. Stop demanding perfection and allow people to just be people, as flawed as we all are, without taking those flaws as personal insult and injury.
38
Let your tight grip on life loosen to allow it to unfold without judgment. And let anger slip out of your hand and evaporate into a new attitude of compassion and patience.
2. Minimize Envy Of all the spaces in my home, my garage is the most cluttered. We have unopened boxes stacked on metal shelving from 10 years ago when we first moved to our current home. I don’t even know what’s in them anymore.
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
The most pressing issue is a problem with available space. The more useless stuff we keep in the garage, the more stuff has to be kept inside. Envy can be just like that. It clutters hearts and dirties relationships until there is no more room for real love. Envy is selfishness plus greed turned jealous with age. In other words, it’s a desire to get, not so much by getting, but by taking what someone else has or taking pleasure in seeing what they have fall apart. Envy rests on assumptions of life as a zero-sum SoFitMag
fit mind body game: that one person’s fortune means there’s less treasure available for me. That kind of thinking is untrue and self-sabotaging. Instead, be happy for others’ good fortune. Take yourself out of the equation. Step into their shoes and let your heart open to them. Allow the cleansing quality of love to move through you as it passes to others. Love, after all, is the universal antidote to envy.
3. Minimize Grudges Our youngest is six years old and we’re not having any more kids. And yet it’s difficult to let go of his baby stuff. We have old baby clothes, his crib and toys he no longer plays with in the garage. They fill boxes, crates and bags on shelves. So why do we keep it all? In part, they are physical representations of precious memories. My wife worries that our memories will fade when the things representing them are no longer around to see and remind us. Aren’t we like that too when it comes to holding onto grudges? We get hurt and hold onto the pain for fear of forgetting, and thereby becoming vulnerable to getting hurt again. But that’s no way to live. Living life looking in the rear-view mirror keeps you standing still or bumping into all the obstacles along the path in front of you. Instead, toss out the bottled-up hatred. Let go of the need to punish, open your heart and forgive. Unplug the drains of hurt, and take each moment as a moment unto itself, free of roots buried in the past or future.
4. Minimize Fear We have a sleeping bag, a few boots and gloves and other miscellaneous camping equipment in
the back of my car. It’s just that the camping trip we packed for was over a year ago. And so here I am hauling camping equipment around in my car wherever I go. There’s a lesson here because often we take emotional clutter where it’s not needed as well. Fear is one such piece of junk we often haul around unnecessarily. You can’t completely eliminate fear and probably shouldn’t. It’s a handy device to have when contemplating a casual swim in shark-infested waters. Recklessness, after all, is the total absence of fear, not the presence of courage. But don’t let fear control you. Courage is taking right action in spite of being afraid. Still, the intensity of fear can and often should be reduced in those who become overwhelmed with anxiety over the object of their fears. This is particularly true when those fears are not rational. Fearing a lion, for instance, while strolling through the Serengeti alone can be a rational fear. Fearing a lion in Central Park is not. Fearing a shark attack while splashing around the Great Barrier Reef is rational; fearing a shark attack while swimming at night in the backyard pool is not. As you buckle down and move forward despite your fears, you will usually come to realize the fear itself was much larger than the reality of it.
5. Minimize Pessimism I don’t know how many trash bags of old clothes we’ve given to charity over the years, but we don’t ask for anything in return. We simply give it away. That’s a strategy we can use for our habits of negative thinking too. Give it all away. Don’t hold on to it for another moment. Don’t ask for proof that things will work out or that things will turn out better than you may suspect. Just donate them. Leave them at the doorstep and resolutely walk the other way.
Pessimists have the advantage of always being right (at least in their own minds). Why? Because they ignore the 1,000 times things turned out pretty good and declare victory once something bad happens that their optimist counterparts failed to predict. But they also push people away and damage relationships. They corrupt happiness and cripple growth and opportunity and excellence and success. So bundle up your negative thinking and ship off the ugly package of self-defeat and embrace a life of No More Pessimism.
Afterthoughts We all come with baggage. That just makes us human. The biggest problem is when we keep adding more junk to our already over-stuffed emotional bags, never throwing anything out, never letting anything go, and holding on to every new insult, hurt feeling and angry thought. There are steps we can take to clear the emotional clutter and live happier, freer, more peaceful lives. I hope I’ve introduced some of those steps to you here, or at least inspired you to look for your own steps to clear the clutter that is still acting as a drag on your happiness. The New Year is here, so go clean out a closet or something. But while you’re at it, unpack a heavy heart as well. That’s some early spring cleaning your heart, mind and soul will appreciate. Ken Wert is a husband, father of two, a religious guy, a high school teacher, a student of happiness, and a pretty decent dude. He is also founder of M2BH, MeantToBeHappy.com. Follow Ken for insights on fulfillment, happiness and inspiration to live your best.
W N
James H. Riley, CFP®, EA
Investment Management-Financial Planning
NAPA WEALTH MANAGEMENT 1836 Second Street Napa, CA 94559 (707) 252-1343
Benicia Jazzercise 378 East Military Street Benicia, CA 94510 707-746-0970
www.NapaWealth.com SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
39
fit mind body
B
ecause I have with curiosity, observed my emotions and the emotions of my clients for over thirty five years, I have finally realized that our emotions are really the basic source of what we can rely on as guiding truth. Sometimes when we get in touch with an emotion such as sorrow or anger, that has been buried, there is a flood of emotional energy released that can be very liberating. It seems in those moments we touch down into the wellspring of sincere expression of emotional truth. But in my work with people and in my own life, I try to foster a stance of trying to be aware of our moment to moment emotional truth as much as possible, every moment of the day. Living in this very complex and demanding, stratified modern society, has produced an epidemic of personal alienation. There is often a tragic gulf between our emotional experience and our awareness of it. The famous age of reason dictum “I think therefore I am,� also shows how the role of science, and the life of the mind permeates our lives, and relegates emotional experience to the realm of an irrationality that can’t be trusted. I have come to believe that every word, image, dream, hallucination, memory, bodily movement and facial expression
40
is born, and is actually created out of the ever present underlying mammalian flow of subjective, pre-symbolized emotional experience. If that is true, then the accuracy of our symbolic meaningmaking processes of word and imagery formation that we develop in childhood, hold the keys to us either truly knowing our second by second emotional truth, or experiencing a distorted version of it. Do the word and imagery stories we tell ourselves accurately capture the emotional truth that has sparked them into life? How can we for example, tell ourselves and others we are feeling happy, when we are in fact desperately lonely or afraid? We distort and lose our emotional truth when we repress it, bury it, avoid it. When we self medicate, it is always to not experience the full force of our emotions. One in five Americans are now taking a psychiatric medication. One in four women are now taking a psychiatric medication. All of those medications suppress, modify or block emotion. They are designed to do that. Millions of us take other drugs, both prescribed and illegal, and drink alcohol to numb or avoid our emotions. We compulsively gamble, eat, work, watch TV, live on Facebook, watch porn, live in our heads, and have unrelated sex to avoid our emotions.
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
fit mind body But why? Fear, shame, guilt, hatred, rage, grief, hopelessness, self hatred, loneliness, panic, abandonment, and desperation are all emotions we don’t want to experience. We so often don’t want to name, claim, express or endure these painful emotions. But if we consciously run from them or unconsciously repress and distort them, we lose touch with what is true about our lives. And if we run from them or distort them, we become detached from that emotional wellspring that is also the source of joy, love, excitement, bliss, ecstasy, serenity, peace, wonder and awe. So, tapping into the flowing currents of our ever present emotional truth takes courage- and self love. Real freedom is living moment by moment in our emotional truth because in that deep end of the pool, we can say yes and no to who and what we want and don’t want in our lives. I love to help people get free and feel and express and live their emotional truths. To the extent I can live that way myself, I feel fulfilled. It’s a daily challenge. Life is short. We can get it right for ourselves. One day at a time. Freedom is possible. Best wishes on your journey.
ONE IN FIVE
Americans are now taking a psychiatric medication.
ONE IN FOUR
women are now taking a psychiatric medication. All of those medications suppress, modify or block emotion. They are designed to do that. SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
Michael Cornwall, PhD/MFT is a Jungian therapist with over 30 years experience. He is a Bay Area and Esalen Institute conference and workshop leader, exploring archetypal and heart-centered approaches to therapy. Michael is available for individual and couple’s therapy that includes dream-work, using a sliding scale fee, at Shen Jing Holistic in Benicia. Please visit my website at www.michaelcornwall.com or call 707-853-6808. SoFitMag
41
fit mind body
Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children W
hat exactly is emotional intelligence? It’s an old idea. Louis Terman, one of the inventors of the intelligence test, or IQ, believed there was an emotional intelligence, or EQ, for being able to stay married. He not only published one of the first intelligence tests, the Stanford-Binet, and the first real study of intellectually gifted kids, but also in 1938 he published the first study of marital happiness. Turns out that even our most intelligent people seem to have very little emotional intelligence for staying married. It turns out that high IQ does not imply high EQ.
By Dr. Gottman
A common view of emotion started by the psychiatrist Murray Bowen is that there is a continuum of what he called “differentiation,” with REASON on one end and EMOTION on the other end. Bowen actually gave families a score from 0 to 100. They got a zero if he thought that their emotions controlled their reason. They got a 100 if their reason controlled their emotions. He viewed families he saw in therapy as having a differentiation score close to zero. Their emotions were out of control, they had no access to reason and rationality. They made bad decisions. They were impulsive. They were cruel and violent. In his view control of
Emotional intelligence means being able to read your own and other’s emotions, and being able to respond to the emotions of others in a cooperative, functional, and empathetic manner. Emotional intelligence is a kind of social “moxie” or “savvy” about even very complex social situations. It requires knowing who you are, knowing your own feelings, knowing your own needs, and being able to handle yourself and compromise these needs with the needs of sometimes very complex social situations. EQ (Emotional intelligence) is a much better predictor of how children will turn out than IQ or achievement test scores. Yet we have very little idea how to foster emotional intelligence. In part that’s because we have so little understanding of emotion itself. I want to start out by talking about the EMOTION part of emotional intelligence.
Watch the video here.
42
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
fit mind body emotion by reason was required for these disturbed families. For a healthy society, for a score of 100, people’s emotions needed to be controlled by their rationality. They need to make smart choices, not emotional choices. The goal of Bowen’s therapy was differentiation, in which the emotions were under rational control. Seems at first to make eminent sense. We can think of criminals as impulsive and out of control. They would be undifferentiated. Reason needs to prevail instead of emotion. It turns out that modern neuroscience research has shown that this Bowen view of emotion and reason is wrong. Being emotional does not mean being irrational. Emotions have a logic of their own. They make sense. They can guide and instruct. They are real. They are the engine of learning and change. The regulation of emotion comes only through the understanding of emotion, not through its suppression. Bowen was totally wrong.
Emotional intelligence is a kind of social “moxie” or “savvy” about even very complex social situations. Bowen used an old model of the brain that was popular in the 1960s called the triune brain. It was proposed by a neuroscientist named Maclean. In this model the brain has three parts, the brain stem, the limbic system, and the cerebral cortex. In evolutionary terms the brain stem is reptilian. Reptiles have automatic reflexes to danger, they have no emotions. Mammals do have emotions, they have evolved the next part of the brain, which is called the limbic system, the seat of emotion. Primates have evolved a large cerebral cortex on top of that limbic system. The cerebral cortex is the seat of reasoning, planning, problem-solving, what have been called the executive functions of cognition. In the triune brain model, in primates like us the cortex controls the limbic and brain stem portions of the brain. Reason controls emotion. We know today that this triune model of the brain is wrong. In fact, it is precisely in the frontal lobes of the brain (part of the cerebral cortex) both reason and emotion are processed. A tumor or lesion in the frontal lobes can destroy a person’s
ability to process and understand emotions. But it can also destroy the person’s ability to reason. Reasoning and problem solving requires intuition to distinguish what is important from what is unimportant, to distinguish figure from ground, and intuition requires emotion. DiMasio’s book Descartes’ Error told the story of a man who had suffered the removal of a large brain tumor from his frontal lobes. He had been a high-ranking executive, a problem solver. His marriage disintegrated after the surgery. He also lost his job. He was like an unemotional robot. DiMasio tested him and discovered no cognitive deficit until he tried to schedule an appointment for next week. The man was incapable of deciding on a time for the appointment. He could list all the alternative times he had available, but he not decide between them. His emotional deficit led to an inability to distinguish what was important from what was unimportant. Reasoning and emotion processing are tightly integrated in the brain. There is no rationality without emotion, and emotions have their own rationality. We now know that almost everyone on our planet in our species has the same basic emotions. There’s lots of research on emotion, even cross-cultural research. The expression of the seven basic emotions (anger, sadness, disgust, contempt, fear, surprise, and happiness; some include interest). Sounds like a law firm. “Good morning, anger, sadness, disgust, contempt, and fear”. My conclusion from this research is that the facial expressions, physiology, and internal experience of these basic emotions are universal for our species. Not so for how people feel about feelings. Great variability exists. One man in our study said that “when someone gets angry with me it’s like they are relieving themselves in my face.” Another said “anger is like clearing your throat, natural, just get it out and go on.” These men will have very different reactions to their children’s anger. Our meta-emotions and not our emotions control how we react to the emotions of others. In the next article I will tell you about research that I did starting with 4-yearold kids, tracking them through age 8. The cornerstone of our work was a concept called META-EMOTION. The term “meta” means things come back on themselves. Meta-cognition is how we think about our thinking. Metacommunication is how we communicate about our communication. Metaemotion is how we feel about feelings, and our philosophy about emotional expression. We ask people questions like, what’s been your experience with anger? With sadness? Could you tell growing up when your father was angry? What effect did this have on you? What has been your own relationship with anger? How did your parents show you that they loved you? In one of my interviews I asked a woman how her parents showed her that they loved her. She described a death-bed scene with her father who even on his death bed would not say that he loved her. We asked,What are the implications of this for your own family? How did your parents show you that they were proud of you? Many people cry here. A lot of parents never did. What are the implications of this for your own family? It’s a fascinating interview. Dr. John Gottman is a psychologist and one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of marriage and couples. His research has enabled him to predict, with over 90% accuracy, when observing a 5-minute conflict conversation, which couples will stay together and which will separate. The articles were re-printed with permission from the website of The Gottman Institute, an organization that teaches practical skills for successful relationships. For videos, products, workshops and therapy, visit www. gottman.com.
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
SoFitMag
43
fit money body
How Women Are Different from Men, Financially Speaking By Theodore J. Spinardi
W
e all know men and women are different in some fundamental ways. But is this true when it comes to financial planning? In a word, yes. In the financial world, women often find themselves in very different circumstances than their male counterparts. Everyone wants financial security. Yet women often face financial headwinds that can affect their ability to achieve it. The good news is that women today have never been in a better position to achieve financial security for themselves and their families. More women than ever are successful professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, and knowledgeable investors. Their economic clout is growing, and women’s impact on the traditional workplace is still unfolding positively as women earn college and graduate degrees in record numbers and seek to successfully integrate their work and home lives to provide for their families. So what financial course will you chart?
44
Some key differences On the path to financial security, it’s important for women to understand what they might be up against, financially speaking: Women have longer life expectancies. Women live an average of 4.9 years longer than men.1 A longer life expectancy presents several financial challenges for women: •
Women will need to stretch their retirement dollars further
•
Women are more likely to need some type of long-term care, and may have to face some of their health-care needs alone
•
Married women are likely to outlive their husbands, which means they could have ultimate responsibility for disposition of the marital estate
Women generally earn less and have fewer savings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, within most occupational categories,
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
women who work full-time, year-round, earn only 81% (on average) of what men earn.2 This wage gap can significantly impact women’s overall savings, Social Security retirement benefits, and pensions.
Women today have never been in a better position to achieve financial security for themselves and their families. What financial course will you chart? The dilemma is that while women generally earn less than men, they need those dollars to last longer due to a longer life expectancy. With smaller financial cushions, women are more vulnerable to unexpected economic obstacles, such as a job loss, divorce, or single parenthood. And according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, women are more likely than men to be living in poverty throughout their lives.3 Women are more likely to take career breaks for caregiving. Women are much more likely than men to take time out of their careers to SoFitMag
fit money body raise children and/or care for aging parents.4 Sometimes this is by choice. But by moving in and out of the workforce, women face several significant financial implications: • Lost income, employer-provided health insurance, retirement benefits, and other employee benefits • Less savings • A potentially lower retirement benefit
Social
Security
• Possibly a tougher time finding a job, or a comparable job (in terms of pay and benefits), when reentering the workforce • Increased vulnerability in the event of divorce or death of a spouse In addition to stepping out of the workforce more frequently to care for others, women are more likely to try to balance work and family by working part-time, which results in less income, and by requesting flexible work schedules, which can impact their career advancement (and thus the bottom line) if an employer unfairly assumes that women’s caregiving responsibilities will come at the expense of dedication to their jobs. Women are more likely to be living on their own. Whether through choice, divorce, or death of a spouse, more women are living on their own. This means they’ll need to take sole responsibility for protecting their income and making financial decisions. Women sometimes are more conservative Investors. Whether they’re saving for a home, college, retirement, or a trip around the world, women need their money to work hard for them. Sometimes, though, women tend to be more conservative investors than men,s which means their savings might not be on track to meet their financial goals. Women need to protect their assets. As women continue to earn money, become the main breadwinners for their families, and run their own businesses, it’s vital that they take steps to protect their assets, both personal and business. Without an asset protection plan, a woman’s wealth is vulnerable to taxes, lawsuits, accidents, and other financial risks that are part of everyday life. But women may be too busy handling their day-to-day responsibilities to take the time to implement an appropriate plan.
role in household financial decision making. But, for many, those days are over. Today, women have more financial responsibility for themselves and their families. So it’s critical that women know how to save, invest, and plan for the future. Here are some things women can do: Take control of your money. Create a budget, manage debt and credit wisely, set and prioritize financial goals, and implement a savings and investment strategy to meet those goals. Become a knowledgeable investor. Learn basic investing concepts, such as asset classes, risk tolerance, time horizon, diversification, inflation, the role of various financial vehicles like 401 (k)s and IRAs, and the role of income, growth, and safety investments in a portfolio. Look for investing opportunities in the purchasing decisions you make every day. Have patience, be willing to ask questions, admit mistakes, and seek help when necessary. Plan for retirement. Save as much as you can for retirement. Estimate how much money you’ll need in retirement, and how much you can expect from your savings, Social Security, and/or an employer pension. Understand how your Social Security benefit amount will change depending on the age you retire, and also how years spent out of the workforce might affect the amount you receive. At retirement, make sure you understand your retirement plan distribution options, and review your portfolio regularly. Also, factor the cost of health care (including long-term care) into your retirement planning, and understand the basic rules of Medicare.
It is important for women to educate themselves about finances, make financial decisions, seek professional help when needed, and implement plans to ensure that they and their families will have financially secure lives.
Steps women can take
Advocate for yourself in the workplace. Have confidence in your work ability and advocate for your worth in the workplace by researching salary ranges, negotiating your starting salary, seeking highly visible job assignments, networking, and asking for raises and promotions. In addition, keep an eye out for new career opportunities, entrepreneurial ventures, and/or ways to grow your business.
In the past, women may have taken a less active
Seek help to balance work and family.
SoFit Magazine
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
If you have children and work outside the home, investigate and negotiate flexible work arrangements that may allow you to keep working, and make sure your spouse is equally invested in household and child-related responsibilities. If you stay at home to care for children, keep your skills up-to-date to the extent possible in case you return to the workforce, and stay involved in household financial decision making. If you’re caring for aging parents, ask adult siblings or family members for help, and seek outside services and support groups that can offer you a respite and help you cope with stress. Protect your assets. Identify potential risk exposure and implement strategies to reduce that exposure. For example, life and disability insurance is vital to protect your ability to earn an income and/or care for your family in the event of disability or death. In some cases, more sophisticated strategies, such as other legal entities or trusts, may be needed. Create an estate plan. To ensure that your personal and financial wishes will be carried out in the event of your incapacity or death, consider executing basic estate planning documents, such as a will, trust, durable power of attorney, and health-care proxy.
A financial professional can help Women are the key to their own financial futures-it’s critical that women educate themselves about finances and be able to make financial decisions. Yet the world of financial planning isn’t always easy or convenient. In many cases, women can benefit greatly from working with a financial professional who can help them understand their options and implement plans designed to provide women and their families with financially secure lives. Theodore J. Spinardi is a Registered Principal with LPL Financial. Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Sources 1 The National Vital Statistics Report, Volume 60, Number 4, January 2012 2 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Women in the Labor Force: A Databook, December 2011 3 U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2011 4 U.S. Department of Labor, “Women and Retirement Savings,” October 2008 5 U.S. Department of Labor, “Women and Retirement Savings,” October 2008; U.S. Government Accountability Office, “Retirement Security,” October 2007
SoFitMag
45
health watch
It
has happened to everyone. You start the day out strong. You’ve had a good night’s sleep and a good breakfast, your energy level is at its peak and you feel ready to tackle whatever challenges come your way. But as you head to work and start taking on the day, you slowly lose that zest. As anyone who has worked in an office environment knows, our batteries often begin to run down as morning turns into afternoon. And by 3 or 4 p.m., you are reaching for a candy bar or another cup of coffee to make it to the end of the day. It doesn’t need to be that way, though. With a little thought and planning, you can beat the afternoon blahs and keep your batteries charged, and stay focused and productive all day long.
from that project or spreadsheet you’ve been staring at for the past hour. You will return to your work with fresh eyes and maybe even a fresh perspective.
small handful) to help keep you motivated and focused. These revive energy in a way that lasts longer than candy.
If possible, walk outsidE in the the sunshine.
for 5 or 10 minutes. If possible, walk outside in the sunshine. Or take a lap around your floor or walk up and down a couple of flights of stairs. Exercise stimulates blood flow throughout your body, including your brain, and allows you to return to your work refreshed and refocused. Even better, bring a colleague along or take that standing meeting outside for some fresh air. For information about walking as regular exercise, check out www.everybodywalk.org.
H2O –
Keeping your body hydrated is vital to maintaining energy. But that doesn’t mean a quick trip to the break room or soda machine will cut it. The caffeine in coffee (and some sodas) can actually dehydrate you. The sugar in soda may give you a momentary boost, but it doesn’t last. Fruit juices are OK, but take note that some sugar-added juices have the same sugar content as sodas. Get in the habit of bringing a water bottle and take frequent sips throughout the day.
Time out – Take a personal time out. Set your cell phone timer to ring a reminder every 30 to 45 minutes. Use 5 minutes to stretch, look out the window, read a page or two of something fun, close your eyes and just enjoy some quiet time. Do something for you that takes you away
Snack smart – Several hours after lunch, blood-sugar levels drop and energy wanes. A mid-or late-afternoon snack is the antidote, but make sure it’s the right snack. Consider fresh fruit, raisins, some baby carrots, or a handful of nuts (a
46
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
Walk it out – Get up and leave your desk
These may seem like little steps, but they can really add up. The benefits of getting even a little exercise and eating right are beneficial to your physical health, and help you feel better about yourself and better about work. And that is a winwin situation! For more tips on how to eat better and stay active, at work and at home, visit kp.org. SoFitMag
health watch
Best Practices to Avoid
Flus & Colds By Myra Nissen
Influenza or “flu” refers to the many strains of viruses that are more intense than the viruses that cause the common cold. Symptoms include fever, aching muscles, headache, fatigue, and may involve the digestive tract, causing diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continues through May. Peaking January through February. Here are some best practices to help keep your self well.
SoFit Magazine
1 Antibiotics Won’t Help
Antibiotics address bacterial infections. They do not help with viruses. Additionally, Antibiotic resistance has been called one of the world’s most pressing public health problems. The Center for Disease Control announced this fall that “due to the rise in bacterial resistance to antibiotics, they are becoming a precious, limited resource. The more we use antibiotics today, the less likely we are to have effective antibiotics tomorrow.”
Inspiration to Live Your Best TM
2 Adequate Sleep is Essential
Get plenty of rest to revitalize the body and mind; about 7 to 9 hours a night. Take time out from the busy holiday schedule and relax. Skip a party or two. Schedule time for activities you truly enjoy.
3 Cover Coughs & Sneezes
Viruses can be transmitted from direct contact with people who are sick. Avoid spreading viruses; cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough with a tissue or by using the crook of your elbow. SoFitMag
47
health watch
4
Wash Your Hands ...Avoid Sanitizers
Frequently wash your hands with warm water and gentle soap. Antibacterial hand sanitizers can irritate the skin and contribute to disease resistance.
More Fruits & 5 Eat Vegetables
Avoid sugars, refined foods, and caffeine; they create a strain on one’s health. Winter is the time for citrus, apples, and pears. They’re naturally sweet & loaded with fiber, antioxidants & Vitamin C. Dark leafy green vegetable such as spinach, kale, and chard help eliminate toxins from the body and have minerals that regulate the body’s temperature. Winter squashes are a great source of vitamins A, C, B1, B5, niacin, folate, and
Transforming people into happier, healthier individuals in mind, body and spirit through dance and fitness.
omega 3 fatty acids. Buy the freshest fruits and vegetables. Look for locally grown produce.
6
Bone Broths Support Immune Function.
7
Vitamins & Herbs
A 1993 study by the University of Nebraska Medical Center shows homemade chicken soup has substances that could ease the symptoms of upper respiratory track infections.
B12, C & D are important during the winter months. Look for vitamins that are balanced blends derived from food sources. Studies have shown that Astragalus, a Chinese herb, has antiviral properties and stimulates the immune system.
8
Homeopathic Support During Flu Outbreak
www.dioamoredance.com 48
For stomach flu with a violent onset with vomiting and diarrhea consider Arsenicum album 30C.
12 Test a Remedy
Drop one pellet in a glass of water, stir and take one spoonful, repeat every 15 to 20 minutes. If you aren’t starting to feel better in an hour, discontinue it is not the right remedy for you.
9 Feel the Flu Coming On?
Oscillococcinum 200C can be the perfect thing to throw off an oncoming virus. My favorite is Ferrum Phosphoricum 6X. Four pellets in warm water every hour for the first 12-hours. Children ages 1-6 should take two pellets.
Have the Flu? Take Care of Yourself!
Rest. Drink lots of liquids. Stay warm with a hat, scarf, and slippers. Use black elderberry herbal syrup to soothe a cough and a sore throat. Try a neti pot or saline spray to open blocked sinus passages.
West Coast Swing Salsa Ballroom Zumba TRX Cardio Kickboxing Pi-Yo-Cal
Dull, dizzy, or drowsy? Increased desire to urinate with only dribbles? Gelsemium sempervirens 30C can help a flu that comes on slowly with fatigue.
For over 200 years Influezinum 9C has been proven to help fight flu. Every year homeopathic pharmacies create a new version designed for the most current strains of flu viruses. Use once weekly during flu outbreak. Influenzimum is not recommended if you have had a flu shot.
10 848 Alamo Dr Vacaville, CA 95687 (707)761-5214
Aconite napellus 30C is a likely choice when a fever comes on suddenly after being exposed to a chill.
Remedies 11 Homeopathic to Consider
There are hundreds homeopathic remedies that can aid in a cold or flu. Here are three common remedies:
Studies have shown that Astragalus, a Chinese herb, has antiviral properties and stimulates the immune system.
More Information & 13 Get Help
If you have gotten the flu or a cold and you can’t seem to recover, it is time to seek help from a professional homeopath.
Myra Nissen, CCH, RsHom(NA), is a board certified homeopath (US & Canada) & Metabolic Balance Coach, can be reached at her Benicia office at 707-750-4455. www.MyraNissen.com.. I offer consultations for colds and flu to my clients. Give me a call 707-750-4455. Remember, if you are under the care of a homeopath, consult with your homeopath first before taking any homeopathic remedy. Mention this article and receive my Be Ready For Flu & Cold Kit for $20-off regular price of $65. SOURCES: RTT News, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
w w w. s o f i t m a g a z i n e . c o m
SoFitMag
Brittany Szarek’s education and training has endowed her with extensive knowledge in holistic nutrition, health coaching, and the importance of preventive care. Drawing on her education and experience as a Registered Dietitian and holistic Health Coach, Brittany works closely with clients helping them make dietary and lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results.
Brittany Szarek,
RD, CSP, LD, CHC Certified Health Coach, Registered Dietitian
(319) I-BE-WELL brittany@nutritiouslivingtoday.com
nutritiouslivingtoday.com
WHAT MAKES A GREAT TRAUMA CENTER? PROVEN EXPERIENCE AT THE READY. When seconds count, you need the right team at the ready. Our Vacaville Medical Center goes far beyond the basics, with a high-end neurosurgery unit that can take nearly instant action. Fifteen neurosurgeons in Solano County and Sacramento offer our trauma center coverage, backup and deeper specialty expertise on demand. At Kaiser Permanente, we’re taking trauma care to the next level, and we’ve been helping Solano County thrive for 65 years.
kp.org/trauma