Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

sports performance

The Importance of Exercise Mentality

There is more to exercise than just going through the motions.  The most important piece is the ‘why’ which keeps us going and prevents us from quitting after only a couple of weeks. Whether your goal is to feel better, lose weight, feel stronger and more muscular, or to live a healthier life, staying on the right path takes consciousness and effort.

When we first start a workout program, something in our thoughts motivated us enough to initiate an exercise regimen—but somewhere along the line, we lose track of our goals and life gets in the way.  In order to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, we must constantly remind ourselves of the ‘why’ because it is the force that drives us to workout hard, sweat, push ourselves, lose that weight, and get in better shape.  Without that reminder, the next time the weather is bad or we feel lethargic, it becomes too easy to say “I’ll go tomorrow,” and we avoid working out. Before you know it, that day off can turn into a week off, which can snowball into taking a month off.

Goal setting can be a successful tactic to improve workout psychology. Set goals for yourself, whether long-term or short-term, but make sure they are attainable. Realistic goal setting with short term goals that help work towards the big goal will help you visualize your success. Avoid only looking at the big picture, i.e. set a goal to lose 50 lbs in 4 weeks, because that’s not probable. If you are unable to reach that goal you will feel like you have failed even when you have reached your small milestones.  Keep the momentum going—set a goal to lose a half-pound per week, or increase your strength by 2.5 lbs every other resistance training day; if you set your mind and attitude to it you will certainly reach that goal. When you lose 1.5 lbs in one week instead of only a half-pound, you will feel unstoppable!

A person who can visualize them self having success will be successful. Individuals must battle the inside voice that is telling them they cannot complete their goals. To silence this negative voice, you can visualize success and practice self-talk. Positive self-talk goes hand in hand with visualization with the individual both hearing and seeing success.  Develop some imagination, close your eyes, and see yourself how you want to feel.  Implant that image in your mind and see it while you are pushing hard on the treadmill, see it while pushing through those last repetitions, and let it drive you towards your goal.

You can train your mind like you train your body.  Without the proper mindset, any workout program will not work.  Repeating positive thoughts and motivating yourself takes practice—so practice!

 

By Anthony Locast

Forming Positive Habits

It’s a typical weekday morning; cold, dark, and quiet. 5:30 AM. The alarm rings, you push snooze immediately. 5:45 AM, the alarm disrupts your slumber yet again. This time is different; you punch the clock, pull off the sheets, grumble some explicits and shuffle 22 steps to the kitchen. Three scoops of coffee and two big cups of water later, you tie your shoes; right, then left, you fix your shirt, start the car and begin your commute into work. You drown out the din of coworkers catching up on their bowling leagues, barbeques, and kids’ sports games. You clock in, and begin the workday.  You’ve done all of this without a single thought.

Your mind has recognized the patterns of your morning routines, whichever that may be, and has streamlined the process for you. The completion of this pattern over and over again has allowed your brain to make these behaviors autonomous with time. This phenomenon is more commonly recognized as a habit. Habits form in each and every one of us and can range from healthy behaviors, think buckling your seatbelt, to less than healthy ones, such as that post-dinner cigarette. If we can better understand why we do these things, we can begin to rewire our brains and create a healthier, better life.

When it comes to habit forming, our brains work in three simple steps. First is the stimulus; this can be anything in our lives that cues a feeling or emotion. The second step would be our response or action to said cue. The third step is the reward! The reward provides our brains with the feeling that something went well or made us feel better. Re- read the intro and break it down: the cue is our alarm clock. Incessant beeping early in the morning promotes a reaction to push snooze, which then leads us to the reward, 15 extra minutes of peace and quiet.

Now that we know a little bit about the habit forming process, how can we get the blueprints of the wiring to try and change old routines or create new ones? This takes a little conscious effort. In order to change an old habit, we need to associate a different reaction and reward to an existing cue. In our cigarette example, the cue is finishing dinner, the reaction would be to go outside and smoke a cigarette, the response would be the effects of the cigarette on our body. We can change this routine by not going outside. By filling that gap with a reason to not go outside, we won’t have the cigarette and, over time, the chain is broken by a different pattern of autonomous behavior. The same goes with positive behavior. If we want to create a new chain, we follow a cue with a positive response and positive reward. For example, if I don’t feel confident (the cue), then I write three positive things about myself (the response), and afterwards I feel happy (the reward).

Much of the information presented here is available in depth from a book called “The Power of Habit” By Charles Duhigg. It’s a $10 purchase if you’d like to read more into the topic. Regardless of your current standing, I’d like to issue a challenge to everyone reading; January is a popular time for reflection on your actions over the past year. Over the next few weeks, take a look at some of your routines, habits and patterns- is there anything that you’d like to change? Perhaps kick a bad habit or form a healthier morning routine? Take this time as an opportunity to take control and become the better version of yourself. #strongereveryday

 

By Matt Rhodes, M.S., C-EP

Fast Facts for Successful Resolutions

The New Year is here and New Year’s resolutions have been made. Stay healthy, get in shape, lose weight. These are all very common goals for most “resolutionists,” but too often these goals don’t make it past January. Fitness is a journey, so here are a few quick tips to get you on your way and help you fulfill your new year’s resolutions.

  • Set attainable short term goals. Sometimes, looking down the road at your long term goals can be can be intimidating. Making short terms goals allows you to track your progress and stay positive on your journey.
  • Don’t hesitate. The quicker you begin the process, the faster you will be able to reach your goals. Start today!
  • Create your diet. It is not necessary to “go on a diet.” Small alterations can have an exponential effect on losing weight and attaining your fitness goals.
    • Decreasing meal size- focus on portion control to avoid overeating.
    • In conjunction with the previous point, increase the amount of smaller meals throughout the day. Eating something every 3-4 hours helps create a more efficient metabolism.
    • Exchange simple carbohydrates or sugars for complex carbs. Try having whole wheat/grains instead of white bread or brown rice over white rice.
    • Decrease (not necessarily eliminate) sweats and treats, and try to replace them with fruits and vegetables.
    • Increase protein intake from lean meats and plant based sources.
    • Increase water intake- one of the easiest tasks which can be done throughout the day!
  • Exercise. Both cardiovascular and resistance training are recommended for achieving your body transformation. Cardiovascular exercise increases our endurance and conditions your body to burn fat more effectively. Resistance training preserves lean body mass and builds up muscle and joint strength.
  • Stay determined and stay positive. Surround yourself with positive people and stay away from negative environments that will hinder you from reaching your goals. Focus on completing each short term goal and realize that each step brings you that much further on your journey.

 

By David McCalla

Recipe of the Week: Wintertime Super Food Stew

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 can of white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 14oz cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes (with chiles if you like spice!)
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 stalk of celery, chopped
  • 6 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup fresh peas (or frozen)
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 1 Tbs garlic powder
  • 1 Tbs oregano
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • salt to taste
  • Fresh parsley to garnish

Directions:

Sauté onion with olive oil until translucent. Add all ingredients, including sautéed onion to slow cooker and mix well. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours. Serve and garnish with parsley!

Nutrition per Serving:
Calories: 241
Carbohydrates: 41g
Fat: 3g
Protein: 11g

Creating SMART Goals for the New Year

January is the time of year when we set resolutions. The phrase “new year, new me” is a common mantra. It’s great to set new expectations for yourself; whether it is to commit to a new hobby, cooking healthier meals, spending more time with your kids, or deciding to lose weight. When it comes to making a New Year’s Resolution, broad or general statements are a good start, but most people need to do a little more to make them a reality. Sometimes when we simply make broad statements we end up off track pretty quickly. When you put pen to paper it helps you see and visualize these goals getting accomplished. Creating SMART goals is an effective method to create a plan of attack. Read on for step-by-step instructions to turn your resolutions into SMART goals!

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Realistic
  • Time-Oriented

Specific
Specific is the What, Why, and How of the S.M.A.R.T. model. Goals should be written out clearly and simplistically to emphasize these points.

Basic Example: “I want to run”

SMART: “I want to run 1 mile. by February 15, 2017 by exercising at Peak 3 days per week for 1 hour and start with ¼ mile the first week then ½ mile the second week and so on and so forth.”

Measurable
Goals should be measurable so there is hard evidence that you have accomplished the goal. Using the SMART goal above for this example, the goal can be measured by February 15th. The essential measurement is whether or not this client was able to run a complete mile. by February 15th.

Attainable
Goals should be achievable; they should push you a bit so you feel challenged, but well-defined enough so that you can attain them.

Using the example from above, this client wants to run 1 mile. in about a 6 week time frame. After speaking with your Exercise Physiologist, you have learned that just running 1 mile without training can cause injury, so building up little by little is the best option per week. Committing to exercising and utilizing a running program are the “How” of the SMART model.

If you plan your steps wisely and establish a reasonable timeframe, you should be able to carry out those steps. On the other hand, if a goal is impossible to achieve (i.e. the client wants to lose 30 lbs. in the same time frame), you may not try to accomplish it.

Realistic
Ask yourself if the goal is realistic. In reference to the client and their fitness goals, we have discussed how the goal itself is realistic within the specified time frame.

Another consideration might be if the goal is realistic for this client. Have they spoken with their doctor? Are they committed to exercising at least 3 days per week? Do they have any injuries that might prevent this goal from happening?

Time-Oriented
When are you going to achieve this goal? What can you do in the next six weeks? What are you going to do today? Today you can commit to exercising.

Short terms goals are the building blocks of our long-term goal. If the client’s ultimate goal is to run 5 miles, the long term goal should then be set in an attainable time frame, for example, a 16 week period. Along the way, setting smaller goals will set you up for success!

Utilize our SMART Goal tools to help you be successful in the New Year! Planning before January 1 is already a step towards a successful 2018!

 

By Corynne Duprey

 

“fIITing” in the HIIT

If there is one thing you can almost guarantee during the holidays, it’s that you’re going to find yourself busier than normal. At one point in time you might even say to yourself “there aren’t enough hours in the day.” Stressful in itself, allotting time to get to and from the gym, as well as, completing the workout might seem impossible, so here is a perfect way to burn a large chunk of calories from your home in just 25 minutes.

You may have heard the term HIIT before and that’s exactly what you are going to be doing, High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT is one of the best, most proven ways to burn calories and keep your metabolism high for the coming hours. All you need is your body, some room in the house and a timer. The science behind HIIT is completing intense exercises back to back, keeping your heart rate elevated followed by minimal rest and repeat. Here’s a great workout that will beat you up in a fraction of the time:

Group 1 (Exercises are preformed back to back)

Jumping Jacks: 30 Air Squats: 20 Drop to floor, Crunches: 20

*Rest 30 seconds and then start over! Do this 4 times!*

*Rest 1 minute and move to group 2!*

Group 2 (Exercises are preformed back to back)

High Knees/Jog in Place: 30sec à Drop to floor, Mountain Climbers: 20sec à Pushups or Pushups on Knees: 8 to 10

*Rest 45 seconds and then start over! Do this 4 times!*

Congratulations! You’re now a sweaty mess and burned more calories than you ever thought you could at home. Remember, modification is key so that you can complete the exercises. Do as many as you can and listen to your body. Have fun and earn those holiday snacks!

 

By Tyler Palmquist

 

 

Dealing With Stress During the Holidays

The most common issue gym-goers have is that it’s hard to fit workouts in during the holidays.  On top of that, this is known to be the most stressful time of the year because of all the shopping and deciding the perfect gift for your loved ones, hosting and attending family parties, home decorating, and other events during this time of year.  Moreover, the cold weather and snow seem to add to people’s stress levels and make it even harder to make it to the gym.  Unfortunately we can not avoid the extra responsibility we must take on along with work and other life events during this time, therefore we must attack this stress head-on in order to remain calm and actually enjoy the holidays while still taking care of ourselves and our wellness.`

One of the first and most important aspects to dealing with stress is to write your tasks and goals down on a piece of paper (or in your phone) in order ease the mind knowing that your thoughts and responsibilities are organized and physically present for you to remember.  You have to head to the mall for Christmas shopping, pick up your kids at school and then have a holiday party in the evening, but you still want to fit in an exercise somewhere?  Map out your day the night before so that you can fit in enough time to exercise.

If you are like most people, the mental and physical benefits of exercise are important to you; missing your routine workouts can make you angry and feel unaccomplished.  According to a study done at the University of Liverpool, aerobic exercise training has antidepressant and anxiolytic effects which helps protect against harmful consequences of stress (Effects of Physical Activity and Exercise Training).  These findings can be credited to improved blood circulation throughout the body including the brain, lowered blood pressure, and improved production of endorphins (neurotransmitters that act as chemical messengers).  Exercise can regulate and improve the release of serotonin and dopamine, which are two hormones that play a heavy role in our mood, as well as, lower the production of adrenaline (fight or flight sympathetic response)—which at too high of levels can negatively effect our stress levels.  Therefore, skipping your workouts will only add to your stress levels, so make sure to prioritize your cardio training!

Another effective way to deal with holiday stress is to practice yoga (take a class, have your physiologist teach you, or watch an instructional video online).  In reality, yoga is mostly a combination of different stretches, postural corrections and functional movements to ease tension and relax the muscles of the body—so basically a good 10-20 minute session of stretching and deep breathing will do the trick.  The most effective way to use yoga/stretching to ease stress would be to either start your day or end your day by stretching—but stretching at any point in the day is much better than nothing.  Muscle tension, especially along the neck, can play a big role in effecting your mood and making you irritable.  If you have any specific injuries along the neck or spine you should check with your doctor to see if you’re eligible for physical therapy or need to see a specialist, but if you are just tense or tight, try some of these stretches at home in a very slow manner to see if they help. Remember to always listen to your body! Muscle tension anywhere in the body may increase your stress, so find out where your muscles are the most tight, and ask a physiologist at Peak how to stretch out those muscles!

Follow this link for some helpful stretches to help relieve neck pain!

—By Anthony Locast

 

Salmon, Peter. “Effects of physical exercise on anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to stress: a unifying theory.” Clinical psychology review 21.1 (2001): 33-61.

“The Effects of Physical Activity and Exercise Training on Psychological Stress and Well-Being in an Adolescent Population.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Elsevier, 29 May 2002, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/002239999290114H.