inerTRAIN Blog
August 16, 2011
Fitness saves lives
Fitness is about more than looking and feeling good. For some, whose vocation is to save lives, it is critical to be in good physical shape for not only their own health and safety, but for those that they serve through their work. Today’s guest blog post by Rich Marinucci talks about the importance of fitness for firefighters.
Mr. Marinucci has worked with the fire service and emergency management for the past 33 years as a fire chief, author, faculty member, consultant, and advisor throughout the country and internationally. Additionally, he was the program director for the Everyone Goes Home program of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, whose goal is to reduce the number of preventable firefighter fatalities. So, you can see that he is very passionate about this topic.
In Health,
The job of a firefighter requires individuals who are fit and healthy. The stresses of the actual work of a firefighter coupled with the unpredictable nature of the job create potential health hazards. Firefighters can be called upon to perform within minutes of awaking from a sound sleep. Weather conditions, toxic products of combustion, sick patients, and an unpredictable work environment add to the stress on the body.
In fact, statistics show that cardiovascular events are the leading cause of firefighter line-of-duty deaths. There is no way to change this, so the best way for a firefighter to survive and prosper is to be in good physical condition. Proper fitness will reduce the chances of injury, minimize the severity when an injury occurs, and shorten any required recovery or rehabilitation time.
Whether working as a career firefighter on 24-hour shifts (of some combination) or as a volunteer firefighter responding when needed, the schedule challenges many to stay fit. The irregular nature of the schedule challenges individuals to establish a routine. It takes a motivated individual to consistently exercise and to do the types of workouts that are most beneficial towards reducing the risk of becoming a statistic. Many departments offer assistive resources, such as workout equipment in the stations, but ultimately the responsibility belongs to the individual firefighter.
In most cases, the firefighters start their jobs physically fit due to hiring requirements. However, if they do not begin and maintain a regimen, they can fall into bad habits that can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. Add to this issue the natural aging process, and the potential for something bad to happen increases.
Regular check-ups by doctors familiar with the stresses and strains of firefighting, good eating habits, and regular exercise that is matched to the job requirements can help with a long career and hopefully lead to many years of retirement. It is never too late to start developing good habits. If you can do it by yourself, that is great. If you need help getting started and maintaining your program, finding someone who can help put together a program and keep you on track is worth the investment.
August 12, 2011
Classic treats with not-so-classic ingredients
 One of my clients brought in a package of Moon Pies the other day. The package says “Since 1917.” I found this interesting and when I looked at the ingredients the first five things on the label are as follows: enriched wheat flour, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans fat).
When I did a little research, I found out that enriched flour was first produced in 1941 and that high fructose corn syrup was created in 1957, but was not produced on an industrial scale until the mid-1970s.
So, this product that has been around “Since 1917” and contains mostly these five ingredients (remember—ingredients are listed from greatest to least), three of which have not even been produced until 1941. So, what were the darn things made of before that?!
What is happening to our food supply in this country is pretty scary. Everything is being produced to be faster, fatter, bigger, and cheaper.
To quote Joel Salatin, owner/farmer of Polyface Farms in Virginia who feeds his livestock grass (the way nature intended), “No one is thinking about the ecological health of the whole system. If we put glass walls on all the mega processing facilities we would have a different food system in this country.” Check out some of his videos on YouTube.
Try to start seeking out the best food possible. Yes, it might be a little more expensive, but your health is worth it.
In Health,
August 8, 2011
“I feel like I’m cheating.”
 I get this response a lot from my clients when they shift their eating habits to a high fat, medium protein, and low carbohydrate diet. The reason is simple. More fat in your diet will knock out your appetite for hours after you eat and carbohydrates digest rapidly, leaving you wanting more within an hour or so after your meal. If you are eating the correct diet you should not be hungry for several hours after you eat.
In our house we eat three good meals. Breakfast is always high in protein and fat—bacon and eggs, sausage and eggs, or omelets. Start your day off with no carbs and you will be surprised at how much less you need to eat in a day! Lunch is a good time for a big salad with some protein on top. Dinner is a meat portion like meat loaf, pork or beef roast, chicken, etc., and a salad or vegetable.
Stick with foods that are high in fat and protein: they are satiating and your meals will be far more satisfying.
Pay attention to how your body really feels. If you’re truly hungry, then feed your body and stop when you are no longer hungry. When you are not eating processed calorie-dense high carb foods, it does not take nearly as much food to satisfy you. Just make sure you are not feeding your feelings and emotions because they do not get fat, your body does.
There is a very small margin of error between being satisfied and overeating. Sometimes, just one bite less will make all the difference.
In Health,
June 15, 2011
Being Active 101
How can you make that very first minute out of bed just a little more active than before?
As you go through your day, try to find little ways to incorporate more movement into your daily routine. Need some ideas? Read this list of tips for quick and easy ways to become more active in your everyday life:
- Park your car toward the last available parking spot. Walk a little more than you're used to (in safe areas only). When you go to the mall, park at the opposite end in which you intend to shop.
- Take the stairs as often as possible.
- When talking on the phone, stand up and pace.
- Do housework or yard work at a faster pace than usual.
- Do not sit on the couch or bed when you watch television. Stand up. Stretch out or pace while you watch. (Stand in the back of the room when you're with a group so that you don't disturb them.)
- If you are stuck when studying or working at the computer, you'd be amazed at the insight and inspiration you get if you stand up and pace for just one minute.
- If you have a desk job, you can do different stretches at your desk.
These ideas are just a jumping off point—you don't have to do each one. You do have to determine how ideas like the ones on our list fit into your lifestyle. Figure out what works best for you. Be creative and get moving!
In Health,
May 18, 2011
Man in the Mirror
As I was getting out of the shower and contemplating the day’s long list of urgent things I had to do, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I thought, “The next time I look in the mirror, will I look better or worse?” This intrigued me because, of course, I see myself every day in the mirror. . . and certainly one day will not show any noticeable difference either way.
But, what about after 10, 30, or 100 days?
Will I be looking at the same physique three months from now?
The answer to this question will be based on what I do every single day between now and then. Sure, I would love to look better in three months, but this isn’t the sixties, when there was free time for sitting on the porch and chatting with neighbors. I cram something into every waking minute of my day. My time allotment is frequently pinched by urgent things, instead of the ones I consider most important.
Consequently, exercise usually gets bumped by something like work, meetings, kids, lawn care, etc., and I have lost control of my physique to the urgent items in my life. There is a distinction between what is urgent and what is important, and that distinction can make a big difference to my overall happiness.
However, if I bumped one of those urgent items down the list each day and replaced it with my workout, then three months from now, as I am exiting the shower, I will look in the mirror and notice that I look much better and, subsequently, will feel better both physically and mentally.
I don’t always have control over my ever-changing daily schedule of impromptu meetings and crises, but with inerTRAIN, I still have a real person pushing and motivating me—someone to whom I am held accountable—yet, I have full control over the scheduling and can access my personalized workout online 24-7.
As a result, each day as I look in the mirror, I will be able to confidently tell myself that the next time I see my reflection, it will look better.
In Health,
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