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What Kind Of Body Do You Want This Summer?

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Summer is almost upon us, which means that more skin-baring outfits will appear, and the pressure to look as good as possible will be greater than ever. So what do you do if you’ve been cozily hiding under a layer of winter storage fat for the last few months or years? There isn’t much time to strip that away, but it definitely IS possible to reveal a trimmer, more toned you for the warmer weather that is right around the corner.

The first and most important thing to do in order to build a body transformation strategy for the summer is to define your goals. Make sure that they fit the SMART criteria: SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, RELEVANT and TIMELY. Let’s look at each aspect more closely.

SPECIFIC: The more specific you are in defining your summer transformation goals, the more likely you are to be successful in reaching them. A good specific goal could be losing body fat.

MEASURABLE: Let’s look more closely at the body fat reduction goal that I mentioned above. What if you set a goal of losing 5% of your body fat? By doing this, you have now made that goal measurable.

ACHIEVABLE: Make sure that you can actually reach the goals you put in front of you. For example, if you have an excessive amount of storage body fat, it would be unreasonable for you to try to lose 15% of body fat by the beginning of July. However, an achievable goal of 5% is much more reasonable and completely attainable.

RELEVANT: The goals you set should match up to your abilities and interests. For example, if you have been a complete couch potato for years, it would not be relevant to your lifestyle or skill set to aim to prep for an Ironman competition by July. A relevant goal that would still enable you to successfully reach a higher level of fitness would be to prep for a 5k walk/run in July.

TIMELY: In the above examples, I mentioned early July as a timeline marker. By setting a target date, you will establish a framework upon which you will build an action plan.

When I perform nutrition and fitness assessments, I always advise my clients and patients to follow the SMART acronym. Another thing I love to suggest is the development of a vision board. A vision board can be as simple as having a photo of a celebrity or other person who has the kind of physique that a client covets. In some cases, the photo may be of the client from earlier, leaner days. In either case, the photo serves as a perfect carrot to chase after. I always suggest placing the photo on a bathroom mirror or a refrigerator door. Another clever and very effective place for an inspiring photo is to use it as a computer or phone wallpaper design.

If you really want to get creative and inspired, you can create a larger vision board, either digitally or via old-school printed photos and inspiring quotes and messages. Just make sure that whatever you create, you believe 100% in what is on the board, and that you can attain it all.

“Do You Still Compete?”

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First Place Masters Bikini 35+ B Class, Team Universe, July 2013

First Place Masters Bikini 35+ B Class, Team Universe, July 2013

Whenever I hear that question now, I have mixed feelings, which range from a sense of longing for the stage, to complete relief that I have not stepped onto a bodybuilding stage for close to two years now. My short answer to the question, “Do you still compete?” is “Probably not.”

Though I competed in four Pro Bikini events, I was struggling so much with metabolic damage and perimenopause that I often think it wasn’t the best idea to jump onto the Pro stage only 4 months after I won my IFBB Pro Card. That sort of strategy might work for a twenty-something competitor who is at the top of the heap, but it didn’t work for my 47-year old body which had been beaten down physically, emotionally, and mentally. I honestly needed a break, but I pushed through, and as a result had ho-hum placings.

It has taken over three years for my body to return to a level of leanness which I feel comfortable with. I know you might assume that I was in a massive spiral with my weight and body fat, but it wasn’t THAT bad, at least not compared with many other competitors who spiral. Nevertheless, I spent over two years with excess fluff that I was not accustomed to at all, and I couldn’t stand how I looked or felt.

Here’s the breakdown of my stats throughout the years:

From age 21 through 43: Between 104-109 lbs., 11-13% body fat
2010 – Age 44: 112-113 lbs., 12% body fat
2011 – Age 45: 114 lbs., 12% body fat
2012 – Age 46: 115 lbs., 12% body fat
2013 – Age 47: FIRST HALF OF YEAR: 117 lbs., 11% body fat SECOND HALF OF YEAR: 119-126 lbs., 13-18% body fat
2014 – Age 48: 121-125 lbs., 14-18% body fat
2015 – Age 49: 119-123 lbs., 12-15% body fat
2016 – (soon to be 50): 115-119 lbs., 11-13% body fat

It has been a veritable see-saw for me over the years. I also firmly believe that I would not have gone through menopause as early as I have if it had not been for all the metabolic insults I made to my poor body as a result of competing. Since 2013, I have investigated every possible cause for the water retention issues which rather suddenly hit me. This year I have FINALLY been able to rid myself of the excess fluid around my midsection, but somehow that was at the cost of the fullness in my glutes which I had worked so tirelessly to achieve during the years in which I competed.

If you ask me what my plans are for competing, don’t be surprised if I evade the question. I realize with each passing day that competing is no longer something which I rely on to define who I am. I have paid my dues and proven my worth, and though I completely understand why people have a drive to compete, I am no longer chomping at the bit to throw on a ridiculously expensive, blingy bikini and stripper heels and put myself at the mercy of a panel of judges.

Quit Taking My Musical Icons

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Michael Jackson’s death in June of 2009 was so shocking and painful for me that I still feel profound sadness over his passing. I grew up listening to his music, so his voice and artistic vision helped to define my entire life from childhood. David Bowie had a similar impact on my growing years, and I was so passionately moved by his musical genius that he remained a favorite artist from the time I was very little through today. Though Bowie was ill from cancer, his death was shocking as well, and my heart has been heavy from it.

When I heard that Prince was dealing with poor health, I began to worry. Surely this 57 year old multitalented musical god wasn’t near death’s door? Alarm bells went off in my head when I heard about the emergency plane landing on April 15th. Then on the morning of Thursday, April 21st, I flipped to Sirius XM’s Z100NY and thought it was very odd that a Prince song from 1984, “When Doves Cry”, was playing, since the station runs current hits. I pulled into a gas station and turned off the ignition to pump my gas. When I started up the car, “Purple Rain” was playing on Z100NY. I groaned and thought, “Oh no…”, grabbed my phone and looked up Prince. Sure enough, news of his death had hit the world.

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It’s been seventeen days since Prince’s death, and I still feel like I was punched in the solar plexus. I have been listening to The Groove to soak up Prince’s music, and my iPod runs Prince tunes while I am training at the gym. Admittedly, though, I already had a collection of Prince songs loaded onto my iPod for many years, so jamming to something like “Sexy M.F.” was a regular occurrence. There is no doubt that I am one of the many millions of Prince fans who are in mourning, who appreciate the enormous talent this man had. Prince was daring, controversial, brilliant, innovative, original, and charismatic, and had a profound influence on my teen years and early adulthood.

R.I.P. Prince.

It Isn’t Just About Fitness: How Fitness Goals Impact Your Entire Life

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My latest article for Sports Nutrition Supplement Guide is on the impact that fitness goals can have on every aspect of your life. You can see the original post via the link below, or read the article here as well.

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http://sportsnutritionsupplementguide.com/inspiration-motivation/train-perform/item/1585-it-isn-t-just-about-fitness-how-fitness-goals-impact-your-entire-life

You may already be immersed in a fitness plan which enhances your physical strength and flexibility, improves performance, and keeps your physique in tip-top shape. But being physically fit confers a multitude of mental benefits which you might not be aware of. As a matter of fact, the link between physical health and mental health is so strong that people who brush off regular exercise as a time-consuming task are depriving themselves of optimal health and well-being.

Simply by engaging in 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 3 to 4 days per week, you can help manage or even prevent mild depression and anxiety through the release of endorphins in the brain. In addition, regular exercise increases energy levels, enabling you to power through a busy day more efficiently. Individuals who exercise regularly also tend to enjoy more restful sleep.

Those of you who hit the gym or engage in other types of physical activity several days per week may also have noticed that simply by being in an exercise environment, your worries and negative thoughts have a tendency to melt away, lending a lot of validity to the phrase “iron therapy”. The sense of community which exists within gym settings or other events (such as 5K races, mud runs, rock climbing events, and other activities) can also be a very effective means of eradicating any feelings of loneliness or isolation.

People who struggle with depression are more likely to be sedentary, and levels of GABA, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine tend to be much lower than in people who work out regularly. Conversely, levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol, tend to be higher in sedentary individuals who suffer from chronic depression and anxiety. A study by the University of California San Francisco determined that women who exercised for 45 minutes over a 3-day period showed fewer signs of cellular aging compared to their inactive counterparts. Other studies have demonstrated that as little as three hours of regular exercise each week can reduce the symptoms of mild to moderate depression as effectively as pharmaceutical antidepressants.

Regular physical activity also benefits cognitive function. Researchers have discovered noticeable physical differences between the brains of people who engage in regular exercise when compared to inactive people. Several studies have found that the hippocampi in fit individuals is much larger. Why is this important? Because the hippocampus is largely responsible for spatial memory, and it is also one of the first regions in the brain to be affected by Alzheimer’s related damage. Exercise also boosts levels of growth factors in the brain which are responsible for higher cognitive functions such as concentration, attention, memory and learning.

Lastly, regular exercise boosts self-esteem and improves body image, contributing to a greater sense of well-being and confidence. Think of how exciting it is when you reach a training goal, such as increased strength or flexibility, weight loss, or a positive change in body composition.

In summary, when you train your body through regular exercise, you also boost brain health and create a greater sense of overall well-being.

1 in 3 Americans Has $0 Saved for Retirement

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I recently came across this article and was shocked by the statistics. In an effort to make people aware of the importance of saving for retirement, I am reposting Elyssa Kirkham’s article below.

To see the original article, please go to: http://www.gobankingrates.com/retirement/1-3-americans-0-saved-retirement/

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By Elyssa Kirkham March 14, 2016

Saving for retirement is not an area of financial strength for Americans. Too often, meeting the financial demands of today means delaying, diminishing or simply never starting to save for tomorrow.

“There are plenty of obstacles Americans claim are in their way when it comes to saving for retirement: credit card debt, student loan debt, low wages, the need to save for a child’s college education, and the list goes on,” said Cameron Huddleston, Life + Money columnist for GOBankingRates. “Although all of these things can put a strain on our budgets, they don’t necessarily make it impossible to save for retirement.”

GOBankingRates asked Americans how much money they have saved for retirement and found that most people are behind on their retirement savings. These survey findings also provide a helpful benchmark against which readers can compare their own retirement savings balances and progress.

Survey: How Much Americans Have Saved for Retirement

The GOBankingRates survey was conducted as three Google Consumer Surveys, each targeted at one of three age groups: millennials, Generation Xers, and baby boomers and seniors. Each age group was asked the same question, “By your best estimate, how much money do you have saved for retirement?” Respondents could select one of the options as displayed below:

Less than $10K
$10K to $49K
$50K to $99K
$100K to $199K
$200 to $299K
$300K or more
I don’t have retirement savings.

GOBankingRates analyzed the survey results to reveal key insights into how Americans of all ages are saving for retirement. Whether due to various economic factors or not correctly prioritizing finances, many people are not on track to have enough money to cover their expenses during retirement.

56% of Americans Have Less Than $10,000 Saved for Retirement
Most Americans are falling short of the amount of savings required for a comfortable retirement ― if they are saving at all. The most common responses to the question of what people have saved for retirement across all age groups are “I don’t have retirement savings” and “less than $10K,” breaking down as follows:

One-third of Americans report they have no retirement savings.
23 percent have less than $10,000 saved.
Survey: 1 in 3 People Has $0 Saved for Retirement

This lack of savings indicates that just getting started on retirement planning is a significant obstacle for many people. This difficulty can be due to a lack of education on the importance of retirement savings, said Kristen Bonner, the GOBankingRates research lead for this survey. “Americans might also be feeling as though their employer match ― or lack of ― is not enough to make it worth it to open an account, as well the growing trend of changing jobs every couple years and not wanting to deal with rolling over funds from one account to another,” Bonner said.

It’s not all bad news, however:

After “less than $10K,” the most common balance Americans have saved for retirement is “$300K or more.”
A significant 13 percent of Americans’ retirement savings balances are in the top bracket.
“The fact that so many Americans do have $300,000 or more saved for retirement goes to show just how easily the amount of money in your retirement fund can grow over time if you are dedicated to contributing regularly,” Bonner said.


Women More Likely Than Men to Have No Retirement Savings

The gap between men’s and women’s retirement savings is cause for concern for anyone planning for retirement. It’s as much as 26 percent, according to the 2015 Gender Pay Gap in Financial Wellness report from financial education company Financial Finesse. Overall, GOBankingRates’ survey findings show that women are significantly less likely to be sufficiently saving for retirement:

Women are 27 percent more likely than men to say they have no retirement savings.
Two-thirds of women (63 percent) say they have no savings or less than $10,000 in retirement savings, compared with just over half (52 percent) of men.
Survey: Retirement Savings Gap Reveals How Far Behind Women Are

The gap between men’s and women’s retirement savings widens as balances get higher: Whereas men and women are about as likely to have $10,000 to $99,000 saved for retirement, men are twice as likely as women to have savings balances of $200,000 or more.

One reason women fall behind is the gender pay gap. “Women cannot save as much for retirement because they are not earning as much,” Bonner said, citing 2015 U.S. Census Bureau data that shows women earned $0.79 for every $1 men earned in full-time positions. Families trying to prepare for retirement need to factor such deficits into their financial plans.

“Women also are more likely to have gaps in employment to raise children and might not be contributing to retirement accounts during those periods when they’re not working,” Huddleston said.

Women’s retirement savings needs are also greater than men’s. “Women not only need to catch up with men but they also need to save more because their medical costs tend to be higher in retirement,” Huddleston said. Women are also more likely to live longer, increasing their chances of outliving retirement funds.

To make up for anemic earnings and plan for their higher retirement costs, women need to be proactive and save aggressively. “Financial experts typically recommend saving 10 percent to 15 percent of your annual pay, so women should aim for that higher percentage to close the retirement savings gap,” Huddleston said.

Retirement Savings Correlate Closely to Age

Retirement savings are closely tied to savers’ stages of life. For young people just starting their careers, simply saving at all could be a sufficient goal, while those nearing retirement will likely want to have at least a few hundred thousands of dollars in their retirement accounts.

GOBankingRates conducted this survey in three different parts aimed at specific generational age ranges ― millennials ages 18 to 34, Gen Xers ages 35 to 54, and baby boomers and seniors ages 55 and over ― to get an accurate picture of how Americans’ savings differ by life stage:

Millennials are 40 percent more likely to not have retirement savings than Gen Xers and 50 percent more likely than people age 55 and over.
About half of Gen X is making a significant effort to save for retirement ― 48.2 percent have saved over $10,000, including 26.7 percent who have saved $100,000 or more.
Boomers and seniors are 85 percent more likely than Gen Xers to have $300,000 or more in retirement accounts and 4.6 times more likely than millennials to have saved this amount.
Survey: Comparison of How Much Millennials, Gen Xers, Boomer and Seniors Have Saved for Retirement

3 of 5 Millennials Have Started a Retirement Fund
As the youngest group surveyed, millennials are the least likely to have substantial retirement savings. Three in four (72 percent) of millennials have saved less than $10,000 or nothing at all.

Survey: Majority of Millennials Are Saving for Retirement

Additional findings show how millennials’ retirement savings reflect their life stage:

42 percent of millennials indicated they have no retirement savings.
The number of millennials with no retirement savings yet is 52 percent for younger millennials ages 18 to 24 but a more reasonable 36 percent for older millennials ages 25 to 34.
The most common balances that younger millennials have saved are “less than $10K,” at 30 percent, and “$10K to $49K,” at 11 percent.
Older millennials are twice as likely as younger millennials to have saved $10,000 to $49,000, at 14 percent versus 7 percent, respectively.
Related: Retirement Planning Checklist for Millennials

Overall, fewer millennials are saving for retirement than should be, but many millennials’ retirement savings are actually on track, especially among the those ages 25 to 34. For this group, saving now and saving regularly will make all the difference.

“The earlier you start saving, the easier it is ― really,” Huddleston said. “Thanks to the power of compounding, if you start regularly setting aside even small amounts as soon as you start working, you could easily have enough for a comfortable retirement.”

Saving as little as 5 percent of your income can make a big difference long term, Bonner added. “Make sure to always take advantage of any employer matches, and automatically transfer funds from your paycheck to your retirement fund so that you do not even think of that money as disposable income,” she said.

Gen X Still Playing Catch-Up on Retirement After Great Recession
Survey: Most Gen Xers Are Behind on Retirement Savings

Although some Gen Xers are hitting their retirement savings goals, just over half (52 percent) still have less than $10,000 in retirement savings. A big contributor to this low amount could be the Great Recession, which hit Gen X the hardest, costing members of this generation 45 percent of their net wealth on average, according to The Fiscal Times. This loss was a major setback for a generation that is saddled with a wide range of financial obligations, from mortgages to aging parents and children entering adulthood.

Younger Gen Xers are falling further behind on retirement savings than their older counterparts, who are twice as likely to have retirement savings with high balances:

Both younger Gen Xers (ages 35 to 44) and older Gen Xers (45 to 54) are equally as likely to not have a retirement account, at 31 percent.
Among younger Gen Xers who have a retirement account, most have lower balances of less than $50,000.
Older Gen Xers’ balances reflect good starting contributions that could earn considerable compound interest over time:

An impressive 40 percent of older Gen Xers have managed to save $50,000 or more in retirement accounts.
Over half of those older Gen Xers in that 40 percent have balances of $200,000 to $299,000 (7 percent) or $300,000 or more (15 percent).
“These figures are encouraging,” Huddleston said, “but this generation still could be setting aside a lot more if they actually want to have a comfortable retirement.”

Only 1 in 4 People Age 55 and Over Has More Than $300K Saved
As respondents get older, the gap between the savers and the save-nots widens. Although a larger portion of people age 55 and over report high-balance retirement funds, there remains a significant subgroup that has little to no retirement savings:

About 3 in 10 of respondents age 55 and over have no retirement savings.
26 percent report retirement savings with balances of under $50,000, an amount that is insufficient for people nearing retirement age.
Over half (54 percent) of people age 55 and over have balances far behind typical retirement fund benchmarks for their age group.
Survey: Nearly 30% of Boomers and Seniors Have No Retirement Savings

Some of those 55 and over who lack savings might not need them, Huddleston pointed out. “[They] might be among the dwindling group of Americans who will get a pension and will benefit from having an employer who set aside retirement funds for them.”

More likely, however, those without retirement savings couldn’t or didn’t make saving for retirement a financial priority. “Without savings of their own, they’ll have to rely solely on Social Security,” Huddleston said. Baby boomers most often cited Social Security as their expected primary source of retirement income (35 percent), according to a 2015 report from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, whereas Gen Xers and millennials expected retirement accounts like 401ks or IRAs to be their main source of retirement income.

On the other end of the spectrum, many baby boomers and seniors have successfully socked away substantial savings in retirement accounts:

26 percent of baby boomers nearing retirement (ages 55 to 64) report healthy retirement savings with balances of $200,000 or more.
31 percent of seniors at or above the retirement age (65 and over) have balances of $200,000 or more.
“Those who have saved more than $300,000 have clearly made saving for retirement a priority and want a more comfortable lifestyle in retirement than what Social Security benefits will afford them,” Huddleston said.

About 75% of Americans Over 40 Are Behind on Saving for Retirement
Using this survey data as a snapshot of Americans’ retirement savings progress ― or lack thereof ― GOBankingRates sought to get a better look at how many people are actually on track to retire comfortably. To do so, GOBankingRates compared survey responses to key retirement savings benchmarks based on a savings rate of 5 percent of income and checkpoints sourced from J.P. Morgan Asset Management, as well as Census Bureau data on median incomes by age range. Based on those data sets, GOBankingRates determined that people of the following ages, representative of the survey age groups, are on track or behind at the following rates:

Age Median Income Retirement Savings Benchmark Percentage on Track Percentage Behind
24 $34,605 Started a retirement fund 48% 52%
30 $54,243 $16,272.90 33% 67%
40 $66,693 $100,039.50 20% 80%
50 $70,832 $212,496.00 22% 78%
60 $60,580 $260,494.00 26% 74%

A little less than half of people ages 18 to 24 are on track simply by having started a retirement fund. Among the people just a few years ahead of them, around age 30, significantly more ― two-thirds ― are already behind on saving for retirement.

Younger people are in the best position to recover if they’ve fallen behind because they have more time to use compound interest to their advantage. “Those who are in their 20s and 30s with $10,000 or less in retirement savings still have time to catch up if they make saving a priority,” Huddleston said.

For those age 40 and over, however, the picture is bleaker: Among those in their 40s and 50s, four in five savers have balances that fall behind the benchmarks for their age groups, which means only about 20 percent are on track for retirement. Among those 60 and over, about a quarter have sufficient retirement savings, but the other 74 percent are still behind.

“The real problem is procrastination,” Huddleston said. “People naturally tend to focus on the bills that are due today ― and the things they want now ― and assume they’ll have time to save for retirement later. But, before you know it, 20 or 30 years have passed; you’re approaching retirement age but you don’t have enough saved to retire.”

How to Catch Up If You’re Behind on Retirement Savings

With less time to save as each year passes, these older age groups need to reevaluate their financial priorities. The large majority of Americans age 40 and over who are behind on retirement savings can potentially catch up or compensate for their anemic retirement accounts by making changes to their savings plans now.

1. Stick to a Routine
The first step is to start saving regularly. Consistent savings, even in just small amounts, is the best way to ensure a retirement fund is growing. “Day to day, it might not seem as if the balance in your 401k or IRA is increasing significantly, but 10, 20, 30 years from now, your future self will be thanking you,” Bonner said.

If money is put into high-yield accounts or invested wisely, compound interest on small savings can help produce a sizable nest egg. “If you wait until you’re 40 or so to start saving, you’d have to save three or four times as much ― or more ― each month to accumulate the same amount as those who start saving earlier,” Huddleston said.

2. Prioritize Changes That Have Long-Term Benefits
Upping retirement savings contributions is also necessary to catch up. People age 50 and over can make catch-up contributions of $6,000 to a traditional 401k, for example, in addition to the regular $18,000 annual 401k contribution limit, according to the IRS.

Those nearing retirement can also help prepare for retirement by reducing spending and paying down debt, which will trim monthly expenses and enable them to stretch their savings further once they retire.

3. Save Like You’ll Retire Tomorrow
Lastly, those nearing retirement might need to adjust their expectations, Huddleston said. “Older Americans with little saved will have to work a lot harder to set aside more and likely will have to work longer ― or never fully retire,” she said.

Many Americans do not recognize retirement savings should be an urgent priority in their lives, according to Bonner. “The trending attitude today is to ‘enjoy life to the fullest,’” she said. “However, even though retirement seems far away to many people, and they think that there is still plenty of time to begin saving, Americans must make their future selves a priority and take all necessary steps to set themselves up for a comfortable financial future.”

People who view retirement as something that is just around the corner can help themselves stay on top of their retirement contributions so that they don’t fall behind. By keeping retirement at the top of the financial priority list, it can become less of a far-off dream and more of a soon-to-be reality.

Taking Youth For Granted – Part 2

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young-woman-feels-bad-about-eating-junk-food-smaller

Though there are plenty of young people who are fitness-conscious and practice healthy eating habits, there are also many who tempt fate by eating poorly, avoiding exercise and physcial activity, and who party every weekend. When I am at fitness events, I tend to see the fit people, but as a doctor, I see the individuals who don’t know how to take care of their bodies. As an example, I remember seeing one patient who, at the age of 20, was disgusted with herself, and who begged me to give her some advice on how to get in shape quickly and easily. She was about 20 pounds overweight, and it was obvious that she didn’t exercise at all. Her skin was dull and peppered with acne, and her eyes were bloodshot.

I was in the midst of giving the patient general recommendations on eating healthy and getting regular exercise, when she interrupted me. “Ummm, excuse me doc, but I’m not gonna stop eating at Burger King! It’s my daily stop for dinner, and it’s right by my work, so I can just pick it up and eat it in the car before I get home.” I was so stunned that I had to clarify the frequency of her visits with her to make sure I heard her right. Yes, she would visit the Burger King drive-thru every single night after she finished work, and would wolf down a burger in the car because she was always famished from not eating all day. Then she would go home and eat chips while sitting in front of the television. When I told her how unhealthy her eating habits were, she stated, “I don’t see what the big deal is anyway. I mean, I hate vegetables and all that healthy crap other people eat. Besides, I’m young, so it doesn’t even matter!”

That patient wasn’t the only one I have seen who refused to eat right and exercise, but she was particularly stubborn and set in her ways. She walked into that office not wanting me to truly help her, but instead wanted me to give her a prescription for a diet pill so that she could slim down for bikini season. I shook my head and told her that I don’t believe in them, and that I would not give her a prescription, whereupon she hopped off the examination table and said, “Whatever. I thought you were supposed to help people with weight loss shit, but I guess not. See ya.”

When I see young people eating all kinds of crap on a consistent basis, it saddens me, because I know that poor eating habits will have consequences on their health. Nine times out of ten, those same people will hit the clubs on the weekends and go on drinking binges. Some of them don’t even wait until the weekend to get their party on. I can guarantee that people who adopt atrocious habits like these will show signs of age much faster, and will put themselves at a much greater risk for developing diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer. Though they may think that their youthfulness protects them, they usually will get a wicked surprise down the line when disease processes begin to rear their ugly heads.

If you want to optimize your health for the long term, make sure to consume healthy food options the majority of the time, limit alcohol consumption, don’t smoke, and get plenty of regular exercise. Those measures can serve as the best insurance policy for wellness as you get older.

Taking Youth For Granted – Part 1

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stupid

There’s a saying I used to hear quite frequently when I was a teenager, which was, “Youth is wasted on the young.” What’s funny is that I can’t remember who used to say it, but I heard it enough times that it seeded in my brain as part of my belief system as I got older. The feeling of being invincible, and the illusion that time is limitless, can fool youngsters into thinking that all the opportunities which they are flooded with will always be there. They may be too busy having fun and partying to build a foundation for the future. Though I had enough common sense to keep myself out of trouble most of the time when I was younger, I had moments when I would do something foolish or rash, and in those moments, I would jeopardize my own chances of success. However, despite the times I stumbled, I was able to accomplish more than the average young adult, so perhaps youth wasn’t completely wasted on someone like me.

I have come across some very disciplined young adults who were able to explore and develop their talents without trudging into the muck of ambivalence and laziness. They were obviously encouraged by parents and educators to formulate dreams and pursue related goals. These impressive overachievers definitely didn’t waste their youth, but have transformed their vibrant energy, passion, and creativity into lofty achievements. They also have shown a tendency to create a real impact on others through their ingenuity, their compassion, and their drive, and by doing so, have become leaders who will leave a true legacy.

There’s an odd and delicate balance which young people are challenged to figure out. Though they are encouraged to grab life by the horns and go for it, they are also expected to have the sense to pace themselves and stick to the straight and narrow course during a time when distractions and temptations abound. It’s no mystery why some twenty-somethings may find themselves in a situation in which they have to repair their finances, become centered, and undo all the damage which playing or partying too much can create. I know I wouldn’t want to be a youngster again, and I certainly wouldn’t want to experience my youth in this day and age.

The best advice I can give to someone who is young is to BUILD FOR THE FUTURE. Sure, it can be fun to party on the weekends and hobnob with the movers and shakers in the social media world, but make sure you are working towards goals which enable you to grow as a person, which ensure financial stability for the future, and which give you a platform on which you can impact the world. Make sure that you are doing things that your parents can be proud of, and which your future children won’t be embarrassed by. Everything you do has some sort of impact, even if that impact is only on yourself.

Squat Pant Obsession

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I have a confession: I am obsessed with Beleza Brazil Squat Pants, so much so that my leaning towards Lululemon capris has dwindled to almost zero. Beleza Brazil Squat Pants are very high quality and well made, and incorporate some of the softest, most curve-flattering fabric on the planet! I still remember the first time I tried on a pair, and I truly was expecting them to fit like just about every capri legging to fit. Yet I pulled them on and immediately noticed how the cut and the fabric hugged my curves like a second skin, and how my booty just went POP! once I had them on. It was love at first sight with these pants, and since that fateful day back in January, I have worn these wonderful booty enhancers pretty much daily. Not only do I wear them to the gym, I wear them to run errands, and I even have a pair of the Long pants in Blue, which I love to wear with short black legwarmers and black pointy-toed boots for a night out. Oh yes, I am obsessed with BB Squat Pants!
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Here are the specs on these incredible pants:

Features: Booty shaping waistband to contour your natural shape, Elastic Free waistband to avoid muffin top.

Fabric: SoftMAX

Properties: Custom made for the softest feeling to touch, while still having hold and support.

Moisture Wicking, four way stretch, preshrunk, chafe resistant, breathable, UV protection, antibacterialRise: Medium
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Squat Pants are different from all the workout pants out there. They do something magical to the derriere which almost defies explanation. Obviously the cut and stitching are brilliant, and make a woman’s rear view spectacular! I have tried Freddy Pants which NEVER have looked right on me (apparently I am in between sizes), but these pants look unbelievably good on, not only around my glutes, but on my thighs and calves.
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I also love how the fabric holds you in without squeezing you like a compression garment. The fabric also wicks moisture very effectively. You can truly MOVE in these pants, which makes them ideal for weightlifting (especially heavy leg day, because these won’t restrict movement at all}, yoga, cardio, etc. And the colors…WOW!

Three colors were launched in early March, and all three colors (Charcoal, Navy, and Violet) are COMPLETELY SOLD OUT! You can still purchase Red (which is a vibrant, beautiful red with a slight rose tinge to it…I LOVE this color!) and Blue {which is a deep teal blue and so pretty!) on the website in both the Mid Calf and the Long Length, but even those colors are limited in quantity.

NEW COLORS will be launching later this month, and they WILL NOT LAST! Whatever you do, DO NOT WAIT to place your order once those new colors launch! I am telling you, these Squat Pants will become your very favorite pants to wear. EVER.

I will post on social media when the new colors come in so you all have a chance to buy them!

In the meantime, I encourage you to visit the Beleza Brazil online store while the colors I mentioned are still available. Click on this link to shop and order:

http://www.belezabrazilstore.com/#_a_NAITO

My Discount Code: NAITO

Make sure to enter my discount code for free shipping on your order.
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FitLife Magazine: Ladies First – Dr. Stacey Naito

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I am honored and blessed to be featured in the Ladies First section of the March 30, 2016 edition of FITLife Magazine! Big thanks to Kevin Myles for a beautifully written article, Terry Goodlad for his fantastic photography and endless jokes, Ana Tigre for her input on wardrobe and for bringing the dogs, and Elaine Goodlad for her awesome makeup artistry. I am grateful to you all for making all of this possible. You’re wonderful!

Please also be sure to check out the other sections in this great online men’s fitness publication!

To read the feature, please click on the link below:

Ladies First – Dr. Stacey Naito

Six Common Misconceptions About Bodybuilding

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In an effort to shed some light on what the sport of bodybuilding is like, I am devoting this blog post to clarifying the most common misconceptions which I hear from people.

Misconception #1: You have to train for many hours every single day to get big. I know very few people who have the time to work out for several hours per day on a daily basis. In addition, if someone lifts heavy for many hours, and does it every single day, that person is overtraining. There are numerous problems with overtraining: 1. gains diminish because the body doesn’t have time to repair itself, 2. injuries tend to occur, and 3. energy levels plummet. If you train with intensity, you should be able to get a GREAT workout which stimulates muscle hypertrophy in as little as 20 minutes.

Misconception #2: Bodybuilders are all meatheads. I know that there are people who assume that bodybuilders are a bunch of angry, dim-witted people. My experience has revealed that such an assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Many of the best and biggest bodybuilders have careers in non-fitness fields like law, medicine, engineering, and law enforcement, and are considered to be leaders in the community. In addition, many are very well-educated, very friendly and approachable, and have big hearts. So before you assume that a pile of muscle equates with a mean and stupid motherf*&$er, try getting to know a bodybuilder.

Misconception #3: Bodybuilders have zero body flexibility. If you have ever gone to a bodybuilding event and watched bodybuilders, women’s physique competitors, or fitness competitors perform their routines, you will often get to see some of the best athleticism and flexibility around. I have seen male bodybuilders easily perform splits onstage, which is something I haven’t been able to do since my gymnastics days when I was a child! As long as weightlifting is performed slowly and with a complete range of motion, flexibility should not diminish at all. If weight training was so detrimental to flexibility, you wouldn’t see athletes from other sports round out their training by lifting weights. As always, a good stretching regimen can keep muscles and tendons supple.

Misconception #4: If you stop weight training, you will get fat. The only thing that happens when someone stops weightlifting is that the muscles will atrophy and exhibit a soft appearance, similar to a deflated balloon. So it really isn’t fair to pin an increase in storage fat on lack of weight training. Food intake is what tends to fatten up a former bodybuilder who has hung up the weights, because the strict meal plan also falls by the wayside, contributing to an increase in storage fat.

Misconception #5: In order to get big, bodybuilders have to take steroids. This is by far the most controversial misconception. Are there bodybuilders who take steroids? I am sure there are. Do they all take steroids? Absolutely not. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of people in the bodybuilding world who will staunchly defend the gear-free lifestyle. Haters want to hang onto the ridiculous notion that in order to grow appreciable size, there must be some illicit secret to it all. Perhaps if they stopped flapping their gums and hit the weight hard at the gym, they might harvest some muscle of their own.

Misconception #6: Women who train with weights will become very big and muscular. As a woman who lifts pretty heavy and does it up to six days per week, I speak from experience when I say that this is a big, fat lie. I still have curves and look feminine, and my muscles aren’t bursting out of my clothing like a she-Hulk. I have said this many times before, and I will say it again: lifting heavy weights will NOT make a woman overly muscular!