I am a huge believer in the therapeutic benefits of massage. Not only massage, but touch in general. I believe that touch, particularly relaxing, premeditated, specific manipulation of the muscles type of touching, such as is done in professional massage, is extremely beneficial to the human body. Massage is especially good for working out muscles in people that exercise and may push them a little too hard one way or another.

I personally try to get one at least once a month, and I actually belong to a membership where I get one once a month for a fixed cost, and I love it In general, I get excellent massages and excellent service from this place of business, and have nothing but nice things to say about the establishment.

Of course, they can’t help all the massage therapists that you get, and of course, you may happen to get one once that just isn’t your style or generally does a really crappy job at manipulating your muscles and at relaxing you, which is the whole point of it. Their style may fit someone else’s taste, but it may not be for you at all. I had one such massage the other day. I booked double appointments, one for me and one for my sister, who was in from out of town.

Since I was booking them fairly last minute, and booking for two people, I wasn’t able to get any of the girls that I normally use. I actually, for the first time there, was assigned to a male therapist. Now, nothing against guys, I’m sure there are tons of very talented male massage therapists out there, but this massage experience was not good. First of all, he started the massage late, and also let me out early, ripping me off of about ten total minutes, which I wasn’t happy about since I like to enjoy every last second of my experience.

Second, he used way too much lubricant to massage. I’ve never had someone pause so much to re-oil or cream their hands. This made it so there wasn’t enough grip, and it ended up being more like one of those generic swedish massages where you don’t even feel like you’re getting any therapeutic benefit from it because it doesn’t cause any sort of releasing of pressure, which can border on pain and pleasure, it’s just a constant, boring, light massage.

I was glad that my sister got a therapist that worked for her, but I had to admit, a little peeved that mine was a total waste of time. For once I actually tipped the minimum, and I’m usually a really generous tipper, I just felt like he didn’t really try and he also cut my experience short, so I felt that deserved less “recognition” in the form of a gratuity.

I have suffered from the bronchial restricting disease called asthma for years now. I am 35 years old, and I had had the disorder for about 27 years now. It started when I was about eight years old. I remember my first asthma attack very clearly actually. I was at the outdoor YMCA, which was a great family retreat by where I grew up. It was on acres of wooded land, and it had a variety of amenities, including tennis courts, trailing, bike trails, and even a great little event cabin where you could come in, drink some hot cocoa and thaw out after doing some cross country skiing.

Oh, and the best part of course since my little sister and I were waterbugs, was the awesome outdoor pool and lounge area. Man, we used to go there all the time and just swim for hours and come home with golden brown skin. It was great. Then, when I was about eight, my mom, dad, sister and I were taking a walk there, and I was coming up a hill. I remember there was a lot of Queen Anne’s Lace growing at the time, and who knows, that may have even been what set off my attack.

I remember becoming extremely out of breath, and wheezing for the first time from the exertion of physical activity. It was actually quite distressing. I think that my mom thought I might have been faking it a bit, she said I was always a bit of a “Camille” when I was sick when I was younger, but I really was distressed and having a hard time breathing. I was taken to the doctors office and diagnosed promptly with asthma.

I was given a prescription inhaler, and at the time, I was also given some sort of oral medication, which I cannot remember the name of. I was told to stay away from certain triggers, but I was also told to keep on exercising, which I am grateful for. In fact, even today as an adult, I notice that my asthma only gets aggravated most during periods of sendentary lifestyle changes for me.

When I’m exercising and healthy, that’s when my asthma is kept at bay. So, it may seem like a bit of a dichotomy, but exercising can actually set off an asthma attack, but if you never exercise, this is even more likely to happen. In short, exercising is GOOD for asthma in the long term, and you will find you are actually more resistant to asthma when you are active.

It seems like you could endlessly debate who in Hollywood has the “best” body. After all, it seems like everywhere you turn there is a bronzed, muscled, well toned babe or dude around every corner. Let’s face it, Hollywood types get paid to look great, and they don’t take that responsibility lightly in most cases. When they do, they also make headlines, but not the welcome kind.

Think of stars like poor Jennifer Love Hewitt, who really got chewed out just for looking normal in a bathing suit, or Jessica Simpson, who still looked smashing, but maybe put on a measly five pounds in an outfit on stage. These caused a virtual uproar because these poor girls weren’t ninety pounds soaking wet, talk about ridiculous! But there are some Hollywood stars that look great, no matter when they are photographed, and they are pretty consistently on top of their fitness.

Take for example, one of the most oft-cited toned Hollywood bods – Jennifer Aniston. She’s not too buff, but she’s always toned just right, and she’s thin, but she always looks really, really healthy, almost to a point of ridiculous, so she’s not setting a bad example by being anorexic looking. Then there is Jessica Alba, who has obviously been genetically blessed with long legs and torso, but also who is photographed frequently coming from the gym, and who toned up fabulously after having her first child. Bodies like that are enough to make you swear off chocolate forever.

Wait, no, I lied, I’d never swear off chocolate. But you get the drift, there are some people who just “get” fitness. They don’t seem to go too overboard with the weight thing, and yet they always look toned and fit, and thin of course, but never sickly or unhealthy. In the wake of the death of the beautiful Brittany Murphy, I think you’re going to see more focus on weight and weight issues in Hollywood.

I love that more realistic and healthy body types are being represented, and that actresses are getting great work that possess these types of bodies. It seems like they know the perfect balance between obsessing over one’s body and laying off of themselves and enjoying a slice of cake here and there. After all, how miserable do you think women like Victoria Beckham are, always counting calories and having to fit in a size zero? I don’t think that’s any way to live, I like food too much.

Hey all you Fitness Buffs, I just wanted to take some time out to say Happy New Year! Be safe, have fun, and take some time to reflect that things you are lucky and thankful for in 2009, and what your goals are for 2010. Yep, I mean your fitness goals folks! I know one of mine is to make sure I shake it up more and don’t get stuck in fitness ruts as much as I feel like I did in 2009.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

I just wanted to wish every one of my readers a very Merry Christmas. No matter what you celebrate this time of year, it’s definitely a special time, and there is a feeling of generosity and oneness in the air that is not there most of the time. It’s almost tangible. Some people of course don’t act any better, as can be seen on the roads during rush hours to malls to get the latest popular gifts for loved ones when people are honking and being rude, but the majority of the time, an increased sense of togetherness and humanity is definitely in the air.

Let’s make it last this year and take advantage of this economic downturn, and really enjoy the things in life that really matter. Let’s forget about materialism and what we “want” in our lives, but let’s focus on what we already have, for I can assure you, you have a lot more than someone else who may have lost a job or had some other sort of hardship. And last of all, let’s not forget about charity. Charity is the cornerstone of humanity’s inherent goodness, and we mustn’t forget about those that are less fortunate.

God bless everyone, and let’s make next year a great year for fitness, health and prosperity. Merry Christmas everyone !

We recently got married at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and it always infuriates me how much these big hotels can charge for the right to use their gym.  I don’t even remember what the exact rate was, but it was really expensive, and it totally deterred us from using the facility, even though I will admit we were so busy with our wedding stuff (we got married there), that we had no time or the inclination to use the facilities, especially since it cost more than the already appreciable amount we were spending there to stay and to have our wedding there.

I’ve also been to hotels where the gym is totally free, which I love.  Hey, I understand that it doesn’t have to be a palace of a gym, just as long as I’m not getting charged an arm and a leg to use it, I think either they should bump up the cost of the rooms to compensate for the gym use, or not charge you at all. After all, how much upkeep could a reasonably small gym be anyways?  It couldn’t be too much, and usually they are unmanned gyms where you just use the equipment yourself.

Now, I do understand that if they offer yoga or other classes, that would have to be an additional charge, but not if you’re simply going to work out and use the equipment.  A free gym is a great way for hotels to tell their customers how much they appreciate them, it’s a sell for the amenities, and it also shows that the hotel is aware of their customer’s happiness and fitness, plus it sort of shows that they are a part of what’s right with America’s fitness levels rather than what is wrong, so they are part of the solution, not the problem.

Ok, I have to admit.  I’ve been totally naughty, and I’ve gone tanning a few times.  Let me explain myself first.  I am really against going to tanning beds, at least for me personally, I’m not judging anyone else who likes to do it regularly, although I do think it’s not good for your skin to do it all the time.  The reason for me is that I do have naturally pale, melanin challenged Irish skin, and I am particularly susceptible to sun damage and even basal cell carcinoma skin cancers, and potentially melanoma as well, which is the deadly form of skin cancer.

This will be the only, last time I go tanning, and it is simply because I am getting married, which I plan to do only once in my life, and it is going into wintertime here in Ohio and I can’t even get any natural sun. I want to have a natural glow and some real glow from the UV rays for my strapless dress, and self tanning, which is what I always do, just won’t cut it this time. Mind you, I used to go tanning in tanning beds all the time when I was younger.

I didn’t fully grasp what I was doing to my skin at the time, and yes, I do believe I did a ton of damage to my skin.  I wised up in my late twenties finally and just stopped all together. However, I must admit, going tanning always felt so great. Especially in the winter time when you rarely saw the sunlight here, and the artificial UV rays that came from the tanning bed lights felt so invigorating that you felt like your mood got boosted several levels as you walked out of the tanning salon.

Not only that, you felt energized and full of life, like you could run a marathon.  The warmth created seemed to warm your whole body in the tanning bed too, which felt great when you were used to shaking in your boots because it was always damp and wet outside.  These combinations make for a really pleasant and addictive experience, and I see why a lot of people, my age, younger, and beyond are totally hooked to tanning in tanning beds.

It’s a wonder that something that feels so healthy and makes you seemingly look healthier too can be so unhealthy for you.  As a precaution, I do take a tanning aid vitamin to help boost my melanin production though, called Tan-Aid, which is supposed to give your body more tanning ability without burning so easily. I honestly have no idea if it helps with the damage part, but I can tell you, I am getting dark faster than I usually do, and not burning as readily.  It gives me peace of mind at least that I’m taking it too.

You’ve heard it now for years. Take the stairs, it’s better for you than
taking the elevator! But how many of you really believed that taking those
couple flights of stairs would really do anything for your besides maybe
delay your ascent to your job or wherever else it is you happen to be
climbing your way up to. and make you feel out of breath temporarily? I
for one have always believe that taking the stairs has some sort of value,
no matter if it actually helps boost your metabolism all that much or if it
really burns any calories.

My belief is that if you take the stairs, you benefit in more ways that
just giving your metbolism a very small and temporary boost, but more so I
focus on what it can do for you energy levels and over time, what it can do
for your stamina and cardiovascular health. I try to take the steps every
morning on my way up to my desk job.

Even though it’s only a few short flights of winding steps, it gives me an
instant boost in the morning, even if I’m slogging through my day, sipping
on a cup of joe early in the morning, that ascent up the stairs gets my
blood pumping and my heart rate up, and this makes me feel more alert.

Think about it this way. Your brain runs on oxygen. You can get more
oxygen into your blood stream by exerting yourself physically, ie walking
up steps or walking briskly somewhere. When you are exerting yourself, you
are forcing your blood to take in more oxygen, and your brain therefore
gets more oxygen intake, and you feel more energized and better able to
think faster and more clearly.

I take the steps really more so for the therapeutics and energizing
benefits. I know realistically it’s not going to catapult my metabolism
into the stratosphere and make me one of those people who can eat anything
I want, but for me, it makes me feel better, stretches my back out, and
gives me a nice energy boost that lasts a while.

Yes, when I say “staying regular” I mean the frequency and regularity with which you have an elimination of waste (when you go to the bathroom) is greater when you exercise vs. when you are a couch potato. Let’s talk about the reasons why, if you suffer from chronic or even periodic constipation, if you don’t already work out regularly then you should start. I’ve had problems on and off with constipation my whole life. Actually, my mom even said I was full of colic (gas) and was constipated a lot as a baby and a young child, so it must just be a weaker part of my physiology for some reason.

When I was younger, I started working out, I’d say at about the age of fifteen or sixteen years old, and I knew at that young of an age how much moving around and getting up and going benefitted my digestive system. If you think about it, it does make sense that moving around and being active helps to keep things moving. If you sit still a lot, you have a tendency to make things more stagnant within your body, including your intestines and your colon.

Inactive people actually suffer worse than active people with constipation and bowel irregularity because they are so sedentary, and they don’t give their organs a chance to be “massaged” internally by the movement on the outside, if that makes much sense.

In fact, if you visit any nursing home, they are always stocked with enemas and laxatives because a lot of nursing home patients live a very sedentary lifestyle and their bowels actually need to be stimulated in order for them to have a bowel movement. Couple that with the fact that as we age, our bowels don’t work as efficiently and we often need a nudge toward proper digestion and elimination via laxatives and enemas, just to have every day, normal bowel movements.

I already suffer from occasional constipation, so I can’t imagine what it would be like for me if I couldn’t work out intensely like I sometimes do. Heck, I don’t know how some people live a consistently sedentary life without being bound up all the time!

I remember reading a curious fact about some body builders, and even some models, who use diuretics a few days before photo shoots simply so they can lose a little bit of water weight which theoretically will allow their muscles to show through a little more. However, there are some serious drawbacks to using diuretics when you’re not on them for a medically legitimate and necessary reason.

First off, you can make yourself more prone to an electrolyte imbalance by using diuretics improperly. This is because you can become dehydrated. That’s what diuretics do. They make you pee constantly, basically peeing away a lot of the water and other fluids that you drink, which reduces the amount of water your cells hold, and dehydrates you. Also, diuretics actually make you more thirsty because you feel dehydrated all the time, which makes you drink more water and fluids, which consequently makes you go to the bathroom more. It can even cause diarrhea in some people, which is obviously never pleasant.

Because diuretics literally dry you out, they can give you massive pounding headaches. I’ve tried them a few times in minor over the counter PMS remedies like Pamprin and Aquaban so that I can reduce the amount of water weight I gain with my period, and I’ve never had a good experience with these over the counter diuretics. I almost always get a really bad headache, and I feel like I constantly have dry mouth and want to drink water.

So, do diuretics actually help you to show your muscles off a little more? Well, that’s debatable, and if they do, then the result is very temporary, and you are risking throwing yourself in to dehydration as well as giving yourself an electrolyte imbalance which can lead to fatigue, unclear, foggy thinking and feeling in general like you want to sleep all day. Oh, they also can speed up your heart rate because of the dehydration aspect. My advice?  Instead try what I feel is the best muscle building protein powder.