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CertifiedNeWS

October 2011

Growing

Older
Fitness
Industry
in the

Up and

Table

of

ConTenTs

sTaff
Publisher Scott Goudeseune Chief sCienCe OffiCer Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D. editOr Christine J. Ekeroth, M.S.H.S. Art direCtOr Karen F. McGuire Production Nancy M. Garcia

Mission sTaTeMenT

6 your Clients at risk Are


for Major Weight Gain

COver STOry

Growing Upand Olderin the Fitness Industry


In spite of working in a youth-oriented industry, numerous fitness pros are finding that age is working to their advantage. Heres whyand what you can do to maintain longevity in your own career.

Theres no question that major life changes and transitions can take a major toll on the body, putting one at greater risk for depression, anxiety and poor health. But new research suggests that two life changesmarriage and divorce have a particularly strong effect on weight. Read on to learn how you can help your clients avoid gaining weight during some of lifes toughest transitions.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is a non-profit organization committed to enriching quality of life through safe and effective physical activity. As Americas Authority on Fitness, ACE protects all segments of society against ineffective fitness products, programs and trends through its ongoing public education, outreach and research. ACE further protects the public by setting certification and continuing education standards for fitness professionals.
This publication is not intended to provide medical advice on personal health issues, which should be obtained directly from a physician.

14Addiction: Truth or Scare Food


Could chocolate really be as addictive as cocaine or heroin? Possibly, according to new scientific evidence related to food addiction. Read on for a comprehensive overview on the topic, and learn exactly what food addiction is, the scientific evidence supporting the theory, and what to do if you see behavioral red flags that may indicate your client is a food addict

19Are the Who

Fittest Athletes?
Who would you consider to be the fittest athletes on the planet? Triathletes? Boxers? Elite cyclists? We surveyed a range of fitness experts to determine which athletes achieve the highest level of total fitness, and we show you the types of workouts and dedication it takes to get there.

23your Help

Clients Create the Ultimate MindBody Connection


As we age, our bodies decline in function, especially if were not taking precautions against it. The same goes for the brain. As a fitness professional, you are in a perfect position to help older adults effectively exercise their brains along with their bodies, thereby creating the ultimate mind-body connection.

Have You Moved?

If you move or change your e-mail address, please notify us immediately so we can update our records. That way you wont miss any important communications from ACE. Just give us a call at 800-825-3636. www.acefitness.org

ACE, American Council on Exercise, ACE Certified News and Workout Watchdog are registered trademarks of the American Council on Exercise.

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Parenthood and the epidemic of Physical Inactivity


People cite many reasons for not being physically activenot enough time, not enough fun, not enough energythe list goes on. But it turns out that one of the most telling factors is whether or not a person has kids. Here are some tips you can offer parents who claim that theres just no way to balance the demands of parenthood and carve out an hour a day to work out.

ACE Certified News is published by the American Council on Exercise, 4851 Paramount Drive, San Diego, CA 92123.
2011 American Council on Exercise

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

aCe CerTifiednews CeC

quiz

oCTober 2011

To earn 0.1 continuing education credits (CECs), you must carefully read this issue of ACE CertifiedNews answer the 10 questions below, achieve a passing score (a minimum of 70 percent), and complete and return the credit verification form below, confirming that you have read the materials and achieved a minimum passing score. In a hurry? Save money by taking the quiz online at www.acefitness.org/cnquiz for $15 and gain instant access to CECs. Circle the single best answer for each of the following questions.
1. According to a recent study, which group exercised the least? A. Executives B. College students C. Mothers D. Divorced adults without children Which of the following are Not considered by most experts to be the fittest athletes? A. Mixed martial artists B. Triathletes C. Skill-position football players D. Decathletes Researchers discovered that women might be more likely to gain weight after ____________, while men are more likely to gain weight after _____________. A. Getting married, getting divorced B. Getting married, losing their job C. Graduating from college, getting married D. Getting divorced, getting married Which part(s) of the brain benefit most from exercise? A. Brainstem B. Prefrontal and frontal regions C. Cerebellum D. Temporal and parietal lobes 4. Which of the following is Not a recommended strategy for growing older gracefully within the fitness industry? A. Dont let fitness be your primary identity. B. Adjust your definition of what being fit means to you. C. Maintain your typical fitness routine and dont allow yourself to slow down. D. Focus on your non-physical strengths, such as experience and wisdom. Some researchers believe that the best way to help overweight children lose weight is to ________________. A. Eliminate all sugar and white flour from their diets B. Have them participate in organized sports C. Provide their parents with healthy lifestyle education D. Teach them about the health dangers of being overweight Large epidemiologic studies have shown that middle-aged and senior people who __________________ experience less ageassociated cognitive decline. A. Follow a calorie-restricted diet B. Eat a diet rich in antioxidants C. Stay married D. Exercise regularly 8. Which of the following statements related to food addiction are Not true? A. People who are addicted to food are always overweight. B. Foods high in fat and sugar are potentially the most addictive. C. The same medications can be used to treat withdrawal from both food and drugs. D. Drugs and foods activate the same regions of the brain. Which of the following are considered risk factors for dementia? A. Lupus and multiple sclerosis B. Cardiovascular disease and diabetes C. Migraines and chronic fatigue syndrome D. Osteoporosis and Parkinsons disease

2.

6.

9.

3.

7.

5.

10. Which of the following could be considered a red flag that your client may have a food addiction? A. She eats most of her meals while standing in front of the refrigerator. B. He cant stop eating even though he feels full. C. He always eats his lunch at his desk with the door closed. D. She keeps food in her purse and snacks throughout the day.

Answer Key: 1. C 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. C 6. C 7. D 8. A 9. B 10. B

Evaluation of credit offering: 1. Was material q New q Review for you? 2. Was material presented clearly? q Yes q No 3. Was material covered adequately? q Yes q No 4. Will you be able to use the information learned from this credit offering in your profession? q Yes q No If yes, how? _____________________________________________________ Please attach business card, or type or print legibly: Name: ______________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________ City:___________________________________________________________________________ State:__________ ZIP:_____________________ Country: ____________________ E-mail: _____________________________________________________________
(e-mail required for electronic CEC confirmation receipt)

I attest that I have read the articles in this issue, answered the test questions using the knowledge gained through those articles and received a passing grade (minimum score: 70 percent). Completing this self-test with a passing score will earn you 0.1 continuing education credit (CEC). Signature:______________________________________ Date:____________ q Change my address as shown above. Effective date:______________ Save money by taking the quiz online for $15 To receive ACE Credits, mail this page, with a $20 Processing Fee for ACE-certifieds or $25 for non-ACE-certifieds, to the following address: ACE Correspondence Courses, American Council on Exercise, 4851 Paramount Drive, San Diego, CA 92123 Payment Method: q Ive enclosed a check or money order made payable to the American Council on Exercise. q Please bill my credit card: q American Express q VISA q MasterCard Card Number ___________________________________________________ Exp. Date __________________________________ CVS Code__________ Signature _______________________________________________________ An additional $25 fee will be assessed on any returned checks.
Expires October 2012
October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

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CN

KeepingYouposTed

ACe to Offer expert Advice on Popular Tv Series


Workshops
Small Group Training Chicago, IL 10/11/2011 ACEs Integrated Fitness Training (ACE IFT) Model: Atlanta, GA , New York, NY, Portland OR, Dallas ,TX 10/15/2011 Madison, WI 10/29/2011 Heartsaver First Aid with CPR and AED Workshop San Diego, CA 11/2/2011
ACe, AMerICAS AUTHOrITy ON FITNeSS, HAS BeeN CAlled UPON By lIFeTIMe Television, one of the top television networks for women, to contribute expert fitness content to a national audience over six consecutive months beginning in October. ACE ambassadors and fitness authors Chris Freytag and Jonathan Ross will make their debut on Lifetime Televisions The Balancing Act, a one-hour morning TV show focusing on tips and trends from leading experts in a variety of areas. Freytag and Ross will appear in separate episodes where theyll lend expert fitness information on some of todays most relevant topics. Freytags first segment, airing this month, will focus on debunking common fitness myths. In November, shell talk about exercise recommendations for diabetics and, just in time for the holidays, shell reveal her secrets to success with healthy treats and fun coldweather family activities. Ross will kick off the New Year with his segment on real fitness resolutions, followed by heart-healthy advice during National Heart Month in February, and Spring cleaning tips for health and fitness next March. learn more today!

Webinar
Reaching New Lengths Flexibility Training for Results 10/5/2011 4:006:00 pm Pacific Time

7 reasons to Attend the ACe Symposium


November 35, 2011
THe NeW yeAr BrINGS A TON OF ACTIvITy FrOM ClIeNTS ANd exPeCATIONS OF FITNeSS professionals. Have you geared up to ensure you can deliver and make the most of these opportunities? The ACE Fitness Symposium being held November 3-5 can be your secret to success! Dont miss out on this unique opportunity to pump up your career in time for the new year. 1. Interactive sessions on the topics you need most including nutrition, personal and smallgroup training, mind/body exercise, lifestyle coaching and weight managment 2. Meet and learn from industry experts Len Kravitz, Jonathan Ross, Lawrence Biscontini, Shannon Fable, Todd Durkin and more 3. Networking, networking, networking including a welcome reception aboard a privately chartered yacht, networking lunch and complimentary meals 4. Pre-conference workshops on functional training, sports conditioning and a post-conference on Zumbas Jump Start Gold. 5. New products you should know about such as ViPR and Cor-tex 6. A chance to earn all the CECs you need to recertify 7. Direct hands-on training in special sessions from STOTT Pilates, TRX, SPRI and Hyperwear Dont miss this intimate and interactive educational event and see why people return year after year. learn more and register today!

$ bundle & save!


Acquire specialized knowledge and save up to $98 when you purchase convenient course bundles.

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

Joining Forces Meets NASCAr


A BIG THANkS TO THe MANy FITNeSS PrOFeSSIONAlS across the U.S. who have responded to the Joining Forces initiative, which unites fitness professionals and organizations nationwide to pledge 1 million hours of fitness-training services at no cost to actively deployed military reservists and National Guard members and their immediate families. Tens of thousands of training service hours have been committedwith Sarasota, Fla.; Baltimore, Md.; and Brighton, Mass., taking the lead. We thank you for your ongoing support. Also, a big thanks to ACEs strategic partner, the Presidents Council on Fitness, Sport and Nutrition, for their efforts. On July 27th, the Presidents Council invited NASCAR driver Carl Edwards to speak to 1,400 National Guard Family Support Volunteers and 10,000 attendees at a USO concert in Louisville, Ky., about the Joining Forces initiative and the importance of physical activity. Edwards message was simple, There are so many people volunteering, we hope that youll take advantage of these opportunities to be active. The Presidents Council said in a written statement that it hopes to build upon this momentum and expand on available resources. We need EVERYONE to get involved to meet our goal! Pledge your support today.

To Stretch or Not to Stretch?


Get the Secrets of Proper Stretching Today
STreTCHING IS OFTeN THe leAST-eMPHASIzed COMPONeNT of an exercise program. And if done improperly or not enough, it can lead to injuries. Dont let this happen to your clients. Even among savvy fitness professionals, questions loom about when to stretch, how long to stretch and if stretching is really all that effective. In our live webinar, Reaching New LengthsFlexibility Training for Results, hosted by ACE Exercise Physiologist Pete McCall, you will explore different types of flexibility training and learn everything you need to know about the art of stretching, including the best time for static stretching, when and how to stretch and the most effective ways to prepare your clients for a training session. Youll also learn first-hand how to apply static, selfmyofascial release, contract-relax and dynamic stretching, all of which are techniques widely used by health professionals to help clients achieve desired results. Upon successful completion of this course, youll be able to describe and explain to your clients the importance of various aspects of flexibility. Youll also learn to identify causes for lack of flexibility, and thus play a key role in helping your clients prevent or recover from injury. Regardless of the types of clients you trainfrom elite athletes to health-challenged populationsor if you lead group fitness classes, this webinar offers critical skills for hands-on flexibility training that your clients will remember, learn to appreciate and reward you for with referrals to their friends and family members. Boost your stretching knowledge with this live webinar held on Oct. 5, 2011, from 46 p.m. PST. register today.

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

r esearCH r eporT

Are Your Clients at Risk for

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

Major Weight

Gain?
T

heres no question that major life changes and transitions can take a major toll on the body, putting one at greater risk for depression, anxiety and poor health. But new research suggests that two life changesmarriage and divorcehave a particularly strong effect on weight gain. And, in true venus and Mars fashion, women and men respond differently, with women more likely to gain weight after marriage, while men pack on the pounds following a divorce.
Researchers at Ohio State University examined data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 79, which has periodically surveyed a nationally representative sample of men and women who were aged 14 to 22 in 1979. For this study, data from more than 10,000 people surveyed from 1986 to 2008 was used to identify weight changes among participants during the two years following a marriage or divorce. Researchers also took into account other factors that might affect weight gain or loss, such as pregnancy, poverty, education and socioeconomic status. For women, the greatest risk of weight gain occurred during the two years following marriage, while men gained the most weight after going through a divorce. These effects were strongest among those over the age of 30, and increased at later ages. For someone in their mid-20s, says lead researcher Dr. Dmitry Tumin, a doctoral student in sociology at Ohio State University, there is not much of a difference in the probability of gaining weight between someone who just got married and someone who never married. But later in life, there is much more of a difference. Tumin also believes these findings fit with previous studies that suggest that increased household responsibilities leave women with less time to exercise, while the health advantage afforded to men through marriage is lost following a divorce, which may be responsible for the weight gain. These findings are important for fitness professionals working with clients who may be experiencing a major life transition like marriage or divorce. By understanding how these transitions affect men and women differently, you can help your clients become more aware of the possible pitfalls and behaviors that can lead to weight gain and develop a plan to avoid them.
Source: Tumin, D. and Qian, Z. (20110). Marital transitions and weight changes. Presented at the 106th Annual American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, Nev. August 2023, 2011.

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

growing up
in the fitness industry
by Karen asP

and older
truE (aNd obviouS) StatEmENt: No mattEr whEN you StartEd your CarEEr iN thE FitNESS iNduStry, you wErE youNgEr thaN you arE Now. yEt For maNy oF you, yourE CroSSiNg thE liNE whErE that oNCE youthFul body iS morPhiNg iNto a morE maturE PhySiquE, ComPlEtE with all oF thE aChES aNd PaiNS both PhySiCal aNd EmotioNalthat agE oFtEN briNgS.

n aging body can often be tough to accept, especially in a society that places a high value on looking and staying young. The fitness industry is no exception, which begs this question: How can you maintain longevity as a fitness professional as you face the woes of aging? To answer that question, we turned to veterans of the fitness industry who reveal their secrets for maintaining a thriving, successful career. What they have to say may convince you that age truly is just a number.

Why Mature Fitness Pros Have the Upper Hand


With all of the anti-aging lotions on the market, birthday cards that poke fun at blowing out yet another candle and spa treatments designed to defy aging, you might assume that being older poses a disadvantage for fitness professionals. Surprisingly for are you planning on continuing many, the opposite is true. Because of my life experiences, I can relate so to work in the fitness industry much better to what my students are going through than when I first started as you grow older? teaching 20 years ago, says Chris Freytag, 46, member of the ACE Board what do you think your biggest of Directors, Minnesota-based personal trainer and group fitness challenge will be? instructor and creator of numerous fitness DVDs.

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

For Joy Prouty, age plays to her advantage as well. Age is an asset, says Prouty, director of training for Zumba and co-developer of Zumba Gold, owner of Fitness Programming in West Palm Beach, Fla., and an international fitness instructor and program developer who taught her first fitness class in 1965. She just turned 70 and is still going strong. In recent years, Ive assumed more of a role as educator and mentor in this business, which is exactly where I want to be because I believe that with the experience and knowledge Ive gained over the years, I have so much to offer younger fitness professionals. Another advantage? These more mature fitness professionals have an emotional intelligence that younger fitness professionals may not yet possess. Because youre experiencing your own discomfort in your body, you appreciate your own good health more than you did when you were younger and, as a result, you become more empathetic toward others, says Ken Alan, 57, lecturer at California State University in Fullerton, Calif., who began teaching in 1976 and has been a leading conference presenter, choreographer, program designer and member of numerous ACE committees.

about the body now than I did then, and thats helped me soften my ways and become a better instructor. That experience is something that appeals to older adults, especially those who are seeking help from fitness professionals who understand their woes. Take, for instance, 65-year-old Josie Gardiner, who is a Zumba education specialist, co-author (with Prouty) of Core! (Harvard Medical School, 2011), 2002 IDEA Instructor of the Year and 2005 ACE Group Fitness Instructor of the Year, and teaches and trains clients in Boston. One of my more mature clients recently said she loves working with me because Im not going to make her do something that doesnt feel good, Gardiner says. However, if that same client were to go to a younger trainer, the story might be different. Because younger trainers dont have the same experience and dont understand the aging body, they sometimes push clients too hard and too fast, which often results in clients getting injured and not wanting to exercise anymore.

yet when students see how i look and what i can do at my age, they say i want to be

just like you.

Compassion might be another facet of that emotional intelligence, which is what Keli Roberts, California-based personal trainer, international fitness presenter and star of numerous fitness videos, says shes gained from being in the fitness industry since 1986. When I first started teaching, the only level I knew was hard, and if you didnt keep up, even if you were a beginner, I would yell at you, says Roberts, 50. But not anymore. I know so much more

That emotional maturity yields another advantage: Teaching and training become so much more about your students and not about you, Prouty says. Your participants often sense that, which is what has helped professionals like Prouty build a loyal following. There may also be another reason clients are drawn to older fitness pros: Simply put, they offer unique inspiration. Its easy to look great when youre 25, says Sheila Cluff, 76, founder of the destination spa resort Oaks at Ojai in Ojai, Calif., and internationally known fitness expert who began teaching fitness in her 20s. Yet when students see how I look and what I can do at my age, they say I want to be just like you. The more of an example I can be at my age, the more it motivates students, especially younger ones.

The Unique Challenges Older Fitness Professionals Face


Yet lets be honest: While older fitness professionals do hold numerous advantages over their younger peers, there are some unique obstacles to overcome. Ageism,

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October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

lEttiNg go oF your old (youNgEr?) SElF is perhaps one of the most challenging parts of aging. Maybe youre not able to exercise as long or as hard as you used to. Maybe you feel more twinges in your body. Or maybe you just look and feel, well, older. This evolution is something everyone will undergo, but for fitness professionals who are so attached to their bodys performance, it can often be a difficult transitionunless, that is, you learn how to move forward. This change begins with what Vivian Diller, Ph.D., psychologist in New York City and author of Face It (Hay House, 2011), calls an aha moment. You have that gut feeling or maybe even a physical clue that your bodys changing, and you know theres no turning back, she says. These changes usually trigger a certain sadness, and thats completely normal. Psychological mourning, which includes sadness, almost always follows loss, no matter what that loss is, Diller says. Yet in the long run, that sadness will work to your advantage. Until you go through that mourning process, you cant let go of that older self, she says, adding that its often easy to spot individuals who are having trouble letting go. Theyre the ones who continue to push their bodies and dont give their bodies room to be different. Alan, for instance, admits that he had trouble dealing with his aging body. It took me a while to accept my fitness level, he says, adding that there are workouts hes done for 20 years that are harder to do now than they were 20 years ago. I have the same spirit but a different body, and Ive had to accept this change. As Alan learned, once you do let go, you can begin to work on a different goal:

Being the best you can be at your current age. To get to that point, follow these strategies: 1. Dont let fitness define you. For years, youve probably been used to having physical activity be the main part of your identity. Yet although fitness can be a large part of your identify, it shouldnt be the only thing that defines you. Connect your identity to other aspects of yourself that are less dependent on physicality and youth, Diller says. 2. shift your definition of fitness. When Diller works with professional athletes who are forced to retire, she constantly reminds them that they have to become more flexible in how they measure their fitness. You have to be able to see yourself as being fit without using the same standards to measure your fitness as when you were in your 20s and 30s, Diller says. For instance, maybe you cant do as many push-ups at 60 years old as you did at 40 years old or maybe you cant run a mile as fast as you did a decade ago, and thats okay. If you want to learn to love your new body, your perception of being fit has to change, she adds. 3. Home in on your non-physical strengths. Remember that you bring to the table much more than your physical assets. You bring wisdom and experience to your clients that younger fitness professionals cant offer, Diller says. Perhaps even more importantly, you serve as a living example of how a fit lifestyle can benefit people, and this is perhaps the greatest gift you can give clients. If you can teach the millions of baby boomers what it means to stay strong and fit as their bodies change, youll be doing them a great service, she says.

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

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for instance, is one of the biggest challenges. Consumers and other fitness professionals have this idea that once you reach a certain age, you can no longer do things, Alan says. Of course, what many people forget is that even if youre not physically able to perform the feats you once used to, you can still bring out the best in others. Some of the best coaches in the world have never done what their athletes have done, he adds. Gardiner actually faced the challenge of ageism almost four years ago when she began teaching at Equinox Fitness Club in Boston, where the youthful clientele often seek killer classes and where younger instructors are happy to oblige. I had to work hard to prove myself to this younger crowd, and although it took me a while, its paid off, she says. Gardiner, for instance, currently teaches a core-focused class called Synergy in which many of her participants are 20-year-olds who no longer question why an old lady, as Gardiner says, is teaching the class.

the past. You have to learn to be smart about how you teach and train, Prouty says. Otherwise, you could wind up with serious injuries. For Freytag, for instance, getting smarter has meant putting more emphasis on warming up and stretching. Those are

even if youre not physically able to perform the feats you once used to, you can still bring out the best in others.
two elements I didnt think about much when I was in my 20s, she says. But theyre so much more important now, as I wind up with low-back problems or tight hamstrings and glutes if I dont warm up and stretch properly. Roberts also began a serious stretching routine when she was 30, adding that the flexibility shes gained has helped her decrease aches and pain. Her other secret? Recognizing that her body requires more sleep, shes made sleep a bigger priority, which has helped her avoid becoming overtrained.

Maintaining your Longevity in this Industry


Perhaps the biggest question isnt whether you can be successful as an older fitness professional, but how you can maintain your longevity in this industry. Surprisingly, as long as you take certain precautions, it may be easier than you think. For starters, protect your body and be smart about the workouts you doand dontlead. Prouty, for instance, is careful to vary her workouts and realizes that highintensity workouts arent always possible. If I do a highimpact workout one day, Ill do a sculpting class the next, perhaps followed by a stretching workout, she says. Most importantly, practice what you preach and listen to your body: If it doesnt feel like doing what youre asking it to do, dont push it. This extends to your own workouts as well, something Cluff learned when she transitioned away from competitive running. After decades of running, her body no longer felt good after doing it so she found other activities like ice skating to keep herself fit. Just because you have to change your workouts doesnt mean you cant stay fit, she says. But you have to accept that you may have to find other ways to do it.

Yet while shes been able to carve out her own niche at the club, Gardiner admits that you will have to accept your limitations, which could lead to changes in what you do physically. You have to be willing to accept that as you age, you wont be able to do what you did when you were younger, Gardiner says. Thats why Gardiner is now selective about what classes she teaches, and when shes called to sub, she often declines if she thinks the class will put her body in jeopardy or not allow her to give students the workout theyre expecting. I can still teach a great class, but Im not going to kill my students like younger instructors often do, she says. Its not fair to the studentsor meto teach that class. I dont believe in killer workouts, and Im not going to hurt myself trying to teach them. Along with accepting physical limitations, you may have to pamper that body a little more than you had to in

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October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

Physical recovery will also be more important as you age. Because recovery takes longer, I rest more in relation to the amount and intensity of exercise, says Gwen Hyatt, 62, a 40-year veteran of the fitness industry and president of DSWFitness, which offers correspondence courses for health and fitness professionals. She also stresses that stretching and total-body strength training become even more crucial to keeping your aging body active and injury-free. Another way to decrease wear and tear and avoid getting injured? Become a better coach. Many fitness professionals rely too much on their bodies to do the talking, Alan says. Yet make your words as good as your moves, and you can lead almost any workout. You might also seek out situations that dont place as much physical demand on your body. For instance, consider teaching fitness classes that are gentler on the body, including stretching, yoga, chair-based aerobics, Zumba Gold and even water aerobics. Or if youre not already, consider becoming a personal trainer so you can assume more of a coaching role. Along with teaching different classes or getting into personal training, consider expanding your client base. Older adults, for instance, would be an ideal population to work with, especially since theyre one of the fastest growing segments of the American population. The tsunami of adults over 50 is providing a multitude of excellent opportunities for veteran fitness professionals to work with clients who feel more comfortable with a trainer closer to their age and one who understands the aging body and its response to exercise, Hyatt says. In fact, ACE recently partnered with AARP to encourage older adults to exercise. Through this partnership, AARP members can comb through a database of ACE-certified Fitness Professionals who have agreed to extend a discount on their services. To learn how to get involved with this program, visit www.acefitness.org/aarp. Post-rehab exercise programming could be another lucrative option for older fitness professionals. More doctors are getting savvy about how exercise can help their patients,

and theyll no doubt be calling on fitness professionals to help their patients, says Gardiner, who knows this firsthand. After she was diagnosed with uterine cancer, she co-authored The Breast Cancer Survivors Fitness Plan (McGraw-Hill, 2006) and then co-designed (with Prouty) a 12-week exercise program for breast cancer survivors that is offered through the YMCA. Additionally, Prouty and Gardiner will be presenting a session on this topic at the ACE Fitness Symposium on November 4, 2011 in San Diego. To accomplish all of this, youll need to continue building your knowledge. Dont just rely on what youve been doing for the past 20 years, Prouty says. If you want to maintain your career, you have to remain active by brushing up on your education and learning about new programming and new philosophies. Letting go of your ego is perhaps the final crucial ingredient for your survival as a fitness professional. I have a lot of definition in my muscles, but I also have stretched-out skin, Cluff says. Those physical changes are an inevitable fact of aging, and rather than mourning her bodys changing appearance, Cluff celebrates the fact that shes doing things most people her own age, even those who are younger, cant do. I can outski my 18-year-old grandson, and that makes me really proud, she says. Granted, no matter who you are, aging can be a

we cant change the fact of aging, but we can change the face of aging, acknowledging the wisdom and beauty of age and rocking the rules when it comes to how older individuals, especially women, are supposed to look and act.

tough pill to swallow, but if you tweak how you train yourself and others and treat your body kindly, youll find that becoming an older fitness professional may benefit you in ways you never imagined. As Hyatt says, We cant change the fact of aging, but we can change the face of aging, acknowledging the wisdom and beauty of age, and rocking the rules when it comes to how older individuals, especially women, are supposed to look and act.
KarEN aSP, journalist and ACE-certified Fitness Professional, is a contributing editor for Womans Day and co-author of Understanding Your Food Allergies and Intolerances (available May 2012). She also writes for numerous other publications, including Self, Glamour, Better Homes and Gardens, O, Family Circle, Natural Health, Real Simple, Prevention, Redbook and Mens Fitness. Follow her on Twitter (@karenaspwriter).
October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

13

Food Addiction: T

feaTure sTorY

14

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

Truth or Scare?
Food Addiction Defined
But can a person really be addicted to food? While rarely discussed in scientific literature as recently as a decade ago, the nascent concept of food addiction is making rapid inroads in the academic community and popular culture. Its still a relatively new area [of scientific inquiry,] but as more studies emerge on this topic the concept is gaining more validity, says researcher Nicole Avena, Ph.D. have you Because this is an emerging theory, you and your clients may be unfamiliar with this experienced growing field of study. Read on for a comprehensive overview on the topic, and learn or witnessed addicexactly what food addiction is, the scientific evidence supporting the theory, and what to do tive behaviors related to food? let us know if you see behavioral red flags that may indicate your client is a food addict. your thoughts in the comment section below. Food addiction is a chronic, out-of-control or compulsive overconsumption of certain types of pleasure-giving foods despite potentially negative social and health consequences. Food addiction involves the compulsive pursuit of a mood change [through binge eating], says Kay Sheppard, M.A., a mental health counselor and certified eating disorder professional who has authored three books on food addiction. This is a disease that is primary, chronic, progressive and potentially fatal.

Cocaine. Heroin. Chocolate fudge brownies. All could be dangerous substances of abuse leading to chronic addiction and possibly death, recent research suggests. So when your fitness client sheepishly says he cant help gorging on ice cream, you may in fact be speaking to someone with a clinical problem.

By MegAn Senger

Are all foods addictive?

Scientific literature describes the plausibility of becoming addicted to certain highly palatable components of food such as fats, sugars and potentially salt, which are typically found in abundance in processed food products. Interestingly, there are virtually no whole foods found in nature containing high amounts of both sugar and fat (with human breast milk being one notable exception), explains Ashley Gearhardt, M.S., M.Phil., a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., and a student affiliate of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. The absence of high sugar-and-fat combinations in nature means that foods with the strongest addictive potential are most likely modern and man-made. Yet whether the mere presence of fat or sugaror their presence in specific proportions to each otherincreases a foods addictive potential remains relatively unstudied and unknown.
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Are all food addicts obese?

in terms of food addiction: Sugary foods stimulate the same tolerance and withdrawal behaviors associated with drug addiction. Rats allowed to binge-feed on sugar solution consume increasingly greater amounts over time, demonstrating an increasing tolerance to the effects of the substance. When deprived of the sugar solution, the rats also showed signs of opiate-like withdrawal, including teeth-chattering, tremors, shakes and behavioral manifestations of anxiety (Avena et al., 2009). Some gastric bypass patients who lose weight transfer their addictive behaviors to other compulsions, such as gambling or compulsive spending. Known as a transfer of addictions, this phenomenon supports the notion that some people have a hard-wired tendency to become addicted (Taylor, Curtis and Davis, 2010).

Size and addiction do not necessarily correlate, says

Avena, an assistant research professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Fla. It is likely that a subset of obese people have food addiction, but not all, she explains. Also, there is likely a subset of people who are not obese, but who may also meet the criteria for food addiction.

Science Weighs In: The Evidence for Food Addiction


evidence for its existence is steadily building, Gearhardt notes. Such substantiation comes from three sources: evolutionary plausibility, behavioral evidence and biological evidence.

Food addiction is still a controversial issue, but

Biological evidence
the following:

Research in this area is extensive and

evolutionary Plausibility

biochemically complex. Major findings include drugs and sugar release the same pleasureinducing chemicals in the brain. Ingestion of sugar stimulates the release of opioids (a morphinelike chemical) and dopamine (a neurotransmitter that regulates nerve functions) in the brainas do drugs of abuse. Dopamine, in particular, is known to play a major part in the brains ability to predict reward and motivation, and is associated with the feelings of enjoyment felt from alcohol, cocaine and heroin use (Wang et al., 2009). drugs and food activate the same regions of the brain. Imaging studies show that the same areas of the mesolimbic pathways (i.e., neural areas associated with motivation and reward) are activated by both drugs and food (Taylor, Curtis and Davis, 2010). the same medications can be used to treat withdrawal from both food and drugs. The medication naltrexone is used to help recovering addicts combat cravings for alcohol, heroin, morphine and other drugs of abuse. As an opioid blocker, it has also been shown to reduce cravings for food (Taylor, Curtis and Davis, 2010). brain activity associated with substance abuse correlates positively to self-assessed levels of

For our early ancestors, it would

have been highly advantageous for a fat/sugar high to be hard-wired into our brains, as it would encourage the search for, and consumption of, lifesustaining energy sources. Yet todays food environmentwith its easily accessible, mass-produced sources of fat, sugar and saltis unique in human evolution, Gearhardt explains. The accessibility of these so-called palatable foods, combined with this Darwinian enjoyment of fats and sweets, supports the notion that food addiction is highly plausible in the modern junkfood era (Taylor, Curtis and Davis, 2010).

Behavioral evidence

The medical community recognizes

certain behaviors to be associated with substance abuse. According to the American Society of Addictive Medicine (ASAM), a physicians professional organization, these include an increased hunger for substances of abuse (i.e., cravings) and an inability to consistently abstain from use (see sidebar, Addiction Defined, for more details). Put

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October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

For physicians and mental health professionals, the clinical definition of a substance-use disorder is recorded in the standard reference for psychiatric diagnoses, the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-V.) The DSM-V defines addiction as a maladaptive pattern of substance-use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by two (or more) of the listed criteria occurring within a 12-month period. Such DSM criteria include: consuming a substance in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended and a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) cautions that the diagnosis of addiction requires a comprehensive biological, psychological, social and spiritual assessment by a trained and certified professional. And while food addiction is not as of yet specifically recognized by either the DSM or the ASAM, Gearhardt notes t htat this may change. If evidence continues to build, acceptance in the DSM and ASAM would be an important indicator of validity and may allow people to get insurance funding for food-addiction treatment, she says. For additional information on red-flag behaviors that may indicate food addiction, check out the following resources: Kay Sheppards food addiction definition and self-assessment for clients Full YFAS study self-assessment criteria for food addiction

ion Defined ict dd A

food addictionrelated behaviors. The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) is a psychometric questionnaire that asks subjects to self-assess how frequently they display food addictionrelated behaviors. By using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the subjects brains, high YFAS scores were shown to positively correlate to neural activation patterns associated with substance abuse (Gearhardt et al., 2011). Yet the concept of food addiction it is not without its detractors, including David Benton, Ph.D., D.Sc., a professor of psychology at the University of Swansea in Swansea, Wales. Benton authored a 2010 paper questioning the conclusiveness of current theory. Remember that animal models and brain scans can never demonstrate addiction, Benton says. Rather, they can only generate a hypothesis that needs testing.

For example, while it is true that eating sugar and ingesting drugs each correlate to a pleasurable dopamine response in the brain, Benton argues that such a chemical response is also elicited by food, sex, music and humor, and does not necessarily signal a physical addiction. Nevertheless, the vast majority of scientific inquiry to date supports the theory of food addiction, and papers refuting the concept outright are few and far between. I would say that the topic is burgeoning, but that it is not as well established as that of alcohol addiction, notes Avena. Scientific debate aside, there are many clinicians who believe that food addiction is both real and treatable. And for fitness professionals, the key to helping starts with understanding how and why to refer a troubled client for professional assistance.
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Is Your Client a Food Addict?

illness can provide clients with tools for stabilizing difficult emotions, Sheppard says. Treatment begins with breaking the binge cycle and providing emotional and dietary support through withdrawal and recovery, she adds.

Perhaps you have noticed suspicious patterns in your

clients food journal, or maybe a trainees lack of successful weight loss seems to indicate secret binging. It is likely that many of [a fitness professionals] clients are secret sufferers of this disease and experience great shame about it. They may not even know that there is a solution and they may think they are alone, says Naomi Lippel, the managing director of Overeaters Anonymous in Rio Rancho, N.M.

Will exercise help?

Although research studies have not yet formally

explored this question, Mark Gold, M.D., Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Florida and an eminent addiction-research specialist, notes that the scientific community anecdotally supports the notion that exercise helps with recovery and is, therefore, typically encouraged. Moving forward, it is universally agreed that more research is needed. There are a few important questions we still need to answer, such as which foods or things in foods are addictive, and whether food addicts respond differently to clinical treatment, says Gearhardt. Regardless of future findings, using compassion to approach clients who struggle with food issues will always be good medicine.

When to refer?

To assess a clients situation, Sheppard suggests

taking a closer look at some of his or her behaviors. Red flags might include if a client cant stop eating whenever he or she wishes; if a client manipulates ways to be alone so that he or she can eat privately; if he or she has ever hidden food or eaten in secret; or if his or her eating or weight has ever interfered with jobs, relationships or finances. If these types of behaviors seems to exist in a clients life, it is possible he or she needs professional help.

How to refer?

References

Approaching a client whom you suspect to

be a food addict can be a delicate process, since treatment of addiction is not within your scope of practice and the client may be in denial. Adding confusion to the referral question is the fact that food addiction is an emerging field of research lacking a clear conclusion as to what treatment type is most effective, Gearhardt says. With these caveats in mind, she suggests first mentioning to your client that you have noticed certain patterns of consumption and that you are concerned for his or her well-being. She recommends referring troubled clients to a 12-step program (such as Overeaters Anonymous) or to a clinician who does behavioral treatment (refer to www.abct. org). Alternately, making a referral to a medical doctor could also be of help, adds Avena.

Avena, N.M., Rada, P. and Hoebel, B.G. (2009). Sugar and Fat Bingeing Have Notable Differences in Addictive-like Behavior. Journal of Nutrition, 139, 3, 623628. Benton, D. (2010). The plausibility of sugar addiction and its role in obesity and eating disorders. Clinical Nutrition, 29, 3, 288303. Gearhardt, A. et al. (2011). Neural correlates of food addiction. Archives of General Psychiatry, 68, 8, 808816. Taylor, V.H., Curtis, C. and Davis, C. (2010). The obesity epidemic: the role of addiction. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 182, 4, 327328.

Wang, G.J., et al., (2009). Imaging of brain dopamine pathways: Implications for understanding obesity. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 3, 818. mEgaN SENgEr is a writer, speaker and fitness sales consultant based in Southern California. Active in the exercise industry since 1995, she holds a bachelors degree in kinesiology and English. When not writing on health and lifestyle trends, techniques, and business opportunities for leading trade magazines, she can be found in ardha uttanasana becoming reacquainted with her toes. She can be reached at www.megansenger.com.

Whats the fix?


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Through private therapy and self-help groups,

therapists who specialize in the treatment of addictive

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

armstrong? manny Pacquiao? lebron

Fittest Athletes? I
By Jim Gerard

Who are the

magine that there is a superolympics, in which athletes

from every conceivable sport

would be judged by the same

standard. who would win? lance

James? lionel messi? michael Phelps?


This article hopes to, if not answer, at least shed much light on what is essentially the stuff of barroomor juice bararguments: What type of athletes are the most fit? Science is of little help, because sports physiologists dont have a system to rank all athletes and, due to differences in criteria, there have been no scientifically valid Heckler in stands to the studies on the subject.* Add to this the fact that there are no tests that can notoriously paunchy John Kruk, accurately measure whole-body flexibility and agility, plus the difficulty the former Philadelphia Phillie: of obtaining the results of existing tests such as athletes V O2 max You call yourself from professional sports organizations and the like, and were left with an athlete!? enlightened subjectivity. Kruk: Dr. Jonathan L. Chang, clinical associate professor of orthopedics at Lady, Im not the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, says that like many an athlete, Im a complex but ultimately unanswerable questions, The determination of whos the fittest athlete is baseball player. based on your definition of fitness. And if you stick to one criterion, it makes answering easier.
*

Probably the closest thing were the findings, published in The Wall Street Journal in 2008, of a panel of five sports scientists and exercise physiologists. Using criteria very similar to those used in this article, they named decathlete Roman Sobrely as the worlds fittest athlete.
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For the average gym-goer or recreational athlete, fitness is a combination of its four most basic components: cardiorespiratory endurance (as measured by VO2 max), muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility.

who do you think are the fittest athletes? Chime in with your opinion in the comments section.

controversial topic. [Decathletes] are considered either the best athletes or the most mediocre ones. Theres no question theyre fantastically in shape. But because they have to compete in 10 events, they cant be great at any

However, because we wanted to evaluate the fittest from as many sides as possible, we are using a much broader definition of fitnessthe sum of cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, balance, power, flexibility, agility and physical skills. A rough survey of experts in the field, including exercise physiologists and high-level athletic trainers, yielded some fascinating answers. In short, decathletes, boxers (and practitioners of Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA), skill position pro football players (meaning running backs, wide receivers and cornerbacks) and hockey players ranked highest.

one of them. Their performance in any single event is substantially behind elite specialists in that event.

Boxers and Mixed Martial Artists


Boxers scored high in the informal ACE poll. Exercise physiologist Dr. Jeffrey A. Potteiger, a professor at Grand Rapids State University in Grand Rapids, Mich., spoke for the sweet science contingent. While I havent seen any measures of fitness for boxers, theyre very strong, powerful and quick, and have a pretty high level of cardiorespiratory fitness. (He pondered including wrestlers, but had reservations about their endurance levels.) Chang agrees that boxers are extremely fit in many ways, and if theyre not good at everything they do, theyre going to get knocked out. However, he felt that while boxers needed agility and upperbody speed (to throw punches), leg speed was not crucial, which is why he ranked them slightly behind football players. Todd Durkin, owner of Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, and author of The IMPACT! Body Plan, disagrees. Having worked with dozens of professional athletes in the National Football League and Major League Baseball, Durkin asserts, I would put a top mixed martial artist (MMA) or boxer up against a decathlete, strictly on the basis of fitness performance. After all, an MMA athlete employs a wide range of fitness attributes (including perhaps the leg speed for kicking that Chang felt boxers lacked) at high intensity while someone is trying to choke him.

The Case for Decathletes


Podiatrist Dr. John W. Pagliano, an American College of Sports Medicine fellow who ran in the 1968 Olympic trials, ranks athletes using the same broad criteria we used and believes that decathlon athletes are the most fit. His reasoning rests on the broad range of aptitudes these athletes must possess to participate in 10 track-and-field events over a twoday span. You want cardiorespiratory endurance? They can run 1,500 meters in 4 minutes, 20 seconds. Speed? 100 meters in 10 seconds. The shot put, discus and javelin require power, and the high jump and long jump call for agility. Balance, coordination and what Pagliano calls skill are needed for the pole vault and 110-meter hurdles. And they need flexibility for every event, says Pagliano. Yet even these incredibly versatile performers are not without their detractors. Chang says that their relative ranking is a

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October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

Football Players
In Changs estimation, a skills player in the NFL will probably have the widest combination of fitness attributes. In most sports, you need to concentrate on only one or two criteria, he says. But to succeed in football, you have to do many things welland take a hit. Durkin echoes this: Cornerbacks, wide receivers and running backs are some of the fittest athletes possible. They can train at extremely high intensity, for a prolonged period of 60 to 90 minutes. They apply speed, power, endurance, coordination, quickness, rhythm and strength to many skills and tasks. And they have very low body fat. Yet Durkin admits that theyre not perfect. If you reduced your criteria to strength, endurance and flexibility, football players would lose a bit, because theyre not as flexible as, say, basketball players.

endurance of basketball players. Hockey players go all out in 30- to 60-second shifts, then get a break.

Who Didnt Make the Cutand Why


Surprisingly, triathletes ranked near the bottom of our unofficial survey. Pagliano says, They lack speed, strength and the skill to, say, hoist themselves with a pole over an 18-foot bar. The same caveats apply to endurance runners and cyclists. Lance Armstrong, argues Potteiger, doesnt have upper-body strength and he wouldnt do as well throwing the shot put, for example, as a pro football player. Even sprinters, who possess plyometric power and speed, dont have the all-around physical ability of a decathlete. Dr. Carl Foster, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, rules out some other candidates: Soccer players are neither remarkably strong nor do they have remarkable endurance, but they are better than average in both. Strongman competitors usually have poor endurance, but they are very strong. Sports such as baseball and golf (does it even qualify?) tilt more toward elite skills than overall fitness. You could be a very good baseball player, but not necessarily be a good athlete, Potteiger says.

Hockey Players
The typical NHL player comes in a package that melds strength, agility, power, speed and flexibility. Thats why Pagliano ranked them only behind decathletes and boxers. They gain points for overall fitness and lose a few because theyre on skates, which requires less effort than, say, basketball players. On the other hand, they require a high degree of skill and balance. Potteiger disagrees: I consider hockey as more of a skill sport. Ive done some performance testing on them and theyre strong, but not as much as you think. They dont have the

More Questions Than Answers


Potteiger says that factors beyond physical capacity also cloud our ability to evaluate the fittest athlete. First, theres the issue of self-selection. Potteiger believes that many pro athletes such as LeBron Jameswould be successful decathletes, but choose not to, probably because of the sports lower profile and earning potential. At some point, the multisport athlete has to specialize to become successful. And even within a sport, certain skills are more or less important than others. (Take basketballa point guard needs quickness, but a center may not.)

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How the Fittest Train


Now that weve reached educated conclusions about the fittest athletes, you may be wondering what kind of training it takes to become one. Durkin, who trains many pro athletes, gave us a detailed look. In the off-season his charges will do 45- to 60-minute high-intensity interval workouts three to four times a week. As the season approaches, theyll work out longer (up to two-and-a-half hours a day), working both the upper and lower body, incorporating weights and on-field sport-specific activities. A typical weekly breakdown is: Monday and Thursday: lower body and core Tuesday and Friday: upper body A peak workout for the lower body consists of some combination of squats, lunges, side lunges, plyometrics, single leg Romanian deadlifts, kettlebell swings and lateral band walks (for the hips), using a Superband. Core work includes exercises using the TRX Suspension Trainer, Swiss balls and BOSU balls, push-passes with a medicine ball, total gym knee tucks and rotational training work for the hips and core on the TRX Rip trainer. Well do four to six lower-body exercises, plus five to 10 sets of core training, Durkin says. The next day, the upper-body work consists of four

to six exercises (two to four sets of each) from among the following: balance-board push-ups, stability ball dumbbell bench press, TRX rows, Total Gym pullups, TRX movements for the shoulder and back, and one-arm rows and other traditional strength-training exercises on machines or with free weights. He also uses relatively esoteric equipment such as fat bars (which are thicker, harder-to-grip barbells) or rice buckets (to strengthen fingertip grip). Some days Durkin adds 30 to 40 minutes of agility drills that replicate moves on the field (with a 1:2 or 1:3 workto-rest ratio; that is, 20 seconds of work, 40 seconds of rest) using cones, ladders, hurdles and Superbands. If those werent enough, he adds supplementary exercises for the neck, feet and ankles. So, if as Chang says, the fittest athlete is in the eye of the beholder, anyone who can survive Durkins workouts can probably claim the mantle.
Jim gErard is an author, journalist, playwright and stand-up comic. He has written for the New Republic, Travel & Leisure, Maxim, Cosmopolitan, Washington Post, Salon, Details, New York Observer and many other magazines. For more information, visit his site at www.gangof60.com.

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October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

Connection
By Carrie Myers

A Mind-Body
Creating the Ultimate
Neuroplas-what?

s we age, our bodies decline in function, especially if were not taking precautions against it. The same goes for the brain.

While it was once believed that the brain was hardwired during childhood and there was nothing you could do to change that, today we know that the brain is plastic in nature, able to form new cells and neural connections. As a fitness professional, you are in a perfect position to help older adults effectively exercise their brains along with their bodies, thereby creating the ultimate mind-body connection.

With aging, a loss of synapses may contribute to a slowing in the speed of cognitive processing, including thought and mental recall, says Janie Clark, M.A., president of the American Senior Fitness Association and author of Brain Fitness for Older Adults, a continuing-education course for fitness professionals. However, we can mitigate the degenerative cognitive loss commonly associated with normal aging by encouraging neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change, adapt and even rewire itself based on new experience. One issue with seniors, however, is that they tend to fall into routines and either avoid or do not have the opportunity to experience new activities or events. brain Fitness for older adults CEC course Many seniors never change their experience. They do the same things all american Senior Fitness the time and seem to be afraid to do anything different, says Carolyn Dean, M.D., association N.D., medical director of The Nutritional Magnesium Association. That fear keeps Superbrain yoga them from engaging in new experiences that could help foster neuroplasticity. by Master Choa If you work with this population, you are already setting them on the track to Kok Sui neuroplasticity, because exercise alone has been shown to improve brain health. Large epidemiologic studies have shown that middle-aged and senior people who exercise regularly experience less age-associated cognitive decline, says Catherine Sarkisian, M.D., a geriatrician and researcher at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. We also know from randomized trials of aerobic exercise programs that people who improve their cardiac fitness are also more likely to improve their cognitive function, especially in the domains of cognitive speed and attention. One reason for this is because blood flow to your brain increases with the increased cardiac output from the aerobic exercise.

Brain Fitness Resources

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Aerobic exercise in turn prevents cardiovascular disease and diabetes, Sarkisian continues, both of which are risk factors for dementia, so it makes sense that people who maintain excellent cardiac fitness are at lower risk of [developing dementia]. But it goes further than that. There are even specific changes within the brain itself. When participating in cardio exercise, the brain releases and increases the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level, which is like Miracle-Gro for new brain cells, forming new cells, neural pathways and connections, explains Aneil Koerper, C.S.C.S., health and fitness coordinator for The Terraces of Phoenix in Phoenix, Ariz. Research suggests that physical fitness may foster cognitive health through more than one mechanism, adds Clark. Besides stepping up the secretion of BDNF, it also appears to increase the rate of neurogenesisthe actual creation of new neuronsacross ones lifespan. It also improves circulation while increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of ones blood; enhanced blood flow to the brain has been linked to corresponding improvements in cognitive functioning. Mark Poisall, M.S., C.S.C.S., a behavioral specialist for Medifast, Inc., cites a 2006 study by Colcombe et al. in which 59 older adults were randomly assigned to either a cardiovascular exercise group or a nonaerobic exercise control group in which they did only stretching and strength training. Participants exercised for three hours a week for six months. Their brains were scanned before and after the training period. After six months, the brain volume of the aerobic-exercising group increased in several areas compared to the control group. Volume increase occurred primarily in frontal and temporal areas of the brain, which are involved in executive control and memory processes. (See sidebar, What Parts of the Brain Benefit Most From Exercise?) The authors do not know what underlying cellular changes might have caused these volume changes, says Poisall. However, they suspect, based on animal research, that volume changes may be due to an increased number of blood vessels and an increased number of connections between neurons.

What Parts of the Brain Benefit Most From Exercise?


The entire brain benefits from physical activity, but it appears to especially enrich functions based in the prefrontal and frontal regions of the brain. This was reinforced by an exerciseversus-medication study conducted by a team of Duke University researchers, explains Clark. Researchers measured 84 clinically depressed middle-aged and older subjects at baseline and again after four months in a variety of cognitive domains. Compared to the medication users, the exercisers had greater improvements in memory, as well as in executive functions pertaining to planning, organization and intellectual multitasking.
Source: Khatri, P. et al. (2001). Effects of exercise training on cognitive functioning among depressed older men and women. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 9, 1, 4357.

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October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

Tease the Brain

Easy Ways to Tease the Brain

You can easily begin incorporating brain exercises into your clients or participants routines today. Consider trying the following techniques for challenging your clients brains: R Encourage them to do a crossword puzzle, word find, math problems, or Sodoku while on the exercycle. R Have participants alternate five minutes of brainteasers with 10 minutes of aerobic activity. R Play a Wii FitTM game that requires a client to do math and jump at the same time. R Educate your clients about the muscles they are using during each exercise and quiz them during their sessions to see if they remember the names. R Play a game of Simon Says, incorporating physical activity into the game. R Incorporate activities that require clients to take directions, such as dance, tai chi and yoga, as these create a greater challenge for the brain. R Bat a balloon back and forth. To increase the challenge, make a rule that they have to alternate hands, or tell them before they hit the balloon back to you which hand they have to use. R Incorporate exercises that require clients to think left to right and diagonally. For example, have the client assume a standing or seated position on a stability ball and: hold a 1- to 4-pound soft medicine ball in each hand. Hold arms out to the sides at shoulder height. Adduct the extended arms to the bodys midline, open the arms back up, and then bring the extended arms up overhead and back down to the starting position. Repeat for eight to 12 repetitions. position the extended arms so that they are at a diagonal to the body, with one arm up and one arm down. Hold a 1- to 4-pound soft medicine ball in one hand. Close the arms, bringing them both to chest height, and move the ball to the opposite hand. Continue to exchange the ball in this manner for eight to 12 reps and then switch the direction of the diagonal and repeat. position the arms in the same manner as the previous exercise, but hold the ball in the top hand. After you exchange the ball to the other hand, switch the direction of the diagonal, so that the ball is always in the top hand. Repeat for eight to 12 reps.

While aerobic exercise alone appears to benefit the brain, some programs, including The Terraces of Phoenix, are adding brainteaser activities to their exercise programs to further improve the brains potential toward neuroplasticity. We decided to add brainteasers to our residents cardio routines to improve their memory and hearts at the same time, says Koerper. During the new fitness class, Heart and Mind Cycle, older adults cycle on a recumbent bike while [our trainers] ask them brain teasers. This has been very popular among our residents. Vista del Monte, a front-porch retirement community in Santa Barbara, Calif., takes a similar approach. Weve just begun offering Brain Fitness Classes as part of the programming from the fitness and aquatic center, explains Peggy Buchanan, M.A., director of fitness aquatics and physical therapy at Vista del Monte. These one-hour classes begin with simple dance steps, then incorporate word games, puzzles and memorization techniques, along with a brief PowerPoint presentation explaining how exercise, nutrition and socialization stimulate cognition, delaying the onset of dementia.

The Bottom Line

The aging population offers you a wonderful opportunity to help people improve their quality of life at a time when they may be facing increasing challenges performing activities that were once automatic and done with ease. The brain is an amazing organ that has the ability to adapt, grow and changeat every age. The outdated adage that old dogs cant learn new tricks has no application to the older adult who is willing to continue to engage in physical activity and partake in new experiences.
Carrie myers has a bachelors degree in exercise science and has been a freelance writer for more than 11 years. She is the author of the award-winning book, Squeezing Your Size 14 Self into a Size 6 World: A Real Womans Guide to Food, Fitness, and Self-Acceptance and presents, teaches and trains in N.H. and Vt.
October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

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By Natalie Digate Muth, M.D., M.P.H., R.D.

eople cite many reasons for not being physically activenot enough time, not enough fun, not enough energythe list goes on. but it turns out that one of the most telling factors is whether or not a person has kids.
Its no secret that parenting young children is time-consuming and stressful, a fact confirmed by studies like the one conducted by researchers from the University of Minnesota comparing the health habits of young adults with and without children. This study assessed the eating and physical-activity behaviors of 1,500 socioeconomically and ethnically diverse young adults. Results showed that moms drank more sugary drinks and ate 400 more calories per day, more saturated fat and fewer dark green vegetables (the healthiest kind of vegetable), and exercised less than the non-moms. With all that bad news, its not surprising that the moms also weighed more than the non-moms. Dads had lower physical-activity levels, but no major nutrition changes and no difference in BMI than the non-dads (Berge et al., 2011). From this study, and others like it, it is clear that parenthood can take quite a toll on the health habits of parents. In fact, a review of 25 studies on the topic of parenting and physical activity found that parents with young kids are far less active than non-parents (Bellows-Riecken and Rhodes, 2008).

Parenthood

and the

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October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

Parents as Role Models for Healthy Behaviors


The activities that parents engage in every day just to care for and play with their children count, but finding the time to commit to an exercise program helps a person feel better and achieve or maintain a healthy weight. Furthermore, in the current environment of rampant physical inactivity, ready access to highly processed and calorie-dense foods, and epidemic rates of childhood and adult obesity, the best thing parents can do to help set their children on the path to maximal health and well-beingwhich includes eating healthfully and engaging in physical activity on a regular basisis to model healthy behaviors. In fact, time and again, research has shown that the most effective strategy for preventing and reducing childhood obesity is to focus exclusively on the parent (Golan, Kaufman and Shahar, 2006; Golan and Crow, 2004; Golan et al., 1998). One study found that specifically training parents in healthy lifestyle habits led to a 10 percent weight loss in moderately obese five- to nine-year-old childrenand this loss was maintained for two years (Magarey et al., 2011). Another found that a parent-centered nutritional program that focused on parental goal-setting, role modeling and positive reinforcement was essential for sustainable weight improvements in obese kids (Collins et al., 2011). In short, one promising way to help both adults and children to adopt healthier habits and a more active lifestyle is to convince the parent, as primary caretaker and role model, to make physical activity a family priority.

Epidemic of

Physical Inactivity

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

27

Easy to Say, Harder to Do


Parents commonly cite fatigue and lack of time, childcare and social support as barriers to getting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day. So what can be done to help parents reverse the trend toward decreased activity that so often follows the joyous arrival of a new family member? Here are a few tips you can offer parents who claim that theres just no way to balance the demands of parenthood and carve out an hour a day to work out.

1. Take the kids along for the ride.

The best way for me to exercise is to take both kids out in the jogging stroller. Once or twice a week I meet some other moms at the walking trail. Pushing 60-plus pounds of kids and stroller up and down hills for an hour is a pretty good workout! recommends Danielle Rattray, mother to Owen (4) and Hannah (1).

2. Ask for help.

Lean on a spouse or partner to watch the kids for a few minutes and go for a quick workout. Working parents often want to spend every non-working moment with the kids, but sometimes carving out a few minutes of personal time can make all the difference. Its hard not to feel guilty taking time to exercise by yourself when I already feel like I dont get to spend enough time with [two-yearold] Xavier, says Amber Curran. But it keeps me happier and less crazy, so I figure that benefits him as well. After all, she says, No one wants a nutty mother!

3. Make a game of it.

Barb Ruvarac, mother of school-aged children, Samantha and Zach, pushed herself to meet a predefined number of steps each day. If that means staying up late to get the steps in, so be it. When Samantha went to bed I would finish my steps on the treadmill to reach 10,000 steps. Some days Id only have to walk for 30 minutes, some days it would take longer. Then, I graduated from walking to running. Then my husband signed us up for the Shamrock Shuffle in 2010first running event ever! And by May of 2010, Id lost 20 pounds and two dress sizes! Barb is now an avid half-marathoner and highly active role model to her highly active children.

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October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

References
Bellows-Riecken, K.H. and Rhodes, R.E. (2008). A birth of inactivity? A review of physical activity and parenthood. Preventive Medicine, 46, 2, 99110. Berge, J.M. et al. (2011). Are parents of young children practicing healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors? Pediatrics, 127, 5, 881887. Collins, C.E. et al. (2011). Parent diet modification, child activity, or both in obese children: An RCT. Pediatrics, 127, 4, 619627. Golan, M., Kaufman, V. and Shahar, D.R. (2006). Childhood obesity treatment: Targeting parents exclusively v. parents and children. British Journal of Nutrition, 95, 5, 10081015. Golan, M. and Crow, S. (2004). Targeting parents exclusively in the treatment of childhood obesity: Long-term results. Obesity Research,12, 2, 357361. Golan, M. et al. (1998). Parents as the exclusive agents of change in the treatment of childhood obesity. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67, 6, 11301135. Magarey, A.M. et al. (2011). A parent-led family-focused treatment program for overweight children aged 5 to 9 years: The PEACH RCT. Pediatrics, 127, 2, 214222.

4. Prioritize.
In describing her commitment to exercise despite working full-time and raising a nine-month-old, Beth Read uses an analogy that we all can relate to: Like they tell you in the airplane . . . put on your oxygen mask first before assisting others. Whether that means waking up before the children or staying up a little bit later, getting a few minutes of physical activity sets the stage for a more productive day and well-balanced person.

5. Set goals.
Tackling the most challenging health struggles becomes a little bit easier with goal-setting. Try this exercise: Write down three goalsa nutrition goal, a fitness goal and a behavioral goal. Operationalize this goal as much as possible by trying to make sure that the goal is Smart. Specific: What is it exactly that you hope to achieve? measurable: How will you know if you got there? attainable: Make sure it is something realistic that you are going to be able to achieve with some moderate amount of effort. relevant: Choose goals that really are meaningful to you and that will help you feel like youve really accomplished something. And timely: Set a date for when you hope to achieve your goal that is far enough in the future to give you time to meet it, but not so far that you will lose interest before reaching it.

6. Commit to setting an example.


Its simple: Kids pay attention to what their parents are doing. Despite the many barriers to physical activity, taking the timeeven if its just a few minutes per dayto engage in physical activity sets a powerful example for children. The repeated opportunities to see how you eat and play make it easy for kids to remember the experiences. And kids are motivated to copy their parents actions.

While there are a million reasons not to be physically active, parents who make getting regular exercise a priority are not only more likely to be fit and healthy themselves, they are also more likely to raise fit and healthy children. To fight the epidemic of obesity in the United Statesespecially reversing childhood obesityparents have to be the first ones to stand up, lace our shoes and lead the charge.
Natalie digate muth, m.d., m.P.h., r.d., is a pediatrics resident at UCLA Mattel Childrens Hospital. Shes also mom to two young children, Tommy (3) and Mariella (11 months).

October 2011 ACE CertifiedNews

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Great variety of lectures, interactive and activity sessionsI couldnt get enough. I learned so much in many different areas.
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