Fitcorp is committed this year to helping the families from the Women's Resource Center in Boston have one gift under the tree this year for each of the family members. Help us help them. Gift cards are always great.
Please review the list of items. Let us know who you can purchase a gift for and what Fitcorp you can drop the gift off. Please bring your marked (with name of person the gift is for) and wrapped gift to any Fitcorp by Dec 22. Email cindy@otwadv.com or call us at 781-729-7229 for more details.
• Lexis Age 10. Toys”R”Us gift card
• Faith Age 2. Gift card to Toys”R”Us or age appropriate toy
• Marie Age 18. Gift card for a winter coat
• Female Age 3. Doll Set
• Chris Age 16. Clothing gift card
• Richema Age 18. clothing gift card
• Alexis Age 16. Clothing Gift card
• Caleb Months old. toys for infant or gift card to Target, Walmart or Toys”R”Us
• Male Age 14. Gift Card
• Samantha Age 17 College Dorm supplies
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Did This Doctor Break the Law?
Just when it seems like things can’t get any worse for Tiger Woods, the whirlwind of speculation and rumors surrounding him have now become sports-related.
The New York Times website reported Monday that a Canadian doctor who treated Woods at least four times after his knee surgery in 2008, is now being investigated by the FBI for allegedly supplying professional athletes with performance-enhancing drugs.
The Canadian sports medicine pioneer, Dr. Anthony Galea, was found with Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Actovegin, a drug extracted from calf’s blood, in his medical bag at the U.S.-Canadian border in late September, and was later arrested on October 15, the report said. Prescribing HGH is legal in Canada, and is acceptable for some purposes in the United States, but using, selling, or importing Actovegin is illegal in the United States.
Galea became famous in the professional sports world for his development of a blood-spinning technique called platelet-rich plasma therapy, which is an FDA-approved injection-based therapy that speeds up a person’s recovery after surgery. He said he has been using HGH for personal use for 10 years but has never given it out to any professional athletes.
So, we at Fitcorp are wondering if the law is actually being broken here?
Read the article, and let us know what you think?
The New York Times website reported Monday that a Canadian doctor who treated Woods at least four times after his knee surgery in 2008, is now being investigated by the FBI for allegedly supplying professional athletes with performance-enhancing drugs.
The Canadian sports medicine pioneer, Dr. Anthony Galea, was found with Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Actovegin, a drug extracted from calf’s blood, in his medical bag at the U.S.-Canadian border in late September, and was later arrested on October 15, the report said. Prescribing HGH is legal in Canada, and is acceptable for some purposes in the United States, but using, selling, or importing Actovegin is illegal in the United States.
Galea became famous in the professional sports world for his development of a blood-spinning technique called platelet-rich plasma therapy, which is an FDA-approved injection-based therapy that speeds up a person’s recovery after surgery. He said he has been using HGH for personal use for 10 years but has never given it out to any professional athletes.
So, we at Fitcorp are wondering if the law is actually being broken here?
Read the article, and let us know what you think?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
What do you have to lose but some weight?
We spend our days here at Fitcorp trying to convince the 60% of American's who are overweight that joining Fitcorp will make their lives better. They will feel better, look better and be healthier. It is so hard to see people choose an inactive lifestyle over a healthy lifestyle when the benefits of a regular fitness routine are so profoundly beneficial to everyone.
What makes our jobs here have significant meaning is when we hear back that we did "make a difference". It is the gas that keeps our engines going.
I mean we see folks every day making new and better choices with their lives but when it is validated, it is an amazing feeling.
Below is a letter that we received from a member who has tasted her own personal victory and she feels better now because of it.
We want everyone to feel the benefits of a healthier and more active lifestyle. That is why we are offering a once in a lifetime deal. It's our way of helping you get in better shape. Take the plunge at Fitcorp and you too can start feeling better each and every day.
What do you have to lose but some weight?
Gary Klechenski
President. Fitcorp.
Dear Scott:
As we wind up our Challenge this morning (I'll be there for the weigh-in soon), it seemed the appropriate time to offer some words of praise for Brendon and for the Challenge itself. While my team is finishing last (or, as Brendon in his typically positive way puts it, "tied for third"), and while I didn't lose as much weight as I'd hoped, I'll still come away a winner. Why? Because I'm wearing clothes I haven't been able to wear in 3 years. Because I am sleeping better and have more energy. Because my commitment to getting in peak condition and then staying healthy has been renewed. And because I have learned an amazingly broad range of new ways to work out. All of this is due to Brendon and his Challenge.
I've known Brendon for years now, through my membership at Fitcorp, and I have always liked him and had high regard for him (as I do for all of you who work here at Reservoir Place Fitcorp; your team is exceptional.). However, the experience of going through all these classes with Brendon has given me a new and profound respect for his knowledge, his professionalism, and his ability to inspire. Brendon demonstrated in every class his command of physical conditioning, and his ability to adapt exercises to accommodate individual needs. I am the oldest participant in this project, and I have rotator cuff issues, joint issues and I managed to break a toe in the last week, but Brendon never let my issues slow the class down nor allowed me to slack off. He seamlessly adjusted whatever we were doing (weights, core work, "boot camp", whatever) to make it possible for me to learn, get a good workout and remain a good team member, and he did so without interrupting the flow for the others.
Perhaps most importantly, Brendon has the gift to inspire his pupils. He may be demanding (that's the point of the Challenge, I think), but he is ceaselessly positive, too. He never, ever makes anyone (even me) feel inadequate or foolish, and he is endlessly encouraging, making us feel we actually cando it. And so we do. That's a gift.
The proof of all this is that I (and everyone I've talked to who participated) can't wait for Round Two. We know we're going to learn, that we're going to challenge ourselves, that we're going to be smarter and stronger and healthier, and that regardless of where we place in the contest, we're going to be winners. I'll never be able to adequately thank Brendon for all of that. We-and Fitcorp- are lucky to have him!
Best regards,
Laurie
What makes our jobs here have significant meaning is when we hear back that we did "make a difference". It is the gas that keeps our engines going.
I mean we see folks every day making new and better choices with their lives but when it is validated, it is an amazing feeling.
Below is a letter that we received from a member who has tasted her own personal victory and she feels better now because of it.
We want everyone to feel the benefits of a healthier and more active lifestyle. That is why we are offering a once in a lifetime deal. It's our way of helping you get in better shape. Take the plunge at Fitcorp and you too can start feeling better each and every day.
What do you have to lose but some weight?
Gary Klechenski
President. Fitcorp.
Dear Scott:
As we wind up our Challenge this morning (I'll be there for the weigh-in soon), it seemed the appropriate time to offer some words of praise for Brendon and for the Challenge itself. While my team is finishing last (or, as Brendon in his typically positive way puts it, "tied for third"), and while I didn't lose as much weight as I'd hoped, I'll still come away a winner. Why? Because I'm wearing clothes I haven't been able to wear in 3 years. Because I am sleeping better and have more energy. Because my commitment to getting in peak condition and then staying healthy has been renewed. And because I have learned an amazingly broad range of new ways to work out. All of this is due to Brendon and his Challenge.
I've known Brendon for years now, through my membership at Fitcorp, and I have always liked him and had high regard for him (as I do for all of you who work here at Reservoir Place Fitcorp; your team is exceptional.). However, the experience of going through all these classes with Brendon has given me a new and profound respect for his knowledge, his professionalism, and his ability to inspire. Brendon demonstrated in every class his command of physical conditioning, and his ability to adapt exercises to accommodate individual needs. I am the oldest participant in this project, and I have rotator cuff issues, joint issues and I managed to break a toe in the last week, but Brendon never let my issues slow the class down nor allowed me to slack off. He seamlessly adjusted whatever we were doing (weights, core work, "boot camp", whatever) to make it possible for me to learn, get a good workout and remain a good team member, and he did so without interrupting the flow for the others.
Perhaps most importantly, Brendon has the gift to inspire his pupils. He may be demanding (that's the point of the Challenge, I think), but he is ceaselessly positive, too. He never, ever makes anyone (even me) feel inadequate or foolish, and he is endlessly encouraging, making us feel we actually cando it. And so we do. That's a gift.
The proof of all this is that I (and everyone I've talked to who participated) can't wait for Round Two. We know we're going to learn, that we're going to challenge ourselves, that we're going to be smarter and stronger and healthier, and that regardless of where we place in the contest, we're going to be winners. I'll never be able to adequately thank Brendon for all of that. We-and Fitcorp- are lucky to have him!
Best regards,
Laurie
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Fitcorp Hosts Seminar for Boston’s Corporate Community on the Economic Benefits of Fitness and Wellness Programs
Last Friday, November 6, 2009 Fitcorp conducted a seminar for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on the economic benefits of corporate fitness and wellness programs. Over the past 12 months the economic climate has made companies think long and hard about wellness initiatives. What has been interesting to us at Fitcorp is that for the most part, after careful consideration, our clients have opted to continue with the wellness and fitness benefits they provide their employees through Fitcorp. They determined that the up-side far outweighed the financial burdens. It is a proven fact that many of the health problems that are driving up health care costs can be avoided through diet, exercise and other preventive health measures. By promoting exercise, nutrition, smoking cessation and other health promotion programs we can improve the quality of one’s life and dramatically reduce healthcare costs. With the increase of healthcare initiatives in discussion in our legislature, this was a hot topic that we knew would be an interesting topic for many companies.
The seminar consisted of a panel discussion led by Mike Parent, Fitcorp’s Senior Vice President. The panelists were James Blue, President and CEO of The Bostonian Group, Helen Durkin, Director of Government Relations for the International Health, Racquet Assoication, and Tina Wiskow, Sr. Benefits Project Manager, John Hancock Financial Services.
Mr. Blue discussed how companies have seen their health insurance premiums increase by over 80% since 2000. Much of these costs are attributed to illnesses that are preventable. Clearly, there is a need for employers to help their employees establish healthy lifestyles. What money that is invested in preventative healthcare and wellness is paid back exponentially.
Ms. Wiskow described the types of health promotion programs that the John Hancock Financial Services has implemented over the past 10 years. Subsidized health club memberships, health risk appraisals, walking clubs and weight loss programs have been implemented. The result has been a win/win situation for the employee and John Hancock. As a healthier workforce has had a positive impact on the company’s bottom line resulting in lower health care costs, improved productivity, fewer medical claims and reduce absenteeism.
Finally, Ms. Durkin discussed two of the legislative bills that have been proposed on the federal level. The first is the Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act. Under current law, employers and employees may be discouraged from offering or using a health benefit of membership to a health club. That's because while employees are not taxed for the benefit of using an in-house workout facility, they are forced to report the benefit of a membership to an off-site fitness facility as additional income. This forces employers to deal with more IRS paperwork and increases employees' taxes for using their benefits. This act would resolve this tax inequity.
The second bill proposed in Washington is the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, which will significantly reduce physical fitness costs for the American public, giving them a greater incentive to join a fitness facility or purchase exercise equipment. This will help individual fitness facilities by making fitness facility memberships even more affordable.
The discussion was lively and gave us all pause to consider the real benefits we provide our employees when we bring wellness and fitness into our workplaces
Fitcorp has been helping Boston’s Business Community reduce their health care costs for over 30 years. For more information on how we can help your company call Mike Parent at 617 375-5600 x114.
The seminar consisted of a panel discussion led by Mike Parent, Fitcorp’s Senior Vice President. The panelists were James Blue, President and CEO of The Bostonian Group, Helen Durkin, Director of Government Relations for the International Health, Racquet Assoication, and Tina Wiskow, Sr. Benefits Project Manager, John Hancock Financial Services.
Mr. Blue discussed how companies have seen their health insurance premiums increase by over 80% since 2000. Much of these costs are attributed to illnesses that are preventable. Clearly, there is a need for employers to help their employees establish healthy lifestyles. What money that is invested in preventative healthcare and wellness is paid back exponentially.
Ms. Wiskow described the types of health promotion programs that the John Hancock Financial Services has implemented over the past 10 years. Subsidized health club memberships, health risk appraisals, walking clubs and weight loss programs have been implemented. The result has been a win/win situation for the employee and John Hancock. As a healthier workforce has had a positive impact on the company’s bottom line resulting in lower health care costs, improved productivity, fewer medical claims and reduce absenteeism.
Finally, Ms. Durkin discussed two of the legislative bills that have been proposed on the federal level. The first is the Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act. Under current law, employers and employees may be discouraged from offering or using a health benefit of membership to a health club. That's because while employees are not taxed for the benefit of using an in-house workout facility, they are forced to report the benefit of a membership to an off-site fitness facility as additional income. This forces employers to deal with more IRS paperwork and increases employees' taxes for using their benefits. This act would resolve this tax inequity.
The second bill proposed in Washington is the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, which will significantly reduce physical fitness costs for the American public, giving them a greater incentive to join a fitness facility or purchase exercise equipment. This will help individual fitness facilities by making fitness facility memberships even more affordable.
The discussion was lively and gave us all pause to consider the real benefits we provide our employees when we bring wellness and fitness into our workplaces
Fitcorp has been helping Boston’s Business Community reduce their health care costs for over 30 years. For more information on how we can help your company call Mike Parent at 617 375-5600 x114.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Four Reasons You’re Not Losing Fat
Effective Fat Loss Programs:Dr Berardi’s Precision Nutrition System Dr Walsh’s Fat Is Not Your Fault Program
Fat loss can be a complicated subject to teach, because there are so many possible limiting factors in a person’s ability to lose fat.
Well, that’s when you’ve gotta dig deeper physiologically. That’s when you have to look to the 4 major physiological systems that could be holding you back. These include:
1. Your oxygen delivery system
2. Your blood sugar management system
3. Your adrenal system
4. Your digestive system
Now, I want to be real honest here. 85% of those folks who follow Precision Nutrition, those folks who nail down the exercise, diet, psych, and social parts of the fat loss equation, do very well. Under normal physiological situations, the body has no problem giving up the fat, as long as the basics – discussed above – are covered.
However, there’s always that other 15%: folks who seem to be doing everything else right but still can’t lose fat. What’s up with them?
Well, assuming they really are on track, they’re likely experiencing abnormal physiological situations where fat loss is quite difficult because the body isn’t functioning as it should.
It’s kind of like planting a garden. Sunshine and water are requirements for a garden to grow, just like diet and exercise are necessary for fat loss. But even with all the sunshine and water in the world, your garden won’t grow if the soil is unhealthy.
In other words, you can diet and exercise all you want, you can develop a strong social support circle, and you can get your head screwed on right. But if your body — your soil — is not working properly, neither will your weight loss program.
So let’s dig a little deeper and discuss the big 4 physiological situations that might be preventing you from losing fat.
In conventional medicine, a decrease in the ability to deliver oxygen to cells is often called anemia, a condition referring to a quantitative and/or qualitative deficiency in red blood cells’ ability to deliver oxygen to the tissues and organs of the body.
While a full discussion on anemia and your body’s inability to deliver oxygen to cells is too extensive to cover here, you can start by getting your doctor to run standard blood work, which should include RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, iron, ferritin and transferrin.
You can view more about this topic, including an important video on blood chemistries here.
When talking about blood sugar balance, for simplicity’s sake, there are two possibilities:
1. Insulin resistance - chronically elevated blood sugar levels
2. Hypoglycemia - blood sugar fluctuations – sometimes it’s high and sometimes it’s low.
Both of these imbalances result in elevated insulin.
When the adrenal glands are activated, they produce a number of hormones that help your body deal with both acute and chronic stressors. One such hormone is cortisol.
Cortisol’s primary function is to increase blood sugar levels so your brain, muscles and organs have enough fuel to get you through a stressful situation. Problems occur when stress becomes chronic.
Chronically elevated cortisol levels increase blood sugar levels, which then elevate insulin levels. This, among other things, will stop you from burning fat no matter what exercise or diet program you follow.
There are many chronic stressors in today’s society including mental/emotional stress, food sensitivities, blood sugar imbalances, infections (i.e. parasitic, bacterial), excessive exercise… basically anything that is a perceived stress on the body.
The most effective way of assessing adrenal gland function is the Adrenal Salivary Test. This test uses four salivary samples throughout the day and assesses levels of salivary cortisol and DHEA.
Most integrated and holistic doctors run this test and you can learn more about it, as well as a more thorough discussion on adrenal physiology here.
How do you know if you have a dysfunctional digestive system? Any of the following symptoms can indicate gastrointestinal issues:
• gas
• bloating
• burping after meals
• inadequate digestion (feeling like you have a brick in your stomach after you eat)
• undigested food in your stools
• foul smelling stools
• constipation
• diarrhea
• burning in the stomach
• bad breath
• nausea
Additionally, hormonal imbalances, migraines, allergies, eczema, and autoimmune disease all have links to the gastrointestinal system.
A dysfunctional gastrointestinal system can virtually ruin your chances of weight loss. From a compromised immune system, to a stress hormone imbalances, to an altered sex hormones, to blood sugar irregularities — many of these problems start in the gut.
One of the best ways to stop a vicious GI-related cycle is to control inflammation and identify food sensitivities. A strict elimination diet for a period of 3-6 weeks has helped countless people alleviate their gastrointestinal issues. Talk with your doctor for more information or visit this link for the many different ways our gastrointestinal system impacts the rest of our body.
Summary
Despite what you might hear, fat loss is NOT just about diet and exercise. Physiology plays a very important role. And today, our physiologies are more out of whack than ever in human history.
If your diet and exercise program is not working for you, do yourself a favor and tend to your garden. The better your physiology works, the healthier you will be and the better your program will work for you.
About Dr Walsh’s Fat Is Not Your Fault
Dr Walsh’s new program is designed for those folks doing everything right - but are experiencing sub-optimal health and body composition. All because of some underlying physiological problem. Fat Is Not Your Fault provides everything you need to test for - and correct - the most common - but under treated hormonal and foundational health problems. So if you think you might be experiencing “abnormal physiology” - and would like to get to the bottom of it - Fat Is Not Your Fault is definitely for you.
Categories: Advanced Diet and Sports Nutrition Blog, Newsletters, Research Reviews
© 2000 - 2009, Precision Nutrition Inc.
Fat loss can be a complicated subject to teach, because there are so many possible limiting factors in a person’s ability to lose fat.
- There’s the exercise part – which plays a huge role.
- There’s the diet part – another major player.
- There’s the psychology – which is a stumbling block for many recreational exercisers.
- And there’s the social part – which many believe plays a massive, but under appreciated role.
Well, that’s when you’ve gotta dig deeper physiologically. That’s when you have to look to the 4 major physiological systems that could be holding you back. These include:
1. Your oxygen delivery system
2. Your blood sugar management system
3. Your adrenal system
4. Your digestive system
Now, I want to be real honest here. 85% of those folks who follow Precision Nutrition, those folks who nail down the exercise, diet, psych, and social parts of the fat loss equation, do very well. Under normal physiological situations, the body has no problem giving up the fat, as long as the basics – discussed above – are covered.
However, there’s always that other 15%: folks who seem to be doing everything else right but still can’t lose fat. What’s up with them?
Well, assuming they really are on track, they’re likely experiencing abnormal physiological situations where fat loss is quite difficult because the body isn’t functioning as it should.
It’s kind of like planting a garden. Sunshine and water are requirements for a garden to grow, just like diet and exercise are necessary for fat loss. But even with all the sunshine and water in the world, your garden won’t grow if the soil is unhealthy.
In other words, you can diet and exercise all you want, you can develop a strong social support circle, and you can get your head screwed on right. But if your body — your soil — is not working properly, neither will your weight loss program.
So let’s dig a little deeper and discuss the big 4 physiological situations that might be preventing you from losing fat.
- Fat Loss Barrier #1: The oxygen delivery system
- Oxygen -- The cells of your body produce something called ATP or, adenosine triphosphate. ATP is the basic energy source for your body and allows each cell of your body to do what it does. Without ATP, nothing works correctly. In fact reduced ATP production is one of the hallmarks of the aging process.
In conventional medicine, a decrease in the ability to deliver oxygen to cells is often called anemia, a condition referring to a quantitative and/or qualitative deficiency in red blood cells’ ability to deliver oxygen to the tissues and organs of the body.
While a full discussion on anemia and your body’s inability to deliver oxygen to cells is too extensive to cover here, you can start by getting your doctor to run standard blood work, which should include RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, iron, ferritin and transferrin.
You can view more about this topic, including an important video on blood chemistries here.
- Fat Loss Barrier #2: The blood sugar management system
When talking about blood sugar balance, for simplicity’s sake, there are two possibilities:
1. Insulin resistance - chronically elevated blood sugar levels
2. Hypoglycemia - blood sugar fluctuations – sometimes it’s high and sometimes it’s low.
Both of these imbalances result in elevated insulin.
- Insulin resistance -- When someone is insulin resistant, glucose can no longer effectively enter into the cell. Because blood sugar is not adequately entering the cells, it stays in general circulation rather than being stored. As a result, the body produces higher levels of insulin to remove glucose from the blood stream, which causes even greater metabolic dysfunction.
- Hypoglycemia -- Individuals with hypoglycemic tendencies will have periods of low blood sugar and therefore surges of insulin, rather than chronically elevated levels. During periods of low blood sugar, adrenaline is often used to elevate blood sugar, causing a sharp rise in glucose and insulin. The table below highlights some of the symptoms associated with each imbalance.
- Hypoglycemic tendencies Insulin resistant tendencies
- Feels better after meals Feels tired after meals
- Sugar cravings before meals Sugar cravings after meals
- May have difficulty staying asleep at night May have difficulty getting to sleep at night
- Fat Loss Barrier #3: The adrenal system
When the adrenal glands are activated, they produce a number of hormones that help your body deal with both acute and chronic stressors. One such hormone is cortisol.
Cortisol’s primary function is to increase blood sugar levels so your brain, muscles and organs have enough fuel to get you through a stressful situation. Problems occur when stress becomes chronic.
Chronically elevated cortisol levels increase blood sugar levels, which then elevate insulin levels. This, among other things, will stop you from burning fat no matter what exercise or diet program you follow.
There are many chronic stressors in today’s society including mental/emotional stress, food sensitivities, blood sugar imbalances, infections (i.e. parasitic, bacterial), excessive exercise… basically anything that is a perceived stress on the body.
The most effective way of assessing adrenal gland function is the Adrenal Salivary Test. This test uses four salivary samples throughout the day and assesses levels of salivary cortisol and DHEA.
Most integrated and holistic doctors run this test and you can learn more about it, as well as a more thorough discussion on adrenal physiology here.
- Fat Loss Barrier #4: The gastrointestinal system
How do you know if you have a dysfunctional digestive system? Any of the following symptoms can indicate gastrointestinal issues:
• gas
• bloating
• burping after meals
• inadequate digestion (feeling like you have a brick in your stomach after you eat)
• undigested food in your stools
• foul smelling stools
• constipation
• diarrhea
• burning in the stomach
• bad breath
• nausea
Additionally, hormonal imbalances, migraines, allergies, eczema, and autoimmune disease all have links to the gastrointestinal system.
A dysfunctional gastrointestinal system can virtually ruin your chances of weight loss. From a compromised immune system, to a stress hormone imbalances, to an altered sex hormones, to blood sugar irregularities — many of these problems start in the gut.
One of the best ways to stop a vicious GI-related cycle is to control inflammation and identify food sensitivities. A strict elimination diet for a period of 3-6 weeks has helped countless people alleviate their gastrointestinal issues. Talk with your doctor for more information or visit this link for the many different ways our gastrointestinal system impacts the rest of our body.
Summary
Despite what you might hear, fat loss is NOT just about diet and exercise. Physiology plays a very important role. And today, our physiologies are more out of whack than ever in human history.
If your diet and exercise program is not working for you, do yourself a favor and tend to your garden. The better your physiology works, the healthier you will be and the better your program will work for you.
About Dr Walsh’s Fat Is Not Your Fault
Dr Walsh’s new program is designed for those folks doing everything right - but are experiencing sub-optimal health and body composition. All because of some underlying physiological problem. Fat Is Not Your Fault provides everything you need to test for - and correct - the most common - but under treated hormonal and foundational health problems. So if you think you might be experiencing “abnormal physiology” - and would like to get to the bottom of it - Fat Is Not Your Fault is definitely for you.
Categories: Advanced Diet and Sports Nutrition Blog, Newsletters, Research Reviews
© 2000 - 2009, Precision Nutrition Inc.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)