Warrior | Theresa Larsen

Theresa Larson is a doctor of physical therapy and the founder of Movement Rx. She has been a lieutenant in the Marines and also battled an eating disorder. She is the author of a new book entitled Warrior.

Theresa grew up in a single-parent household after her mother passed away when she was 10 years old. After her mother’s death, Theresa became shy outside of her family environment. To counteract this, she threw herself into sports such as basketball, softball, and cross country. She did well and gained local recognition. Though Theresa was feeding off this sense of accomplishment, she was very lonely. She put constant pressure on herself to be the best. The pressure continued to build as she went to Villanova University on a college scholarship and participated in ROTC. She felt the need to perform, be noticed, and serve as an example.

Theresa joined the Marines and was a new platoon leader at the age of 22. This was intense time filled with great responsibility. Though much was out of her control, she began to exercise control through her abuse of food. Theresa had developed bulimia. After all, Theresa had a mindset of perfection. She defined fitness as how she looked, how fast she ran, and how many pull-ups she could do. Eventually, she could no longer maintain this control and feared she may put one of her Marines in danger, so she reached out for help.

Today, Theresa appreciates what her body can do. She rarely weighs herself and does not compare herself to others. She believes that a true warrior is one who asks for help when he or she needs it. When Theresa took that step, she started to grow and change.

During a struggle, one is often reluctant to reach out for help, yet this is actually the strongest, bravest thing you can do. Theresa conquered her eating disorder and through the process learned that you do not have to go through life alone in your struggles. To connect with Theresa Larson or order her book, Warrior, visit www.drtheresalarson.com.

Why can't I stop? | Dr. Bruce Odlaug

Diane – a new way to look at goal setting

Diane has an incredibly inspiring story to share, including a new method of goal setting that can help all of us. Diane was born with an eye condition that caused deterioration of the retina. This condition caused her to be qualified as legally blind by age 10. She eventually lost all of her sight at some point between the ages of 30 and 35. However, that has not slowed her down. Today, Diane competes in triathlons and Iron Man competitions. Diane’s motto has always been that if she could find a way to do something, there was no reason not to do it.

Although she was blind, Diane engaged in activities such as tandem skydiving, driving a racecar, and repelling down the side of a 29-story building. When she was 47, a friend suggested that she try a triathlon. She immediately signed up for an Olympic-distance triathlon and has been participating in races ever since.

In addition to her great physical accomplishments, Diane has a great view on goal setting. In fact, she has always objected to the notion that she has vision loss. Thought she has lost her physical ability to see, she still has vision for who and what she can be and what she can achieve. Diane does not allow herself to set limits on what she can do. She always looks at SMART goals and says that often times, you won’t know if a goal is attainable or realistic until you try it. She recommends setting an initial goal that you want to achieve and making this goal number two. Then set another goal that is higher than what you originally thought possible. This is goal number one. Then, if everything is going against you, set a lower goal which would be goal number three. Diane says to aim for goal one, be happy with goal two, and be OK with goal three.

Diane believes that you have more in you than you think. Goal setting is the way to realize what you can achieve. To learn more or contact Diane, go to https://blindironvision.com/.

Robin sets a stretch goal

Goal setting

Life on purpose | Dr. Victor Stretcher

Dr. Victor Strecher is a professor and director for innovation and social entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. He has published over 100 articles in scientific journals and is the author of Life on Purpose.

Dr. Strecher explains that purpose is a concept that has existed for thousands of years. The concept was actually refined by Aristotle 2400 years ago, when he conveyed that alignment with one’s true inner self gives deeper happiness. In last 10 years, there has been great research around this. Studies have shown that those with a strong purpose in their lives are less likely to develop a heart attack, stroke, or Alzheimer’s. They are also likely to live longer.

To find one’s purpose, Dr. Strecher explains there are six steps:

1. Think about your core values. Do they include kindness, expertise, relationships, or security? Find what you value the most and operationalize those values.
2. Assign a purpose/goal to your values.
3. Think of the domains where the values can be applied.   Family purpose or community are several examples.
4. Perform a headstone test. Imagine yourself dead tomorrow. What would you want to appear on the headstone? This provides an interesting contrast to life.
5. Try on new purposes. If they don’t work, replace them. Keep trying different ones until you find the right fit.
6. Once you find the purpose that fits, articulate it to the public.

Purpose takes more energy and willpower every day. To allow yourself more of this energy and willpower, Dr. Strecher explains we need more SPACE, or sleep, presence, activity, creativity, and eating. Maintaining a level of glucose will help with this. Love and kindness meditation may also help to give greater purpose and transcend your own ego and defensiveness.

Dr. Strecher’s book, Life on Purpose, is now available for purpose through Amazon or independent bookstores. Dr. Strecher also created a free On Purpose app, where you can get instructions on how to live in alignment with greater purpose. You can find the On Purpose app here.

How to be here | Rob Bell

The 80/20 rule

You may have heard of the 80/20 rule. But do you know what it is and if it would be a good fit for you? The 80/20 rule applies to the food you eat, and it basically states that you will eat well 80% of the time and have cheat meals for the remaining 20%. The rule recognizes that you can’t be on 100% of the time and so it allows a bit of opportunity for some balance.

Interestingly enough, the 80/20 rule concept originated with the Pareto principle. The Pareto principle is actually a business principle that explained that 80% of a company’s revenue is generated from 20% of its customers.

Many people seem to think the 80/20 rule is a good fit for their dieting strategy. However, quantification is an issue. There is no quantification to show that the approach is actually effective. There would be no way to know you are actually eating poorly only 20% of the time, unless you are physically tracking each and every calorie consumed. Self-estimation tends to be off. The only certainty is that you know you’re not at 100%.

However, this 80/20 approach can have its place in maintenance. If you’ve already reached a goal and are simply maintaining progress, this may be the right fit. On the other hand, if you’re starting a new healthy lifestyle, you need to be committed 100% of the time to ensure you stay on the right track.

If your program is very intense, the 100% concept may not work for you. Ultimately, you need to find the right kind of plan that you can sustain for an extended period of time to help get you to your goal. If it matters to you, you’ll give 100%. Start with your “why,” and then set SMART goals to get you to where you want to be.

Don’t think of the 80/20 rule as an excuse to fail. Leave it for the maintenance portion of your health journey. If you’re just starting out, give it 100% effort and set yourself up for success.

Have you mastered the art of intensity

8 keys to mental health through exercise | Dr. Christina Hibbert

Dr. Christina Hibbert is a clinical psychologist, former fitness instructor, dynamic speaker, and author of 8 Keys to Mental Health Through Exercise.

Dr. Hibbert explains that 1 in 4 American adults experience mental illness in any given year. Mental illness will affect most of us at some point in our lives and it becomes more likely as we age. This is largely because there are three components to mental health, including life experiences, brain chemistry, and physiological states including hormones. Any trauma, heartache, or loss can impact and change our brain. Over time, these brain changes are coupled with other chemistry or hormonal changes, which can then build up and cause mental distress or a disorder of some sort.

To make a change, there must first be an emotional and mental preparation. This will allow you to have commitment at a deeper level. This can involve what Dr. Hibbert describes as a pyramid of self-worth, where one works through the stages of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-love. Once this has been done, one can take action and incorporate exercise into their routine.

Exercise is so helpful with mental health for a few reasons. Endorphins are chemicals that are released as a result of exercise, which makes the body feel good. Studies have also shown that exercise can increase neurotransmitters in the brain which can lessen the likelihood of anxiety or depression. Exercise also has anti-inflammatory benefits.

The key is to realizing that lasting change does not occur with the simple flip of a switch. It is more like a staircase that you constantly ascend and descend. You have to be willing to take all steps necessary to make change that lasts. You won’t fail unless you completely quit. To connect with Dr. Christina Hibbert or to learn more about mental health through exercise, visit

www.exerciseformentalhealth.com or www.drchristinahibbert.com.

2 weeks to a younger brain | Dr. Gary Small

5 health and fitness podcasts on my playlist

There are a lot of great health and fitness podcasts, but there are several that really stand out from the crowd. All of these podcasts have a different perspective and fresh content that really makes you think.

The first is The Plant Trainers, who were also highlighted in Episode 63. This podcast focuses on plant-based eating and incorporates personal and nutritional training topics.

Another great podcast is Open Sky Fitness with Rob and Devon. This one is particularly interesting because there are a lot of parallels between Rob’s outlook and opinions and those shared here on 40+ Fitness. This podcast is another one that has many really fascinating guests.

The third podcast to share is Barbells and Bone Broth, featuring Kelsey and JVB. This podcast demonstrates a unique perspective, as it consists of two women discussing health, fitness, and nutrition topics. They are not shy about their opinions and have no trouble diving deep into topics like lifting and moving.

Nutritionfacts.org is another great podcast. This video podcast is created by Dr. Michael Greger, who has been featured on this podcast several times. These are small episodes packed with great information focused around the topic of a plant-based diet. This is certainly one of the best nutritional podcasts.

Logical Weight Loss is another unique perspective podcast. Creator Dave Jackson is not a trainer or doctor, but simply a normal guy. He conveys the perspective of the every man regarding health and fitness. He recognizes that he doesn’t have all the answers and is not afraid to share his journey with all his listeners.

Finally, Ben Greenfield Fitness is another great podcast, led by stellar athlete and bodybuilder Ben Greenfield. This podcast introduces many cutting edge topics such as biohacking and essential oils. Fascinating guests are also a staple of this podcast.

To grow in your health and fitness, you must keep learning new information to apply in your everyday life. Listen to a few of these great health and fitness podcasts and see what else you can learn today!

Health and Fitness Foundations

2 weeks to a younger brain | Dr. Gary Small

Dr. Gary Small is a professor of psychiatry and the director of the UCLA Longevity Center. He is one of the leading innovators in science and technology. He has written six books, including 2 Weeks to a Younger Brain.

Dr. Small explains that an older brain doesn’t work as fast and usually doesn’t remember as well as a younger brain. Though we really can’t see brain aging, there is much we can do to compensate for memory decline and improve brain health as we age. One technique involves engaging in mental pursuits that challenge you, but are not too overwhelming, nor too easy. Additionally, engaging in more physical exercise can reduce your brain’s susceptibility of Alzheimer’s Disease.

If you’re having memory struggles, you need to adopt a method that is easy to remember. Dr. Small talks about focus and frame. The focus is a reminder that we need to pay attention. The frame involves building a framework around the information to make it meaningful, thus making it easier to remember.

Dr. Small also notes that excess weight will impact one’s cognitive abilities. Studies have shown that middle-aged, obese adults have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Inflammation associated with weight gain can lead to inflammation in the brain, which can have an impact on memory. When we lose weight, we can actually experience an improvement in memory performance.

Exercise can not only help you to lose weight, but it enables the heart to pump more oxygen to the brain cells. The body also produces endorphins which can lift your mood. Strength training can provide additional cognitive benefits. Stress, food, and relationships are other factors that should be addressed to improve brain health.

In 2 Weeks to a Younger Brain, Dr. Small includes a two-week program to help you develop a younger brain. One such activity is playing Sudoku, or even creating a Sudoku puzzle if you find doing the puzzles to be too easy of a task. To connect with Dr. Gary Small, visit http://www.drgarysmall.com/.

Get the Sudoku puzzle at http://older.fitness/sudoku

Healthy brain happy life | Dr. Wendy Suzuki