IN THIS ISSUE

• Featured Article - 9 Secrets to a Great Shape For Summer
• Exercise Tips - How to Reduce the Pain of Arthritis
• Best Snacks to Curb Your Appetite

A Note From Fran
Like a Duck out of Water.
Do you play golf? Guess what I don't, but I love trying new things or so I thought. So when I was invited to a LPGA Sponsored Women's Golf Day in Los Angeles recently, I decided...what the heck, why not. 
It was a glorious greens, plenty of sunshine, great instruction with champion golf pros and the best equipment. There was nothing for me to not enjoy if it wasn't for the fact that I don't play golf...never been on a course...completely like a duck out of water.

So when the instructor asked me what I did for a living of course I told her about Aerobodies and Equilibrium and also made the mistake of announcing that I was a former professional athlete. That proved to be a fatal mistake. Suddenly there was an expectation that I would be the top performer of the day...YUCK!!

As you can probably guess my performance was lack luster at best. I significantly lagged behind my group in everything from putt to strokes. At one point on the driving lanes I felt that I had a trick ball placed in front of me. I swung at the ball over and over again but the darn thing just refused to move.

As consulate over achiever, there is something about underachieving that awakens a new sport in you. As I listened more and more to the golf pro and less and less to my inner voice telling me how much better I should have been, I realized I could relax and enjoy the game and forget about my performance. 

Suddenly I was okay with not being the best. As I relaxed and let myself have fun with the game I improved and learned something. I learned that when you detach yourself form the outcome and trust the process you can benefit just as much as if you knew exactly what you were doing. Just as high expectations can lead to anxiety, staying open and flexible can lead to great possibilities.

In love and good health,



Fran Dean Bishop, award winning coach and creator of 
"Reboot your Body - The Ultimate Bootcamp" 
franb@aerobodiesfitness.com

Special Announcement

Coming soon Fran will be hosting a new teleconference series focused on improving your physical and mental performance to achieve greater success.

Stay tuned for dates and times beginning in May.


Featured Article

9 Secrets to a Great Shape For Summer

The buzz is beginning. Summer is almost here. Time to prepare for summer activities and a more revealing wardrobe. You've got 12 weeks to see some results, so let's get started!

First, identify how you want to spend your summer. What sports or activities do you want to take part in? Maybe even a little lounging on the beach? Do you want to wear specific clothes? Knowing what you want will tell you what plan to put in place.

Second, what goals that are challenging, yet do-able, can you realistically accomplish in 12 weeks to help you enjoy your ideal summer? What is challenging, yet do-able, for you will depend on your current fitness level - how much you exercise, the intensity level of your exercise, the balance of the different exercises that you do, and the time you have available to commit to exercise. 

As an example, if your picture of summer includes hiking, kayaking, and comfortably wearing shorts, your 12-week goals might include:

• "Be able to hike ABC Trail five-miles twice a month."

• "Add six, three-minute incline intervals to my treadmill workout two times per week."

• "Use the rowing machine at the gym once a week to add a fourth cardio session to my program and condition my upper body."

• "Add one upper and one mid-back exercise as well as lunges to my strength training routine."

• "Find two new abdominal exercises to change up my routine."

Notice that these goals are behavior oriented. You have control over achieving these goals (versus, say, losing a specific amount of weight). Notice also that the goals are stated positively, rather than focusing on "what not to do or eat." People tend to respond better and achieve greater success with positive goals.

Lastly, take your 12-week goals and break them down into weekly goals. As an example, the first week's goals might be:

• "Add three, two-minute intervals to my treadmill workout on Monday and Thursday."

• "On Tuesday, ask my coach/trainer for two new back exercises and two new abdominal exercises. Implement these new exercises on Wednesday and Saturday."

• "Ask a friend to hike with me at the end of the month (get a date on the calendar!), aiming for a distance of two miles." 

• " Sign up for a 5 or 10k walk/run."

How to Reduce the Pain of Arthritis

"We must be getting rain, my arthritis is acting up." You probably know many people who have become amateur meteorologists just because of their arthritis - you may even be one of them. There are many forms of arthritis, but the kind that predicts the weather is also the most common: osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease. The pain of arthritis is caused by the wearing away of the cartilage at the end of bones, allowing the bone surfaces to rub together and cause pain and stiffness.

Arthritis pain can lead to inactivity which can in turn cause even more pain, decreased flexibility, weakness, and reduced fitness levels. Many are afraid of more pain, stiffness, and joint damage if they exercise. The truth is that exercise is very important for the management of osteoarthritis. Proper exercise can reduce joint pain and stiffness and improve flexibility, strength, and endurance. It can also help with weight management, reducing additional stress on weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees.

There are three types of exercise that should be incorporated into a safe and effective arthritis exercise program. First, flexibility and range of motion exercises such as stretching and light motion (arm circles, for example) should be done every day to prevent stiffness and maintain function. Muscle strengthening such as using weight machines, free weights, or resistance tubing, should be done every other day to maintain joint strength and support. Aerobic exercise such as walking, biking or swimming should be done three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes. This type of exercise helps with weight management and maintaining function. 

To get started, first be sure to consult your physician for clearance to exercise and specific guidelines for your condition. Working with a physical therapist or qualified personal trainer to learn proper form and technique can minimize risk of injury. Also consider water-based exercise such as aqua aerobics. Many communities have special classes and pools designed for aquatic arthritis programs. Exercising in the water helps take much of the pressure off the joints, making movement easier. 

Always check with your doctor if you are having a flare up before exercising. Signs that you have done too much and it is time to back off include persistent fatigue, increased weakness, decreased range of motion, increased joint swelling, or pain that continues beyond one hour after exercise. If these symptoms continue, it is important to have your program modified by a professional.

For more information:

Arthritis Foundation
1330 West Peachtree Street, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30309
800-568-4045
www.arthritis.org

Best Snacks to Curb Your Appetite

I'm not sure how it happened, but snacking somehow got a bad rap, especially late-afternoon snacking. People will mention to me that they refrain from snacking, assuming I will consider they are being "good." Maybe it happened the same way as the vilification of night time eating (eating past, say, 6pm)?

Eating when we feel hungry is appropriate at any time of day and considering the schedules of most people, many of us are bound to be hungry in the mid-afternoon. Why?

If you eat lunch somewhere between 11:30 and 1pm, it makes sense that your body will burn through the food you ate and be hungry again in three to four hours (that's assuming you don't over-eat at lunch). That puts you right at mid-afternoon, the 3-4pm time frame. If dinner is another one to three hours away, you will need to eat something so that you are not starving come dinner time. (When we get too hungry - ravenous - our physiological response is to over-eat.)

Most of us were never taught this, so we don't prepare. Instead of having appropriate snacks on hand, we grab whatever is available, which often means high-sugar, high-fat foods. If your snack does not include a balance of carbohydrate, fat, and protein, it can wreak havoc on your blood sugar, sending you to the vending machine for another round.

Instead of relying on whatever is available in the moment, prepare. If you know you will be in your car or at work, keep portable foods with you. Buy a small lunch-sized cooler that can keep a few things cold if needed. You can find snacks in vending machines, but you will need to supplement with a protein source to round it out. Try these ideas for a satiating afternoon boost:

• Whole-grain crackers with string cheese
• Tuna, canned in water, with crackers
• Fresh fruit and a hard boiled egg
• Protein (meal replacement) bars
• Veggies dipped in peanut butter 
• Almond and raisin mix 
• PBJ sandwich

The verdict: snacking when you are hungry is good!

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