It’s that time of the year again here in 2013 where almost everyone you know is talking about their New Year Resolution to lose weight and “get into shape”! The problem with this of course is that the statistics show that 9 out of 10 will fail at this in the next 90 days. Not great news for those with the right idea but really no plan at HOW to reach their goals. I am here to tell you that fat gain and muscle loss is only a small part of the story. Think BONES!! Let's look at the problem.

Some exciting news!!  Just opening in Newbury, England is the latest family member to Abstract. Pat and Stephen McKinnon (long time friends and clients) have just opened an Abstract Precision Exercise studio in Newbury just outside of London. We are very excited and very proud to be able to take the message of living Stronger, Leaner and Younger in as little as 15 minutes a week to the UK.  We couldn’t have found better partners than Pat and Stephen.

According to research, 44 million people in the U.S. are living with low bone health! Add to this that each day for the next 19 years 10,000 people a day are turning 65. Osteoporosis is a silent disease that slowly robs us of the structure of our bodies or our bodies foundation. In fact we are losing 1% of our bone density every year after 25. That means that by the time we reach 65 years old we have lost close to 30-40% of our bone density. Living with low bone density puts us at risk of bone fractures, spinal degeneration and even death. To live well in our older years we need to have strong bones and muscles. The only real difference between old or young is strength. Strong is the new young!

Thanks Paul!

You have discovered (because you have a mind to) what I discovered years ago.  I was training 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day 6 days a week, that's almost 12 hours of exercise a week. This did not include drive time and showering and changing. I had modest improvement at first but gains always slowed and I saw very little in strength or muscle. I did this for around six years. Then one day we received a new chrome line of Nautilus into our club. I laughed at it with the other muscle heads. stating of course that this is for the weak and not for serious lifters. Oh how wrong I was.

In my last blog on personal training I have attempted to show that exercise has and needs definition. Not all human movement is exercise. Most exercise pursuits today are recreation! I am sorry to be the one to tell you this but running or jogging or body pump etc. do not fit the definition of proper exercise.  A true, well designed and safe program will, after each exercise session, stimulate the body to respond, at rest, with new lean muscle, stronger bones and an increased metabolic rate. Exactly how does running increase lean muscle or strengthen the bone structure?