Speaking of Larry Wasserman...

Many of you that know me also know that I'm not shy when the topic is health and fitness. I've been writing and presenting talks for a couple of years now, mostly short presentations for our weekly hiking groups.

I'm now looking to expand and talk to your group or organization, so if you think I might be a good fit, please let me know. If there is an HR contact or club President please send me their contact info. Here's some info about me.

Company Bio:

Larry Wasserman is owner and fitness director of Body Basics Personal Training and Body Basics Boot Camps located in Warren, New Jersey. Body Basics was launched in 2005. Both the personal training and the boot camps share the same philosophy which focuses on developing strength and functional ability in movement, not muscles.

The body works much like a well oiled machine, each part dependent on the other, and needs to be treated as such. This type of training keeps the body ready for everyday tasks that always need strength and balance, especially as we age.

Larry is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). At Body Basics we continue to study and research the most effective, efficient, and most importantly motivating modes of exercise available.

"Our goal is to not only get our clients into great shape, but to teach them how to incorporate fitness into their everyday lives. Knowledge is power and allows our
clients to take control and implement a healthy lifestyle... a lifestyle where they feel empowered!"

You can read more about Larry and Body Basics at http://bodybasicsbootcamps.com

Here is list of my most popular speaking topics suitable for lunch and learns and other formats.

• Diets Don't Work!
• The Hormone Conundrum (geared for women )
• Oh My Aching Back!
• I'm Not Getting Older... I'm Getting Better
• Help! ... How Did I Gain This Weight ?
• Eat This, Not That! (with Susan Wasserman)

Press on!

Should You Stay Or Should You Go?

One of my favorite bands from the 80's is The Clash. They had a slew of great songs and one was titled, "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" The song is about a personal relationship, but the title makes me think of many of you who joined our MeetUp.com "Burn the Fat Hiking Group."

I have to admit that I am deeply disappointed that too many peoeple have joined this group and have never been on a hike, not one hike! Hmmmm. But many of our blog readers live all over the world and couldn't come on a hike if they wanted to. So for everyone else think of the hikes as anything you feel that you want to do to improve your health but don't seem to get to, like going to the gym, eating healthier meals, etc.

What's that you say? You have a good reason why.

Maybe so. Do any of these "excuses" resonate with you?

- The hikes are too early in the morning (8:30am)
- I have to work
- I have church at the same time
- My kids have sports
- I live too far away
- Larry, it's Sunday morning for cryin' out loud!
- My pillow wouldn't let me go
- I stay out too late on Saturday nights

I hope these make you chuckle. But then again the truth is that you really just don't value our hikes as something that is important to you. I get that. I just want to make sure that you get that too. Stop pretending that "someday" is going to come and that you will eventually come join us. When you state things in the "future" they tend to always stay in the future, and the futre never arrives.

Be honest. If you can't attend a hike, why join in the first place? Well there's a reason for that too. The reason is because joining makes you feel like you at least made the effort. We all have two things in common. One is our intentions. The other is our actions. So joining a gym or a hiking group means you have good intentions, but actually going is a whole other story.

Let me appeal to your emotional side for a moment. Do any of the following situations fit your life.

- I'm at least 15 lbs over-fat
- I lack energy throughout the day
- I drink 3-4 cups of coffee in the morning to "get going"
- I generally skip breakfast
- I lack motivation
- I'm afraid to start
- I don't know where to begin
- I'll just go back to Weight Watchers...AGAIN?
- I know what to do, I just have to start doing it.
- I work out 3-4 times a week, but I can't lose fat.
- I think I eat healthy?

I could come up with many more, but I think you get my point. Many of us are stuck, but not in what we're doing so much as in what we are "thinking". If you are over fat, it's because of what you are "doing". What you are "doing" is determined by what you are "thinking". You just need to change the way you think. Knowledge is power and applied knowledge is off the hook!

That's what you'll get at a hike. You'll get the information, the motivation, the inspiration, and you'll burn some fat on day one! Get out of your own head. Stop making excuses (okay you call them reasons) but in the end they are excuses. Change your values and make your health a higher priority.

Larry, how can I make my health a higher priority than my kids?

That's a tough one. But if you were stricken with a life threatening disease like CANCER, you'd have to prioritize your health over everything else. I'm just giving you the idea that if you continue on a path of poor habits, one day you may not have a choice.

So choose health now and realize that you ARE actually giving your family a healthier and happier YOU! That's the most loving thing you can do!

So in answer to the question, "Should You Stay or Should You Go?"

The answer is two-fold. YOU SHOULD STAY (in this group) AND GO, (on a hike that is!)

I'll see you on the trails!

Fat Kids Are Harder to Kidnap

Do I Have Your Attention Now?

Be honest. Does this tee shirt's graphic make you laugh? I found it on Google images. I have to admit, the first time I saw a t-shirt like this I chuckled. In the past I have been incredibly insensitive to fat kids. Not out loud, but in the quiet of my own mind. Why is it so easy to make fun of fat kids?

It's easy to snicker and point a finger so-to-speak at anyone who appears different, but over-fat kids are often victims of many varied circumstances that have contributed to their being overweight. And in addition to the food habits they have developed, their health is declining at an alarming rate. As if that's not bad enough, they are the brunt of jokes, ridicule, and prejudice.

Over the years I have worked with many overweight adults. Many have been heavy their entire lives. In their adult years the struggle to lose weight never goes away. I have come to see the child in them that learns to cope. I see what can happen to kids who grow up this way.

To me this T shirt is not funny. Not one bit. In fact, it's the complete opposite. It's message is cruel and insensitive. I just hope I never catch anyone wearing one. If I do, they will get one very unexpected "in your face" moment.

Many kids learn to compensate for their weight, but inside they hurt just like anyone else. Childhood obesity is a problem for all of us, because each one of us has the ability to behave in a way that can help or hinder an over-fat kid.

My business partner in youth fitness is Coach Todd Dattoli. Todd is about as passionate as one can be when it comes to coaching kids. He's a Youth Fitness Specialist through the IYCA (Int'l Youth Conditioning Association). Below is an excerp from one of Todd's articles. Please read and I think you might be surprised at just how bad childhood obesity is. And it's not just the USA either.

Take it away Todd! - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Obesity has become a worldwide problem. Childhood obesity has not only reached epidemic proportions worldwide but poses a serious risk to the health and longevity of children. The over-whelming reason for this global problem that researchers point to time and again is that children and teens are not getting
enough physical activity. This lack of exercise and poor eating habits has concomitantly caused a huge increase in fat mass for children worldwide, where in some countries such as the US, Australia, Canada and the UK childhood obesity has doubled or tripled in the last 10 years.

Here in the United States, children are supposed to get 150 minutes of exercise weekly during school hours, but no one really knows how many, if any, schools actually follow this recommendation. This information was published in JAMA in
July 2008 as well how the US Department of Agriculture proposed a standard of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. However, it appears obvious that so many youth are not meeting this standard and is a clear reason why children's weight has skyrocketed to epic proportions.

Consider this:

--> The prevalence of obesity among children ages 6-11 more than doubled in the past 26 years, going from 6.5% in 1980 to 17% in 2006.

--> The rate of obesity among children ages 12-19 more than tripled in that same time period, increasing from 5% to 17.6%.

--> Fewer than 25% of children in the U.S. get 30 minutes or more physical activity per day.

If this trend continues, we will be burying our children before they have a chance to fully realize their adult lives.

This may sound like a bold statement, but there is a saying that goes "you're as old as your arteries", which means that the condition your arteries are in is more important than your actual age within the evolution of heart disease or stroke.

Case in point is a recent research study conducted by the University of Missouri School of Medicine in which they presented their findings to the American Heart Association stating that obese kid's artery plaque is equal to that of a middle-aged adult. If a child of 13 already has the arteries of a 45 year old and is at such a high risk for heart disease at such a young age, what type of future will this child have? More importantly, will these children even live to see 45 years old if this horrid trend continues and we don't do more to prevent this from happening?

Pretty eye opening, don't you think?

This epidemic is compromising the long-term health and academic achievement of many children. Our youth fitness program, Play On! seeks to help reverse this trend by educating children about healthy food choices and physical activity. Play On! is a unique program that can help enhance children's wellness and give them the tools to live healthy lives!

So from now on, when ever you see an over weight child, don't be so quick to judge them. Don't be so quick to assume that he or she is fat just because they eat too much. There are so many reasons why this happens, it's impossible to know. Also, try to remember that they are just like you. They have feelings too, but unlike you they wear their challenge 24/7. They have to face reality every day and just learn to cope. The least we can do is not make it any more difficult for them.

Committed to your fitness success,


P.S. Please write your comments. Let us know what you think.

Happy Rainy Sunday! A Perfect Day For a Hike!!

( I got up this morning and wrote this email to my list of hikers on MeetUp.com. For those of you not familiar, we have a Sunday morning hiking group that is organized through MeetUp.com.
Here's the link: http://www.meetup.com/Body-Basics-Burn-the-Fat-Hiking-Group/)

Okay, so about 99% of you won't read this until it's too late. Too late for what? Too late for today's hike! The weather is not exactly perfect, but it's clearing and the chance of more rain is very low.

I know what you're thinking.

"It's still crappy out, and staying in with a hot cup of coffee or sleeping in seems like a better plan."

I agree! But. . .

Think about what else may be going on in your life in regard to your physical health. Are you over fat? Sorry to be so blunt, but I don't have much time here. The point I want to make is this. Changing your health also means changing yourself and the way you do things. Becoming "less comfortable" or "leaving your "comfort zone" is where you need to start. So getting up and going out for a hike today is a metaphor for change.

"Be the change you want to see in your life" ~Ghandi

So if you are like me and forgot to set your clock back this morning, (DOH!) or you couldn't sleep and got up early and logged in to check your email. Let me appeal to your inner voice. Let me plant a seed in your mind that today could actually be a pivotal moment.

If you are receiving this message it's because you are on this list, and you actually asked for that. So for starters, you are looking for something. Maybe you are just a casual hiker, or maybe you are looking to meet people. All good! But some of you also want to lose fat weight. What's curious to me is that many of you still haven't taken the next step. There hasn't been any follow through. To be more specific, there are over 175 members in the hiking group, and over 100 have never even been to a hike. That is just plain sad. WTF?

Weekends come and go and you never seem to have the time to come to a hike. Something else always comes up that takes priority. It's not for me to judge, but I will tell you this. If you are fat, and I mean 15 pounds or more to lose, stop and think about what your priorities are. Where do you spend your time?

The truth is that your desire to be leaner is not a major priority. You are in a comfort zone! You may not like it, but you are not doing enough to make any significant changes. If you plan on doing something "soon, eventually, or some day", let me tell you that as long as your plan is somewhere in the future, it will ALWAYS be in the future, and the future never arrives!

The secret to making changes in your health and your life for that matter is to take action, daily action, and to be persistent even through setbacks. Today would be a perfect day to go for a hike because it's not a perfect day at all. If you can get yourself motivated to get up and out on a "less than perfect" weather day, then you have the inner strength and tenacity to get up and out of your old habits and "be the change you want in your life".

I'll see you on the trails!

Larry Wasserman