Fred: How's it going, E? How are you feeling?
Erik: Great FreddyO! As you well know there are many layers to my wellness though. Are you asking specifically about my Spiritual,Physical or Social wellness or my...?
Fred: Whoa E! I just wanted to know if your quads were still hurting after yesterday's 6-mile trail run.

Well, Well...Wellness

What exactly is Wellness? In Jacksonville, ask and you will receive 2,181 individualized definitions for this term. Generally speaking, wellness is about wanting to look and feel our best, about nourishing our bodies, minds and souls. It's about sleeping well and enjoying our waking hours. It's about avoiding pain and healing quickly when we hurt, and seeking equilibrium and serenity in our lives. It's also about feeling connected and admired amongst others in our community by looking our best in that summer dress and/or performing well on the trails of Jacksonville. Hey, we're not ashamed to admit we may even be a little six-pack-abs driven at times.

When Whit Parker suggested we write a “fitness” column for his fine newspaper we both knew that there would have to be more to it than promising our readership those six pack abs (in only 8 minutes-a-day mind you)or reviewing and passing judgment on the latest (87 Days of Garbanzos to a Better You) fad diet or program. We would want to share and communicate fitness as an element of the bigger picture that is wellness (albeit viewed through the lens of the fitness professional). This (our) holistic and natural approach to fitness has proven beneficial in our lives and in the lives of our clients, so we want to show our readers how physical fitness and healthy living can help everyone reach a more optimal state of wellness.

As informed members of the health and fitness community, we not only have strong opinions but systems for effectively addressing the various components of fitness. We will endeavor to support these opinions with facts (with references when necessary) and concrete suggestions for steps you can take. We want to make things uncomplicated and very doable. And so, in the next five editions of this great paper we will focus on the key components of fitness. We will be addressing (in this order): nutrition, cardiovascular fitness, supplementation, resistance training and how all of these pieces can coalesce into a broader picture of wellness with professional assistance if needed and/or support systems.

Next month, we begin with our take on sound nutrition because of its immense importance in any fitness plan. Not only does proper intake help determine your morphological self (by trimming unwanted fat, toning muscles and making positive changes in your body composition), but it's also very important on a cellular level. On a larger (much larger!) scale, informed food choices and diet are, perhaps, the most important of the five components because it's here where the health of the individual meets the health of the community - and even that of the globe! Specifically, we will promote the creation of a nutrition journal that will reveal your caloric intake in the aggregate while helping to ensure you are getting a fuller spectrum of local and organic nutrient sources.

The following month (September’s edition) we look at cardiovascular health with a focus on heart rate training and modes/choices of movement to achieve a healthier circulatory system.

In October we look at the role of supplementation – specifically ‘supps’ that we have found to be truly effective (not just a waste of money and/or even detrimental to one's health).

In November we will get into resistance training (with an eye on integrated functional training) and will include proper stretching modalities to maintain good posture and gait (proper length-and-tension relationships in the body).

Finally, in December we will discuss what to look for if/when seeking professional assistance to help get you to your goals, or to at least get you started. We will also discuss the need for a support network (we humans are pack animals, after all) to keep you on track and motivated.

A journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step – so take it! Take it for your family and friends. Take it for your doctor’s relief. Take it for that Biggest Loser contest at work or create your own Biggest Winner contest. Most importantly, take it for you. Find that core “Why?” for doing all of this and, for goodness sake, derive as much fun and pleasure as you can from the process!

Erik: Life's a journey, so wake, stretch, move, perform well then relax, snuggle and tingle...

Fred: ...smell the manzanita, hydrate, laugh, love and eat your Muesli!

Get out those composition books, sharpen your pencils and see you next month!
Erik and Fred hold advanced national personal training and coaching certifications and have over 25 combined years formal experience in fitness and wellness. Send hellos, questions, comments or ideas for topics to us at LifesFitPageant@gmail.com.

 


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