With the divorce rate nearing 50% and a “healthy” relationship charting at the top of almost every wish list…it only makes sense that anything we can do to improve the chances of success should be expedited to the front of the line.

A reasonable body of research is beginning to paint a favorable picture. Those who workout together stay together.

Here are 10 reasons why:

Deeper connection.

Training together fosters your connection. It will give you both an opportunity to watch the other be challenged and succeed. It can build empathy and appreciation.

Reduced stress.

Research shows that those who workout regularly are better able to handle the normal daily stresses which we all face. Finding a productive release for stress vs. bringing it home makes the interaction with your loved one more peaceful and enjoyable.

Increased self-confidence.

Setting goals together like improved body composition or completing a Tough Mudder can give you a sense of empowerment and excitement about what might be possible when working as a team.

Improved intimacy.

More energy, an improved body image, and overall enhanced physical function which comes from training can lead to improvements in the physical aspects of your relationship 🙂

More quality time.

Having trouble finding time to spend with each other. Carving out a training schedule that works for both gives you a guaranteed “date” to look forward to multiple times each week.

Successful dieting.

You are likely following the same or similar eating plan. What can be an extremely difficult endeavor, now becomes a team effort and exponentially easier to stay the course with. Have you tried eating By Design?

Less fighting.

Taking your aggression out on the weight instead of projecting your anger into your relationship means fewer fights, less disagreements, and more time focused on what matters most.

Enjoy your downtime.

With a busy life that now includes a regular fitness schedule, you’ll be much more appreciative of the down time you have.

Enjoy shared values.

One of the most overlooked requirements for a successful relationship is shared values. It’s amazing how many relationships fail not because there’s a “lack of love” but instead because there’s a shortage of values both partners care deeply about. Training together gives a couple one more value they can fully engage in together.

Grow stronger together.

No question lifting together will make you physically stronger but it’s the sum all the components that are encompassed into a regular training program that will make your relationship stronger as well.

Make the investment in yourself by committing to a workout program right away and for a boost to your relationship, up the ante by adding your partner into the mix.

Dr. Steven Gall has been offering exceptional chiropractic care to infants, children and adults for over 25 years. He has spent his life learning, and improving his knowledge, skills and ability to provide his care. As a public speaker and health coach he strives to assist people in seeing and attaining a life of extraordinary health. Contact the office to join others who have started the same journey.

The more time that passes working in the health field the more I see the same 5 training mistakes that cause people’s fitness routines to fail.

No one plans to fail, but that doesn’t negate the cold hard fact that most people do not achieve the results they’re searching for.

You want to lose body fat but you’re not.

You want to get stronger but you’re not.

You want your clothes to fit better but they don’t.

You’d love to have more energy but are more tired than ever!

You wish you felt better but you’re still in pain.

Reality exists and the sooner you accept that this is where you are the sooner you can start figuring out what the heck is going wrong and begin the process of getting it fixed.

MISTAKE #1 | WALKING JUST ISN’T ENOUGH

When I ask our practice members about what they do to keep in shape, they often reply “I walk”.

Now, don’t get me wrong… walking regularly at a brisk pace for an extended time does have some health benefits such as reducing your chance of dying from anything (all-cause-mortality) by around 10%.

While I’ll take the 10%, walking doesn’t have the dramatic health benefits including strength development, increased metabolism, and efficient fat loss that other forms of training have.

Walking is a good start or “extra” activity but it shouldn’t form the foundation of your fitness routine.

MISTAKE #2 | NO STRENGTH TRAINING

It may sound like I’m beating a dead horse.

Learning why you should and how to train for strength is a central component of Life By Design.

However, there’s a reason it needs to be discussed regularly… that’s because very few people are actually doing it!

Strength development is THE central piece to attaining most of the goals you’re attempting to achieve. If you’re exercising at home, in a gym by yourself or even trying some bootcamps there’s a good chance you’re not training for strength.

In fact, a very big misconception is that if you’re using “weights” you must be strength training and that’s simply just not true.

MISTAKE #3 | YOU’RE NOT EATING ENOUGH

Yes, I said “not enough”. You did read that correctly.

Every time someone has a goal that includes losing body fat, the natural inclination is to eat less. When I review the results of a food log from someone “not getting results” it’s almost always a case of 1. Not enough food. 2. Not enough fat. 3. Not enough protein.

How can you let go of body fat if you don’t have enough nutrition to support your body’s optimal function? You can’t and you won’t. Your body is smart enough to know when it’s time to just survive and when it’s time to thrive.

Take away calories and nutrients, it’s survival mode for you. Good luck losing any body fat until you get this fixed.

MISTAKE #4 | LOW OR NO INTENSITY

This mistake is an extension of #2 but common enough to make it a separate conversation.

Do you know what high intensity means? It doesn’t mean working hard. It means working at a higher percentage of your maximum.

Now anyone who’s done this knows it’s challenging but you could also do 100 arm curls which will definitely make you sweat and breathe harder, but it won’t give you the results you’re looking for (unless those results are sweet beach biceps!)

To develop strength & build a body that uses energy (aka fat) to sustain itself all day long, you need use resistance near your peak capacity. This means if you can squat 100 pounds 1x, you’re best to use 80-90 pounds and squat that weight 2-5 times for 3-5 sets.

MISTAKE #5 | YOU HAVE NO PROGRESSION

I saved the best for last.

Even IF you had some of this figured out such as the diet & training for strength…make this last mistake and you’ll be stuck where you are forever.

The difference between a fitness routine and a training program that will get you the results you’ve been dreaming of is the principle of progression.

Most are doing the exact same thing they’ve always done. Walking, treadmill, elliptical, a few circuits on the machines, or a class.

Without a strategically planned program with detailed progressions built into it, how can you expect to see any change in your outcomes?

You can’t simply repeat the same exercises, at the same difficulty level, in the same order as you’ve continued to do every time you follow your fitness routine.

If you want results like strength, flexibility, fat loss, less pain, and more energy, it won’t be easy but if you know what you’re doing or have experts who do, it’s also not rocket science.

Dr. Steven Gall has been offering exceptional chiropractic care to infants, children and adults for over 25 years. He has spent his life learning, and improving his knowledge, skills and ability to provide his care. As a public speaker and health coach he strives to assist people in seeing and attaining a life of extraordinary health. Contact the office to join others who have started the same journey.

Believe it or not, posture is not only important for aesthetics and how we look to others, but it is also vital to the function and maintenance of every body part of your body, from your muscles and your joints all the way to organ health and longevity!

Identifying a postural distortion (and having a plan to correct it) as soon as possible is one of the fastest ways to avoid long-term damage, quickly boost energy, and safeguard your health over your lifetime.

Take a look around.  You won’t need to look far to see people of all ages and even fitness levels with deteriorating posture.

With more videos games, smart devices, and increased time sitting at desks, driving in cars, and being generally inactive…we’re not helping ourselves to solve these issues.

Experts are beginning to consider postural deviations and the health problems associated with the epidemic.

Dr. Steven Gall has been offering exceptional chiropractic care to infants, children and adults for over 25 years. He has spent his life learning, and improving his knowledge, skills and ability to provide his care. As a public speaker and health coach he strives to assist people in seeing and attaining a life of extraordinary health. Contact the office to join others who have started the same journey.

When workstations are set up properly you will be less likely to experience problems such as headaches, eye strain, neck and back pain, as well as prevent bursitis and tendon problems linked to repetitive movements.

Set up your own optimized space with these 6 steps to design a pain-free workstation.

Monitor Height

Start by setting up your monitor such that the top of your screen is at eye level. This can be done most easily with an adjustable height desk or desk topper.

If a new desk is out of the question, you can always add a stack of books under your computer monitor.

Note, if you’re using a laptop, you will need to have an external keyboard to meet optimal ergonomic criteria.

Monitor Distance

The monitor should be between 18-36 inches from your eyes. A single monitor can be placed closer to the 18-inch mark whereas a dual monitor system would be best placed closer to the 36-inch position.

Blue light blocking glasses can also be beneficial to reduce eyestrain.

Keyboard & Mouse

The keyboard and mouse should be placed beside one another, at the same height, and close to the front edge of the workstation.

The desk or keyboard holder needs to be adjustable in order to compensate for any necessary modifications in the wrist angle.

Desktop Arrangement

The frequently used items (pens, pencils, paper, etc.) should be placed within arms reach to avoid excessive reaching, bending, and twisting.

Chair Design

While it’s common thinking to focus on a chair with extra lumbar support, I prefer the opposite.

Similar to shoes in which too much support reduces the strength development and mobility of the feet, using support from a chair silences the spinal musculature and causes abnormal pelvic tilting.

By moving towards the front of your chair and not using the backrest, you’ll require the more consistent activity of the muscle that supports the spine.

Sit up tall, keep the shoulder back and down, knees bent between 90 and 120 degrees, and position your feet on the floor or footrest.

To Sit or Stand: That is The Question?

There is potential for a standing workstation to be a better option than sitting, although some of the research gives us conflicting information depending on what parameters are being measured.

Some of the advantages are:

• Reduced Leg Weakening
• Less Hip Flexor Tightening
• More Glute Activity

The final advantage and the main reason why a standing station could be a great choice is more overall movement.

When standing, it’s more likely you’ll be inclined to move versus while working from a seated position.

How much you move, regardless of a sitting or standing desk, is a determining factor for which choice is the healthier one.

Either way, taking micro-breaks is very important.

Getting up and walking around for 10 minutes at the end of every 30-60 minutes can make a world of difference over the course of long days, weeks, and months working away in front of a computer.

Have you set up your pain-free workstation?

Dr. Steven Gall has been offering exceptional chiropractic care to infants, children and adults for over 25 years. He has spent his life learning, and improving his knowledge, skills and ability to provide his care. As a public speaker and health coach he strives to assist people in seeing and attaining a life of extraordinary health. Contact the office to join others who have started the same journey.