Being an entrepreneur with big visions and dreams, I often find myself looking ahead, seeing potential and naturally striving for all that "can be". Feeling the excitement about the future for State of the Heart Fitness, I was recently reflecting on how it all began and how far we've come since 2001. Looking at the programs, services and clientele we have, I found myself in quiet awe as I remember when we got our first "official" client; we were so excited! And now, our clientele numbers over 100 and continues to grow.

As good as it may be to look ahead, strive for greater potential and to always better ourselves, in my moment of reflection, I realized that it's JUST as important to honor the road and the challenges that got us to where we are today. It's easy to feel anxious when focusing on all that we desire to be, but in this moment, I found myself feeling incredibly appreciative and a sense of inner calm when I could look objectively at all that has already been "done".

So, do yourself a favor - give yourself the heart-filling opportunity to really appreciate all that you have accomplished in your life to get you here today. It's easy to forget. Be proud of yourself and who you are. Chances are… you've done some amazing things!

Lisa Brisse & the State of the Heart Fitness Staff

In the many years of working in the field of fitness, two questions are often asked: 1.) how to best lose weight in particular areas of the body, & 2.) what is the best heart rate for optimal fat burning?

With lots of misinformation out there and our media constantly declaring the next "magic fix" that will make us "thin and beautiful within days," we decided to set the record straight so you can stop wasting your energy on what doesn't work and instead focus on what does!

Myth #1: Spot Reducing! Most women want to know what exercises are best for losing the arms that wave back and for men, it's the abdomen. Unfortunately, working one particular area doesn't necessarily burn the fat there; doing 5000 sit-ups a day isn't going to do it. If you are exercising these areas - great - as this will strengthen and tone, but in truth, just as your car doesn't take gas from one part of the tank, your body doesn't burn fat from one particular area. Losing fat requires a combination of cardio 5x/week (30-60 minutes) with general resistance training for all major muscle groups 2-3x/week. In addition, healthy eating and portion control are about 80% of the equation!

Myth #2: Exercising at a lower heart rate burns more fat! This is always misunderstood. Yes, when exercising at a lower intensity (50-65% of max HR) you are burning a higher percentage of fat calories versus carbs (blood sugar & glycogen), however, when exercising at a higher intensity (between 70-85% max), though the percentage of fat calories burned is less, MORE calories (including fat) are being burned overall which is important since losing weight is all about total calories burned.

Example: Scenario 1) You are exercising for 30 minutes at 60% HR and you burn 100 calories. Maybe 70% of those calories are fat which = 70 total fat calories.

Scenario 2) You are exercising for 30 minutes at 80% HR and you burn 150 calories. Maybe 50% of those calories are fat which = 75 total fat calories. Notice you are still burning more fat at a higher intensity than when exercising at the lower intensity. Plus, the more fit you are, the more fat your body burns and increases your metabolism for the rest of the day. Think of elite runners or cyclists… all are very lean. Despite exercising at 85-90% HR, they burn a very high percentage of fat calories… a huge benefit of greater fitness due to a higher and more efficient metabolism! So don't be afraid to step it up. The body is meant to move and consistency every day is the key!

Hypertension is known as the "silent killer" - a name given because it has no outward symptoms - but did you know osteoporosis is known as the other one?

3 factors contributing to bone density:

1. Estrogen - stimulates bone building & suppresses bone dissolving activity. With less estrogen after menopause, bone dissolves at a faster rate than it is being built.

2. Level of Physical Activity - physically active adults have higher bone densities than their sedentary counterparts. Every time your foot hits the ground or you increase your muscular strength, bone growth is stimulated.

3. Nutrition - Getting calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium through diet and/or supplementation is important. This helps to maintain bone integrity, decrease bone turnover and slow down bone loss. Alcohol (2-3 ounces every day) interferes with the absorption and use of calcium and vitamin D, thereby decreasing bone density. Women should consume 1000-1200 mg of calcium per day, with the best sources of calcium being dairy foods, green leafy vegetables, soybeans and other beans, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts) and fruit. The best sources of Vitamin D come from sun exposure and diet - milk, fish such as tuna, mackerel and sardines, along with fortified juice and cereals. Women should try to expose their legs and arms to the sun for 10-15 min per day, while women over the age of 50 should be consuming 10 micrograms of Vitamin D per day.

the best exercise program for osteoporosis includes:

1. Weight bearing aerobics - increases bone density & cardio-vascular health; recommend 3-6 days/week; 30-60 minutes

2. High impact exercise - tennis, jumping rope, etc.- jumping increases force to bones by 3-6 times your body weight; recommend 3x/week if you are able to do them

Stephanie Prial: ran her best 10k at the Santa Monica Classic (May 4) @ 1 hour & 2 minutes!

Gigi Sutila: took 1st in her age group at the Santa Monica Classic 10k (May 4th) @ 51 minutes!

Danielle Greene & Steve Avdul: ran personal bests at the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon (May 10th) in 2 hours & 26 minutes!

Jean O'Loughlin: ran a personal best at the SB Wine Country Half Marathon (May 10th) in 1 hour & 54 minutes!

Congratulations to all! You rock!

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State of the Heart Fitness, P.O. Box 7013 Santa Monica, CA 90406
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