Austin Fit Magazine August 2021: The Longevity Issue by Austin Fit Magazine

AUG 2021

Longevity Age Like an Austinite

Healing the Body from the Inside

Big Muscles, Little Strain

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1 Vehicle’s projected resale value is specific to the 2020-2021 model years. For more information, visit Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. Kelley Blue Book is a registered trademark of Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. 2 MSRP $33,982. This close-ended lease available to well-qualified lessees. Total monthly payments = $12,204. 12k miles per year, additional overage fee of 15¢/mile may apply. Lessee is responsible for all maintenance unless otherwise specified. Additional fees for early termination, payment delinquency, and/or excessive wear and tear may apply. Lessee must provide appropriate auto insurance throughout lease term of 36 months. See Austin Subaru for details. 3 MSRP $38,049. This close-ended lease available to well-qualified lessees. Total monthly payments = $16,164. 12k miles per year, additional overage fee of 15¢/mile may apply. Lessee is responsible for all maintenance unless otherwise specified. Additional fees for early termination, payment delinquency, and/or excessive wear and tear may apply. Lessee must provide appropriate auto insurance throughout lease term of 36 months. See Austin Subaru for details. 4 Purchase/lease any new (previously untitled) Subaru & receive a complimentary, factory scheduled maintenance plan for 2 years/24,000 miles (whichever comes first). See Subaru Added Security Maintenance Plan for intervals, coverages, & limitations. Customer must take delivery before 12/31/2021 and reside within the promotional area. See Austin Subaru for program details & eligibility.

Carey Kepler with Ronda & Brook Owner & Coach at CrossFit Central Burnet Rd.

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From the Director ultimately the end game for most fitness-goers and health-conscious people. We choose the healthier options while out with friends, say no to a third drink, wake up early to hit the gym or take ourselves outside every day to, as AFM friend Todd Whitthorne would say, “Walk the dog, even when you don’t have one.” While we practice these daily habits to strive for longevity, we want more than to simply tack on a few more years to our lives. We want to run around with our grandkids one day, attend every event we can, explore new parts of the world and thrive as we age. We want to live, and live enthusiastically — without preventable, physical limitations. In this year’s Longevity Issue, we’ve packed these pages with optimal-living content. Discover how to heal the body from the inside with food, dive into a story about a local masters swim team and a few of their swimmers’ journeys to nationals, learn all about osteoporosis and much, much more. Changing daily habits to ones that are friendlier to optimal longevity may seem daunting to some, but I assure you, the benefits (like some that are listed above) are endless. Life isn’t about simply flipping through the chapters, but living our stories. If you’re a perfectionist like myself, working to have a lifestyle that will increase longevity, it’s also important to know that one unhealthy meal will not be the end all, be all for you. Living a healthy lifestyle with the intention of longevity is not something that can be deterred by one bad day or one bad week. A healthy lifestyle is something that is a habit — something you wake up every day and simply do. Whether you’re a seasoned fitness enthusiast or just on the cusp of your health journey, it’s never too late to start.

WE ALL PRACTICE HEALTH FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.

e do it to improve our blood circulation, help out our hearts, shed some pounds, gain confidence, enhance athletic ability, increase energy, improve cognitive function, reduce inflammation, be more resilient in the face of disease — the list goes on. Some practice health all their lives with the simple goal: optimal longevity. But honestly, I think that at the end of the day, whether we know it or not, this is

AUGUST 2021

Keep Austin Fit,

Emily Effren

DIRECTOR OF CONTENT

PHOTOGRAPHY

Exposure

PHOTOGRAPHER TAYLOR PRINSEN L O C A T I O N Downtown Austin

@taylorprinsenphotography

Want to possibly be featured in AFM? Email your work to afmteam @austinfitmagazine.com!

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August 2021

THE GOOD STUFF

ALL ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS

18 FIT FOR THE AGES AUGUST 2021

66 PROGRESSION:

WHY IT IS NOT LINEAR 6

Contents

HIGHLIGHTS

Letter from the Director 4 | Digital Content 8 | Events 76 | Rides and Races 78

AGE LIKE AN AUSTINITE

YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO TAKE A FITNESS CLASS

AMBASSADOR’S CORNER: RŌ FITNESS + SHAPE METHOD

NUTRITION

Recipe of the Month 10 Healing the Body from the Inside: How Can Food Help You Live Longer? 12 7 Foods to Incorporate Into Your Diet for a Longer Lifespan 14

LIFESTYLE

WELLNESS

Fit for the Ages 18 CBD + Aging 22 The Fountain of Youth: Sleep 24 Finding Your Tribe: The Importance of Belonging 28

All About Osteoporosis 36 Longevity is a Lifestyle Choice 42 Workploace Wellness 44 Recover Like a Champ 46 The Powerhouse for Longevity 50

FITNESS

Athlete Spotlight: Colin Strickland 52 What Comes After 50? 54 Beat the Burnout 58 Big Muscles, Little Strain 68

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AUGUST 2021

NUTRITION

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DIRECTOR OF CONTENT | EMILY EFFREN ART DIRECTOR | BEN CHOMIAK PHOTOGRAPHER | BRIAN FITZSIMMONS EDITORIAL ASSISTANT | MONICA HAND ADVERTISING AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT | JULIA RASOR PROOFREADER | HAYLEE REED CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mia Barnes, Jason Bourgeois, Monica Brant, Kati Epps, Sadie Flynn, Meagan Germaine, Sarah Leahy, Johnathan Mendoza, RN, DC, Jessica Tranchina, DPT, Eleanor P. Womack, M.D. INTERNS Jacqueline Knox, Aja Webber

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Blenders & Bowls

AUGUST 2021

RECIPE OF THE MONTH n Cool off this summer with an Açaí Beach Bowl from Blenders & Bowls!

lenders & Bowls was founded back in 2010 by two best friends, Erin and Kara. After moving from Hawaii to Austin, they had their hearts set on turning a food craving into what is now Blender & Bowls. Since then, Blenders & Bowls has made their mark in Austin, Texas, not only successfully opening five locations throughout Austin, but even making a name for themselves during the Austin City Limits festival as a must-have for festival grub. Not shying away from growth, Blenders & Bowls continued to push innovation in their recipes, bringing you some good ol’ B&B right to your kitchen. Blenders & Bowls recently launched their pre-blended smoothie bowls in grocery stores across Texas. These pre-blended bowls, which include all fanfavorites at the cafes, can be found in the frozen fruit section at your local grocery store. All of their bowls are made with organic açaí and dragon fruit. They use high quality ingredients like organic

AUGUST 2021

AÇAÍ BE AC H B OWL INGREDIENTS: 2-4oz of coconut water 1 pack of açaí 2 cups of frozen mango PREPARATION: 1. Blend until it is a thick, smoothie-like base. 2. S coop the smoothie base into a bowl. 3. Add in ¾ cup of hemp granola. 4. Add in fresh strawberries. 5. Add in fresh blueberries. 6. S prinkle on coconut shreds. 7. Add a drizzle of local honey. 8. Grab a spoon & enjoy!

hemp granola and local honey on every bowl. Our blenders (smoothies) are made with fresh frozen fruit, fruit juice or nut milks and veggies. They keep things simple — yet so delicious! Açaí bowls are great for anytime of the day, breakfast, lunch, dinner or even as a pre-workout snack.

Why Acai?

Açaí is wonderfully delicious and nutritious. The skin of the berry is enriched with the highest concentration of antioxidants than any other known fruit in the world! It has 16 types of antioxidant compounds, compared to five found in blueberries. These life-enhancing antioxidants and omegas protect against free radicals and promote overall health, increased energy and vitality.

We’re Expanding Rapidly! Blenders and Bowls has three locations across town. Swing by our Eastside, Westlake or North Lamar locations and enjoy many of our nutritious products. All locations offer online ordering, good vibes and our pre-packaged smoothie bowls. afm

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NUTRITION AUTHOR

Coach Kati Epps

HEALING THE BODY FROM THE INSIDE n Coach Kati shares how nutrition can lead to a longer, happier and healthier life.

ood is medicine. The famous Greek physician Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.” This statement has become the motto over the last decade for eating whole, nutrient-dense foods. The less processed, the greater the nutritional value, which equates to a greater ability for the body to process and utilize the food for macro- and micronutrient purposes. This slogan isn’t merely food rhetoric to support farmers or to shop locally. Food as medicine has been proven time and again to aid in healing the body from numerous disease states and to keep the body healthy for a longer life. What are the top five foods for healing the body and what do they heal?

AUGUST 2021

Fruits and Vegetables to Fight Inflammation

The body creates inflammation from an activation of white blood cells and the things that protect the body from disease or illness. When the body creates inflammation without the presence of sickness, like in autoimmune diseases, the body starts attacking healthy tissue. To help the body fight that inflammation, fruits and vegetables with deep color are the most healing. Kale, spinach and broccoli are some vegetable examples, while raspberries, cherries and blackberries are some fruit options.

Fatty Fish to Fight Heart Disease

Heart disease is currently the number one cause of death in America, with the most common being coronary artery disease — the leading cause of heart

attacks. Eating fatty fish three times per week over the course of eight weeks has shown to reduce cholesterol levels, triglycerides in the blood, systemic and diabolic blood pressure. Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines are all great fatty fish options.

Coffee to Fight Liver Disease

Liver disease is any disruption in the function of the liver that causes illness. The liver is responsible for vitamin and mineral storage, metabolizing food into nutrients, fighting infection, regulating blood clotting, protein production and bile production to help digest fat and absorb vitamins. Disruption of these functions can cause serious damage to the body. Coffee promotes liver health by preventing the buildup of fat and collagen, two markers of liver disease. It also helps reduce

inflammation and increase the antioxidant glutathione.

Whole Grains to Fight Leaky Gut

Leaky gut syndrome is an unhealthy gut lining that has cracks or holes that allow particles of food, bacteria, toxins and bugs to penetrate the tissue around it. The increased permeation in the intestines is responsible for Crohn’s disease, celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome. It has also been shown to be associated with autoimmune diseases (lupus and Type I diabetes), fatigue, fibromyalgia, obesity, acne and even mental illness. Whole grains have indigestible carbs that do not absorb in the small intestine so it can move into the large intestine. The large intestine breaks down the fiber with microbiota, promoting the growth of healthy bacteria.

Nuts and Seeds to Fight Memory Loss

Memory loss can stem from diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, to stroke, sleep deprivation, stress and depression. Memory loss can interfere with normal daily functioning and the ability to retrieve known information. Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans and cashews are full of vitamins like B6, which helps metabolize protein to repair brain cells. Flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds and soya beans are full of rich omega-3 fatty acids that support brain function and health. Food is medicine. This is known because every food listed heals each of the disease states listed. Nuts and seeds play a role in inflammation reduction, heart health, liver cleansing, healing the gut as well as brain function. These whole foods are full of vitamins and minerals that

promote healthy tissue and serve to repair when illness is present. Eating more whole grains, leafy greens, bright, fleshy fruits and fatty fishes weekly can create an environment for cellular reproduction and restore balance to the body. Hippocrates was right. Whole, unprocessed foods can both prevent and heal disease states in the body. Food is medicine. Medicine is food. afm Coach Kati Epps is the founder of MyBody GX with a background in chemistry from Colorado State University and is an ACE-certified personal trainer, health coach and nutrition specialist.

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NUTRITION AUTHOR

Mia Barnes

7 FOODS TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR DIET FOR A LONGER LIFESPAN n Learn seven key foods that are proven to enhance your overall health and increase your lifespan.

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lobal life expectancy currently averages just over 72 years, which is much shorter than many people would prefer. However, most adults could easily alter their life expectancy by modifying their diet. By swapping processed foods for fresh produce, humans could strengthen their immune systems, minimize illness and avoid disease to extend their lifespans and enjoy happier, healthier lives.

1. Leafy Greens

Spinach, kale, collard greens, arugula and other leafy greens are some of the most nutritious foods on earth. Their vitamin K content can protect your bones from osteoporosis and your organs from inflammatory diseases. High antioxidant levels may also lower your risk of developing skin, breast and stomach cancer. Use leafy vegetables to make a base for salads or add them to stir-fries, smoothies, omelets, sandwiches and casseroles to up your daily dose of green. You can even substitute romaine leaves for bread to cut carbs and maintain a healthy weight.

2. Seeds

Seeds like flax, hemp, sesame and chia provide healthy fats, minerals and antioxidants. These little guys also contain fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, zinc and many other nutrients, all of which can prolong your life. Plus, they’re incredibly easy to add to your diet. Sprinkle them on smoothies, oatmeal, toast, salads, yogurt and cereal to reap the benefits. Some seeds, like pumpkin and sunflower, also make for good snacking. Just remember to choose raw, unsalted varieties to minimize your sodium intake.

EATING FRESH, NUTRITIOUS FOOD IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO PROLONG YOUR LIFE, AND IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START.” Pomegranate can be a bit tricky to eat, not to mention tart. However, their tangy flavor makes them a perfect addition to salads, oatmeal, grilled meat and smoothies.

4. Salmon

3. Pomegranate

If you’re tired of eating regular old apples and oranges, throw a pomegranate into the mix. Pomegranates contain crisp, juicy arils that just happen to have phytochemicals, the most abundant of which is punicalagin. This antioxidant has anti-cancer, cardioprotective and memorybooting properties to help you live healthier longer.

Many varieties of seafood can reduce your risk of illness and death. However, salmon is one of the most effective. Eating just two 3-ounce servings of this fatty fish each week can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 36%. Plus, you’ll enjoy improved blood vessel function, better memory and lower blood pressure. Soak up omega-3s and boost immune health by preparing salmon and other seafood a few times per week. Use fish as a substitute for meat to further increase your longevity and cultivate a more sustainable lifestyle.

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n NUTRITION Substitute olive oil for butter and use it to cook everything from steak to vegetables. Look for flavor-infused oils to add some zing to classic recipes. Alternatively, you can use it for dipping bread and dressing salads.

5. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are an integral part of the celebrated Mediterranean diet, and there are plenty of reasons why. Red fruits like tomatoes contain powerful antioxidants, including lycopene, which can improve heart health and protect against cancer. This element can lower bad cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation to combat Alzheimer’s and weight gain, too. Cooking fresh tomatoes or serving them with healthy fats like olive oil will boost lycopenerelated benefits. Mash them into a paste, turn them into spaghetti sauce or cook them alongside other vegetables to easily incorporate them into your diet.

7. Green Tea

Green tea might not be a food, but you can certainly incorporate it into your diet. This powerful beverage can add years to your life by increasing your body’s p53 levels. This anticancer protein can protect against prostate and breast cancer, and some scientists are even using it to create advanced chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. Drink a few cups of green tea or enjoy a matcha latte every morning to reap the benefits of this lifeprolonging refreshment. Enjoy it hot or iced and add the liquid to smoothies, yogurt parfaits, chia pudding and even frosting.

You Are What You Eat 6. Olive Oil

Like tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil is a key component of the life-prolonging Mediterranean diet. This staple food contains high levels of monounsaturated fats that boost heart health and prevent the progression and onset of Alzheimer’s disease. EVOO’s polyphenol antioxidants will also protect the brain and improve cognitive function as you age so you stay mentally and physically fit.

AUGUST 2021

Eating fresh, nutritious food is one of the best ways to prolong your life, and it’s never too late to start. Transform your diet and your relationship with food by adopting the mindset of “you are what you eat.” Do you want to feel like a greasy piece of pizza? Of course not! You want to feel like a crisp apple or a bright, zesty lemon. So, start incorporating these foods into your diet today to feel even better tomorrow. afm

Mia Barnes is a health and wellness writer and the editor-in-chief at Body+Mind. She specifically enjoys writing about women’s fitness as well as mental health-related topics. When she’s not writing, Barnes can usually be found reading poetry, taking a dance or cardio class or hiking.

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LIFESTYLE AUTHOR

Sadie Flynn

FIT FOR THE AGES n

Five functional exercises to keep you moving and grooving into your golden years.

rowing up, my grandmother, whom we lovingly called Shana, would fly down from Chicago and spend the summers at our house. She loved torturing herself in the Texas heat. With her TV tray, foldable outdoor chair, cringy romantic novel and a gallon of sun tea, Shana spent most of her days chasing the sun spots that poked through the trees in our driveway — sitting, sipping and soaking up the Texas sun. When it was time for family outings, however, I remember my parents always having to work around Shana’s immobility and chronic health problems. My Shana was a fierce woman who grew up navigating the aftermath of the Great Depression. A single mother to six girls, she didn’t necessarily have time to think about taking care of her health — she only had time to survive. As a result, she developed a cocktail of dietrelated diseases and spent most of her late life avoiding

AUGUST 2021

excessive movement so as to not deepen her suffering of chronic joint pain and nerve and neurological problems. I can’t promise that those summer experiences didn’t play a part in my passion for fitness and wellness today, but let’s just say I am constantly asking my parents how they’re moving and fueling their bodies on an annoyingly regular basis. Since we put such a heavy emphasis on fitness and wellness, I often wonder what our generation will look like in our 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. My hope is that as we continue to make our health a priority, our fitness sticks with us. After all, “if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it,” as was the case with my Shana. So, what movements should we be incorporating into our fitness routines now that will keep us moving through the ages? Hint: you’re probably already doing them.

Squats

burpees are, arguably, the most functional movement on the map. It is falling to the ground and having enough coordination, core and upper-body strength to get back up again. As someone who has coached people well into their 70s, having this skill affords our older athletes a great amount of independence and confidence knowing that if they ever fell, they could get back up. And we love to see it.

As active humans, we squat constantly — when we go to the bathroom, when we pick up our kids, when we sit for a meal, when we get out of bed. It’s a movement that is required for everyday life. Squats keep your legs, hips, core and glutes strong, so if you plan to be able to get yourself off the toilet when you’re 70, squat often.

Deadlifts

Step-ups

Similar to squats, we’re constantly deadlifting. Loading luggage into the trunk, moving your coffee table to vacuum under it, bending over to pick up anything and then standing back up again — deadlifts. Deadlifts help keep your back, glutes and core strong — things we need to remain active and mobile as we age.

Ever heard of stairs? Step-ups are a unilateral movement that aid in balance and coordination and require the recruitment of your glutes, quads and core to make happen. Walking up or down stairs, on and off a curb or even climbing a rocky pass while hiking — the step-up transfers directly into all of those real-life activities.

Burpees

It’s an exercise that everybody loves to hate, but

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n LIFESTYLE lats to your serratus to your abdominal muscles to your obliques to your pelvic floor) is essential to your quality of life. Not only does this section of muscles protect your spine, but it keeps you performing all of the aforementioned movements — ensuring your strength and mobility well into your later years. So, what does it look like to put these movements into practice at the gym or in your at-home workout? Grab some weight, some bands or nothing but your body and try this on:

I OFTEN WONDER WHAT OUR GENERATION WILL LOOK LIKE IN OUR 60S, 70S, 80S AND BEYOND. MY HOPE IS THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR HEALTH A PRIORITY, OUR FITNESS STICKS WITH US. AFTER ALL, ‘IF YOU DON’T USE IT, YOU’LL LOSE IT.’”

Buy in: Run, bike, swim, jump or row for 10:00, then — 4 Rounds: 25 Air squats 20 Step-ups 15 Deadlifts 10 Burpees *At the end of each round, hold a 1:00 plank. Cash out: Run, bike, swim, jump or row for 10:00

Walking, Running, Biking, Swimming, Jump Rope or Rowing

This workout can be modified to your level of experience by adding weight to the squats and deadlifts, using resistance bands or wearing a weighted vest through all of it. afm

We walk every single day of our lives, and although we may not run, bike, swim, jump or row every day, these monostructural movements help build aerobic capacity — keeping our hearts healthy and our blood pumping. Each of these exercises are a total-body movement, amazing at maintaining coordination skills, engaging your core and keeping your joints strong and moving in varying ranges of motion.

Sadie Flynn is a CrossFit Level 2 trainer and former collegiate athlete with a penchant for power lifts. As a new mom, Sadie is deeply passionate about pregnant and postpartum fitness and wellness, and she works hard to help women take care of their bodies before, during and after birth. When she’s not coaching at CrossFit Renew or forcing her 90s alternative music beliefs upon you, you can find her somewhere outside with a beer, her husband, two dogs and their rambunctious toddler.

High Planks and Hollow Holds

Okay, so maybe you don’t find yourself holding a high plank every day, but in my opinion, if you’re going to pick a couple of core movements to incorporate into your training for longevity — the high plank and hollow hold is it. If you haven’t picked up on it by now, building and maintaining a strong core (everything from your

AUGUST 2021

LIFESTYLE AUTHOR

Aja Webber

CBD AND AGING n How to slow down the aging process:

Could CBD be the answer we’ve all been looking for?

n recent years, CBD has become a must-have in many people’s medicine cabinets. While CBD is a naturally occurring component derived from cannabis, it’s not to be confused with THC, which is the psychoactive component of marijuana, causing the high many associate with the infamous plant. While CBD won’t cause the high that THC will, there are plenty of benefits for the human body that shouldn’t be ignored.

notice that it has a more medicinal feel than some other forms,” says Sydney Torabi, owner of the local CBD shop, Restart CBD. Torabi, who has a background in nutrition, says that there are a variety of ways to utilize the supplement, and these different methods can have different effects. For example, ingesting CBD can cause gastrointestinal benefits, such as decreasing inflammation in the intestines, she adds.

Taking CBD

CBD and Skin Aging

In case you don’t already know, CBD is often used to help calm anxiety and reduce symptoms of insomnia, amongst other ailments. It comes in a variety of forms and can be digested, applied topically or taken through inhalation. “When using a supplemental oil, it is absorbed through the mouth, so it will have a pretty quick reaction time — about 30 minutes. You might also

AUGUST 2021

CBD has been known to help with psoriasis, enhancing sleep quality and reducing pain and inflammation — but what about aging? CBD has actually been found to have strong antioxidant properties that can help slow down the process of aging skin. Studies have shown that the antioxidants in CBD are actually more powerful than vitamins E and C.

CBD can also reduce the number of free radicals, which are unstable atoms that can damage the cells in the body. Free radicals damage cell proteins and DNA by altering their chemical structure, which can lead to premature aging. CBD can not only reduce free radicals, but also slow down the loss of collagen, which promotes healthier skin and cells. If you want to use CBD for its anti-aging properties, then smoking the substance may not be the best option. Smoking can actually speed up the aging process and therefore would be counter-intuitive. Instead, opt for topical products such as lotions, oils and creams. Aside from the reverse skin-aging benefits, CBD can help with growing older in other ways. As the years pile on, so can issues with joints, bones and general pain. CBD could potentially be a useful aid for these symptoms.

When on the hunt for a quality CBD product, Hobby recommends: 1. Ask to see the Certificate of Analysis (COA) for any CBD product you buy. 2. Test their customer service. You don’t want to buy CBD from an absent/ghost team. See if they are responsive. 3. Check to see if they offer 30-day, risk-free returns. Another good way to tell if your CBD is high quality is by looking at the ingredients. If they are not listed, it’s probably a good sign not to buy it. With benefits ranging from reducing skin conditions to enhancing sleep quality, CBD could potentially be another key to a longer, happier and healthier lifestyle. However, while CBD does house many benefits for the aging process, be sure to consult your primary care doctor before taking the supplement. afm

CBD and Quality of Life

Chase Hobby, co-founder of VRB Labs, says that although CBD is best known for its anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory characteristics, studies have also shown CBD to possess neuroprotective characteristics. “At the end of the day, I think about longevity both in terms of length and quality of life. CBD naturally and effectively addresses some of the key drivers that shorten life and make it harder to live,” Hobby says. “Though continued research needs to be done, the latest science is pointing to CBD as a very real intervention for improving both the length and quality of life.”

Final Thoughts

Hobby mentions that, because CBD is new and generally unregulated, it is incredibly important for consumers to do their own research to find the brands that are doing it right.

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LIFESTYLE AUTHOR

Jacqueline Knox

THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: SLEEP n More Zzz’s, longer life. Here’s why.

etting a good night’s sleep is imperative to your overall health and body function, especially as you get older. Everyone can feel the initial effects of a poor night’s sleep — fatigue, bad mood, lack of focus, etc. — but not many know the long-term effects on one’s longevity until it is too late to correct a bad sleeping pattern. Kathy Richards (Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FAASM), a clinical professor and senior research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin, specializes in the area of adult health. Her research focuses specifically on improving sleep. “A lot of studies that we’ve been doing as sleep scientists show that too-long sleep or too-short sleep over lifespan is likely to affect longevity,” Richards explains. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lack of sleep can be directly linked to certain health issues like high blood pressure, type two diabetes, obesity, heart attack, asthma and depression. Also, a 2014 study found that sleeping six hours or less per night can even increase one’s chances of having a car crash by 33%. On the flip side, an abundance of sleep can also cause issues. A 2019 study focused on the association of sleep duration, napping and strokes found that sleeping nine

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hours or more a night increased the incidence of stroke by 13% compared to those who sleep seven to eight hours a night. This is because excess sleep is linked to conditions like obesity and high cholesterol, which are both risk factors for stroke. Most interestingly, a 2007 study following twins found that there was an increased risk of death for both over- and under-sleeping at night. The risk was 24% if people slept less than seven hours and 17% for more than eight hours a night. Another study focused on twins found that sleep deprivation suppresses one’s immune system, which would increase mortality risk. Richards, who has been studying sleep for over 25

years, also believes that the relationship between sleep and the quality of your life should be examined. “I don’t think that any of us really want a long life if we have no quality of life,” Richards explains. “Many studies have shown that insufficient sleep, disrupted sleep, a lot of awakenings during sleep [or] just poor quality of sleep is associated with a poor quality of life.” Richards believes that the magic number of hours a night for adults and older adults is seven hours. However, she notes that not everyone is able to achieve a full seven hours of sleep a night, and it’s okay to make up some lost sleep on the weekends.

TOO-LONG SLEEP OR TOO-SHORT SLEEP OVER LIFESPAN IS LIKELY TO AFFECT LONGEVITY.”

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n LIFESTYLE Counting sheep, reading before bed, drinking a cup of tea — we have all heard the little tips and tricks passed down that are supposed to make you go to sleep faster and stay asleep longer. Richards shares some professional sleep hygiene advice on how to improve your sleep and ensure you get your seven golden hours.

IF YOU’RE DEPRIVED OF SLEEP BECAUSE OF WORK, CHILDREN OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS THAT YOU CAN’T MANAGE ANY BETTER, IF YOU CAN DO SOME CATCH-UP SLEEP, THAT’S VERY HEALTHY. WE’D RECOMMEND THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PREVENT GETTING [A] GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP EVERY NIGHT.”

1 Make sure you’re on a sleep schedule. In order to get the best sleep, Richards recommends going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday, even on the weekends. Your suprachiasmatic nucleus is synchronized by your sleep schedule, so ensuring that you have one is really important for sleep success. 2 Get some sunshine and exercise every day. Richards recommends at least an hour of sunlight a day, as well as exercise, in order to keep your circadian rhythms in sync, because both of those help set your internal sleep/wake clock. 3 Have a good sleeping environment. Make sure that the temperature of your sleep environment is not too hot or cold. The ideal temperature for sleep is 65°F. Additionally, Richards recommends not sleeping with a pet if you have one, because that can disrupt your sleep environment.

“If you’re deprived of sleep because of work, children or other obligations that you can’t manage any better,” Richards says, “if you can do some catch-up sleep, that’s very healthy. We’d recommend that for people who have life circumstances that prevent getting [a] good night’s sleep every night.” The aspect that is different with older adults is that their sleep has been found to be more disruptive at night, so in order to get a proper seven hours in, they might have to be in bed longer. This is because the suprachiasmatic nucleus, a bilateral structure in the hypothalamus that regulates more circadian rhythms in the body, doesn’t work as well as we get older, according to Richards. This affects sleep and the timing of sleep. “Somewhere in adulthood, changes in the brain start to occur in the sleep-wake mechanisms, having a continuous sound sleep and falling asleep so quickly,” Richards explains. “It’s just not as easy as it used to be.” Additionally, it is recommended that adults don’t nap as much as they age because daytime napping is associated with fragmented and poor quality sleep.

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4 Do a relaxing activity before bed. Read a book, take a bath or shower, drink a cup of herbal tea. These activities help you power down your body for the night and get ready to go to sleep. 5 Power down your devices. Scrolling through social media and staring at a bright screen will only make it harder to fall asleep. In fact, Richards suggests staying away from screens for a bit before you go to sleep. “We don’t recommend doing any computer work within a couple hours of bedtime,” Richards says. 6 Watch your alcohol intake before bed. Alcohol is a significant disrupter of sleep. “[For] most people, after consuming a fair amount of alcohol, you will wake up,” Richards explains. “You fall asleep quickly, but you will wake up an hour and a half, two hours later. So, watch those margaritas.” afm

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LIFESTYLE AUTHOR

Aja Webber

FINDING YOUR TRIBE: THE IMPORTANCE OF BELONGING n Eating well and exercising can increase longevity, but strong

relationships and community are also essential — here’s why.

lthough eating right and exercising is great for longevity in terms of mental and physical health, there is another often forgotten way to keep yourself feeling at your best, especially with age. A sense of belonging and purpose is essential to living a happy and fulfilling life, and this is why having strong community involvement and close relationships is so important. You’re probably already more involved with your community than you think. Whether it be visiting a gym, going to dinner with friends, watching a movie with family or complimenting a stranger, these are all things that contribute to one’s sense of belonging. If you haven’t heard of Blue Zones, you’re probably not alone. Blue Zones are areas in the world where people have been found to live the longest — and not just live, but live with happiness and contentment. There are a variety of factors that contribute to this phenomenon, but the main three commonalities of these areas are diet, exercise and purpose. National Geographic Fellow, award-winning journalist and producer Dan Buettner explains on the Blue Zones website that community and family are

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the focal aspect of a centenarian’s (a person that lives beyond 100 years) life. Many centenarians spend a lot of time and effort keeping their relationships with their families strong. This love and effort is often reciprocated in old age. “Children are likely to keep their aging parents nearby and to consider them to be founts of wisdom that will favor their own survival,” Buettner states on the website. Having a community, such as being a part of a religion or local organization, is also a common practice amongst the Blue Zones in the world. One study based on a sample of 5,449 middle-aged Americans from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found a significant link between religious affiliation and longevity, due to the sense of community. The authors took into account socioeconomic factors, health insurance status and other health habits, such as alcohol consumption and eating preferences. The goal of this study was to investigate the link between attending religious ceremonies and long-term health.

ties and weak social ties throughout the day. Here are the three key findings from the study: 1. Older people who engage with a greater variety of social ties throughout the day are more physically active and less sedentary during the times when they are socially engaged. 2. Older people report a greater variety of activities when they are engaged with a greater variety of social ties throughout the day. 3. Weak ties account for this greater physical activity — people have to get up out of their chair and out of the house to interact with weak ties. On the other hand, encounters with close ties are more likely to improve mood. “Despite the clear benefits of physical activity, programs to motivate older adults to be more physically active often fail,” says Fingerman. “This research shows the importance of encouraging older people to engage in social events and social activities, which are more appealing than exercise programs for most people.” Najia Jabbar, the director of events at Querencia, a local senior living community, emphasizes the importance of keeping the residents consistently engaged in fun activities. “We try to have the community engage in some sort of involvement every day so they don’t sit around watching TV alone. No one wants to be lonely, and sometimes that’s hard to avoid as you get older,” Jabbar says. Jabbar adds that COVID-19 had quite an impact on the residents, as they weren’t able to participate in as many activities and didn’t have a lot of visitors. From this experience, Jabbar says the pandemic taught them the importance of community and engagement. “Now that we have come back to some sense of normalcy, we like to bring a lot of music and hands-on activity like arts and crafts, cooking and bingo. It has also been a big help having volunteers again.” Yvonne F., a resident at Querencia, says she loves the community that she has found there. “We have so many wonderful residents in our community, and I feel blessed to call them my friends,” she says. “Querencia is not only a great place to call home, but it also offers so many opportunities to get involved. I have no choice but to stay active!” While it can be easy to get lost in the day-to-day happenings of one’s life, it’s important, and even vital, to be surrounded with loved ones, friends and a supportive community. Eating healthy and regular exercise are two healthy habits that can lead to longevity, but if we’ve learned anything from these Blue Zones, surrounding ourselves with a happy community is just as important. afm

The findings were very promising. Individuals who regularly attend a faith-based service live four to 14 years longer than their counterparts who do not. Although having a community, whether it’s faithbased or through interpersonal relationships, is important — it is equally important to consider who you are spending your time with. If you want to maintain healthy habits and relationships, it is necessary to surround yourself with people who also value those same habits. Harvard Health even notes the importance of fostering and keeping healthy relationships in one’s life. “Healthy behaviors are contagious. Deleterious behaviors are also contagious,” Buettner says on the website. “The world’s longest-lived people curate social circles around themselves that support healthy behaviors.” According to the University of Texas at Austin, there is some solid evidence that the types of relationships we have can lead to varying results on our longevity. While taking part in a wide variety of activities with more distant social contacts (such as acquaintances) often requires going out and being more active, interactions with close family may be surrounded around sedentary activities. Karen Fingerman, a professor of Human Development & Family Sciences at UT Austin, conducted a study that measures the link between physical activity as well as mood with both close social

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Age Like an

Austin Read what Austin seniors of various ages have to say about some of the biggest life topics. A U T H O R M O N I C A H A N D

There’s a lot that goes into longevity, even outside of overall health. There’s also love, fulfillment, activity and change. To help any age better understand life from a different perspective, AFM interviewed several Austin seniors from the Lamar Senior Activity Center to hear the advice they wanted to share with our readers. APRIL AUGUST 2021

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PHOTO BY MONICA HAND.

Syd Popinsky and Chuck Mandelbaum on Joking constantly across the table with each other, Syd (85) and Chuck (83) seem like love-struck teenagers. A second marriage for both, they wed in 2016 after meeting while ushering at their synagogue. Syd had lived in Austin her whole life, and Chuck had just moved to town. They admit that maybe it’s a little unconventional to fall in love so late in life, but these two love birds seem inseparable — one of those rare, perfect matches. So, how do you find that twin flame at any stage in life? “My first advice is just to make sure they’re your friend. Friendship has to play a big part of it all,” Chuck says. “Because once you recognize that there are going to be ups and downs in life, you’re going to want your best friend by your side through it all.” Both say that it’s also important to find a companion with similar interests and hobbies, especially in the long run. Chuck says that was part of the reason his

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FINDING LOVE

first marriage had to come to an end — they wanted different lifestyles. “Even when a relationship needs to end, and it’s important to recognize when that time comes, but even when it does end,” Chuck says, “you shouldn’t ever have bad feelings if you can avoid it. It’s so important to end as friends, too, because no one deserves to have heavy hearts or hurt feelings. Kindness should always be first.” Now, Syd and Chuck spend almost every day doing something they love. Whether it’s game nights with friends, a show at the theater, volunteer ushering or meeting up with one of the many groups and organizations they’re involved with — these two know how to make every day count, together. “I love being with Chuck, and I hope everyone finds their own version of him,” Syd says. “He’s like an old shoe — we just fit and it’s comfortable.”

Paula Brown on

CHASING DREAMS

Even just conversing with Paula Brown (66), you can feel her zest for life and others seep out of everything she says. Only newly dubbed the title of “senior,” Paula has wisdom about all sorts of life’s challenges from the eventful and amazing life she’s already led. Now retired from the state, though, she says that some of her most defining moments were when she was faced with challenges in her career and met them head on. Brown was born in a traditional family that felt women weren’t meant to go to college and/or work their whole lives, but Paula had a different idea than just finding a husband. She studied hard, worked her way through college and followed her passion to the legal field. But all the while, she faced people who felt she didn’t belong and said that she wasn’t cut out for that field or that she couldn’t reach her goals.

“It can be discouraging, hearing people be naysayers about your dreams and goals — not what they are,” Paula says. “But you just have to keep your head up and let their doubts and projections roll off you.” Paula emphasizes that, although this was her approach as a woman in the workforce in the 70s, it’s applicable to any and every person — no matter their age, gender or field — who has a dream they are chasing. “There will always be people that don’t want you to succeed. And the more you go after something, the more of them there will be,” Paula says. “It will be so hard sometimes not to let it get to you and bring you down — so hard — but in the end, I can promise you that no matter what happens, you will look back and be so proud of yourself for trying.”

PHOTO BY MONICA HAND.

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PHOTO BY MONICA HAND.

Jacque Cotrell on

STAYING ACTIVE

At the front of the Zumba class at Lamar Senior Center is Jacque Cotrell, leading and encouraging the group through tango, salsa and all sorts of dance moves. She’s a burst of energy, and her enthusiasm is contagious as everyone in the class, from age 65 to 94, smiles and laughs along with the beat. Jacque lived in Austin in her college years when she attended the University of Texas at Austin, but finally moved back for good in 2010. As she turns 74 this month, nothing changes in her on-the-go attitude that keeps her always looking for ways to bring activity into her own life and others’. When Jacque started looking around for workouts or activities to help open her hips, she stumbled upon a Zumba class. She thought, “Hey, that’ll get me moving my hips!” and she went for it. Even though she had never been a dancer, that didn’t stop her from falling in love with the choreographed movements that were working the parts of her body she hadn’t realized she needed to work. That got her mind going and made her realize that this was something that could help others, too. Now, not only does Jacque attend Zumba classes regularly (and walk half marathons across the country), but she herself is a Zumba Gold class instructor and leads weekly classes at Lamar Senior Activity Center and The Village in The Triangle.

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During the pandemic lockdown, she even helped pioneer a way to bring the class to her students virtually each week to keep everyone moving and smiling on the screen. She says that as you get older, activity gets harder, and some of your favorite ways to move may not be doable anymore. “Always stay active if you can, [and] always be finding some way to keep yourself moving, because getting back into shape isn’t as easy as it is when you’re in your 20s or 30s,” Jacque says. “After that, it gets harder every time.” Jacque says that it’s important to always stay flexible as life goes on. Things change and when they do, they can change instantly. Always be open-minded and willing to try new things. When she first went to Zumba, she had no idea it would become such a huge part of her continued wellness and health journey. “I was always a runner, but I can’t do that anymore. You have to be flexible and open to trying something new so that you can continue to be healthy and active.” Jacque says. “You never know what’s going to stick.”

Joanne Cepero on

BIG LIFE CHANGES

Joanne Cepero may be 92, but she’s as busy and active as ever. Only a few moments after meeting Joanne, you can feel how she radiates a joy for life and excitement about every topic ahead. What’s surprising is that she’s only lived in Austin for a short time but already knows more tips and tricks about the town than most Austinites. So, it was only natural that she shared some advice for anyone who recently made the big move to Austin, Texas (looking at you, Californians), or plans to move anywhere else in the world. Joanne grew up and lived in New York City her whole life — that is until she and her daughter packed everything up and moved to Chicago, where they knew no one and nothing about the city. It was a big move and took time to adjust, but a few years after that, they did it again, this time packing up and moving to Austin, Texas, where they once again knew no one to escape the cold and get a change of pace. With as many activities and friends as Joanne has, it’s hard to believe that she moved here without knowing a soul, and she says it’s all about putting yourself out there and staying positive.

“It was hard, definitely hard, when I first got here. It’s so different from the big cities I was used to, and I didn’t know a soul, you know? I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself,” Joanne says. “But I just started getting busy at the senior center and finding groups and interests I had, and I started meeting some lovely people and making it feel more like a home.” Joanne got busy indeed as she started working as the AARP membership coordinator, volunteering at APA! and joined the board of directors at the senior center and several other groups and organizations. But Joanne also says it’s important to have your own hobbies and things that you like to do even when you’re on your own so that you aren’t always relying on others. She prefers going to the theater, knitting hats for donation and doing paint by numbers when she has time to herself. “It’s important as you get older to know how to have healthy relationships and friendships, because loneliness can really be hard on your health,” Joanne says. “But you also have to know how to be happy and make yourself happy, too. It’s a balance.” afm

PHOTO BY MONICA HAND.

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ALL ABOUT

Osteoporosis What it is, why it happens and what you can do about it. AUTHOR MONICA HAND

steoporosis is a scary word. It can feel daunting and intimidating, especially as it is a silent disease, and one that typically comes with age. And it can feel a little intimidating when you’re first trying to learn about the subject with all of the studies and resources online. Here, we’ve broken down the major aspects of osteoporosis, it’s meaning, prevention and treatments.

osteoporosis comes in, hence the meaning of the name, porous bone. This skeletal disorder affects the bones’ strength and causes them to become more brittle overtime. There have even been studies that approximate that one in two women and up to one in four men ages 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis weakening the bones.

What are the risk factors?

Everyone will lose bone density as they age, but those with a higher peak bone mass at age 30 will consequently have a lesser risk of fragile bones as they age. This, of course, has exceptions as people with various risk factors and conditions have their chances of developing osteoporosis multiplied. Since bone development is closely tied to estrogen, women tend to have a greater risk after menopause. Women over 50 should talk to their doctors about getting a DEXA scan to better assess or diagnose the risk of osteoporosis. Some other risk factors include individuals with diabetes who had weight loss surgeries and usage of corticosteroids, smoking and alcohol usage, and the list is surprisingly lengthy. It’s important to talk with your doctor about your potential risk factors, especially if you had an early menopause, have one or more of the risk factors or have a family history of osteoporosis complications.

What is osteoporosis?

The adult human body has 206 bones, and the body depends on each and every one of those for our favorite activities and everyday movements. As we grow and age, the bones in our bodies are constantly being replaced with new bone material as the body reabsorbs the calcium and brings a fresh supply. In fact, the entire skeleton is replaced about every 10 years, with the peak bone mass and health being at age 30. Then, during the next 10-year cycle, until around age 40, the body is still able to replace as much calcium and bone as it absorbs. After age 40, that’s when the body begins to slow its natural replacement rate and begins absorbing more than it produces. As this continues, the bone loses density and creates larger pores inside the bone. This is where

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What are the warning signs?

Why is it dangerous?

Unfortunately, osteoporosis is known to be a silent disease, meaning there aren’t many warning signs in its early stages. In the later stages, however, some things to look out for are severe back pain (caused by a fractured vertebra), loss of height, stooped posture or a bone breaking much too easily.

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When bones become porous, they become much easier to break. Many times, a patient has no idea they are developing the bone disorder because there are no symptoms until a bone is broken. If left unnoticed for too long, it could leave that individual at risk for breaking a crucial bone like vertebrae or pelvis. In fact, in some extreme cases, people with severe osteoporosis can break a bone just from sneezing.

Osteoporosis is also dangerous for psychological factors. Many times, the risk of a broken bone keeps an individual from continuing certain activities that they love. The more severe the case, the more isolated that individual will come to feel. Isolation and loneliness are some of the major factors for depression in seniors, so it’s important to keep both your mind and body as healthy as possible. PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

How can one prevent osteoporosis?

There are many small lifestyle additions that can lessen your risk of osteoporosis. When it comes to your diet, make sure you are eating a variety of colors and getting enough fruits and vegetables. Calcium-rich foods like dairy products, dark leafy greens or fortified milks and cereals are another great place to start, or try adding in a calcium supplement. If you can, also try to make sure that your workout routine includes weight-bearing movements or styles. Swimming for example, although great for overall health and joints, does not put any impact on your bones, thus not strengthening the bones. There are also aspects to limit from your lifestyle and routines. Alcohol consumption, smoking habits and caffeine intake should remain at a minimum. While it may not be possible for you to cut these out entirely, try being more mindful in your consumption and practices, and that will go a long way in the long run.

What is the standard treatment?

The usual first line of defense when medically treating osteoporosis is a group of medications called bisphosphonates. These work to slow down the amount of bone loss that a person is experiencing, allowing for the bone growth process to catch up and strengthen the bone. These, however, can sometimes create side effects like bone, joint and muscle pain from the bone process or nausea, irritation and ulcers from the pill itself. Since every person reacts to medications differently, there are times that these side effects are too great for an individual, and then a new plan is devised. Other medications a doctor might try are denosumab and teriparatide, with possible added supplements and therapy practices like osteogenic loading exercises.

Even if the ailment is not as severe as that, it can still complicate everyday life as breaking a bone becomes much more possible. This becomes dangerous because, if it’s a bone that can’t be fixed, like a hip bone, the patient will have to undergo surgery for a replacement. Unfortunately, the statistics on individuals over 75 who have a hip replacement, for example, show that, on average, they live about five years post-replacement surgery.

What is osteogenic loading?

While there are several different kinds of medications that are meant to help speed up bone growth or slow down bone breakdown, osteogenic loading is a different approach to osteoporosis prevention and treatment. When a certain level of strain or weight load is put

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What is OsteoStrong?

on the bone, it stimulates the bonebuilding cells to get to work. This, naturally, strengthens the bones by improving bone density. The only problem is that it takes a specific level of loading, or weight, to trigger this bonebuilding response — about four times an individual’s bodyweight. The reason this is an issue is because, say, the patient weighs 130 pounds. According to the rule of four times the weight, that individual would need to lift 520 pounds just to stimulate any amount of beneficial or significant bone growth. Clearly, this is dangerous for any age. While there are some techniques like powerhopping that are designed to strengthen hip bones, they tend to be designed for individuals already in well enough shape to perform the moves (like a single-leg hop), and they only really focus on one or a few specific bones (like hip bones). Luckily, a new approach to this obstacle is impacttraining machines that stimulate that growth without the unnecessary dangers that come along with heavy weights like at OsteoStrong here in Austin.

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One such place to train your bones is OsteoStrong. With machines invented by John Jaquish, Ph.D., about 10 years ago, the boutique-style gym offers several different machines that focus on different parts of the body and different bones. The machines look just like the kind of setups you might find in any gym, but with a few major differences. Most importantly, the machines aren’t designed to have an individual manually lifting weight, but rather they are simulated through hightech robotic devices. At the facility, clients will use each machine once a week for several minutes at a time. Under the supervision and direction of one of OsteoStrong’s trained technicians, the client will experience highimpact emulation through the machines, without having to lift or move any heavy objects. In 12 months, there can be up to a 14% increase in bone mass density, and the progress is shown to each client at the conclusion of each session.

Who can benefit from osteogenic loading?

Everyone! Studies have shown that this technique, osteogenic loading, improves not only bone density, but muscular strength and balance as well. Having strong bones for any age helps to limit the risk of injury and keeps the body working as best as it can. Plus, as mentioned earlier, since exercises like swimming and biking don’t actually help bones get stronger unlike running and weightlifting, adding osteogenic-focused moves into your routine can greatly increase your overall health. afm

ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN MEDICINE, NUTRITION, FITNESS OR OVERALL HEALTH AND WELLNESS? ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE WITH OTHERS? DO YOU LOVE TO WRITE?

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! AFM is in search of regular expert contributors for our monthly issue. If interested, please contact editorial@austinfitmagazine.com to further collaborate.

WELLNESS AUTHOR

Eleanor P. Womack, M.D.

LONGEVITY IS A LIFESTYLE CHOICE n Dr. Womack shares a few, recent scientific breakthroughs in longevity.

ongevity is in the headlines of both the regular news and the scientific community publications these days, and there are now no fewer than 180 longevity institutes associated with universities in the world today. There is also a national board certification in “Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine,’’ in which practitioners can become experts in helping their patients develop a plan to pursue one’s health span and longevity. Without vibrant health, the prospect of longevity is not as appealing. In addition, a recent study shows that if we can delay the physical decline associated with old age, we could see over $38 trillion per year

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in economic benefits to society. This focus on extending health span instead of just lifespan should increase the relative quality of life. BREAKTHROUGH:

Telomere Length

Working with telomere length as a measure, there have been amazing breakthroughs in the science of longevity. Telomeres are the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that affect how quickly cells age. They are combinations of DNA and protein that protect the ends of chromosomes and help them remain stable. As they become shorter, and as their structural integrity weakens, the cells age and die quicker. Telomere lengthening

has become the “holy grail” of antiaging medicine. Eight years ago in 2013, Dr. Dean Ornish, clinical researcher at the University of California at San Francisco and founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute at UCSF, published research showing that a lifestyle change which included diet, exercise and stress reduction could extend telomeres approximately 10% in length. BREAKTHROUGH:

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

More recently, Dr. Shai Efrati and his team of physicians at the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research in Israel

THE FOCUS ON EXTENDING HEALTH SPAN INSTEAD OF JUST LIFESPAN SHOULD INCREASE THE RELATIVE QUALITY OF LIFE.”

published a study showing that, when a patient did 60 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy at 2.0 atmospheres of pressure for 90 minutes over a 90-day period, the average patient saw an increase in their telomere length of between 20% and 38%. This is an amazing breakthrough in anti-aging longevity science, an increase of well over 200%-400% more than the previous “major breakthrough” in longevity research. Additionally, we’ve seen breakthroughs in wearable technologies (watches, rings, chest bands) that interact with our phones and computers and give hour-by-hour feedback to individuals interested in understanding the personalized

diet changes, sleep changes and exercise changes which improve health span. BREAKTHROUGH:

Looking at SNPs

Simple buccal swabs can give an inexpensive window into the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that describe the uniqueness of each individual’s DNA scaffold. Also available to knowledgeable practitioners is a blood test that gives a peek into what portions of your DNA you are using and which are turned off. This knowledge can change lifestyle habits of diet, exercise and recovery and indicate specific supplements or pharmaceuticals to truly personalize your care.

Working with practitioners who are versed in these SNPs and mRNA fragments can shorten the search for your personalized path to health span and longevity. It is easy to see that the choice for each of us now is between a life prolonged in suffering on pharmaceuticals that are tuned to the epidemiologic science of double-blind drug studies or the study of performance-driven individual lifestyle, wearable metrics and the personalized dive into the genome. afm Dr. Eleanor P. Womack, M.D., is a Harvardtrained physician who worked in Dr. Ornish’s lab as a medical student and is doubleboarded in internal and anti-aging & regenerative medicine. She is the medical director of both Westlake Medical Arts and ATX Hyperbarics. In the spring of 2022, Dr. Womack and her team will be launching the Scientific Longevity Institute in West Lake Hills, Texas.

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WELLNESS AUTHOR

AFM Team

WORKPLACE WELLNESS n Learn about Wondr Health and the benefits of having a health and wellness program available for employees.

n September of 2019, Jan Garcia came across Wondr Health (formerly known as Naturally Slim) and, because it was part of her employee benefits, she decided to give it a try. “I saw it as an employee perk,” Garcia laughs. As someone who had tried popular diets and meal replacements, Garcia says this program was unique in that it didn’t feel like a traditional weight loss program — it was centered around overall wellness and wellbeing and that was what helped her find success.

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“It’s a holistic process, where it’s not just about losing the pounds, but it’s also about making sure you take care of yourself,” Garcia says. On his life’s mission to determine and identify solutions that will improve the health of large populations, motivational speaker and Chief Inspiration Officer for Wondr Health, Todd Whitthorne, says this is the main reason why many achieve overall improved health with Wondr, and that those who go through the program build the skills they need to navigate obesogenic environments.

“The problem is we live in a very challenging environment, and, it is an environment we created — it is not anything other than the fact that it’s just tough to be healthy,” Whitthorne says. Whitthorne, who has spent over 20 years working in health communications, says that combating obesity can in turn avert preventable diseases. In the U.S., 42.4% of adults are overweight, according to the CDC, meaning that they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 30. “Who has the most skin in the game, besides the individual, is

the employer, I believe, or the organization that that individual is a part of, because right or wrong in our country, the majority of Americans receive their health coverage through their employer,” Whitthorne says. “And so, as a result, the employer pays a great deal of the cost of healthcare for most — not all — but for most individuals.” According to the CDC, only 46% of U.S. worksites offer some type of health program for employees. Additionally, of that 46%, only 29% offer physical activity and 17% offer obesity and weight management. While everyone is responsible for their own health, employers also have an incurred risk since it’s the employer that bears the majority of the cost of health insurance. Whitthorne adds it was this realization that caused a lightbulb moment: a program that could create or incorporate solutions to help companies create healthier people — an eminently scalable solution. “Then everybody wins, the employee wins, the employer wins. The families of the employees win. It’s pretty simple, healthier people consume less healthcare,” Whitthorne says. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, medical spending, per person, for overweight individuals was an additional $1,429 (42% higher) than someone of normal weight. Moreover, unseen costs include direct costs (radiology, surgery, labs, drug therapy, etc.) and indirect costs (having to take more days off, higher insurance premiums, etc.). Enter Wondr Health, a digital behavioral change program that teaches weight management skills. With a team of doctors and

clinicians, these professionals teach the behavioral science behind eating the foods one loves while still losing weight and improving one’s overall physical and mental wellbeing. In addition, Whitthorne adds that health is much more than managing one’s weight, blood pressure, triglycerides, etc. — it’s also about quality sleep, stress management, resiliency, and physical activity which then translates to improvements in both physical and emotional wellbeing. For Garcia, a medical research coordinator, this was one of the primary reasons she found success — because it taught her the skills she needed to form new habits. “Habits are the key components of creating a new lifestyle or changing their lifestyle, and that program, the way it is set up, I think it allows you to absorb information but also practice it,” Garcia says. “If I had done it differently, I don’t think I would have been able to have sustainable changes.” What Garcia specifically likes about the program is how easily accessible it is — all through an app on her phone. “I think that that should be part of the benefits package for other companies. Especially during these times, there should be a focus on the employee’s wellness and wellbeing,” Garcia says.

“Oftentimes, losing weight can be one of the ways that people can feel happier and better overall. If an employee feels good, I think they’ll be able to perform better at work.” During her lunch breaks, she would watch the informational videos and learn about building new habits. In the end, Wondr helped Garcia more than just shedding some pounds. “Just becoming aware of my habits, that was kind of a big eyeopening for me. Understanding my hunger levels, really diving into having awareness of my eating habits [and] my choices, but also understanding ‘What are my vital needs?’” Garcia says. In addition to getting better sleep and experiencing increased energy, Garcia says she lost 30 pounds overall. According to Wondr’s website, success is measured by not only weight loss but other life improvements like better sleep, increased energy, gained confidence and overall improved quality of life. “After this program, it really enhanced my life in so many ways. I’ve incorporated new hobbies. I cook more, I cook differently. I also exercise,” Garcia says. “It started with focusing on myself, but then I’m translating that to helping others in the community, and I think that is really amazing.” afm

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WELLNESS AUTHOR

Jessica Tranchina, PT, DPT

RECOVER LIKE A CHAMP n Think again when you want to skip the recovery sesh.

ecovery from training, exercise and sports has increasingly become recognized as one of the most important aspects of performance and overall wellness. It is widely known that without proper recovery, performance will not only not improve, but it will suffer. You’ll find that some methods may prove more effective than others, but it’s crucial to remember that any interventions will be beneficial. Keep in mind that the most effective strategy for you may take some experimentation to determine which ones prove feasible and successful.

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We train, eat, sleep, repeat, constantly striving to get stronger, fitter, faster or slimmer — but is there a point where too much becomes harmful? Many recognize the need for recovery after exercise, but do we understand what it takes to fully recover and whether we have actually achieved that state? We hear terms like “overtraining” and wonder when it is happening to us but may not be sure. Although several signals point to overtraining, an elevated resting heart rate (RHR) coupled with a decrease in exercise performance over 7-10 days are the easiest to monitor. Let’s start with a basic

understanding of homeostasis, stress and recovery within the body. • Homeostasis is a state of balance within the body that occurs when the variables in a system (e.g., pH, temperature) are regulated to keep internal conditions stable and relatively constant. • Stress is a stimulus that overcomes (or threatens to overcome) the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis. There are various types of stress: stress related to exercise, which includes physiological (e.g., muscle tears, dehydration, pain) and chemical (e.g., blood

imbalances of acid-base or oxygen-carbon dioxide). Other common types of stress are environmental, psychological, emotional and social. • Recovery is the body’s process for restoring homeostasis. The human body is designed to tackle stress — we either adapt or perish. An intense, acute bout of physiological stress followed by adequate recovery, which enables adaptation and restores homeostasis, is generally considered healthy. However, physiological stress that is not followed by adequate recovery can, over time, compromise

homeostasis and immune function, increasing the probability of injury, illness and the onset of overtraining. Considering these implications, it’s no surprise that experts have turned their attention to studying stress and recovery. Although recovery is a critical phase of the exercise-adaptation cycle, it is among the least understood and most underresearched components of training. Essentially, recovery is a process that includes rest, rehydration, refueling, regeneration (repair), resynthesis, reduction of inflammation and restoration that ultimately returns the body to homeostasis.

In short, if you’re “hitting it hard,” then you need to devote equal time to “quitting it hard,” according to Jonathan Ross, a highly respected trainer from Baltimore. Recovery can be put into three categories: immediate recovery (in between reps), short-term recovery (in between training sets or intervals) and training recovery (in between workouts), which is the one we will focus on in this article. Focusing on training recovery offers the greatest potential benefit, because everything that happens outside of an exercise session — life, work, etc. — has a potential effect. Hence,

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n WELLNESS the need to ask: Are we truly recovering from training, given the body’s perception of stress and the hectic schedules many of us keep? Furthermore, how do we measure or monitor recovery? We can now monitor various physiological parameters in real time to validate recovery and improve the recovery process. For example, measuring resting heart rate (RHR), heart rate variability (HRV) and ventilation (breathing) patterns can provide valuable information on the dominance of our sympathetic nervous system (SNS) or parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), the latter of which is responsible for rest, repair and recovery. It’s also helpful to review the scientific evidence for specific means of achieving it: active recovery, compression, hydrotherapy and sleep to spotlight just a few. Active recovery, (e.g. a cool down), is light activity performed immediately following intense activity. The idea is to speed up the removal of lactate and hydrogen from muscles while stimulating and facilitating blood flow and signaling proteins (to initiate healing and adaptation) into the localized tissue. One study found that following high-intensity workloads with active recoveries performed at 60–100% of lactate threshold helped muscles recover faster than did more passive recoveries performed at lower intensities at 0-40% of lactate threshold. Compression, delivered via inflatable devices, such as pulsatile pneumatics or through compression clothing, is believed to alleviate muscle fatigue and soreness, accelerate lactate and metabolic byproduct removal, reduce muscle stiffness, increase venous and lymphatic flow and muscle oxygenation and accelerate

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recovery. Pneumatic compression (which incorporates pulsatile pressure) tends to have a greater effect on increasing blood flow and decreasing muscle stiffness. There is still much to learn about the true benefits of compression, but we do know that there does appear to be some recovery benefits with little concern about harmful side effects. Hydrotherapy, or water immersion, provides a plethora of benefits to the cardiovascular system. The cardiovascular system responds by changing heart rate, peripheral blood flow and resistance to flow. It also changes the temperature of the skin, muscles and core, influencing inflammation, immune function, muscle soreness and perception of fatigue. The three most common immersion techniques are cold water immersion (CWI), hot water immersion (HWI) and contrast water therapy (CWT), which alternates immersions between hot and cold water. These techniques have been extensively examined and appear to have many benefits, though CWI and CWT demonstrate greater benefits than HWI. Sleep is undervalued and underrated. Health and medical practitioners recognize the importance of sleep upon overall health and wellness requirements. Sleep and recovery depend on two vital data points: basal sleep, which is the amount the body needs every night to recover, and sleep debt,

which accumulates if we do not get our basal sleep every night. If sleep debt piles up, rising stress and cortisol accumulation in the body will impair recovery and threaten our health. Considering how much psycho-emotional stress people deal with every day, we should all take the time to inventory our stress and consider the ramifications on recovery and performance. Disregarding or underestimating the importance of sleep may expose us to a higher risk of overtraining. Regardless of the recovery method(s) you choose, the important part is choosing something. Experiment with various methods and try them at different times of day and after various activities. You never know, you may actually begin looking forward to recovery days! afm Jessica Tranchina, PT, DPT, is a co-founder of Generator Athlete Lab and has been an athlete her whole life. As the creator of the Generator Method, Tranchina works to help guide others to better performance and recovery and is passionate about bringing the active community of Austin together from all fitness levels and athletic backgrounds. NASM-CPT, A.R.T Certified Provider, CKTP.

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WELLNESS AUTHOR

Jonathan Mendoza, DC, RN, FNP-C

THE POWERHOUSE FOR LONGEVITY n Learn about mitochondrial health and why it should be a primary focus of your healthy lifestyle.

ne of the primary ways to achieve longevity is through promoting mitochondrial health. The mitochondria is located in each of our cells and is considered the powerhouse of energy production. The mitochondria produces ATP (adenosine triphosphate), our main “currency” of energy. Aging and stress are two factors that can diminish the health of our mitochondria — leading to a decrease in ATP production. Every action in our bodies requires ATP. Our bodies will produce millions of ATP per minute just to keep up with our daily routines. The harder we work our bodies, the more ATP production we require. Vitamins and amino acids supply nutrients to the mitochondria in order for our cells

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to function. Issues like nutritional deficiencies can lead to a poorly functioning mitochondria and a possible inability to produce ATP.

Mitochondria and Stress

Stress (physical, chemical and mental) can cause inflammation that eventually leads to a dis-ease in the body. Inflammation can produce oxidative stress which can lead to damage directly affecting the mitochondria. Mitochondrial dysfunction can then occur, leading to the progression of chronic disease specific to the area affected. For example, oxidative stress can occur in the brain, leading to mitochondria dysfunction of a neuron. Oxidative stress is a byproduct of ATP production but is reduced by glutathione, our bodies’ major antioxidant. Glutathione is mainly produced by the liver and should

be a focal point in the fight against oxidative stress and aging. It can even cross the blood brain barrier and help reduce oxidative stress that is often found in cognitive decline. Oxidative stress is also found in mental wellness disorders. We are just now starting to understand how important mitochondria dysfunction is when it comes to your overall health. It makes sense that we should supplement the proper nutrients that support a healthy mitochondria and reduce an overproduction of oxidative stress. L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, NAD+ and resveratrol all do their part to help the mitochondria function optimally. Labs that measure mitochondria health can give us insight into which nutritional deficiencies, such as these, are needed.

Other Methods to Support Mitochondria

Ice baths and calorie-restrictive diets have long been documented to support healthy mitochondria. Ice baths promote the production and conversation of white adipose (fat) tissue into brown adipose tissue, which will produce hormones such as adiponectin that support a healthy mitochondria. A calorierestrictive diet (<1000/day) along with prolonged fasting (36 hours) can activate autophagy, a pathway mitochondria can use to promote cell regeneration. This is where a toxic or damaged mitochondria will essentially “clean” itself and rejuvenate, which is known as mitochondrial rejuvenation. NAD+, vitamin IVs and resveratrol capsules can also promote mitochondrial rejuvenation. Someone who has promoted mitochondrial rejuvenation can

activate a gene that promotes true longevity. Once a person has cleaned up their diet, addressed potential nutritional deficiencies and then lives an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, they now can promote mitochondrial biogenesis. This is where the mitochondria are able to duplicate themselves within a cell and make new mitochondria. When a person is living in this type of healthy, cellular state, how long will a person live for? What will their quality of life look like? By now, you might be a little overwhelmed and feel like we just took a crash course in biochemistry. Well you did — but it’s for a good reason. This is a blueprint on how to take care of yourself. If you take care of yourself, you can do anything you want to do in life. You can go as far as you want to go. You can function at the highest level possible — imagine that! What would you accomplish? What would your mindset be? What would your life look like if you were the healthiest you have ever been? That is what longevity is. The ability to function at the highest level for the longest possible period of time.

Final Thoughts

No matter what point you are in life right now, you could be better. You could sleep better. Feel better. Think better. Eat better. Breathe better. All of these actions can be produced from optimal functioning mitochondria. Whenever I complete an ice bath, I am targeting all my mitochondria throughout my body. Whenever I get a NAD+ IV, I get a vitamin B3 derivative that is administered directly into my bloodstream to be used immediately in the mitochondria whenever it is needed. When I perform a

three-day water fast (please consult your health practitioner before you do this!), I promote autophagy throughout my entire body. If we focus on the entire body as a whole, then we can promote a more well-rounded approach to our health. Just like with any new routine, modify to meet your needs and capability. Alway include deep sleep, breathwork, flexibility (chiropractic is great for this!), mindfulness exercises and lots of water, along with mitochondria support to promote optimal health and wellness. If you don’t know where to start, consult with us and we can help guide you. We can even order labs for you. It’s never too late to focus on your health. Just remember to include the mitochondria in your health regimen. afm Jonathan Mendoza, DC, RN, FNP-C AKA “Nurse Doza” is the founder of MSW Health Lounge and co-founder of MSW Nutrition in Austin, Texas. An Austin native, Nurse Doza has been studying nutrition and its effects on our health for over 15 years. While in his last year of chiropractic school, Nurse Doza began nursing school so that he could eventually utilize the healing benefits of both body work and intravenous vitamins and minerals. Now, MSW Health Lounge is an Austin hot spot for groundbreaking health & wellness, hosting regular Lunch & Learns and other events for the community to come together and learn about how to improve their lives with health. His passions include teaching, discovering new healing modalities, interviewing guests on the How do you Health? Podcast and traveling with his loved ones to anywhere with mountains.

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FITNESS AUTHOR

AFM Team

PHOTOGRAPHY

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ATHLETE

Spotlight

COLIN STRICKLAND n AFM speaks with professional

cyclist Colin Strickland to talk all things biking, staying in shape and more.

n 2017, Colin Strickland placed first at Gravel Worlds. In 2018, he placed first at Bike the Bricks and first again at the Gravel Worlds. In 2019, Strickland placed first at The Rift Gravel Race in Iceland and first place at Dirty Kanza. In 2020, he placed second at The Mid South 100. It’s safe to say Strickland has raced his way to the top, and this month, we get to speak with him about his training prep, nutrition and mental toughness.

It all ends up being pretty physically taxing, and I don’t see a need to go to a gym. I also incorporate some purpose-driven strength training exercises for endurance. AFM: What does day-to-day nutrition look like for you? STRICKLAND: [I] stick to nutrient-dense foods my body can process to replenish after long rides. I will eat red meats on an as-needed basis, but I usually eat veggie-heavy. During a long training ride, an ice cold Red Bull at a gas station in the middle of nowhere is the savior to getting me home after a 90- to 130-mile ride.

AFM: How did you originally get into gravel racing? STRICKLAND: You could joke that it was riding out to the mailbox as kids, but I rode some local races in Texas that suited my physiology, and I won back to back Gravel Worlds in 2017-2018.

AFM: Gravel racing vs. road racing — which do you prefer? STRICKLAND: I love the craft of road racing, but gravel is a great fit for me and I get to experience the bike in a different way.

AFM: Outside of biking, how do you stay in shape and maintain your endurance? STRICKLAND: I work on projects around my house, including landscaping, renovations, mechanic work.

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AFM: What is most challenging about this sport in particular?

AFM: What are your favorite songs to listen to while training?

STRICKLAND: Managing the mental side of things. Over a 10-hour period, a number of things cross your mind, [so it’s about] having the ability to keep it all together.

STRICKLAND: Anything by RF Shannon or Hank Williams can do the trick. I am also a big fan of BØRNS if I’m in a romantic mood for some candy pop. AFM: Where are your favorite places to bike in Texas? And, more specifically, Austin?

AFM: Long races can be tough, both physically and mentally. At what mile mark do you typically begin to struggle?

STRICKLAND: Gravel roads have disappeared in Austin, but I love racing the weekly Driveway Series Crit, and for gravel I have to head south of Austin to find some long gravel routes. West Texas Terlingua/Marfa areas are also breathtaking. afm

STRICKLAND: On a cold and wet race day, I am going to say as soon as the race starts. Each race is really different — many factors like nutrition and hydration play into that. AFM: How do you handle this struggle mentally? STRICKLAND: Reminding yourself of all the hard work and training you have done to remind yourself that you can.

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FITNESS AUTHOR

Jacqueline Knox

WHAT COMES AFTER 50? NATIONALS. n The YMCA TownLake morning Masters Swim Program has brought older swimmers a new love for the sport of swimming.

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uring the hot Texas summer, swimming is on everyone’s mind. One step outside and you are aching to take a leisurely dip in a nearby body of water for some cooling relief. But for this group of masters swimmers, swimming is on their mind year round. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:00 a.m., YMCA TownLake opens up in the early morning, and the masters swim class comes in with a smile to get in their workouts for the day. “Day after day, yard after yard, these swimmers put in the work, and it shows,” says Jessie Edwards, their coach. For some, swimming is an old love that they are reigniting, but for others, it is a newfound love. Elise Ragland (71) has been around swim teams her entire life. She even served as the assistant coach for the University of Oregon women’s swim team at one point. Last competing in 1972, Ragland returned from her 30-year hiatus in 2002 and has been competing ever since. She now holds multiple records that she plans on continuing to break. “Swimming is something that you can just do forever,” Cameron Riffe (34) explains. A longtime swimmer herself, she loves the energy that swimming brings and says there is nothing like it. Meanwhile, other swimmers such as Bart Jennings (62) have recently started the sport. Jennings took up swimming after noticing how running was affecting his knees and joints. After a few

private lessons with Edwards, Jennings was convinced to join the masters group and has loved it ever since. In addition to his joints feeling better, Jennings has also noticed improvement in his cardiovascular function. Previously having undergone a cardiac ablation procedure, Jennings was dealing with arrhythmias and other heart issues when he began swimming later in life. “Jessie has brought me up to another level of exercise,” Jennings says. “I haven’t had any heart issues at all and it has all stabilized.” Especially for older people, running and walking can create a lot of stress on joints, making it difficult to participate in that

form of exercise consistently. Swimming, however, puts very little stress on one’s joints because of a hydrostatic pressure and still provides adequate exercise. “It really is an ideal form of exercise to recommend to the general public,” says Dr. Hirofumi Tanaka, University of Texas at Austin professor and director of the Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory. “One good thing about swimming is [that] it is a nonweight-bearing activity. Swimming is truly a really freaky good form of exercise, especially for older people.” Tanaka himself is an avid swimmer and strongly believes in the health and fitness benefits the sport provides. In fact, he swims often at his neighborhood pool

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n FITNESS

in Circle C Ranch. “I chose the neighborhood for the swimming pool,” Tanaka exclaims. Regardless of whether they are new or old to the sport, all of these swimmers share a passion. Ranging in age from 34 to 71, the swimmers train to compete, and four of them, Jennings, Connie George (60), Rick Ravel (70) and Ragland, recently competed in the U.S. Masters Swimming Short Course National Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina. Additionally, other swimmers, such as Erin Shedd (37), Greg Gravunder (54) and Riffe, train to compete in triathlons and longer distance races. “It’s love of being healthy first and then love of the sport, especially for this group,” Edwards explains. “It’s funny. I feel like they could care less about how

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good they are, but they are good. For them, it’s like I get to see my friends at 5 a.m. swim and have fun, and being fast comes second.” The entire team has become a family — so much so that the swimmers even convinced Coach Edwards to get back in the water and compete in meets alongside them. “I will say, one of the best moments was when Elise and I got to swim our miles together,” Edwards remarks about the race. “It was just really special.” Edwards previously worked as an emergency room nurse and has made it her new life mission to keep people out of the ER. She focuses greatly on her swimmers’ health, ensuring they are as healthy as can be. “I have been so inspired watching this team and its commitment to health,” Edwards remarks. “Coaching them has been one of my greatest joys.” afm

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FITNESS AUTHOR

Meagan Germaine

BEAT THE BURNOUT n Local trainer Meagan Germaine shares the realities of long-term fitness and how to stay on track.

ou’re always motivated. You work out nearly every day. You eat only healthy food. You count your macros. You weigh your portions. You measure your body fat. You lean out and bulk up. And always with 100% discipline and a progress-only mindset. Finally, it’s not always progress that we find. It’s forward, backward, up, down, circles and in between. We, too, will occasionally lose sight of our goals and have to take a few steps back — we are all human. The difference is, no matter how many steps we take back, fall down or experience instances where we lose sight of the goal — we keep going. You get back on that horse and keep riding all the way back to the barn. Have I wanted to ever give up? Yes. The good thing is there are so many ways to deal with the burnout and a pocket full of keys to unlock that motivation and consistency:

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AU S T I N F I T M AG A Z I N E

n FITNESS 1. Take a break. Rest days are

crucial to long-term fitness and health. Your body needs days off from training to repair the damage you’ve done during your workouts. Working out creates tears in your muscles and breaks them down. Rest/recovery days are when the magic happens. Your body repairs these tiny tears and your muscles are built up bigger and stronger than before. I would suggest taking at least two rest days a week.

2. Be flexible! Unless you’re

prepping for a fitness show or some other athletic event, allow yourself some flexibility in your nutrition. Restricting yourself 100% of the time from the foods you love can result in developing a bad relationship with food. Furthermore, it can potentially lead to binge eating and/or other eating disorders. Most people fall off track from their “diet” because it is too restrictive. Start out simple. Stick with fresh, whole foods and lean meats. For example: fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, turkey, rice, oats and eggs. Allow yourself to enjoy a meal or two out of that realm. Indulge in some pizza, a cheeseburger, a scoop of ice cream, etc. Trust me, it will not ruin your progress.

3. Set goals you can actually achieve. If you have

never worked out, don’t start with setting the goal of going to the gym six days a week. Start with three days a week. Become consistent with this for a few weeks and then increase the goal. Having a sense of accomplishment is key to sticking with it. If you set a goal of going six days and consistently only show up for three, you’re unlikely to feel good about that. If you set a goal of three days and consistently hit that

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goal, you are much more likely to stick with it long term.

4. Stay away from six- or eight-week challenges,

waist trainers, detox teas and fat burners. All of these things are short-term, quick-fix marketing ploys to take your money. I’m going to let you in on an industry secret: Six- or eight-week challenges are the most efficient path for

fitness influencers to generate maximum cash. Will they get you rapid results? Possibly. Will those results be sustainable? Probably not. It allows the coach to churn out “transformation” photos to promote the next challenge. Ninety-nine percent of participants will either burn out during the challenge or rebound after. Waist trainers do not help you lose fat. One more time, waist

YOU MAY BACKTRACK, YOU MAY HAVE BAD DAYS, LAZY DAYS, PRODUCTIVE DAYS, FUN/ HAPPY DAYS AND DAYS YOU STRUGGLE. WE ARE ALL HUMAN. WE ARE NOT PERFECT. IT’S ALL A PART OF THE JOURNEY. KEEP GOING.”

trainers DO NOT help you lose weight. They make you sweat. You lose water weight and guess what? You will instantly gain all that water weight back within a few hours or less. Detox teas and fat burners also DO NOT help you lose weight either. They make you go to the bathroom excessively and minimally suppress your appetite. Neither of these things are healthy in long-term fitness.

5. Get comfortable knowing it’s okay to miss your workout or eat that cake. We are all human. Life

happens, things come up and we can’t always be perfect 100% of the time. It’s okay. It will not derail you. Move on. Tomorrow is another beautiful day.

Long-term fitness and nutrition success does not equate to perfection and only progress. It’s not a single-goal achievement. Long-term fitness and nutrition success means you keep going. You reach one milestone and move toward the next. You may backtrack, you may have bad days, lazy days, productive days, fun/ happy days and days you struggle. We are all human. We are not perfect. It’s all a part of the journey. Keep going. afm Meagan Germaine is a competitive bikini athlete in the WBFF and NPC. Germaine is passionate about empowering women to be mentally tough, learn how food is life and how to be their own body goals. Germaine currently works as a women’s fitness coach and is a certified elite trainer at her company, Meg’s Body Shop.

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FITNESS AUTHOR

Jacqueline Knox

YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO TAKE A FITNESS CLASS n Director of the Butler Center for Dance & Fitness and Pilates Center, Vicki Parsons, is on a mission to keep health an ageless priority.

hen Vicki Parsons was in her early 20s, she noticed that she was not leading a very healthy lifestyle and started looking for a change. She thought to herself, “I need to do something. I think I am getting older.” So, she started to be more active throughout her day to put off this ever encroaching “oldness” she felt. After college, in the mid 1970s, she began working as a recreation therapist — a type of therapist that engages patients in therapeutic, recreation-based activities. In that job, she worked specifically with the elderly population and fell so in love with working with the elderly that she’s been doing it ever since. While working that first job as a recreation therapist, she noticed that a lot of her patients were

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really not well, and she wanted to change that. “I remember thinking that if I could be able to stimulate some sort of joy in everybody’s life every day, [then] that joy might get them up out of their chair, get them moving more, get them more active and get them more social,” Parsons recalls. Parsons, who calls herself a lifelong mentor at heart, made encouraging people, especially older people, her lifelong passion. After taking a break from her work to start a family, Parsons began a career with Ballet Austin. At that time, Ballet Austin did not have a lot of programs for adults and instead focused more on children’s ballet. “When we moved downtown in 2007 and built our new facility,” Parsons explains, “we said, ‘What if we could become a center where all people could be active and be well?’”

So, Parsons decided to bring back some of the things that she used to teach and incorporate them into the new Ballet Austin’s Active Aging Programs. Eleven years ago, Ballet Austin’s first program aimed at an older population began — the Better Balance & Movement Workshop. “People ask why Ballet Austin is involved in programming for the aging, and I think it goes back to

our mission,” Parsons explains. “Our mission statement includes encouraging health and wellbeing. We want to be a catalyst in our community for people of all ages, and we don’t want that to stop when people become a certain age.” Since the first workshop began, the program has been underwritten by AgingWell, a St. David’s Foundation Community Fund program, and the classes are offered

to people aged 50+ at no cost. “It’s wonderful that St. David’s Foundation is committed to this and sees the value of preventative health maintenance and as part of their mission to make it affordable for everybody,” says Katrina Meredith (80), who has been taking Active Aging classes at Ballet Austin for around a year and a half. “The fact that it’s free — I think that is just incredible.”

Now, Ballet Austin offers five different classes as part of their Active Aging Program. They offer an osteo-strong workout that incorporates weight-bearing exercises that are better for bone health; a weights and bands workout for strengthening, toning and cardio; a Feldenkrais methodbased movement class; a body and brain boost workshop; and, of course, the balance workshop.

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n FITNESS

WE WANT TO BE A CATALYST IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, AND WE DON’T WANT THAT TO STOP WHEN PEOPLE BECOME A CERTAIN AGE.”

“We may not run five-mile marathons, but there’s a bunch of us out there trying to keep moving,” Meredith says with a laugh. Meredith, who is an avid walker, joined the program to gain upperbody strength and has definitely noticed an improvement. “I do the Monday and Thursday classes religiously,” Robyn Jamison

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(69) says. “I love it because it fulfills a physical health need and because it’s really challenging.” Jamison first got involved in the Active Aging Program over a year ago through a neighbor of hers and now takes both the osteo-strong class and the weights and bands class. Since starting the classes, she has noticed that her arms have gotten a lot stronger and her posture has greatly improved. Similar to Jamison, Marsha Hoffer (74) takes both the osteostrong class and weights and bands class and loves that it keeps her active. Since beginning the classes, she has noticed that her joints, legs, arms and back are not as tight as they previously were.

When talking about the energy of her classes, Parsons recalls an old Garfield cartoon that says, “Well, I am in a bood mood, so I might as well go exercise anyway.” Contrary to Garfield, Parsons wants to make movement fun, easier and something that people will stick with for a little bit longer, and she incorporates all of that into her classes. Because of the way all of her clients rave about her, it’s obvious her techniques work and create an incredible workout environment. “The time and effort that Vicki has put in to develop the quality of the exercises are really targeting the aging body, so that we don’t do damage and we don’t hurt ourselves,” Meredith says.

In addition to the other classes, Vicki has recently started offering a caregivers workshop that is aimed at empowering caregivers to help prevent falls through information, tips and activities. “The fear of falling actually creates so many issues — inactivity, social isolation, emotional and mental health issues and so on,” Parsons explains. “I started thinking about the fact that there are family members, friends and actual official caregivers that have a huge opportunity to understand what’s happening with their friend, family member or those they’re caring for, and how they can help them have a better wellness experience.” Offering the classes virtually has been a great way to create an inclusive and accessible environment, because people from all over the states have been able to tune in and exercise together. Jamison mentions that most of her friends from the class live in different places, like Philadelphia, Washington and Florida. One idea Parsons lives by and wants to convey to people is that the “aging process” doesn’t begin at a particular age. “When you’re 22, it’s really hard to imagine what it might be like when you’re 65 or 75,” Parsons says. “Healthy aging doesn’t start when you reach a particular age, and it really starts at birth, and [I wanted to] be able to offer people ways to move and be active throughout life.” Parsons’ passion for an active lifestyle throughout one’s entire life has carried over greatly into her work through the Active Aging Programs. She loves that she gets to wake up and encourage others to be more active every single day. “For me, it’s important that people know that there’s an opportunity every single day to be active, to move your body and stay well as long as you can,” Parsons says. “That’s kind of my mantra.” afm

Five Movements to Do as You Get Older to Promote Active Aging from Vicki Parsons 1. Ankle and calf muscle strengthener (Relevé in ballet) Besides strengthening the ankles and calf, this is also a great balance exercise. If you can raise your heels at least two inches off the floor, your ankles are quite flexible. Keeping your ankles and calves strong is an important part of balance training. While holding onto a wall, sturdy chair or the kitchen sink, repeatedly raise yourself up and down on tiptoes. 2. Use a resistance band Besides the physical benefits of using resistance bands, resistance training improves cognitive function in older adults. There are so many exercises you can do with a band, and they can go wherever you go so you can do them anywhere. They are zero impact, so you can get movement in without putting additional strain on your joints. First, you have to buy one. Then, you can google a ton of great uses for the bands. 3. Upper back squeeze As we get older, we naturally experience weakening in the muscles of the upper back and that affects posture and balance. This is one of my favorites and can be done sitting or standing. Think about trying to hold a pencil between your shoulder blades without dropping it (not possible, but it helps to do this to the fullest). Squeeze your shoulder blades together as tight as you can, hold it to a count of 15 and release. Repeat five times. Do this several times during the day. 4. Adopt this mantra: “Sit less, move more.” We have to fight this sedentary trend in our country in order to age well. Too much sitting saps energy, makes joints stiff and affects posture and your overall health. You can change that! 5. Take care of your feet and exercise them specifically. Feet change as we get older but are also vitally important to our overall health and wellbeing — standing, balancing, walking, etc. Each foot is made up of 26 bones, 30 joints, more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments and 7,000 nerve endings — all of which work together to provide support, balance and mobility. There is an exercise I like to call toe fists. Open and closing the toes like you would making a fist with the hand. Do this in bed first thing in the morning to wake up those feet, while watching TV or any time sitting in a chair. Those toes are important.

AU S T I N F I T M AG A Z I N E

FITNESS AUTHOR

Sarah Leahy, CPT

PROGRESSION: WHY IT IS NOT LINEAR n We all get thrown off track. Here’s why consistency should be the main goal you strive for.

here are few things that make you feel as accomplished as making progress in the gym. Whether it’s a strength goal, a body composition goal or just looking your best, seeing improvement is such a huge part of why we work so hard. But let’s face it, progression is not linear, and we all hit plateaus and can get off course along the way. It’s a concept that’s been drilled into our heads, and for good reason: Consistency is key. What do you do when you just don’t have the energy to go all in or your workout isn’t great? Maybe you aren’t hitting the numbers you had planned for that day. Maybe your schedule is packed and you can only fit in a 20-minute session. That consistency of getting it done, even if that means just doing what you can, will help keep you moving forward, even if it’s a slow climb. The key is realizing that fitness is just like life. You are going to

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have good workouts and average workouts, and even a few bad ones. You aren’t going to be getting big wins every time you step foot in the gym, and that’s okay. Continuing to move forward and give it what you’ve got that day is enough. What if you fall off track completely on workouts, nutrition or both? Whether it’s a single day or a couple weeks, the most important thing is getting back at it. It’s hard not to feel like we’ve completely ruined any progress made when we aren’t 100% with our fitness regimen, and it’s so easy to compare ourselves to athletes and trainers on social media. Let’s face it, there will always be disruptions, whether self-inflicted or not, that momentarily throw you off. The most effective way to handle those disruptions is to jump back into your fitness routine as soon as you can and not beat yourself up for being human. There will also be times when you are sticking to your

programming, hitting the gym, doing the work and still hitting some plateaus on strength progression, weight loss or weight gain goals. This can be a frustrating place to be, but everyone’s been through it. There’s a reason powerlifters have deload weeks, and bodybuilders have different training phases. When you hit a wall and feel stuck with your fitness goals, take a step back and assess what might be contributing to your stalled progress. Sleep, water intake and properly fueling yourself before and after your workout will make

a huge difference in performance as well as body composition goals. Stress management is also a very important piece of how your body responds and adjusts, and it’s one of the most overlooked parts of a health regimen. If you’re stuck, take a look at what you’re doing outside of the gym and how it may be negatively impacting your sessions. Sometimes the key is paring it back, taking a deload or rest and adjusting your programming. To stay motivated as you work toward your goals, remember that progression is not linear. You’ll

have ups and downs along the way, you’ll hit PRs as well as plateaus, you’ll have good workouts and bad, you’ll have a weekend full of beer and pizza. None of these things make your goals unattainable. Just get back at it, adjust your programming when needed and stay the course as consistently as you can. The resilience you gain from getting back at it and moving forward will make you stronger in and out of the gym. afm

Leahy is a Minneapolis transplant in East Austin and a certified personal trainer, awardwinning interior designer and former gym owner. She offers in-person and online training with an emphasis on strength training and building confidence in and out of the gym. Leahy’s passion for strength extends to your business, with a full offering of gym design and business consulting services.

AU S T I N F I T M AG A Z I N E

FITNESS AUTHOR

Aja Webber

BIG MUSCLES, LITTLE STRAIN n Everything you need to know about blood flow restriction therapy.

et’s face it — aging can be no fun. Aching joints and longer injury recovery time are just two symptoms of aging that can make it harder to stay physically active. The gym can seem like a scary place when you are more prone to injury, but you shouldn’t ditch working out all together. Would you believe it if you heard that you could build muscle without lifting a single weight? Well, it’s true. It’s not as easy as it sounds, but there is an unconventional way for you to get your pump in. Everyone has been to the doctor and had their blood pressure taken. They wrap a band around your arm and pump it up until your arm feels like it might fall off. Well, these blood pressure bands have another use. Blood flow restriction therapy, or BFR, is a physical therapy

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method in which blood flow is restricted to the muscle. The aim of this is to use the pressure to prevent blood from leaving the muscle, while allowing more blood to go into the muscle.

This type of restriction creates a hypoxic environment, which occurs when the tissue lacks oxygen. The sensation that follows when you move your restricted body part can feel like a strenuous

workout even though you’re not actually putting strain on your muscles. Studies have shown that a hypoxic environment has the ability to accelerate the process of muscle growth and performance.

WellSport, a facility in Austin, focuses on rehabilitation and allowing their clients to get back to their peak physical performance abilities. Its approach utilizes blood flow restriction therapy and

has seen much success. Kyler Brown, D.C., who specializes in pre- and postsurgical protocols at WellSport, says that BFR therapy can be beneficial for clients from older

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n FITNESS

age groups. “BFR helps to maintain muscle mass, which not only prevents injury, but helps prevent fall risks for elderly people, as well as maintaining health of ligaments, tendons and bones via collagen synthesis,” Brown says. Although this kind of therapy has not yet been proven to prevent joint pain altogether, some clients at WellSport have reported lessened joint pain after their sessions. Brown says this may be due to the fact that BFR puts a significantly lower amount of stress on the body than traditional weight lifting. Therefore, if clients switch from strenuous weight lifting to BFR training, it may result in less pain in the joints. Can BFR stimulate the same muscle response as traditional

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weight lifting? Studies have shown that individuals who want to gain muscle need to be using weights heavier than 65% of their one rep max for a particular exercise. However, with BFR training, that number drops down to only 20-30%. Blood flow restriction therapy is a great option for many people. BFR can help injured athletes get back on their feet quicker while staying in shape, people with fractures and bone injuries and older individuals who have more trouble with traditional weight lifting. However, every good thing has its limitations. Declan Geraghty is a doctor of physical therapy who specializes in post-surgical physical therapy. When asked about the effectiveness of BFR and traditional weight lifting,

he explains that they are equally effective in increasing muscle hypertrophy, but in other areas, weight lifting may be more beneficial. “What BFR will not do is train someone to be coordinated, have skill acquisition or coordinated movements like performance training or weight lifting will provide,” Geraghty says. Although BFR training is great for keeping someone in shape and their body strong, it can’t help with the development of new skills. For example, if a gymnast solely did BFR training, they would not have the balance, coordination or skill that comes with training for that specific sport. It is also important to consider the risk factors of this kind of therapy. If done incorrectly, BFR can have serious consequences.

A study done by NCBI has shown that there is a negative link between BFR therapy and cardiovascular health. When comparing BFR training to weight lifting or aerobic exercises, there is a significantly greater increase in blood pressure and heart rate even during a low-intensity workout. It is important to consider your current state of health before proceeding with BFR training. If you have a compromised heart or high blood pressure, BFR may be hazardous. With more BFR band manufacturers coming out with products, they are not all as effective or safe. The biggest factors that contribute to this are improper tourniquet width, too much tourniquet pressure and improper placement of the

tourniquet, which can all cause damage to the body’s soft tissue. “What a lot of people need to understand, just like with any device or modality — it’s how you use it,” Geraghty says. “Making sure you use one of the FDA-approved devices with the guidance of a healthcare practitioner is crucial to rule out risk factors as well as make sure it’s used responsibly.” When done correctly, one can see amazing results. Former University of Texas Longhorn and current NFL quarterback Colt McCoy has tried blood flow restriction therapy and has had great success with it. “My work with WellSport and their use of BFR played an integral

part in getting me beyond my injuries and allowed me to bridge the gap from rehab to training for an NFL season,” McCoy says. If weightlifting is just not for you, or you need a safer way to stay in shape, try BFR therapy. As long as you do your research and ensure that your healthcare provider is trained, BFR can help you live a long, healthy life, especially as you grow older. afm

COME FLY WITH US ABOVE AUSTIN’S LAKES www.unhookedsports.com 71

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AMBASSADOR’S CORNER AUTHOR

Jason Bourgeois

AMBASSADOR’S Corner RŌ FITNESS + SHAPE METHOD PILATES RECAP n August’s fitness and recovery

rundown with AFM Ambassador Jason Bourgeois.

Rō Fitness

his Ambassador’s Corner recaps a training experience you don’t want to miss — especially if you’re seeking a workout that is sure to kick your power and endurance gains into hyperdrive. This blaster of a session included eye-bulging intervals and a fantastic view of Lady Bird Lake, which may have become slightly blurred for me around the fourth set of our speed-themed class. This month, we are continuing efforts to support the Central Texas Food Bank and their mission to respond to the ongoing presence of food insecurity in Austin. We are grateful for your generous donations which are aiding the work of keeping Austin fed, and every cent counts as we work to increase food access to those who are in need.

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This local rowing studio is made by rowers for rowing experts and novices alike. They serve big, small, tall, young, old and anywhere in-between, and each person leaves class feeling stronger and accomplished. All levels of fitness are capable and can join the fun with little to no rowing experience. At Rō, they care a whole lot about proper form, and that’s just step one. Once form is established, the sky’s the limit on one’s fitness gains through their challenging intervals. Because most people don’t know what to expect, owner and coach Chelsea Moore guides you every step of the way. Just come expecting to learn proper form, because that’s the first step, and trust me, when you hear, “You’re racing yourself!” it is a reminder that every stat is going to be produced by you! Did you know Rō offers your first class free if you attend their INTRō class on Sunday at their Tarrytown studio? It’s actually not an easy workout, as it may seem — but it’s the absolute best way to understand

Jason’s Chosen Nonprofit: Central Texas Food Bank Click here to donate!

proper form and class expectations. I’m just saying, you heard it here first. Coach Moore set me up for success with a short and sweet orientation to the Concept 2 Rowing Machine. Checkpoints included foot placement so the strap tightens over the middle of your feet, with the help of a chant I repeated to myself to settle into proper form: legs, body, arms, and the return sequence was arms, body, legs, in that order. Pretty soon, I was able to follow Coach Moore’s cues to find the right body alignment to safely maximize efficiency and power. I know when I found just the right alignment and timing, there was a huge difference in how little effort produced big power output. In 2014, Coach Moore had the opportunity to start Rō Fitness, an indoor rowing studio sharing space at the Waller Creek Boathouse. She partnered with co-founder and entrepreneurially-minded Zach Richardson to craft their business plan to set up Rō for success. The task of creating tough-but-doable

workouts for all fitness levels was a challenge, and after seven years of developing that concept, they just keep coming up with interesting and fun sessions — challenge accepted! Think: spin class model for rowing machines, and I say it’s brilliant! The theme of my Saturday morning class was speed. The class format included a warmup where, at the time, I didn’t even realize Coach Moore was helping us fine tune our form, but she was. In rowing, there’s a drive (the push) and a return (the movement back toward the machine to reset your body for the next stroke). We did a pause drill in our class, and it helped me fix a common mistake that occurs during the “return.” Mistake: I was allowing my knees to bend before the handle came forward on the return. This mistake, if made while rowing on the water, is much more unforgiving, but less noticeable on an indoor rowing machine, unless you have a Coach Moore watching out for you. Correction: The return sequence is arms, body, legs, in that order (remember that chant).

AU S T I N F I T M AG A Z I N E

n A M BAS SA DO R’ S C O R NE R The Pause Drill: On the return, you pause as the handle is over your shins (legs are straight). During the pause, the shoulders are in front of the hips, you’re sitting on your hips and the chest is proud to activate the core. After pausing for two seconds, you return by drawing the shins in vertically and pushing through the legs from there. Following the warmup, Coach Moore led us into our first 1,000-meter set. She instructed us on how to set our screen to cap our distance, change our metrics to read watts and set our resistance. After completing the first set at 80% effort, Coach Moore reviewed our average watts output and gave us a number that corresponded to our start positioning for the remaining sets. Each set from that point on utilized a staggered start. What I loved about this is that, whether you started first or you started last, you were in the race — the race against yourself and your pace you set for every interval after. However, if you’re like me and can benefit from a little external pressure of trying to catch the person who started in front of you, or at least finish before anyone who started after you, then you might push your pace — and there lies the brilliance in this race format. Every stat is set by you! Four sets later, I was heavily reliant on Coach Moore’s playlist to get me through the final 500 meters. The hard rock bangers were exactly what was needed to close out our sets and lead us into an oh-so needed warm-down. What I found most challenging was holding my pace earlier in our interval so I didn’t gas out too soon in the set. It’s tough early in the set because you feel good, the class is hyped and it feels like you’re in a race. That said, the crash that follows a fast start is real! Pace yourself wisely — you’ve been warned. Thanks, Coach Moore, to you and your class for allowing us to tag along for class!

Recovery: Shape Method

The recovery segment of Ambassador Corner led us to Shape Method Pilates. Founder Jennifer McCamish leverages her experiences from her professional dance career and utilizes the principles of pilates and interval overload training along with movement technique to achieve maximum results for fitness while building a foundation of injury prevention. Thus, the recovery portion of AC led to my enrollment in the Restorative + Rehabilitative Barre Class led by Carissa Topham. When I entered the studio, Topham checked in with me to ask if I had any pre-existing injuries or limitations. She was very attentive and had all clients leave their things in cubbies just outside the door. Shortly after everyone was situated, the lights dimmed and the tranquil instrumental music filled the space. Our opening flow began with lengthening the muscles around the cervical spine and neck. Topham cued the class to allow our right ear to fall toward our right shoulder, then she delivered a cue to turn our chin toward our right shoulder, attempting to look over and behind us while still allowing our ear to fall toward the ground. Almost immediately, I felt a release of tension so much that it gave me a chill down my spine. It’s a fantastic extension to the stretch, and I highly recommend it to anyone who spends even a smidge of time staring at a computer or at a desk during their day. The next portion of the class was my favorite. We utilized the massage ball for muscle fascia and soft tissue release. The texture of the massage ball was similar to that of a stress ball you might squeeze. However, the density of the massage ball was comparable to that of a tennis ball. The sequence that followed is fully responsible for redefining my concept of restoration. Topham cued the class to stand and place our foot on top of the ball, positioning the ball just in front of the heel bone. At this time, I was inclined to want to roll my foot on the ball, but it was not time for that yet. The positioning of the ball remained and we were instructed to slowly shift all of our weight on the ball,

THINK: SPIN CLASS MODEL FOR ROWING MACHINES, AND I SAY IT’S BRILLIANT!”

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easing off if the tension became painful. We held this position for 15 to 30 seconds before re-positioning the ball to the center of the arch of the foot. Following another hold for 15 seconds, we shifted the placement of the ball to just shy of the ball of the joint, allowing our toes to fold over the ball. Viola! Another release through the entirety of the arch of my foot, and another chill went down my spine. I never once contemplated how much tension and stress the arch of my foot is constantly experiencing, but the release and relaxation that followed is all I needed to know that I was doing something right. After completing the progression on our opposite side, the next sequence in our flow I definitely found the most challenging. Hip mobility is a chore for me and something I have to work at often. What I appreciated was how Coach Carissa’s cues allowed me to experience the stretch with a modification to address my less-than-stellar hip mobility. At this time, I was laying flat on my back, and my feet were on the wall while maintaining a 90-degree bend at the knee. I positioned my right ankle across my left knee and,

oh, the sensations I felt going through my glutes, hip flexors and my LIFE. Then, Topham shared that, if the sensations were too much, I can shift my hips further away from the wall. Or, if I need more of a stretch, I can shift my hips closer to the wall. These subtle but effective coaching tips made all the difference and kept me in a “Ooooh, ahhh, this is nice,” feeling rather than the “I’m stuck in this position, someone come get me” feeling. The last and final stretch consisted of holding onto the barre with both hands and sinking back into our hips, creating length all throughout our arms, back and hips. It was 60 minutes of an absolutely full reset. I felt energized, mobile and ready to take on the rest of the day. Learning a new technique to release the tension in the arches of my feet changed my outlook on life! Please treat yourself to this 60-minute reset with Shape Method and their staff because you deserve it, but if you desire to dial up the intensity and get more sweat, you deserve that, too, and they have just the team to coach you up. afm

AU S T I N F I T M AG A Z I N E

CALENDAR AU G U ST 2 0 2 1

Submit your event online at austinfitmagazine.com

Events BAT FEST

Austin, TX | AU GU ST

*Dates and times are subject to changes or cancellation. Check event websites for more information.

AU G U ST 18

ACL Live

Kesha is back in town! Enjoy live music, food and friends at this live concert. The event features Kesha with special guest Betty Who. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and close at 8 p.m., so don’t be late! Knowing Austin, these tickets might go fast — Tick Tock! This party won’t stop, no!

AU GUST 5

AUG U ST 13 - 15

ACL Live

Austin Fall Home & Garden Show

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of his album, White Ladder, singer David Grey has decided to add Austin as a destination on his tour. If you want to see this multi-platinum and Grammynominated singer in action, mark this event on your calendar. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Head over to their website to secure tickets before they’re sold out! AU GUST 8

Trap and Paint

Listen to your favorite music and express your own creativity through art. This event will be filled with all sorts of fun activities, beginning with paint! Bring your friends to enjoy a day full of good food, music and arts and crafts. However, there are limited spaces, so be sure to book early.

AUGUST 2021

Looking to update your home to fit your personal style? Check out Austin’s home and garden show. If you need to renovate your deck, pool, garden or storage space, this event’s got what you need. Set to include tons of exhibits to inspire your ideal home, you won’t want to miss this. AUG U ST 14

Dimefest

If you’re a hard rock junkie and ready for concerts to be back in session, this event is for you. Dimefest is set to feature some of the top hard rock artists of 2021, so be sure to get your tickets on their website to be able to join the crowd and sing along.

AU G U ST 2 1- 2 4

The Behind The Chair Show

The grandest hair show of the year is finally here. Grab your headbands and curlers and come enjoy four days full of hair fun! This event will feature parties and pool time with your favorite hairstylists. If you want to learn more about your hair and how to care for it, head over to their website for more information. AU G U ST 2 2

Outlaw Music Festival Tour

See your favorite artists perform live right here in Austin. Willie Nelson, Chris Stapleton, Ryan Bingham and Yola are going on a 14-stop, live music tour starting in Austin. Gather your friends and get excited because live music is back!

AUG U ST 22

Slammedenuff Austin Car Show

Calling all car fanatics! If you’re proud of your car and want to show it off, bring your whip to the Slammedenuff Austin car show. To enjoy automobile theatrics and possibly win an award for your car skills, go over to their website and register now.

SUMMER SPECIALS

AUG U ST 24

ATX Black Food Week

Join Austin Justice Coalition’s annual Black Food Week. Each day features a local black-owned restaurant or food truck to dine at and support. If you want to enjoy good food and travel around Austin all while supporting black businesses, head over to their website to see which restaurants are participating. AUG U ST 26

aGLIFF (All Genders, Lifestyles and Identities Film Festival)

This hybrid, virtual and in-person event will feature Austin’s oldest and largest LGBTQ film festival. Over two weekends, you will be able to tune in to see feature and short films from new artists. This festival will focus on the diverse experiences of being a queer person through the lense of film. AUG U ST 28

Bat Fest

If you want to see over a million bats come out of their slumber from the South Congress Bridge, this event is for you. From 4 p.m. to midnight, you can enjoy live music, arts and crafts, food and drinks, as well as a bat costume contest. Suit up in your best bat costume and head over to their website to secure your tickets — prices vary. AUG U ST 28-29

Austin 2021 Train Show

6 Months for $399 OR

12 Months for $599 • • • • •

Intro-to-Rowing Program (6 classes) Unlimited Rowing, Kayaking, Canoeing Unlimited Stand Up Paddling Gift Certificates Available Experienced Coxswains row FREE!

NORTH SHORE OF TOWN LAKE ON HIKE & BIKE TRAIL BEHIND AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL

512.467.7799

www.texasrowingcenter.com info@texasrowingcenter.com

APP EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!

Download AFM’s brand new app for exclusive content on all things health, wellness, fitness and Austin.

This unique event is set to feature over 25,000 square feet of operating railroad models. Enjoy train vendors and lego models, and even enter the raffle to win something fun for you and your family!

APP EXC LUSI V E

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CALENDAR AU G U S T 2021

Submit your event online at austinfitmagazine.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEJAS TRAILS.

Rides & Races

CAPT’N KARL’S MULESHOE BEND AUGUST AU G U S T 1

One Two Tri

GXAX 2021: Nate Cook from The Yawpers Fort Worth, TX AU G U S T 6 - 7

AU G U S T 1

GORUCK Tough Challenge

Rockwall Kiwanis Tri Rock Triathlon 2021

AU G U S T 7

AU G U S T 1

*Dates and times are subject to changes or cancellation. Check event websites for more information.

Austin, TX

13th Annual Blazin’ Saddle 75 Valley View, TX

Due to COVID-19, some of these rides and races have limited space.

Tumbleweed Triathlon Odessa, TX

AUGUST 2021

AU GU ST 7-8

AU G U S T 6

New Braunfels, TX

Rockwall, TX

Spicewood, TX

AU G U S T 7

AU G U S T 2 9

Mini Xcross Madness Series Round 4

2021 HEB Austin Sunshine Run

Fort Worth, TX AU G U S T 7 - 8

Capt’n Karl’s Muleshoe Bend Spicewood, TX AU G U S T 9

Run With Round Rock PD Round Rock, TX AU G U S T 1 4

Dragon’s Den Half Marathon 10K & 5K

Austin, TX

AU G U S T 2 9

Wee-Chi-Tah Half Marathon & 10K Wichita Falls, TX AU G U S T 2 9

Playtri McKinney Triathlon McKinney, TX AU G U S T 2 9

Eagle in the Sun Triathlon El Paso, TX

San Antonio, TX

AU G U S T 2 9

AU G U S T 1 4

TriGirl Super Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon

Hot Trot Half Marathon 10K & 5K Dallas, TX

AU G U S T 1 5

Sunday MSRH 2.3 CW Just a Trackday Angleton, TX AU G U S T 1 5

Tri Das - Indoor Triathlon New Braunfels, TX AU G U S T 1 8

Sunfish & Laser Wednesday Evening Races Austin, TX

BENEFITS OF INFRARED SAUNAS

Houston, TX

– Deeply Heats Human Tissue

AU G U S T 2 9

– Improves Immune System

The Legendary Peoria TT Mesquite, TX

– Releases Built Up Toxins

AU G U S T 2 9 - 3 0

– Boosts Nitric Oxide [Dilates Blood Vessels]

Jack’s Generic Tri Austin, TX

– Provides Relaxation + Recovery

SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 6

Blackland Triathlon Plano, TX

– Improves Sleep + Overall Health – Burns Calories + Promotes Faster Cell Regeneration [Anti-Aging]

AU G U S T 2 1

25th Annual Vernon Burnin’ Bike Ride Event Vernon, TX

AU G U S T 2 2

INFRARED SAUNA DETOXIFICATION IS

Old College Tri

A WELLNESS MODALITY TRENDING

Denton, TX

FOR ITS MAGNITUDE OF BENEFITS BACKED BY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

AU G U S T 2 8

USA FIT Georgetown - Opening Day Georgetown, TX

512 -494-48 00

AU S T I N F I T M AG A Z I N E

INTRODUCING

The Fit Wire AFM’s daily coverage of health and fitness in the Austin community

#keepaustinfit

KEEP AUSTIN FIT

Austin Fit Magazine August 2021: The Longevity Issue

Articles inside

Ambassador's Corner: Rō Fitness + Shape Method

Big Muscles, Little Strain

Progression: Why It Is Not Linear

You're Never Too Old to Take a Fitness Class

What Comes After 50? Nationals.

Athlete Spotlight: Colin Strickland

The Powerhouse for Longevity

Recover Like a Champ

Workplace Wellness

All About Osteoporosis

The Fountain of Youth: Sleep

Age Like an Austinite

Healing the Body from the Inside

Recipe of the Month: Blenders & Bowls

From the Director

Beat the Burnout

Fit for the Ages

Longevity is a Lifestyle Choice

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