It's Men's Health Month and Father's Day Season! it's a good time to remind ourselves that no matter what age, our overall health and well-being is most important. Here's a few tips to help you strive toward being YOUR very own best, not anyone else's
GET A TUNE UP!
Just as we care for our treasured fine tuned machines, it's a good idea to get a check up from your medical professional. You may not be trying out for a Varsity squad this year, but it's still great to have an annual physical with your health care provider just to make sure everything is in order. Also make sure you're up to speed on any recommended health screenings if you're do, e.g. if it's colonoscopy time, man up and make the appointment! Lastly, and it's timely as we come out of this pandemic season, make sure you're caught up on any recommended vaccinations, especially if you'll be traveling.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, "Screenings are the most effective way to catch prostate cancer early. If you are at average cancer risk, you’ll probably have your first prostate screening at age 55. Your healthcare provider may start testing earlier if you have a family history of the disease or are Black. "
SET A VISION AND CRAFT A PLAN
Take a few minutes to visualize what type of health attainment you'd like to achieve over the next three months and then set some realistic training goals on how to obtain it. If you want to lean up, be realistic and establish a minimum set of workout rules to strive toward that.
For example, if you know time will make it tough for strength and cardio every day, set a min of at least two cardio days and two strength days a week, even if on the tough days it ends up being minute sets of pushups and sit-ups before you go to bed, set your constraints and commit!
PREHAB Remember those dreaded conditioning weeks and two-a-days in pre-season training as a youngster? Well, beyond torturing the poor lads, that pre-season training helps prepare the body for the intense demands of competition. You shouldn't be surprised when you get injured after jumping in a pick-up game if you haven't done a couple of weeks of prehab training. Best practice would be to find a Physical Therapist that can conduct a pre-training assessment such as a Functional Movement Screen or DorsaVi assessment to identify any possible imbalances that may increase risk of injury. They'll prescribe a few exercises to help address the issues and decrease that risk.
FUEL SMART Remember that training itself is a process that challenges the body with intense demands, breaks it down and stimulates it to rebuild stronger than before. Make sure you're adjusting your meals to meet these demands and your training goals. It doesn't mean following a diet fad, but having a balanced nutrition plan that gives your body what it needs to perform and minimizes the excess. Take a few minutes to review your goals and training plan with a Registered Dietician who can help you craft a game plan.
PRIME, TRAN AND RECOVER Listen to your body and make sure you properly prime before every session. Don't skip the warm-up! You might try iON CHARGE Warm-up Rub to help those muscles feel ready to go. A quick light shake out and massage of the muscles helps to get the blood circulating and body ready to go. Remember to plan recovery time after your tough sessions. Don't feel bad about taking a day or two of rest!
Veteran and Owner of IBX Nutrition takes pride in constantly pursing his best!
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