With that said, this is your year!  I can tell we’re going to run into each other at the gym all the time this year.   Because this year you’re going to change your behaviors and make exercise a regular part of your life.  Here’s 3 Quick Common Sense Reminders to help get you on your way to a healthier 2012.

•  Find an Activity You Enjoy  -   Why make exercise a chore?   We all have enough stress to deal with in our everyday lives – so why not find an activity that’s fun.  While I mentioned the gym several times – many people understandalby do not feel comfortable at the gym.   No problem – why not take the dog for longer walks, find a pool and go for a swim or visit www.hikingupward.com & explore a natural beauty that surrounds us.   In short, getting in shape is not an event it’s a process & you should seek out activities that you enjoy.

•  Pace Yourself -  Whether you’re just trying to drop the few pounds you’ve put on since Thanksgiving or you haven’t seen the inside of a gym since Zubaz were all the rage, you need to ease back into the exercise routine.   Just because you overdid it with the cookies, cake, turkey, etc for the past month doesn’t mean you should overdo it on the elipical, the treadmill or with the weights in January.  You run the risk of injury which will set you back even further.   You didn’t put that 10lbs on in a day, so don’t expect that it will mealt off if you do 5 hours on the elliptical 3 days a week for 4 weeks.

• Ask for Help  -   Whatever activity you have decided to pursure, chances are you did not invent it yourself.   Thus, there are many others out there that have been doing it a lot longer than you and they can help get your started and keep you motivated.   Many gyms offer a free personal training session when you sign up for a new membership – take advantage of this perk.  Learn to use the equipment so that you don’t injure yourself.  Gym not your thing?   Again, no problem – I’m willing to bet whatever activity you choose there is a community of people that are often excited and willing to help along newbies & show them the ropes.   You just have to ask around a bit or do a bit of research.  I’ll get you started, try visiting http://www.meetup.com/ and serching for groups in the activity of your choice.

What health/fitness goals have you set for 2012?   What successes have you acheived in the past?   What barriers have run into?   Chances are you’re not alone & perhaps some of your experiences could help other achieve their goals so I encourage everyone to share.  Happy New Year!

      With that said I’ve had some time to reflect on the past several months & thought I’d share those reflections with you here.

• I have some very generous family & friends

     Not only did they help me reach my initial fundraising goal a month before the race, they helped me exceed my new goal over the final month leading up to race day.   Not only were family & friends generous with their wallets, they provided tremendous support & encouragement in asking how my training was going, sharing personal stories & spreading the word to their family and friends.  

     I would also be remiss in not acknowledging my wife Amy & my two girls, Sadie & Sophie, for their patience & support.   I couldn’t have done it without them & ironically – they often had to do without me while I was in the pool swimming laps or on the road logging training miles.

•  Team In Training is a Fantastic Organization

      For years I would receive the postcard in the mail about upcoming Team In Training events & for years, I would say “next year”.   This year I finally did it!   Clearly the cause is worthy & it provided an outlet to pursue two of my passions – helping others & conquering new challenges.   Since 1988 – Team In Training has raised over $1 Billion (with a B!) to fund lifesaving research.  They have also trained nearly a half a million runners, cyclists, triathlons, walkers and hikers to achieve a physical milestone many of them thought may not be possible.   Quite incredible when you stop and think about it.        

      Whatever, your perception is of a runner, triathlete or cyclist – forget it!  Team In Training will provide YOU with all the tools and training you need to get you from the couch to the finish line in a matter of months & raise money to fight blood cancers.   If you have any interest in participating in a future event, I’d love to share more of my story with you – please feel free to reach out and just ask me.

• It’s Not All About Me

     I think we’re all vulnerable to these moments in our lives.   I constantly find myself reminding my seven & ten year old daughters that it’s not all about them & during race week I got a reminder that “It’s not all about me either.”  If you recall we had 6 days of heavy rains the week of the race.   That amount of rain can wreak havoc on a river & on Thursday prior to the race officials decided to cancel the swim.   Absolutely, the right call for safety reasons.   In fact, on Sunday morning the weather was fine, but if you looked at thePotomacyou may have thought there was a logging operation upstream & what your eyes couldn’t see, your nose could smell.  

      While it was the right call, I was incredibly disappointed when I got the “Course Change” e-mail.  If there was one discipline I worked really hard at over the past few months – it was the swim.   Now I wasn’t going to get to see if I could do a 1500 meter swim in thePotomac& technically it was no longer a triathlon.   I had a brief moment where I felt like the past four months were for nothing and I failed.  I’ll admit I was a bit angry too – I felt like the opportunity to succeed was just taken away.  

     Then it hit me – I was being selfish.   I should be grateful that I was physically able to participate at all, I should take pride in the funds raised to help fight blood cancers, I should focus on those who supported me all season & I should remember those honored patients battling for their lives.   So I won’t get to swim – big deal.   Show up, represent Team In Training and do your best – which is what I did.

•  Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously

       If you’re reading this on my Team In Training site this point is self explanatory.  If you’re reading this on my Advantage Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation, LLC blog – you’ll have to click here – to visit my Team In Training site.   You helped me reach my fundraising goal & I embarrassed the ever living crap out of myself (not to mention ended my political career before it ever started). Perhaps next time as a friend suggested, I should threaten to repeat this feat unless I reach my fundraising goal.  Yes – I will reopen those mental scars of having to view such a horrifying image.

•  Cancer Still Sucks!

      I’m not sure if any of us can honestly say that cancer has not touched us somehow in our lives.   While my “season” with Team In Training has come to end – the battle against cancer continues.   Thanks to the generous folks like you, much progress has been made but there is still a lot of work to do.   For those who still want to contribute, it’s not too late.   You can still visit my page at http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/nattri11/jaramt and make a donation.

             In closing, the past several months have been an amazing life changing experience.   Not only were we able to help fight blood cancers, I learned a lot about myself and what the human mind and body is able to accomplish.   Thanks again for contributing and following along.  You can bet that I’ll be hitting you up when I sign up for my next Team In Training event!

I’ve had a few people ask how my training for the Nation’s Triathlon has been coming along.   I’ve been periodically providing updates on a different blog.   If you’re interested in following my journey (reading about things such as used band aids, mohawks & quarries) simply click on the Team In Training Button to the left & you’ll be redirect to my personal site.  Thanks so much for your ongoing encouragement & support.

Surround Yourself with Good People

Sure this may seem obvious but it is a lot easier said than done.   Over the past five years we’ve learned that filling a staffing need with the first set of warm bodies that will come in for an interview may not be the best idea.   You need to make sure that you’re honest about the position & the culture of your organization & that the candidate would be a good fit.   Otherwise, you’re just setting yourself up for a high turnover rate & a lot of headaches.   There’s no question, we would have never made it this far without the relationships we’ve established over the years including those with our clients, our referral sources & the community.   Furthermore, I’m convinced we have the best staff in the world and they play an integral part in our success.  I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to you all.

Do What You Do & Do It Well

We’re an outpatient physical therapy clinic that delivers hands on care coupled with exceptional service.  Over the years we experimented with offering several “related” services such as pediatric physical therapy, a golf program & massage therapy to name a few.   What we found is these alternative services always ended up being more of a distraction from our core competency rather than a way to grow our business. 

Marketing & Public Relations are Imperative to Success

You can be the best [insert profession here] in the world but if no one knows about you or how to find you, your chances of succeeding are slim.  Unfortunately, the “If You Build It They Will Come” Business Plan rarely succeeds.  You need to get out and let people know about your product or service. For me this was a large step out of my comfort zone.  Turns out I quite like it!  Once people know about your product or service you have to make sure your business consistently delivers on those promises.  Once you achieve these things start to snowball as your clients become your best champions.

Take Risks

It’s human nature to stay within our comfort zones and do the things we like to do.   However, those who take risks have more opportunities to benefit from the successes and to learn from the failures.  Again, I think its human nature to expend energy devising excuses why you shouldn’t do something.   I challenge you to expend an equal amount of time and energy devising ways to overcome those obstacles.

Support the Community

A good friend of mine put it best when he said something along the lines of “Supporting the community is not something you do WHEN you become successful, it’s something you do TO become successful”.   Giving back is a big part of what we do and I’m proud to support many local and national charities that make our community a great place to live, work and play.  Over the years, I’ve learned that money spent supporting various causes goes much further than running a simple ad in a paper every month.   It provides worthy non-profits with funds to pursue their missions & it provides a bit of exposure for our business – a true win-win.  The community has been overwhelmingly generous to us over the past five years & the least we can do is reciprocate that generosity back to the community.  Not only has this lesson been ultimately good for business but I’ve found it an immensely personally enriching experience.

So there you have it!  It’s not rocket science. Really it’s not – it’s business.

What other keys have made your business a success?  I’d love to hear from you.

For those who personally know me, you know me as a runner & someone who has dabbled in the sport of triathlon.   This year I set a personal goal of competing and finishing an Olympic Distance Triathlon.  When I heard about the opportunity to partner with TNT to raise money for LLS I was sold on making the Nation’s Triatlon my first Olympic Distance Tri.  On September 11, 2011 I’ll swim 1.5 km in the Potomac River (all the while dodging snakehead fish), bike 40 km thorough the streets of DC & and finish with a 10 km run.  Of course acheiving this will be the culmination of months of training involving a swim, a bike or a run (and many times two activities) six days a week.

Many people ask how I fit this into my schedule & the answer is quite simple – I choose to.  Instead of sitting on the couch watching TV, sleeping an extra hour or going out to lunch - you’ll find me on the roads, in the pool or an a treadmill.    By no means am I bragging or judging those who do not make these choices.   I simply am grateful and blessed to have my health and the freedom to make this choice.  Unfortunately, the patients and families of those who are diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma – did not get to make a choice when it to their battle with blood cancer.  

Approximatey 747,000 Americans currently live with some form of blood cancer & every ten minutes it claims a life.  The good news is that the survival rate has grown from 4% in 1960 to 81% this last decade.   This is in part due to the funds raised by TNT on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

I commited to this journey approximately 6 weeks ago and have had my heart warmed by everyone’s generosity – not only financially, but in providing moral support & sharing some very personal stories on how blood cancer has impacted their lives.   If you’d like to follow the rest of my journey or make a donation please visit http://bit.ly/mhtG3L.

Lawn Mower Safety

Each year approximately 68,000 people are treated in the emergency room for power mower related injuries.  These injuries impact not only those using the mowers but individuals who are nearby.  Take the following steps to help minimize your chance of injury while giving your lawn a fresh cut.   First, use a mower with a control that stops the mover, or at least the blade, if you let go of the handle.   Wear sturdy shoes (avoid sandals or sneakers) while mowing.  To prevent injuries from flying objects, walk the area you’re about to mow and remove any visible stones or toys before starting the lawn mower.  Furthermore, make sure everyone (especially children) remain inside or at a safe distance from the area you are about to mow.  Finally, make sure you always turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute or crossing a gravel path, road or other area.

Bicycling Safety

The most important aspect of bike safety involves wearing a helmet.  An estimated 90% of fatal bike injuries occurred with riders that were not wearing a helmet.  Virginia Law enables localities to impose a helmet law and Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park all have an ordinance that requires riders 14 and younger to wear a bicycle helmet.   While those 15 and older are not required to wear a bike helmet, I guarantee that your skull does not become encased in impact safe material at the age of 15, and thus you would be wise to wear a helmet as well.  A bike helmet should fit comfortably and touch the head on all sides.  The helmet should be snug enough to stay on your head without sliding around more than 1 inch & the helmet should have a secure strap.  In addition, to donning that helmet, be sure to keep you bicycle in good working order.  Be sure to check the tires, make sure the chain is tight & that the brakes are functioning properly.  Place reflectors on the front, rear and on the pedals.  Cycle defensively.   Expect a car to pull out from a side street or to turn left in front of you.  Finally, you should always cycle with the flow of traffic, never against it and if traffic is heavy be sure to walk your bike across an intersection. 

Sun Protection

            While sun protection is important year round, the fact that the sun stays out longer during the summer months makes this a good time to review steps to keep you from getting overexposed to the sun’s potentially harmful rays.  The Center for Disease Controloffers the following guidelines for sun protection:  Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher that is effective against UVA and UVB rays.  Be sure to reapply sunscreen if you’re going to be outside more than 2 hours or if you’ve been swimming or excessively sweating.  Be sure to dress appropriately.  Wear clothing that protects exposed skin and include a hat with a wide brim to shade the fade, head, ears and neck.  Wear sunglasses that wrap around your head and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible.  Finally, when possible seek shade, especially during the mid day hours.

            All in all, none of these tips are new and by no means are they intended to be all encompassing.   Perhaps they’ve prompted you to finally sign up for those swimming lessons, purchase a bike helmet or stock up on sunscreen on your next trip to the store.  Invest a few minutes (and maybe a few bucks) getting ready for summer and chances are you will avoid many of the pitfalls and setbacks that can put a damper on summer fun.

Water Safety

A day at the pool, at the beach or on the river can be a great way to spend a summer day.   Yet approximately 3,300 people unintentionally drown annually in the United States according to the Center for Disease Control.   Greater than 20% of those deaths occur in children 14 and under.  Keep the following in mind when you plan to spend any time around water this summer:  Never swim alone; everyone should learn basic swimming skills; be aware of environmental conditions (i.e. riptides) & do not overestimate your abilities; have the proper rescue and safety equipment available (i.e. Personal Flotation Device); and avoid alcohol when participating in water recreation; be sure to childproof access to pools if young children are present.

Beat the Heat

The National Weather Service asserts that excessive heat was the number one weather-related killer, causing more fatalities per year than floods, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms and extreme cold from 1994 to 2003.   While everyone is at risk when the temperature exceeds 90°, the elderly and very young are most susceptible to heat and heat related illnesses.  Signs of heat related illness include nausea, dizziness, flushed or pale skin, heavy sweating and headaches.   If you are experiencing these symptoms, move to a cool place, have a cold drink and apply ice packs or a cold wet cloth to your skin.  Better yet, the Red Cross offers the following tips to minimize the chances of coming down with a heat related illness:  Wear lightweight & light colored clothing; drink water continuously, even if you’re not feeling thirsty; eat small meals and eat more often; if you’re participating in a strenuous activity, plan for it at the coolest part of the day if possible (between 4:00 am – 7:00 am); stay inside when possible, if A/C is not available stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine.

I have a few more tips in store so check back at the beginning of June or if you can’t wait – offer some of your own summer safety tips.   Thanks for reading!

Why Photography Shouldn’t Be a Pain in the Neck…

Much like Michelle’s work behind the camera, it’s worth a look.  

            Upon discharge, our therapists always instruct our clients to ease back into physical activity.   The same general principle applies after any lapse in physical activity.  The human body is quite an amazing machine more so than any robot or computer ever will be, but just like any other machine if it’s not properly maintained and/or if it is overused, it will breakdown.   Those who have experienced a musculoskeletal injury have no doubt experienced how quickly the body’s muscles atrophy without use.   Of course, sitting on the couch all winter means your body may not be ready to handle 36-holes of golf in a day or 10-mile hike around Bull Run Mountain the first warm day of spring. Thus keep the following tips in mind as you head outdoors to enjoy spring.

Take it Slow

Sure, you may feel that those few extra pounds you put on in December, January & February need to come off right away and by beginning a strenuous program you’ll prove you’re committed.   In reality, however, slow and steady is the way to go.  Start gradually and build upon you’re small victories each day.   This will give your body time to adjust to the increased physical activity level.   A great practical application and example of this concept is the Couch to 5K Running Plan that you can find online.   This very detailed step-by-step program has gotten thousands off the couch and regularly running 3-miles over the course of two months.   The program begins with an alternating mix of walking for 90-seconds and jogging/running for 60-seconds & incrementally builds your strength and endurance of your body over two months so that you can conquer a full 5K.  While you may not consider yourself a runner, the program does an excellent job of illustrating how to ease into an activity over time & the principles apply to beginning or resuming any type of physical pursuit.

Incorporate Balance

In addition to taking it slow, incorporate a balanced program into your physical activities.   A good program will incorporate aerobic conditioning, stretching exercises and strength training.  Aerobic exercise improves the health of your heart and lungs and helps manage your weight.  The goal is to raise your heart rate for a sustained period of time.   This often involves moving continuously and may be accomplished by such activities as walking, biking or jogging.   Stretching will help improve your body’s range of motion and flexibility resulting in less muscle tension and soreness.  More importantly improved flexibility goes a long way towards reducing your risk for injury.   Formal examples include yoga or tai chi.  However, you could simply put together a stretching routine tailored to the activities in which you like to participate.   Golfers for example may practice a stretching routine they do several times a week or before a round that will make their time spent on the golf course more enjoyable.   Illustrated routines for many different activities can be found by searching YouTube.com.  The final part of a balanced program includes strength training to benefit both your muscles and bones.   Proper strength training will also reduce your incidence of injury.   Additionally, strength training can improve your metabolic efficiency.   While the most familiar forms of weight training involve using some form or free weight or weight machines, many of the same benefits can be accomplished using resistance bands and/or our own body weight.   Thus you do not necessarily have to join a gym to engage in weight training.   Incorporating some form of aerobic, flexibility and strength activity will not only inject some variety into what otherwise may be a dull routine, you’ll decrease your chance of injury and improve your overall health. 

Stay Active All Year

Why not make physical activity a year round endeavor in the years to come?   That’s right, while many of us may consider the winter our offseason, that doesn’t mean we need to shut down our physical activity entirely over the winter.  Perhaps we simply need to get more creative.  In fact, two of the three parts of a balanced program, flexibility and strength, may lend themselves more so to indoor activity anyhow.   Why not sign up for a beginners’ yoga class or try increasing the number of push-ups you can do each week during the winter?  Certainly, aerobic training can be accomplished indoors as well.   Like to bike, but the roads are covered with snow?   Why not try a SPIN class.   Swimming is another great aerobic activity that can be practiced at several indoor pools in the area.   If you can sustain some measure of physical activity throughout the winter, you’ll make the most of your time outdoors when spring arrives.

            All in all, kudos to those who are ready to lace up their walking shoes, dust off their tennis rackets or log some miles on their bicycle at the first sign of spring.   As many of you know, the most important and often the most challenging part of any exercise routine is getting started.   Keep the above tips in mind and it will go along way towards ensuring you’ll be healthy and ready to enjoy the outdoors throughout the spring and summer….and you’re new indoor activities in the winter.  Right?

Having worked in a physician practice for a decade, I have an acute understanding that I’m just one of literally hundreds of people that may stop by over the course of a year and want to “sell” something to the physician & their staff.   Physicians sit at the center of our healthcare system and quite frankly direct (or have tremendous influence) where or what patients include in their course of treatment.  For example, physicians prescribe or recommend a particular drug, they tell what hospital to use, where to you can have an x-ray or other laboratory test, etc.

Not surprisingly then everybody wants the physician’s ear for just a few minutes to tell them why their drug, hospital, lab and yes, even physical therapy clinic is the best.   I certainly know my place in the pecking order and hence take a pretty laid back approach on visits to clinics.   In fact, rarely do I ask to speak to the physician.  Often I just briefly speak with staff, thank them & them I’m on my way.   I let the work our fabulous therapists do thank them in between my visits in delivering.

Last week, the tables were turned on one of these visits.   I dropped by a clinic and did my regular in & out quick visit because they were getting hit with the post lunch rush & the waiting room was a bit full.   To my surprise, several hours later, I receive a Thank You for the Thank You email.   Sure it’s kind of corny – but the fact that someone took the time to send a thank you for the treats really made my day! 

Not only good manners but a great example of how powerful a simple thank you can be.   These folks were savvy enough to realize that while I may be thanking them for referrals, that referring patients is a two way street.  Guess who’s going to stick out in my mind when a patient might ask for a recommendation for an orthopaedic surgeon?