Chic Galleria » Thomas Matt

Resolve to Ease Pain Naturally This Year

Thomas Matt — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:24:52 +0000

As we continue the New Year perhaps it is time to consider this resolution: pain therapy through a natural and holistic approach, such as chiropractic health care.

Over my life, I have become a proponent of chiropractic treatment and its health benefits. Actually my dad was treated by a chiropractor for years when we were children, so the history in our family is very long.

Holistic medicine and their beliefs are becoming very popular, and as we move forward into the 21st century, old school medicine philosophies (treating symptoms with prescription drugs and reactionary treatment) are going to continue to increase in cost.

The Chiropractic premise is as follows:

1. Your nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) controls and coordinates everything in your body and mind.

2. When your nerve energy flows abundantly without obstruction, your body and mind are 100% self-communicating, self healing, self regulating and robust.

3. When sublaxations (nerve interference or damage) impede nerve flow, similar to static on your cell phone, you are no longer functioning at 100% and your health and vitality are compromised.

4. Subluxations are caused by our inability to handle life’s major stressors: physical, mental-emotional and chemical.

5. Left uncorrected, subluxations have devastating effects upon human health and well-being, leading to breakdown, malfunction and disease.

6. Our goal is to locate sublaxations, remove them and their causes and allow you to heal yourself on every level.

7. Only Chiropractors can determine if you have sublaxations. Who do you know that needs to be checked?

Chiropractic treatments typically focus on, but are not limited to:

Mid and lower back pain

Neck pain

Joint pain in the arms and legs

Headaches

It is important to note that chiropractors do not prescribe drugs or surgical procedures in their practice; however there may be times when a doctor may recommend consultation with another provider.

Thomas Matt has battled the fitness and weight issues most of his life. A serious illness in 2008 finally gave Thomas his “kick in the butt” to do something about it. Living a healthy life became his passion. Staying on a whole food diet and daily exercise program gave Thomas the ability to compete as an amateur body-builder as a rookie at nearly 51 years old in April of 2010. He placed 3rd in the “Grand- Masters” division, fulfilling a desire to show all Baby-Boomers it really is never too late to do anything. He is an expert in the exercise field as a certified personal trainer and lives his life through a positive way of thinking and positive affirmations.

His company GRT Fitness and Wellness (www.grtfitness.com), publishes a weekly blog on all topics health and fitness related, and can be reached by email at tom@grtfitness.com and welcomes all questions related to all topics.

Photo credit © Lisa F. Young | Dreamstime.com

Body Weight Exercises and You Do Not Have To Join A Gym

Thomas Matt — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:10:34 +0000

This weeks topic jumps into the subject of body weight exercises. I will be listing out seven exercises that I do religiously, exercises that will get you the results that will put you closer to that fountain of youth. Yes I said fountain of youth, please read on. Body weight movements can be done virtually anywhere at really anytime, and never forget what I have stated in the past, that a small amount of time adds up to a full session. Most of these exercises can be done in for the most part less than 1 minute intervals, and that one minute is 100% better than nothing, make sense doesn’t it? In addition it is all about form, posture and pace, remember motion is lotion. Isometric exercises, holding your body in a static state, can also be very beneficial The order that these movements appear in the following list are just random, I do them all and love everyone, ok so here you go

Pull ups-one of the toughest exercises, however so love them, it’s worth the effort, start slow, maybe with a band over the bar and possibly get kneeling assistance, and gradually work your way up
Push up- everyone know a push-up right, do you do them slowly and controlled, elbows in close to your body and do you do a full rep, not some half ass effort? Well if you don’t then think about this, efficiency is the key to working out, why waste time and energy
Plank-now if you don’t know the plank, go and make her acquaintance, 1 minute sets, but hold your butt really tight,
Squat- another classic that people avoid, again think efficiency, you only have so much time, right
Lunges- technique, the deeper the better, full body and if you get bored add weights to you workout and incorporate curls and or shoulder presses
BOSU ball balance and BOSU push up, these take time to work up too, again technique, technique
Finally I like to call these finishers-spit jumps with dumbbells, (I use 30lbs and they work perfect for me.)

Those exercises are the best of the best, and it you can run through this twice in a session well cool for you. As I always say I really appreciate you reading this. If you have any questions, thoughts or issues that you would like me to comment on please just drop me an email at Tom@grtfitness Thanks again, I really appreciate your time reading and watching our videos, Trainer T Peace.

“The secret of achievement is to hold a picture of a successful outcome in mind.” Henry David Thoreau

Thomas Matt has battled the fitness and weight issues most of his life, a serious illness in 2008 finally gave Thomas his “kick in the butt” to do something about it. Living a healthy life became his passion.

Staying on a whole food diet and daily exercise program gave Thomas the ability to compete as an amateur body-builder as a rookie at nearly 51 years old in April of 2010. He placed 3rd in the “Grand- Masters” division, fulfilling a desire to show all Baby-Boomers it really is never too late to do anything.

He is an expert in the exercise field as a certified personal trainer and lives his life through a positive way of thinking and positive affirmations. He loves a challenge, going back to college at 40 and nine years later completed both a Bachelors and Masters Degree at Michigan State University.

His company GRT Fitness and Wellness (www.grtfitness.com), publishes a weekly blog on all topics health and fitness related, and can be reached by email at- tom@grtfitness.com and welcomes all questions related to all topics.

Photo credit © Demid | Dreamstime.com

Core Training and the BOSU

Thomas Matt — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 07:20:03 +0000

Many people may have never heard of the BOSU ball, (both sides up), and if you have you probably are not exactly sure what it is. Let me tell you, for the money the BOSU ball is THE best piece of exercise equipment you can buy. It is rugged, durable, and small, easily stored, and handles the toughest of all situations. It is the one piece of equipment that you should consider buying this year.

As you start to focus on those new fitness goals for the New Year people have a tough time figuring out what to do. You know you need to get rolling, that is a given in many a resolution. It is the “how” that can be the troubling part of any fitness routine.

Start by focusing on the core, the 27 muscles that wrap your body mid-section.

Everyone really wants the beach body, the arms and chest, legs and back, the look at me muscles. Please allow listen to this piece of advice, to efficiently get that swimsuit look you have to start with the core, the area of your body that provides the stability for the muscles everyone can see.

That is one of the major problems with establishing that routine, going for the “look” instead of getting the stability and foundation to build that new you. This is especially directed at men, we want those arms, and that Arnold chest. Please be advised and understand that without the core strength all you are going to do is get sore and probably get injured.

For women it is a different story, women tend to be afraid of the thought of lifting and strengthening, they are more apt to want to work on core, mid-section, glutes and legs, and women actually have that advantage.

It is a fact that women are smarter than men!

The BOSU and its wide range of exercises can do the job for not only the core, which is how I train all of my clients, it’s versatility can also help with those legs, glutes, and believe it or not arms and chest.

Building that foundation will enable you to have that balance needed to get that swimsuit body. Everything takes time and planning, don’t waste your time, check out the BOSU and see what it can do for you and your fitness level, it really works.

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.”

Dr. Martin Luther King

Did Captain Crunch Sink Our Ship?

Thomas Matt — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 07:15:03 +0000

Today we shift gears just a tad and lets talk about our childhoods.

And allow to me expand into talking about children’s childhoods, (I hope you catch my drift with that line), specifically please allow me to talk about breakfast, and our sweet tooth.

In my journey to learn more about our health, fitness and specifically our mind and bodies, I have decided to continue my education from the fitness (personal training) to a weight management component, and let me tell you it is enlightening.

Please let me share with you some information directly from the textbook as it relates to sugar and refined carbohydrates.

“Americans ate less than 20 pounds of refined sugar per person per year in the early 1900’s, but by now that figure has reached over 200 pounds of sugar and artificial sweeteners.”

Can you say holy sugar cube Batman!

“This sugar onslaught begins in infancy when the pancreas and other organs are still developing. The effects of sugar on a child’s metabolism are unknown, but it is likely that the child’s immature blood sugar regulatory mechanisms are overwhelmed and weakened, leading to obesity and other health conditions.”

It is a known fact that our youth in this country are in horrendous physical condition, and it has been written that our children may be the first generation of Americans that will not live longer than their parents, hmm can we draw a correlation?

Please continue on, the facts for us, (adults), get even scarier.

“If you gained weight in childhood by eating too many refined carbohydrates in the form of sweets, soft drinks, and SUGARED BREAKFAST CEREALS, you are likely struggling with Syndrome X, a cluster of symptoms that includes abdominal obesity. You will need to pay careful attention to sugars and other refined carbohydrates now, because you have become a carbohydrate-sensitive adult. Your pancreas tends to secret to much of the hormone insulin, which causes our body to store fat from refined carbohydrates. Syndrome X is a precursor for heart disease, so it is important to control your sugars carefully.” (see footnote)

Now let me say that in my childhood we ate sugared cereal, drank kool-aid and soda, and ate candy just like every other family, and really I believe my parents had no idea. Well now we do have an idea and this diet of ours, when we were kids, could be affecting our fitness and health now.

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition we Americans are consuming 46 more calories a day from just sugar sweetened beverages than two decades ago, that’s enough cals (if you don’t increase your caloric expenditure) to gain five pounds in one year…FIVE POUNDS IN ONE YEAR, UGH!

In addition, to continue this type of eating pattern with our children is not only unhealthy, it is potentially dangerous.

So to end this topic on a somewhat brighter note, (don’t worry I will return to this subject later), a set of minor changes in our eating patterns can make a huge difference.

The whole food eating plan that Regie and I followed for 4 months for our body building show proved to me how much better you can feel, lose weight, and get stronger.

I am in the process of writing the whole 4 month, becoming a body builder at 50 journey in a book, workouts, thoughts, meal patterns and I am looking forward to sharing that book with everyone.

Now I know losing weight, getting stronger at any age is very doable and we can all benefit, that I will guarantee.

Thanks for your time and reading, enjoy the video,

Trainer T

(Weight Success for a Lifetime, Carol Simontacchi C.C.N., MS)

“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.”

Henri Bergson