Copyright © 2012 Mackie Shilstone

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make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or
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implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or
written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may
not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional
where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for
any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not
limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
Furthermore, the information contained in this book is not intended to
serve as a replacement or substitute for professional medical advice and/
or treatment. Any use of the information in this book is at the reader’s
discretion. The author and the publisher specifically disclaim any and all
liability arising directly or indirectly from the use or application of any
information contained in this book. A health care professional should be
consulted regarding your specific situation or physical condition.

ISBN: 978-0-615-57826-2

Printed in the United States of America by

MPress
4100 Howard Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70125

Front and back cover by Phillip Collier designs

 CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 4
FOREWORD .................................................................................... 6
INTRODUCTION.............................................................................. 7
PART ONE: CHAPTER ONE – PASSION AND MOTIVATION
The Road to Health Ownership ...................................................... 10
PART ONE: CHAPTER TWO – PASSION AND MOTIVATION
Staying in Fighting Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
PART ONE: CHAPTER THREE – PASSION AND MOTIVATION
Oh, the Stress of It All ................................................................... 34
PART TWO: CHAPTER ONE
Health Ownership: It’s Time to Stop Renting! ............................................................ 59
PART TWO: CHAPTER TWO
Cholesterol and Triglycerides ........................................................ 67
PART THREE: CHAPTER ONE – RX HEALTHY EATING GUIDELINES
Energy Intake vs . Expenditure ........................................................ 77
PART THREE: CHAPTER TWO – RX HEALTHY EATING GUIDELINES
Eating Healthy: How Your Choices Can Change
Your Life for the Better ................................................................... 86
PART THREE: CHAPTER THREE – RX HEALTHY SUPPLEMENT PLAN
Oil You Need to Know: The Remarkable Benefits
of Fish Oil .................................................................................... 100
PART FOUR: CHAPTER ONE – THE FITNESS CURE
Step By Step: An Exercise in Longevity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
PART FOUR: CHAPTER TWO – THE FITNESS CURE
Feet First: How 10,000 Daily Steps Can Get You
That Much Closer to Great Health ................................................ 136
PART FIVE: JUMPING THE ROADBLOCKS
The Emotional Side of Wellness .............................................................. 145
PART SIX: SUCCESS STORIES .............................................................. 150
APPENDIX I: SAMPLE MEAL PLANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
APPENDIX II: SAMPLE EXERCISE WORKOUT LOG
AND MEAL PLAN CHART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
ABOUT THE AUTHOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

3
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank the following people and groups for
the roles they played in the compilation of this book:
Leigh Simons – For recognizing several years ago that my
message “to stop renting your health” would be the key
to a longer, healthier, more prosperous life. His belief in
me and our friendship is truly appreciated.
To Leigh’s great staff at LS Productions for their excellent
support and follow-up to make this project a reality.
To Dean M. Shapiro for putting words to my thoughts and
consistently staying on top of this project until completion.
To Chris Bynum who understood how to focus the project
and bring it to life. And to her cohort Suzanne Stouse, for
eagle-eyeing the copy.
To Dr. Leonard Kancher for his brilliant, concise and
forward-thinking approach to medicine. His gold-standard
approach to health care and his patients is a path for other
primary care physicians to follow.
To Michelle Hyde for always being there for me even when
I think I do not need help.
To Julie Fortenberry for putting the nutrition component
together in a workable plan and sharing my vision.
To Chris DePolo for 15 years and counting of loyalty and
support.
To Beth Krebser for overseeing the Pro Circuit Exercise
descriptions and quality control of the photographs.
To Jheri Bellard for her technical review of the manuscript,
especially in the exercise chapter.
4
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 5

To Julie Chappius for the boxing graphic and the body

measurement chart.
To Glade Bilby for taking the photographs of the Pro
Circuit.
To Patrick McCausland for the male and female vitamin
recommendations.
To Stuart Tomc at Nordic Naturals® for the research and
writing of the fish oil story.
To the staff of Nordic Naturals® for supporting this project
with the research, quality, and integrity necessary to
produce the best fish-oil products in the world.
To my clients John Goodman, Clay Leon, and Christie
Dannewitz for a willingness to share their stories of a path
to better health.
To Kelley Hunter Ellis for the section on the psychology
and strategy it takes to stay on the path to better health.
To Mark A. Letendre ATC, Director of Umpire Medical
Services for Major League Baseball, for his design of and
consultation on the Fitness Principle Structural Layout and
Programs.
To Alice Ford for demonstrating the exercises in the Pro
Circuit.
To The Fitness Principle Staff, my fellow team members
at East Jefferson General Hospital, and Dr. Mark Peters,
President and CEO of East Jefferson General Hospital, for
believing and investing in my concepts and programs
To Kelly Gaubert of MPress for her tremendous assistance
in the printing of this book, and to Wilma Hopkins of
MPress for her excellent typesetting and design work.
 FOREWORD
From the moment you meet Mackie Shilstone, you know his passion
for what he does is genuine and infectious. The light in his eyes and
knowledge he has about the human body can now, through this book,
Stop Renting Your Health, Own It, help everyone who can’t personally
be trained by Mackie to take ownership of their health and fitness.
I first met Mackie Shilstone twenty years ago when he was training
Riddick Bowe for the first Andrew Golota fight in New York City. Mackie
was training Bowe in New Orleans and, for the final part of the training,
he was to come to New York City. Mackie was referred to me by the
New York Giants Team Physician Dr. Allan Levy, and I became Team
Bowe’s doc for his New York period. We met at the hotel restaurant. I
was impressed with Mackie’s enthusiasm and his knowledge from the
get-go. After ten minutes Mackie excused himself and went into the
kitchen. When he came out he explained that he wanted to be sure
Bowe’s food was being made with the groceries he picked out and
cooked in the manner he had dictated. This wasn’t just compulsive;
he was paying attention to every detail of Bowe’s training, including all
substances this athlete ate. His training was just as impressive.
Ever since that time, Bowe and I have continued to send patients, both
professional and enthusiastic non-professionals, to work with Mackie
in New Orleans. Mackie’s knowledge and motivational skills make
everyone better. I know every reader will pull from the words and
knowledge Mackie has and feel that motivation to take hold of their
health, follow his guidelines, and feel and look light years better. This
book will be your storied reference and a valuable resource that not
only you will benefit from, but all your friends. As you feel better you
will be recommending it to others.
Enjoy the Ride.

Lewis G. Maharam, MD, FACSM, is one of the world’s most extensively

credentialed and best-known running health experts. Better known as
Running Doc™, Maharam is author of four books including Running
Doc’s Guide to Healthy Running. He is past president of the New York
Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine and has a private
practice of Sports Medicine in New York City.

6
 INTRODUCTION
The book you hold in your hand is about owning your health, not
renting it, as many people do. It’s about taking charge of your body
and not letting your body take charge of you. If you are ready to
take ownership of your health — and therefore your life — this book
holds the tools you need.
What I share with you on these pages is going to make the difference
in how you live your life within the body you were given. You can
either take ownership of it, like you would a new house or a new car,
and put in the time, effort and resources necessary to maintain it in
peak condition — or you can rent it; forgo any improvements and
reap the consequences of your neglect. The choice is yours to make.
You’ve always had the power to make that choice, whether you
were aware of it or not.
Most of us, throughout our lives, have been told that it’s what we
don’t know that will kill us. In this book I am submitting the premise
that it’s what we DO know that can kill us. Too many people in the
world are dying needlessly every day because of what they have
been told and taken as truth. They’ve been told if they take this pill
or follow this program or stick to this diet they’ll either maintain the
good health they’re fortunate enough to have, or improve it. They
allow themselves to be influenced by promises that they’ll reach
the supposed “ideal,” not realizing that that has been placed out of
their reach so they’ll continue to buy into the product or program
with the false guarantees.
In the chapters that follow, I provide for you a strategic plan that I
have found to be most successful with my own clients, from elite
athletes to iconic entrepreneurs to ordinary individuals on a quest
for fulfilling and energetic lives. Like most other programs, it’s going
to entail exercise and proper nutrition, but it’s also going to go
further than that. It will add the elements of determination, drive,
passion, commitment, and an overall positive, can-do attitude that
is absolutely essential to the success of this or any other program.
Most of my work, as you will see in the chapters to come, is based
not only on what I’ve observed and experienced, but is solidly based
on scientific principles and hard supporting data. In my 35 years as

7
8 INTRODUCTION

a performance enhancement and positive lifestyle management

expert, I have been a voracious reader of scientific and highly
technical trade journals in the world of sports medicine and sports
therapy. I firmly believe in applying the latest technology and the
principles behind that technology to the work I do.
The fields of science and medicine have been with us for thousands
of years, but only now are we beginning to understand the specifics
about the human body and its capabilities that our forefathers
could never have imagined. Armed with that knowledge and
the technology to track progress, we can develop individualized
programs that allow us to reach our full physical capabilities.
The work I do will stand up to the most rigorous scrutiny. It is “tried
and true” and those who have gone through my programs will vouch
for them.
This is my promise to those of you who have made the commitment
to buy this book and the program for health ownership within it. No
matter who you are, what you are, or what you do, you are going
to find something in this book that will be life-changing. I am
going to provide for you the two main tools necessary for this
transformation — passion and commitment. Armed with the fire
of motivation the two provide, you will see good things happen in
your life.
Nothing in this world makes me feel better than pointing to the
many success stories I’ve had and the many more I look forward to
having.
Helping actor John Goodman lose 100 pounds, Baseball Hall of
Famer Ozzie Smith extend his career another 10 years, Serena
Williams win major tennis titles, and four professional boxers win
world titles: These are just a few of the rewarding experiences I’ve
had. But the greatest sense of accomplishment comes from the
greatest good — reaching more people open to the new frontier of
better health and greater longevity.
With that goal in mind, let’s hit the road that will get us there.
 INTRODUCTION 9

THE TOOLS THAT WORK

The partnership of passion and motivation
Before you can even set foot on the track there’s a critical first step:
reassessing the power of passion. Get that down, and passion, in
turn, will feed motivation. And there you have a pair of vital tools
— passion and motivation — for moving your life into the realm
where the once impossible is possible.
Simply put, passion is a life force, the internal combustion engine
that sparks the fire within you. Attaining what we want in life is
almost never easy, nor meant to be. We are conditioned almost
from birth to follow the maxim “You get what you work for,” and our
brains are likely genetically programmed that way as well. We are
inclined to work at whatever we like to do or what we do best. We
are expected to be productive, and that is all for the good. But those
who succeed welcome a challenge for the satisfaction of reaching a
goal. Passion is free for the taking, but it must be nurtured and
maintained. Passion does not run on autopilot. It thrives on self-
awareness and effort. Only then does passion become the energy
that moves you forward.

SOLIDIFYING THE PARTNERSHIP

Sharpening the cutting-edge tools
Once you have connected passion and motivation, it is time to
manage your performance. You do this by managing your health
— both mental and physical. When health ownership, passion and
motivation come together, you summon the energy it takes to live
the successful and fulfilling life you want.
 PA R T O N E
CHAPTER ONE
Passion and Motivation

THE ROAD TO HEALTH

OWNERSHIP
Ready, Aim . . . Higher!
How many times in your life have you set goals for yourself only to
be disappointed when you failed to reach them? I’m sure none of
you has been keeping score, but it’s undoubtedly happened to us all
at least once. (More than once?)
No matter how many times you’ve encountered this, never be
discouraged by your failure to reach those goals. Maybe yours was
related to your job, or your health. Regardless, you just had to deal
with it.

What are the odds?

How many times have you heard the expression “Failure is not an
option?” Do you believe it? The answer you give can determine your
odds at success.
I happen to agree with the statement. For me and in the work I
do, failure is NOT an option. If I don’t achieve my goal of offering
the best, most effective, most results-oriented fitness program
my training and experience can offer, then people who enroll in
my program won’t accomplish their goals either. If I didn’t make
the effort to stay abreast of scientific developments and the most
current information available to people in my field, if I didn’t take
advantage of the latest technological advances in measuring body
composition and other essential components of my program, if I
didn’t seek out the expertise of other specialists in fields that feed
into mine, I would be out of business.

10
 THE ROAD TO HEALTH OWNERSHIP 11

I have to keep my goals in front of me all the time, keep striving

to achieve them, and keep setting new goals as the need arises —
which of course includes the goal of this book: to share with readers
what I’ve learned from working with people who want to improve
their physical condition and overall well-being.

Moving on
Again, this doesn’t mean that I’ve never failed to reach a goal; it
means I’m not going to dwell on those occasions. Much of what I’ve
incorporated into my program has been learned through trial and
error — finding out what worked and what didn’t, minimizing or
eliminating margins for error, and then adjusting the variables to
find the best results. It’s all part of the learning process about
reasonable and attainable goals. Understanding the challenge and
then going for it.
Not every boxer I helped train won every fight, nor did every
baseball player win an MVP award, nor every team a World Series
or a Stanley Cup. But here is what I can say, with absolute certainty:
As I strove to accomplish those goals, each of these athletes got
something positive out of the experience of working with me. I
helped them improve their performance physically, mentally, and
in other less tangible but equally important ways. And why can I
say this with such certainty? Because this was my primary goal.
Because in the long run, getting someone healthy, keeping him
healthy, and instilling the keys to a lifetime of good health is a more
beneficial, farther-reaching goal than winning any title or award.
While a trophy may reflect excellence in achievement, good health
is the heartbeat of your life.

Training for life

I train and condition professional athletes to be the best they can
be during their active careers, but I also train and educate them
about maintaining their good health beyond their careers — for
the rest of their lives. And it’s this emphasis on lifelong health that
most have said they appreciate more than anything I did for their
careers.
I can name names here, starting with Ozzie Smith, a perennial
All-Star shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals and a Major League
12 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Baseball Hall of Famer. Time after time he’s said publicly that he’s
as grateful we helped him extend his career by 11 years as he is for
a fitness plan he can follow for the rest of his life. Needless to say,
testimonials like these make me feel very proud. They remind me
that I am accomplishing a long-range goal as well as a shorter one.
But short-range goals that evolve into long-range goals with lifetime
benefits are not just the desire of those in the athletic arena. People
from all walks of life who seek out my Executive Wellness Program
at East Jefferson Hospital (in Metairie, La.) desire an immediate
solution to such health concerns as being overweight or battling
hypertension or fatigue. But they soon realize that lifetime control
of their health and well-being is at the root of those desires.
Kim Lepine, 51, had open-heart surgery (valve replacement and one
bypass) in 2004 at the age of 44. Thereafter, she worked out off and
on, but could never make the commitment to stay with a health
and fitness program. That changed in the winter of 2010 when
Lepine joined the Wellness program with her husband.
“My husband always had the discipline to stay in shape, but I
developed the discipline through a supervised program that
made me accountable by making it easy and simple,” said Lepine,
who began to see the time she devoted to her well-being as an
investment in her future.
“I decided my husband and I could give up vacations to enroll in
a program where we were personally guided (in both fitness and
nutrition). If I didn’t get myself healthy, I wasn’t going to be enjoying
any vacations. And if I didn’t take care of myself, I wouldn’t be
around to have a vacation,” said Lepine. “I now feel in control of
my health, and I know I am now mentally and physically stronger
than I have ever been before.” She defines this newfound health
ownership as “a beam of light.” Along the way, she has lost 45
pounds and 38 inches.
So, what can you do to take ownership of your health and your
life and start achieving the goals you set out to accomplish? Let’s
start by asking some basic questions. Your answers will be “Never,”
“Sometimes” or “Always.” Write down your answers, and continue
to read through this chapter. Keep them handy to compare to the
answers I’m going to give you.
 THE ROAD TO HEALTH OWNERSHIP 13

HEALTH CHECK: TEST YOUR ATTITUDE FIRST

1 . Do you let others’ opinions influence the goals you set and affect
the confidence you have in your ability to reach them?
* Never * Sometimes * Always
2 . Do you thoroughly evaluate your current situation before you set
a goal? * Never * Sometimes * Always
3 . When you set goals, do you know what you want to accomplish
over the long term? * Never * Sometimes * Always
4. Do you have a clear vision of where you want to end up when you
achieve your goal? * Never * Sometimes * Always
5 . Do you strive for your goals in realistic, incremental steps?
* Never * Sometimes * Always
6 . Do you feel relaxed and clear-headed when thinking about your
goals? * Never * Sometimes * Always
7 . Do you get nervous about or intimidated by the processes you
may have to go through to achieve your goals?
* Never * Sometimes * Always

1. Do you let others’ opinions influence the goals you set and
affect the confidence you have in your ability to reach them?
If you answered “Never” to No. 1 (and are being honest), you may
well be on the path to achieving your health and/or life goals. No
matter what “they,” your detractors, say or do, their opinions are
not going to undermine your confidence in your ability to reach
your goals. You are confident of getting there.
Doubt the doubters. For those who answered “Always” or even
“Sometimes,” you need to ask why you are allowing yourself to be
subjected to the doubtfulness of others, why you allow them to
torpedo your confidence. Restoring it is something we can do.
As you set a goal, be the prize a health-related accomplishment or
career benchmark, think back to your childhood and the story of
“The Little Engine That Could.” A small locomotive is called upon for
the very difficult task of hauling a long train over the top of a steep
14 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

hill. All the way up the hill the engine is saying to himself, “I think
I can. I think I can,” and when he finally hits the top and is on the
way down, the words become “I thought I could. I thought I could.”
But take it a step further. Start out with a fully-convinced “I know I
can.” Make this your mantra and repeat it over and over and over to
yourself, as many times and as often as necessary. This simple thing
will be your confidence builder.
Let’s say you have a goal of losing 10 pounds over the next six
months and you know this is going to be tough. You’ve tried it before
and failed. Maybe you’ve tried it several times and failed. And if that
wasn’t bad enough, you have people around you with whom you’ve
shared your goal and all you’ve gotten from them is cynicism. So
now you have a double whammy to overcome.
And the way to accomplish that it is to remember the words of
the old Johnny Mercer song, “Accentuate the Positive.” Focus on all
the ways you plan to accomplish your goal, draw up a game plan,
and eliminate the negatives, which would include the opinions of
negative people around you. Surround yourself with people who
are positive, goal-oriented and confident, and hopefully some of
that will rub off on you. And, when it does, you’ll be that much
closer to attaining your goal.
2. Do you thoroughly evaluate your current situation before you
set a goal?
Those who answered “Always” to this one are doing what they
should be doing. After all, how can you know where you’re going
later on if you don’t know where you are now?
The first thing you need to do is think about whether you’re a good
“fit” for the goal you’re seeking. Is it something you are capable of
doing? You need to sit down and give it an honest assessment.
If the career fits, wear it. Maybe you would like to be a lawyer. Or
a doctor. What you may have going in your favor is a burning desire
to help people in need of those services. This is admirable. But, do
you have the time and the patience it’s going to take to become
certified to practice? Do you have the necessary resources?
 THE ROAD TO HEALTH OWNERSHIP 15

If you don’t have the time, the patience, the resources or any of the
other things the job is going to demand, it may be time to think
about something that allows you to deploy your best assets, within
a framework you can manage. Think about something related but
less stressful and more realistically attainable. Then pursue it.
If you’re thinking about moving forward in your chosen career
or even into a new one, again: Stop and do a pros-and-cons list.
The same applies if your goal is weight loss or getting yourself into
better physical condition overall. Think about where you are; then
mentally measure the distance to the place you want to go. Then
forge ahead with a confidence grounded in reality.
3. When you set goals do you know what you want to accomplish
over the long term?
Of course ideally the answer to this one is “Always,” but I expect
most of you will be realistic and say “Sometimes.” With all the
uncertainty in today’s job market, we can’t always know where we
want to go. Or if we do know, we can’t be certain that it’s going to
be there at the time we can reach for it.
But rather than dwell on these variables, assume that your goal
is going to be attainable at the time you’re ready to go for it. If
it’s not, then you’ll have to rethink and readjust your goal at the
appropriate time. So, if you answered “Sometimes,” let’s work on
making it “Always.” It’s called know-where-you’re-going.
Take the long view. The point here is not to focus on the variables
but rather on the goals themselves. None of us have a crystal ball.
The most learned economists in the world can’t predict what will
happen with the economy years from now. So, the objective is to
focus on what you want to be doing, knowing that circumstances
may change the picture. If you see that happening, be prepared with
a Plan B or even C.
If your goal is losing weight, gaining healthy muscle and enjoying
better overall health, you stand a better chance of achieving it than
you do a career-oriented goal whose fulfillment may not be within
your control. With the world changing at a faster pace than ever,
that job or promotion you so desperately want may not be there
16 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

five years from now — but your health and your responsibility for
maintaining and improving it will be.
Health is something more controllable — not subject to the vagaries
of the marketplace or changing technologies. It is yours. You OWN
it. So, when you set long-term goals for where you want to be
weight-wise and health-wise, you are the boss. Your job? Know
where you want to go, where you want to be by a given time. And
then do what you need to do to get there. Believe it or not, it can be
as easy as it sounds.
4 . Do you have a clear vision of where you want to end up when
you achieve your goal?
Again, your answer here should be “Always,” but for most,
“Sometimes” it will be. But there are things you can do to change
that. If your goal is to become the CEO of the company you work for
now or the company you’d like to work for, take a moment to relax
and let your mind wander a bit. Sit down in a comfortable chair,
close your eyes and see yourself in the future. Envision yourself
sitting behind that big glass-topped desk and the floor-to-ceiling
picture windows and the panoramic view overlooking your city and,
maybe, a river that runs through it. Imagine what that would be like,
enjoying the view, meeting with interesting people whose work
feeds your company’s lifeline, and having a staff of skilled,
dedicated people who share your vision. And they are all answering
to you.
In a clear way, you can see forever . Take that vision even further.
Imagine what it would be like to reap more benefits of the job, come
home to a beautiful home and a sprawling, landscaped yard and a
swimming pool. Imagine yourself taking those relaxing vacations on
the beach, in a secluded cabin in the mountains or on a luxury cruise
liner. Imagine sending your kids to a prestigious college where they
can prepare for a promising and rewarding career. Then open your
eyes.
And when you do, take a look around at your surroundings. If you
tell yourself, “I can do better than this” and make up your mind to
do it, chances are you can. Even if you don’t get the big job with the
view, you can do well nonetheless. Most upwardly mobile and
ambitious people will be inclined to accept the next best thing
 THE ROAD TO HEALTH OWNERSHIP 17

within the corporate structure. Just by aspiring to and moving to

a higher position, you can better see what you want. Climbing the
corporate ladder even higher may not be what you want, in fact;
perhaps you prefer more time for family. The choices are much
easier to make when you view your life from a higher vantage point.
Now, take this same approach to your personal health. If you are
grossly overweight or even moderately so, sit back, close your
eyes, and picture yourself the way you would like to be. If you have
always had a weight problem, think about what it would be like not
to. Picture yourself as the svelte “After” figure in the ads you see in
the magazines and on TV. If you were of average weight for most of
your life and only started gaining in recent years, think back to the
way you looked in the past. Think back on how good it made you
feel. If you have any old pictures of yourself from that time, pull
them out. They could give you some inspiration.
Imagine yourself once again slipping into the fabulous dress you’ve
had hanging in your closet since you were 40 pounds lighter. Imagine
yourself once again fitting into that size 38 or 40 suit you haven’t
been able to wear in 10 years. Imagine the joy of feeling your pants
getting looser around your waist and hearing the compliments.
Envision having the stamina to engage in a good workout or to take
a long, strenuous hike in the mountains. Above all, imagine the
tremendous satisfaction you will feel by having attained your goal.
Make it a goal; then make it a habit. Imagine all of these good things
and keep imagining them. Plan out how you are going to achieve
your goal, then work the plan. Keep an ongoing record of your
progress – and your setbacks. The point is to add a sense of what it
may be like to achieve your goal. Keep trying and you will succeed.
Every day you get closer to your goal, the more you will feel like
meeting it.
5. Do you strive for your goals in realistic, incremental steps?
Hopefully all of you said “Always.” Personally, I don’t know any other
way to do it — what’s the point of goals that are nebulous and
unfocused?
Getting through life itself is, of course, a step-by-step process, but
it’s amazing how many people think they can leap-frog through the
18 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

process of goal achievement by taking shortcuts. In so doing, they

may be missing out on important lessons along the way. They may
arrive at the door to the goal they set only to realize that they don’t
have the key. By short-circuiting the process, they missed out on
learning experiences that could have greatly benefited them.
So, in order to attain your goals, you must first break them down
into simple, logical, more-easily-attainable steps. Any long-term
goal is best reached by attaining short-term goals; this applies to
your job, your career, your personal life, and especially your health.
In sports we call this a game plan. Make your own game plan for life.
Write it down, then write down the steps you see as necessary to
attain your goal. Number them 1 through whatever, and try your
best to follow them in the sequence you outlined. Check off each
goal as you attain it, then take the next step.
Be aware, of course, that situations change and game plans must
change with them. Be flexible and have a backup plan in case the
original isn’t working the way you envisioned: you’re OK if the
alternate plan leads you in the same general direction. The point
is to have a plan that helps you reach your goal incrementally and
stick to it. Follow it and you’ll get where you’re going.
6. Do you feel relaxed and clear-headed when thinking about your
goals?
If you answered “Always” you can probably skip this part. If you
answered otherwise I have some important information I can share
with you here.
Cool your jets . When thinking about and planning for goals you
should always try to feel relaxed. Focusing in on your goals amid a
lot of distractions or when you’re under stress is like trying to read a
newspaper in a strong wind. You’re not going to be at your creative
best and you’re not going to be able to focus clearly on your goals.
Your mind must be perfectly relaxed, clear and focused if you are
going to plan your goals: You need a mind at peace to piece together
what’s in your mind. You need to create an environment free of or
with minimal distractions. Turn off the TV, the iPod, maybe even the
computer and Smartphones. If you have other people living with
you they must give you your space. Then sit back in a comfortable
 THE ROAD TO HEALTH OWNERSHIP 19

chair, channel out all the negative vibes interfering with your
objectives, and focus.
If it’s nighttime, turning out the lights works for some people I
know. If it’s daytime, draw the curtains. Not being able to see your
surroundings makes it easier to focus on what you can’t see —
what’s coming from your brain.
Then, while you’re in this relaxed, introspective state, start writing
down your goals and how you plan to accomplish them. Make
a note of when you started to establish a time frame. As you go
along, continue making notes on your progress, and always date
those entries. This is very helpful if you have set a specific or even
general time frame in which you plan to accomplish your goals. A
written record will help keep you on track or serve as a reminder if
you stray off the track.
Listen to the sound of your own voice . For some people, “talking
out” their goals works best. Make a recording, noting the date
just as if you were writing the information down. Then start by
describing your present situation in as much detail as you can. Tell
yourself how you plan to reach your goal and the steps you’ll be
taking, and set some sort of a timetable to get there.
Make more recordings, and play the words back as often as
necessary to remind yourself of where you are in your game plan.
But be flexible. Don’t set a goal and/or time frame that’s unrealistic
— you’ll be disappointed if you’re not exactly on track, especially if
you have no backup plan.
The main thing is that you get focused and stay focused. Not
stressed out. Planning for your goals will come to you a lot easier if
you’re in the proper state of mind — receptive to processing that
information.
7. Do you get nervous about and intimidated by the processes you
may have to go through to achieve your goals?
If you (honestly) answered “Never,” you’re free and clear here,
neither intimidated nor overwhelmed by the process. You’re
determined to side-step obstacles, ready to pass “Go,” collect your
$200 and start on your way to taking on the world.
20 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

But those of you who answered “Sometimes” or “Always” must

think about whether your goals are do-able. If you’re intimidated
about the process you have to go through to achieve goals, and if
the thought of striving for them is overwhelming, sounds like what
you’re looking for isn’t right for you.
So, before you go any further, take a moment to think about whether
or not the fit is good — or if you have to readjust your career
focus, or weight loss, or other fitness goals. Be realistic, be logical,
and most of all, be honest with yourself. If you need to, consult
people you trust to give you an honest opinion, not condescend or
discourage. Trust me, you will be a lot worse off if you pursue a goal
that’s not a good fit for you.
I’ve known people who fell into this trap. Some of them spent a lot
of years and a lot of money in law school, thinking they were going
to be hot-shot lawyers. But once they realized what the profession
would demand, the thought was overwhelming. So they never went
into practice and, instead, pursued other careers. But did they
waste their time? The answer is no. They learned a valuable lesson
from the experience, and they learned something about the legal
field. If that was the lesson it took to steer them into a more
rewarding career, it was a lesson worth learning.
Just as we learn valuable lessons from our experiences, we should
also be open to learning new things. And to reexamining what
we have come to accept as truth. Sometimes we must shake our
foundations to stand on solid ground. Let’s examine just a few
of the misconceptions that have shaped our lives. Others will be
explored in later chapters.
The more friends the better. Who doesn’t want to be George Bailey
in “It’s a Wonderful Life”? But this is only true if the friends are
positive ones — those capable of offering an honest opinion in an
affirmative way. Friends with only negative energy can suck the life
out of you. Beware the vampires!
Hard work never killed anyone. Really, why prioritize when you can
agonize, right? Just grit out that crushing load of stuff that needs
doing. Truth is, emotionally and physically healthy people set
realistic priorities; they think twice about projects requiring time
 THE ROAD TO HEALTH OWNERSHIP 21

and energy commitments they may not be able to keep. Even as

they plan for the future, they take on only what they can do well
here and now.
Watch your weight . Actually, that would be watch your waist. The
circumference of your mid-section is a clear indicator of your health,
specifically your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. While
one’s body weight and body mass index (BMI) can remain the same
over time, inactivity and poor nutrition can cause body fat to settle
around the waist. The alarm goes off when a woman’s waist exceeds
35 inches, a man’s 40.
Just as our lives are filled with revelations, they are also full of
challenges. We face them every day. But we don’t resolve them at
the exact moment they come up. Some challenges can be met and
overcome in a short period of time, others can take years. The thing
to remember is that whatever challenges you set for yourself, make
them attainable, and ultimately rewarding. You’ll feel better about
yourself and those around you.
 PA R T O N E
CHAPTER TWO

Passion and Motivation STAYING IN

FIGHTING FORM People who work in public

relations live by this saying: “It’s not

enough just to put the word out there; you have to keep it out
there” — meaning you can’t just send out a press release and not
follow up, not make a sustained effort to keep the promotional
effort going. The same thing applies to sports, to career goals, to
personal health and wellness, to all of life. The most important
things we do in life all have to be part of a sustained, ongoing effort.
Reaching “the top of your game” is the goal of everyone who excels
in a sport. The same holds for career and health. I’ve outlined some
of the ways you can reach your top form by setting goals. But let’s
assume you have already “arrived.” How do you stay there? You may
think the answer is the one that got you to where you are now, but
this is not usually the case.
Let’s use the example of trying to get ahead in your career. While
you were striving for a career goal you were using a set of strategies
aimed at getting you to a certain level. Think of it like driving a car
with a manual shift. To get to your present position you had to shift
through first, second, third and fourth gear. Now you’re in fifth,
moving along at full cruising speed, and you want to stay there. If
you slow down you will have to downshift into a lower gear. Don’t
go there.

Take the fifth

So how do you stay in that high gear you worked so hard to get
into? By staying alert and focused on what you’re doing. By not
slowing down and letting your competitors catch up with you. By not
resting on your laurels and getting complacent. By not closing your
eyes and your mind to changes going on around you. And, most of
all, by not assuming that what you do makes you indispensable and
22
 STAYING IN FIGHTING FORM 23

that you can’t be replaced. You can and very well might be if you get
too complacent about your standing in the company structure and
mission.
Let’s apply the same analogy to sports. You’re at the top of your
game in your chosen sport, say baseball. You’ve just won the Most
Valuable Player award in your league. You led the league in home
runs and runs batted in and were third in overall batting average.
You helped your team win the World Series with two game-winning
home runs and several other key hits. You’ve reached the peak
of your profession and your picture was on the cover of Sports
Illustrated. Well guess what happens next?
A new season starts. You, too, have to start all over again. Statistics
don’t carry over from one season to the next — all eyes are on
you and you have to perform. You have to prove to yourself, your
team, and the rest of the world that the previous season was no
fluke. And you know you can do it again, perhaps even better. But
complacency will get you nowhere.

Throwing heat
If you assume that the key base hits and the home runs are just
going to come with little effort, you’re in trouble. Opposing pitchers
are still going to be throwing heat at you, and you’re going to be in
for a very long season if you can’t respond and give it back. After
three or four bad seasons the one good season you had is going
to be quickly forgotten. There’s another player on the bench just
waiting for you to fall so he can take your position on the field and
in the batting order. The next thing you know, you’re off the team
and, if no other team wants you, you’re out of the game.
The sports analogy holds up in both our private and public
endeavors. We compete in all aspects of our lives. Corporate
executives who have done great things for their companies must
continue to do great things if they expect to keep their positions.
Elected officials who’ve been responsive to their constituents must
continue to listen or they might not be re-elected. Teachers, above
all, must maintain results each day, preparing the next generation
for excellence. Women, in particular continue to navigate uncharted
paths, knowing endurance is everything. Going the distance
depends on your health and longevity.
24 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Health Wanted: Full-time Job, Great Retirement Plan

Let’s say you set a goal of losing 10 pounds in six months and did
it. Congratulations! It was a struggle; you had to make a lot of
sacrifices, but you made them, and finally you’re where you want
to be. Now your goal is to stay there. And, as you may well know
already, that’s the hardest part: Losing weight is always easier than
keeping it off.
Later, I’ll give you some specific weight-reduction strategies that will
help keep you at the top of your game. I’ve been in my profession
more than three decades, and I’ve seen these work. Many times.
With the athletes I’ve helped train and with non-athletes who
simply want to improve their fitness levels. But first I want to give
you some guidelines:

TO YOUR HEALTH!
A checklist

• Become your “health age.”

• Fight back against fatigue.
• Maximize your performance level.
• Strive for emotional equilibrium.
• Think (and plan) ahead.
• Strive for “compressed morbidity.”

Now let me explain how to make these goals work for you.

Act your ‘health age’

Each one of us has two parallel ages: a chronological age based on
how many revolutions the Earth has made around the sun since
we were born, and a “health age,” which can be best measured by
what kind of shape our bodies are in relative to our chronological
age. Depending on what kind of shape you’re in and how well you
take care of yourself, you can be 30 going on 50 or 50 going on 30.
It’s all a matter of how you feel, but more important, it’s a matter of
how well your body’s systems are in sync with one another.
 STAYING IN FIGHTING FORM 25

Chronological age is just a number. It doesn’t tell you how healthy

you are. When you hear someone say “you look good for your age,”
that’s generally an acknowledgement that you look younger than
you actually are. It’s a compliment, but wouldn’t you rather just hear
a person say, “You look good” and leave out the “age” part?
Attaining and maintaining your “health age” is an ongoing process.
It doesn’t stop when you’ve reached a personal weight or health
goal — that’s where the maintenance begins. You need to eat the
right foods, get the proper amount of exercise and rest, keep your
stress levels low, and stay alert to any changes you may notice that
don’t feel right. To help you maintain that alertness and health age,
consider these factors:
• Body-fat percentage
• Resting heart rate
• Upper and lower body strength
• Metabolic rate (with normal thyroid)
• Cholesterol levels — total, LDL, HDL, VLDL, IDL
• Fasting glucose levels
• Triglyceride levels
These things, which we’ll look at in detail later, are basically the most
important things you need to know about your body to maintain
your health age. Regular medical checkups will give you a status
report.
Medical experts used to claim that our health was 50 percent
genetic (hereditary) and 50 percent environmental. But today you
may not be able to “blame it on the genes.” Or at least not to the
extent that you could have before: Today medical experts say our
health is based on two-thirds environmental factors and one-third
genetic factors. With environmental issues defined as those within
your control, you can see your opportunity and responsibility to
be as healthy as you can be. Being responsive to the challenge can
help lower your health age.
26 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Energize against fatigue

Fatigue is something we all feel at some time or other. It is a normal
response to your level of activity and it is the body’s way of telling
you to stop what you’re doing or at least slow down and take a rest.
What isn’t normal is when you push yourself and your body and
mind beyond tolerable limits.
Fatigue can be just as much mental as physical. If you have a
desk job that requires a lot of thinking, calculating, planning,
organizing, writing and other physically undemanding activities
that nonetheless strain your brain, you can feel just as tired at the
end of the day as someone who has been out in the hot sun doing
pick and shovel work.
When you are overly tired, you are not likely to be operating at your
peak levels of efficiency and productivity. If you are of normal,
average health or better, your body is capable of producing the
amount of energy necessary for you to accomplish whatever you
need to. However, that energy is not inexhaustible. When drained,
it must be restored with rest. It needs “down time” in order to
replenish.
If you push yourself beyond your body’s capacity to supply the
necessary energy, it will draw from its emergency energy reserves,
which are also limited. And when you’re tapping into reserves, you
are challenging your body to keep up with you. At this point, it may
not be able to kick in efficiently and effectively. This is when fatigue
sets in.

Pounds lost, energy found

What are the factors that determine how much energy you have?
There are many things that could be contributing to fatigue, but
one stands out — your weight. If you are overweight or obese your
body may have to work that much harder to keep up with you when
you are expending a lot of energy.
Back in the late 1980s I was working out with a pro football
defensive lineman whose weight topped 300 pounds. At that point
in his career he had been playing for eight years and wanted to play
for at least a few more, but he was experiencing physical problems
that were slowing him down.
 STAYING IN FIGHTING FORM 27

After a series of tests we determined that his weight might be

contributing to a growing weakness in his knees — and increasing his
fatigue levels. I worked with him on lowering his fatigue threshold
and helped him lose about 35 pounds, transforming excess body
fat into lean muscle. With these improvements his game became
sharper, he was less tired, and his career was extended well beyond
his expectations.
I could cite many more success stories, but the point is that keeping
your weight within manageable and acceptable limits is one of the
keys to helping reduce fatigue. Here are a few other tips to guide
you:
• Follow a healthy, balanced meal plan.
• With your doctor’s clearance, get plenty of exercise to lower
your resting heart rate.
• Get the amount of sleep you need.
• Keep your stress level low .
And, above all, go in for regular medical checkups. Your doctor is the
best person to advise you on what you can do and at what level.

Maximize your performance level

This is “going the distance” — managing your energy to carry you
through the long haul.
No matter what task you undertake, you usually know going in that
it’s going to take some time. You’re going to be breaking a sweat
literally or figuratively. Throughout, you’re going to need to maintain
the level of energy necessary to complete the task. In most cases
it is not going to be easy, but you know it has to get done and the
responsibility is yours.
When I train boxers, I train them to go the distance. The full 12
rounds. Each round is three minutes long, with a one-minute rest
before the next. Three minutes may not seem like a long time to the
rest of us, but for a fighter in a boxing ring throwing and absorbing
punches, it can seem like eternity. With a lot of punishment pounded
out and received during that time, if a boxer doesn’t dispatch the
opponent early on, he or she has to have the strength, the stamina,
28 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

the alertness and the determination to make it through each of

those 12 rounds.
If the opponent is bigger and stronger and punches harder, the
other person has to be ring-savvy enough to stay out of the way
of the crushing blow that could end it all — all while scoring points
and keeping the opponent off-balance. A fighter has to be able to
go the distance — ideally with enough accumulated points to be
declared the winner.
Now apply this analogy to the project you’ve been assigned on your
job. It is being entrusted to you because you have shown your higher-
ups that you are capable of undertaking and completing difficult
tasks. But this one is harder than anything you’ve ever done. It is
going to call for nearly every skill you’ve learned on the job and it
will require long, hard hours, focusing nearly every ounce of energy
you can muster up. Everything for which you’ve ever worked is riding
on the outcome, especially your reputation and clout in the
company, plus a nice bonus and maybe even a promotion.
If you have mastered the art of managing your time and energy, you
will be successful at taking on this responsibility and the stress that
comes with it. Like a distance runner competing in a marathon, you
don’t start out too quickly and burn yourself out in the early going.
You establish and maintain a healthy pace and make it across the
finish line with energy to spare.
Now apply these same principles to your health. Set a goal. Make
it realistic. Go for it. Pace yourself. Don’t overreach. Be patient but
persistent. Go the distance. The reward of accomplishment will be
yours.

Strive for emotional equilibrium

You must also strive to reach and maintain your top form from a
mental perspective. This means keeping your emotions under
control and not letting them get in the way of your performance. At
the same time, you can use your mental acuity to your advantage:
This is the equilibrium you want.
Yogi Berra twisted the language when he said “Ninety percent of this
game is half mental,” but he made the point nonetheless. Your
 STAYING IN FIGHTING FORM 29

emotions and how you deploy them — whether in competitive

sports, the workplace, or in achieving your own personal goals —
are a very large part of the whole picture. Lose control over your
emotions, and you will sabotage your performance. Lack of control
can slow you down, and in extreme cases, short-circuit your energy-
supply system and plunge you into inactivity.
There is a ritual I use that always works for me. When I find myself
in a stressful situation I squeeze my hand as hard as I can into a
fist. Then I slowly release it. I do this five times and each time I do
it I repeat the word “control.” This helps me consciously release
whatever it is that is stressing me out. I can feel my stress level
passing right through me. Sometimes I even visualize that my heart
is in my hand while I am doing this, and I am squeezing all the
tension out of it. I’ve been doing this for years and it works for me.
It can work for you, too. Give it a try the next time you face stress.

Beware the roadblocks

Another vital element in the process of staying on top of your
game is being able to think ahead toward whatever adversity may
be coming at you. Your ability to anticipate these situations and to
make plans to handle the consequences could very well determine
whether or not you survive in the upper echelons of where you now
are.
What your invaluable “sixth sense” entails, in large part, is staying
alert to your surroundings and developing the ability to sense when
something “in the air” doesn’t seem quite right. In the animal
kingdom, this is called instinct. In sports, it means anticipating what
your opponents are likely to do and being one step ahead. Here’s an
example:
A perceptive quarterback on a football team can quickly look across
the line of scrimmage toward the other team and “read” what its
defensive strategy might be. A subtle shift in a linebacker’s stance
may tip off the quarterback that a blitz is coming. The quarterback
picks up the read and calls an “audible” at the line of scrimmage that
changes the play called in the huddle. The audible alerts his
offensive line that the blitz might be coming and from which
direction.
30 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

The linemen protecting the quarterback know they have to tighten

up and try to keep the defense from penetrating the backfield,
where the quarterback may be vulnerable. The receivers also pick
up the audible and know they have to get open quickly because the
quarterback’s pass may be rushed. The key to an offense’s ability to
put points on the board often turns on the ability of a quarterback
to anticipate what might be coming. It can make all the difference
— between a team that goes nowhere on three downs and has
to punt its way out of bad field position, and a team that moves
steadily downfield and scores.
In an office situation, the same basic rules apply. If you have been in
the workforce for any length of time and you’re observant enough,
you can develop a sense of where things are going. You learn by
keeping your eyes and ears open. If other employees are quietly
being let go one at a time, that’s certainly a sign that the company
might not be doing as well as it’s been leading you to believe. You
may be next, or soon thereafter.
There may not be anything you can do to save your job, but at least
you won’t be blindsided when it happens. You will be prepared to
take the next step. You’ve read the signs in the air, updated your
resume, and started sending out feelers to other companies. On the
day you’re given your notice you can be ready to walk into another
company’s office for a job interview.
If you’re in a situation in which others are gunning for you and your
position, the same rules apply. Keep your ear to the ground. If word
gets back to you that someone is bad-mouthing you, find out what
they’re saying and take the necessary steps to set things straight.
You can head off your rivals if you’re alert to what’s happening and
are one or two steps ahead of them.

Strive for “compressed morbidity”

This topic we talked about before is a term those around me hear
frequently. You’ll see it referenced quite often in this book as well.
What does it mean? Well, here goes.
Compressed morbidity can be loosely defined as “saving the worst
for last and doing it in the shortest amount of time.” That is, taking
the worst period of your health and squeezing it — compressing it
 STAYING IN FIGHTING FORM 31

— into the least amount of time at the end of your life. If you have
made it your objective to live a healthy, fulfilling life, you should
expect to enjoy that good health and sense of fulfillment right up
to the end, or as close to the end as possible.
Obviously, no one wants to spend the last five or 10 or 20 years
of life in pain or in a nursing home totally dependent on others.
No one wants his life to end prematurely because of obesity, heart
disease or type 2 diabetes. No one wants any of this, but millions of
people face these prospects in their final years.
Could these conditions have been avoided? Truthfully, not in all
cases, but in many. If the individuals affected by them had taken
better care of themselves while they had the chance, if they had
been more conscious of their overall health and the possible
consequences of neglecting it, they might have been able to live
all or most of their remaining years painlessly and productively. As
I tell most of my clients, “How you live will determine how you will
die. It’s your choice to make.”

You Can’t Keep a Goodman Down

(Just His Weight)
Case Study: A celebrity client gains insight
When actor John Goodman came to me in 2007 to help him
lose weight he was already in his 50s and weighed close to 400
pounds. Earlier in his career, John’s weight may have helped
him land “character” roles that called for someone his size, like
the one he played in the long-running “Roseanne” TV series.
However, as he got into middle-age, he was carrying way too
many extra pounds on his 6’2” frame. His doctors warned him
that he was endangering his health and possibly shortening his
life by being obese, and it certainly didn’t help matters that he
also smoked and drank heavily. He was “a walking time bomb”
when he came to me for help.
During the early stages of John’s more than 30-year career on
stage, in films, and on TV, John ate pretty much whatever was
put in front of him. Actors are fed very well during shoots in
32 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

terms of quantity, but careful attention to the quality of meals

is in many cases sorely lacking. Off set, John led a sedentary
existence, failing to exercise and spending a lot of time as a
couch potato tuned into an inordinate number of TV shows.
On occasions during his career, John would lose up to 50 or 60
pounds, but when he was called off to do a shoot, the weight
would come right back on again. He had trouble resisting all
the food that was being offered during filming, and he was
eating out at restaurants that may not have been offering the
healthiest food choices.
After putting John through a battery of tests to determine as
much as we could about his body composition and overall health
profile, we had to decide on a plan. We knew that he would be
needing knee surgery down the line, so I approached him as I
would one of my boxers training for fight night. He needed to
drop significant weight before he could have the surgery. So I
marked March of 2011 down as his “fight time” to have surgery,
so he would push and train and have a tangible goal.
After getting John’s test results we designed a program and
monitored his progress religiously. We had him follow a rigorous
and consistent exercise regimen six days a week — cardio
training, resistance workouts using elastic bands, and boxing
with the heavy bag. To maximize fat loss, we focused on safely
getting his heart rate up into the appropriate training zones,
Because of the right workout structure, he was able to take
advantage of both gym- and home-based routines. During his
free time, when he was on the road with a TV show or movie, he
used my “Gym in a Bag” resistance-training apparatus, which
relies on elastic-band and related equipment.
In addition to working on John’s body mass we also had to work
on his mindset, making him aware of the patterns that were
making him gain weight. Going into my program, John had the
best motivation in the world. He knew his life literally depended
on it. John’s story continues as you read on, presenting the tools
that not only worked for him, but can work for you, too.
 STAYING IN FIGHTING FORM 33

These days, with all the remarkable advances in medicine and

technology, and with all the sophisticated research methodologies
that can diagnose and isolate the causes of many once-common
fatal ailments, the average person is living much longer than his or
her grandparents and great-grandparents. At the turn of the 20th
century, life expectancy for men was just under 50 years old, for
women a little over. By 1950 those averages rose to 66 for men and
nearly 72 for women. Today it’s roughly 78 for men and 82 or 83 for
women. The number of centenarians counted by the U.S. censuses
from 1980 to 2010 rose from 32,194 to 71,944. Worldwide, by the
year 2050 there are expected to be 4.1 million people 100 or older.
With life expectancy rising and no leveling off in sight, all of us have
to be prepared to live longer. Not all of us will, of course, but we have
to prepare to reach those upper numbers anyway because there is
a good likelihood that many of us will get there. How will you spend
those extra years that most of your ancestors were denied? How will
you make the most of this priceless gift of extended longevity? Will
you enjoy good health and a feeling of being productive, or will those
extra years be wasted? The choice is yours to make.
If the choice of compressed morbidity is not taken from you by
circumstances beyond your control, you’re on your way to a happy
and healthful life. Read on and I will show you some of the ways to
get there.
 PA R T O N E
CHAPTER THREE
Passion and Motivation

OH, THE STRESS

OF IT ALL . . .
Way up there on the list of things you now know can kill you is stress,
which does its dirty work over time.
Elevated levels of it in your system trigger chemical reactions that
can weaken your immune system — sometimes fatally. In fact, each
of the six leading causes of death in the United States — heart
disease, cancer, stroke, chronic lower respiratory disease, accidents,
diabetes – is to some extent a result of stress. But there’s more:
Stress also can cause hypertension (high blood pressure), which is
linked to most of these potentially fatal conditions.
The fallout from stress is huge: It can also lead to brain damage
and to memory loss, and may be connected to the development
of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies even associate stress with the
development of Crohn’s disease, a painful and destructive
inflammatory bowel condition that basically causes the immune
system to attack the body. Stress causes a lot of harmful side
effects, things that you now know can kill you. That’s why it gets my
full attention throughout this book.
There’s no need to define it; we all know what stress is. Most of us
rarely go a day without experiencing it in some form — at home,
in the office, in the traffic, at a crowded store. Stress has become
such a part of life that many of us don’t even recognize it. But our
bodies do. It is all around us.

What me, worry?

Worrying is probably the No. 1 cause of stress, followed closely
by depression and having to deal with conflict. We worry about
our finances, our jobs, our families, our home lives, our health,
34
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 35

about other people and other situations we can’t control — and

that builds up system stressors that can sometimes overpower us
emotionally and physically. When we deal with difficult situations,
we worry about how they’re going to come out, and we stress over
that.
In a case of the cure being worse than the disease, in seeking to
relieve your stress you may actually be doing things to worsen
it: If you smoke to help relieve your stress, you may find yourself
smoking more. Drink alcohol? You may find you drink more. The
same applies to antidepressants, coffee, unhealthy food. So beware:
If you find yourself (over)doing any of these things, you may be
causing serious damage to your body and overall well-being.
Letting stress “get” to you is a surefire way to cause yourself serious
emotional damage. You may find yourself brooding, enervated, not
up to doing just about anything. Overwhelmed and immobilized,
you may have a million things to do but can’t get yourself up for
even one. Can’t get yourself going even for the tasks you enjoy —
your daily walk, your exercise routine. Your remedy? Sitting and
“waiting out” the feeling. Until it passes, you feel helpless.
In many cases, this stress/depression can make it hard to get out
of bed. You may find yourself getting more sleep than you need,
waking up feeling even more stressed and depressed. Feeling so
overwhelmed can spur many reactions — in the most extreme
cases, suicide.
But our day-to-day lives are packed with stress-producing situations
— and sometimes we just have to deal with them. If we let every
stressful episode get the better of us, we could be candidates for
hospitalization. We have to move on, all the while striving to keep
our sense of balance and presence of mind.
As I was writing this chapter, an email making the rounds titled
“STRESS” arrived in my inbox. Usually I delete these things of
unknown origin, but this one stopped me. It made a lot of sense.
So I’ll share:
A lecturer addressing stress management raised a glass of water and
asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?”
36 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

The answers he got ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It
depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the
heavier it becomes.”
He continued, “And that’s the way it is with stress management. If
we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden
becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on. As with
the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest
before holding it again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with
the burden.
“So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down.
Don’t carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens
you’re carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. Put
down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don’t pick it
up again until after you’ve rested a while.”
An astute observation all of us should take to heart. Now, some
specifics — stress causes and effects — and what you can do about
it.

A defining moment
Despite how well you think you know what stress is, there’s more to
learn. Let’s start out by defining how it relates to our overall well-
being. Webster’s Online has multiple definitions, but here we’re
focused on:
• A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily
or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation
• A state resulting from a stress, especially one of bodily or
mental tension, arising from factors that tend to alter an
existent equilibrium (i.e. job-related things)
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 37

Now let’s take a look at how stress came to be a part of our lives and
remind ourselves that not all of it is bad. In fact, stress may well be a
big part of why we are here today. In order to understand this, we
have to go back in time, way back in time, to our cave-dwelling
ancestors.
Our forebears obviously couldn’t go down to the corner store to get
something for dinner; they had to hunt it down. They had to kill
animals often larger and more powerful than they, and so had to
have greater than normal physical strength, sharp wits, keen
sensory awareness — and enormous reserves of energy. Most of
this came from adrenaline, the “super-chemical” the body produces
in stressful situations.
Our earliest ancestors had to know when to fight or flee, and that
stress-produced adrenaline rush helped them decide quickly.
Because of their ability to flee potentially dangerous situations, they
were able to live another day. It was stress that kept the human
species on its toes – and from extinction.
Those stress-producing reactions are still with us, thankfully. If
we manage our stress levels well, we can make them work in our
favor. Use them to help us stay sharp and productive, establish and
maintain the competitive edge we need to survive, set goals and
supply the energy and determination we need to achieve them.
Therefore, certainly not all stress is bad for you; it’s a matter of how
well you handle it. When asked how we handle it, however, many of
us admit “not too well.” To see what’s causing high anxiety in
stressful situations, let’s look at what’s behind the stress response
and examine the mechanics. To understand the causes of stress is to
understand that there are complicated chemical reactions going on
inside your body and mind when you encounter a high-pressure
situation. To simplify a complex chemical formula and technical
explanation, the pioneering Hungarian endocrinologist Dr. Hans
Selye developed a three-step General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
model for the stages of stress.
38 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

STRESS: A DRAMA IN THREE ACTS

• Alarm: When the threat or stressor is identified or
realized, the body’s stress response is a state of alarm.
During this stage, adrenaline is produced to spark the fight-
or-flight response. The steroid hormone cortisol is
released, increasing blood sugar and aiding in fat, protein
and carbohydrate metabolism at the same time it
suppresses the body’s immune system. Autonomic
nervous system symptoms (sweating, raised heart rate,
etc.) present themselves.
• Resistance: If the stressor persists, it becomes
necessary to attempt some means of coping. Although
the body begins to try to adapt to the strains or demands,
it can’t keep this up indefinitely, and its resources and
reserves are gradually depleted.

• Exhaustion: At this point, the body’s resources are

depleted and the body is unable to maintain normal
function. The initial autonomic nervous system symptoms
may reappear. If Stage 3 is extended, long-term damage
may result: The body and its immune system are
exhausted and normal functions are impaired, resulting in
responses including mental incapacity, illnesses such as
ulcers, depression and diabetes, trouble with the digestive
and even cardiovascular systems.

Reprinted from Wikipedia Commons: Exploring Psychology 7th ed. (Worth)

page 398, David G. Myers, author
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 39

A Body Blow:
How Stress Takes Its Toll
Cardiovascular strain: Have you ever been seriously injured but
didn’t notice the pain right away? If an injury has caused an open
wound, have you noticed how you didn’t bleed as much as you
thought you would? This shouldn’t surprise you. It’s the direct result
of your body’s reacting to a situation that shocks it, pushes it up into
a higher gear ratio.
Then you go into what is commonly called a state of shock. Feeling
stress or danger, the body responds by redirecting blood to where
it’s needed most: in the vital spots — brain, heart, lungs, liver. The
blood vessels leading to your limbs are constricted and the blood
flow is decreased to a level lower than normal for an open wound.
At the same time, pain-reducing chemicals are being produced,
and may numb the body to the worst first reaction to injury. Added
strain is put on your heart, now handling greater blood flow, while
adrenaline supplies the energy boost needed to either fight or flee
the situation.
All systems down: While in a state of shock or heightened stress,
the body compensates by “shutting down” some of its systems.
While you’re in a state of elevated stress, you undoubtedly have
noticed that your sexual desire has diminished — or vanished. It’s
a natural response, but one that over time may cause irreparable
harm to a relationship. Many people faced with ongoing stress may
be unable to focus on their relationship or perform sexually. Many
divorce papers have cited this as a reason for the breakup.
A cortisol-spurred ‘rush’: Following or even during a stressful
situation, we may feel an uncontrollable urge to eat. And in those
instances, the foods we choose may not be the best. During a
stressful situation, adrenaline releases fats and glucose as energy
sources for the body, causing a buildup of cortisol. Cortisol activates
insulin, which in turn stimulates your appetite, producing a “food
rush” or “the munchies.” So you grab for the nearest thing to satisfy
your food cravings — often something high in unhealthy carbs and
sugar. If this happens to you only once in awhile it might not be
too bad, but if you’re under frequent stress, these constant food
40 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

cravings can lead to unhealthy weight gain — especially in the all-

too-vulnerable abdominal area. This can lead to further physical and
medical complications, especially metabolic syndrome, a
combination of symptoms that can be associated with heart
disease, type 2 diabetes, and other debilitating and possibly fatal
ailments.
Weakened immunity: As noted in the GAS model for stress
measurement, elevated stress levels – especially those experienced
frequently — can lead to compromised immunity as well. During
a stressful/dangerous situation, the body is directing more energy
than normal to its vital systems — and away from the systems that
aid immunity. Certain levels of energy need to be maintained to
operate the organs that make the immune system function properly.
Cells and hormones feeding into the system need to be replenished,
and this can only happen if the body is functioning normally. Being
under constant stress makes the body more vulnerable to the
pathogens that can invade the body.
Before you can set a goal of managing the stress in your life you have
to ask yourself where it’s coming from. What are the external factors
causing or adding to it? Can you pinpoint why they’re stressing you
out? There are lots of causative factors.

WHAT, ME STRESSED?
11 things that contribute to stress
• Financial and job-related worries
• Inadequate or erratic sleep
• Poor eating habits including failing to
eat at least one balanced meal a day
• Lack or loss of affection from loved one(s)
• Lack of a satisfactory social life and
good friendships
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 41

• Inadequate or no exercise
• Smoking or excessive consumption
of alcohol
• Excess weight or obesity
• Inability to find “quiet time”
• Inability to organize and manage
any time
• Trouble focusing
Any combination of these factors could be the cause of your
elevated stress level. If you see yourself connecting to any of these
stress sources, stop and think of how you can make your situation
better and your stress lower. See where you stand in terms of:

Little money, lots of stress

Dissatisfaction with one’s job and paycheck ranks as the No. 1 cause
of stress. We need money to pay our house notes or our rent. We
need it to put food on the table and gas in the tank. Basically, we
need it to pay for nearly everything we do; rarely does a day go by
without our spending something.
For many, if not most, people struggling to make ends meet, there
never seems to be enough money to pay for everything that comes
up normally — and even less to pay for unplanned expenses like car
repairs or medical bills. If all that’s not bad enough, you can lose
your job and be forced to get by on much less.
In today’s technology-driven world, many jobs once considered
“skilled” work can be done by computer/machine — or outsourced
overseas, where to their advantage, the employers pay workers less.
For many years you may have felt secure in your position, confident
that you would be working your job until retirement — but now
“retirement” may come unexpectedly. You can be caught off-guard,
blindsided by the pink slip. For someone used to living on
$70,000-$80,000 annually, it can be devastating to suddenly have
42 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

to make do on the amount of one’s unemployment checks. Yet this

is happening today — probably at a record pace.
No matter how well you’ve done your job over the years or how
well you’re doing it now, you may still be vulnerable to the thing
we euphemistically call downsizing. Just the thought of it can be
stressful, weigh on you morning to bedtime. It can negatively affect
nearly every facet of your life, especially your relationships and
interactions with those around you. Even worse, it can do a number
on your health.
Those under tremendous stress are prime candidates for high blood
pressure (hypertension), which can then lead to strokes, heart
attacks and other potentially fatal ailments –even if people are in
peak condition. Worrying about how you’re going to survive
financially can seriously elevate your stress levels, which may then
produce harmful chemical reactions in the body.

Poor chance to dream: not enough or erratic sleep

This one is tricky. Getting inadequate or erratic sleep can be caused
by stress or it could be a cause of stress. Even a little of both.
Sleep patterns vary widely, and there is no standard for how much
sleep one needs. It is generally accepted that adults need less sleep
than children; that some can get by on four or five hours a night
while others may need eight to nine. Regardless of what works for
whom, one thing is a given: Good sleep is an absolute necessity, the
time the body and the mind shut down and recharge. With activity
levels at a near standstill, cells have a chance to regenerate and
rebuild. Your brain is given a much-needed break from thinking and
decision-making. Your body and your mind need this down time to
prepare for the challenges of the day you’re going to wake up to.
However, inadequate or erratic sleep, the kind you wake from
during the night, can be unnerving. If you’ve woken up for the
third time at 3 in the morning, couldn’t get back to sleep till 4:30,
then had to wake up to the alarm at 6:30, you may be in for a long,
cranky, stressful day. And if this is an ongoing pattern you’re going
to be in for a lot of long, cranky, stressful days.
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 43

Whether this is what’s causing your stress or whether your

stress is causing this, not sleeping is a problem. I’ll have some
recommendations later to help you with relaxing before bedtime.
But chronic sleep problems need to be addressed medically. See a
doctor.

Inadequate eats
You may wonder how what you eat (or what you don’t eat) can
be connected to the stress you are feeling. But studies have
consistently shown that’s so. My own experience with clients bears
this out as well.
Again, is it the chicken or the egg? Poor eating habits may be causing
your stress, or your stress may be causing poor eating habits. When
you’re under stress you may simply not feel like eating, have much
of an appetite. You might eat because you know you have to, but
what you’re eating probably isn’t what you need.
In my book The Fat-Burning Bible, I note that a fasting healthy
person normally derives 90 percent of his or her calories from the
body’s fat stores, and only 10 percent from protein. For a healthy,
uninjured person undergoing continuous high levels of stress,
those numbers change to 70 percent fat stores and 30 percent lean
protein.
What accounts for the different numbers is that during times of
stress, the body needs more glucose to function properly, and
protein can be broken down for that purpose. If this happens only
once in a while it may not be too bad, but if the body has to do
this too often, there can be serious consequences. Eventually your
emergency stores can become greatly diminished or even wiped
out, thus weakening your immune system and strengthening your
chances of getting many different illnesses. A balanced meal plan,
such as the ones I’ll supply later, can keep you from undermining
your health while you struggle with stress.

Love’s labors lost

Some people can live very well by themselves and wouldn’t have it
any other way. But most of us want some type of intimate human
companionship. We need to love and be loved.
44 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

People who experience intimate relationships are generally

considered more content and anchored, and more productive
because of it. However, some who don’t experience intimacy may
feel unloved and often “forced” to have negative thoughts about
themselves. They may think something must be wrong with them,
or they would have someone special to share life with. Feelings like
this can lead to depression, which can lead to stress – and vice versa:
Research has indicated that many of today’s stressors contribute to
symptoms of depression.
Depression-related stress that stems from a loss of affection is most
commonly felt when a loved one dies. In long-term marriages, when
one spouse dies the other may not be far behind, the survivor
appearing to have lost the will to live. These feelings, of course, can
be experienced after the breakup of any longstanding relationship,
or even a short-term one if the affection turns out to be one-sided.
If this has happened to you, well-meaning friends and/or family
members may have advised you to “move on with your life,” but
a satisfying new relationship may not come as quickly as you may
like, or come at all. And the thought of this can depress and stress
even more. But you do have to find a way to “move on with your
life,” or it will move on without you.

Shaky connection to the social network

Most of us go through life with at least a few close friends and some
semblance of a social life. Many others don’t, and the sense of
isolation can be a source of depression-related stress. Like the old
Bill Withers song says, “We all need somebody to lean on.”
We need at least a small circle of people with whom we can talk
freely, confide in, share our feelings and emotions. It’s a safety
valve, releasing stress. Many people, however, don’t have that
safety valve. For whatever reason, they failed to develop a network
of people with whom they can talk, release bottled-up feelings.
They failed to develop a social life that provides opportunities to
meet new people — and the attendant feelings of anxiety and
depression can lead to elevated stress.
Life can be very lonely without an intimate relationship or a support
network of friends. Even though one may appear calm, blood
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 45

pressure may be skyrocketing because of the stress. And elevated

blood pressure can lead to heart conditions – and that can lead to
an early demise.
Sometimes in stories written before these conditions could be
explained medically the term “dying of a broken heart” was
common. We still use it today. But in fact, the heart can be damaged.
Stress and loneliness can be the culprits.
So, if you’re already depressed, stress can do more damage. Don’t
let it. Life wasn’t given to us as a punishment. There are many, many
things one can do to enhance enjoyment of it. These do not include:

Living in a fitness-free zone . . .

This is another area in which not doing something won’t necessarily
cause you stress — but can increase it.
If you don’t exercise enough, or at all, you are not giving yourself the
benefit of the stress relief that comes with it — and the more you
exercise, the more beneficial it can be. Not only does it build up your
body and your overall health, but your sense of accomplishment,
too. Meeting an exercise goal — such as walking two miles a day
five days a week, completing a set number of repetitions on an
exercise machine, lifting a certain amount of weight — can replace
stress-induced feelings of inadequacy with a sense of fulfillment.
Later on, I’ll discuss the stress-busting benefits of regular exercise,
including my Pro Circuit of exercises that can be done in a gym or at
home with minimal equipment such as dumbbells, kettle bells, etc.

. . . or fighting the fog of smoke and alcohol

Some people turn to smoking as a way of relieving their stress;
others turn to alcohol. Or both. While to them this may seem like
the way to go, it’s actually a fast road to ruin.
Nothing good can be said about smoking. Not even as a stress-
reliever. It has been definitively linked to lung cancer, heart disease,
asthma, emphysema, a multitude of other ailments and a host
of unpleasant side effects. While some alcoholic beverages, such
as limited amounts of red wine, can be said to have beneficial
46 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

effects, most of them do more harm than good. Alcohol abuse can
lead to cirrhosis of the liver and permanent brain damage, and
can exacerbate cardiovascular problems. You can drink yourself
to death. Excessive alcohol consumption can over-tax the body’s
circulatory system and spur heart attacks. It can also lead to
thoughts of suicide or put you in harm’s way if you’re driving under
the influence.
So, instead of relieving stress, smoking and drinking can actually
make the problem worse. By ingesting “foreign” substances that
aren’t essential or even helpful to the body’s normal, everyday
functioning, you are adding to the stress that may already be there.
If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do, quit. You’ll be doing your
body — and everybody around you — a favor. Likewise for excessive
alcohol consumption. These are just two of the things you do know
that can kill you. That alone should be a deterrent to the evil twins.

Carrying the weight of the world

An excessive amount of body fat is yet another of those things
that you do know can kill you. Study after study has linked being
overweight or obese to increased risks of cardiovascular ailments,
respiratory problems, type 2 diabetes and that (mentioned earlier)
potentially fatal cluster of symptoms known as metabolic syndrome.
Many people obsess over their “scale weight” and focus on getting
it closer to where they should be for their height, but “waist-to-
height” ratio has now become the gold standard for measuring
one’s body mass and determining if a person is within a healthy
range. The circumference of the waist and how efficiently fat is
stored in that vicinity will often give you a better picture of where
improvements can be made.
In a recent study presented in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology
Metabolism, the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) was the strongest
predictor of cardiovascular risk and mortality.
The WHtR is calculated by dividing waist size by height, and takes
gender into account. As an example, a male with a 32 inch waist who
is 5’10” (70 inches) would divide 32 by 70, to get a WHtR of 45.7
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 47

percent. The WHtR is thought to give a more accurate assessment

of health since the most dangerous place to carry weight is in the
abdomen. Fat in the abdomen, which is associated with a larger
waist, is metabolically active and produces various hormones
that can cause harmful effects, such as diabetes, elevated blood
pressure, and altered lipid (blood fat) levels.
Many athletes, both male and female, who often have a higher
percentage of muscle and a lower percentage of body fat, have
relatively high BMIs but their WHtRs are within a healthy range.
This also holds true for women who have a “pear” rather than an
“apple” shape.
The following chart helps you determine if your WHtR falls in a
healthy range (these ratios are percentages):

WOMEN
• Ratio less than 35: Abnormally Slim to Underweight
• Ratio 35 to 42: Extremely Slim
• Ratio 42 to 46: Healthy
• Ratio 46 to 49: Healthy
• Ratio 49 to 54: Overweight
• Ratio 54 to 58: Seriously Overweight
• Ratio over 58: Highly Obese
MEN
• Ratio less than 35: Abnormally Slim to Underweight
• Ratio 35 to 43: Extremely slim
• Ratio 43 to 46: Healthy
• Ratio 46 to 53: Healthy, Normal Weight
• Ratio 53 to 58: Overweight
• Ratio 58 to 63: Extremely Overweight/Obese
• Ratio over 63: Highly Obese

Regular exercise and a healthy meal plan to get you through the day
are two of the key components to getting your weight and body
composition where they should be for your age and height. I’ll have
more later on what you can do to make a difference in your
measurements.
48 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Living too loudly for quiet time

Some people consciously choose to sit home by themselves and fret
over predicaments; others may wish they had the luxury of extra
time to ponder anything at all. Many who live frantic, fast-paced
lives with nearly every waking minute scheduled are operating on
automatic pilot. They know what they have to do and they get out
there and do it. And this can be desirable — but living a life that
is too regulated is not desirable, and can bring on stress in subtle
ways.
Each one of us, but especially those living life in the fast lane, needs
some down time during the course of the day. And by this I don’t
mean a nap. I’m talking about having some time for yourself while
you’re still awake to unwind, sit back and just think. Time to get your
thoughts together. Chances are you may not have much of this
“good time” available, but whatever time you do have, use it for this
purpose. It might be a coffee break or part of your lunch hour or a
break between the time you finish one project and start another.
There is no set limit: The important thing is that you give yourself
this time.
The wiring of the complex systems in our body can take only so
much overload before it short-circuits and begins the shutdown
process. Have you ever been in a meeting in which you were making
a presentation and suddenly your mind goes blank? You struggle
to regain your train of thought, improvising until you’re back in
control. This is what happens when your circuits get overloaded, and
it happens to the best of us. Sometimes you’ll see it happen when
you’re watching the news and the anchorperson is suddenly at a loss
for words. Stress is one of the reasons.
Some who know they’re going to be addressing a group allow
themselves a few minutes of silence before going into the room.
They don’t take phone calls or allow others to whisk through with
memos or updates. They simply sit, think, compose themselves for
what is to come, and allow the stress to pass before going out to
face others. These people know the importance of quiet time and
they’ve figured out how they can make it a part of their routine.
They can do it and so can you. Later on I’ll show you how.
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 49

Flying blind
We hear the expression “flying by the seat of your pants,” but I call
that “flying blind” or “flying without radar,” because that’s what
many of us do when we don’t have a plan for what we do. And why
don’t we have a plan? To a great extent, it can be because we never
mastered the art of learning how to organize and manage our time
efficiently.
Many people don’t like to admit that they have a problem with this,
especially those in positions requiring specific tasks to be done on
schedule; sticking to tight deadlines keeps the operation running
smoothly. Somehow such people manage to figure out what to
do to meet their schedules and keep their jobs, but the stress of
flying blind, not having an organized plan and thus not being able
to manage time efficiently has been a silent killer. Lack of structure
breeds internal pressure, and it’s been eating these people up on
the inside.
This can be the case at home as well. You know you have to clean
out the garage, mow the lawn, trim the hedges, fix some broken
things and get the kids to and from baseball practice and dance
lessons, all of which take place at different times. And the jobs all
have to be done over the weekend because that’s the only time you
have off.
As you get started on this mega to-do list, it may not take long to
realize that you’ve taken on more than you can handle. You didn’t
think about how much time it was going to take to get each chore,
or all of them, done. You failed to plan and, as the saying goes, “If
you fail to plan, plan to fail.” In the meantime, this failure is causing
you to stress out.
These situations can be avoided by learning proper time-
management skills: knowing what you can or can’t do in the time
you’ve set aside for a job — and knowing how much energy will be
required as well. You may have to lower your expectations to some
degree, but do it anyway. Your expectations may not be the only
thing that gets lowered: Your blood pressure may go down as well
— and with it, your stress.
50 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Failing to focus
Another reason you can’t get organized and manage your time
efficiently may be that you’re having trouble focusing. To make
the problem worse, you may be easily distracted. That lowers your
stress threshold, too, and you’re going to get stressed out more
easily.
Let’s say you’re at work typing an important report. You hear an
incoming email click in, and stop what you’re doing. The mail looks
interesting even though it’s probably totally unrelated to the task
at hand. You give in to your urge to read the thing — and lose focus.
By the time you get back to what you were typing, you’ve lost your
train of thought and have to start over. The clock is ticking and now
you have only 15 minutes to get your report done for the 10 o’clock
meeting. You’ve lost all that valuable time; you feel stressed. And it
grows: More stress means even less ability to focus.
With so many technological advances all around us, this is a
common problem these days. There are more things to distract us
and siphon off the valuable attention we need to be paying to the
tasks directly in front of us. It takes focus — and it takes discipline
to develop and apply that focus. But it can be done. I will show you
how to do that as well.

Don’t stress — decompress

Have you ever noticed how when you’re stressed out, you feel a
sense of being tightened up? You feel like your body and your mind
are being compressed into a tight little ball. Your scale weight hasn’t
changed but you feel like your body mass has.
When deep-sea divers start making their way back to the water’s
surface they have to do it slowly and make frequent stops along the
way. The number of these stops will vary according to how deep the
divers were and for how long. The reason for this is that at great
depths gas bubbles form in the body and a too-rapid ascent doesn’t
allow sufficient time for them to break up.
Stopping and resting every 10-20 feet or so allows the body to
slowly regain its equilibrium and steady blood flow. Ascending too
rapidly and surfacing prematurely can result in an extremely painful
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 51

condition you’ve heard of called “the bends.” Sharp pain comes to

the bones and joints, and the whole body may feel like it’s bent out
of shape. In extreme cases, if the gas bubbles start to impede the
flow of blood into the heart, the condition can be fatal.
To lessen the likelihood of getting the bends, divers go through a
step-by-step process of decompression. The frequent stops along
the way to the surface allow the body to literally decompress, to
return to its normal state. The pressure of the water on the body
– the pounds per square inch – decreases as the diver gets closer
to the surface. Some undersea operations even use decompression
chambers, which divers must pass through before surfacing.
Stress can be likened to compression. When we are under stress our
bodies feel tightly compressed and we must decompress in order to
return to our normal state of being. This may not seem easy, but,
like the divers’ procedure, it can be done step-by-step.
Once we’ve identified the cause(s) of stress we can begin to
decrease or eliminate it. Here are some of the methods that have
worked for me and for others I’ve known:

Just Relax! 11 Ways How

There are quite a few techniques that can help you relax, lower your
stress level, and begin functioning normally again. Let’s start with
deep-breathing techniques.
Biofeedback: The term that sounds dismayingly technical
basically just entails getting in touch with your body and how it
feels. This can be accomplished by hyperventilating, a fancy way of
saying “deep breathing.” Breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly can
help slow down the activities of your body and your mind, allowing
you to better focus on returning to a normal state. You want to
feel relaxed, centered and in control.
As you breathe in and out deeply, close your eyes and focus on
various body parts. How do they feel? Are they starting to feel
relaxed or are they still tight? Make a mental note of this and
continue hyperventilating a little longer (but if you start to feel faint
or weak, stop immediately). More relaxed now? If so, make a note
52 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

of how you now feel and compare it to how you felt at the start of
the breathing exercises. The next time you’re stressed out, think
back to that good feeling. Doing so could you help overcome the
stress.
Meditation: This is a technique known and used for thousands
of years in Eastern civilizations. It also has roots in the West, where
it has been practiced for centuries by cloistered monks. For millions
of people, the technique works so well that it’s been incorporated
into various religions. Its basic function is to help you get your mind
to such a relaxed state that you feel in total control. You are in
tune with your surroundings. No problem seems insurmountable.
Everything will be taken care of in its time. You’re not going allow
yourself to succumb to the pressures around you and feel crushed
by them.
At the heart of transcendental meditation is a rhythmic sound called
a mantra, something repeated over and over silently while your eyes
are closed and you’re seated comfortably. You should plan to do this
for roughly 15-20 minutes, at least once a day but preferably twice –
when you wake up in the morning and just before bedtime.
While you repeat the mantra, you are attempting to focus on that
alone. Until this rhythm and routine becomes second-nature for
you, which takes time, you will likely find your mind wandering. Let
it — but slowly try to let the external things pass through you, and
begin channeling back to the mantra. Focus your mental energies on
that single sound and repeat it over and over. In time you may find
it working wonders.
Receiving an “official” transcendental meditation mantra involves a
ritual rooted in ancient practice — a Hindu ceremony with flowers,
fresh fruit and incense offerings. If you live in or near a major city,
there’s a good chance you’ll find a transcendental meditation
program. But be aware that there are costs involved. If you want
to try meditation and don’t feel like spending the money or going
through the ritual, choose any two-syllable word that has a smooth,
soft, rhythmic flow to it, and go through the steps described above.
If it works for you, you may find yourself sleeping better and getting
through each day easier. For that, lots of practice and patience is
required.
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 53

Eat: As we said earlier, not eating properly might not be the cause
of your stress, but if it’s a result of your stress, you need to get a
handle on it. Otherwise it could escalate into something worse and
negatively impact your whole being.
No matter what your state of mind is, healthy eating at regular
intervals is essential for your body and mind to function properly. I
explained earlier the chemical processes the body must go through
when it taps into your energy reserves. Sooner or later you will run
out of reserves if you don’t replenish. If you don’t feel like eating but
your body is telling you you have to, listen to it. It’s not going to lie
to you about what you need.
Pray: Regardless of your beliefs, if your feelings about your faith
are strong, you can take some of that strength and apply it toward
relieving your stress.
Prayers, of course, are basically supplications, asking God to grant
you favors, the most basic leading to the inner peace that comes
from releasing whatever is preying on your mind and causing your
stress and anxiety.
For millions of people it seems to work, so there is definitely
something to be said for it. Make it work for you. Consult with clergy,
state what you’re seeking, and ask him or her for a recommendation.
Chances are you can be steered toward a prayer or several that suit
your goal.
Love: Bonding is something women seem to do better than men,
but men need it just as much. Part of the reason the bonding instinct
appears to be stronger in women can be explained chemically.
In a stressful situation, a hormone called oxytocin can be released
in both men and women, but to different effect. Oxytocin counters
or softens the “fight or flight” instinct that stress often triggers.
However, in men, the high levels of testosterone produced during
stressful times appear to counteract the effects of oxytocin — while
in women, estrogen hormones seem to enhance it, producing a
calming effect that may make them more likely to seek out others
in times of need.
54 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

But just because you may have a harder time doing something that
might be beneficial doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. You just need
to try harder. Male bonding is just as important as female bonding.
Having a good buddy you can talk freely with about what’s stressing
you out can literally be a lifesaver – for both of you, even. The other
guy just may be going through something, too.
Cultivate a better mind for money: Stress caused
by external factors such as financial trouble can seem beyond
resolution. The only thing you can think to do is make more money,
but that may not be possible, at least not immediately possible.
So you’re stuck trying to resolve an issue considered out of your
control.
Well, think again. Many companies to which you owe money are
willing to work with you, to take as payment what you can afford
at a given time; the first step is calling to discuss your situation,
or visiting in person. Utility and phone companies, your mortgage
holder (or landlord), and even the IRS can offer a number of
payment options. But unless you make the effort to find out, you’ll
never know, and you’ll continue to stress out — over something
you could have resolved.
For people who aren’t good at managing bills or who get stressed
out when it comes to handling personal finances, there are
companies or agencies that can do the job for you — those that
specialize in “bill consolidation.” You tell them how much money
you’ve got coming in each month and what bills you have, and they
handle contacting the companies to which you owe money and
working out a payment amount and schedule.
Not only does this method take the burden off you, it stops the bill
collectors’ calls, which the law says can be made any time between
8 a.m. and 9 p.m., on any day of the week (even Sundays and
holidays). It stops the stress-producing disconnect notices coming
in the mail. This service will cost you a little money — generally a
small percentage of whatever money you’re giving the company
to manage for you — but trust me, it could well be worth it. The
amount of stress it can take off your shoulders may be incalculable.
Exercise your options: One surefire means of releasing
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 55

stress is exercise, plenty of it. A regular exercise regimen, one that

gets all or most of your body’s vital systems pumping properly, is one
of the best things you can treat yourself to. For many reasons.
Exercise is the way you get your body tuned up to achieve its
maximum level of performance, in much the same way a tune-up
gets your car humming like it’s new. Think of your body as a machine
with multiple systems all working in sync with one another. Each
component of each system is vital to the operation of the whole. If
one part is out of whack it can set off a chain reaction that upsets
the delicate balance. Your mind – your brain – is, of course, a vital
component in this system. That must be working properly so that all
the others can do their parts.
A pastor from the New Orleans area with whom I’ve worked and
who heads a large congregation shared his faith’s way of putting it:
“Treat your body like a temple.”
Stress preys primarily on the brain and works its way down to the
other body parts, negatively impacting their ability to function
properly. You need to get a handle on it before it reaches that point.
Regardless of how you’re feeling mentally, get yourself up anyway.
Don’t let your brain make the rest of your body suffer. Lift yourself
up out of that chair and get out and do whatever it is you do for
exercise.
If you have a walking routine, try to go to the nearest body of water,
either a lake or a river. Water has a calming influence on the body
and the soul. Spend a few moments taking in your surroundings.
Focus on the water for awhile and let it soothe you. Then turn slowly
around, pausing long enough to take in your other surroundings.
Focus on something in your line of vision that captures your interest
— a flower, a tree, a flock of birds, anything that helps take your
mind off your problems. This is doing a double: exercising both your
body and your mind. Try it. It works!
Think shhhhhhhhh: “Quieting down” may not be an easy
thing for many of us to do, but whenever and however it’s possible,
it’s a very good thing. Obviously, you can’t do this when you’re in
the middle of a project that needed to be done yesterday — but why
not seek a sense of calm as soon as possible after you finish
56 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

the job? If you can’t do it at work, do it as soon after you get home
as possible.
Everyone in the conventional workforce has a life on the job and
at home. Both can be stressful, but one can better control his
home life. When you’re at work, your time basically belongs to the
company, even if it’s your own company. Especially if it’s your own
company. But when you arrive at your front door and your home life
kicks in, that’s when you are in control. Even if you have half a million
things to do at home, you are still the one in control. And, if this is
the only time you might have to relax and relieve some of your
stress, you need to take advantage of it.
Decide how much quiet time you’re going to need and set a limit
– or, take as much time as you need. However long your time is,
you need to make sure it’s quiet. As we said before, turn off the
phone(s). Turn off the TV(s), and the computer(s). Put a “DO NOT
DISTURB” note on the door to whatever room you choose for your
quiet time. Take steps to ensure that nothing will interrupt this
special time of yours, then settle back in your favorite chair, and go
aaaahhhh.
Nothing is more important to your mental and physical health than
the attention you give to achieving a balance between the two. So
when you feel the need and can set aside the time, detach yourself
from your surroundings and disconnect from the rest of the world.
You worked for the time, you’ve earned it, now go ahead and enjoy
it.
Take time to make time: There are whole books and
seminars addressing this topic, but there are also some simple
things you can do that cost nothing.
You can start by drawing up a to-do list. This can be done daily or
weekly, whatever works better for you. If you’re not sure, try both.
As you make up your list, try to prioritize the things you have to
do, which often is determined by a time frame, a deadline for a
project’s completion.
The list can and should include things that have to be done at work,
at home, and in your own “space,” where you can concentrate on
 OH, THE STRESS OF IT ALL 57

things that benefit you. You can make separate lists for each or
combine them. The important thing is to remember, all together
now: Prioritize. Then, with the list complete, try to project a rough
time frame in which to complete each project. Write down the
time you estimate each thing will take, then add it all up. If the
projects take more time than you consider reasonable, you may
have to tweak a few things, adjust priorities, and, yes, eliminate
some things.
One writer I know makes it a rule to never let his weekly to-do list,
typed up every Sunday night, run onto a second page. If it does,
he might decrease the type size (but never below 10 point!). If his
list won’t fit onto a single page at 10 point, some of the items get
eliminated. They may go into a “hold” file, to be readdressed when
enough of the other items are done — or they may be scratched off,
deemed un-do-able. Years of experience have taught him not to
bite off more than he can chew.
Do whatever works best for you. If you can master the art of time
management, you’ll be amazed at how far your stress levels are
likely to drop.
Deep-6 the distractions: These even affect those who have
good time management skills. Potentially distracting stimuli are
all around us, in the office or at home. They may be conversations
going on within earshot, that beautiful view you have out the
window, something on your computer screen that grabbed your
attention while you were researching another subject.
The trick here is not to lose your focus, because distractions take
vital time away from what you’re doing; time you can’t get back.
Once it’s passed, you may have to step up your pace beyond your
comfort zone. If you can’t eliminate distractions, minimize them. If
a colleague comes up to you in the middle of a project and starts to
talk about something unrelated to it, don’t be afraid to stop him in
his tracks. It’s not being impolite; it’s being practical, and you can
word it in a way that keeps the door open to later discussion.
Focusing on the road ahead of you is a key element to success.
Anyone who has ever been successful at anything will tell you that.
“Eyes on the prize” is one way of putting it. Keep them there and
you should be successful, too.
58 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Look good, feel good: This one is a well-known, time- (and

lab-) tested maxim that women, especially, seem to grasp. Trying on
and buying the dress you’ve been eyeing, coloring or re-styling your
hair, then admiring yourself in the mirror can make you feel good
about yourself in times of depression and stress. Men can
experience this feeling by doing basically the same thing: trying out
a new hairstyle or buying some sharp new clothes and seeing how
good they look in them.
Doing this might help you come out of the shell you’ve shrunk into
while you tried to deal with your depression-related stress. Once
you’ve seen how good you look, you may want to share it with the
world. You may want others to see you look great, and tell you so. It
just makes you feel good — and out of the doldrums.
You can see that stress comes in many guises, but I’ve only scratched
the surface. The main thing is to become aware of stress as it
develops and nip it in the bud if you think it has the potential to
bring you down. Make stress a positive force or get rid of it by
returning to the pointers you just read. If you don’t, stress will get
the best of you. And this book is about being the best you can be.
 PA R T T W O
CHAPTER ONE

HEALTH OWNERSHIP
It’s Time to Stop Renting!
The Strategic Medicine and Executive Wellness Program
What would happen if you ran your business the way you managed
your health? You already know how to manage your business or job,
maximize its productivity and extend its longevity. Are you doing
the same for your health?
One of the things I offer in my Fitness Principle with Mackie Shilstone
program is the Executive Wellness Program, part of the Executive
Wellness Initiative at East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie,
LA, which is designed to look at our clients’ wellness levels and not
only keep them well over the long term but also increase longevity
and productivity.
Those of you reading this book can get an idea of how the things we
apply in the Fitness Principle can benefit you wherever you may be.
Since most of you obviously are unable to be here, I’m doing the next
best thing and bringing the program to you, introducing the many
things you can do at home that will move you along the road to
health ownership. I want to make you aware of health conditions
that can affect you positively or negatively, what signs to look for
that may indicate potentially debilitating ailments and, most of all,
impress upon you the importance of regular medical checkups and
testing.
When a client enrolls in my program he or she goes through an
extensive history-recording process and an extensive physical exam.
This allows us to get to know the client and his personal and family
medical history, about his home life, work environment, level of
happiness and other key information.

59
60 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Following the history and physical, blood and urine samples are
taken and the lab results may turn up identifiable problems. In
examining major functions of the human body, we get a good
snapshot of a person’s physical state.
Because our emphasis is on wellness and longevity, we also look
at various markers in the blood that might alert us to increased
risk for any number of diseases. Our objective, however, is not only
to identify disease processes, such as high blood pressure or high
cholesterol, but to identify less than optimal physiologic states as
well, so that we can intervene early on, stopping or at least delaying
the onset of a particular disease process. From the data we gather
we can “stratify” an individual’s risk.
Basically, the Executive Wellness Program is a high-level concierge
service during which the client is personally guided through the
experience, from the very first phone call to addressing the very last
medical need.
Barbara Nunez, a 57-year-old clinical microbiologist, was drawn to
the program because of the “hard data” that came with it. That,
and the pre-workout testing that individualizes the program.
In the fall of 2010, Nunez trained for and ran a half-marathon. She
was dedicated to her workouts, but never lost any weight. When she
entered the Executive Wellness Program, she shared that
frustration.
“Mackie said, ‘Something isn’t right. You are too fit not to be losing
weight,’ “ Nunez said. The impasse was broken when further testing
revealed that Nunez was hypothyroid.
“With a sluggish metabolism from menopause and the thyroid issue,
I would have been destined to fail without this information,” Nunez
said. Now with thyroid medication and workouts and meal plans
tailored for her, Nunez has seen success. She has lost 27 pounds and
23 inches.
 HEALTH OWNERSHIP 61

GETTING THE BIG PICTURE

A Comprehensive Health Exam
The Executive Wellness Program, administered at East Jefferson
General Hospital under the direction of Dr. Leonard E. Kancher,
offers physical exams tailored to your age, gender, medical history
and specific needs, with the goal to address any concerns before
they affect your health. Clients receive an in-depth consultation
with a physician as well as a panel of advanced tests that may reveal
risk indicators undetected by previous testing — an extension of
our basic philosophy of early detection of suboptimal physiologic
states.
Let me give you an example of what a comprehensive health exam
would look like.
The EJEW program’s testing panel includes:
• A CBC, or complete blood count, is a measurement of red cells,
transporters of oxygen around our body for use by the tissues; white
cells, the infection fighters; and platelets, which help our blood to
clot .
• Urinalysis and blood chemistry work to detect problems such as
diabetes, thyroid abnormalities, liver disease and kidney disorders.
• Cholesterol and advanced lipid testing, the first revealing the
three values most people are familiar with — total cholesterol (TC);
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), the “bad” cholesterol;
and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), the good stuff. A
triglyceride test measures very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
or VLDL-C, which carries most of the triglycerides (another fat),
in our bloodstreams and is also a “bad” cholesterol. Although
considered the tests of choice in evaluating lipids, there are more
advanced tests that might better predict one’s risk of heart disease.
I’ll have more to say about these in Chapter 2. One’s non-HDL
cholesterol (obtained by subtracting the HDL-cholesterol from the
total cholesterol, a simple subtraction many physicians do not do)
is a better risk predictor for cardiovascular disease than the LDL-C.
This measurement provides a single index of all the atherogenic/
bad fatty particles in the blood.
62 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

• Tests for inflammatory biomarkers that examine inflammation

on a cellular level, something you will not feel but that’s complicit in
traumatic events such as heart attacks.
Biomarkers tests include those for:
• CRP or hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), one of the
better-known inflammatory markers that studies have shown better
predict the aforementioned cardiovascular events in apparently
healthy people
• Lp-PLA2 (lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 ), a vascular-
specific pro-inflammatory enzyme marker reflecting the presence of
rupture-prone plaque
• Myeloperoxidase, an enzyme made by the white blood cells
and whose detrimental effects can be seen in the formation and
progression of plaque build-up in our arteries
• PSA (prostate-specific antigen), a blood test considered to be the
most effective test for the early detection of prostate cancer
• Vitamin D, a prohormone, actually, one well known for its role in
healthy bone metabolism. Studies have suggested that deficiencies
may predispose an individual to increased risk for cardiovascular
disease, certain forms of cancer, some autoimmune diseases such
as multiple sclerosis, and perhaps even high blood pressure and
diabetes.
• Homocysteine, an amino acid produced by our cells and of
which excessive amounts, studies have shown, are associated
with increased risk for coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular
disease, cerebrovascular disease, and an increased risk for clot
formation, including formation in our peripheral veins, or deep vein
thrombosis
• Fecal occult blood test for blood in the stool not obvious to the
naked eye. This is a screening used for early detection of colon
cancer.
The program also will identify the need for any immunizations that
are not current, based on an individual’s age and immune status.
 HEALTH OWNERSHIP 63

CARDIAC HEALTH TESTS

• Resting electrocardiogram (EKG), a recording of electrical activity
within the heart that detects abnormalities ranging from rhythm
disturbances to heart muscle strain to even changes that can detect
previous heart damage
• Cardiac stress test, a treadmill exercise test that can reveal
unrecognized coronary artery disease and abnormal heart rhythms
(arrhythmias)
• Computed tomography calcium-score screening, which measures
the amount of calcification in one’s coronary arteries. There is a
direct relationship between the amount of calcification in one’s
coronary (heart) arteries and the risk for cardiovascular events,
which include heart attacks and strokes.
PULMONARY TESTS
• Spirometry, a test of lung function useful in assessing the presence
of such conditions as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD)
• Chest X-ray, used to detect many conditions involving the chest
wall, bones and organs of the thorax including the lungs, heart, great
vessels and lymph nodes
BONE DENSITOMETRY TEST
This one is designed to identify bone loss and is used to diagnose
osteoporosis and determine fracture risk.
Also provided is a:
FITNESS EVALUATION
A nutrition evaluation uses data obtained from your resting metabolic
exam, helping a registered dietitian calculate a personalized caloric
energy equation. You learn the number of calories you need to
maintain, lose or gain weight as needed. Nutritional counseling
provides guidelines for healthy eating, taking into account your
lifestyle, food preferences, activity level and medical history.
64 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

FITNESS CONSULT
A certified personal trainer establishes a specific fitness plan for you,
based on your physician’s recommendations, your personal goals
and your activity level. Whether you are training for a marathon
or just starting a fitness regimen, recommendations are tailored to
suit your schedule and equipment available to you. Tips for on-the-
road fitness are included.
FOR FEMALE EXECS
These tests can be performed by the Executive Wellness Program
as well:
• Pelvic exam of the cervix, uterus, ovaries and vagina
• Cervical Pap Smear, which tests for cervical cancer
• Human papilloma virus test for cervical cancer
• Mammogram test for breast irregularities that may indicate
cancer
For an additional cost, the Executive Wellness Program also offers
gastroenterology procedures, which may include a colonoscopy, a
flexible sigmoidoscopy, and/or upper endoscopy; abdominal and
pelvic computed tomography (CT) imaging — an evaluation of
identifiable growths or other abnormalities in the abdominal and
pelvic areas; a computed tomography of the chest, which evaluates
the thoracic structures including lungs and heart.

Toward ‘compressed morbidity’

“Besides adding years to your life it becomes very important to add
life to your years.” That’s how I explain “compressed morbidity.”
So how do you add “life to your years”?
Achieving compressed morbidity is the major long-term aim of
my program. I want to shorten as much as possible the period at the
end of life during which health may be in noticeable decline. I want
to help our clients maintain the highest quality of life possible
throughout their years and, when they start to decline, have their
final phase of life measured in days and weeks rather than months
and years.
 HEALTH OWNERSHIP 65

So, if we can identify subtle abnormalities during the course of

our program, and if we can deal with them, we may be able to
confine morbidity to a compressed time frame. The objective of
the program is to identify these suboptimal physiologic states and
move them toward a normal range, into a manageable condition
— which will reduce risk. Let’s look at an example to better explain
this concept.
You probably know of someone who has been diagnosed with type
2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes). Diabetes is diagnosed when
one’s fasting blood sugar level is 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/
dl) or greater (normal fasting glucose being less than 100), or if a
post-“Glucola” test detects glucose at 200 mg/dl or greater (normal
being less than 140). For this test, a person drinks 75 grams of
glucose and a blood sugar is measured two hours after ingestion.
A third, recently introduced way of diagnosing type 2 diabetes is
the glycohemoglobin (or hemoglobin A1C) blood test; it provides
long-range blood-sugar readings and reflects a person’s average
blood sugar over a three-month period. A glycohemoglobin of 6.5
or greater is diagnostic for diabetes.
The main culprit in the genesis of type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance
— meaning the body is resistant to the insulin required to lower
blood sugar; for this reason, the pancreas has to make more insulin
to compensate. Initially, the only identifiable abnormality may be
an insulin level elevated despite normal blood sugars; this is the
first hint of a suboptimal physiologic state. This process may begin
five or more years prior to the diagnosis of diabetes.
The two-hour post-Glucola test can identify an abnormality because
the pancreas may not be able to make enough insulin to keep this
elevated glucose in normal range — less than 140. Values between
140 and 200 are indicative of impaired glucose tolerance (perhaps
a second identifiable suboptimal physiologic state). Over time the
fasting blood sugar may begin to rise because the pancreas is not
able to produce enough insulin to maintain a fasting blood sugar in
normal range (perhaps the third identifiable suboptimal physiologic
state).
If these findings are not addressed — or even identified —a person
with this profile may well progress over several years to type 2
66 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

diabetes. Studies have suggested that by the time type 2 diabetes

is diagnosed, a person may have already lost 50 to 75 percent of his
pancreas’s ability to make insulin. And as all these subtle changes
are taking place, other metabolic abnormalities may be present in
the background. Two of these changes can be a lowering of one’s
HDL (or good) cholesterol and an increase in the triglyceride level.
These abnormalities, even in a person with normal blood sugar
levels, should be a tip-off to the beginnings of changes that may
lead to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes years down the road. So
with this in mind, elevated triglyceride may be all that is needed to
further identify diabetes, or at least an insulin-resistant state.
 PA R T T W O
CHAPTER TWO

CHOLESTEROL AND
TRIGLYCERIDES
What IS That Stuff, Anyway?
Although one of the premises of this book is “What You Do Know
Can Kill You,” there are, of course, multiple examples of what you
don’t know having the potential to be lethal, too. Over the years
we have been hearing a lot about cholesterol and triglycerides, but
what, exactly, are these things? In this chapter Dr. Kancher explains
what cholesterol and triglycerides are all about.
Much of the confusion about cholesterol stems from the fact that
not all forms of cholesterol are bad for you – there’s the good stuff,
too. Let’s start with a general definition of what your doctor obtains
when drawing blood for a full lipid profile.
HDL (high-density lipid protein) is called the “good” cholesterol, LDL
(low-density lipid protein) the “bad” cholesterol, and triglycerides
are the fats found in the blood immediately after one eats, in the
form of chylomicrons. Triglycerides become stored energy that is
released and metabolized by the body as needed.
A defining moment
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance absorbed from the
gastrointestinal tract. It is not truly a fat, however, but rather a sterol
compound containing no fatty acids. It does exhibit both chemical
and physical characteristics of fats, is derived from fats and it is
metabolized similarly — so from a dietary point of view, it is
considered a fat.
Most of the cholesterol in our diets, however, is in the form of
cholesterol esters, composed of free cholesterol and one molecule
of fatty acid. It is most commonly found in animal products such as
meat, dairy and eggs, though it may be present in smaller quantities

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68 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

in other types of food. Besides this exogenous cholesterol that

is absorbed each day, an even greater amount of endogenous
cholesterol is made in the cells of our body, and essentially all of it
circulating in our blood is formed by the liver. All of the other cells
in our bodies, however, form at least some cholesterol.
This last statement isn’t so hard to believe when you consider that
many of the components that make up the walls of every cell in
our bodies are partially composed of cholesterol: it is required there
for optimal membrane permeability and fluidity. In addition,
cholesterol is an important component in the manufacture of
steroid hormones, vitamin D and bile acids, which help digest fat.
By far the most abundant fats in our diets are the “neutral” fats, also
known as triglycerides, which again, appear in our blood immediately
after a meal. Every molecule of triglycerides is composed of glycerol
and three molecules of fatty acids. Triglycerides are the chemical
form of most fat in food, the main constituents being vegetable oils
and animal fats. Think of triglycerides as the body’s main storage bin
for fats (ingested food not used immediately) — an energy reservoir
or backup food supply, if you will. When the body needs energy
(particularly between meals), these fatty acids are gradually released
into the bloodstream as needed.
Do I even need to tell you that those storage areas are usually in the
thigh and torso areas? This is where the balancing act between
stored fats and metabolized fats comes in.
An indelicate balance
So, as you can see, triglycerides are essential to the proper
functioning of the body. But, like cholesterol – with which it is
closely associated – too much of it can be harmful. In some people,
an excess of triglycerides in plasma can be linked to coronary artery
disease. Elevated triglyceride levels, along with correspondingly
high levels of bad cholesterol, are often the consequence of
being overweight or obese. Elevated triglycerides may also be a
consequence of other diseases, such as untreated diabetes mellitus
(especially type 2), or of unhealthy eating habits (i.e. inordinate
amounts of non-lean meat and dairy and other animal products).
Heredity may be a factor in some instances, but more often than
not elevated levels of both LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides
stem from a lack of exercise and/or the consumption of foods high
in saturated fats.
 CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES 69

Because cholesterol and triglycerides are fats, and are fat soluble,
they cannot dissolve in our water-based blood stream and then
circulate around the body. Water and oil don’t mix. For these fats to
be dissolved in our blood stream for circulation around our body,
they must first be covered with a protein, and then transformed
into compounds called lipoproteins. These lipoproteins are complex
macromolecules that transport these lipids — triglycerides and
cholesterol esters — through the aqueous environment of the
plasma in our blood.
Everyone has good lipoproteins, known as high density lipoprotein
particles, or HDL, and bad lipoproteins, known as low density
lipoprotein particles, or LDL. Very low-density lipoprotein particles
are called VLDL. LDL are the main carrier of cholesterol and VLDL
carry most of the triglycerides around our bodies. When we use
the term good and bad cholesterol, we are really referring to these
different lipoproteins. The bad lipoprotein particles, in particular
LDL, can deposit cholesterol in the walls of our blood vessels, forming
plaques or atheromas that over time can lead to narrowing in the
lumen (or “cavity”) of these vessels. High-density lipoproteins have
the ability to actually remove cholesterol from these atheromatous
plaques in our arteries, and transport them back to the liver for
excretion — or turn them back into lipoprotein particles. For this
reason the HDL particles are known as the good guys.
Here is an illustration of what a healthy artery looks like, as opposed
to one that is partially blocked by cholesterol deposits.
70 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

The Good, the Bad and the Particles

It also must be noted that the stuff in the bad cholesterol particles
is the same cholesterol that is found in the good stuff’s particles
— so it is the particles that become important, not necessarily the
cholesterol or triglycerides in the particles.
This fact is significant because typical lipid testing measures one’s
(pay attention, class) total cholesterol (TC), the HDL cholesterol
(HDL-C) and the VLDL cholesterol (VLDL-C, from which the
triglycerides are calculated). From these values, the LDL cholesterol
(LDL-C) is calculated.
The formula is: TC = LDL-C + HDL-C + (Triglycerides/5)
These values represent the amount of cholesterol contained in the
respective lipoprotein particles. But remember, as we said earlier,
it is the actual number of these lipoprotein particles that defines
our cardiovascular risk and not the amount of cholesterol in these
particles — although it is the cholesterol number that dictates risk
rather than the particle number, the latter represented as LDL-P,
HDL-P and VLDL-P.
If a person had small, dense LDL particles, or LDL-P (the worst ones
to have, by the way), he or she may have a low LDL-C because these
particles do not have a lot of cholesterol in them. And this low
LDL-C number might give someone a false sense of security. This is
why we do advanced lipid testing in our program — measuring the
different lipoproteins’ particle numbers and particle sizes, which is
a much more accurate way of determining one’s lipoprotein levels,
and the associated risk that goes along with that level.
Conversely, someone might have very large, fluffy LDL particles —
the better to have because these tend to be less atherogenic or
have less potential to deposit their cholesterol— which have more
cholesterol in the particles, reflected in a higher LDL-C. In fact, the
high level might prompt the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs,
when in actuality the individual may not have as high a particle
number, which might not require treatment.
As an example, a 53-year-old male on cholesterol-lowering
medication who has a history of coronary artery disease — and
 CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES 71

coronary artery balloon angioplasty and stenting for significant

coronary artery blockages — had a total cholesterol of 118, and
an LDL-C of 48, which is certainly a goal for a person with known
coronary artery disease. However, his LDL-P was 1199 — a high LDL
particle number for a person with coronary artery disease.

The Good, the Bad and the Triglycerides

So now that we know what good and bad cholesterol represents,
let’s look at the numbers and then some of the ways you can get
those in line with your goals. And since the majority of readers will
be familiar with their total cholesterol, HDL-C (the good stuff), LDL-C
(the bad) and triglycerides, we will orient ourselves to these values.
Cholesterol and triglyceride numbers are measured in the United
States by milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dl). In Canada and
Europe, a different set of measurements is used. For our purposes
here, the numbers in the charts below will represent mg/dl.
The American Heart Association now recommends that everyone
over the age of 20 get a lipid panel to measure cholesterol and
triglycerides.
The interpretation of all these values is based on recommendations
made in the Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection,
Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults, or
Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guidelines. These lipoprotein
levels should be determined after a 9- to 12-hour fast. Fasting is
recommended because triglycerides can be significantly elevated
following a meal, and as we said earlier, the LDL-C is calculated
based on the formula:
LDL-C = total cholesterol - HDL-C - VLDL-C; the VLDL-C is estimated
as triglycerides divided by 5.
A high triglyceride level in a non-fasting state can be falsely high,
thus affecting the calculation on the LDL-C. Although not routinely
done, direct measurement of the LDL-C would preclude the need
for fasting prior to testing.
Starting with total cholesterol, this is how the numbers shape up
and how they are interpreted:
72 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Total cholesterol
• Total cholesterol less than 200 considered desirable
• Between 200 and 239 considered borderline high
• 240 and above considered high

LDL
• Below 70 considered “ideal for people at very high
risk for heart disease”
• Below 100 considered optimal and ideal for people
at risk for heart disease
• 100-129 considered “near optimal”
• 130-159 considered borderline high
• 160-189 considered high
• 190 and above considered very high

HDL
• Below 40 for men and below 50 for women
considered poor
• 50-59 for both men and women, better
• 60 and above for both men and women, best

Triglycerides
• Below 150 considered desirable
• 150-199, borderline high
• 200-499, high
• 500 and above, very high

Previously we mentioned that the non-HDL cholesterol

measurement (calculated as total cholesterol minus HDL-
cholesterol) is a better predictor of the risk of coronary artery
disease than the LDL-cholesterol. For example, patients with Type
2 diabetes have elevations in triglyceride levels, often making the
calculation of the LDL-C level potentially inaccurate. As a result, the
latest version of the NCEP (National Cholesterol Education Program)
guidelines recommends that non-HDL-C be used in patients with
high triglycerides, especially over 150. Go to [Link]/
about/ncep to learn more.
 CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES 73

Non-HDL-C
• Below 100 considered “ideal for people at very
high risk for heart disease”
• Below 130 considered optimal and ideal for
people at risk for heart disease
• 130-159, near optimal
• 160-189, borderline high
• 190-219, high
• 220 and above, very high

If you took a non-fasting test and your total cholesterol was high or
borderline high, your doctor or the clinic or health fair where you
were tested may recommend that you make an appointment for a
fasting test. That will break the numbers down for you in greater
detail, plus give you your triglyceride levels.
In any case, regardless of your overall health and what you perceive
it to be, I strongly urge all of you to have your cholesterol tested
soon and as often as your doctor feels it’s necessary. You may feel
fine, but without being tested you can’t really know what’s going on
inside your body. Low concentrations of HDL cholesterol and
elevated triglyceride levels are hidden killers. Get them checked out
so that there are no surprises later on when you’re least prepared
for them.

Steps to Take to Lower Your

Cholesterol
If you were told your cholesterol is above normal, you can take
the appropriate steps to get it down. Fortunately, for most people,
those numbers are not irreversible. They can be changed in your
favor, but you and only you can change them. You have to take
the initiative, even if it means sacrificing some of the foods and
beverages you enjoy most.
Your health is the most important thing you have in your life and, as
I’ve said many times, you must take ownership of it. You don’t want
to just rent it. And in order to do this you have to take control
74 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

over it. Here are some of the ways you can begin getting your
bad cholesterol levels under control and lower your risk for heart
disease:
Quit smoking: Smoking lowers HDL (again, the “good”) cholesterol
levels. This trend can be reversed if you quit smoking. Smoking
can also increase various inflammatory bio-markers — which can
increase one’s risk factors.
Exercise: Exercise increases HDL cholesterol in some people. Even
moderate-intensity activities, if done daily, can help control weight,
diabetes, and high blood pressure — all risk factors for heart
disease. Check with your doctor to determine how much exercise is
right for you in your present condition.
Take medication if it is prescribed by your doctor: Making changes
to your diet and increasing exercise may help bring your cholesterol
down but it may not be enough to get you down to a safer level. You
may also need to take a cholesterol-lowering prescription medicine.
Low Density Lipoprotein-lowering drugs include:
• Statins
• Niacin
• Bile-acid resins
• Fibric acid derivatives
Cholesterol-lowering medicine is most effective when combined
with a low-cholesterol diet. Talk to your doctor and a licensed,
certified nutritionist to determine what’s best for you and follow
your medication directions explicitly. Along with eating right and
exercising, it can literally save your life.
Heart attacks are nothing to be taken lightly, with many people
succumbing to the first one. If you’re one of the fortunate
individuals who survives that first heart attack, don’t wait around
for it to happen again. Don’t let it happen again. Don’t even let it
happen the first time, if you can help it. Get your cholesterol and
triglyceride levels checked early and you could be one step or more
ahead of the game.
 CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES 75

Steps to Lowering Your

Triglyceride Levels
The main way to deal with high triglyceride levels is through
improved lifestyle. That means eating a healthier diet and getting
more frequent exercise. Here are some guidelines to help you
manage your triglyceride level:
• Moderate physical activity five or more days each week can
help lower triglyceride levels.
• Weight loss also lowers triglycerides as well as bad cholesterol.
• Reducing saturated fat, trans-fat, and cholesterol in your diet
can improve triglyceride levels as well as help manage your
overall cholesterol level.
• Alcohol consumption has strong effects on triglyceride levels.
Consuming more than one alcoholic beverage a day for women
or two for men can raise triglyceride levels considerably. Some
people with high triglycerides may need to cut out alcohol
entirely.
• Eat more fish high in omega-3 fatty acids instead of red meat,
which is high in saturated fat. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout,
herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in omega-
3 fatty acids.
For certain people with high triglycerides, medicine may be needed.
The decision to treat triglyceride levels with medicine can be
complicated because other health conditions are usually involved.
Several medicines can improve triglyceride levels, among them:
• Statins, which mainly improve cholesterol levels
• Fibrates, the most potent reducers of triglyceride levels
• Nicotinic acid
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements. High-doses of omega-3 are
needed to lower triglycerides and should be taken only under
a doctor’s care. Lovaza is a prescription form of omega-3 fatty
acids.
76 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

By taking steps to improve your triglyceride levels, you’ll likely

improve your overall health, fitness, cholesterol levels, and risk for
heart disease. And, again, as is the case with cholesterol medicine,
follow your doctor’s orders and the prescription directions to the
letter.
 PA R T T H R E E
CHAPTER ONE
Rx Healthy Eating Guidlines

ENERGY INTAKE VS.

EXPENDITURE
Inch by inch, pound by pound . . .
One of the main objectives of the Executive Wellness Program is to
preserve or increase our clients’ muscle mass, which in turn should
preserve or speed up their metabolism. By revving up metabolism,
one’s digested food burns up faster, thus lessening the chances for
fat buildup and unhealthy weight gain.
One of the patterns we’ve noticed is that our clients who have been
on restrictive diet plans have a slower than normal metabolic rate.
And men, because of their higher muscle mass, usually have a
higher metabolic rate than women. We also have learned that on
average, people with thyroid issues have a metabolic rate that can
be lower or higher than normal. When we encounter situations like
this, we advise the client to check with his doctor to see how the
thyroid is affecting metabolism and what, if anything, can be done.
Among the tests administered by the staff is a resting energy
expenditure (REE) test, which helps us learn how many calories a
day a client is burning while at rest; this number is roughly equal
to 65 percent of total energy expenditure. Once we have that
number, our nutritionist can use all the calculations to build a
healthy, workable meal plan based on the client’s goals. These are
individualized plans based on need, not “cookie-cutter,” one-size-
fits-all types. Knowing the REE number allows us to formulate a
nutrition program that will yield optimum results when combined
with the exercise component.
With the tests we perform we can see exactly how many calories
our clients are burning while at rest. From this data, we determine
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78 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

if the calories they’re burning are at a normal rate for their height,
weight, and age. Is their metabolism slower because of diet history
or some other factor? Or is their metabolism faster because they
have more muscle mass than the average person of their height,
weight and age? By comparing test results with those of other
people of similar physical makeup, we can determine how fast or
how slow one’s metabolism is.

Do try this at home

The best way to determine how many calories your body actually
needs is by estimating your total daily caloric expenditure. This
figure will include your REE (the number of calories required for
essential body functions such as tissue repair, brain function, blood
circulation, digestion, etc.), plus the number of calories burned
during exercise and normal daily activity.
To determine REE, our program uses a metabolic cart, a specialized
piece of equipment that the average reader obviously can’t access. If
you want to figure your REE at home, there’s a simple way: Multiply
your body weight by 10. For example, a 150-pound woman has a
resting metabolic rate or REE of 1,500 calories. To determine your
daily calorie needs, multiply your REE by the approximate activity
factor, as follows:
• If you are sedentary, calorie calculation = REE x 1.2
• If you are somewhat active (light exercise/sports one-three days
a week), it’s REE x 1.375
• If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports three-five
days a week), REE x 1.55
• If you are very active (hard exercise/sports six-seven days a week),
REE x 1.725
• If you are extra active (very hard exercise and physical job or
intensive training), REE x 1.9

A total calorie-needs example: If you are sedentary, multiply your

REE (1,500) by 1.2 = 1,800. This is the total number of calories you
need in order to maintain your current weight.
 ENERGY INTAKE VS. EXPENDITURE 79

Once you know the number of calories needed to maintain your

weight, you can easily calculate the number needed to gain or lose
weight.
One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories. So, if you create a deficit
of 500 calories a day, you should lose one pound each week. To
accomplish this, either increase your level of exercise and/or cut
back on calories. Take care not to slash too many calories, though,
because you don’t want to deprive your body of the nutrients it
needs. Consuming fewer than 1,200 calories a day for most people
is not recommended for weight loss, unless recommended and
supervised by a doctor.

The DXA scan

Another test we use at The Fitness Principle with Mackie Shilstone
to help us determine body composition is a DXA scan. This is short
for Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, which isn’t quite as intimidating
as it might sound. While it uses sophisticated X-ray technology, it
actually exposes the patient to less radiation than do conventional
X-rays: roughly four millirems compared to 60-80 millirems in a
normal chest X-ray or the hundreds of millirems delivered by a
mammogram.
DXA scans were primarily developed to measure bone mineral
density but at the Fitness Principle we use them to measure that
as well as overall body composition. The General Electric Lunar
Prodigy System we use is a revolutionary device that has given us
astoundingly accurate and valuable data about our clients. It tells us
exactly what we need to do to get them into optimal physical
condition. It gives us a picture of what they look like inside which in
turn gives us the blueprint for the program we design for them. This
device is the gold standard for the industry.
On the following page you will see a sample DXA scan of a 59.9
year-old-male:
80 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Here’s a summary of what a DXA scan can do besides

measure bone mineral density:

• Determine body composition based on three body

compartments consisting of fat mass, lean body
mass, and bone mass

• Measure regional tissue in terms of fat percentage

and total mass, then break down fat, lean mass,
bone mineral content, and total fat-free content —
which would be the sum of the lean and the bone
mineral content.
 ENERGY INTAKE VS. EXPENDITURE 81

In our program, the DXA scan allows us to get a breakdown of

one’s body composition — arms, legs and trunk regions. Then we
get categories of fat patterns — *android for the male fat pattern
and gynoid for the female. The scan also can show the regional fat
percentage in each of the categories listed above, in addition to
highly specific information about bone mineral content.
DXA scans are especially popular among professional golfers
because the way they swing at the ball tends to build up more lean
mass on one side of their body, including arms — typically the side
from which they swing the club. A recent article in the New York
Times explained the procedure and its results: After the data taken
from the scan is processed, organized and printed out, “It separates
the lean mass on the right and left sides of the body and highlights
the difference between the two. Total fat is broken down for the
left and right arms to the hundredth of a pound.”
The data we acquire from a DXA scan can often tell us if people are
at-risk even before they show symptoms. It’s akin to an early warning
system. If, for example, we find a significant amount of unhealthy
fat (visceral fat or adipose tissue) stored in the midsection, we can
go after the problem before it becomes worse. We can devise a
program to help the person convert as much as possible of that
unhealthy fat into healthy muscle tissue.
The scan also helps us immeasurably when we’re working with post-
menopausal women. The average age of menopause in women in
this country is 51, and we tend to see women older than 51 having
a higher amount of trunk fat. This puts them at a higher risk for type
2 diabetes and makes them more susceptible to heart attacks after
menopause. A lot of this is connected to their estrogen supply.

Body measurements
Taking regular measurements is essential to regulating clients’
success and body composition changes. We measure and, depending

* An android (male) fat pattern is defined as one that stores excess

fat above the waist, primarily in the abdomen. A gynoid (female) fat
pattern is defined as one that stores excess fat below the waist,
primarily in the hips, thighs and buttocks.
82 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

on the program, record the following measurements on a bi-weekly

or tri-weekly basis:

chest
chest arm arm

forearm forearm
waist
waist
abdomen abdomen
hips hips

thigh
thigh

calf
calf

Female Male

• Shoulder
• Chest
• Waist
• Abdomen
• Hips

• Left bicep, forearm, thigh and calf

• Right bicep, forearm, thigh and calf
If things are going according to plan, fat accumulated in the waist,
abdomen and hips should be decreasing as lean tissue is maintained
or increased. We usually see, from my experience, at least a loss of
three-fourths of an inch per pound of scale weight. For example,
if someone loses 12 pounds, he’s lost about 10 inches all around,
across the entire body. And that’s just an average: Some lose more,
or less. Our goal is to preserve or increase lean body mass so that
the DXA scan and inch loss/pound loss ratio can show lean to fat
changes over time.
 ENERGY INTAKE VS. EXPENDITURE 83

Homework
Before showing you how you can measure at home the same parts
of your body that we measure with the DXA scan, I want to give you
some numbers you can use to gauge your body fat percentage and
see what category you fall into. Here’s a helpful chart you can use
that comes from American Council on Exercise.

ACE BODY FAT % CHART

Descripton Women Men
Essential fat 10-13% 2-5%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Average 25-31% 18-24%
Obese 32%+ 25%+

Adding Up the Numbers to Make Subtraction Work

Case Study #1: Christie

Christie Dannewitz, a mother of two in her early 40s, came
into our Executive Wellness Program in early October 2010.
At 66 inches (5’6”), she weighed 207 pounds and had a waist
measurement of 38.5 inches. Her abdomen measured 43 inches
in circumference, her percentage of body fat was 48.7 percent,
and her waist-to-height ratio was 58 percent.

Case Study #2: Clay

Clay Leon is a nurse in his early 30s who does rounds on the night
shift. He is 6’ tall and when we first measured him for the
program on Aug. 23, 2010, he weighed 246 pounds. His waist
was 42 inches, and his abdomen circumference was 43¼ inches.
His body fat percentage was 32 percent, and his waist-to-height
ratio was 58 percent.
Throughout the book, you will discover the progress made by
both Christie and Clay, who participated in the program at East
Jefferson General Hospital. You will find out how their successes
can mean success for you.
84 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Now, in order to get your measurements, you need to look at the

illustrations on page 82, which show you the areas you need to
measure and at what points. You will see that eight specific areas
need to be measured on both men and women – the chest, arm,
waist, forearm, abdomen, hip, thigh and calf. As you get your
measurements in inches, write them down — you’ll need them to
help calculate your body-fat percentage.
Here’s how, using formulas from Philip L. Goglia’s book Turn Up the
Heat: Unlock the Fat-Burning Power of Your Metabolism. Let’s start
with the men.
AT-HOME BODY FAT TEST FOR MEN
Step 1: Taking Measurements
1. Height in inches
2. Hips in inches
3. Waist in inches
4. Weight in pounds

Step 2: Determining Your Percentage of Body Fat

1. Multiply your hip measurement in inches: X 1.4 =
, minus 2 = (A)
2. Multiply your waist measurement: X 0.72 =
, minus 4 = (B)
3. Add A plus B = (C)
4. Multiply your height measurement: X 0.61 =
(D)
5. Subtract D from C, then subtract 10 more: (C – D) – 10 =
% fat
 ENERGY INTAKE VS. EXPENDITURE 85

AT-HOME BODY FAT TEST FOR WOMEN

Step 1: Taking Measurements
1. Height in inches 3. Waist in inches
2. Hips in inches 4. Weight in pounds

Step 2: Determining Your Percentage of Body Fat

1. Multiply your hips measurement: X 1.4 = ,
minus 1 = (A)
2. Multiply your waist measurement: X 0.72 =
, minus 2 = (B)
3. Add A plus B = (C)
4. Multiply your height in inches: X 0.61 =
(D)
5. Subtract D from C, then subtract 10 more: (C – D) – 10 =
% fat

And that’s basically all there is to it. You don’t need fancy equipment
to measure yourself at home. Just a simple cloth tape measure as
shown in the illustration. However, I would have to add the following
disclaimer:
Using the measurements and a calculator is one possible body fat
formula. There are others from different authors. Since this method
is the quickest and cheapest, it will be the least accurate. However,
it can be quite useful over time if you use the same formula. In other
words, if this method reads 25% now and 20% in two months, your
body fat has improved, regardless of the accuracy of the method
used. Watching the trends will be the most effective approach.
Try it and see how your numbers come out in terms of body fat
percentage. If you find that you are in the fat to obese range, read
on and I will give you some exercises and sample meal plans that
can help you drop that percentage, lower your risks for serious
ailments, and add years to your life.
 PA R T T H R E E
CHAPTER TWO
Rx Healthy Eating Guidelines

EATING HEALTHY: HOW YOUR

CHOICES CAN CHANGE
YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER
Eating nutritious meals and snacks is as much an essential part of
living a healthy life as exercising and taking other steps that enhance
your chances for greater longevity. In my Fitness Principle program,
devising healthy meal plans for my clients is a key component in an
overall plan to adjust body composition to favor fat tissue loss while
preserving and/or increasing lean tissue.
For many years, since I began supervising health and wellness
programs for various medical institutions in the New Orleans area,
I have kept a licensed nutritionist on my staff. My nutritionist, Julie
Fortenberry, has been an asset to my program, and I have come
to rely heavily on her expertise in what types of foods she can
recommend for clients. In this chapter, Julie helps me explain the
guidelines for my program, guidelines that can also be used by those
reading this book who want to live longer and healthier lives
through proper nutrition.
The comprehensive approach to the nutritional component of my
program includes the mental, physical, and medical aspects. We try
to incorporate all of these elements and ask multiple questions to
get the best results. When potential clients first come to us, we
interview them extensively and they fill out applications including
a detailed medical history. From their answers to the questions we
try to determine which program might work best for them.
When Julie meets with a client the most important thing she has him
or her do is cite a “typical day” meal-wise. We want to know what
he’s eating and drinking. This helps us determine any problems the
client may be having and learn about any misconceptions he may
have about what’s good or bad for him.
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 EATING HEALTHY 87

It is surprising that many people have difficulty recalling what they

ate on a particular day or even what they eat on a normal day.
This proves to Julie that they are simply unaware of the foods they
are consuming. For many people, eating is just something they do
because their bodies require it, not something they consciously
think about. From this we can see how such an oversight over a
period of time can lead to unhealthy food choices, unhealthy weight
gain and unhealthy conditions.
When Pam Rees, 59, met with Julie, she had become overwhelmed
with the all the information she had gathered about nutrition and
the many types of diets she had tried. Rees was never able to lose
the 40 extra pounds she wanted to.
“I needed someone to put this together for me,” said Rees, who
discovered she was not getting enough protein in her diet, and
therefore lacked the energy she needed to commit to regular
workouts. She also learned that she was an emotional eater, often
turning to food during stressful times.
Unlike most diet programs, we do not espouse plans that require
people to give up everything that isn’t 100 percent nutritionally
sound. We allow them to indulge in some of their favorite
treats with moderation, and these indulgences are balanced
out with foods and beverages more in keeping with our plan.

Case Study #1: Christie

“People get caught up in all these different diets and all these
diet books. (With the program) everything was really simple.
It was tailored to what I eat day to day, and I was able to
incorporate healthier things and definitely expand that to new
foods. I never felt deprived or hungry. It was always more than
enough, and I was very comfortable.”

Case Study #2: Clay

“I am eating differently and better now. And I have been
reading Mackie’s books and taking supplements – whey protein
and creatine. I am also eating salmon at least once a week. I
have noticed that my strength has increased dramatically, and
my waist size is down.”
88 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Write it down
To keep our clients in sync with their meal plans, we ask that they
keep food journals that include everything they consume – good,
bad or in-between. They also record date, time, and what amounts
they ate.
This enables us to track what they’re doing on their own and
to balance what they’re consuming with what they should be
consuming. In other words, if they’re consuming one of their
favorite foods or beverages and it doesn’t follow one of our
recommendations, we can balance things out with nutritious
choices.
Having our clients keep a food journal makes them accountable for
what they consume. We expect them to be honest with us, even
if they’re eating a fast-food burger with fries or something similar.
We’re not going to come down on them for occasional deviations
from our plan. In situations like this, we do our best to encourage
them to get back on track with food items supplying the nutrients
lacking in their indulgences. Because they’re paying to go through
the program, they wouldn’t be getting their money’s worth and
would only be cheating themselves if they weren’t completely
honest with us. They’re here for results and they are not going to
get what they want if they continue with old eating habits and are
not sharing that information with us.

Looking over John Goodman’s shoulder

John was put on a nutrition plan that, among other things, cut
sugar out of his diet. Working closely with our nutritionist, he
began eating lighter, healthier meals that emphasized whole
grains, high fiber and lean protein content, essential oils and
fatty acids, and grilled foods (nothing fried). Fresh fruits, and
raw or grilled vegetables were also incorporated.
As he followed his meal plan, John kept a food journal that
allowed him and us to gauge what he ate, how much and at
what time of day. Using the data in the journal, we pinpointed
how his calories were being consumed.
 EATING HEALTHY 89

In the back of this book you will see a sample food journal similar to
the one we use. I obviously don’t expect everyone reading this to
come to Metairie, La., to take part in my program. That’s why I am
spelling everything out here: so that you can do this at home and
control your own weight destiny with the aid of the accompanying
information. My objective, quite simply, is to help you improve your
health and fitness wherever you may be.

OUT OF THE LAB, ONTO THE PLATE

Using Lab Results to Plan Your Food Selection
Much of what we do in the program revolves around the results
of laboratory blood tests conducted by my clients’ physicians or
our own before we start. What the results tell us is whether or not
people have conditions that could pose problems for them (and
us) as they’re going through their program. At the very least, we
don’t want people with counterproductive pre-existing conditions
spending their money on a program that may not get them the
results they want — and we definitely don’t want to be responsible
for worsening a condition that’s already there. That is why we are
as thorough as we are during the screening process. If there are
problems or a strong potential for problems, we want to catch them
early and take appropriate corrective steps. If there are problems or
if there is a strong potential for problems, we want to catch them
early and take appropriate corrective steps, with the help of the
person’s physician.
Among the things we look for during the testing phase are:
• Abnormal lipid profiles – both the good and bad kinds of
cholesterol (respectively HDL and LDL)and triglyceride levels
• Thyroid conditions
• Metabolic syndrome
• Diabetes or “pre-diabetes”
• Hormonal imbalances (such as PCOS or menopause)
During the screening process, we perform lipid tests to determine
each individual’s levels of cholesterol. This also enables us to
determine the triglyceride levels, and from this data we can plan
needs-based diets. We do this as well through fasting blood sugar
tests. A blood test can help us determine the presence of a thyroid
condition; if there is one, we can work with the client’s physician.
Many of our clients meet the threshold for Metabolic Syndrome
90 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

diagnosis as well. This condition is characterized by a group of

metabolic risk factors; three of the five below indicate its presence:
• Abdominal obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the
abdomen), determined by measuring waist circumference ≥
40” for males and ≥ 35 “ for females
• Triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dL
• HDL cholesterol ≤ 40 mg/dL for males and ≤ 50 mg/dL for
females
• Blood pressure ≥ 130/85 mmHg
• Fasting blood sugar ≥ 100 mg/dL
People with Metabolic Syndrome are at increased risk of coronary
artery disease and other diseases related to plaque buildups in
the artery walls — stroke and peripheral vascular disease — and
type 2 diabetes. Metabolic Syndrome has become increasingly
common in the United States, with an estimated 50 million
Americans believed to have it in varying degrees. I have found it
especially prevalent among professional football offensive and
defensive linemen, who are typically in the 300-plus pound range
and have broad waistlines. Our objective in the program is to
catch this problem before it becomes more serious.
There are other conditions our screenings may detect as well, but
these are the primary ones. As technologies improve and more
advanced scientific testing methods are devised, we will continue
to incorporate those that enhance our mission and which we can
administer as safely and effectively as possible.

Meal plans and nutritional guidelines

Sometimes we find it necessary for a client to spend a good bit of
his time meeting with the nutritionist and getting into an effective,
workable nutrition plan before the physical training begins. If, for
instance, a person is very overweight and we don’t feel he’s quite
ready to get into the training yet, we try to get some of the fat off
first. It is very important that clients be in a condition that will allow
them to endure the training they are about to undergo. Once we
have the medical and nutritional history of the client documented,
Julie is ready to put a nutrition plan in place.
 EATING HEALTHY 91

The plan she devises is based largely on what the client likes and
dislikes, except in extreme instances, such as when he’s consuming
things that may be seriously harmful. We simply try to get him to
consume these items in moderation while we transition him to a
plan that includes the healthy foods and beverages that will allow
him to reach his goals.
Those who enroll in our program are given a printed copy of our
meal planning guide. Let’s talk about that:

Tips anyone can follow

1. Try not to skip meals or snacks. Eat every three hours during the
day.
2. Try to eat four-six small meals or snacks per day, and take at least
20-30 minutes to eat your main meal — that’s how long your
body takes to realize it is full.
3. Limit your intake of saturated and trans-fats to less than 20 grams
daily. Instead, incorporate more heart-healthy fats, particularly
those found in fish, nuts and olive and canola oils.
4. Grill, broil, roast or bake meats instead of frying them. Limit fried
food to one time per week.
5. Select 100-percent whole grains, looking for foods with at least
three grams of fiber per serving.
6. Listen to your body. Become aware of feelings of hunger and
fullness, and know the difference between being bored and being
hungry. Trust your mind and your body, paying attention to the
signals they are sending you. Also be sure to occasionally allow
yourself moderate amounts of those foods that you eat simply for
pleasure.
Daily fluid needs
1. Stay hydrated with fluids containing no caffeine or alcohol. Divide
the number of pounds you weigh by 2 and make that amount the
number of ounces of pure water you drink each day. That is, if you
weigh 200 pounds, drink 100 ounces of water a day.
2. When you exercise or work outside, drink extra amounts to
replace fluid lost through perspiration.
92 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Starches and breads

Each food listed in the portions below contains approximately 15-
20 grams of carbohydrates — known to diabetics keeping track
of their intake as a “carb exchange.” This will help you determine
what portions you should be consuming at meal and snack time.
Everyone has different carbohydrate needs but this gives you a
starting point. Most men need two to three carb exchanges at each
meal, most women one or two.
The foods listed below in portion size each contain 15-20 grams of
carbohydrates (one carb exchange).
Cereals/Grains/Pasta
Breakfast cereals, dense ¹⁄₃ cup
Breakfast cereals, normal ¾ cup
Oatmeal, cooked ½ cup
Grits, cooked ½ cup
Rice, white or brown ¹⁄₃ cup
Risotto, cooked ¹⁄₃ cup
Pasta, white or whole-wheat ½ cup
Dried Beans, Cooked
Red, black, white beans ¹⁄₃ cup
Split peas, black-eyed peas ¹⁄₃ cup
Lentils ¹⁄₃ cup
Starchy Vegetables
Corn ½ cup
Lima beans ½ cup
Green peas ½ cup
Potato, baked 3 oz.
Potato, mashed ½ cup
Yam (sweet potato) 3 oz.
Bread
Bagel, large deli
or coffee-shop style ¼
Bagel, mini-size 1
English muffin ½
 EATING HEALTHY 93

Hot dog or hamburger bun ½ (1 oz.)

Pita, 6 inches across ½
Tortilla, 6 inches across 1
Bread, white or whole-wheat 1 slice
Bread, low-calorie,
40-50 calories per slice 2 slices
Crackers/Snacks
100-calorie pack, any variety 1 pack
Melba toast 5 slices
Popcorn, low-fat 3 cups
Meat and meat substitutes
Try to consume a source of protein at each meal and snack time,
since protein takes longer to digest, keeping you fuller longer. Some
tips:
• Each ounce of meat and meat substitute contains seven
grams of protein.
• The calorie and fat content will vary depending on whether
you choose lean, medium-fat, or high-fat meats.
• Three ounces of meat = one medium pork chop, one
small burger, half of a chicken breast, or one fish fillet
(approximately the size of a deck of cards).
• On average, men should consume 6-8 ounces of lean meat
at meals and women 4-6 ounces.
Lean meat and substitutes
33-35 calories per ounce
Beef
Eye of round, sirloin, flank,
tenderloin, filet 1 oz.
At least 93% “extra lean” ground beef 1 oz.
Pork
Ham, tenderloin or Canadian bacon 1 oz.
Center-cut pork chops 1 oz.
Poultry
Chicken breast, turkey breast (skinless) 1 oz.
Ground turkey breast (skinless) 1 oz.
94 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Fish
All fresh and frozen fish 1 oz.
Crab, lobster, shrimp, crawfish, clams 1 oz.
Oysters 6 medium
Tuna or salmon in water or packet ¼ cup
Cheese
Cottage cheese ¼ cup
Reduced-fat cheese (i.e. 2%-fat cheese) 1 oz.
Other
Deli meat
(turkey, ham, chicken, roast beef) 1 oz.
Egg whites 2
Egg substitute (i.e. Egg Beaters) ½ cup
Jerky – beef or turkey 1 oz.
Plain low-fat Greek yogurt 4 oz.
MEDIUM-FAT MEAT SUBSTITUTES
75 calories per ounce
Beef
Ground beef less than 90% lean 1 oz.
Rib, chuck, or rump roast;
cubed or T-bone steak 1 oz.
Poultry
Chicken with skin, ground turkey 1 oz.
Fish
Tuna, canned in oil ¼ cup
Other
Egg 1
Tofu 4 oz.
HIGH-FAT MEAT SUBSTITUTES
100 calories per ounce
(NOTE: These are high in saturated fat and calories and should be
consumed no more than 1-2 times a week.)
ANYTHING FRIED
Beef
Ribs, prime rib, most corned beef 1 oz.
 EATING HEALTHY 95

Pork
Spare ribs, ground pork, pork sausage 1 oz.
Fish
Any fried seafood product 1 oz.
Cheese
All regular cheeses – any variety 1 oz.
Other
Bologna, salami 1 oz.
Sausage 1 oz.
Hot dog 1
“FREE” VEGETABLES
“Free” vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber. Most
vegetables contain at least 2-3 grams of fiber per serving and are
excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. These are very low in
calories and should be added to every meal in unlimited portions,
to add fiber and aid in satiety.
Artichoke
Asparagus
Beans (green beans)
Bean sprouts
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Greens (collard, mustard, turnip)
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Pea pods
Peppers (green, yellow, red)
Salad greens
Sauerkraut
Spinach
96 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Squash Tomato
Tomato/vegetable juice
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Zucchini
• Starchy vegetables such as corn, peas, and potatoes are not
considered “free” vegetables.
• Fresh and frozen vegetables are the best; canned vegetables
are better than none at all. If you must use canned vegetables
rinse well to decrease salt intake.
• Vegetables are best eaten raw, steamed, stir-fried, or grilled.
• Cooking spray, olive oil, spray butter, lemon, lime, Parmesan
cheese, salsa, balsamic vinegar, low-fat dressings, light
cream cheese or any seasoning can be used to flavor
vegetables.
FRUITS
• Each fruit listed contains about 15-20 grams of carbohydrates
and 60-80 calories per serving. It is important to remember
that while fruit is very good for you it is not a calorie-free
food. It is essential to monitor portions as you would other
carbohydrates.
• Most fruits have at least two grams of fiber per serving
• Whole fruit is more filling than fruit juice and is a better
selection for individuals trying to lose body fat
Fresh/Frozen/Unsweetened/Canned Fruit
Apples 1
Apricots, medium 4
Banana, 9 inches long ½
Blackberries/blueberries ¾ cup
Cantaloupe/honeydew melon,
cut up 1 cup
Cherries 15
Figs, raw 2
Grapefruit, medium ½
Grapes 15
Kiwi, large 1
 EATING HEALTHY 97

Mandarin oranges ¾ cup

Mango, small ½
Nectarine 1
Papaya 1 cup
Peach, small 1
Peaches, canned ¾ cup
Pear 1 small
½ large
Pineapple, raw ¾ cup
Plums 1-2
Raspberries 1 cup
Strawberries 1¼ cup
Watermelon 1¼ cup
Fruit Juice
Apple juice/cider ½ cup
Grapefruit juice ½ cup
Orange juice ½ cup
Pineapple juice ½ cup
Grape juice ¹⁄₃ cup
Cranberry juice cocktail ¹⁄₃ cup
Prune juice ¹⁄₃ cup
For most individuals trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy
weight, juice should be limited since the calories and sugar add up
quickly. If you do choose to drink juice be sure it says 100% juice on
the label.
FATS AND OILS
The fats listed below contain approximately 100-120 calories and
10-14 grams of fat per serving (as shown).
Unsaturated Fats
(add to diet in healthy portions)
Avocado ¼ medium
Almonds 12 whole
Cashews 12 whole
Pecans 5 whole/10 halves
Peanuts 15-20
Walnuts 5 whole/10 halves
98 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Oil
(corn, olive, canola,
safflower, soybean) 1 tbsp.
Saturated Fats
(limit usage)
Butter 1 tbsp.
Bacon 3 slices
Sour cream (light or reduced fat) 2 tbsp.
Heavy whipping cream 1 tbsp.
Cream cheese 1 tbsp.
Cream cheese, light 3 tbsp.
To see sample meal plans for both 1,400- and 2,000- calorie meal
plans, see the Appendix of this book.
Vitamin D
Another key element of the nutritional component of our program
is making sure that the client is getting an optimum level of
essential vitamins and other nutrients. We emphasize omega 3 fish
oil, covered in a separate chapter in this section. Another is vitamin
D, and we encourage our clients to have their vitamin D levels
checked by their own doctors. Many people, but especially those
who are overweight, are vitamin D deficient because of the way
the body stores it in fat, where it does the least amount of good.
Also, because exposure to the sun is the primary natural source of
vitamin D, many people may not be getting it that way. They’re wise
to wear sunscreen, but that blocks the sun’s beneficial rays.
In addition to helping the body absorb calcium (which is key to
building strong bones and teeth), vitamin D is strongly believed to
be a preventative of cancer, multiple sclerosis, and the inflammatory
bowel ailment Crohn’s disease, and it aids fat absorption in the
body. Unfortunately, there are not too many food sources from
which vitamin D can be obtained directly. As mentioned above, the
best source of vitamin D is the sun; 10 minutes’ daily exposure at
the minimum. However, some people, because of sensitive skin
conditions, can’t be out in the sun too long or at all. And, of course,
during the cold winter months, there may not be much sun; vitamin
D deficiency levels are generally higher in winter than in any other
season.
 EATING HEALTHY 99

Vitamin D can be found in fortified foods and beverages such as

some types of cereals, milk, and orange and other types of juices.
This fortification is usually specified on the product labels. However,
the vitamin D levels in these foods and drinks are generally low, well
below the minimum daily requirements. For supplementation,
vitamin D3 is what I would recommend, the proper level ascertained
under medical supervision.

ABCs of multivitamins
One final word about nutrition. The ideal situation, of course, is to
obtain all of the essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients
from food and beverage sources — but this is not always possible.
For supplementation I would recommend the GNC age-specific
multivitamins, which are available for men and women. For men
these include Mega Men, Mega Men Sport, and Mega Men 50+.
For women, choices are Women’s Ultra Mega, Women’s Ultra Mega
Active, and Women’s Ultra Mega 50+. The women’s version comes
with and without iron.
All the products go through 150 different quality checks and are
guaranteed for quality, purity and potency. They are in caplet form.
In addition, I am announcing the launch of a new product bearing
my name, Renew-ALL®, a synergistic blend of vitamins, minerals and
nutrients specifically designed to enhance your nutritional needs.
This product can be ordered at [Link]. com.
Follow label recommendations on all the products referenced here
unless advised differently by your physician.
 PA R T T H R E E
CHAPTER THREE
Rx Healthy Supplement Plan

OIL YOU NEED TO KNOW

The remarkable benefits of fish oil
There is documentation dating fish oil consumption as a daily
wellness tonic back as far as the late 1700s. It was a curious British
physician who experimented with spoon-feeding some cod liver
oil to a patient with severe arthritis and nerve pain. Prior to that
cod liver oil had only been used medicinally as a topical treatment
for tuberculosis. The doctor had great success easing the patient’s
aching joints and declared that the patient had regained her health.
The usage of fish oil as a health tonic didn’t cease with the 1700s.
Many baby boomers remember when their grandmothers made
them take cod liver oil from a spoon to maintain good health and
as it turns out, grandma was right! Cod liver and other fish oils have
resurfaced as some of the most important nutritional supplements
we have ever used.
Fish oil is the best source of two incredibly important essential
fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA). These polyunsaturated fatty acids are required to maintain
good health. Scientific evidence has shown that the human body
does not produce enough EPA and DHA to meet its own needs,
and therefore these must be included in the diet or taken as
supplements.
As the most investigated nutritional supplement in the world, fish oil
has been fully endorsed by academia and science. The conventional
medical world, late to acknowledge the plethora of clinically proven
health benefits, now fully supports regular supplementation
with the essential omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil. So it’s
come full circle, with contemporary cardiologists, psychologists,
dermatologists and pediatricians now recommending fish oils to

100
 OIL YOU NEED TO KNOW 101

their patients. A number of medical organizations including the

American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, World
Health Organization, and the British Nutrition Foundation also
recommend omega-3 fatty acids. Multinational food corporations
have taken notice and are seeking techniques to fortify food with
EPA and DHA.
If your memories of grandmother’s fish oil are not all that fond
or if you’ve only heard about grandmother’s fish oil, you should
know that fish-oil manufacturing has improved drastically over
the years and the awful taste is gone. At present, quality fish
oils are manufactured to maintain freshness, remove potential
environmental contaminants, and are available as flavored or
unflavored liquids and soft gels. There are even chewable fish oils
for kids. If you’re not sure your body is getting enough essential
fatty acids, take this to heart.

Case Study #1: Christie

“I take 2,000 milligrams of fish oil per day, as recommended
by the program. Two or three weeks after I started fish oil
supplements, I noticed I was feeling better and functioning
better, and my blood pressure stayed more stable.”

Case Study #2: Clay

“I continue to eat salmon once a week and take fish oil
supplements, and I can tell a difference. I feel better and
therefore continue to work out.”

A defining moment
What exactly are essential fatty acids (EFAs)? The human body
can manufacture most of the fats it needs including cholesterol,
saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids. However,
the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are not synthesized by the
body and thus, they must be obtained through diet or consumed
as supplements. This is why they’re the only fatty acids that are
termed “essential” fatty acids.
102 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Sources of essential fatty acids

The primary source of omega-6 fatty acids in the human diet is
linoleic acid (LA) from the oils of seeds, beans and grains. Linoleic
acid happens to be the “parent” omega-6 fatty acid and sunflower,
safflower, soy and corn oil are particularly rich in it. Evening
primrose oil, borage oil and black currant oil are unique because
their relatively high content of the health-promoting omega-6 fatty
acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).
The primary dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids is the short chain
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) from the oils of certain seeds and nuts.
Alpha-linolenic acid is the “parent” omega-3 fatty acids and some
examples of foods that contain it are flax, walnuts and canola. Fatty
fish and fish oils are the richest source of the pre-formed longer
chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which offer the greatest
health benefits of all the omega-3 fats.
The key: balancing omega-6/omega-3
Humans evolved eating a diet that contained approximately equal
amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Approximately
100 years ago, the Industrial Revolution introduced technology
that allowed for the refinement of vegetable and seed oils from
plants such as corn, cottonseed, soy, sunflower and safflower.
The increased availability of vegetable oils led to a dramatic rise
in the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids among industrialized
countries. The introduction of these products to animal feed has
resulted in the production of meat, fish and eggs high in omega-6
fats and virtually void of omega-3 fats.
Today, in Western diets, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids
ranges from 15-30:1, as opposed to the pre-Industrial range of
1-2:1. Scientific evidence has established that a diet that provides
high levels of omega-6 fats shifts the physiological state to a pro-
inflammatory one that promotes thrombosis, vasoconstriction
(vein-narrowing), inflammation and poor cellular health. Associated
physiologic changes include the development of heart disease,
diabetes, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid
arthritis, Crohn’s disease, colitis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, asthma,
etc.), depression, dementia and other chronic diseases.
 OIL YOU NEED TO KNOW 103

Excessive omega-6 consumption is now one of the most pressing

public health issues of the 21st century. It has been suggested that
an increase in consumption of omega-3 fatty acids with a concurrent
reduction in the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids would be a
simple public health intervention that could have significant impact
on the health of modern society. This simple dietary change could
improve quality of life, reduce health care costs, and promote
healthy aging.
The alpha and omega (3)
Dr. Jorn Dyberberg’s landmark study analyzing the eating habits
of the Greenland Inuits in the 1970s marked the beginning of clinical
research into the benefits of diets rich in EPA and DHA.
Supplementation with fish oil has become one of the most
impressive and prolific areas of nutritional science in the past four
decades. In fact, thousands of scientific publications and clinical
trials have established the many health benefits of these long chain
omega-3 fatty acids.
There are four primary ways omega-3 fats are thought to impact the
human body: by (1) influencing cell membrane characteristics, (2)
modulating the inflammatory response via eicosanoid production,
(3) protecting cells via metabolism into “resolvins” and “protectins,”
and (4) influencing genetic expression.

AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL

Omega-3s as Components of Cell Membranes
The health benefits of fish oil boil down to a few simple concepts.
First, EPA and DHA are required constituents of ALL cell membranes
from our heads to our toes. As constituents of cell membranes,
EPA and DHA are determinants of many important cell functions
including cell receptor action, hormone binding, cell membrane
fluidity, signal transduction, ion channel function, and membrane-
bound enzyme activity. Hence, EPA and DHA are absolutely
essential for proper cellular health.
There are thousands of prescription drugs on the market designed
to modify one or more of the above cell membrane functions.
Fish oil is a single, non-toxic, health-promoting substance that can
104 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

influence ALL of these actions. The overall health of every cell is

dependent on its cell membrane: A cell membrane surrounds and
protects the cell, allows nutrients into and waste out of the cell, and
facilitates cell-to-cell communication.
Many cells in the human body are constantly recycled, and are
programmed to replace themselves every 30 to 60 days. Omega-3
fats are required for the synthesis of new cell membranes and the
repair of existing cell membranes.
Because the longest chain omega-3 fat, DHA, is especially
concentrated in the cell membranes of the brain, eyes, heart,
nervous tissue and spermatozoa the earliest signs indicating a
deficiency of essential fatty acids usually develop in these omega-
3-rich tissues.

Omega-3’s role in the inflammatory response

The second major way that EPA and DHA omega-3 fats are thought
to impact human health has to do with their role in the immune
system as moderators of the body’s inflammatory response.
These long chain omega-3 fatty acids are precursors to a family of
hormone-like “messenger” molecules known as eicosanoids that
act as potent anti-inflammatory agents in the body. The omega-
3-derived eicosanoids counterbalance the omega-6-derived
eicosanoids that act as pro-inflammatory agents.
Proper immune response is dependent on the delicate balance
between the activities of omega-6 and omega-3-derived eicosanoids.
The inflammatory response is activated when the body is exposed
to trauma, allergens, toxic chemicals, or disease. This is a normal
part of the healing process. When the inflammatory response has
been activated fatty acids are released from cell membranes for
conversion into eicosanoids and they signal the surrounding tissues
to respond. It is the omega-6-derived eicosanoids that promote
vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels) and increase
blood clotting, pain and inflammation. The omega-3 fatty acids and
GLA support an anti-inflammatory immune response and help the
body return to homeostasis. Over-consumption of the omega-6
fatty acids disrupts the necessary balance between the omega-6
and omega-3 fatty acids and causes inflammation to become a
long-term physiological state.
 OIL YOU NEED TO KNOW 105

There are disease-causing consequences for long-term inflammation

and outcomes may include chronic pain, breakdown of cartilage and
muscle, increased blood clotting, increased development of
atherosclerotic plaques, and genetic changes that promote
metabolic syndrome and other forms of cell dysfunction. Recent
medical research asserts that chronic inflammation is the root cause
of many chronic diseases including arthritis, heart disease, ADHD,
asthma, eczema, depression and cancer. Long term-inflammation
resulting from an omega-6/omega-3 imbalance is one of the top 10
reasons patients visit their doctors.
All things considered, the EPA and DHA essential fatty acids play
a vital part in reducing inflammation. Scientists are just beginning
to understand and appreciate the complexity of inflammation
and its impact on health and disease. Pharmaceutical companies
have spent billions of dollars trying to block inflammation. Non-
steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), designed to prevent
the formation of pro-inflammatory omega-6-derived eicosanoids,
have become one of the most profitable drug categories. NSAIDs
include ibuprofen, aspirin, Aleve, and Celebrex. The importance of
balancing dietary omega-6 and omega-3 fats is a true example of
how diet impacts health.
The prevalence of chronic inflammation in our society is borne
out by the impressive sales of anti-inflammatory drugs, which in
2003 reached $20 billion in the United States alone. Unfortunately,
with long-term use, studies show, many of these drugs can greatly
increase the risk of stomach irritation, ulcers, heart attack, stroke
and potentially lethal stomach bleeding. According to unbiased
studies, fish oil has been proven to be an extremely safe and
effective way to lessen inflammation — thereby preventing the
diseases associated with it and without the side effects.

New anti-inflammatory mechanisms

Over the past 30 years fish oil research has attributed the anti-
inflammatory activity of the oil mainly to EPA. What about DHA?
From a biochemist’s perspective EPA and DHA are structurally similar.
They both reside in the cell membrane and are released from the
membrane when the immune system is triggered. However, it was
recently discovered that both EPA and DHA function synergistically
to mitigate excess inflammation and promote health and longevity.
106 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

A new group of compounds derived from omega-3 fats was found

to resolve inflammation in tissues. Accordingly, these compounds
were appropriately named “resolvins.” The compounds synthesized
from EPA are resolvins of the E series, while those formed from DHA
are denoted as either resolvins or protectins (formerly
neuroprotectins) of the D series.
This is where the third fundamental way in which omega-3 fats
are thought to impact the human health comes in: resolvins
and protectins are part of the molecular mechanisms that aid
in the removal of inflammatory cells and restoration of tissue
homeostasis once the need for inflammation is over. During the
inflammatory response white blood cells are produced to counter
the effects of trauma and disease-causing organisms. However, if
the inflammatory response is not stopped at the appropriate time
those white blood cells begin to cause trauma and tissue damage.
Resolvins play an important role in regulating and inhibiting the
harmful effects of unopposed inflammation and signal the white
blood cells to stop.
Protectins operate in the same way as resolvins but are concentrated
within the brain and nervous tissue. In addition, it has been shown
that protectins protect the tissue of the eyes from the damaging
effects of light and oxidative stress. Protectins have also been
shown to exhibit protective effects in animal models of stroke and of
Alzheimer’s disease. The data supporting omega-3 consumption for
the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease is so impressive that in 2007
the National Institute on Aging (NIA) initiated an 18-month clinical
trial, conducted at 52 sites across the United States, to determine if
omega-3 fats can help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
The discovery of resolvins and protectins is providing scientists with
an expanded understanding of the collaboration that takes place
between the EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. That said, clearly
we don’t know everything there is to know about fatty acids. These
compounds are an exciting and emerging area of research that
will continue to enlighten us as to how omega-3 fatty acids can be
consumed to dampen inflammation and improve human health.
 OIL YOU NEED TO KNOW 107

Proven Benefits of Essential Fatty Acids

1. To your general health!
Higher omega-3 intake is associated with several parameters
of good health and well-being, including improved mood, body
composition and metabolism; bone strength, respiratory function,
skin health, eye health, attention, focus, memory and much more. It
has also been liked to greater longevity in studies on centenarians.
2. Take heart: the cardiovascular component
Cardiovascular diseases continue to be our nation’s number 1 killer.
Since 1963 the American Heart Association has been dedicated to
urging Americans to be proactive against the development of these
diseases. The foundation of preventive medicine for cardiovascular
disease is built on exercise and good nutrition. The most important
heart-healthy nutrients may be the long chain omega-3 fats, EPA and
DHA, from fatty fish and fish oil.
Significant new findings are continually being reported on the
benefits of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil relative to cardiovascular
disease. These findings include evidence from randomized,
controlled clinical trials that demonstrate how omega-3 fatty acids
improve heart health by reducing triglyceride levels, decreasing
the growth of atherosclerotic plaques, lowering blood pressure,
reducing the risk of thrombosis, and improving arterial endothelial
function (relating to the cells lining the closed spaces of the body
such as the inside of blood vessels that aid in blood flow). Fish oil is
also a powerful supporter of the body’s natural anti-inflammatory
response, which counteracts the progression of heart disease.
Prevention studies suggest that taking between 500 mg and
1,500 mg of EPA and DHA daily significantly reduces the number
of deaths from heart disease (all causes). The American Heart
Association (AHA) recognizes the significant and ever-growing body
of scientific evidence that reveals just how important omega-3
fats are for cardiovascular health. The AHA recommends that
Americans with existing risk factors for cardiovascular disease
should consume a minimum of 1000 mg of combined EPA and
DHA per day. Additionally, individuals with elevated triglycerides
need 2,000 to 4,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA daily. The AHA
108 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

recently acknowledged that these recommendations are higher

than what will likely be achieved through diet alone and therefore
a high-quality fish oil supplement may be necessary.
3. Heart and head: cognitive health
Research has shown that omega-3 fats are necessary to develop,
maintain and protect structures of the central nervous system —
from conception through pregnancy and, undoubtedly, throughout
life. Regarding the importance of EPA vs. DHA, the scientific
consensus is that both EPA and DHA contribute to cognitive health,
development, mental well-being, behavior, learning and mood.
Thus, they are best taken in combination with one another.
Published clinical trials suggest that EPA deficiency may have a role
in conditions associated with altered mood and behavior, including
depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and ADHD. Research
indicates that lower levels of long chain omega-3 fats are found in
individuals who suffer from depression and bipolar disorder. Clinical
trials have also shown that supplementation with fish oil improves
symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
4 . The eyes have it
Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil help maintain healthy structure and
function of the ocular tissue by supporting the body’s natural anti-
inflammatory response, supporting tear production, and protecting
eyes from oxidative damage. DHA is particularly important for the
eyes and is most concentrated in the eye tissues. DHA accounts for
approximately 30-35 percent of the total fatty acids found within
the eye. Certain unique biochemical characteristics of DHA make it
vital for the development, function and maintenance of the highly
active, light-receiving cells found within the eye.
How much is enough?
It is important to remember that omega-3 fatty acids are essential
nutrients that are unquestionably required by the body. Without a
steady supply of EPA and DHA it does not function optimally. Various
health organizations state in their guidelines that diet should be
the first source of omega-3 fatty acids. To meet the minimum
recommended amount of EPA and DHA, two servings of cold-water
 OIL YOU NEED TO KNOW 109

fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies or mackerel

should be consumed per week. Two servings weekly is equivalent to
approximately 200 to 500 mg of combined EPA and DHA per day.
The lesser recommendations of some of those organizations may
not be enough to achieve the documented health benefits of fish
oil. This is why many professionals in diverse medical disciplines
specifically recommend between 500 mg and 1,000 mg of
combined EPA and DHA daily to maintain health and support the
cardiovascular system, eyes and nervous system. One gram of
combined EPA and DHA daily is included in the recommendations of
both the American Heart Association and the American Psychiatric
Association for those with risk factors for heart disease or mood
disorders. When choosing a fish oil it is important to focus on the
amount of combined EPA and DHA in the product rather than the
amount of total fish oil, as supplements vary in potency.
There are a number of factors that affect how much of the omega-3
fats we need. Body size, background dietary levels of omega-6,
activity level and disease are examples of factors that may adversely
affect the omega-3 fatty acid levels in our body. If you’re committed
to making sure your body is getting what it needs and you’re having
a difficult time determining if you’re eating enough long chain
omega-3 fats, I have some good news for you. A new and easy way
to quantify need and optimal intake is with an omega-3 blood test.
Your omega-3 number may be the most important number you will
ever know. A recent study published in the New England Journal of
Medicine reported that people with a total omega-3 level of 6.9%
were 90% less likely to die of sudden cardiac death than those with a
total omega-3 level of 3.6%. So, how do you know if you’re omega-3
level is closer to 6.9% or 3.6%? How do you know if you are taking
enough fish oil or eating enough fatty fish? Thanks to advances in
laboratory science you can now measure your omega-6/omega-3
levels with a simple test (requiring only a few drops of blood) in the
comfort of your home. The test can be found at www.omega3test.
com and is provided by the laboratory that actually invented the
term omega-3. By entering ‘NORDIC3’ in the offer code box during
checkout you can get this test for $49.99; the suggested price is
$200.
110 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Named after Professor Ralph T. Holman, the scientist who coined

omega-3, the Holman Omega-3 test identifies your fatty acid
profile and quantifies your omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid levels.
This graph, using Dr. Bill Land’s work that includes modeling of
several populations and their dietary habits, is just one of the
interesting components of the test results and illustrates how my
diet and omega-3 intake compares with that in those populations.
Because I avoid consuming too much omega-6 and make sure I
get enough omega-3 I scored near the Japanese levels, where
the typical diet includes a significant amount of marine based
 OIL YOU NEED TO KNOW 111

foods. As you can see, this puts me in a lower risk category for
mortality from cardiovascular disease.

Safety first
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified omega-3
fatty acids from fish oil as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). In
fact, the FDA has ruled that up to 3 grams of combined EPA and DHA
is safe for inclusion in the food supply of Americans, without fear of
adverse events. In addition, there are no known significant drug
interactions with omega-3 fatty acids. As with all nutritional
supplements it is important to inform your doctor of what you are
taking.
One of the cardiovascular benefits of fish oil is related to how it
can thin the blood. The blood-thinning effects have led to concerns
about increased risk for bleeding at higher doses (above 3 grams
combined EPA and DHA) — if they’re taken with blood-thinning
medications, or before surgery. The theoretical risk of clinically
significant bleeding has not been verified in a controlled setting.
However, it is advised not to combine fish oil with blood-thinning
medication or before surgery without a doctor’s guidance.

Fresh fish, please

It’s important to keep in mind that fish oil is meant to be fresh —
just like fish! The biggest problem with the deterioration of a fish oil
product, or rancidity, is a distinct rank taste, smell, and fishy
eructations, a.k.a. stinky fish burps. The main cause of rancidity is
oxidative free-radical damage (yes, the stuff that causes us to age)
to the double bonds found in EPA and DHA. Taste is directly related
to freshness and oxidative damage (or lack of) to the oil. To achieve
the benefits of fish oil choose a fresh, great-tasting fish oil that does
not “repeat.” If the idea of biting into a capsule to taste test the
freshness makes you uneasy, select a brand that offers a certificate
of analysis, as this will Illustrate the level of freshness via laboratory
testing.
The therapeutic action and safety of fish oil is in part related to
its molecular stability and resistance to oxidative damage. Any oil
exposed to oxygen, or light or heat in the presence of oxygen, is
subject to free-radical attack and oxidative damage. Fish oil is rich
112 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which have many

double bonds in their structure. Everywhere there is a double bond
there is an opportunity for free-radical attack.
Fish oil that has been subject to oxidative damage may do the body
more harm than good. Do not underestimate the value of an old-
fashioned taste and smell test. If fish oil smells or tastes rank, the
test is complete. The next step is to throw out the bottle. A fresh,
non-oxidized oil should taste good and not carry a fishy aftertaste.
If you ordered sushi and it smelled bad, would you eat it? Rotten
fish oil is no different from rotten fish – the bad taste and/or smell
is nature’s way of telling us that something is not healthy to ingest.
Continuing to do so will only increase the body’s exposure to
harmful molecules and add to the body’s oxidative stress load.
In conclusion: the best of the best
Fish oil is unequivocally the best source for the omega-3 fatty acids
EPA and DHA. Some purists still recommend eating fish to achieve
optimal omega-3 levels. Unfortunately, contamination of our oceans
has made reaching optimal omega-3 levels via eating fish a potential
health hazard. Both the FDA and Environmental Protection Agency
have warned the public about the potential dangers of consuming
too much fish because of the associated toxins.
High-quality fish oil supplements that have been processed to
remove environmental contaminants allow for supplementation of
high levels of EPA and DHA for preventive and therapeutic clinical
use without the risk of toxicity. In addition, studies have compared
levels of mercury and organochlorines in fish vs. fish oil supplements
and concluded that purified fish oils provide the beneficial omega-3
fatty acids without the risk of toxicity.
Nordic Naturals® is a company that, in my opinion, has set the
standard for fish oil excellence. This company specializes in omega-3
essential fatty acids and offers a full line of non-concentrated and
concentrated fish oil products. It also makes specialty products such
as the chewable fish oils for children and fish oils mixed with other
synergistic ingredients to meet the needs of people with specific
health conditions.
 OIL YOU NEED TO KNOW 113

Because there are no fish-oil quality standards in the United

States, people must determine for themselves what standards a
manufacturer is voluntarily following to ensure the fish oil it
produces is pure, fresh, and contaminant-free. Nordic Naturals
adheres to the highest standards in the industry and it has been
my experience that results come more easily when using a great-
tasting fish oil that does not “repeat.”
Native Norwegian and company owner, Joar Opheim, has developed
relationships with independent fishermen who use small boats
rather than large trawling vessels that spend a longer time at
sea. This means there is less time between the catch and the oil
extraction, which is done in a low heat, nitrogen-rich environment.
These are the kinds of steps in the manufacturing of the fish oil
that minimize free-radical damage. For more information visit the
Nordic Naturals® website at [Link]
NOTE: Be sure to consult your physician before using intakes greater
than 500 mg FDA/EPA/DHA as it pertains to your present health
condition and medications used.
 PA R T F O U R
CHAPTER ONE

The Fitness Cure

STEP BY STEP:
AN EXERCISE IN LONGEVITY
How the Pro Circuit Workout and
Strategic Walking Can Get You That
Much Closer to Great Health
Before participating in my program, clients must first seek approval
from his physician or one of my team doctors.

Here, in the words of Dr. Kancher, is our statement about medical

clearance:
“Before you begin to embrace the notion of ‘health ownership’ and
embark on your journey to achieve the goals you have set, clearance
from your health care provider is essential. This is not only to make
sure you are ready and able to embark on this journey, but also to
make sure you have no medical concerns that need to be addressed
before beginning. As an example, exercise will increase both heart
rate and blood pressure, so you certainly want to make sure your
blood pressure is under control before starting on your exercise
program. It is never too late to do the right thing, and the right thing
to do is to get started on your new you . . . after you get your
clearance from your health care provider.”

114
 STEP BY STEP 115

Cardiopulmonary Stress Test (CPX)

While a client hooked up to a 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) does
a strenuous exercise such as a treadmill or exercise bike workout,
this test basically measures the rate of exchange between carbon
dioxide (CO2) exhaled and oxygen (O2) inhaled. The results of the
test are reviewed by a cardiologist and a pulmonologist.
The test begins at a very light intensity and gets slightly harder
each minute until maximum exertion is attained. The subject wears
a mask and we measure the volume of air expired along with the
percentages of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the expired air.
What we are looking for in this test is the maximum endurance
capacity of the person, and it is measured in what is called a VO2
max. The V in VO2 stands for volume, and the O2 is the chemical
formula for oxygen in its most stable form, the form found in the air
we breathe. Your VO2 at the stage of maximal exertion is called your
maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max).
This test measures milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight
(1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds) used per minute. By measuring VO2 max
relative to body weight, we are able to determine endurance and
stamina levels. Then we can relate this to a heart rate at any point
during the test.

VO2 Max and Anaerobic Threshold Testing

116 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

For example, to effectively train boxers to excel during the

36-minute duration of a world title boxing bout, one that goes the
full 12 rounds at three minutes per round, I have used the results
of this VO2 test to formulate specific heart rate training zones for
each athlete. Boxing of course is a labor-intensive sport requiring a
level of stamina well above the normal range. In order to determine
a boxer’s ability to “go the distance” and still stay at a peak level of
effectiveness, I have to get a measure of the ventilatory (also called
anaerobic) threshold, which is the point at which the body shifts to
a higher carbohydrate dominance.
High-energy physical activity— boxing or other sports or exercises
in which the participants are constantly working at higher levels
of heart rate beyond the ventilatory threshold (the point during
exercise where the person can no longer carry on a conversation
comfortably) — can significantly elevate levels of lactate.
Lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic exercise such as medium-distance
sprinting (100-200 yards and above), which can compromise muscle
function and may contribute to fatigue. During even low-intensity
exercise, athletes are producing lactate, which their muscles are
constantly burning and using as a fuel. At intensities below the
anaerobic threshold, the muscles easily recycle as much lactate as is
produced. This is called equilibrium. The higher the intensity, the
more lactate can be produced by the muscles. This can cause excess
fatigue by irritating the muscles (along with other substrates).
When I help train my boxers one of our goals is to force their
opponents into a higher level of lactate production, push them
above their anaerobic threshold, keep them there, and not permit
them to recover during the one-minute break between rounds. This
can weaken and tire an opponent if he cannot tolerate the lactate
buildup or clear it— making him easier game for my fighter.
In our program, we measure the VO2 max and we use it to determine
the appropriate intensity (heart rate) of exercise both above and
below the anaerobic threshold. We train above and below this
to optimize cardiovascular conditioning and to accentuate loss of
excess body fat.
Got all that?
Let me try to simplify it a bit: When the CO2 you exhale and the O2
you inhale are at equilibrium you’re able to carry on a conversation.
 STEP BY STEP 117

But when the CO2 is overcoming the O2, that’s called oxygen debt,
or “out of breath.” It has been proven that if you can carry on a
conversation with yourself while exercising, the chances are you are
at or below the anaerobic threshold. This “talk test” was developed
by the former co-founder of Nike, Bill Bowerman.
As you go further and further into oxygen debt you shift more
to using carbohydrates, which are stored in the liver, muscle and
circulatory system. This is a finite number -- you don’t have a
limitless number of carbohydrates to store. And so in this test we
have to push the person above the point where the O2 consumed
and the CO2 expelled is greater than 1. Meaning we have to push
you into oxygen debt to find the corresponding heart rate number.
And that’s the sophistication of this test. (People will achieve less
than their max heart rate if they are doing a SubMax VO2 test.
However, many athletes may achieve above their “predicted”
maximum heart rate during a VO2 max test, normally.)
Once again, these are sophisticated tests involving expensive,
scientifically calibrated equipment. You need something you can do
at home — and here it is.
After receiving a medical clearance to exercise from your primary
care physician, you can easily determine your estimated Heart Rate
maximum (HRmax) for developing your own cardiovascular training
exercise prescription.
There are several different formulas used to estimate HRmax. They
are noninvasive and seem to be effective in estimating Target Heart
Rate (THR) zones. A research article in the September 2011 issue
of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared
age-predicted HRmax equations. According to this study, it was
determined that the Gellish equation was the most accurate of the
equations in a college-age population who are generally in good
health and of similar age (18-25 years). The formula and an example
of how to use it is listed below.

FORMULA: HRmax = 191.5 - (0.007 X age2)

EXAMPLE: 25 year old college-aged, healthy male
HRmax = 191.5 - (0.007 X (252))
HRmax = 191.5 - (0.007 X 625)
HRmax = 191.5 - 4.375
HRmax = 187 beats per minute (bpm)
118 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

According to an article in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of

Strength and Conditioning Research, although the traditional
220-age equation tended to overestimate the maximal heart
rate in individuals between 20 and 40 years of age, the 208- (0.7
x age) equation was accurate for individuals who are considered
overweight or obese.
FORMULA: HRmax = 208 - (0.7 X age)
EXAMPLE: 30 year old, 40 pounds over optimal weight
HRmax = 208 - (0.7 X 30)
HRmax = 208 - 21
HRmax = 187 bpm

Basic math
If you do not fall into one of the two categories listed previously, I
recommend that you fall back on the age-predicted HRmax formula
used by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) which is
HRmax = 220 - age.
The simplest thing you can do is measure your pulse rate to see if
you are staying within the target range of 220 minus your age. And
the way you do this is by placing your finger lightly on your radial
artery, which is the soft inside of your wrist, close to your hand. As
soon as you feel a strong pulse, count every beat within a 10-second
interval, then multiply that number by 6. Ten times 6 equals 60 —
and that will give you the number of heartbeats per minute.
An effective way to monitor your training intensity is to purchase
a heart rate monitor. You strap it to your wrist and it gives you
a continuous status of your heart rate throughout the training
session. If your pulse is measuring higher than your target training
zone then you know to slow down your activity level and conversely,
if your pulse is measuring too low, you know to increase it.
Reaching Your Target Training Zone
In my Maximum Energy for Life book I discuss what you need to
do in order to maximize your Pro Circuit training benefits. You will
want to exercise with enough intensity to reach your target training
zone plus or minus 5-10 beats per minute.
According to ACSM, the optimum cardiovascular training zones are
found between 60 and 85 percent of HRmax for intermediate to
 STEP BY STEP 119

advanced exercisers. However, individuals who have been physically

inactive or are in the poor or fair cardiovascular fitness categories
should use a 50-65% HRmax training intensity during the first few
weeks of the exercise program. Below is an example of an optimal
workout heart rate training zone according to your age and fitness
level utilizing the standard formula for finding your HRmax (220-age).
EXAMPLE: 20 year old beginner with no known health issues
HRmax = 220 - age
HRmax = 200 - 20
HRmax = 200
TRAINING ZONE 1 = 200 X 50%
TRAINING ZONE 1 = 100 bpm
TRAINING ZONE 2 = 200 X 65%
TRAINING ZONE 2 = 130 bpm
Starting Zone for cardiovascular activity = 100 bpm - 130 bpm

Just be certain that, before you attempt to begin your Pro Circuit
training or any other HR zone training, you check with your
physician and get his or her OK.

Heeding the STOP signs

If you start feeling any pain or prolonged discomfort, STOP whatever
exercise you’re doing immediately and check with your doctor.
That’s the strict advice I give my clients. You may think it’s “manly”
or normal to work out through pain but, trust me, it’s not. It’s your
body’s way of telling you to slow down or stop. “No pain, no gain” is
a fallacy. Working out is not meant to be painful. It is meant to be
beneficial and, if you are careful about what you do and stay within
a specified range, it will be beneficial to you.
But do not attempt to test your maximum heart rate by yourself; be
monitored by trained personnel.

The Pro Circuit: how it works out

In these hectic times, when the moments we have to ourselves
are more limited than ever, many people are letting their physical
condition go by the wayside. They simply don’t have the time to
120 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

exercise, or at least they think they don’t. However, when it comes

to our bodies and our health, we need to make the time. It gets
back to what I’ve been saying all along — taking ownership of our
health and not renting it.
For that reason I developed the Pro Circuit Exercise System. This
is a workout regimen that combines strength and core training
with cardiovascular conditioning. It is designed to fit comfortably
into the busy person’s schedule, offering maximum benefits for a
minimal investment of time. Thirty to 45 minutes three days a week
for as little as eight-12 weeks may be all it takes to get you back
on the road to a healthy lifestyle. From that point, hopefully, you will
have the incentive to continue the program for many years to come.
Over the years I have seen clients use the Pro Circuit System and
lose significant amounts of body fat. I’ve seen them gain lean
muscle, slim down their waistlines, increase their energy levels, and
manage their stress levels more effectively. I have seen substantial
improvements in their overall health. Trust me, this is one program
that works – a program you can do at home or on the road. Let me
explain.
The Pro Circuit Exercise System offers two modes – aerobic and
resistance exercise. Aerobic exercises include walking, jogging,
biking, jumping rope and riding a stationary bike. Resistance exercises
include lifting free weights or machine weights, resistance-band
exercise or even calisthenics. In conventional exercise programs,
most people opt for only one of these modes.
Aerobic training can increase cardiovascular fitness, in some cases
by as much as 30%, and weight loss will usually be a result. However,
aerobic training will not significantly increase strength and lean
muscle mass. Resistance exercises will usually increase mass but
won’t result in a significant increase in cardio fitness. My Pro Circuit
Training solves these problems by combining the two, and does it in
the same amount of time you would normally spend doing just one
program. And, in the process, the Pro Circuit will lower your resting
heart rate, reduce your blood pressure, increase your stamina and
metabolism, and substantially decrease your abdominal body fat.
 STEP BY STEP 121

The Pro Circuit System works most efficiently in a gym or fitness

center where you have access to the selectorized equipment, unless
you have a home gym with the same equipment. However, it can also
work with free weights, adding or subtracting the number of weight
plates or weight magnets on the bar. In the beginning, however, I
recommend that you opt for the selectorized equipment.
Before you start, you need to have an understanding of the
sequence of the exercises and which section of the body is the focus
of which exercise. You should start with an exercise for the upper
part of the body, then move down to the lower part, then come up
to the middle, which includes, in the language of physical fitness,
the “core.” A series of repetitions (“reps”) for each section of the
body should be done. For example, 12 reps for the upper section, 15
for the lower body, and 20 for the core.
But these are not absolutely fixed numbers; you can vary and
alternate them. You can do fewer reps for the upper portion of the
body and add to the lower part or to the core if those are the areas
that you want to zero in on. What is most important is that you
establish, then maintain a level of consistency with the program’s
objectives — and increase your numbers.
Depending on your level of fitness, you can also vary the number of
circuits you do. If, for example, you are basically a sedentary person,
you may want to limit yourself to just one circuit and eventually
build up to more. Each circuit should take no more than 15-20
minutes to complete.
Another thing that can help to reduce lactate buildup is to do about
30 seconds of some type of cardio activity between resistance
exercises. This option may include jogging in place, walking, jumping
rope, doing jumping jacks. The ultimate objective you should be
striving toward is alternating between strength and cardio exercises
— and you continue doing that for the whole circuit. You can put
between 10 and 14 different exercises together, depending on the
equipment on hand. You may even use light dumbbells at home
and/or do some calisthenics and create your own circuit, using the
formula for reps shown above. Thirty seconds on each machine
should be sufficient.
122 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Case Study #2: Clay

“With the Pro-Circuit Workout, I lost a lot of fat and gained
muscle. The trainer in the program kept me honest, and I knew I
had to come in even on days when I didn’t want to. That brought
back the discipline I needed more than anything because I have
continued to work out since. I am now working out on my own
four days a week for two or three hours.”

On the days you’re not in the gym, if you like you can do other types
of exercise at a moderate level — defined as “breaking a sweat” –
for example walking, bicycling, running, swimming, playing tennis. A
half-hour to 45 minutes of this should be sufficient; you can start
with a pedometer-based movement program to track your success.

As You Begin: First, a Checkup

Before I get into the actual exercises, here are some of the things
you need to consider before starting and during the Circuit training.
First and foremost, you must have a medical checkup and clearance
to make sure you are able to do the type of exercises the program
calls for. If there are health issues that will prevent you from full
participation in the program, you may still be able to work it to a
limited extent. That can all be determined and worked out once
you’ve been properly evaluated.
Among important points:
• Familiarize yourself with the equipment: Learn how to
operate the selectorized machinery you will be using. If
you’re uncertain, ask a gym employee to help you set the
machine(s) for the weight you’ll be lifting.
• Warm up your muscles: It is never a good idea to jump
right into an exercise before your muscles are warmed up
and prepared to take on the demands of the exercise(s) you
have planned for them. Give yourself an extra 5-10 minutes
of light calisthenics and/or stretching that involves all parts
of the body, and then do some aerobic exercise(s) such as
cycling on a stationary bike or jogging in place.
 STEP BY STEP 123

• Move quickly between machines: Since you are moving

from one machine to the next, there will be a break in the
action for you. Spending too much time between machines
could cause you to lose some of the momentum and stamina
you’ve built up. Depending on your level of proficiency –
beginner, intermediate, or advanced – the time you spend
between machines should range from 5 to15 seconds — no
more than that.
• Stick with moderate weights: Set your machines for the
amount of weight you can lift comfortably 12-20 times within
30 seconds. Don’t make the weight too much or too little;
otherwise you won’t get the machine’s full benefits. As you
progress, you may be able to add weights to the machine
but, again, don’t add more than what feels comfortable and
do-able for you.
• Maintain proper body posture: In resistance training, it is
relatively easy to pull a muscle or another part of the body
the wrong way, which can result in pain and the inability to
complete the circuit. Some of the more painful muscle pulls
can leave you in discomfort for days or even weeks at a time.
To prevent this, it is vital that you position yourself to lessen
the strain on your spine. Position yourself comfortably
against the backrest of the machine you’re using, pull your
shoulders back slightly, and lift your chest up slightly. While
lifting, contract your abdominal muscles to help stabilize
your lumbar spine.
• Breathe: This may sound elementary, but there is a specific
routine that needs to be followed while you’re exercising.
In most cases you should exhale as you exert the effort;
counting repetitions out loud also assists proper breathing
technique.
• Complete all reps: The program will only have full benefits
for you if you complete all your repetitions and your circuits.
If something is preventing you from completing them, such
as too much weight to lift, reduce the weight as quickly as
you can to something more manageable, then continue to
the end of the set.
124 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

• Stay hydrated: Have a water bottle close by when exercising

and drink frequently. For each hour of workout time, you
should figure on drinking half or all of a 1.5 liter bottle of
water.
• Cool down and decompress: After completing your
workout, don’t just stop cold and get ready to go about your
business. Like a thoroughbred horse or a NASCAR driver at
the end of a race, you’ll need a cool-down period to get back
to a normal operating level. Light stretching exercises are
recommended to get the body back into shape for its regular
order of business.
• Work up to your ideal routine: If you’re not used to a
regular exercise regimen you may want to ease into a circuit
training routine at first. Thirty to 45 minutes may not be
do-able right from the start, so you should start at 15-20
minutes, then work your way up. Try to complete at least
one 15-minute circuit per day, three days a week; then try
two 15-minute circuits per session, three times a week.
• Monitor your progress with the ‘talk test’: During the
cardio portion of the routine you should be able to carry on
a conversation. In other words you cannot be huffing and
puffing.
With these things in mind, let’s move on to the actual exercises
used at The Fitness Principle.
 STEP BY STEP 125

CHEST PRESS
POSITIONING: Sit on the bench with your feet flat on the floor
and slightly wider than shoulders-width apart. Handles should be chest
level.

MOTION: Grasp handles starting at a 90-degree angle at the elbow

and push outward until your arms are extended but not locked. Return to
the starting position.
126 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

LAT PULLDOWN
POSITIONING: Place hands on the bar so that when the
upper arms are parallel to the floor, they form a 90-degree angle with
the forearms. Sit with the knees under the pad and keep torso upright.
Maintain a natural arch in the lower back.

MOTION: Contract the lats and pull the bar down until the upper
arms are parallel to the floor. Hold for a moment and return to the starting
position.
 STEP BY STEP 127

SHOULDER PRESS
POSITIONING: Stand with feet hip-width apart and knees
slightly bent.

MOTION: Start with elbows bent at 90-degree angle and palms

facing forward. Fully extend arms without locking elbows. Return to the
starting position.
128 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

SEAT ROW (ROWING)

POSITIONING: Sit on seat. Adjust pad, shifting to upper part of
chest. Arms should be slightly bent.

MOTION: Grasp handles in the neutral position and pull back until
your arms are bent at a 90-degree angle at the elbow. “Squeeze” shoulder
blades. Return to the starting position. Take care not to “lock out” your
elbows.
 STEP BY STEP 129

LEG EXTENSION
POSITIONING: Sit on seat. Align knees with axis of rotation.
Back should be flat against pad. Pad should be above the ankle.

MOTION: Start with knees bent at 90-degree angle. Extend legs

fully without “locking out” knees. Toes should be pointed up.
130 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

LEG CURL (Machine or Ball)

POSITIONING: Machines may vary, but the idea is to lie on your
stomach with legs together, knees at the end of the pad. Pad should be
above the ankle. Hold both handles firmly, keep head straight, and press
hips firmly against the pad. Begin with the knees flexed and the weight
lifted slightly so there is resistance. Toes should be pointed up toward the
knees.

MOTION: Pull the lower legs up slowly, keeping the hips against the
pad. Continue until the hamstrings are fully contracted and the knees lift
off the pad slightly. Hold for a moment and lower the legs down to the
starting position. This exercise may also be done one leg at a time.
 STEP BY STEP 131

BACK EXTENSION
POSITIONING: Sit on bench. Bottom and low back should be
against lower back pad. Knees should be bent. Place arms across chest or
you can place hands on thighs. You will start in forward position.

MOTION: Start exercise in the forward position. You will push

against the upper back pad until you feel that your body is aligned at a
diagonal angle. Please do not hyperextend. Return to starting position
without letting the weight stack hit.
132 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

(DUMBBELL) BICEP CURL

POSITIONING: Stand with dumbbells in your hands, palms
facing forward with your elbows slightly bent.

MOTION: Slowly bring dumbbells up to your chest. Hold for two

seconds, then slowly lower weights in a controlled motion.
 STEP BY STEP 133

TRICEP PRESS (PUSH DOWN)

POSITIONING: Stand in front of the cable machine with feet
about shoulder-width apart, knees and hips slightly bent. Hold upper arms
firmly against the sides of the body throughout. Grasp the bar overhand
at an angle, placing the hands at a width that is aligned with the elbows
and upper arms. Begin with the arms straight down and the elbows
aligned under the shoulders, pointed back and slightly flexed.

MOTION: Slowly let the forearms be pulled up and in front of the

body. Continue until they form a 90-degree angle with the upper arms.
Hold for a moment, then slowly push the lower arms back down to their
original position, following the same path.
134 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

The following two exercises offer you an option of choosing one or

the other:

SEATED CRUNCH (ABDOMINAL MACHINE)

POSITIONING: Pull seat lever so that you sit with your navel in
line with axis of rotation, and hook feet behind roller pads.

MOTION: Place elbows on movement pads and grip handles lightly.

Pull chest toward hips by contracting abdominal muscles in a crunch
movement. Pause in position of full muscle contraction. Return slowly to
starting position and repeat. Please do not let the weight stack hit!
 STEP BY STEP 135

SEATED ROTATION (MEDICINE BALL TWIST)

POSITIONING: Sit on floor with knees bent and feet crossed at
the ankles. Hold weight (5-10 pound dumbbell, medicine ball, or weight
plate) in front of chest with both arms extended. Tighten abdominals and
raise feet slightly off the ground.

MOTION: Twist the upper body to one side, following the weight
with the head and eyes. Continue as far as possible without losing form
or leaning. Hold for a moment and return to the starting position. Repeat
motion to the other side. Throughout motion, avoid bending over at the
waist, keep your upper body as straight up and down as possible, and
keep feet off the ground.
 PA R T F O U R
CHAPTER TWO
The Fitness Cure

FEET FIRST
How 10,000 Daily Steps Can
Get You That Much Closer to
Great Health
With 34% of American adults now classified as obese, we obviously
have a serious health problem in this country. Obesity rates in the
United States have steadily increased over the last 40 years and
are higher than those in other developed nations. There are many
reasons for this, among which are:
• Low levels of physical activity due to a built environment
that restricts or otherwise discourages opportunities for
outdoor activities such as walking, running or bicycling
• Heavy reliance on personal motorized vehicles
• Declining occupational activity, including the decrease in
jobs that rely on physical labor
• Technological innovations that have made for more time
allocated to sedentary leisure activities
• Increased usage of additives and artificial ingredients in
the food and beverages we consume, accompanied by
unhealthy eating habits that encourage the consumption of
“fast foods” rather than those with proper levels of essential
nutrients
As shocking as our national obesity epidemic is, I prefer not to dwell
on the causes here but on the solutions. One of them was developed
in early 2000 by a national weight-gain prevention program that
136
 FEET FIRST 137

is now known as America on the Move. It was launched in 2003

as an extension of a similar program that began in Colorado the year
before. The two initiatives are based on data that suggest that if
sustained over time, small, simple changes in individual eating
habits and physical activity can have a major impact in controlling
body weight.
Among these “small, simple” changes are (1) adding an extra 2,000
steps a day to the amount of walking we do and (2) choosing one
behavior each day that removes about 100 calories from our normal
food consumption.

Good but not enough

In a study published in 2010 in the American College of Sports
Medicine’s journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, it was
concluded that the average American adult takes approximately
5,100 steps per day. Compare this, as the study did, to the number
of steps taken – on average – by study participants (adult men
and women) in three other industrialized nations, Switzerland,
Australia, and Japan:

STEPPIN’ LIVELY
People in other industrialized countries take a lot
more daily steps than Americans do. For instance:
• In Switzerland, men take 10,400 steps a day;
women, 8,900
• Australia: men, 10,221 steps; women, 9,178
• Japan: men, 7,575 steps; women, 6,821
Source: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal of the
American College of Sports Medicine, 2010

Obviously these numbers pinpoint the need for American adults

to do better than they are now. Setting a goal of nearly doubling
the present average number to 10,000 steps a day, and sustaining it,
would beyond a doubt set the participant on the path to better
138 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

health. In essence, to get the fat off, we need 10,000 daily steps or
300 minutes per week of exercise.
But, before setting out to achieve this goal, we need to know what
these numbers actually mean in terms of distances with which we’re
more familiar. The distances covered by each of our steps obviously
differ among people, due largely to height, which helps determine
the length of each stride.
However, to simplify things, for the average person, 2,112 steps
equals one mile. Since the average adult takes about 5,100 steps
a day, that roughly computes to nearly two and a half miles a day.
Doubling that to 10,000 steps a day means nearly five miles covered
daily.
If that sounds like a lot to you, it really isn’t. The two and a half miles
you may already be walking per day includes the steps you take just
going around the house or office, to and from your car, down the
aisles of a supermarket, around your favorite shopping mall. You are
taking the steps without even thinking about it or how far you are
actually walking. So, the next step toward increasing the number of
steps you’re taking is to start counting them. Of course you can’t do
this by physically counting each step, so you do the next-best thing
and clip on a pedometer or an accelerometer (see the sidebar for
an explanation of the differences between them) and measure your
steps that way.
“As soon as I put my feet on the floor in the morning, I slide the
pedometer into my shoe so that I count every step I make during the
day,” said Pam Rees, the client who in previous attempts had not
been able to shed 40 unwanted pounds, but who at this writing has
lost 20 pounds and 19 inches. For her success, she credits a
nutritional plan designed specifically for her, three workouts a week
and 10,000 steps a day. All three are tools that Rees sees herself
incorporating into her life when she leaves the program.
For Kim Lepine, the 51-year-old woman who had undergone bypass
surgery and valve replacement in 2004, the simple act of wearing
the pedometer is a motivator.
“It just makes you want to get those 10,000 steps in every day,” she
said.
 FEET FIRST 139

Barbara Nunez, the 57-year-old client who discovered in her pre-

testing that she was hypothyroid and subsequently removed that
barrier through medication, relies so heavily on the pedometer for
daily motivation that she even wears one when she’s walking in her
bare feet, strapping it on one ankle with a ribbon.

PEDOMETER VS.
ACCELEROMETER
There are two basic types of pedometers, one that
only counts steps and another that counts steps and
records distance traveled. Both types can be purchased
inexpensively and the type you use is strictly up to you; the
step count is the most important data you need to know.
If your device doesn’t record distance, you can do the
conversion yourself simply by knowing that 2,112 steps
taken by the average person equals one mile, and adding
or subtracting from that figure. Nearly all pedometer
models on the market are digital these days.

Pedometers work by detecting vertical (up-and-down)

motion, counting a step each time they detect this vertical
change in direction. A spring-suspended horizontal arm
oscillates inside the unit, bouncing up and down with each
step.

Accelerometers are more sophisticated than conventional

pedometers — basically small computers. Like pedometers,
they measure acceleration of movement up and down but
they also measure in two other directions — right/left and
forward/backward. Because they measure movement from
right to left and vice versa (and forward and backward),
step counts will normally be higher on an accelerometer.

Accelerometers are very expensive and require expertise

to operate and interpret. Consequently, they are not
recommended for casual use. I use them in the studies I
140 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

conduct on athletes and other people who lead physically

active lives because they provide my staff and me a more
realistic measure of activity-related motion levels.

Pedometers are typically worn at the waist, while

accelerometers can be worn on the foot or ankle.
Pedometers should not be worn at ankle level because
in this position, they receive too much shock during each
stride, causing the pedometer to register an excessive
number of steps.

In my comprehensive weight management program we use

the ActiGraph® accelerometer to make sure our clients
obtain the necessary daily steps, especially on days away
from my program.

This illustration is an actual client “dashboard” showing a

sample of steps taken

A leg up: using a pedometer

As said before, this simple, low-maintenance device provides a
digital record of the number of steps you take between settings.
 FEET FIRST 141

Electronic pedometers provide an accurate, objective and low-cost

method of measuring walking and other ambulatory activities. They
come in many brands and price ranges.
The pedometer should be clipped onto your belt or waistband
after you get dressed in the morning. Keep it clipped on all day, and
check the numbers when you take it off before you go to sleep. The
numbers you should be seeing are the number of steps you have
taken that day. Record those numbers on a chart and remember to
zero the pedometer out for use the next day. Repeat the process
each day.
If you want to be able to reset your pedometer to zero to record only
a workout, then you need to make sure it comes with a reset button.
Some pedometers are designed to show only total daily steps,
and automatically reset themselves at midnight.
If you choose a pedometer with a reset button, make sure it’s
one that won’t get accidentally pushed, causing you to lose your
recorded steps. Look for a design that shields the button with a
cover or has it deeply recessed, and requires several seconds of
pressure to reset. During the day, at various intervals, you may want
to check your pedometer readings just to see how you’re doing.
If, at the end of the day, you’re seeing that you are taking close to or
more than 5,100 steps each day, you’ll know you’re at least walking
as much as the average adult does on a given day. And once you
have established that you’re taking the average number, you need
to start thinking of ways you can up those numbers until you’ve
reached the goal of 10,000 steps.

Case Study #1: Christie

“I was first given a stress test to get my heart rate. When I was
given a pedometer I was told to do 5,000 steps a day and then
eventually work up to 10,000, then 12,000. In the beginning
5,000 steps was quite a bit, but it was never too hard. I got up to
7,000, then 10,000, and it felt so good to know that every day I
would get in the number of steps I needed. Getting more than
that number was really the big motivator for me.”
142 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Walk right up
The study I cited above calls for steadily adding 2,000 steps a day. How is
this done? For starters, you can change some of your normal habits. Here
are just a few of the things you can do to increase your step count:
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Park farther away from your destination and walk the rest of the
way.
• Walk down more aisles in a store or mall than you normally
would.
• Walk more than you normally do around the house or yard.
• Embark on a daily or four to five times a week walking routine.

A few pointers on implementing these suggestions:

— When you trade the elevator for the stairs, you not only increase
your step count but exercise your legs and your circulatory levels,
getting you into better physical shape. Stair climbing is one of the
best exercises you can do without specialized equipment.
— If weather permits, you can walk during your lunch hour – by the
block or perhaps at a nearby park.
— When you park as far as you reasonably can from a store or any
other destination, you will certainly add steps to your daily count;
those extra strides are counted as well as the distance you will be
walking inside the store or on the way to other errands. If you go up
and down each aisle or walk more aisles than you usually do, that
too will add steps to your daily count.
— Instead of parking yourself in your La-Z-Boy® or on the couch and
staying put for the whole evening, get up frequently and move
around, even if it’s only to the kitchen for a snack. When you’re
out in your yard, walk around it more than you usually do. Every
stride you take adds steps to the numbers that will show up on your
pedometer at the end of the day.
However, even with the added walking you’ve decided to do by
taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking farther from your
destination, you may still be falling short of the 10,000 steps you
should be taking each day. What can you do about it? The answer
 FEET FIRST 143

is to get into a habit of walking daily or at least four or five times a

week.
If you set a mile as your goal, that will add more than 2,000 steps to
your count. Two miles will add 4,000. Three miles could well put you
over that 10,000-step goal. Decide what works best for you or vary
the numbers systematically: You can walk a mile one day, two the
next day. On your days off you can walk three or more miles. Just
pace yourself and don’t over-exert yourself, especially outdoors on
a hot, humid day. If the weather is too hot or rainy, you can do your
walking indoors at the nearest shopping mall.
In the studies I’ve read about step counts and measuring devices,
several patterns were common to all. First, study participants
who were already in good physical shape appeared to be more
enthusiastic about upping their step count once they were made
aware of the benefits. Many of those in top shape took great
pride in setting and reaching the 10,000-steps-a-day goal and, in
some cases, even exceeding it. Unfortunately, many of those who
weren’t as fit seemed to get discouraged; some even removed the
measuring devices before the conclusion of the study period.

All the right things

My feeling is that no one need get discouraged along the path to
greater physical fitness. Even though it is easy to feel frustrated
when you think you’re doing all the right things and not seeing
significant tangible results, you should never give up. Instead, try
harder, but do so incrementally. As I said earlier, set goals that are
reasonable and attainable. Don’t try to do too much all at once,
especially if it is proving too strenuous for you.
One way to help achieve any fitness goal is to make it as enjoyable
as possible, and the way to do that is to make a game of it, a fun
challenge. Make it like keeping score at a ballgame. Many of us have
a fascination with numbers and we enjoy having numbers work in
our favor, as they can for you. So, here’s what you can do: Take a few
days – preferably a week – to record your daily steps, write them
down on a sheet of paper (or set up a log sheet on your computer),
and compare them each day to your other totals. At the end of
the period you’ve selected, compute the average by dividing the
grand total of all the days by the total number of steps. Once you’ve
144 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

calculated what your average daily step count is, you’ll know how
far you have to go to reach the 10,000-step goal. If you’re doing less
than the 5,100 national average, make reaching that number your
first goal and, as you’re doing this, keep a detailed record of walking
activities that might be adding the extra steps.
Once you’ve reached that first goal, set a second one of 6,000 steps;
then add increments of 1,000 until you reach the goal of 10,000-
plus. Keep a running daily record and note each time you reach one
of your goals. Remember, you’re the scorekeeper here. If you’re set
up on your computer, you can color-highlight each day you reach
one of your goals. And on those days you may want to reward
yourself by treating yourself to something special. The objective is
to make this as much fun as possible and give yourself something to
look forward to. When you reach 10,000 for the first time, then
focus on what you have to do to stay at or close to that level all the
time.
Very few things in life make you feel better than reaching a goal
you’ve set yourself and, if it’s a health-related goal, that should
make you feel 10 times better. Take those extra steps — and keep
taking them.
 PA R T F I V E

JUMPING THE ROADBLOCKS

The Emotional Side of Wellness
Taking ownership of your health while losing weight and achieving
other wellness goals is as much an emotional undertaking as a
physical one. In fact, the emotional aspects of this quest are always
the first steps that need to be taken. The road to attaining peak
wellness levels has to start in the mind before the body can be
brought into the equation, and the emotional investment made in
the beginning has to be sustained throughout the physical process.
However, while the physical journey is ongoing, some of those
taking it may get discouraged and doubt their ability to sustain the
commitment they made in the beginning. This is very common and
to some extent normal. I see this all the time in my own program.
For this reason I contract with a licensed clinical social worker
to help me get my clients over these hurdles and overcome the
emotional roadblocks that could hamper their success. Kelley
Hunter Ellis holds a bachelor’s degree in biological chemistry and
a master of social work degree, both from Tulane University. She is
in private practice, has worked for many years at the New Orleans
Center for Eating Disorders, and is working toward certification in
mind-body medicine with the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in
Washington, DC.
Kelley’s work with me on the mental and emotional aspects of losing
weight and getting fit are very valuable to the overall success of
my program. Often there are mental blocks that keep people from
doing what is needed to take care of their bodies/health. These take
on many forms and can stem from any number of factors, including:
• Distorted body image
• Lack of belief in one’s worth

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146 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

• Emotional-eating patterns
• Childhood messages about food or worth
• Relationship issues
In individual sessions, Kelley explores these topics to see what might
be keeping clients from making necessary lifestyle changes. She also
runs mind-body skills groups for those interested in learning about
wellness in a supportive group environment. These groups teach
people to take responsibility for their health and well-being by
working on mind-body skills like meditation, “mindful” eating,
movement, exercise, visualization, imagery and more.
Let’s start by examining how each approach works.

Going one-on-one
In most cases, people struggling with weight-loss related issues
see them emerge after they’ve already begun the program. They
may be noticed by the nutritionist or by their trainer or both. At
that point, after a discussion between my staff and me, a course of
action is recommended.
Clients are referred to Kelley when they are either struggling with
their weight-loss goals or just seem to be having a lot of issues
during work with the nutrition and/or exercise components. They
may be adhering to the recommended plan and yet their weight loss
has stalled. They may not feel like they are moving forward or
they’re having trouble staying motivated. They may get discouraged
and might even harbor thoughts of quitting the program.
Each case is as different as each individual, but there are certain
patterns that emerge when dealing with weight loss and wellness
goals. For some participants, the issues stem from difficult childhood
experiences. As we all know kids can be unwittingly cruel. If a
classmate is grossly obese or overweight, he or she may be teased,
ostracized and left out of games or other activities, including social
and sporting events. This of course can result in feelings of inferiority,
low self-esteem, even self-hatred. Many of these kids find solace in
continued indulgence in unhealthy eating habits, which only makes
the problem worse. Often this is a coping mechanism that seems to
work at the time but later becomes maladaptive.
 THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF WELLNESS 147

Sometimes, too, there is a history of other types of physical or

emotional abuse that people may have experienced in childhood,
particularly at home. If there were already feelings of inferiority
because of a weight problem, these feelings can be exacerbated by
these types of abuse. Especially if the abuse follows a pattern.
Many childhood feelings can and often do carry over into adulthood.
Most people, even children, know when they’re overweight or
obese and very few of them consciously desire to stay that way.
In most cases they want to lose weight and may have even been
warned by their doctor that they need to do this, but actually doing
it is a problem. They may have tried it once or even several times
and, for whatever reason, were unsuccessful at it. Because of this,
they may be facing what they perceive as pre-ordained failure. Their
lack of self-esteem and a track record of failed past efforts may be
discouraging them from ever feeling they can be successful, thus
setting up a pattern of self-sabotage.
These are some of the discoveries that often come out in the
individual counseling sessions. Some of these problems are tied to
body image. How does the person feel about himself or herself?
How do people perceive themselves through the eyes of others? Do
they feel they deserve to feel good, look good, and be healthy?
Some people are so down on themselves that they may not feel they
deserve to be slim and healthy. This is one of the major obstacles
we have to help them overcome.
Once the interview process determines why they seem to be stuck,
recommendations can be made. Sometimes these recommendations
call for more self-care such as meditation, journaling, some type of
physical movement or a referral to a mind-body group (described
below). Sometimes Kelley will collaborate with the client’s trainer
to make a recommendation for a certain type of physical activity
she thinks will benefit the person on an emotional level. Judging
from the positive results we’re seeing, this approach seems to be
working very well.
What we’ve seen so far is that people are getting “un-stuck” in their
process. They are figuring out the blocks to reaching their goals
and resuming their progress. We’ve also been able to help people
through the transition period — which Kelley calls the “romance
148 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

time,” when they and everyone around them is excited about their
progress — to the everyday maintenance, the hard part that comes
after the program is over. That’s when participants have to continue
a regimen and aren’t under regular supervision. It requires great
discipline and self-determination. But by helping these people gain
their psychological focus and a sense of structure, we can go a long
way toward helping them set and reach their physical and life goals.

The group approach

Those who take part in group sessions are finding that they benefit
from sharing with others in a supportive, safe environment, where
there is an atmosphere of mutual learning and understanding.
Some of those involved in the group sessions signed up for them
on their own, while others may have been recommended by Julie,
my nutritionist, or by one of their trainers. Groups, we are finding,
are more specifically related to self-care, especially meditation
and mindful eating. The emphasis within the group is to create a
supportive network in which everyone can benefit. Everyone gets a
chance to talk and no one dominates the discussions.
So many people struggle with their fitness and health goals because
of living with a tremendous amount of stress in their daily lives. We
know that when the body is repeatedly stressed, the sympathetic
nervous system, responsible for the “fight or flight” response, is
activated. The continued activation of the sympathetic nervous
system causes an abundance of stress in the system. This can lead
to many health and lifestyle issues including depression, difficulty
with sleep, proper eating, and weight loss.
Kelley’s mind-body group teaches participants to engage the
parasympathetic nervous system or the “relax and digest”
mechanism. Through practicing breathing, meditation, movement,
mindful eating and other skills, people can learn to modify the
effects of stress on their bodies and find that they can experience
greater relaxation and a better overall sense of well-being. This has
amazing impact on the body’s ability to lose weight and maintain
health.
Feedback from people we’ve had join our group sessions reports
that the groups are extremely helpful, with members practicing the
 THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF WELLNESS 149

skills at home and enjoying more relaxation. A recent participant

expressed gratitude about having a place and a group of people
with whom he feels so safe and non-judged that he can share
his most difficult struggles. There is wonderful healing power in
this experience. And studies show that those who have an active
support system lose more weight and keep it off longer.

ALL ABOUT YOU

Here are some basic tips that can help guide you through
the process of trying to overcome the emotional obstacles
you may be facing:
• Your body is an investment worth making.
Collaborate in your health and wellness.
• Set realistic and obtainable fitness goals.
• Set life goals . What do you want to do when you are
at a healthy weight? Keep this in mind for motivation.
• Put a picture of yourself on your mirror and put
pictures of yourself at different sizes along the way.
• Understand that a healthy lifestyle means exactly
that — changing to healthy habits.
• Practice self-care by doing some form of meditation,
movement and mindful eating.
• Find ways to make your life enjoyable by engaging
all of your senses .
• Set a daily intention to maintain your health and
remind yourself of your intention throughout the day
.
Follow these tips, keep your eyes on the prize – which is
better health and greater longevity and self-esteem – and
you can’t go wrong.
 PA R T S I X
Success Stories

PASSION + MOTIVATION =
SUCCESS
Success is best measured by success stories. Let me share with
you the final chapters in the stories of John, Christie and Clay, who
finished the Executive Wellness Program at East Jefferson Hospital
using the program I share with you in this book.

John Goodman
I am proud to report that John lost in excess of 100 pounds by the
fall of 2010. He was able to have his surgery, a full five months ahead
of schedule. Losing so much weight and having his surgery done has
produced tremendous pride in his present appearance, and he vows
to maintain his regimen and keep his weight down. He also has seen
related benefits: Being leaner has helped him with a sleep apnea
problem he had when he was more seriously overweight, and it has
improved his mental outlook as well.
Going into my program, John had the best motivation in the
world: He knew his life literally depended on it. When faced with the
strong possibility of an early death, he knew it was time to do
something, and he did. This sense of ironclad motivation worked
for John Goodman and other celebrities I’ve worked with; it can
work for you, too.

Case Study #1: Christie

When Christie Dannewitz completed the 12-week program in mid
February 2011, her weight had dropped from 207 to 180, a loss of
27 pounds. Her waist measurement shrank by 2 1/2 inches, from
38.5 to 36, and her abdomen measurement went down to 36¾
inches, a drop of 6¼ inches. Her body fat percentage decreased 5.3
percent, from 48.7 to 43.5, and her waist-to-height ratio went from
58 percent to 54 percent, a drop of four percentage points.
150
 SUCCESS STORIES 151

Most significantly, her total fat went down from 97 pounds to 75, a
drop of 22 pounds.
Christie sums up her results: ”I was motivated to achieve better
health because I was under a lot of stress . . . being home as a mom
for 10 years, I really didn’t do what I should have done. The program
really has helped my outlook. The positive approach has been like
therapy for me.”

Date Height Weight Waist Abdomen %BF Fat Muscle Other W:H
# Inches Inches # # #

10-7-10 66 in 207 38.5 43 48.8 97 102 8 58%

2-18-11 66 in 180 36 36.75 43.5 75 98 7 54%

Change - 27 - 2.5 - 6.25 - 5.3 - 22 -4 -1 - 4%

Case Study #2: Clay

By the time Clay Leon finished on Nov. 19, 2010, he was down from
246 to 238 pounds — a loss of eight pounds. His 42-inch waist was
trimmed down by half an inch. His 43¼ inch abdomen was down to
41½. His body-fat percentage dropped from 32 percent to 27.7, and
his waist-to-height ratio of 58 percent was reduced to 57 percent.
Most important, Clay dropped 12 pounds of fat (from 76 pounds to
64) and gained six pounds of lean muscle (from 161 to 167).
Clay sums up his results: “I’ve been noticing that my waist size is
going down. My weight hasn’t changed much but I’m gaining muscle
and losing fat. Last time I weighed myself I was 237 (one pound less
than when he finished the program) but I’m fitting into a 38 (waist
size) pants and I was in a 42. I’m getting close to a 36.”

Date Height Weight Waist Abdomen %BF Fat Muscle Other W:H
# Inches Inches # # #

8-23-10 72 in 246 42 43.25 32 76 161 9 58%

11-19-10 72 in 238 41.5 41.5 27.7 64 167 7 57%

Change -8 - .5 - 1.75 - 4.3 - 12 +6 -2 - 1%

152 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding, and in my program the

pudding is the results we get from the people who participate. In
the three years I have been doing the current program, close to
1,000 people have left with numbers better than they had when
they came in.
“Success is the ultimate motivator,” says Nunez. “I now feel
empowered to take charge of my own health and fitness and to
produce results.”
Lepine says “Before I took ownership of my health, I was at this place
where I had decided that this is the way I am. I wasn’t happy about
it, but I was ready to give up. Once I began to work on the physical
and mental aspects of my health, my emotional health improved as
well. I now have a totally different outlook on life.”
 APPENDIX I
SAMPLE MEAL PLANS
Sample 1,400-Calorie Meal Plan
Breakfast:
1 starch option: Example of one starch option:
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 serving of fruit
whole wheat English muffin
whole wheat tortilla (80-100 cal.)

1 protein option: Example of one protein option:

1 tbsp. of peanut butter
1 slice of cheese
1 cooked egg (boiled or scrambled)
2 egg whites
1/2 cup of Egg Beaters®
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
Fage 2% Greek yogurt (plain)

Mid-morning snack: 3 hours later

1 starch option: Example of one starch option:
1 serving of fruit
1 cup of light yogurt (<100cal)
1 slice of whole wheat bread

1 protein option: Example of one protein option:

1 tbsp. of peanut butter
1 slice of cheese
Small handful of nuts
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
Low-fat plain Greek yogurt

153
154 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

Lunch: 3 hours later

1 starch option: Example of one starch option:
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 serving fruit
1/2 cup of beans, corn or peas
A small wheat tortilla
1/2 wheat pita
1/2 cup whole wheat pasta
1/3 cup brown rice

4-6 oz of LEAN protein: Example of one protein option:

Lean deli meat (1 oz = 1 slice)
Tuna fish canned in water
Skinless chicken/turkey

Non-starchy vegetables:
(Unlimited)

1 fat option: Example of one fat option:

1 tbsp. of regular salad dressing
1 tbsp. of light mayo
1 tbsp olive oil
1oz. low-fat cheese
1/4 avocado

Mid-Afternoon Snack: 3 hours later

1 starch option: Example of one starch option:
1 serving of fruit
1 cup of light yogurt (<100cal)
1 slice of whole wheat bread

1 protein option: Example of one protein option:

1 tbsp. of peanut butter
1 slice of cheese
Small handful of nuts
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
 SAMPLE MEAL PLANS 155

Dinner: 3 hours later

1 starch option: Example of one starch option:
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 serving of fruit
1/2 cup of beans, corn, or peas
A small wheat tortilla
1/2 wheat pita
1/2 cup whole wheat pasta
1/3 cup of brown rice

4 oz . of LEAN protein: Example of one protein option:

Deli meat (1 oz. = 1 slice)
Tuna fish canned in water
Skinless chicken/turkey
Salmon
Pork tenderloin
Extra lean ground beef

Non-starchy vegetables
(Unlimited)

1 fat option: Example of one fat option:

1 tbsp. of regular salad dressing
1 tsp. of regular mayo
1 tbsp. of light mayo
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 oz. low-fat cheese
1/4 avocado

Sample 2,000 Calorie Meal Plan

Breakfast:
2 starch options: Example of one starch option:
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1/2 cup dry cereal
1 slice whole grain bread
1 serving of fruit
1/2 small whole wheat bagel
Small whole wheat tortilla
156 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

2 protein options: Example of one protein option:

1 tbsp. of peanut butter
1 slice of cheese
1 cooked egg(boiled or scrambled)
1/2 cup of Egg Beaters
3 slices of deli meat
4 oz. low-fat Greek yogurt

Mid-Morning Snack: 3 hours later

1 starch option: Example of one starch option:
1 serving of fruit
1 cup of light yogurt (<100cal)
1 slice of whole wheat bread

1 protein option: Example of one protein option:

1 tbsp. of peanut butter
1 slice of cheese
Small handful of nuts
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
6 oz. of plain, low-fat Greek yogurt

Lunch: 3 hours later

2 starch options Example of one starch option:
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 serving of fruit
1/2 cup of soup
1/2 cup of beans, corn or peas
1/3 cup of brown rice
1/2 cup whole wheat pasta

6-8 oz of LEAN protein: Example of one protein option:

Deli meat (1 oz. = 1 slice)
Tuna fish canned in water
Skinless chicken/turkey
93% lean ground beef
Filet
Sirloin
Fish
Center-cut pork chop
 SAMPLE MEAL PLANS 157

Non-starchy vegetables
(Unlimited)

1 fat option: Example of one fat option:

1 tbsp. of regular salad dressing
1 tsp. of regular mayo
1 tbsp. of light mayo
1 slice of cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 avocado

Mid-Afternoon Snack: 3 hours later

1 starch option: Example of one starch option:
1 serving of fruit
1 cup of light yogurt (<100cal)
1 slice of whole wheat bread

1 protein option: Example of one protein:

1 tbsp. of peanut butter
1 slice of cheese
Small handful of nuts
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
6 oz. low-fat plain Greek yogurt

Dinner: 3 hours later

1-2 starch options: Example of one starch option:
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 serving of fruit
1/2 cup of soup
1/2 cup of beans, corn, or peas
1/3 cup of brown rice
1/2 cup whole wheat pasta

6 oz . of LEAN protein: Example of one protein choice:

Deli meat (1 oz. = 1 slice)
Tuna fish canned in water
Skinless chicken
Salmon
Filet or
Sirloin
158 STOP RENTING YOUR HEALTH, OWN IT

93% lean ground beef

Center-cut pork chop

Non-starchy vegetables
(Unlimited)

1 fat option: Example of one fat option:

1 tbsp. of regular salad dressing
1 tsp. of regular mayo
1 tbsp. of light mayo
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 avocado
 APPENDIX II
X-STRESS PROGRAM
SAMPLE EXERCISE WORKOUT LOG

Exercise Reps Weight

Chest Press
Lat Pulldown
Shoulder Press
Seat Row
Leg Extension
Leg Curl (Machine or Ball)
Back Extension
Bicep Curl
Tricep Press
Seated Crunch or Seated Rotation

MEAL PLAN
DAY FOOD AMOUNT
Breakfast / Time:

Lunch / Time:

Dinner / Time:

Snack / Time:

Notes:

159
 About the Author
Mackie Shilstone is one of America’s most
influential sports performance managers, whose
expertise has played a pivotal role in the success
and longevity of more than 3,000 professional
athletes. His clients have included tennis star
Serena Williams; Major League Baseball Hall of
Famer Ozzie Smith; former world champion boxers
Michael Spinks, Riddick Bowe, Roy Jones Jr. and
Bernard Hopkins; and all-time leading NFL scorer
Morten Andersen, just to name a few.

With a Master of Arts degree and Master of

Business Administration, Mackie currently directs The Fitness Principle
with Mackie Shilstone at East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie,
Louisiana. He is the author of six previous books, Mackie Shilstone’s Body
Plan for Kids (Basic Health Publications, Inc., 2009), Lean & Hard (John
Wiley & Sons, 2007), The Fat-Burning Bible (John Wiley & Sons, 2005),
Maximum Energy for Life (John Wiley & Sons, 2003), Lose Your Love
Handles (Perigee, 2001), and Feelin’ Good About Fitness (Pelican
Publishing, 1986). Mackie has also written articles for prestigious health
and fitness journals, including the American Medical Athletic Association
Quarterly and The Physiologist.

Additionally, Mackie has previously served as a clinical instructor of public

health and preventative medicine at Louisiana State Health Sciences
Center, adjunct professor at the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane
University, and special advisor to the U.S. Olympic Committee on Sports
Nutrition. He has served on the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports, State of Louisiana.
Mackie’s innovative approaches to sports training have been reported in
more than 2,000 newspaper, magazine and online articles, including the
Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Inc.
and People magazine. KO Magazine voted him among the top fifty most
influential people in the history of boxing. He has also appeared on most
of the major news shows in the U.S., including ESPN, The Today Show, Fox
News Channel, HBO, 48 Hours, Live with Regis & Kelly and Good Morning
America.

A regular on WWL-TV Channel 4 and contributor to local publications,

Mackie lives in New Orleans with his wife Sandra, and their two sons,
Spencer and Scott.