Post by Dan Roberts, Director of Admissions
Here we go again. Yet another study has been released to point out that, yes, we the people of these United States, are indeed, obese. The study also paints a very realistic picture of what needs to happen in order for us to reverse this course: better choices in diet, and at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
My favorite part is how this report, released by the Institute of Medicine, an influential independent body, calls out who needs to step up and take control to correct this problem:
“Obesity is so entrenched in the U.S. that it would take an intense push by schools, employers, doctors and others to reverse an epidemic that accounts for billions of dollars in annual health-care costs, concluded a report released Tuesday”
Schools, employers, doctors, and others are the key to solving the obesity problem, the report says, with schools being the “focal point” of this change. Yet, I couldn’t help but think of the 2004 documentary Super Size Me. In it, writer/director Morgan Spurlock takes a look at school lunch programs as the focal point of obesity as well, and then highlights a charter school in Appleton, Wisconsin:
The troubling thing is that the problem and solution highlighted in this report was pointed out 8 years ago in Spurlock’s film. Apparently I am not the only one troubled by this fact, according to this article in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday:
“The problem is not coming up with good ideas about what to do about obesity, it’s about actually doing them,” said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which has advocated for stronger nutritional standards in marketing and school lunch programs.
Mr. Glickman said leadership, particularly at the local level, could help move the needle. “One of the underlying messages is that there’s got to be at the state and especially at the local level people being encouraged to implement these recommendations, and with that I think we can get some action,” he said. “When leadership understands what is required, we have as a nation found the resources to make that occur.”
I believe that it starts with personal accountability. If you want to make a difference in your life, and in the lives of your loved ones, take a look below at 7 easy steps to live a healthy lifestyle right now. This could be the first step to battling this nationwide epidemic.
Here are 7 simple steps from Jacque Ratliff, the program director for Mueller College’s Personal Fitness Trainer certificate program:
- You must have a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate activity per day, such as walking at a brisk pace, playing with your kids, or housework like vacuuming.
- Limit the use of stimulant and or additives in your diet, such as alcohol, caffeine, and added sugars.
- Get an adequate amount of rest. Everyone is different when it comes to getting the proper amount of sleep, but on average adult should get a minimum of 6 hours, and children a minimum of 8 hours.
- Practice stress reduction techniques, such as meditation, yoga, or prayer on a daily basis.
- Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet, which includes plenty of healthy benefits such as fiber and anti-oxidants.
- Drink plenty of water – the average female should target 2.5 liters, while the average male should target 3 liters per day.
- Surround yourself with like-minded people that support this new, healthy lifestyle – you need to have buy-in from the key people in your life!
If you are interested in finding out more about personal fitness and how you can have a positive effect on this age of obesity, take a look at the Mueller College personal fitness training (PFT) certificate program! You can help yourself and those around you live a happier and healthier life!
Post by Jacque Ratliff, Personal Fitness Training Program Director
There are many factors that affect a person’s weight and fitness level. Examples include: heredity, hormonal imbalances, eating habits and patterns. Stress is also an important factor that may increase an individual’s desire for food. The methods commonly used in attempting to break unhealthy lifestyles are fad diets, diet pills, and “miracle” weight loss innovations. All of these techniques have been proven, however, to not have a positive and lasting impression on the health of individuals. The best way to improve and maintain good physical and mental condition while preventing health complications is to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Diet and exercise also help with the prevention and management of stress.
In order to aid Americans in the ‘Battle of the Bulge’ and maintain appropriate levels of stress and fitness, the government produced the Food Guide Pyramid, which has recently been updated to ‘My Plate’. Aspects such as choosing different types of meals, avoiding fat and sugar-rich foods, and indulging in fruits, vegetables, and whole grain breads are all accentuated within this useful tool. The Food Guide Pyramid suggested a number of servings for each food group represented, where as ‘My Plate’ gives amount guidelines based on what percentage of a dinner plate those foods take up. This enables the general public to use a basic eye-balling technique verses actually measuring food, and learning what and actual ‘serving’ is. Food groups and their recommended servings per day include: Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta – 6 to 11,Vegetables – 3 to 5, Fruits – 2 to 4, Dairy – 2 or 3, Meat and Beans – 2 to 3. With this type of diet, and the avoidance of caffeine, nicotine, and other substances that invoke stress responses (called pseudostressors), individuals lessen their chance of health related problems.
Bread, cereal, rice, and pasta are all forms of a very important nutrient called carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are utilized by the brain in order for a person to operate. Humans use the three kinds of carbohydrates (sugar, starch, and fiber) in order to perform everyday activities such as walking, writing, and even sleeping. The next, and most important of the food groups, is the fruits and vegetables. This group contains provisions such as apples, oranges, peaches, corn, broccoli, celery, carrots, etc. All of these foods are great sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber (or cellulose). The meat and dairy groups are next; the meat group as the main source of protein in the American diet. Examples of this group include beef, fish, nuts, and eggs. Protein is an essential nutrient because of its ability to sustain human development and to restore and repair muscles. The dairy group also provides humans with protein, and adds another mineral called calcium. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are important sources of calcium which promotes healthy teeth and strong bones.
All of these food groups, if used in an efficient manner, will help to harness any negative stress responses that individuals may feel. For example, when in a stressful situation the body produces less vitamins C and B complex. Eating healthy foods in the right amount can increase the body’s production of these important nutrients and therefore decrease a negative stress response.
Fats, though they are to be “used sparingly” (and are not actually shown anywhere on ‘My Plate’), are included as the apex of the old Food Guide Pyramid. Candy, oils, and whole milk are examples of this nutrient and can be very harmful to the body in large amounts. Nevertheless, fat is needed in the American diet. Stress is also related to the amount of sugar the body ingests. If too much is taken in, the body, under a stress situation, is not producing enough vitamin B complex to break the sugar down. This inability causes a greater stress response in the individual.
A substance that is not included in ‘My Plate’ is water, which is ironic considering “approximately two thirds of the body’s weight is water”. This fluid is important for many of the daily functions of every individual such as salivation, perspiration, and digestion. Because water is so essential to human survival it is recommended that humans consume at least 64 ounces of water in every twenty-four hour period.
Weight obstacles, which may be more easily controlled than heredity, can also relate to emotional problems or habits a person forms over a long period of time. Depending on the individual, feelings of tension can cause both over and under eating. If this type of stress continues, adverse routines may take the place of healthy eating patterns. In an observation of thirteen teachers, stress was a major factor in the way teachers viewed and consumed food. These unfavorable habits put humans in jeopardy by exposing them to health complications such as cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis. If Americans realize the importance of beneficial nutrition and change their lifestyles accordingly, they will retain their youth while increasing their quality of life.
In today’s fast-paced society, it has become a tradition to stop at McDonald’s for breakfast or grab a candy bar on the way out the door. It is habits like these that have Americans tipping the scales. When an individual finds the need to lose a few extra pounds he or she has a myriad of weight loss alternatives to choose from. These advertised nutritional arrangements are ineffective not only because they force unhealthy practices on their consumers, but also because they are not lifestyles. These types of diet last for a short period of time and do not encourage individuals to maintain the eating and activity patterns prescribed within the duration of the diet. The most effective method to lose or maintain weight is to modify one’s lifestyle to that of healthier nutrition and activity habits.
One can place blame on heredity and even the media for any number of weight problems, but the real culprit is the individual himself. It is ultimately his or her choice to have that second piece of pie or third helping of mashed potatoes. These overeating and unhealthy habits are what clearly create weight management difficulties. Stress is also a contributing member of the “Help Americans Become Fat Club.” In every nutritional study it has been found that to sustain existence and advance the development process a variety of foods is required. Along with nutrition, fitness and stress management are the keys to a prosperous life. With a correct diet and “thirty to forty minutes of moderately intense exercise five days a week” most individuals will be able to control his or her weight along with everyday emotional and physical responses. Hence, the basic outline for a healthy life is as follows: eat right, exercise, live long, and prosper.
Jacque Ratliff, M.S., is the director of Mueller College's Personal Fitness Training program. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Level 1 USA Triathalon Coach. She has been in the fitness industry for 11 years and has been teaching at Mueller College for just over a year.
For more information on the personal fitness training program, take a look at our frequently asked questions, or email Jacque at jacque.ratliff@mueller.edu
“Don’t focus on having a great blog. Focus on producing a blog that’s great for your readers.” -Brian Clark
The blog you're currently reading began in July of 2011. It is called Mueller Musings and is written by the faculty and staff of Mueller College. We aim to bring you interesting, fun and informative articles surrounding the topics of massage therapy, personal fitness training, holistic health and all things wellness.
But now its our turn to ask YOU... is there a particular topic that you're interested in reading about? Something we haven't covered and you're dying to know? If so, submit your blog topic or article here. We value your ideas and will take each one into consideration.
Not only do we want to hear your ideas, but if you are a graduate of Mueller College, we want to hear your story and journey as well. That's why we have just introduced a featuredgraduate blogger series. It's a great way to share your message to future massage therapists, holistic health practitioners, personal fitness trainers, and alcohol and drug counselors alike. We would truly appreciate your help in sharing our great school history as well! For more information on becoming a featured graduate Mueller blogger- take a look here.
Lastly, we didn't want to forget the incredible companies who employ the students that come out of vocational schools such as Mueller. So we decided to have a featured employer blog series too. We want you to gain qualified job applicants and strengthen company awareness throughout the San Diego community! Fill out the form here and we will showcase your fabulous company with the hopes of getting you some qualified applicants for your facility.
It's finals week, and all our teachers are wrapping up their courses for this session. Yesterday, in fact, was the last day of the session for our popular deep tissue massage class, taught by the one and only Crystal Richardson, HHP. Loved by all her students past and present, Crystal has flourished at Mueller College for years.
Her speciality, as stated above, is deep tissue massage (one of my personal FAVORITES!) It primarily focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. Spas all over the world pinpoint deep tissue as one of their most popular massages and most beneficial for their clients (some even being Olympic athletes!)
Here's Crystal to tell you more about herself and her profession...
Learn more about our HHP program below and how you can take one of Crystal's classes. You won't regret it. 
Post by Karen Brohard, Admissions Representative
If you are anything like me, you may be asking yourself where the beginning of 2012 went and how we’re towards the end of April. It seemed like just yesterday we made our New Year’s resolutions to go to the gym regularly and maintain a healthier diet this year. Now that May is right in front of us… how well have we stuck to that resolution?
Going to the gym seems easy enough. However, many of us seem to forget the biggest obstacle we face when it comes to improving our fitness: ourselves. The easiest way to prevent a workout from happening is by simply talking ourselves out of it with excuses. This sadly happens way more than we’d like to admit.
The following are a few very popular excuses we use to get out of a workout. If you catch yourself justifying a night on the couch instead of pumping some iron, then it’s time to reevaluate your commitment to living a healthier lifestyle. (And working on that swim suit body. Summer is right around the corner, you know.)
“I don’t have any time.” I get it. We all have families, jobs, and lives. However, this is not justification for putting your fitness on the backburner. Just like any other activity in your life, you need to schedule your workouts. Many find that having a weekly routine helps tremendously. (Working out one hour before work every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or attending the same group fitness classes multiple days a week.) This way you have no excuse to miss- it’s what you always do and your body becomes adjusted.
“It’s too cold/looks like rain.” This seems to be a big one, especially for those of us living in cold areas. First and foremost, if it looks like it’s going to rain then you better start running now before it does. Time is of the essence and you aren’t going to melt if it starts to sprinkle on your last 400 meters. When it comes to cold temperatures, invest in warm exercise gear. Running jackets, vests, and underarmour are made for when temperatures drop. Throw something on and get out there. Still don’t want to go outside? Put an ab-mat, a jump rope, and a pull up bar in your home. There’s a 20 minute strength workout right there.
“Gyms are expensive.” Sadly, money is an issue for many of us. The upside to this argument is that we have many options when it comes to fitness that involve little to no money. First and foremost, go outside and play a sport! There are pick-up games of basically every sport ever available to you. All you have to do is go online and look them up. Sports aren’t your thing? Find a scenic area to take a run or a speedy walk. Whether you run along the coast or in a cute little neighborhood near your home, being in the sun and fresh air is a great way to workout. Want to hit a gym? There are a ton of gyms that don’t cost an arm and a leg. A great way to afford these $19 per month gyms is by simply giving up your Starbucks Mocha 3 or 4 days a week. Many of us spend over $1,000 on coffee every year. Make a sacrifice, brew you coffee at home and hit the treadmill.
“I’m tired and still sore from 2 days ago.” If you are tired, then sleep more. Trust me, sleep is a weapon. It gives you power, energy, improves your mood, and allows your body the time it needs to recuperate. If you’re still sore from two days ago then something is missing from your post workout routine. Are you eating the proper foods, obtaining good nutrients, and stretching? These items all help the body recover so you can get going again as soon as possible. You control your workout, not your aching muscles.
“I never see results.” If you are going to the gym regularly and still seeing no results whatsoever, then there may be something wrong with either your workout or your diet. It doesn’t matter how hard you hit the gym if your post work out meal is a Big Mac with a chocolate shake. Care about what you put into your body. Food gives you energy, so bad food equals bad energy. Another common workout error is doing the same exercises over and over again without putting in maximum effort. If your body is accustomed to doing the same thing over and over again, it begins to adjust making the work out much less effective. If you don’t know what the best exercises are to help you achieve your fitness goals, find a Personal Fitness Trainer. (No, they aren’t just for rich people.) See one every once in a while to mix things up and learn different workout routines. To compliment this, not giving your workouts 100% makes them pretty pointless. If you aren’t sweating, you aren’t burning.
Well there you have it, and the best part about reading this blog is you now officially have someone telling you that YOU are responsible for getting out there and working up a sweat. Decide right now what days a week you want to work out, where, and what time. I mean it. Do it NOW. All you have to do from this moment on is just do it. Don’t make excuses; just do it. (Insert Nike plug here.)
Post by guest blogger Daniela Baker, social media advocate from New York
Creating a business as a personal trainer can be a fulfilling way to build your own career by helping individuals reach their fitness and health goals. While you've got to have the fitness knowledge and personal drive to become a trainer, you also need to know how to build your business through good marketing techniques. Here are just five of the best techniques you can use to market yourself as a personal trainer:
1. Take on some clients for free
Word of mouth referrals are one of the most valuable marketing tools for personal trainers. If your clients love you, they'll be sure to let others know about you, gaining you more clients and better business. If you're just starting out or need to fill some gaps in your schedule, take on some pro bono clients in your niche area, and watch the referrals pour in.
2. Create a value-added blog
Blogging is all the rage for small, one-man business operations these days, and they're no less important for those who are in personal training. The key for a personal trainer is that your blog not just be a bunch of advertising, but that you give value to clients and potential clients. Giving your blog readers something valuable will keep them coming back to read more, making them more likely to call you for personal training in the future. Here are a few ideas you can use to add value to your personal training blog:
- Give a few fitness or weight loss tips for readers. You don't want to give away all your secrets, but giving some tips lets people know you really do want to help and you know what you're talking about.
- Talk about the latest studies and scientific breakthroughs. As a personal trainer, you most likely read some top-notch magazines and journals, which can publish really interesting health-related information. Talk about what's new out there that people ought to know.
- Give reviews of various products and services. You could talk about a nutritionist you highly recommend to your clients, or give reviews of some good at-home or on-the-go workout programs.
- Tell stories about your successes. Get permission from current or former clients to tell their success stories, which can be motivating to your readers, and which also show that you're great at what you do!
- Run a giveaway for a week or month of free personal training session. Enter readers in a drawing if they comment on your blog post.
The keys to making a marketing blog successful are to post frequently, to converse with readers in the comments section, and to give readers something valuable that keeps them coming back again and again.
3. Leverage your social networks
Social networking is a very valuable tool for the personal trainer. Now, though, you'll use not only your actual physical social network and word of mouth to get clients, but you'll also use online social networks like Facebook and Twitter. At the very least, you should be Facebooking and Tweeting your blog posts, but you should really learn to use these tools to connect with potential clients in other ways, too.
Not sure how to use Facebook or Twitter to create a social networking marketing campaign? Daniela Baker from CreditDonkey says, it's worth hiring someone to help you create a campaign plan. If you don't currently have the cash flow to hire someone, good credit card deals or a small business loan can help you supplement your business income to hire a consultant for a few weeks. Just look for an option that suits your business well, and make sure you're able to make the minimum payments – at least – on whatever you charge to the card.
4. Pitch to a narrow target audience
One of the keys to good marketing in any industry, but especially when it comes to marketing yourself as a personal trainer, is to find a narrow audience to target with your marketing. If you just target "people who want to get in shape," your marketing efforts will be too broad. You'll spread your resources too thin and won't see excellent results from your personal training marketing campaign.
On the other hand, if you choose a narrow target audience, a very targeted marketing campaign can drive great results. To choose your niche, think about your own passions and strengths, as well as any specific experience or certifications you may have. For instance, you might specialize in efficient workouts for busy business people, safe workouts for pregnant women, or weight loss for teens. You can specialize in one or two related areas, but once you've decided to specialize, focus on creating a great marketing campaign just for that audience.
5. Show your credentials
One of the best ways to draw new clients to your business is to clearly let potential clients know what your credentials are. Too many gyms hire inexperienced personal trainers who are simply good at working out on their own, and too many people have been burned by this arrangement. If you really want to make it as a personal trainer, get credentialed and make sure you show off your credentials in any marketing you do.
Not sure where to start with your credentials? Talk to other personal trainers, or check out the National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer Certification course. It's a good course designed to help you understand personal training, training safety, and more. Whether you use this option for certification or not, make sure that you are certified as a personal trainer and let your clients know it!
These five tips can give you a great start on your personal training business journey. Personal training can be a great business, but you've got to make sure you're marketing yourself effectively so that you gain more clients and build your business to meet your own personal goals.
Post by Dan Roberts, Director of Admissions
A new study released by the Center for Disease Control(CDC) reports a disturbing finding: binge drinking is not just for kids anymore. Binge drinking is defined as men drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks within a short period of time or women drinking 4 or more drinks within a short period of time.
According to the CDC’s new research, More than 38 million US adults binge drink, about 4 times a month, and the largest number of drinks per binge is on average 8. This behavior greatly increases the chances of getting hurt or hurting others due to car crashes, violence, and suicide. Drinking too much, including binge drinking, causes 80,000 deaths in the US each year and, in 2006 cost the economy $223.5 billion. Binge drinking is a problem in all states, even in states with fewer binge drinkers, because they are binging more often and in larger amounts.
Kim Myers, program director for the Alcohol & Drug Counselor certificate program here at Mueller College said, “The prevalence of what we drink now is a part of the overall problem. Look at 4-Loco, a beverage that combines malt liquor and energy drinks – which equates to a wide awake drunk! This causes them to drink more, instead of do what the body normally does, which is pass out. And the economy hasn’t helped anything either; it has forced us to work longer hours, more jobs and not let people take a true vacation. So people take their vacation in a bottle.”
“In our program,” Myers continued, “we take a look at what responsible drinking is, and we train our students to help their future clients to choose more responsible ways to deal with their stress and issues in life so that they are not prone to binge drink.”
This month's instructor spotlight showcases one of Mueller's very own graduates, Louie Taylor. Louie brings a constant flow of positivity, an infinite plethora of knowledge, and a smiling face every single day to class. Loved by the students and staff, Louie lives his life to the fullest, and makes everyone strive to do the same.
Louie has taught everything from Career Development to Marketing, Advertising and Promotions, and currently teaches the Chair Massage class which is a student favorite. I hear and see proof of that everyday as they are constantly laughing and, while exhibiting the skills they are learning, have huge smiles on their faces.
Here is Louie to tell you a bit more about himself...
Post by Dan Roberts, Director of Admissions
I love it when I see articles like this one on Tips for Work-Life Balance. The term in and of itself is a misnomer in my opinion: there is work-life balance suggests or implies that you can either:
A.) achieve an acceptable and appropriate split between the two (50-50, 60-40…?); or
B.) that you should strive to do so; or
C.) that it actually exists!
Yet, when I read the article, there are some inevitable truths that can be taken away and utilized here. Whether or not you can achieve work-life balance is debatable; however, you can generally speaking, reduce your stress levels and improve your quality of life.
1. Set boundaries
So, for me, this is usually one of the harder things to do. I am way too accommodating, way too nice, and assume the best in, and want to help people. Yet – the power of NO is sometimes the best thing you can do to set boundaries and reduce stress. (One thing I never say NO to is a Great Massage!)
2. Ask for Help
This tip is actually one that I have recently improved upon. I’ve learned that asking for help is not viewed as weakness, but is actually viewed as strength. If this is something that is hard for you to do, start with something innocuous – ask a neighbor to help on a landscaping project for example. When the project is finished, take five minutes to think about what the project would have been like had you attempted it by yourself. Then – move on to bigger, more personal “asks."
3. Nurture the Body
Perhaps the best advice of all … ensure good health includes a variety of things, including proper diet, getting enough rest and a regular exercise routine. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to ask for help in this area and seeking out a great Personal Fitness Trainer. When you are healthy, your energy levels can sustain the day-to-day struggles at work and at home.
Will any of this actually create balance? No. Truth be told, I think Work-Life Balance is like the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. However, will these tips reduce stress and improve your overall disposition – absolutely. After all, it’s much easier to strive for something that is realistic and achievable.
Post by Karen Brohard, Admissions Representative
The ‘Thank You’ Note
Congratulations! You scored an interview, hopefully you’ve rocked it, and now you’re home thinking about this possible new career opportunity. There is one sure fire way to help get your interviewer to remember you and put you back into the spotlight: a ‘Thank You’ note.
Many of you may be thinking that sounds a little odd. A ‘Thank You’ note? For an interview? It may seem a little different if you are unfamiliar with this practice, but remember that many applicants out there are already writing thank you cards and getting noticed. It doesn’t have to be anything super extravagant, but it’s a great tool to recap your interview, your thoughts on the company, and why you are a great fit for the position.
If you are unable to send a physical card, send an e-mail or give a thank you phone call. Or better yet, do all three. Either way, ensure that the e-mail, card or phone call is addressed to person who interviewed you.
Some ideas to include in your card or e-mail:
-Obviously, a thank you for the interview. Express gratitude.
-Personalize the note. Point out some things that went well and qualities that really made you perfect for the job.
-Restate your expertise. Remind them what qualifications and abilities you have that makes you stand out from other applicants.
-Proof read the note. Then proof read it again. Then have your dog proof read it. Then have your Aunt Maureen proof read it. The best way to be denied for a job is using the wrong “there”, “their”, or "they’re”.
And there you have it! If you’ve followed all of our tips, the interview should have gone well. However, always remember even if you have had an interview, do not stop applying. Apply, apply, apply! The jobs are out there. Unfortunately, there are a ton of people in this tough economy fighting for them. Luckily for you, there are people who have not done their research, dotted their I’s and crossed their Ts.
Good Luck!