Fun Fitness Challenge, Just In Time For Halloween!

I was asked by a social media follower recently what I would propose when it comes to ending the health care crisis in America. What would my health care initiative be?

Let's take a closer look at what a health care initiative truly is. A health initiative is any plan or program intended to improve our health care system and organization, based on the principle that superior health care and its systems could build healthier communities.

This is the problem with our country — we either live in denial, or no one wants to be honest about the big issues. We all overeat, and we don’t move enough. We don’t even get up to change the television channel or answer the phone anymore. We tend to overcomplicate things, making them practically impossible to "do the do," if you know what I mean.

I for one get overwhelmed, which incapacitates me and stops me from making the changes needed. My solution to the health care crisis in America is very simple yet highly effective. It works 100 percent of the time when used. I’ve learned to keep it very simple, and that’s exactly why this plan is so effective.

Are you ready for my healthcare initiative? Here it is — Prevention is the cure!

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Pilates Princess or King of CrossFit, our bodies are only as healthy and strong as our weakest issue. Everybody—translation, every person living on this planet, needs to be able to do these things to stay healthy and to try to keep ourselves out of nursing homes. Nursing home care is one of the most expensive health care costs we will face as we begin to live longer. Unlike our politicians, none of us can afford to skip over these facts.

For instance, if you’re not flexible, you will most likely end up getting hurt because of your inflexibility. Alternatively, if you’re like Gumby, but lack adequate strength in all of the right places, you may be slumped over and frail which is a dangerous liability. 

As fitness trainers, the first thing we do is assess what our client’s current fitness levels are, regardless of their goal. This is where most people take the wrong turn when it comes to getting fit. We all want to work on what we are already good at, but that’s not what needs the TLC. It’s the weakness that we need to address to prevent injuries and health issues from popping up and taking us off of our game.

Interestingly, we are all born with these gifts, but we lose these fitness levels over time due to not using or misusing them. That’s why kids love this fit test—because most kids can naturally do all of them. As we age, we lose this ability unless we pay close attention to doing the right things, which is address the most important issues.

Here are the Top Five exercises that everybody should be able to do. They tell the true story about your health and give away your real fitness levels, which determine the state of your health. Believe it or not, your body is naturally designed to do each of these moves. Try them, and let's see just how functionally fit you really are (Caution: Be very careful if you haven’t done these in a while. They aren’t as easy as they look. It may take time to get back into proper physical condition before you’re able to do it, but it’s a good test of how productive your current fitness program is).

• Bend over and touch your toes. You should be able to place your palms flat on the floor without bending your knees, or at least touch your fingertips to the floor.
  What does this prevent? Bad achy backs and knees and prevents strains and sprains. This move tells you how flexible your hamstrings, hips and low back are, as well as the health of your spine.
  
  
• Sit down on the floor without using hands and get back up without using your hands or crossing your legs. I even struggle with this if I'm not warmed up, but I never stop trying. The lack of being able to get off the toilet is the #1 reason most people end up in nursing homes, and I’m not going there! Are you? This tells us not only how strong you are but also how flexible. It takes both strength and flexibility to be able to do this.
  What does this prevent? Bad back and knees, keeping you fit enough to care for yourself without home health care. Less falls that fracture bones and fewer wheelchairs, canes or walkers.
  
  
• Push yourself up off the floor; aka The Perfect Push Up, while keeping your body straight and stiff.
  What does this prevent? A strong core is the best prevention for bad backs and necks.
  
  
• Sit-up from lying position (this is old school, but you need to do this to get up every day). If your muscles aren’t strong enough you’ll wind up using the wrong muscles, and that’s how you'll hurt yourself. Yes, you really can get hurt sitting up in bed. People hurt their necks all the time doing this. Sad, but true.
  What does this prevent? The sit-up tells you how strong your core is. Having a strong core prevents belly bulge, bad backs, necks, and prevents falls. Not to mention, a strong core looks great.
  
  
• Lying straight leg flexibility test. When you raise your leg it should be straight and at a perfect 90-degree angle (without helping it to get it there—that’s cheating).
  What does this prevent? If you can’t get your leg straight at 90 degrees, it tells how inflexible you really are. This is simple science, and the solution is easy. It doesn’t require you to take up yoga for hours every day. (Try the LynFit Lazy Man's Yoga as shown in The Metabolism Solution)
  
  *Note: If you can’t do this, and you’re wondering why you ache all the time and your back or hip problems are not being resolved with physical therapy, chiropractic or cortisone shots.....you just heard your solution. You need to do this simple stretch daily, as often as it takes until you can. If you don’t, your doomed for back, knee and hip troubles, if you don’t have them already.

Be sure to drink plenty of water, as being dehydrated also plays a role in your flexibility (you can't knead dry dough). Remember to warm up a bit beforehand (a warm shower can do this or walk around for a bit until you feel warmed up).

If your aches and pains are past a 2½ on a pain scale of 1–5, you may want to consider taking the following supplements to help ease inflammation. Inflammation is most likely causing your issues to escalate.

Pain depletes your body of what it needs, making pain worse and making supplementing even more important than any other time. Whether you're sore from life or you’ve been injured, the smart use of safe supplements is not only good for quick pain relief; it’s also the best way to prevent pain from happening in the first place.

Make sure you have these natural remedies on hand so you can take them as a preventative daily:

• LynFit Pure Omega 3: Take (1) capsule in the a.m. upon waking and another at night before you got to bed.
  
  
• LynFit Lean Sleep: Take (1) tablet at 9 p.m. along with your LynFit Pure Omega 3. Sleep is where your body recovers. Sometimes you will ache because you aren’t healing, making it even more important to sleep soundly.
  
  LynFit Lean Sleep is made from high-quality ingredients, so you’re getting the best melatonin money can buy. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that helps heal and repair damaged joints.
  
  
• LynFit Daily Power Shot: Take (1) shot daily mid-morning, or as soon as you wake up. LynFit Daily Power Shot nourishes and protects your body and feeds the joints while providing the energy needed to live your life.
  
  
• And when all else fails, pull out the big guns—LynFit Recovery Agent. LynFit Recovery Agent is just that—an agent that speeds recovery. It contains elevated amounts of the most critical nutrients your body needs, in the purest form and highest quality. From Glucosamine and Glutamine to Turmeric, to name a few. LynFit Recovery Agent helps speed healing and repair while easing pain the same day you start taking it. Your pain can’t stop you anymore!

If you didn’t ace this test, your body is screaming for help. Start practicing by doing these fit test moves. Acing this is the best prevention when it comes to staying healthy and living longer, which always translates into happier lives.

Take this test regardless of how fit you are, and remember; it’s always our weakest link that takes us out of the game of life. For more info see the Wall Street Journal Best-Seller, The Metabolism Solution.

Remember, you didn't lose your fitness overnight. Getting it back will take time. Be patient with yourself.

Stay tuned next week for the exercise program that will help get you back on track so you'll be able to do these moves with ease.

Make sure to visit @LisaLynnFitness on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, where I share videos, tips, and active lifestyle secrets.