October 2025

The human body has evolved into a wonderfully adaptive piece of machinery. It grows stronger or weaker depending on the demands (or lack of demands) that are placed upon it. It sends signals to you when things are going well and when things are going poorly. This makes the body a very logical entity; nothing happens without a good reason. When your body needs nutrients, it communicates this fact by incorporating pangs of hunger. When you have met your body's nutritional requirements, you get the sensation that you are full. Is your body trying to tell you something? Yes, pretty much all the time. It is important to listen to your body so that you can act accordingly.

Let's say that you feel fatigued and have low energy much of the time. There is a reason for this; your body is trying to tell you something! The prudent and mature thing to do would be to examine your lifestyle and personal habits, particularly your sleeping schedule, daily activities, and screen time. Looking at a screen before bed tricks your brain into staying awake by delaying the release of melatonin by your pineal gland, which signals to your brain that it's time to wind down. There is a strong chance that you are among the millions of sleep-deprived Americans who do not get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Lastly, you may not incorporate low level movement into your day; this will help you burn up some energy and make sleep come more easily at night. Just sitting all day is no good!

Many people experience occasional joint pain. This is fairly normal, especially as we age, and is not necessarily indicative of any underlying malady. When joint pain becomes a lingering problem that does not go away with rest, it requires closer examination. What is different in your life? Did you take up pickleball or start running recently? These types of activities are high-force and involve repetitive motion, so the likelihood of joint pain is high. Your body is likely telling you that you're overdoing it. I am in favor of recreational pursuits, but you need to listen to your body and take heed to its message. Overuse injuries tend to improve with some time off, but it's also important to be able to distinguish between a minor repetitive injury and something more serious. Regular Total Results exercise will help you to be in top condition for your recreational pursuits and lessen your risk for injury.

If you find yourself frequently suffering from upper respiratory infections (URI), there could be several reasons. First, examine your diet; there is a strong chance that you are lacking in vitamins and trace elements. Most people are Vitamin D deficient, so expose yourself to more sunlight and take a supplement. Vitamin C levels strongly correlate with healthy immune function, so take a supplement and make sure that you incorporate Vitamin C-rich foods into your diet, like peppers, citrus fruits, and strawberries. Find productive ways to alleviate stress, such as meditation and reading. Lastly, one big problem that is often overlooked is the current trend of overprescription of antibiotics. You do not need to take an antibiotic for a cold, and if you take an antibiotic for a minor ailment it will not work properly when you really need it! Minor viral infections are annoying, but they will usually pass in a few days if you rest, hydrate, and eat properly.

Do you frequently experience leg cramps? I see it frequently in the high school football players that I coach, but this scenario happens to non-athletes as well. Your body is trying to tell you something! It means that you need to hydrate better and consume more salt. Yes, I know we have been brainwashed into believing that salt is bad for you but that is complete nonsense. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, low salt levels in the body can actually disrupt the heart's electrical rhythm. Himalayan pink salt or sea salt is better than your standard table salt, but do your own research when it comes to manufacturers and make sure it contains no plastics. Avoid highly processed foods and snacks that contain a lot of regular salt.

Have you been recently diagnosed with osteopenia, osteoporosis, or sarcopenia? If so, your body is telling you that you need strength training. According to Gary Null, Ph. D, "Osteoporosis happens as a result of the body leaching minerals out of the bones when minerals are lacking in the blood." High-intensity weight training is the most effective way to stimulate bone remodeling (the Total Results exercise protocol was refined during an osteoporosis study that took place between 1982-1986), but in conjunction with weight training you must raise Vitamin D levels high enough to allow calcium absorption to take place. Sarcopenia is the gradual loss of muscle that occurs with aging. Regular Total Results exercise will reverse this, provided you consume an adequate amount of protein in your diet (1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight).

To paraphrase investor and speculator Doug Casey, do what you will but be prepared to accept the consequences of your actions or inactions. Dr. Doug McGuff defines physiological headroom as the difference between the most that you can do and the least that you can do. When those two values are the same, death is the result. Everyone is dealt a different hand of genetic cards at birth, and some can buck the trend for longer than others (somehow, Keith Richards is still alive). For most people, however, the day of reckoning will come and their luck will run out if they don't take proactive measures to optimize their health. Don't let that happen to you; listen to your body and take action! You will be glad that you did.

Many people are on the fence about the idea of working with an exercise instructor. This can be for several reasons. Certainly cost is an important factor. This is completely understandable, as today it seems like the price of almost everything is going up. People are looking for ways to cut expenses wherever they can, and in many ways this is a fiscally responsible mindset. Another reason is that most people think they can do just fine on their own. Based on what they read on social media or see on YouTube, they believe they have what it takes to make consistent progress by themselves. Finally, there is an aversion by many to the idea of hard work. Left to their own devices, many people will simply take the easy way out and accept the status quo. "I'll get to it eventually", is what they tell themselves. What if "eventually" never comes?

I believe that everyone can and should participate in regular Total Results exercise sessions. It is no secret to regular readers of this blog that I am a part owner of this company and have dedicated over 25 years of my life to teaching and inspiring people to become the best versions of themselves. Yes, I am biased in favor of this exercise methodology, but I practice everything that I preach. Without these weekly workouts, I would not have been able to play competitive flag football injury-free and at a very high level into my mid-40s. I could not withstand the rigors of working full-time and balancing a busy football coaching schedule if I did not exercise with a maximum effort once a week for 20 minutes. A genetic marvel I am not; I simply see the numerous values to this form of exercise.

So why should you exercise at Total Results?

There is an accountability factor that comes with being a Total Results client. Having an appointment (and paying for it ahead of time) makes most people less likely to blow off a workout when it's cold outside or they don't feel like getting out of bed. Just knowing that there is an instructor there waiting for you to arrive makes people take ownership. A knowledgeable instructor that forges a personal connection with a client will push that client to a greater level of effort and performance than they can possibly achieve on their own. When it comes to exercise, most people simply don't know what they don't know. Very few people are capable of training with the requisite effort and attention to detail that is required to achieve meaningful and lasting physical improvements. This type of effort is uncomfortable and can be difficult to deal with emotionally if no instructor is present to guide you through the process. While this level of intensity is unpleasant and definitely not fun, it is a biological necessity in order to spur the body to make positive changes. Only a Total Results instructor can do this.

People who attempt to exercise on their own are at a far greater risk for injury than they are if they are properly supervised. Again, most people don't know what they don't know. Training in a haphazard fashion in a distraction-filled environment (read: a commercial gym) is a bad idea. You are likely using substandard equipment and dealing with a crowd, which is not conducive to a meaningful exercise experience. You need someone to teach you, in a private environment which will foster optimal concentration. Exercise instruction involves making corrections to form and execution; this is done to maximize safety as well as efficiency in loading and inroading the target muscles. Please do not take these corrections personally! Our intention is not to injure feelings, but rather to be constructive. My eventual goal is to say as little as possible during a workout - this means that there is very little to correct. Our recommendation is for you to adopt a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset; this means that you approach workouts with the idea that there is always room for improvement, rather than believing you have gone as far as you can go. Nobody is a finished product. We have clients who have worked with us for over a decade and are still making incremental progress.

A Total Results instructor will help you to sort through misinformation, particularly with regard to nutrition as well as additional activity outside of your regular workouts. We don't have all of the answers, but we consistently strive to learn more so that we can pass along what we have learned to you. It is our belief that learning never stops. We will help you to sort out what is fact and what is fiction with regard to nutrition.

We know that Total Results exercise is hard; nothing worthwhile in life was ever achieved without effort. Encouragement from your instructor will help you to push through when times get tough. You can't find that in your basement or in a commercial gym. Sure, our services aren't cheap, but you can pay now or pay later in the form of decreased health markers and a loss of functional independence. Be empowered! Your age or current level of conditioning should not deter you. Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor, continued to take philosophy lessons in his later years in order to ,"Learn that which I do not yet know." What better way is there to take control of your life than to bring in someone to teach you a better way? Choose Total Results and start your journey today.