We’re joined today by Dr Val Fiott, Clinical Research Director for Perfect Personal Training, and ACE-Certified Health Coach and Personal Trainer. Val’s managed a fitness center, a corporate wellness department, and several operations integral to Perfect Personal Training’s growth since 2005.

Q: What are people missing the most in their lives, Val? How can people make changes to live longer and better?

A: It all depends on the individual’s needs. I don’t support Group Think or Group Action, because then you’re just chasing your tail and creating as many problems as you’re solving.  It is best to take that question on a per-person basis, run the kind of fitness and wellness screening that we generally rely on at Perfect Personal Training, and make a priorities list of wellness needs based on those findings.

Q: I can understand the need for personalization, but aren’t there some common lifestyle changes that can help almost anybody?

A: If I’m speaking generally, sure.  Magnesium, for example, is commonly deficient amongst American adults. Having the low levels of it that most people have can lead directly to heart dysfunction, so I definitely advise supporting the body with enough magnesium each day. Less direct paths to poor heart health from magnesium deficiency can point to problems like restless leg syndrome, poor sleep quality, nerve problems and/or muscle problems.  And of course, those problems lead to lesser exercise, unsafe movement and fewer calories burned on average per day. All of that makes the heart less healthy, too.

Q: I see. So you’re saying that one way or the other, having too little magnesium in your body will damage your heart.

A: I wouldn’t say it “will” in definite measurable terms, but there are many ways that low magnesium can impair heart function – either very quickly or down the road.

Q: What’s another common lifestyle change for the average Joe to get healthier?

A:  Most reputable studies indicate a need for about three to seven days per week of cardiovascular exercise.  For diabetics, seven days of 20 minutes is considered to be a good target, but longer durations are more important if the diabetic patient or client is overweight.

Q: Because the longer cardio time burns more calories?

A: For that reason, yes, but also because overweight people tend to have weaker heart and lung function, which often can point to a need for more sustained endurance training. Again, I’m just speaking to broad stats; every individual will have different needs and contraindications.

Q: Interesting.  You say that for people who are not diabetic, they can stay healthy with just three days of cardio each week?

A: It really depends upon how “cardio” their cardiovascular training is. For example, some people exercise in a way that might seem to rely on the cardiovascular system, but in reality they might not be getting some of the physiological triggers that they need for proper cardiovascular work. Also, if the intensity is high enough and the duration is long enough for that person’s health history and current fitness level, then just three days can be very effective, but achieving those metrics requires more tracking than most people are willing to put forth.

Q: When you talk about health metrics with these specifics, I hear a level of detail that I have not heard before. How much control do we really have over our health wen it all comes down to it?

A: You’d be very surprised. A big part of my PhD work involved the study of the “Blue Zones”, where people live an abnormally long time as compared to other parts of the world. Some people over 100 years of age are still exercising every day with heavy weights and full range-of-motion in those places, whereas here in the states that’s largely unheard of to most people.

Q: But isn’t that more about genetics than lifestyle?

A: No, statistically speaking, lifestyle is the driving factor for longevity. And, as you said, there are a lot of factors.  I don’t suggest that people just try to “be active” or “move more”. That kind of broad, inspecific guideline won’t really lead to much in terms of better health.  You want to track down the specifics, target the right intensities and maximize opportunities for depth of sleep, healthy hydration, and purging the body of heavy metals and neurotoxins.

Q: Can the right kind of lifestyle lower risk for hospitalization in our golden years?

A: Tremendously, yes.  But, again, it’s an encompassing process.  Every aspect of what you breathe, what you eat and what you do should undergo an in-depth analysis if you’re interested in maximizing longevity and quality of life.

Q: Do the clients of Perfect Personal Training see big changes in longevity and wellness?

A: We’ll never be able to know about the heart attack that someone avoided or the cancer that would have been. So, I can’t really answer that question directly. But, I can tell you that many of the 60-somethings who came to us in 2005 are still clients of ours today and doing very well in terms of health, movement, balance, cognitive ability, etc.  Ultimately, though, we just keep targeting all the specific health metrics that make for those things.  From what I see, when our clients hit those metrics with regularity, they usually see the kinds of health outcomes that we were taught to expect. After all my years in the field, I have to say that the textbook predictions seem to come true for those who stay dedicated to their programs.

Q: It sounds like there is a lot to know to get people healthier.  How can people reach you or sign up with a wellness program?

A: Thanks; there is! Just visit http://perfectpersonaltraining.com.  Click Meet My Matches to see personal trainers & health coaches, or click Contact Us to tell us about your needs. Or, call (877)698-3648. My team and I love to help.

Q: Thanks for talking with me.

A: You bet; thanks for having me.

To Contact Dr. Val Fiott:

perfectpersonaltraining.com
(877)698-3648 (Call or Text)

https://www.facebook.com/perfectpersonaltraining