Member Spotlight

Olivia Young

In June of 2020, I had a skydiving accident, which left me with an incomplete spinal cord injury. After 18 months of physical therapy, I wanted to continue my recovery and found myself signing up for the Exercise is Medicine program here at LIFT Wellness. The LIFT has been very accommodating to me as a wheel chair user. I really enjoy the pool and easy to use equipment around the gym. I see myself being a long time member here! My goal is to walk the whole mile on the walking track one day “A body in motion stays in motion”!

Since coming to LIFT I can walk a lot further on the walking track from when I first started here.

Ali was a huge help with the Exercise is Medicine program. Also all of my physical therapists at Shepherd Center, Dyersburg Sports Plus and Jackson North Sports Plus! A major shout out to my grandmother for always bringing me to my therapy for over a year now.

Join us for our Senior Carnival on

September 29th, 9am-12pm.

There will be vendors, health screenings, educational sessions, games, fun and so much more!

Admission is FREE & open to the community. Bring your friends, family & neighbors!

Trainers Corner

So…. You know that one guy that everybody judges. That one guy that everyone stares at out of the corner of their eye. That one we whisper about, careful not to raise our voices too high, just in case he might hear us. That one guy who can be found in front of the mirror before his first set, between sets, after sets, before he goes home, in the locker room and even when he’s walking between exercises, FLEXING in the mirror. Whether you condone this action or think flexing the mirror is just a sign that someone’s in love with themselves, the truth of the matter is they may be the ones maximizing their time in the gym. In order to validate that statement, let’s take a look at how a muscle functions, and why flexing can not only benefit you, but can be a great source of “extra” work in the gym.

In order for a muscle to work, several things have to happen simultaneously. The brain sends a message, the message is received, cellular gates open or close, allowing specific nutrients to come through that stimulate the muscle to shorten or contract. Most of the time, these actions happen automatically, without us thinking about it. Even as you're reading this, the muscles in your eyes are working to move your view across the screen, the muscles in your hand holding your device or computer mouse are receiving signals to activate the muscles in order for you to enjoy this article. The long and short of it, a lot happens very quickly in order for the body to contract a muscle.

Why is this important? As we are exercising, in order for our body to perform a specific task such as lifting a weight, our body has to “learn” how to do said task in order to send the correct impulse to make the right muscles move in a certain pattern. The first time we perform a task, it feels awkward and more than likely, wasn’t completed according to the desired outcome. But if we stick with it, the more we perform the task, the easier it seems to get. Is it because you're getting stronger? The answer is more complex than that. Yes, your body is adapting to the demands placed upon it, but it’s not all because of “strength” as we usually think of it. The body is becoming more proficient by strengthening the neuromuscular pathways, which causes the muscles to contract and respond more efficiently. So even if no muscle mass has been gained, you can get a stronger, more efficient contractions, which leads to better coordination and ability to move great amounts of weight.

           Our bodies are very non selective in how we learn information. It does not care if you're bench pressing, or looking in the mirror flexing your pecs, it will make the neuromuscular connections and strengthen them. A study done and published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology saw muscular gains in strength and mass by performing a regiment of solely flexing select groups of muscles. Do you ever wonder why bodybuilders are able to look and perform like they do? Because they know their body! They’ve been able to connect the mind to the specific muscles, so when they say dance, the muscle dances. As a result, when they’re training and lifting to target those specific muscles, they are optimizing their outcomes by getting the strongest and most efficient concentration possible.

           Now am I saying that we all need to take our shirts off in the gym and start flexing in the gym? No! Am I saying that we could all benefit from learning our bodies and how they work to gain our greatest potential? Yes! Take time at home, find a mirror and see where your limitations are! Are you able to move your body like you would like? Teach your body how! That may be through flexing and activating the correct muscles, or it could be from stretching and teaching the muscles how to relax. And yes, the man flexing in the mirror may love himself, but he’s working hard and deserves the right to love himself, as we all do!

-      https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-013-2801-x

-Brad Royer ATC, LAT, CPT

During the month of September, we are collecting donations to the Jackson Animal Care Center. They are in need of bleach, paper towels, stainless steel dog bowls, ceramic cat bowls and toys. 

Jackson Animal Care Amazon Wishlist

Do Your Muscles Ache?

We would like to introduce Maria Wood as our new Massage Therapist.

Maria comes to us with three years experience, with her favorite techniques being Swedish and Deep Tissue. Maria started her career as a physical therapy tech where she was first introduced to massage techniques. She loved interacting with patients, and thus led her into a career as a CNA. After always having a love of massage, she decided to get her license and has been practicing ever since. She loves being able to reduce stress of others and help reduce pain and sore muscles. She says massage is good for your soul. Outside of work, she enjoys shopping and traveling with her husband. They love exploring new places and restaurants.

 Maria, we are so glad to have you a part of the LIFT Family and can’t wait for our members and guests to meet you.

Call the front desk and schedule your massage with Maria today! 731-425-6875

LABOR DAY WOD

Exciting news for LIFT Wellness Center!

Starting in September, you will be seeing some new faces in the pool area. We are so excited that LIFT therapy will be offering aquatic therapy here at LIFT!

You will also see some additional parking spaces across from LIFT therapy that have been designated for therapy patients. Please leave those spaces open during the designated therapy times M-F to allow those patients with limited mobility to park closer to the building. Thank you so much!

Locker Update:

If you notice that some of our lockers are missing doors, we have good news! We are working to install brand new locks that will have fewer issues. This will be a gradual process, so thank you in advance for your patience. Once some of the lockers have the new locks, we will provide instructions on how to operate them.

We still have a few locker available to rent. Be sure to see the front desk if you are interested! 

We are continuing on with our overview of the three macronutrients. In July we touched on the important role of carbohydrates, in August we addressed dietary fat, and this month features the always popular protein.

Our bodies are made up of thousands of different proteins, each with a specific function. They help with growth and maintaining the body’s cells and tissues, as well as synthesizing and maintaining enzymes and hormones. These proteins are continually being repaired throughout our life, and this process requires amino acids. We are able to make many of these amino acids, but some (called essential amino acids) we need to obtain through food. Eating enough protein is especially important during times of rapid growth like childhood, adolescence, pregnancy, and when breastfeeding. Protein plays a key role in helping repair and strengthen muscle tissue after exercise, but it is important to note that for optimal performance we need more than just protein. Additionally, eating foods high in protein has been shown to increase our satiety, or feeling of fullness. This may be one of the reasons high protein diets can help with weight loss.

Protein can come from both animal and plant-based foods, though these are not often thought of as equals. Animal-based proteins contain all of the essential amino acids, so they are considered complete proteins. These animal-based proteins include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. Many plant-based proteins may not have enough of all of the essential amino acids. However, if you eat a variety of plant-based proteins you are likely able to get enough of everything you need. Soy beans, quinoa, and amaranth contain all of the essential amino acids and are considered complete proteins, however foods like beans, nuts, pasta, and rice provide protein but are not complete proteins. Whether you choose mostly animal-based or plant-based proteins, variety should be encouraged for optimal protein intake as well as overall health. Eating patterns that include low-fat dairy, skinless poultry, fish, beans, lentils and soy foods may help improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and may decrease the risk for certain types of cancers.

The amount of protein you need varies depending on your weight, but can be influenced by many other factors. Generally, it is recommended for healthy adults to have 0.8-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, though very active individuals may need more than this. More is not always better though, especially if you have kidney disease. As always, this is not to be used in place of a doctor’s or dietitian’s specific recommendation for you. 

Instructions

Add 1 tbsp oil to a pan and place on medium heat. Season the chicken breast with taco seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste, then add to the hot pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165F. When cooked thoroughly, place the chicken on a cutting board and slice, then set aside.

While the chicken is cooking, make the rice according to the instructions on the container.

When all the ingredients are ready, place one handful of lettuce on the bottom of a bowl. Top with each of the ingredients. Recipe should make two power bowls.