Beautiful Plumeria on the Naples Botanical Garden Walking Trail - April 2024.
Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

Is it fair to say that when you feel better, you perform better?

And is it also fair to say that when you feel better, you treat other people better?

If you agree, it should come as no surprise that our physical health and performance are directly related to our mental well-being.

This means keeping your focus in the right direction and being mentally aware of sabotaging behaviors that can negatively affect your body. If your head isn’t in the right place, your body certainly won’t be either.

After all, as Tony Robbins says -> “Where focus goes, energy flows.”

1. Spreading gossip is one of the top poor behaviors that can sabotage your fitness.
   We’ve all been there – dealing with rude customers or irritating employees. But talking about them behind their backs is asking for trouble. This kind of behavior becomes a habit, and you soon...

Take time to smell the flowers each day (like this delightfully fragrant Plumeria in Lakes Park). Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

Maintaining a change in behavior is often more difficult than making the initial change itself because:

• Of a ‘race to the finish’ mentality where there is a ‘start’ and ‘end’ to achieving your goal. This approach doesn’t work long-term because at some point you’re going to get tired and burnout.
• Out of sight out of mind. Once a target is reached, people often take that as a reason to relax and celebrate.
• Setting large goals without setting smaller, intermediate goals trips us up. Big long-range goals work best if you have also set smaller intermediate goals to help encourage you through your journey.

Fit people often don’t think of themselves as ‘motivated’...

They think of themselves as ‘consistent.’

The trick is to keep doing something so long that it feels unnatural...

Enjoying an end of March 2024 bike ride along Summerlin by Lakes Park, Fort Myers.
Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

With more than 25 years of experience working in the health and fitness industry, I have had countless clients, friends, and family members tell me about their fitness goals.

Some want to lift more weights, others want to improve their marathon time and of course, the old classic – everyone is trying to lose weight.

One thing they all share is that they are outcome focused.

Unfortunately, despite the best intentions, I rarely see enough people ever achieve their goals. 

I often end up in a conversation with someone about where they went wrong.

Was their goal too ambitious?
Were they lazy?
Did something outside of their control derail them?

Of course, it could be a combination of these factors, but I believe the real issue lies in poor planning. 

Statistically speaking, only a whopping 3% of people ever actually achieve their fitness...

A beautiful late winter sunset from Lakes Park, Fort Myers, Florida - March 17, 2024. Photo courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

It is widely accepted that setting goals is a successful way to encourage adherence to long term-exercise.

Ask any athlete and they will tell you that goal setting enables them to track their achievements and maintain activity levels, particularly when training becomes more challenging.

Choosing the most effective goal setting approach; be it outcome, process or performance based goals depends on each individual and personal motivation factors.

Before you make any lifestyle changes, you should know why you want to change your fitness and you should be consciously making that decision for yourself.

Write down 3 goals you want to achieve, why you want to achieve them and what it will mean to you once you do.

Also, recognize what it would mean if you don’t reach those goals.

Now post your goals some where you can see and review them every day. Having a...

A Beautiful Walk through the Children's Garden in Lakes Park, Fort Myers, Florida - March 2024. Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

It’s not uncommon to see people in fitness centers laboring away, sweating out every pour on the cardio equipment for up to an hour at a time.

There certainly is nothing wrong with this sort of cardiovascular exercise, to each their own, and at least they are exercising. 

However, one of the most common excuses people give for not exercising is ‘’lack of time’.

There is a misconception that if they don’t have an hour to spare, then they don’t feel there is enough time or that exercise is worth their effort.

They couldn’t be more wrong!  

Research shows that short periods of exercise but at a higher intensity is just as beneficial as the longer sessions, and sometimes more, depending on your goals.

A recent study from the mayo clinic followed a group of men for 2 weeks.

They measured the fitness...

Enjoy a break in your run, walk or bike ride with a workout in Lakes Park, Fort Myers, Florida.  Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

As an exercise therapist, coach and bio-corrective mechanics specialist with nearly 30 years of experience, I understand what it takes, both physically and mentally to get my athletes over the finish line healthy and performing well in everything from a 5k to a full marathon.

Especially when it's race season:

• hip mobility,
• core strength,
• balance and
• pelvic stability

are required prerequisites for success!

There are three muscles that make up your gluteal muscles, your:

1. gluteus maximus,
2. gluteus medius, and
3. gluteus minimus.

The gluteus maximus is the largest and most superficial muscle of the three.

It is the largest muscle in your body so you should be using it!

Essentially, this muscle works to move the hip and thigh and to propel us forward when we run. 

The gluteus medius is a broad, thick, radiating muscle, situated on the outer...

A gorgeous February run through the freshly updated Children's Garden in Lakes Park, Fort Myers, Florida. Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

An active lifestyle full of exercise can sometimes leave you feeling a little sore, depleted and, on a few occasions, injured.

Fortunately, we live in an age in which a plethora of tools and technology are available that promote a more active recovery!

If you find yourself tired, sore or injured, you may want to consider the following to help fast-track your road to wellness.

Cryotherapy — 

Cryotherapy is any treatment that involves the use of freezing or near freezing temperatures. Doctors have long recommended using ice packs on injured and painful muscles. Blood circulation is increased after the ice pack is removed, promoting healing and pain relief.

While stepping into an ice bath or freezing chamber may not sound like your idea of a good time, it can significantly speed healing, reduce inflammation and flush out lactic acid....

Movement is the answer! Get out and enjoy nature! Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

Upper back and shoulder pain is a common ailment for many.

Office workers, delivery drivers, and anyone staring at a screen for hours at a time all know the tightness that comes from slouching.

While many people complain about their shoulder pain, one’s posture may in fact be the culprit.

When it comes to postural deviations, often the problem starts with tired muscles.

Holding any one position for too long, including “perfect” posture, will tire the muscles.

We naturally off-load tired muscles, distributing the load of the body through other structures, such as ligaments. This means that the body hangs off these other structures, rather than being held in position by muscles.

Slouching sets in, the back-bends forwards, the shoulders round and the muscles that hold these in place become stretched.

Pain from slouching doesn’t just come from that one source.

Take the...

A gorgeous January day for running, walking or biking in the warm Florida sun! 

Pain is one of the most primal signals that our body sends to alert us that something is happening, and its discomfort prompts us to take the action necessary to make it stop.

In most cases, the pain is signaling the presence of harm and the risk of injury.

However, there are the people who subscribe to the old-school saying of:

‘no pain, no gain’

a mantra that can get people into trouble if taken too literally, as not all pain is sending the same signal.

While it is fair to say that everyone who exercises regularly does so to improve their overall health status, it is also pertinent to recognize that a positive health status or outcome cannot be achieved without safety being a primary objective.

First things first, identify the pain.

If you begin experiencing pain, your immediate priority should be to obtain as much information as possible about it.

For example, ask the following...

A Beautiful January Evening in Lakes Park, Fort Myers. Photo courtesy of Charly Caldwell II.

Calisthenics — better known today as body-weighted exercises - are a form of exercise that utilizes your own body weight for resistance and requires minimal equipment.

Its origins can be traced back to ancient Greece (the word "kallos" means beauty and "sthenos" is strength) where it was an integral part of physical education for warriors and athletes.

The Greeks believed that a harmonious blend of strength and aesthetics was essential for a well-rounded individual, hence the name.

In recent decades, body-weight exercises have experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in the fitness industry.

There are several advantages that appeal to modern fitness enthusiasts.

First, it requires minimal equipment, making it accessible and affordable for anyone interested in improving their physical fitness.

Second, it emphasizes functional strength and body control, which translates to...