Justin G. Walls, Certified Personal Athletic Trainer

In a fascinating piece of survival economics, Howard Schneider asks in a WaPo fitness column as to whom we could expect to survive and lead in a "World War Z" scenario. The question is: is it better to be really fit and lean with little body fat, have lots of fat because food will be scarce, or somewhere in between? Brad Pitt- fit to survive! It basically boiled down to striking a balance between fitness and body fat reserves. A person with low body fat reserves will likely find it difficult to survive in a post-apocalyptic Earth due to the need to consume more calories each day. However, a person with high fat reserves would probably be too slow to effectively run away from danger. Don't rest too long!   We have discussed body fat percent in a previous post . It really is a better assessment of fitness than weight alone. So from now on, think of yourself not as being the most fit looking, but as being the winner in the survival of the fittest!

We Tried This: Strong vs. Skinny | TIME.com According a recent edition of the ACSM Health and Fitness Journal , the fitness industry has made some strides into what is considered a healthy body image. No longer is the muscular look taboo, but the 'lean' look is still the appropriate trend- and the fitness trends are changing too: Lean isn't always healthy. Body fat percentage and muscle tone, like rings on a tree, tell the true story of how well the body has been kept. Blood tests also tell the tale that lean isn't always healthy. Trendy fitness fads like Zumba and other dance classes aren't getting the job done. Neither are the spin classes. Classic, good-ole fashioned boot camp and weight lifting are getting the results. The attitude is different. People (especially women) demand to be pushed and challenged. And they aren't afraid of 'getting too big' anymore. Just of climbing the next hurdle. Check out the latest trends as we head to the end of...

I often throw in how important is mental acuity to the overall body functionality. Especially at this time of year when getting large groups of family together, I thought about giving everyone an excellent mental exercise that they can use while *ahem* sitting around and eating at a table (just watch those calories, ok?) Using this simple method can reduce stress, and especially the additional eating that is often associated with stress. You have probably heard of Dr. Martin Seligman's ACR positive psychology ? ACR is Active Constructive Responding, and the basic premise is to promote only positive responses to outside stimuli. There is a good test at the PBS blog to give yourself cues on when to use this technique. Stay positive, enjoy your families and your time off from work to reduce stress and change your routine. Then feel energized and ready to return to your normal grind and workout, possibly with better tools than before! Happy Thanksgiving!

Today's post is from the IYCA Newsletter about the mental component of athletic training: Why Performance Training Alone Isn't Enough By Melissa Lambert As a former collegiate athlete, I remember spending my off seasons training every opportunity I had including weight lifting, running and playing with the men's team to increase my speed of play. I took pride in having the top times in running and physically being able to outplay others. However, I remember playing our rival team and making a huge mistake that could have resulted in the other team scoring. What could have possibly gone wrong when I was in the best shape of my life? I neglected the most significant component of an athlete, my mind. The mental aspect of any sport can make or break a talented athlete regardless of their training regiment. I didn't spend nearly the amount of time training my mind as I did training my body. It wasn't until becoming a girls' premier soccer coach and a licensed the...