To Your Health Columns by Brian Cole

It’s always seemed to me that the dual goal is to accept reality while not losing sight of our ideals, our values. In a full life, disappointment is a reality. So much happens beyond our control. Avoiding acknowledgment of disappointments is denial. Denial gets us nowhere. Allowing disappointments to distract… Read more »

While I know some of you follow my columns regularly (because you tell me), I always have to remember some of you are reading me for the first time. This comfortably readable publication consistently expands its distribution and brings new readers on board. So, for my regulars: If some of… Read more »

…and the finest man I’ve known. So I’ve always held that profession in my highest respect. Life’s circumstances, my self-indulgences and a family to support early in adulthood led me along until the opportunity came for a career change. While it wasn’t practical for me to even consider the time… Read more »

I say “hopefully” because watching what is called “Reality TV” when it’s obviously staged, directed and filmed by a crew (i.e. not reality) seems an odd way to waste an evening. But I do odd things too I guess, so I’d better get to my point. In case you did… Read more »

I don’t understand all these loud angry political voices and attitudes or the folks with snakes on their license plates, complaining about being tread on (yes, I promise, I’m going to tie this soapbox into improving our fitness). Do we have problems to work on? Of course. Everyone has always… Read more »

“That” was 2015! And it went by fast. The inescapable fact is that 2016 will, too, and it will bring changes. We will either lose a few steps and gain a few pounds—or vice versa. This time next year we will either be in better physical condition or worse. The… Read more »

…and think about all you have to be thankful for. I start with my parents, then my health, my daughters and son, finding my profession and while there is obviously more, I’m going to stop right here because it’s my profession I want to write about. I can’t call it… Read more »

In my last column,”Overweight? Consider this.” , I wrote about some of our long-term overweight clients—why they continue, how they benefit, how they feel, etc. And while that column was still on the Oyster Pointer stands, I received a trade publication with research that adds another dimension to the point… Read more »

I’m going to pay respect to some of our long-term clients. Not by name, of course, but by their conditioning. My hope is that some of you reading this will be encouraged and inspired to consider your potential for self-improvement. And, after considering it, decide to take the necessary steps.… Read more »

I’m so thankful to have Personal Fitness Training as my career. I love researching and learning new ways to help others become more active and fit. There are so many pleasurable activities that can be more fully enjoyed when we’re healthy. And the path to selfimprovement is so clear. Hopefully,… Read more »

Many of us are in the middle. With daughters-sons, and also mothers-fathers, we’re often responsible for decisions that have a major impact on those we love. Middle management is always a tough balancing position, and it’s made more so when it’s about family. With our daughters and sons, I’m suggesting… Read more »

Hello 2015! These years just go by so fast. And this one will too. I know it’ll bring changes to my life—and to yours. We don’t/we cannot stand still and stop time. Along with that inevitability comes this: Neither you nor I will be the same at the end of… Read more »

Walking/running 30 to 45 minutes just about every day and two workouts per week lifting heavy weights to build new lean muscle tissue and additional exercises to target core strengthening, posture, balance and joint range of motion. Or Vowing to make some changes to eating and drinking habits. Which sounds… Read more »

Successful. Willing to work toward goals in their careers and in their personal lives. Want results for their efforts. Knowledgeable and understand how to assess the value of their choices. Always looking for ways to improve their work, their homes and themselves. They have evaluated their priorities and organized them… Read more »

WARNING! This column may challenge some of your basic beliefs. It maytherefore be a bit uncomfortable to digest. Speaking of digestion, if you follow nutritional research, some interesting information has been published recently. For what will be obvious reasons as you read on, I’m not going into detail on any of these subjects.… Read more »

The complexity of human anatomy and kinesiology (movement) is obviously fascinating to me. But rather than subject you to technical talk of force couples, frontal planes of motion, agonist/antagonists, synergists, reciprocal inhibition, etc., I’m going to try to share some helpful information in more understandable language. In addition to strength… Read more »

Due to printing and publishing schedules you’re reading this in March but I’m writing it in early January. So New Year’s resolutions are still on my mind. And by March, there’s a good chance they’re not still on yours. Reality has surfaced and old habits have crept back into your… Read more »

In my last column “…Living Longer…” (if you missed it, please take a moment and click here to read it now. I ended by asking, with the enjoyment of our longer life span weighed against years of pain and discomfort, why more of us don’t take the necessary steps to avoid the… Read more »

People in the U.S. were in good health, without short or long-term pain, discomfort or disabilities for 68.1 years. And that means 10.1 years of living in poor health. Time may feel like it’s flying by now, but add pain and we start a downward slide becoming worse and worse… Read more »

I recently decided to include some additional healthy activities in my morning routine at home. While my work and my lifestyle choices give me more than adequate cardiovascular, strength and range-of-motion fitness, there was an area of self-improvement I wanted to practice more consistently (I’ll tell you what and why… Read more »