My Secret to 40 Years of Working Out

By Larry Paul

In my years in gyms, I've met thousands of men and women who care enough about their bodies to want to exercise. The only problem is that sometimes I cringe when I see what they're doing to themselves. I try to offer advice when I can, but as the saying goes, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

Many of these exercise enthusiasts spend all of their time on what I call the "mirror muscles." These are the ones that you can see when you stand in front of a mirror and admire yourself. Of major importance to most guys is their pectoral or chest muscles. But, they are making a crucial mistake by not spending enough time on working their shoulders.

What happens is, they end up with a body out of balance. Without building the shoulders along with the pectoral muscles, they've put their shoulders at great risk. And this isn't important for just the guys! Having strong shoulders is important for women too. That's because there are so many daily activities that put stress on the shoulders.

The problem is that while your shoulders have a great deal of mobility, they are also particularly vulnerable to injuries to the bone and joint tissue within them. While building up your shoulders can't guarantee you won't end up with a problem like a torn rotator cuff, there is no orthopedist in town who won't agree that one of your best defenses to shoulder joint problems is to properly exercise and strengthen the shoulders.

Plus, in terms of appearance for guys, solid shoulder muscles can do more for you than a big chest if you're wearing business clothes. A suit won't let people see your chest, but nobody can mistake a set of husky shoulders whether they're inside a suit or not.

Before doing any shoulder exercise, it's a good idea to stretch and loosen them up a bit. One very good stretch for both men and women is what I call "In and Outs."

Hold your arms in front of you bent at the elbows, so that your elbows are lightly pressed against your abdomen at waist height. Extend your forearms parallel to the floor with your hands in a position to shake hands. Next, move each arm outwards from the elbow so that your arms are pointed out at about a 45 degree angle, or a little more if you're flexible.

Return your arms to the original position with them both pointed directly forward. Do ten repetitions slowly and you'll find that your shoulders will get a very nice stretch.

If you want to have longevity in your workouts and a body that you'll be proud of well into your senior years, you should really make sure that you're properly working out your shoulders.

Keep lifting!

Larry Paul

Healthy Recipes: Chicken Capris By Kelley Herring

This low-glycemic comfort-food classic is a snap to prepare and can help keep your mind sharp too. That's because each delicious serving provides 65% of the RDA for niacin -- a brain-boosting B vitamin. In fact, recent published research found that people who got the least niacin were 70% more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those who got higher amounts.¹

Serves: 4
Time to Table: 45 minutes

Healing Nutrient Spotlight
Excellent source of calcium, protein, selenium, vitamin B6, niacin
Good source of magnesium, potassium, zinc
Preferences: gluten-free, low carb, low sugar

Ingredients*
4 tablespoons low-fat ricotta cheese (part skim)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons crushed tomatoes
4 slices reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

*Select organic ingredients for optimal nutrition.

Preparation
In a small bowl, mash ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley together until well blended. Toss the chicken with the garlic powder and brown in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes per side. When done, remove to a shallow casserole dish to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spoon 1 heaping serving spoon of ricotta mixture onto each chicken breast and top with 1 tablespoon of crushed tomatoes. Place one slice of mozzarella cheese on each breast and place in the top rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes until a meat thermometer registers 170°F.

Nutrition
278 calories, 121calories from fat, 13.5 g total fat, 4.6 g saturated fat, 6.8 g monounsaturated fat, 1.2 g polyunsaturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 88 mg cholesterol, 471 mg sodium, 378 mg potassium, 2.4 g total carbohydrate, 0.4 g dietary fiber, 1.0 g sugars, 35.3 g protein

Reference

1. Morris, M.C. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, August 2004; vol 75: pp 1093-1099.

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 12-05-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/