by Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle magazine February 2012 

A regrettable outcome of modern living, meat processing techniques and our hurry up, throwaway lifestyle has been a decline in the use of meat, chicken and fish stocks.  In days gone by, meat was sold on the bone rather than individual filets and whole chickens rather than boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Our ancestors were very thrifty and used every part of the animal by preparing stock or broth reaping many benefits.

by Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle magazine January 2012

No matter how attractive or high tech a fitness shoe may be a sure way to ruin your feet (and other parts of your body) is to go against nature.  Plain and simple—take a look around and observe what happens when we do.  Egg whites dyed yellow in cartons, powdered milk and proteins processed at high temperatures and refined vegetable oils will do much to ruin your health.  Add to that list man made foot crutches; bound up artificial materials, elevated softened heel support, padded inserts, padded cushions, arch supports, insoles and orthotics.  Go ahead—spend some time in big clunky shoes and see what happens to your body over the long run—no pun intended.

by Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle magazine December 2012

 ”Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe dedicated” was the first thing I saw when I walked into my CrossFit box this morning.  It was a saying on the back of a member’s shirt that was dripping with sweat and I couldn’t agree more.  What is the matter with a lot of people?  They expect results without effort; they’d rather take a pill or buy the latest supplement/gadget?  Sorry, doesn’t work that way–fitness is one thing money can’t buy and only hard work can. 

by Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle magazine November 2011

With the holidays approaching and autumn culinary delights in abundance, there is no need to fall off the health & fitness bandwagon.  With just a few changes, our holiday favorites can fit right into our primal lifestyle.

by Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle magazine October 2011

Strength, Speed & Power.  Most of my competitive and professional life has revolved around these three aspects of fitness.  While definitely not one to neglect balance, agility, coordination, flexibility, accuracy, stamina and cardio respiratory endurance they were secondary in my personal goals.  I wanted to be strong, fast and powerful and have lots of muscle.  Still do. Most endurance athletes I have known that were not at an elite level were weak and looked like chemo victims. I never had any desire whatsoever to be able to run 26.2 miles or even a 15k for that matter. 

by Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle magazine September 2011

While the right exercise and training help to keep one young and prevent age related degeneration the proper nutrition requires equal billing.  As stated in last month’s article, Put the Brakes on Aging “youth is wasted on the young”.  I was in my early 40’s before I found a way of eating that turned my life around from a health, fitness/performance, body composition and mental standpoint.  The irony of it all is that man had been eating this way since eternity began.. . .

by Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle magazine August 2011

Circa 1976

 “Youth is wasted on the young.”  I first head that expression freshman year of college in1978.  I didn’t pay much attention to the meaning.  In retrospect the meaning is now quite clear. . .

by Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle magazine July 2011

To briefly recap last month’s article I woke up this spring at 51 years of age, post menopausal and the heaviest I had ever been in my life with way too much junk in the trunk.  I put to the test my hypothesis:  weight gain is not inevitable at any stage but preventable/reversible through lifestyle modification. Well, here we are, 10 weeks later. .

by Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle Magazine June 2011

One morning mid February I had an urge to try on my bathing suit—I don’t know why I just did.  Most likely because it had been cold, spring was around the corner and I had been hiding out in my sweats enjoying mass quantities of comfort foods—I didn’t gain much weight—the scale could not be right.  If I had gained it had to be muscle.  Well, I put on that swimsuit, grabbed a mirror and checked my rear.  I almost threw up, that could not possibly be my body looking back at me.  What the hell happened?

By Paula Jager CSCS as published in Natural Muscle Magazine May 2011

We’ll conclude our flexibility series with a look at Mobility Wods.  Most everyone is somewhat familiar with Pilates and Yoga—two excellent ways to improve range of motion, focus, flexibility and balance in both body and mind.  Mobility wods (workout of the day) are a relatively new term developed by Kelly Starrett, a physical therapist and CrossFit affiliate in San Francisco.