Carrying over from last week, I do support taking vitamins/minerals and supplements.   I think it is extremely hard to incorporate a vastly rich diet that gives our bodies all of the necessary vitamins it needs.  One has to be diligent on eating extremely clean, with a source of food from top organic growers of plants and animals.  Our main stream diets today are hugely lacking in vitamin and mineral content, not to mention our lifestyles do a number on their convenience.  Supplements are just as the word implies, they supplement our dietary needs, they DO NOT replace our diet.  As a health care provider, I tell everyone including you, for the purpose of safety of your supplements, you should have a blood draw to see if you are in need of certain vitamins and minerals in your diet. 

This post is NOT intended to sell you anything at all, please let me make that clear.  I would like to share with you which supplements I personally take and why over the next few weeks.  After that, I'll add information on different supplements that I find important for a variety of conditions.  I will be honest, I strictly stick to 2 different companies for my supplement suppliers, OrthoMolecular Products and Standard Process.  Both of these companies have shown me the most viable research to their products and hold the highest standard of quality for each supplement.   The two companies are different in that OrthoMolecular produces products in a bio-molecular form for digestion, and Standard Process solely uses whole foods in their formulations.  Both companies hold such high standards for their products that they can only be purchased with a health care license.  They produce very specific formulas that are rich in quality, not full of fillers and junk.  These products use carriers/specialized ingredients to assure that the body will absorb the supplement to its fullest.  When you see a comparison to these products to those on the shelves at your local store, you'll be amazed by the fact that those companies at the local stores can even sell what they are attempting to get out to the consumer. 

The SP Detox Protein shake is one of my favorites and a go-to for my protein shakes.  I probably use this shake roughly 1-2x/week.  It has whopping 17g of plant based protein from completely organic sources.  The purpose of this shake is to help eliminate toxins.  We face toxins all day everyday in all that we do.  I like the peace of mind knowing that I'm doing all I can to help eliminate those unhealthy threats to my body.  Side note, the Chai flavor is out of bounds good! 
So besides being part of a Detox program, as I mentioned, I use the SP C Detox shake as a supplemental protein shake also.  My 2 cents on protein shakes: not everyone needs a protein shake just because they are working out and trying to get into shape.  If you are eating enough protein and getting your macoros and more importantly MICROS daily, there is not a need for extra in a shake.  In regards to using this shake and other shakes for uses other than Detox, please evaluate if needed.  For myself, I know I burn a lot of calories in my training.  In order for me not to lose condition, keep my immune system strong, and support my dietary needs, I do incorporate shakes about 4-5 days out of the week or more dependent on activity level. 
OrthoMolecular is spot on with their shakes also.  This company has gone even further to formulate shakes for different needs. They are the following:
MitoCore: Stimulates mitochondria and recharges cellular energy, strengthens immune function, and increases detoxification. 
Calories: 120, Fat 3g, Carbs 7g (fiber 1g/sugars 3g), PROTEIN 15g
InflammaCore: Enhanced G.I. barrier function, mucosal cell regeneration, supports a healthy inflammatory response
Calories: 200, Fat 6g, Carbs 12g (4g fiber/8g sugars), PROTEIN 19g
GlycemaCore: Supports healthy blood sugar levels, increases insulin sensitivity, and improves metabolism plus supports weight management.
Calories: 150, Fat 3.5g, Carbs 17g (12g fiber/sugars 2g), PROTEIN 10g
LifeCore Complete: Clean and diverse blend of plant based protein, supports healthy weight management, and promotes a feeling of fullness plus reduces cravings.
Calories: 210, Fat 7g, Carbs 12g (4g fiber/2g sugars), PROTEIN 20g
My two favorites include the MitrCore and the LifeCore.  The fun factor to their supplements are the flavors.  The MitoCore has 2 flavors: strawberry and lemon, both are amazingly tasty and a great change from your basic chocolate and vanilla.  The LifeCore truly hits the mark when you are super hungry after a tough workout and need to grab a protein rich snack mid-day. 
My personal arsenal for supplements.  As a soon to be 40yr old athlete, I have spent some time digging to see what supplements can help me function day to day better along with helping me preform and recover on a fitness level.  My two most important supplements include OrthoMoleculars OrthoMega and Orthobiotic. 

The OrthoMega is the in the top two of the highest quality fish oil I have found.  Each gelcap provides 820mg of EPA and DHA as natural triglycerides.  Vitamin E and rosemary extract were added to their formula to ensure maximum purity and freshness.  This supplement above all is the most important to have on your self.  If you have been in the dark about the importance of fish oil in your diet and the many health benefits, I strongly encourage you to do your research.  
Second on my list is the OrthoBiotic.  I plan to devote another blog post to the massive importance of gut/intestinal health, so I'm not going to linger here for too long.  This supplement is a very high quality probiotic.  Gut health is directly proportional to health gut bacteria.  Low good gut bacteria = lowered ability to absorb nutrients = lowered immune system.  Another topic to spend some time researching if you are unfamiliar with gut health and probiotics.    

As an athlete, the last thing I like to admit while rounding 40 is that I am aging and it hurts...literally.  It's true, after our youthful peak in our twenties everything starts to slow down.  Those delightful hormones that kept us youthful start to decline.  It wasn't until this past couple of years that I really started to feel my age during workouts and especially during recovery.  I believe I eat healthy, a lot of whole foods, and I workout regularly.  These are sometimes just not enough in my personal opinion.  So I will share with you what I like to take on a regular basis to help me feel better and function at where I want to be in my fitness. 
My List of OrthoMolecular Supplements for myself, the aging athlete:
CoQ-10:  Coenzyme Q-10 is a pro enzyme produced naturally in the body.  It plays a critical role in energy (ATP) production, and is one of the most powerful lipid-soluable antioxidants that prevents lipid and mitochondrial DNA oxidation.  CoQ10 naturally decreases with age. 

DHEA: or dehydroepiandrosterone is a steroid hormone precursor that promotes healthy hormone levels and supports our bodies stress response system.  DHEA is an important counterpart to the stress hormone cortisol.  It helps provide an inflammatory balance and protection to brain tissues, along with supporting healthy aging, mood regulation, memory, and bone density.

Collogen: This supplement combines hyaluronic acid (HA), Type I collagen, Type II collagen bioactive peptides, mucopolysaccharides, and vitamin C to stimulate collagen regeneration and support joint health.  Lifestyle factors and aging reduce the elasticity in tendons and ligaments, which leads to soft tissue and joint discomfort.

MSM: Helps to promote new cells and tissues, naturally supporting soft tissue health and regeneration.  Significantly supports connective tissue health and maintains normal inflammatory balance.  MSM is a natural compound that provides a high concentration of sulfur.  This boosts the body's antioxidant mechanisms, supports detoxification pathways, and strengthens the immune system.  MSM naturally decreases with age.

AminoComplex: A blend of all 9 essential amino acids (EAA's) plus the most commonly deficient conditionally essential amino acids that become essential during stress, disease, and poor diet.  Optimal amino acid intake is essential for supporting muscle strength, immunity, gastrointestinal health, and neurotransmitter production in the body.  Amino acids are simulators of protein synthesis , which is not only a key component of muscle recovery, but also important for muscle maintenance in all age groups.  There is a natural and gradual decline of muscle mass beginning around our fourth decade of life. 

Chondro-Flx: A combination of glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, vitamin C, and bromelain to promote healthy cartilage within our joints.  These work together to decrease inflammation, re-hydrate, and increase joint integrity within our bodies. 

You are probably looking at all of this wondering how on earth I take all of them in a day.  Really, most of them are just once a day, so it really isn't over the top crazy.  I will not tell you that I am super disciplined and never miss a supplement, because that would be lying.  The two I rely on the most are the CoQ10 and the DHEA.  I make the collegen a little easier and sometimes buy it in the powered form, which allows me to put it into my shakes.  I do get a lot of my Amino acids in my shakes, so dependent upon my workout week and if I have had my shakes, the AminoComplex is not at the top of my list.  The MSM and Chondro-Flx for me are interchangeable, and I base the need on them solely on my workout intensity and recovery. 
None of the supplements above that I take are by any means "enhancers".  These are all products specifically formulated to work with our bodies already existing chemicals.  The supplements for me "fill the gaps" sort-a-speak that are forming with my aging.  I'm not ready to slow down because I'm ageing.  I am thinking that my 40's just might be my most active years yet!

Dr. Chelsea Bachelor

When you were young did you and your siblings ever spin around in a chair until you were so dizzy you couldn’t walk? Everyone would laugh and likely climb right back on to do it again.
However, if this feeling did not fade within the first few seconds, the game would not have been fun for long. Continually experiencing this feeling as an adult is referred to as vertigo.
Vertigo is the intense sensation of the head continuing to move after motion has ended and is often accompanied by feelings of nausea, vomiting, and difficulty in balance. 

​Our ears serve 2 purposes – hearing and balance. The outer and middle ear is used for hearing while the inner ear helps mostly with balance.

Under normal circumstances, head motion causes the movement of fluid and hair cells in our inner ear, specifically our 3 semi-circular canals, and sends information to the brain so we know where our body is in space. We also have tiny calcium crystals within this organ that move to orient us with gravity and sometimes they become dislodged, falling into the fluid-filled circular canals.

​Now when the head shifts, the crystals move within the canals and take longer to stop than the fluid, creating the sensation of continued motion. When the input from the inner ear does not match the movement of the body, the whirling sensation of vertigo occurs. Episodes can continue for as long as 60 seconds at a time while the crystals eventually come to a halt.
 
Vertigo can occur at any age, but an estimated 40% of individuals 40 years and older will experience an episode sometime in their life, majority of these being women. These symptoms can be very debilitating and often prevent people from working or even getting out of bed. Unfortunately, these sensations can continue for weeks, or even months in some rare cases. While every presentation is not the same, it is widely believed that these dislodged crystals in the inner ear are responsible for recurrent vertigo.
Anti-nausea medications are the most common intervention, however they do not address the cause of the problem.
At the office, we use a maneuver to carefully guide the crystals through the canals with a series of coordinated motions. Returning the crystals to their proper place eliminates symptoms and allows people to return to their lives.

If you or someone you know suffers from vertigo, please know that options exist on reversing the condition.

Nutrient deficiencies exist extensively among many members of the U.S. population. Rich, poor, well, or sick—92 percent of the population is suffering from at least one mineral or vitamin deficiency based on the Dietary Reference Intakes.  The entire country is overfed and undernourished. Even if you consume a “perfect” diet, the odds are, something is missing. 
The numbers don’t lie. According the CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):

• • 9 out of 10 Americans are deficient in potassium
  • 7 out of 10 are deficient in calcium
  • 8 out of 10 are deficient in vitamin E
  • 50 percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin A, vitamin C, and magnesium
  • More 50 percent of the general population is vitamin D deficient, regardless of age
  • 90 percent of Americans of color are vitamin D deficient
  • Approximately 70 percent of elderly Americans are vitamin D deficient

It is a well-known fact that processed junk and fast foods have become staples in the American diet. Fresh, nutrient-rich foods are often considered taxing on time and finances, deeming these food choices a luxury rather than the standard at dinner tables throughout the country.  Along side of the fast food eruption, the soil of farmland all across the globe is deficient in micronutrients.  So really, even if processed junk food and fast food were not a part of the food supply, deficiencies would still be rampant, as soil quality is diminishing at a rapid rate and reducing the nutrient value of produce.  Sick, mineral depleted soil grows mineral depleted foods. The animals that we eat are being fed these micronutrient depleted vegetables and wheat. This means that the meat you buy is also far lower in health producing micronutrients than ever before. The bottom line is: “Sick soils mean sick plants, sick animals, and sick people.”

"Hidden Hunger" is a term that was brought about to describe the serious hunger our bodies have for the much needed vitamins and minerals the we are NOT getting.  It's not just about third world countries that are starving for lack of food.  Our own country is starving for real nutrients in this over processed country we live in.  The worst part about all of this, is it effects the children the most!  Kids today are not being raised on produce from the back yard or local farmers markets.  They aren't eating meat from healthy sources.  Fast food and processed freezer meals are feeding our kiddos in this nation.  Yes, we are all crazy busy with non-stop activities for our families, but that does not mean they can only crap food.  When you start to look a little deeper into the dangers facing our children from a lack of nutrition, you may want to take the time to figure out a little pre-meal-planning for the week.  Is it really too much to ask of you to wake up 10 minutes early to put actual meat from a good butcher shop or local farmer into the crockpot?  Is it really that hard to was a few fruits and veggies each day for healthy snacks?  If you plan ahead, you can make larger quantities of food and have left overs for half of the week.  Left overs that are versatile and able to be made into wraps or sandwiches.  The meals that you spend a little more time on make a huge difference in the health of your children.  Below are examples of common deficiencies in children and the effects they have to their mental and physical development. 

I realize that it might not be easier and you are likely to get push back from your child that is used to sugar laden processed food, but keep in mind that you love them and are responsible for their health.  They are not mature enough to make good health conscious decisions every day, nor should they have that pressure.  There are simple things to change first, for example; instead if a sugary soda or fruit juice, pass them an apple or other high fiber piece of fruit and a bottle of water.  Instead of a candy bar, how about a cheese stick?  The statistic below are scary, but preventable especially in our own country. 

Now going back for a moment, lets look at Macronutrients and Micronutrients.  We looked at Macros and few weeks ago to really analyze our dietary intake.  As mentioned, it's a GREAT beginning step toward grasping your nutritional needs in regards to calories from Fats, Carbohydrates, and Proteins.  Counting Macros helps us know where our caloric intake stands, and gives us the knowledge to make adjustments to our diet to hit our personal goals.  Micros on the other hand are not as easy, but honestly more important.  As your goals for a healthier lifestyle become more advanced and you are successfully living a healthier lifestyle, it's time to look into your micros.  These are the vitamin and mineral levels within your body.  The only way to know for certain what your levels are is through a blood test.  An local family doctor or laboratory can do a simple blood test for you that will show you your deficiencies if you have any.  Many premier athletes have blood tests regularly.  When you study your results, eating becomes more centered around your bodies needs nutritionally, and not just for energy (macros).  Counting macros is not something you really think about as much because by this time you have a great idea of how much of each macro you are roughly consuming.  More thought goes into eating for your micros.  The best part about formulating your diet for micros is you are naturally going to eat whole nutritious foods....why?!?!?!?!  Because you are not going to increase your low vitamin B12 levels from a snickers bar every day.  You may be striving to eat more green leafy veggies for folate, vitamin K, vitamin E, Vitamin K, iron, or magnesium.  Perhaps your vitamin C is low and you need more bright colored fruits and veggies.  These are just quick examples, there are many charts out there to help you.  Side note: please stay away from the "fortified" foods.  Much of the nutritional value in "fortified" foods are lost in processing. 

Below I'm going to share with you some common charts.  For the next few weeks, I would like to get more in depth with each vitamin and mineral, it's purpose, and how to get more of it in a healthy way. 

Take the next step toward your health and have a blood analysis done.  There is truly no harm that can come from a simple blood test, only knowledge to gain.

Last week I missed my blog time and I apologize to those whom were looking forward to it, but life got in the way and this is okay.  So this week, I'm going to keep this short and sweet.  We are going a little off track, but still express maybe the most important aspect of life...to find enjoyment.  Don't stress each and every day about what you don't have in front of you.  Stop feeling like you are never going to reach your goals.  STOP being in such a hurry for everything to be the way you think it needs to be.  Sometimes, you don't have those controls and you need to find acceptance.  Acceptance that not everything happens overnight and you need to work on patience.   It's okay to slow down and reflect, smile, do something for yourself that you enjoy.
I hear too often how everyone is so unhappy with themselves.  How they need to lose weight to feel better about themselves.  How they don't have time to even think about eating healthy or exercising for a hour a few times a week.  As a mom, business owner, farm owner, etc, I do know the struggles of making time.  Here's the thing; make your "ME" time a priority, and get creative with your health and fitness.  Not all of your "workouts" must be on your own in a gym every week.  Include your partner, kids, coworkers, or friends.  Involving your spouse/partner is a great first step.  Yes, there might be a struggle at first, but at least try to involve them and get creative with your fitness time.  Kids are another GREAT way to not only help you spend time with them and get your workouts in, but it is SO AWESOME to get them active and enjoying new things also. 

My time is not spent in the gym all summer long.  As a family we play together and stay active while enjoying some fun down time.  For instance, we LOVE to bike, go for runs and/or walks, kayak, swim, ride horses, and lift weights together.  The kids are always the first on the bus so-to-speak when I mention we are going for a family run, but you need to make it creative.  Make it a fun game, do a few little races, or explore new places on runs.  I do want to share with you our personal time to give you a few ideas of how to snatch up that little bit of free time and make it productive for your health while also enjoying LIFE. 

I understand that not everyone has kids old enough to do all of the above, but you can also find peace in doing these things alone.  The picture above in the snow with my dog is pretty significant to me.  I am not from Northern Michigan, so I have had a slightly difficult time accepting how long the winters last up here.  The summer of 2017 didn't feel like much of a summer up here and I was dreading another upcoming winter.  The simple thought of cold wintery and snow filled days were dreadful.  When you own a farm, you don't get to take snow days in life anymore.  You go outside to work even when its -20 degrees with wind and snow and deal with it, so naturally you start to feel a little frustration with it all.  Well, I am a firm believer in everything happening for a reason, even when they are not always great things.  The fall of 2017, our big Akita had a spine-stroke and had severe paralysis of one hind leg.  I was intent on doing all I could to restore at least a little "livable" function in that hind leg, so therapy was paramount.  His therapy started immediately and sure enough carried out into the winter.  I had a purpose and a mission that winter, and it was to walk/hike with this pup at least 4 days a week.  Over the course of the LONG, snowy, cold, winter, we worked together and regained 85-90 percent of his function back.  The function for him was the most important, but there was so much more to just the physical therapy.  Emotionally I watched this dog come back to life and LOVE going for our snow hikes together.  Even more than that, I found myself enjoying all of our hikes together.  That was my time to reflect and spend on myself.  Not only was I getting in a killer workout hiking through some of the deepest snow in the middle of snowstorms for around 2+ miles, but I had prayer time and peace.  I actually enjoyed winter last year since I had a purpose and mission.  I looked forward to the fresh snow to hike on during the week.  My point being, stop complaining about how you can't find time for yourself, your family, and fitness, make it a priority and you will make time. 

As an active family, we try to encourage others around us also to step out and do more active things.  In the last few weeks, we have kayaked as an office together, which was so much fun.  Leaving the work environment and enjoying each others company helps the entire team.  This last weekend, our non-profit put together a memorial paddle with a group of veterans.  This paddle was not only our workout for the day, but more importantly we spent time as a family reaching out to local veterans to try and give a little something back to them for all that they have done for us.  Our kids were active with us, and they had the opportunity to meet veterans and their families, while understanding the meaning of what we were doing. 

Lastly, please keep a positive and open mind about fitness, family time, and fun.  Last week we had a little family adventure, we bought an old vintage camper.  It was our project for the week, and what a week it was!  Ideally I had seven days to remodel this little camper so we could potentially use it for the weekend.  It was quite the commitment, but I recruited my little team of helpers and we did it!  The sole purpose was to make this a little playhouse/overnight cabin for our daughters.  A fun little space to hangout in, with the added bonus of bringing it to local camp grounds for fun.  I would be lying if I told you it was super easy, but we did have an absolute blast.  We all worked together, through blood, sweat, and tears (maybe not tears), and were able to turn the camper into the most romantic little hot spot for our 15th wedding anniversary dinner 6 days after acquiring the camper.  You are probably wondering what this has to do with fitness.  I doesn't really, except the fact that I didn't workout all week last week and it's okay.  I didn't beat myself up, get discouraged, quit my training, or anything like that at all.  It was fun family adventure time, that I wouldn't give back for any workouts.  It's okay to not hit every single workout every single week.  YES, you need to stay on track and continue to stay active, but it's okay to find time for adventures too.  As long as you get right back into your workouts, and continue to eat healthy, you are not losing any battle.  Life can pass you by so very quickly, don't focus on what you are not accomplishing.  Rather, focus on being patient, positive, and proactive so you can enjoy all that life has to offer.  I leave you with some fun camper pictures from last week.  Thanks for letting me take the week off last week while we were crazy busy.  I promise to bring everyone more great info next week. 

A few years ago I stumbled upon these two words an it felt like the fitness universe finally came together.  It all made sense and almost everything was right in the world...almost everything.  Now people just need to start embracing health and fitness as a way of life instead of letting the days of their lives slip away from them as unhappy and unhealthy people. 

The definition is simple: functional fitness is a personal fitness program that will help you function at a higher fitness level in daily activities. Helping to function more efficiently and safer.  Training your body to handle real life situations. A huge emphasis on core strength and stability, balance, endurance, flexibility, and overall strength.  It can enhance the coordinated working relationship between the nervous and muscular systems of the body.  Below is a basic list to recognize the benefits:

-Improves balance and coordination
-Is designed to optimize movement
-Enhances athletic performance
-Increases strength and endurance
-Helps your muscles recover faster from injuries
-Strengthens your core muscles
-Involves compound exercises that mimic real life movements
-Suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels
-Restores posture, muscle imbalances, and dynamic stability
-Burns fat
-Relieves stress

So what are we talking about with all this?  Really it's a mixture of training programs that focuses on exercises that are going to help you in you everyday life.  What I enjoy the absolute MOST about functional fitness is that it can be yours to own.  You can decide yourself, or with the help of a trainer/professional, what you really need to focus on in your workouts.  Someone in the military, police, fire dept, etc may choose to focus their workouts on strengthening movements with the added bonus of stability, mobility, etc.  Where someone that is in their senior years will have a primary focus of balance, then strength, posture, stability, etc.  The exercises are even great for young athletes to get started on strength/core training.  This is why I love functional fitness so much, it's adaptable to your personal preference.  When utilized correctly, your muscles learn how to engage properly and that decreases personal injury rates immensely.  The majority of functional exercises use compound movements.  Movements that incorporate multiple muscles and joints at the same time are compound movements.  Now, if you are a bodybuilder and want to increase your bicep peak, by all means have at the billion bicep curls you are doing.  Not going to lie, I love the feeling of a good pump in my biceps by doing curls.  On that note, I will do those cute little bicep curls at the end of my full body workouts if I am not already blasted and I have enough time.  The same goes for leg extensions.  These work on primarily your quad strength and aesthetics, but do very little on the "transfer effect" of daily living strength.  Instead, walk past that machine and do some squatting. 

Time management, the key word being TIME!  If you are trying to get into better shape whether it is losing weight, heart health, getting stronger, etc, your time management plays a pretty big role.  Not everyone has 2 hours to spend at the gym 6 days a week.  I think I am speaking to the majority here when I say it would be darn nice to get a killer strength workout in while doing cardio at the same time in under 45 minutes 3-5 days a week.  Functional training programs put all of this together.  They hit almost all beneficial levels of fitness in a time manageable way for the average person.

Before I glorify this too much, let me pull back and clarify some things also.   Just like a lot of the trends in the fitness industry, this came in as the latest and greatest explosion recently.  It's actually been around for many many years from physical therapists.  Their job is obviously to get you to heal from an injury to get back to your activities of daily living with less pain.  Then the crossfit revolution hit around the year 2000.  These seemed to somewhat mesh together in my opinion.  So why not promote crossfit you may ask...I will never tell you that I don't promote crossfit.  I happily promote anything that helps our society find health and fitness.  I personally do a lot of crossfit, just not in a box (crossfit facility).  This is because I have taken years to tweek my own personal workout programs that I enjoy doing at my schedule and my pace.   As you read last week, I tailor my workouts on how I feel.  I like a mix everything up to keep challenging myself.  My only 2 cents on Crossfit is this: push yourself against yourself, not your gym crew.  Too many injuries are made from coaches that aren't paying enough attention to keep you safe.  Not that it is the coaches fault, but know your limits and stay safe.  A great coach will know how to start you slow, get the patterns/moves correct, and strive to keep you safe.  I know a lot of people that love crossfit because they don't have to plan their own workouts.  It's one less thing they have to think about, and that's great too. 

If you hop online and do a little google search about Functional Fitness, you do get a little bit of a variety and some not so optimal training ideas.  Every industry has their idiots (true statement #sorrynotsorry).  When you take the functional fitness people trying to promote stabilization and strength, with a few dim light bulbs that see an exercise ball, you get some idiot that tries to barbell squat while standing on an exercise ball.  Please use sense when lifting, it may save your life. 

I'm going to put ideas together along with a list of types of equipment for functional training, but there is one last VERY important point to make first.  It is not recommended to jump right into a functional fitness program that you might see on YouTube or a google search.  If you do not currently workout or are not familiar with compound lifting, you need to spend some time finding your weaknesses if you have them (and we all typically do).  This is where injuries happen frequently.  Often people initially exceed their own physical capabilities of the average exerciser and this leads to injury. 
         Stability  Stability Stability

The most important foundation of any training program. 

The three key groups in need of stability training are:

1. the deep abdominal (transverse abdominal and internal oblique),
   
2. the hip abductors and rotators
   
3. the scapula stabilizers.

Lower Back and shoulder injuries are by far the most common lifting/fitness related injuries.  Often times, the injured individual has no idea that the majority of the injuries are caused by weakness of the stabilization muscles of that area.  For instance. without strong scapular stabilizers, the shoulder is subjected to serious injury.  The muscles holding that shoulder are directly linked to the shoulder joint - makes sense since it is nicknamed the shoulder blade.  Similarly, your deep core muscles have a huge effect on your lower back integrity.  Research has proven that both the transverse abdoninals and multifidus muscles experience rapid atrophy  after a low back episode. (Multifidius, Transverse Abdonimals, and the pelvic floor muscles function together to stabilize the lower back before movement begins)

*As always, consulting with your primary care physician is recommended before the start of any workout program. 

Besides the above that I have to mention, my personal recommendations for a someone exploring the idea of functional fitness is 1 of 2 things.  One option is starting very slow as a beginner and focus only on body weight exercises.  Basic air squats, planks, pushups, assisted pullups, etc are a great foundation to build strength and stability to carry over into the more difficult exercises.  Having a mirror or now days a selfie video is a great way to assess your body while doing these exercises.  Examples: while squatting: lower yourself so your thighs are parallel with the floor or below, back straight, shoulders up, heels down.  Planks and pushups: body a flat line without sinking or bridging of the pelvis.  Pull-ups: start in the completely lowered position, retract scapulas first, then pull body weight up (assisted with a long band if needed). Secondly, find a gym or fitness trainer to work with that can help you get started.  They can help you with form, addressing weaknesses, and give you exercises to help get you started and avoid injury.
 
My 2 cents about gyms...I can't tell you how often I hear people complain about not being a "gym" person, but seconds later say that they can't find the discipline to workout at home.  You can't say these two things in the same conversation!  Yet, I hear it ALL OF THE TIME!  So I understand the discipline factor of having trouble working out at home, especially in the winter.  I have a home gym myself, but you are likely going to find me at my regular commercial gym.  I too struggle with this, especially as a mom.  If I'm home, I'm doing laundry, picking up the house, making food, putting list together for shopping, etc.  Before you know it, time is up and you need to run and get kids from something, then boom your day is gone and you didn't work out.   Knowing you have to make time to LEAVE and go to the gym for an hourish is easier (for me), it's scheduled in just like the rest of the important stuff.  Summertime has the added bonus of longer day light hours and more workouts outside even with the family, like biking, hiking, paddling, and running.  Now back to not being a gym person...my question is why aren't you a "gym" person?  If you have ever stepped into a gym, then you know there are all kinds of makes and models sort-a-speak.  Not everyone in a gym is a week away from a bodybuilding show, it's actually quite the opposite.  A small amount of people may be ripped up, but I can almost guarantee you that those people are likely to be some of the nicest and happiest that you are there working out too (as long as you have good gym etiquette of course.)  Do you feel uncomfortable about the machines?  If yes, then either spend some time scoping those machines and users out while doing some cardio nearby, or just simply ask.  The people that work at these gyms and even own them are typically very happy to help.  Some trainers even offer up a free training session upon your initial signup, just ask.  Do you feel not strong enough in comparison to others?  This one I know is very common, especially for the men.  They are afraid to walk into the squat rack and squat 45 lbs when the  last dude just squatted 300+.  Believe it or not, that dude that just finished the 300+lbs, once squatted 45 lbs also, then worked his butt off to get to 300+lbs.  Please don't ever feel intimidated by people judging you at the gym.  Nobody knows if what you are benching that day is your true maximum bench.  Maybe you went wakeboarding or wall climbing the day before and are still sightly fatigued, so you are lifting light that day, honestly do you really truly care what someone might think?  What you are doing in the gym is not affecting their life, but it is affecting yours so don't be nervous about others.  I guess that was a long 2cents, but I have been wanting to say that for a long time.

Okay.....my lists for Functional Fitness

Equipment: You may not even need equipment to get started, but below is a list of suggestions to keep things interesting and challenging.

1. Barbell : by far my first on this list.  (my favorite price of equipment)
2. dumbbells
3. fitness rubber bands - multiple sizes
4. medicine balls (multiple weights)
5. exercise ball
6. wooden box (18in, 24in, or 36in)
7. sandbag
8. TRX bands

All of the above are "ideal" but definitely not mandatory to start.  I will say, most gyms already carry all of the above for you to use.  As a beginner, dumbbells are a great starter to just slowly add weight to body weight exercises.

Basic Body Weight Exercises

1. Squats!!: regular squats, sumo, close stance, pistols, split, jump (JUST SQUAT!)
2. Pushups (keep those elbows tucked in or at the most 45 degrees out)
3. Pull-ups (banded if needed)
4. Lying hip raises/hamstring bridges
5. Lunges: All the kinds, front, back, to the side, switch jump
6. Planks: on elbows, on hands, one arm, one leg, leg extensions with one arm reaches, rotating hip touches
7. Burpees, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, jumping rope, knee high running in place

Weighted Exercises: The weights can be the barbell, dumbbells, kettle bells, or sandbag

1. Squats: All varieties
2. Deadlifts : many varieties
3. Lunges
4. Cleans and Presses
5. Step ups (box step ups)
6. Farmer Carries
7. Bench Press
8. Rows
9. Thrusters
10. Get-ups

Workout example: Let's take the lunges with a kettle bell or dumbbell in the front rack position.  As you go into the lunge, your core is stabilizing your entire body.  Your feet, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, and arms all work together to make this movement.  These types of compound movements build strength and stability.  Multi-planar movements produce power, strength, stability, and improve reaction time.
How do we put this all together?  Make a goal for how many days in the week you want to incorporate a function fitness workout.  They can be pretty demanding so maybe start with 2-3 days a week.  Aim for at least about 30-45 minute workout.  If you have a time restraint, you can bust a hard workout in under 25 minutes, but you better make it worthy and difficult.  DO NOT try to go all out your first couple of workouts, no need for heart attacks or the inability to function the next day.  You can do these as just body weight at a tempo similar to Tabata.  Your phone likely has a tabata timer app to help you time yourself.  If you are going to push yourself with weights, you can tone the timer part down and/or just shoot for "cycles".  By cycles I mean pick 3-5 exercises to do in a particular order, then repeat them 4-8 times.
Example of one of my cycles: 

1. Barbell Squats (light) x 10-15
2. Jump Squats (15lb-20lb dumbbells) 12-15
3. Barbell Bench (light)10-12
4. Sandbag Get-ups 45lb sandbag on shoulders Left x 10 and Right x 10

Do 1-4 above in order to make cycle #1, then repeat for as many cycles as you set your goal to.  Sufficient breaks between cycles.

Example for a Beginner:

1. Air Squats x 10
2. Push-ups x10
3. Mountain Climbers x 10
4. Lunges Left x 10/ Right x 10 or 5 left and 5 right
5. Burpees

Do 1-5 above and cycle 4-8 times.  Take a 1 minute break between each cycle.

Example for Intermediate:

1. Thrusters (barbell or Dumbbell)
2. Sandbag Row
3. Weighted jump squats (dumbbell)
4. Pushups
5. Planks

Same idea, 1-4 for 10 reps each, break, and cycle for 3-5 more times.

The idea is to build strength while also getting your heart rate up to get some great cardio work in.  You can always add in a slower run or bike ride to for more aerobic aspects to your workouts, or just do those things on our active recovery days.  The first few weeks, you may simply want to write all of the exercises down, take a sneak peak on youtube how to do them if you are unsure, and then just practice form and flow before you make them into a full workout.  Like I mentioned earlier, building a strong core and posterior chain (back, booty, and legs) is far more beneficial to every day living than a little 2 mile elliptical stroll and bicep curls if you are really looking at getting healthier and stronger.  Not saying the elliptical and curls are bad, because they are way better than your couch and curling a beer to your lips, but I think you know what I am getting at for this segment.  I have seen some pretty cool animations of proper lifting form.  If I find the links, I'll definitely try to put them together.  Maybe next week I will go into form.  Form is Key in the fitness world, and the absolute foundation to a healthy program.

If there is interest, I can start throwing a few workout programs on here to help everyone.  They will basically be my workouts and you can tone them down or go harder, your preference.  My weeks do incorporate these functional fitness days, but I also mix in many pure strength training and cardio specific days into my schedule.  Together they hit all aspects of training.  Even though I am approaching forty, I still consider myself an athlete.  I will continue to work hard to keep myself worthy of that title. 

Check out this link below.  The initial video just gives you an idea of what functional fitness is about, plus gives you a little extra motivation.
f45training.com/