The path to a well rested body and healthy capacity. Are you ready? REST IS THE NEW SPORT www.restisthenewsport.com.

The path to a well rested body and healthy capacity. Are you ready?  REST IS THE NEW SPORT now available in U.S. and U.K.

Congrats to Jef Geys!

Rest Is The New Sport publishes in U.S. and U.K. 11/21

https://www.amazon.com/Rest-New-Sport-Identify-biological-ebook/dp/B077CJ7TM5
“This book (REST IS THE NEW SPORT) is the result of 15 years of my own research and experience surveying 8000 people–both professional athletes and average joes. It gives my great satisfaction to help you better understand your body and to offer personal advice based on your specific type of fatigue. Everything begins with ensuring your body is well-rested.”

-Jef Geys- 

From working with the Special Forces in Belgium-men who need to be sharp and in optimal shape because their lives and ours depend on it--I feel I need to advise you strongly to take care of yourself, to make sure you are well-rested and to believe and try what I propose. Your responsibilities, at home and professionally, depend on recovery of every aspect of your body.

-Jef Geys

NOVEMBER 21st, Rest is the New Sport is published in U.S.!

New Jef Geys' Irish Indepenndent  interview about The 5 Signs of Burnout and Train Hard Rest harder,

Let's talk biochemistry, the environment in which your cells-the building blocks of everything in your body-are located. Your acid levels and fluid systems are part of this biochemistry. Pollution and mineral deficiencies can disrupt it.

Determining your biochemistry is comparable to testing the water in a pond. A panel of tests--a biochemical profile--evaluates the function of your organs and other internal processes.

When your biochemistry is healthy, recovery and everything that goes with it takes place according to plan. You quickly absorb all the nutrients for more energy, your body can handle physical performance, and toxic substances are eliminated while you sleep.

However, if your environment is polluted, recovery takes more effort. You're also more vulnerable to outside intruders, like viruses and bacteria. You have unspecified illnesses and various physical complaints, which only add to your fatigue.

Ironically, prolonged fatigue is often the cause of a polluted biochemistry, so you can quickly end up in a downward spiral. A polluted environment can lead to more serious illnesses, like cancer.

This biochemistry takes place below the surface. When you recover from a burnout, it might seem-on the surface-that you're cured. But you're still polluted and not fully capable of handling stressors and other external influences. So, the trick for covering from fatigue is also to fix your biochemistry.

Recovery is more than putting on a new lick of paint. It's about deep cleaning your environment, so you make the foundation stronger for everything coming at you. Only when your environment is clean and your intestines work properly can you get the necessary energty from your food--for instance.

Jef Geys, from REST IS THE NEW SPORT. Pub 11/21

CONSIDER...
When you are fatigued and want to start exercising, be aware of your fatigue. When you give an already fatigued body even more stressors, in the long run, you will inevitably suffer from exhaustion, burnout, depression.

PLAN..
When you start to exercise, it's important to get a personal trainer to help you put together a program tailored to your fatigue and level of fitness at the start, and that includes rest and recovery. A good personal trainer is expensive, but so is the price you pay if your body slowly deteriorates.

FOREWORD REVIEWS just shipped thealth issue with great REST review

https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/rest-is-the-new-sport/

REST IS THE NEW SPORT

Jef Geys
PrimeFit (Aug 8, 2017)
Softcover $16.99 (176pp)
978-908273100-2

Do you go to bed tired and wake up tired in the morning? Do you have burnout—difficulty concentrating, trouble sleeping, or an elevated heart rate? Jef Geys, a sports physiotherapist and osteopath with fifteen years of research and experience working with special forces in Belgium’s military, writes that these symptoms, and many others not usually associated with fatigue, are signs that your body is not recuperating from the stress caused by time pressures, daily responsibilities, and physical exertion.

Geys writes that while stress itself isn’t necessarily unhealthy—our bodies are programmed to respond to sudden, temporary threats followed by a recovery period—living in a state of perpetual “overdrive” puts our health at risk. “A charging lion is an acute but temporary threat,” he writes. “The problem is that our present-day challenges last longer, they pile up, and flight is not an option.”

His research into the body’s need for recovery after exertion revealed that seven out of every ten people are too fatigued to engage in a physical training program without risk of injury and eventual illness. These days, even our supposed “downtime,” filled with  the errands and chores left undone during the hectic work week and topped off with a workout, has become stressful. This causes the body to forget how to switch into its recovery phase, and we’re left “running on fumes.”

Geys identifies the four types of fatigue—physical, hormonal, mental, and metabolic—teaches how to identify which of them we are experiencing, and gives specific recovery training plans and nutritional guidelines for each. “The trick,” he says, “is not to reduce your stress stimuli, but to increase your capacity. You do that by properly recovering from your exertions.”

Reviewed by Kristine Morris
November/December 2017

When is determining your heart rate at rest better than a stress test?

A maximum stress test is not the best way to determine the heart rate zones for your fatigued body's recovery training, since it creates an extra stressor. Instead work with a personal trainer who can determine your resting heart rate. You won't have to summon any extra motivation, and your fatigue, energy level and personal problems won't affect the measurements.

Have you considered mental health when you are physically fatigued?

" Exhaustion leads to a decreased release of adrenalin, which in turn can hinder the production of the enjoyment hormone dopamine. This can lead to mood swings or crying fits. You reach for stimulants like alcohol, nicotine, sex, or extreme sports."--Jef Geys

Is your Training in balance?

" Even when you train toward a goal, it's essential that you allow your body to recover. You have to find a balance between exertion and rest. Recovery training is appropriate after an exhausting day, but also after intense weight and cardio training. Walk or cycle for 15 min. directly after your session, and your stress and adrenoline levels will go down, which allows you to fall asleep easier later on."

Jef Geys from REST IS THE NEW SPORT

Which Sports Type Are You? Did you know your body carries the past with it? No sports past, a sprinting past, a past in ball games, a past in endurance.

When putting together a training plan it is important to consider the kind of exercise you did between the age of 12 and 20. You begin to develop your endurance around 12 and during the next 8 years, while your body is still developing, you program yourself. You can program yourself when older, but it just takes more effort."

--Jef Geys, REST IS THE NEW SPORT

Artificial light color and your sleep--From REST IS THE NEW SPORT.

We all know artificial light affects sleep but did you know the color is even more important than the intensity of the light? A few other facts from this very interesting thorough book.

*White-blue light stops the secretion of your sleep hormone metatonin. It makes you active and clear-headed. It stimulates you, so it's ideal for feeling fit during the day."

*Yellow-blue light also supresses melatonin production.

*Red light spurs the production of metatonin. It's wam, cozy and relaxing.

(Book available U.S. and U.K. 11/21)

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/fitness/rest-is-the-new-sport-four-roads-to-fatigue-1.3238193?mode=amp

CAN PHYSICAL EXERCISE DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH? Physical exercise can result in injuries, often due to lack of preparation and knowledge of both the body and training. Consider the importance of a warmup, stretching, proper hydration, recovery, diet, as well as importance of dietary supplemens, good running shoes, technique. The more intensely you exercise, the more you risk discomfort or injury, from tendonitis to joint wear and tear caused by dehydration. If uou're addicted to exercise, you may find it hard to rest until an injury is completely healed. Overdoing it is the norm for hard-core exercisers.

Professional athletes can count on a team of specialists, including kinetic therapists, personal trainers, mental coaches and dieticians. They get the necessary support, which helps to keep their risk of injury low as possible. They also prepare for their physical performance with a well-thought-out training schedule. That's the difference between professional and amateur sports. I can't overstate the value of a good training program. So many of us just do whatever, without giving much thought to the extreme performance and conditions we expose our body to. We work out without a proper schedule and we ignore the need for rest and recovery.

Health tip 

A lack of physical recovery can lead to different types of fatigue. Do you know the 4 types?
Physical fatigue (You go into overdrive)
hormonal fatigue (from prolonged stress)
mental fatigue (too much traffic in your head,
metabolic fatigue (reoccuring illness often after a time of stress)

Jef Geys shows how to assess which one(s) you may have and offers plans for recovery.

Do you know the 3 phases of stress--From Burn-in to Burn-out? Since burnout is the last stage--the stage of complete exhaustion--it's important to detect burn-in on time. We aren't talking one night on the town. It develops over months, even years. Why screening fatigue is essential.

Advance, Foreword Reviews Health & Fitness

Rest is the New Sport
Jef Geys
PrimeFit (Aug 8, 2017) Softcover $16.99 (176pp) 978-908273100-2

Do you go to bed tired and wake up tired in the morning? Do you have difficulty concentrating, trouble sleeping, an elevated heart rate, palpitations, burnout? Jef Geys, an exercise physiotherapist and osteopath with fifteen years of research and experience working with special forces in Belgium’s military, writes that these symptoms, and many others not usually associated with fatigue, are signs that your body is not recuperating from the stress caused by time pressures, daily responsibilities, and physical exertion.

Geys writes that while stress itself isn’t necessarily unhealthy—our bodies are programmed to respond to sudden, temporary threats followed by a recovery period—living in a state of perpetual “overdrive” puts our health at risk. “A charging lion is an acute but temporary threat,” he writes. “The problem is that our present-day challenges last longer, they pile up, and flight is not an option.”

His research into the body’s need for recovery after exertion revealed that seven out of every ten people are too fatigued to engage in a physical training program without risk of injury and eventual illness. These days, even our supposed “downtime,” filled with the errands and chores left undone during the hectic work week and topped off with a workout, has become stressful. This causes the body to forget how to switch into its recovery phase, and we’re left “running on fumes.”

Geys identifies the four types of fatigue—physical, hormonal, mental, and metabolic—teaches how to identify which of them we are experiencing, and gives specific recovery training plans and nutritional guidelines for each.

“The trick,” he says, “is not to reduce your stress stimuli, but to increase your capacity. You do that by properly recovering from your exertions.”

KRISTINE MORRIS (November/December 2017)

"A person with normal fatigue feels tired, a person with abormal fatigue," feels sick. This book by my good friend Jef Geys deals with preventing and addressing unspecified fatigue."

Dr. Chris Mertens, foreword to REST IS THE NEW SPORT

https://www.facebook.com/restisthenewsport/


I  don't know about you but I have always been less than an enthusiast for sports and physical exercise. I acknowledge the health benefits and currently lap swim but much prefer mental exercise so I found the title of this book intriguing. The story behind it is all the better because it's true.

When Jef Geys was a competitive cyclist, he believed that the more you train the better you are, until he faced exhaustion so complete he was forced to rest.  After an extended time without training, he entered a competition and won a race. His belief changed to the question, How little should I train to be in top shape; and a new quest—to understand how to achieve maximal health, not for professional athletes but anyone undergoing the stress of modern life.

REST IS THE NEW SPORT, a bestseller in Europe, (PrimeFit Nov.), will soon be available in the first English language edition. Geys has a refreshingly scientific approach. He looks at stress and its relationship to fatigue, identifying types—mental, hormonal, physical, metabolic--and ways to prevent it, recover and create balance.  Because reducing stress is not as important as expanding the capacity to adapt and recover, “silver bullets,” like diet, exercise, meditation that only treat symptoms, are less effective than identifying the underlying problem.

That was a surprise, what I thought were solutions are just bandaids. This book allows any reader to assess both his condition AND his goals. Why is this important? Many personal trainers begin with a person's goals, not assessing their actual condition, though "getting in shape" has different risks for an individual who's not a lifelong athlete. I once tried lifting weights and, while enthusiastically performing the expected "beginner"repetitions, suffered a back injury. Then there was the knee injury on the Versa Climber that led to surgery. With a real assessment, I might have learned to curb my enthusiasm. 

Like many urban dwellers, I suffer mental fatigue and try to treat it with physical fatigue to little avail. I found it interesting to understand the physical processes in fatigue and how they affect the body’s major systems. Every chapter shows basic principles, such as Geys’ Daily Nutrition program for everyone, which shows individuals how to eat by type of fatigue and stress level.  In the process, questions such as how people can relax when mentally fatigued and when exercise may be detrimental, are answered.

This very thorough book enables readers to evaluate their conditions, consider the underlying reasons and solutions to preventing fatigue, and ultimately target their optimal health. Holistic is an often misunderstood term, yet in this clear and factual book, Jef Geys gives real substance to the idea of balancing, mind, body and spirit.  It is a new classic. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jef Geys, sports physiotherapist, osteopath, and former cyclist, starts with the premise that the body must first be in balance and good condition before effort. A native of Flanders, Belgium, he has successfully treated Olympic athletes, and regular people concerned with maximal health. 

A short interview with Jef Geys

Q. How did your experience as a competitive cyclist change your belief that "the more you train, the better you are at it?"

A. At 20 years old, once in a while I would win a race but I was without a doubt the champion of training. I could train longer and harder than anyone. But when overtraining syndrome hit me, I was forced to stop completely for the first time in my life. I was training within the limits of human capacity and I would never get sick, yet my body didn’t let me continue. I was extremely confused because I was one of those rare people who actually follow doctor’s advice, almost obsessively, so something couldn’t be right. I had no virus or infection.

Q.  What happened when you entered a competition after enforced rest and no training?

A. Two weeks after absolute rest, I was given the green light to test myself and “slowly” begin training. I was simply going to start with the same routine, after all what had happened to me was clearly something unrelated to my physical condition (or so I thought). I had always felt great training. Following my usually impulsive nature, I inscribed myself in the next race, just to see if I was still in shape, not expecting much. As I started the race I felt very strong and wondered when the rush of energy would wear off.  To my own amazement, it didn’t and I found myself winning the race effortlessly.

Q.  Is that how your question became "How little should I train to be in top shape?"

A. I didn’t win too many races or become a legend of cycling, but this was the moment I realized there was a strong relationship between rest and performance. Somehow that was being undermined. I experimented for the rest of my cycling career with rest and performance with surprising results.

Q.  What are signs of fatigue and when should a person pay attention to them?

A. Most people have a routine (average sleeping time, waking up at a certain time, showering, breakfast, work, leaving work) Within this “usual” routine a person expects a certain daily performance. If this changes for no apparent reason (prolonged sleeping schedule changes, sickness, new babies at home) and they wake up feeling tired and it takes  longer to feel  rested; if  they experience brain fog, muscle pain, they should take note of the changes. This fatigue is abnormal and they may want to seek medical opinion to check what's wrong.

Q.  What is fatigue, when is it normal or not?

Fatigue is a feeling of weakness. When we speak about physical fatigue, we experience our muscles not responding, a lack of energy. When we speak about mental fatigue, it's difficult to focus. There can be brain fog, irritation, lack of initiative. Fatigue is a nonspecific symptom, meaning it can be caused by many different factors. If you’re sick, then feeling tired is undoubtedly normal. But if you’re in good health and one day your usual morning walk to work leaves you panting, catching your breath and dizzy; we are talking about something abnormal.

Q.  Can trainers create a personal fitness plan based on a type of fatigue and its severity?

A. No. In my experience, a trainer starts assuming the body is in balance. They can be aware of the fatigue or impact of the training on the body, but most of them assume generalizations such as: after high intensity training your muscles need between 48-72hs of recovery. Most trainers are not aware of the general population with no sports past, so even if the results/performance that they get from them may be the same as someone with an athletic past, the biological cost is probably much higher. For a trainer to achieve this, they should understand the impact of their schedule, family situation and be able to monitor to assess the readiness (best moment of the day to train maintaining risk of low injury while getting the highest performance).

Q.  What is the relationship between stress and fatigue?

A. Inadequate stress management may lead to fatigue. Stress is not itself the problem, stress is necessary. For example in situations of extreme danger like a terrorist attack or a natural disaster we are able to perform extraordinary feats, like the mother who lifted a Jeep with her bare hands to free her baby. This reaction is normal, the problem today is that we get stressed by insignificant things, for example a long queue at the supermarket, the battery of your smartphone died too early, a traffic jam. When we don’t have enough time to recover from so much stressful stimuli, it results in fatigue. The impact of these small stressors accumulate and sleep is not enough anymore to regain balance.

Q.  Is REST THE NEW SPORT?

A. The title was supposed to be a provocation, because at the end of the day many more things than just good rest should be correctly managed to achieve a balanced body. But in this rat race we’re at, too often without choice, we find ourselves in a performance loop where if we need REST we are somehow considered weak, so we devalue our sleep. Sleep is the most accessible, inexpensive medication and yet it has become a luxury, but we spend more and more in medication to treat symptoms that could probably be handled with proper rest in the first place.