Do you suffer with lower back pain? Would you spend $499 to get permanent relief? In one week, you will begin getting relief. In five weeks, you will be pain free.

I guarantee this simple exercise program will work for you, or I will refund every penny of your money. Who else offers a money-back guarantee? Have you been to doctors, chiropractors, or massage therapists and spent tons of money with little or no relief? Have they refunded any of your money? I guarantee results, but I have never yet had to refund a dime, because this program works.

The program consists of 3 simple relaxing exercises you do on your own every day for a month. In addition you will work with me two days a week for five weeks - 10 sessions in all. After that, if you continue doing the 3 simple exercises three days a week on your own, you will not experience any more back pain. To set up a free, no-obligation consultation, give me a call at 803-447-8557 or email me at tim@grahamfitness.com.

A Word or Two about My Sponsors  

The advertisers you see on the right side of this newsletter every month have been with me for years. They are all fine businesses that do an outstanding job, so I'd like to give them a special shout out.

Discount Tire of Irmo. Finding a good mechanic is like finding a good doctor. Larry Warner and his team have been taking care of my cars for years. They're great at what they do, and wonderful to deal with.

Harbison Rec Center. This is a great facility that is reasonably priced. It offers a junior Olympic size swimming pool, a sauna, a whirlpool, a fully-equipped weight room, and a cardio room, as well as a lot more. I do most of my training here. Check 'em out.

Wolf's Fitness Center. Great people. Excellent gym. There's a huge weight room and cardio theater, multiple classes from spinning to TRX, and even child care services. I've worked out at just about every gym in town, and this is my favorite.

Rep and Run. If you're looking for fitness equipment for your home or office, give Jason Puckett a call. He offers a 20% discount to subscribers of this newsletter. He's a great guy too.

                Six weeks into the New Year, many of those who made resolutions to begin a workout program this year have already fizzled out. Others have established a routine and are making good progress toward their goals. Why do some stick with their new exercise program while most don't?

            A behavioral study survey given to 3,000 gym goers endeavored to find out the answer to that question. What the survey revealed is that gym members can generally be categorized into five different groups which are labeled as Strivers, Planners, Buddies, Rookies, and Techies. The key to maintaining a workout program over the long haul is to determine which group you fall into and adapt your workouts accordingly.

            Strivers don't just workout for its own sake. They need to train for a specific event such as a 5k race, a marathon, or a mud run. If you think you are a Striver, it's important for you to always have the next event on your calendar.

            Planners tend to be busy people who plan their workouts into their schedule. They may do this on a weekly or daily basis, but once scheduled, they do not let unforeseen events come between them and their workouts. For this reason, most Planners prefer to schedule their workouts early in the morning. This is the category I fall into. Each day I look at my schedule, see where I have the time for my strength workout and run, and write it down. Once scheduled, it's an appointment as important as anything else I do.

            Buddies don't enjoy working out alone. They prefer to have a workout partner. Workout partners are good because they can push you to train harder, help relieve boredom, or allow you to catch up on the latest gossip. There are at least two problems to be aware of with buddies however. First, your partner needs to be on your fitness level or slightly ahead of you. A workout partner who is way below your level will only bring you down to his. The other problem is when your partner is out of town or sick, you must not allow that to be an excuse to skip your workout     .

            Rookies are those who realize their inadequacies and know they need help from a professional. A Rookie may be someone who is unfamiliar with the gym and its equipment or it may be someone who realizes his or her need for accountability - in other words, without an appointment with their trainer, they won't make it to the gym.

            Finally, Techies are people who are motivated by the newest gadgets and technology. The more items they have strapped on when they workout, the better.

               Even something as simple as wearing your favorite team's hat can have a positive effect. I've noticed myself how I tend to relate to total strangers who are wearing Pirates or Carolina gear, especially if I am too. According to Wann, people are looking for ways to identify with something and to feel a sense of belonging with a group of like-minded individuals.

        In addition, sports provide a way of bonding across generations. Your granddad probably isn't into all the latest tech gadgets or social media, but if he's a fan of your favorite team, there's an instant bond and a common language. I've often said that I feel sorry for people who don't like sports, and now I know why. Go Bucs! Go Cocks!

           I've been lifting weights in addition to running for the last 37 years. Most people understand the benefits of cardio exercise - walking, running, rowing, swimming, and other options - but it's surprising how few people realize that lifting weights can be just as important to your health as cardio, maybe even more so.

            A well-designed and regular weight lifting program can help you reduce body fat, decrease your risk for heart disease, and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. And that's just for starters.

      Here are a few other ways, weight lifting will benefit you:   

• It can improve your focus, because when you're pumping iron, you are not thinking about social media, stress at work, or your to do list. You are focused on one thing - completing this set.
• It will improve your body image. No matter what your size, you'll begin to appreciate your body for what it can accomplish. Then as you can do more and more, an amazing thing happens - your body begins to change.
• If you are already an athlete, lifting weights will help you be a better one. No matter what you do, whether it's running weekend 5k's or playing professional sports, working out with weights will improve your skills. That's why athletes from football players to golfers all spend time in the weight room.
• It will improve your self-confidence. Lifting weights makes you feel stronger because you are getting stronger. As you grow in strength, you also grow in confidence.
• And maybe most importantly, lifting weights improves your bone strength. Everyone knows what strength training can do for the muscles, but your bones benefit as well. Perhaps the best thing you can do to forestall or even reverse osteoporosis is to pump iron.

          Researchers at Cambridge University in England have just published the results of a 12-year study of more than 334,000 people with some remarkable findings. They concluded from this study that daily exercise is more important than weight in determining your chances of living longer.

               More than twice as many deaths in Europe over the period of the study were attributed to lack of exercise than to obesity. And it doesn't take much exercise to be beneficial. As little as 20 minutes of walking a day can make a significant difference. Of course, in this case, more is better, but even a little bit helps. The only caveat is it must be regular. Twenty minutes a day is better than two hours twice a week.

         This should be encouraging news to people who are overweight and feel they just can't lose weight. No matter what shape you're in, a little exercise may help you live longer.

          While browsing through the "US News & World Report" Health website, I saw an article listing the Top 10 diets. Now I'm a sucker for Top 10 lists. I'll usually check them out no matter what the subject, and since dieting is a subject that intrigues me as a personal trainer, I naturally clicked on this one. Now before I give you the list, let me say that I'm not a big fan of any diets. They all work in the short run if you follow them, yet none of them work in the long run because almost no one can stay on them for very long. I think a few general modifications to your eating habits will serve you better if losing weight is your goal, and the main modification is eating smaller portions and cutting down on carbs such as bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, and sweets. Not cutting them out, just eating less of them.

            With all that said, here is the list of the Top 10 Diets:

1. DASH Diet
2. TLC Diet
3. Mayo Clinic Diet
4. Mediterranean Diet
5. Weight Watchers
6. Flexitarian Diet
7. Volumetrics
8. Jenny Craig
9. Biggest Loser Diet
10. Ornish Diet

             A man who was lost in the woods for four days was starving when he ran across a bald eagle. Desperate, he killed it and ate it. Unfortunately for him, two park rangers happened to find him at that exact moment, and they arrested him for killing an endangered species. In court, he pleaded innocent by telling the judge he would have starved to death had he not eaten the eagle. The judge let him off, but asked him what the eagle tasted like.

        "Well," the man said, "it tasted like a cross between a whooping crane and a spotted owl."