My Blog
I’m James Burns
Jim has always understood the benefits of exercise and is an advocate of helping schools build more activity time into student schedules to keep our children active and above all healthy. Jim is certified by the National Academy Of Sports Medicine (NASM) as a personal trainer and believes that exercise is the first step in reducing stress and becoming balanced mentally, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. As an educator Jim believes that knowledge is power and that everyone should understand the benefits of exercise. “I Trained For A Quadruple Bypass” (contained as part of this newsletter) explains his journey from the understanding one’s own health and how one can ready themselves physical, mentally, and spiritually and do so without fear. Having a history of heart disease and stroke in his family Jim has learned that we are not determined by our genetics we are only influenced, and we can change our response to the influence at any time.
Why Seniors Need a Personal Trainer
Exercise as Preventative Medicine for Shoulders, Hips, and Knees As we age, the goal of exercise changes. In our 20s and 30s, it might have been about performance. In our 40s and 50s, it may have shifted toward weight control or stress relief. But after 55, the...
What Triglycerides Are, Why They Matter, and How to Keep Them Low
If you’ve ever had blood work done, you’ve probably seen triglycerides listed on your lipid panel. Most people focus on cholesterol, but triglycerides deserve just as much attention. They play a big role in your overall heart and metabolic health. The good news is...
Bitterness, the Body, and the Battle Within
How unresolved emotions sabotage our health — and how movement helps heal Be Simply Fit Emotionally Let’s be perfectly clear: I am not talking about emotional intelligence here. I am talking about emotional fitness. Emotional fitness is the ability to feel and express...
What Does It Mean To Be Simply Fit
A long time ago, I realized I was never going to be Arnold Schwarzenegger — and I certainly wasn’t going to be a professional baseball player, even though I once hoped I might. So I made a simple decision: I would just enjoy working out. For me, that meant running,...
The Myth Of “Just Stay Active”
“Just stay active.” It sounds simple. Encouraging, even. Doctors say it. Friends repeat it. Fitness influencers post it under photos of sunrise runs and color-coordinated gym outfits. The phrase carries the comforting promise that as long as we keep moving, everything...
Statins: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Matter in Cardiovascular Health
Statins are among the most widely prescribed medications in modern medicine. They are primarily used to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. Since their introduction in the late 20th century, statins...
Exercise and Cognitive Decline
How Movement Protects the Aging Brain By Jim Burns, NASM-CPT, CES, Senior Fitness Specialist Be Simply Fit – Manahawkin, NJ Most seniors worry about losing their memory more than losing their strength. We talk about heart disease. We talk about arthritis. We talk...
Rate of Perceived Exertion vs. Absolute Exertion
Why Understanding the Difference Matters — Especially If You’re on Heart Medication As a trainer who has had a quadruple bypass and understands what it means to train with cardiac history, I have learned something very important: How hard you feel you’re working and...
Strong Legs, Steady Life
Why Lower Body Strength Is the Key to Independence After 55 By Jim Burns, NASM-CPT | Be Simply Fit | Ocean Acres, NJ If I could only train one area of the body for the rest of my life, it would be the legs. Not the arms.Not the chest.Not even the core. The legs....
Why Exercise Variety Matters More As We Age
As we grow older, exercise stops being about how much we can lift or how fast we can move—and starts being about how well we can live. One of the biggest mistakes seniors make is believing that one type of exercise is enough. Walking alone isn’t enough. Strength...