Painfully Responsible

As adults, we are supposed to be intelligent enough to understand that if we have pain, or an injury, and we have been taught how to manage that pain than deal with it. To just sit around in pain and ignore what you need to do to lessen the pain just baffles me. Now, I understand pain, it makes you forget things, it makes you angry, it changes you! but that does not absolve you from a few simple stretches, ice, massage etc. to help deal with the symptoms. To have a client come in and say that it is just getting worse never ceases to amaze me. The pain will not just go away by it's self, it is your bodies way of telling you that something is wrong, take the time to listen.

Core Fitness

Core training, core fitness, core strength, core, core, core. Do you know what the 'core' of your body really is or where it is. Does your trainer or therapist know. 'Core' fitness is the current catch phrase in the fitness industry. Hundreds of gimmicks, machines and programs have been marketed to an uneducated population all with the belief of building strong ab's.
The sad fact is that most people do not realize that the core is your entire torso, so if you have no arms or legs all that is left is your core. With that being said does it make sense to just train a single 'core' muscle? NO. To effectively and efficiently train the core (ab's, back, spine) one must engage ALL of the muscles at the same time. This is not that hard to do, simply buy My book (shameless plug) and learn all about it.

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Eat Like a Bird

Just a few quick thoughts for the upcoming holiday. The average American will eat soooooo much food that they can actually re-set their metabolism LOWER. That's right, from now until past new years most people will consume so many calories (food, alcohol, sweets) that they send a signal to their bodies telling it to burn fewer calories, the net result is that you can actually re-set your caloric furnace lower. If this happens every year over a lifetime, do the math!.
The trick is simple, eat smaller portions. Eat what you want just eat less. Take a walk before you eat, play with the kids, throw the ball around. Become or remain active over the holiday, eat smaller portions-graze instead of binge. To end on a sobering thought, alcohol calories have the same weight and effect as fat calories, roughly double that of protein. make good choices!

Big Belly, Big Bench, Bad Shoulders

Sorry for the lack of posting this week, new employee to train and start of the holiday rush. While I was in the gym this past week I noticed a lot of new faces getting a start on the new years resolutions, good for them. There was a 'guy', you know the one, big belly and obviously out of shape. He walked in and went strait to the bench, which he lay on to exercise. One of my favorite questions to ask anyone who is dead set on bench pressing is....... "IF YOU LAYING ON YOUR BACK ON THE PLAYING FIELD OF LIFE, YOU LOST!". There is no reason to bench press-ever. The damage it does to your shoulders alone is just sick. Try to do a chest press standing, it is much better for you and much more functional.

Massage anyone?

Do you get massage?, if you are among the many that do get a regular massage than good for you! If you do not or have only had a 'spa' massage than let me tell ya' something. Missing out, left behind, too little too late....get the idea. massage is an integral modality for anyone to get on a regular basis. A good therapeutic massage (neuromuscular, deep tissue, Myofascial, ART etc) are absolutely phenomenal for relieving stress, increasing flexibility, decreasing pain and increasing blood flow. Athletes should receive a massage at least every other to every week, while others benefit from massage on a monthly basis. Massage is a great way to prevent stress and worsening of postural syndromes and it feels good. Treat your self to something that feels good and is good for you.

Simple Nutrition Substitutions

BAD GOOD

Meat Pizza -Vegetable Pizza
Plain ‘white’ bagel -Whole Wheat bagel
White bread -Whole wheat
Mayonnaise -Mustard
Cookies- Fruit
Soda -Water
Fried foods -Baked-broiled-grilled
Burger -GRILLED chicken sand.
Fries -Salad / fruit
Baked potato -Sweet potato / yam
White rice -Brown rice
Creamy salad dressing -Oil based salad dressing
Roast beef -Turkey or lean ham
Ice cream -Frozen yogurt
Cheese- No cheese
Bacon or Sausage -Turkey Bacon or Sausage
Milk -Skim or soy milk
Chips -Pretzels
Candy Bar -Protein or energy bar or
Raisins

Enough said!

Responsibility

It NEVER ceases to amaze me that people do not take responsibility for their pain. You are a smart person, educated and have been active most of your life. Along the way you have learned a lot of things. But, as soon as PAIN sets in all of that intelligence is gone. i can not tell you how many times I have educated patients and clients on managing their symptoms. if your shoulder is sore ice and stretch it, maybe use an anti-inflammatory, get a massage. Pain will change how you think, and the second you experience pain the psyche changes and you do all the incorrect stuff. Heat generally makes it worse, no one remembers to stretch or self massage. But we all immediately run to the doctor or just sit there miserable.
Take responsibility for your pain, be proactive. ICE before you heat, stretch, use a tennis ball to self massage or go see a massage therapist.......be responsible.

The Day After (all hallows eve)

SOOOO, it's the day after. The kids are crazed on sugar and the adults have stashed away their favorite treats. Make today a special day, take all the leftovers (adults!) and get rid of but a few pieces. Treat your self to one piece a day for one week, the calories saved will amaze you. As I sat in my yard last PM contributing the the problem I began to read the ingredient list of the candies. Excuse me by saying @#$%^&*()-+, I do not eat that stuff, so I do not know what is in it, and trust me it is not good stuff. The sad fact is that most of the ingredients are also found in common foods you eat each day, the sugars and colors and stabilizers.....scary!