February 2009 Archives

Office lunches and boardroom snack platters-I just can't say no!

People tell me that they try to practice better nutrition, but work lunches and social gatherings sabotage their efforts.

If you allow it, every occasion can become an exception. It's up to you to decide how much you want to attain your goal, but it's imperative that you stop making excuses for not hitting your mark.

I'm training but I seem to be getting heavier-is it fat or is it muscle? You hear people say it all the time, they've been training for a couple of weeks and they seem to be gaining weight; to which they affirm is attributed to muscle gain!

The question of weight gain due to muscle building can get quite tricky, especially if you're an athlete or body builder. I'll stick to addressing the queries of those of us that are active and exercise, but aren't performance athletes.

Questioning our personal beliefs from time to time is a good thing

When you think about it, very few people set out to prove themselves wrong. In fact there's plenty of research that supports the idea that people filter their incoming information in ways that protects their points of view.

We can be given 5 sources of information to contradict our understanding, but just one source in support; will trump the other sources and serve to confirm our convictions.

We do all sorts of things to ensure the preservation of our views. We tend to keep company with people that generally share the same values; we habitually get our information from familiar sources, and take refuge in common cultural views.

With spring getting near time to get bikes tuned up - but are you doing the same for your body?

Like any sport, cycling can take a toll on the body, and there're a few exercises that I recommend that you include in your training program to ensure your body doesn't give you any unwanted surprises.

As a cyclist the most common pains and injuries involve the knees, and upper back. The knee pain that you can experience is mostly caused by the fact that cycling really develops the thigh muscles and doesn't do quite as much for the back of the legs. This creates imbalances in the legs and causes the knee structures to move in ways that cause pain. To resolve this particular predicament I recommend focusing on strengthening the backs of the legs (hamstrings), buttock muscles, and stretching the thighs. This can be done with:

Making healthy choices is about how it makes you feel right now

I was talking to a friend (Steve) yesterday and he informed me that the father of a common friend of ours had recently passed away at the age of 70.

I'd like to provide you with some background on the deceased fellow. He was an avid runner right up until he was diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer. He ate impeccably, he and his wife shared 35 years of marriage, he was quite well off financially, a non smoker, and as far as I could tell; he was quite a happy man.

If you want to beat lower back pain, look at your hips


Pain in the lower back can have many causes, from herniated disks to lumbar sprains. Those are however-except in the case of trauma- the result of a pre-existing condition that makes you more vulnerable to low back pain (LBP). Until you resolve that condition, you can expect LPB to become more and more present in your life.

This is an exercise you can't go without.

Restricted mobility in your upper back (between the shoulder blades) can cause a number of problems. Some of which are:

Tension headaches
Nagging pain at the tops of your shoulder blades
Radiating pain down the arms
Numbing in the hands
Elbow pain
Blocking and pain in the neck

These symptoms can be indicative of other underlying problems. See your health care provider before starting any exercise program.

Once you've obtained the clearance, I strongly encourage you to add this exercise to your corrective training program.

Working on a computer hours per day and generally being a slouch are the main causative factors for upper back restrictions.

BACK ROLLING

First I'll show you how to make the world's cheapest back roller.

Take a wood broom handle and wrap it with a medium size hand towel. Don't use a towel that's too thick.





Step#1 Lie back slowly onto your back with the towel perpendicular between your shoulder blades.





Step #2 Before you initiate any movement let your back adjust to having the pressure of the towel. Keep the back of your head in contact with the floor and draw your chin back down toward the floor. At the same time, push your lower back down as well. You shouldn't be able to slide your hand under your lower back.



Step#3 Breath deeply while maintaining step#2. Rock gently from side to side concentrating on the sore spots in the back. Hold the position for about 1 minute and move the towel up the spine a little higher, and repeat the movement.

This exercise should be done at the end of every day, for at least 5 minutes.

I applaud the article in the Montreal Gazette this morning that's subject matter referred to the irresponsible promises made by fad diet and weight loss companies. Weight-loss programs scamming Canadians

Weight loss can never be achieved in a sustainable way, when the person attempting to overcome weight challenges looks for quick results. It's common for most diet systems to under emphasize the importance of exercise and good nutrition. This is commonly done because they know that the vast majority of people find exercise and healthy eating, too great of a challenge. You'll see the recommendation of exercise and better nutrition in the small print if at all on their products.

Weight loss is about taking control of your life and making quality decisions. Sure this is a process that takes more time than what weight loss programs will promise, but anything worth doing; requires hard work.

Following a process that focuses on quality of choices and self sufficiency will eventually free you from limiting beliefs that have held you captive to emotional eating and seeing food as a conflicting force in your life.

As an individual trying to find a solution to your weight loss needs, I urge you not to look to systems that negate the importance of creating a healthier relationship with food. Don't replace your dependency on food with a dependency on yet another miracle cure. Your goal should be toward independence. It's the inability to free one self that condemns most over weight people to this perpetual cycle of losing and regaining weight.

Recurring neck pain is often the product of stiffness in the upper back and weakness of the neck muscles.

I've found the following neck strengthening exercises to be very helpful with eliminating those nagging points of pain at the top of the shoulder blades.

NECK LIFTS

Step#1 Lie on your side on a bench or end of your bed. Be certain that your head is in line with your body. Raise your head from side to side never going too far in either direction. Up and down constitutes 1 repetition. Do 10 for the first time. Flip on the other side and repeat.





Step#2 Lie on your stomach with your shoulder blades pulled back and the arms behind you back. Perform an up and down nodding movement never going too far in either direction. Up and down constitutes 1repetition. Do 10 for the first time.





Step#3 Turn on your back, fold your arms on your chest and perform the same move as step 3. Be certain not to go too far backward. Just do 10 repetitions as above.





It's normal to feel a little light headed after doing these exercises. Don't stand up too quickly, and be prepared to have some muscle soreness the next day. As with the light headedness, this should pass as you get more efficient with the exercises.

Do them as close to everyday as possible for only one series and increase the repetitions as you are able to tolerate more. I also strongly recommend that you include the postural wall exercise to address the stiffness in the upper back caused from sitting at the computer all day.

See your healthcare provider before starting any exercise program, to be certain it is appropriate for your condition.

It's rare that I come across a food discovery that makes me as excited as Quinoa has.

I have a terrible intolerance to grains and even a couple of meals per week that consist of bread, pastas, or rice; will jack my weight up.

For the past couple of weeks I've been experimenting with Quinoa, and though it's sometimes referred to as a grain, it's by no means a grain. It's actually a seed that is popular in South America. Quinoa is very high in protein so it makes it a great addition to the menu of those of us that don't eat sugary grain carbohydrates. What makes it truly amazing is that it's gluten free, so Quinoa's a great food for those who have low tolerance to gluten. It's important to mention that it's also very high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and dietary fibre.



You can use Quinoa the same way you would use rice. In fact, the preparation is the same.

Preparation:

1 cup of Quinoa to 2 cups of water You need to rinse it before cooking. Use a strainer with very small holes. Run the Quinoa under water for a couple of seconds then put it in a pot with the appropriate amount of water. Bring it to a boil, then cover it and reduce the heat to low and let it absorb the water. You know it's ready because the seeds will be very tender.

I have a great recipe to share:

Quinoa pilaf

Ingredients


Two large chicken breasts (diced )
1 large onion (diced)
1 green pepper (diced)
2 celery stalks (diced)
2 cups of Quinoa
2 cubes of chicken stock
2 large cloves of garlic (pressed)
½ tea spoon of cumin
½ cup of cashews
½ cup of raisins
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Prepare the Qunioa as indicated above. In addition, add the 2 cubes of chicken stock once the water comes to a boil.

In a separate pot, add a touch of canola oil and fry the onions, green pepper, and celery. Next, add the cubed chicken and cook it well. Once the chicken and Quinoa are cooked, add them to the same pot. As the last stage, add the cashews, raisins, and salt and pepper. Be careful as there's salt in the chicken stock. Serve the pilaf with a side of Caesar Salad and you're all set.



Be cautious with Quinoa bread and cereals as they'll contain sugars and flour as does any other cereal and bread.

This is a great exercise for improving balance, hip strength, and mobility throughout the whole lower extremity. It'll also give you a nice butt in the process!

I've used it extensively to increase muscular tolerance to running and improve strength to the buttock region which is important to just about every movement.

People who have flat feet will find this exercise particularly useful, as flat feet can be a strong indicator of weak butt muscles.

It may be difficult for those who have knee pain, but once you've attained a level of comfort for your knees; this movement will help to re-enforce the knee musculature in the post rehab phase.

Step#1 Be certain that the starting posture is perfect. Stand with the chest high holding a straight back with the head high over the shoulders.



Step#2 Look for equal bend from the hip, knee, and ankle as you bend forward on one leg, keeping the chest high and back straight.



Step#3 As your torso gets lower be certain to maintain the straight back and not curve it just so that you can touch the floor. It's not about depth as much as it's about perfect technique.



Step#4 If you can, touch the finger tips to the floor, adjust the posture to be sure you're maintaining the straight back. Slowly return to the upright position. The full movement should take about 5 seconds to complete.



At the bottom of the movement, you want to be sure that you aren't slumping to one side. Keep the shoulders and hips level with one another. The number of repetitions will vary from person to person, but you can try and start with 6-8 per leg and repeat 3 times. Do them every other day.



Remember this is all about technique if you want to reap the benefits of the exercise. Once you've perfected the movement you can add weight by holding a dumbbell in the hand of the supporting leg, but only increase with weight that will permit for good technique.

Always see your healthcare provider before beginning an exercise program.

If you've exhausted your insurance and treatment options but you still have elbow pain, there are a few things you should know.



As difficult as it may be to believe, elbow Pain is often indicative of restriction in your upper back and tightness in the muscles in the front of your neck.

You are particularly prone to elbow pain if you have a pronounced slouch and shoulders rolled forward. If this describes you, my Postural wall exercise is definitely in order.

You'll also need to strengthen the muscles that hold your upper back straight. This can be attained through:

BACK AND SHOULDER EXTENSIONS

#1 Lie flat on your stomach. Please ignore my male pattern baldness!



#2 Pull your shoulder blades together.



#3 Squeeze the buttock muscles as this prevents you from arching your lower back as you execute the movement.

#4 Pull your arms up off the floor which increases the squeeze between the shoulder blades.

#5 Lift your torso off the floor and reach foreword. Remember to keep the buttock muscles tight to prevent arching the lower back. Hold the end position for 3 seconds and return to the starting position. Do 10 and repeat the series 3 times. Do these exercises once per day, every day.



Next you'll need to stretch the much more robust forearm muscles on the inner side of the arm. They become too dominant and irritate the much thinner painful muscles on the outside of the arm. It's a huge mistake to stretch the painful side.

FOREARM STRETCH

#1 Raise your arm to 90 degrees and open your fingers wide, pressing your hand into the wall. Be sure the thumb is up.



#2 Slowly turn your head away from the arm you're stretching. Feel the stretch increase in the arm. Hold the movement for 1 minute then do the other arm. Repeat the stretch 3 times and do it a couple of times per day.

Even when you do all the right things, elbow pain can be quite persistent. Watch your posture at work and if you work at a computer, make sure you're sitting up straight with the monitor at eye level. Arm rests on the chair that you can actually use are essential.

This post is not intended to replace a consultation with your healthcare provider.

Do you have knee pain that was slow to onset and has no identifiable cause?

If that's the case, I have some suggestions. Knee pain that has no definitive cause usually has a simple remedy. It is however, going to require diligence with your corrective exercises.

Knee pain is often caused from tightness down the outer part of your thigh. I've found the following exercise to be particularly helpful at reducing discomfort.

DEEP LATERAL STRETCH

#1 lies on your back with a belt or towel around your foot. Pull the leg toward you keeping your leg completely straight. This won't work if you allow the knee to bend. Obtain maximum stretch down the back of the leg.



#2 slowly pull the leg across your body while maintaing the knee straight and maximum tension down the back of the leg. Push your toes down at you. You shouldn't go far with this movement. Both sides of the buttock should remain in contact with the floor. Notice how the tension is felt into the outer portion of your calf and down the outside of the upper part of the leg.



#3 Hold step #1 for about 20 seconds and step #2 for about 30 seconds. Change legs and repeat each leg twice.

Do this exercise every day.

I've rarely treated anyone with knee pain that didn't have problems with their hips. Check out my post "healthy hips for all ages," and follow the recommendations.

This post is not intended to replace a consultation with your healthcare provider. Please see a physician before beginning any exercises.

Poor posture can leave you susceptible to a host of muscular pains.

The common slouch with foreword rolled shoulders as demonstrated below, is particularly problematic. You'll notice how the upper back is quite rounded, pushing the shoulders forward and forcing the head to sit well beyond an ideal position. This posture type can be the primary cause of:


Neck pain
Shoulder problems
Upper back pain
Elbow pain
Numbing in the hand and wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome)
Headaches
Acid reflux
Constricted respiration
low back pain



Below is a more ideal posture, with the head sitting on top of the shoulders, and the upper back demonstrating much less of a rounded appearance.





Telling yourself to stand up straight is good but it's going to take more than that.

This exercise may not look like much, but boy it works!



You have to be attentive to details on this exercise; it's not for someone who just wants to get it done and out of the way. Follow the sequence closely

#1 Stand about 2 feet from a wall.

#2 Lean back onto the wall with your knees partially bent.

#3 Presses your lower back into the wall and draw your chin inward while keeping the back of your head in contact with the wall. Maintain all areas of your back flat and in contact with the surface. Be certain that there are no spaces between your back and the wall, from your buttock to your neck. The only space that you won't be able to completely close is behind your neck.

#4 Raise your arms back and try to make contact with as much surface area of the wall as possible. Try to keep your shoulders and arm in contact while maintaining step 3.

#5 To increase traction up the back and neck drag the back of your head up the wall while maintaining the contact. Think that you want to touch the back of your neck to the wall.

#6 Maintain all features of the movement while you deep breathe. Hold for 1 min- relax- then repeat 2 times. Do the exercise every day.

Developing poor posture didn't happen over night, so be patient with the exercise and give it some time.

If you're a runner, you definitely want to include this exercise in your routine.

In my last post I discussed the importance of strengthening a few key areas in the legs to prevent running injuries. There's one additional exercise that I'd like to share with you as it can be key to prevent pain in your heels and bottoms of the feet.

If you go to a gym you often see people doing calf raises with a straight leg. For the purpose of improving stability in your foot, I recommend doing calf raises with a bent knee. This method will actually work an entirely different muscle, one that is very active in controlling your foot movements but is rarely strength trained in most routines.

BENT KNEE CALF RAISES (trains the soleus muscle)

#1 Stand with one leg on any surface with your weight on the balls of your feet. Be sure that you have something in front of you that you can hold onto. You also need your heel to be free of contact of any surface.



#2 Bend you knee and keep it bent throughout the exercise. Rise up onto the ball of the foot and hold for a brief pause then lower back down to the starting position. Repeat this for a total of 15 repetitions then switch to the other foot. Do each side 3-4 times and repeat the exercise every other day.



This exercise can be done off the edge of a step while holding on to the railing. Please don't do exercises at the top of your staircase, for obvious reasons!

If I haven't said it in any posts up until now, I'll say it now; despite the popular myth, running does not strengthen your legs. It is an aerobic activity which means it doesn't increase muscle mass. When you are totally out of shape, sure it will add some strength; but that's very short lived. To sustain running for the years to come, you really need to do some strengthening for the legs.

With the spring upon us, it's time to get your running legs in shape for a pain free season.

I've put together some great exercises to make this outdoor running season one of pleasure, not pain.

More often than not, people suffer with weakness in the muscles down the back of the legs, and weak buttock muscles, which causes poor running economy. Poor strength in this area will also lead to problems with your arches that can inevitably lead to pain in the shins, heels, and bottoms of the feet. Orthotics and a change of running shoes can provide some relief but you're going to have to correct the under lying cause.

To strengthen the buttock region and the back of the legs, I recommend:

HIP LIFTS ON THE BALL

#1 Lie on your back and place one foot on top of the ball and the other leg suspended in the air.




#2 Curl the ball toward you, then press your foot firmly into the ball. Be sure to pause at this step to ensure you really apply downward pressure on the ball.



#3 With the downward force on the ball, raise the lower body off the floor. Pause at the top of the movement for 3 seconds, then lower back down and return to the starting position. Do approximately 10 per leg. Repeat this exercise 3 times and practice it every other day.







Try some toe presses to strengthen the shins and arches of the feet.

TOE PRESSES

Place the exercise ball on the top of one foot. Press the toes up hard into the ball and resist with downward pressure from your body weight. You should wear shoes while doing this exercise. Do about 20 presses per foot and repeat it twice. Do them every other day.



Tight hips will also have a strong negative influence on running efficiency. I recommend adding the exercises from my post, Healthy hips for all ages.

Running on your toes will cause foot and heel pain. Try and run heel to toe. This means making sure your heel strikes the ground first with a fluid transfer to the big toe just before the foot leaves the ground.

Please consult your health care provider before beginning any exercise routine.

You don't have to be in your golden years to be suffering with tight hips.

Tight hips can cause a host of conditions. Some examples are, but not limited to:

-low back pain

-knee pains of all sorts

-pain in the bottoms of your feet

-pain in the buttock region and down the back of the leg. (Sometimes referred to as sciatica)

With all these possibilities for pain, I strongly recommend doing the following exercises:

These exercises are in no way intended to replace a consultation with a health care provider. See your doctor before beginning.

HIP STRETCH

#1 stand close to a support shelf that stands about as high as your upper thigh. Carefully lift your leg and fold it onto the surface in front of you. You shouldn't feel pain in the knee or around it. Lay the outer portion of the leg in full contact with the surface.

#2 keeping your back completely straight; lower your upper body toward the elevated leg.



#3 hold the position and breathe deeply. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Come out of the position slowly then change legs. Repeat each leg twice

QUADRICEP STRETCH

#1 Stand with your back toward a support shelf. Bend your knee bringing your heel toward your buttock. Place your foot on the support and sit back onto your heel. Don't arch your lower back keep it straight. Hold the stretch 60 seconds then change sides. Repeat 3 times.



SINGLE LEG HIP LIFTS

#1 lie on your back with one leg supported on a chair and the other leg suspended in the air.



#2 press the foot hard into the chair raising the lower portion of the body off the ground. Hold the lift for 3 seconds and lower back down. Repeat 10 times per leg. Take a 60 second break, then repeat the sequence for a total of three rounds.



These three exercises are an excellent start to getting your strength and mobility back on track. Do them every other day.

Women can have a particularly hard go at keeping their weight stable once they're in their mid 30's.

There're a couple of factors that contribute to weight gain at this period in a woman's life. Not only are her mid thirties a time when family and career can place enormous demands on her life, but it's the time when a woman's hormones begin to shift. With scarcity of time, she can become less physically active, and less production of valuable hormones can cause the body to become less efficient at maintaining an ideal weight.

So what's a busy woman with the rest of her life ahead of her to do?

-With your muscle building hormones on the decline, you definitely want to start some form of strength training program. 2-3 days/week, no more than 20 mins of weight training, will help to build muscle. Muscle has a strong appetite to eat fat! Keep your muscles and you'll maintain your weight much more efficiently.

-With your good hormones taking a sabbatical, it's an absolute priority to keep the harmful hormones low. Stress increases cortisol which breaks down your muscle for energy. So if there's people around you that push your buttons or if you're the source of your own stress, ask yourself if there's room for change. Get better results by removing or controlling the negative influences.

-Cortisol is also released in your body when your blood sugar is too low. Remember, this hormone can be destructive, devouring the muscle you're trying to build. Keep your blood sugar stable by eating 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Sugary snacks and drinks don't keep your blood sugar stable, they contribute to sharp spikes and declines; which is far from ideal.

Before you do any exercise, you should get full clearance from a health professional.

It's the most common question I hear in my training studio; "why can't I lose the weight around my midsection?"

The answer can be very complex, but it can also be quite simple, and I'd like you to focus on the simple explanation.

For a better part of the population, our bodies prefer to store fat close to the digestive organs, in the midsection. It's the one target storage area your body is even resistant to let go of fat.

This whole condition is exacerbated with high stress levels. When you're stressed, your body tends to store more fat in its favourite target zone; your midsection.

On to the solutions:

-The sure fire way to get your body to start releasing more fat is to lower your calories consumed in the form of sugar and processed carbohydrates.

-Let go of the myth that if you do enough cardio you don't have to watch what you eat. This is just so wrong.

-You store fat just about everywhere, even in your fingers! Your body is unlikely to release fat from the midsection while it has available fat stores elsewhere to pick from. As your overall fat declines, your body will begin to release abdominal fat as it will have little other choice.

-Pick one thing that stresses you and devote your effort to address it. Stress is about how you deal with life's conflicts. Learn how to respond better to one stressor and you will inevitably affect the others.

Did you ever wonder why mom never felt hungry after spending a day in the kitchen preparing a feast?

Dopamine is a chemical in your body that performs many functions, but here at betterme we're mostly concerned with its role in food cravings and satiety. Its function in eating is generally that it tells your brain to register feelings of being full once you've eaten sufficiently.

There have been a number of studies that show, Dopamine doesn't function optimally in some overweight people. Their bodies don't seem to get enough of the satisfied feelings Dopamine creates once you're full. Therefore, they continue to eat when others would have reached a state of satiety.

If you're trying to lose weight, here are a few facts to keep success on your side:

-Eating fast food has been shown to dampen the Dopamine response in the brain, registering less satisfaction and producing subsequent food cravings.

-There are indications that overweight people, who begin to lower their calories, slowly become more sensitive to the Dopamine response. In essence they start to feel full when it is more in the region that is advantageous to weight loss. So be patient, losing weight actually helps puts your body in a state that is more conducive to additional weight loss.

-Preparing food produces feelings of satisfaction even before one begins to consume it! This is why on holidays when your mom spent the day cooking, remarked at dinner time that she didn't feel very hungry. The act of preparation causes your brain to release Dopamine, thus creating a feeling of being satisfied prior to partaking in the food; which suppresses the appetite.

-Try to find rewards other than food. It will take some time to break old habits, but allowing food to remain as a reward will make you susceptible to food cravings.