Denise Schuster's Blog

 The following post was written and created by Michael Behnken and shared from the site www.askthetrainer.com. 

Muscle Imbalances and Bad Posture due to our Sedentary Lifestyle are the Primary Cause

The human body is not meant for long periods of inactivity.

Our bodies can adapt to almost all physical activities we put ourselves through.

Inactivity is an activity in itself, the adaptation of the body to inactivity is what causes hunch back posture problems to arise.

You may think of sitting on the couch watching TV or slouching at your computer desk for endless hours as inactivity, but your body is still functioning actively.

If your shoulders are rounded forward for hours at a time, your body will adapt. The body will assume permanent characteristics of any habitual posture.

The muscles on the front of the body, specifically the chest muscles, become tight and begin to pull your shoulders forward.

When your shoulders are constantly pulled forward, the muscles in your upper-middle back become lengthened and weak.

Over time, these muscle imbalances can cause your spine to become excessively curved, creating hunch back posture problems.

Kyphosis can cause health problems from bad posture including pain in the back, neck, and in some cases, the extremities. Often times, kyphosis is associated with other misalignments of the spine such as lumbar lordosis and forward neck posture (cervical hyperlordosis).

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How Can You Prevent Hunch Back Posture Problems ?

First and Foremost, Use Proper Ergonomics

If you don’t want to be called hunchback, hump back, round back, or Quasimodo, you should make sure you are not forced into bad posture by poor ergonomics.

Be conscious of your posture at all times and try to avoid prolonged periods of sitting without moving.

Be aware that your exercise selection can effect your posture. Make sure you have a balanced exercise program. Don’t make the mistake of overtraining your chest and neglecting your back muscles. This is an especially common foible among male exercisers.

Strengthen and stabilize your core muscles in all planes of motion by performing oblique, abdominal and transverse abdominis exercises on a regular basis. A strong core means a healthy lumbar spine, which in turn encourages a healthy thoracic spine without the excessive kyphotic curve or hump back.

Contact a NASM certified personal trainer at your local gym and ask them to perform a free postural analysis for you.

Even if you don’t have hunch back posture problems, you may have other postural issues caused by various factors, such as wearing high heels or bad training habits.

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How Can You Fix Kyphosis? 

Most of the time, kyphosis is completely reversible. If you have rounded shoulders and/or a hunch back, you can use corrective exercises to help loosen up the tight muscles which are pulling your spine out of alignment.

You may also need to strengthen weak muscles throughout your body. Always remember that a problem with one body part can have effects all throughout the body.

You can think of your body as a kinetic chain in which everything is interlinked. You are only as strong as your weakest link, in that the weak link that might seem minor can cause major downstream problems.

Again, if you have access to an NASM certified personal trainer, your first step should be to have a postural analysis done.

Without a professional postural analysis, you won’t know exactly which muscles you need to strengthen and even more importantly, which muscles you need to perform SMFR on to lengthen.

If you are attempting to fix your kyphosis with corrective exercises, keep in mind it takes time. Make sure you avoid habitual bad posture in the form of rounded shoulders while you attempt fix your posture problems.You must be persistent and proficient with the corrective exercises in order to achieve the desired effect (which is, of course, reduced kyphosis and an end to the days of people calling you Quasimodo).

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Learn the Proven Ways to Prevent and Correct Hunch Back Posture and Other Common Posture Problems

Make sure you learn all about your body’s alignment before you attempt to fix hunch back posture problems or any other muscle imbalances. Learn how posture problems and other forms of imbalance develop. With knowledge, you can avoid health problems from bad posture.

• Muscle Imbalances and Posture Problems
• Self-Myofascial Release with a Foam Roller
• Leg Stretches
• Help Correct Kyphosis with Upper Body Stretches

- See more at: http://www.askthetrainer.com/hunch-back-posture-problems/#sthash.y1HAm5rr.dpuf

YouTube of Corrective Exercises for Rounded Shoulders by Louis Angulo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTMLqhY9U7w 

 

(Health.com) -- Who doesn't wish for more energy at least a few dozen times a day?

Of course, you know that a good night's sleep, regular exercise, and effective stress management can give you a much-needed boost. But to further figure out why you're slumping, you need to pinpoint the energy-sucks in your diet. (Hint: Those low-carb meals aren't doing you any favors.)

"Our bodies rely on the energy and nutrients we get from food, so what you eat -- and how and when you eat it -- can either drain you or sustain you," says Jennifer Sacheck, associate professor of nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

These fuss-free nutrition tweaks will give you more oomph every day:

You go long stretches without eating

Food Fix: Snack early, snack often

Every time you go more than two hours or so without eating, your blood sugar drops -- and that's bad news for your energy.

Here's why: Food supplies the body with glucose, a type of sugar carried in the bloodstream. Our cells use glucose to make the body's prime energy transporter, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Your brain needs it. Your muscles need it. Every cell in your body needs it. But when blood sugar drops, your cells don't have the raw materials to make ATP. And then? Everything starts to slow down. You get tired, hungry, irritable and unfocused.

Grab a bite every two to four hours to keep blood sugar steady. Nosh on something within an hour of waking -- that's when blood sugar is lowest.

Health.com: Best and worst foods for energy

Your breakfast is too "white bread"

Food Fix: Think soluble fiber

Energy, thine enemy is a sugary breakfast: pancakes, white toast, muffins and the like. Instead, start your day with soluble fiber (found in oatmeal, barley and nuts).

"It dissolves in the intestinal tract and creates a filter that slows the absorption of sugars and fats," explains Dr. David Katz, founder of the Yale Prevention Research Center and author of "Disease Proof."

In fact, research shows that choosing a breakfast with either soluble fiber or insoluble fiber -- the kind in whole-grain breads and waffles -- actually protects against blood sugar spikes and crashes later in the day.

A smart start: cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber a serving and whole-grain breads with 2g per slice.

Health.com: 8 tips to instantly boost your energy

You're eating the wrong veggies

Food Fix: Get more broccoli and kale

There's no such thing as a "wrong" vegetable, but for the most gusto, pick cruciferous ones, like broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale. These produce rock stars contain isothiocyanates, compounds that activate a protein called Nrf2, which in turn generates mitochondria, the part of cells responsible for converting glucose into ATP.

"The more mitochondria you have, the better your muscles work and the less fatigued you'll be," explains Dr. Mladen Golubic, medical director of the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic's Wellness Institute.

Toss broccoli into stir-fry; mix shredded cabbage with vinegar; or season cauliflower with turmeric, cloves cardamom, coriander and cinnamon.

Health.com: 7 signs of seasonal affective disorder

You avoid red meat

Food Fix: Beef up on iron-rich foods

Do you eat mostly vegetarian? Is your period heavy or long? Are you a coffee or tea fiend?

If you answered yes to any of these, you may need more iron, key for strength and stamina. About 12% of women ages 20 to 49 may be iron-deficient.

"If you're deficient, you could eat the best diet and still be exhausted," says Meridan Zerner, a sports dietitian at Cooper Aerobics in Dallas. Women need about 18 mg daily until 51, and 8mg after that.

Beef is the best source of heme iron, the form most easily used by the body; a 3-ounce serving has 3mg. You can get nonheme iron from plant sources, like kidney beans (5mg in 1 cup) and spinach (3mg in ½ cup cooked). To help your body absorb nonheme iron, eat vitamin C-rich foods (orange juice, berries, tomatoes) and avoid coffee and tea an hour after eating as tannic acids can block iron absorption.

Health.com: 25 ways to cut 500 calories a day

You've cut one too many carbs

Food Fix: Hello, whole-wheat pasta and potatoes!

"Our bodies run on carbohydrates," says Zerner. "It's too bad they've gotten a bad rap."

In a Tufts University study, women on a carbs-restricted diet did worse on memory-based tasks compared with women who cut calories but not carbs. And when the low-carb group introduced them back into their diet, their cognitive skills leveled out.

Carbs help your body burn fat without depleting muscle stores for energy. The ideal diet is 50 to 55% complex carbohydrates, 20 to 25% protein and 25% fat. Complex carbs provide energy as they're digested, while protein and fat, along with fiber, slow the digestion process so the boost lasts a good long time.

"Think about getting a mix of high-quality protein, carbohydrates and fat from whole, unprocessed foods over the course of any given day," says Katz. "That's really all we need."

 

 

Summer is upon us and it is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and get in a good run! Cardio is the best way to burn calories and keep your heart healthy! The recommended amount of cardio to maintain your health is 30 minutes most if not all days of the week. It's time to start moving!

 

I recently watched Smart Training for 5K and 10K Races Webinar by ACE's Mark Kelly. He had many great insights into prepping for races. Since I'm a big advocate of form and technique I'm going to share just a few tips from www.goodformrunning.com that were on the webinar.

 

Good form is critical for effective running, below are 4 Essentials of Good Form:

 

POSTURE:

- Feet straight forward

- Head level with eyes focused forward

- Relaxed arms to sides with 90 degree bend @ elbow.

 

FOOT STRIKE:

- Midfood strike, heel touches but not hard

- Foot lands under hip, feels like short stride

- Run light, soft knees.

 

CADENCE:

- 180 steps/min, beginner 164

- Count right foot = 90 ct. or 20" = 30 ct. (27-beg.).

 

LEAN:

- Lean from the ankles without bending @ the waist

- Weight slightly forward, flex at ankles, stand tall

- Let gravity pull you, don't feel like falling.

 

Remember to use your glutes and core for strength as well. 

Happy Running!

 

Smart Training for 5K and 10K Races Webinar can be viewed by purchasing at www.acefitness.org/RaceTraining

Carbohydrates contribute to a great portion of your daily food intake. When purchasing bread, be sure you are not being suckered into an unhealthy option. Here are a few tips for selecting healthy grains: (1) Look at the ingredient list. Just because it sounds healthy and says “wheat” does not mean it is healthy. If the first ingredient is “wheat flour" or "enriched bleached flour” this is not your best option. Find bread that lists whole-wheat as the first ingredient, preferable 100% whole grain. (2) Be sure and check serving sizes when comparing bread at the store. (3) Find bread that is high in fiber. There are so many health benefits of fiber: Helps reduce LDL cholesterol, reduces risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and helps weight loss to name a few. Always be aware of healthy options in the grocery store and restaurants, it is the small choices everyday that make such a big difference in the end! Take care of your body, it is the only vehicle you have to live in!

 

Ever wonder why you workout and don't notice a change in weight?

 

There are many reasons for this. First of all, your body composition - what your body is made of: fat, muscle, bone, water, organs - is the main thing you should be considering.

·      Eating plays a huge role in weight loss or weight gain no matter how much you workout, so keeping track of what you eat is pivotal.

·      Also, muscle weighs more than fat. So you can be getting healthier and seem heavier. No worries, muscle also burns more calories while you are resting than fat! Yes that’s right it burns calories – part of your metabolism. So stay moving!

 

The scale might be a fail.

What’s in your body is either nice or naughty.

 

We can make the small choices everyday that will change our body composition.

It just takes one decision at a time to eat healthy and get moving. There are so many benefits! More energy throughout the day, less stress, you are more productive, and overall better wellbeing.

 

Every little bit is counting toward or against a healthy lifestyle and you hold the key!

 

Here are a few small tips:

·      Eat proper portion sizes during meals (choosemyplate.gov = check it out!)

·      Choose healthy sides

·      Choose grilled over fried

·      Drink more water!

·      Try to limit the additional empty calories - like sugary drinks and snacks

·      Cook more than fast food

·      Plan ahead for meals

·      Keep a 3 day food log

·      Make a list for groceries and stick to it

·      Shop around the outside of the store and avoid inside aisles where all the processed foods scream out to you

·      Snack smart – keep fruits and vegetables handy

·      Carry a banana and apple with you for the day

·      Go for a walk

·      Get into a regular workout routine

Remember, this is the only vehicle you are given in life, so take care of it! Your investment now will definitely pay off later!

 

Have a healthy day!

Denise

 

The Holiday season is upon us for the next couple of months! With the possibility of more stress, unhealthy eating and lack of activity, try these 4 tips for healthy holidays!

• Every 2 hours take a quick 2-minute break and STRETCH your leg limbs to revitalize your joints and keep the stress out of your body.

• When you notice yourself getting stressed and overloaded with the to-do lists take a few deep breaths and RELAX your muscles, especially around your shoulders.

• PORTION your holiday eats to healthy sizes and avoid the over indulgence that leaves you feeling sick and lethargic. Check out www.choosemyplate.gov for healthy eating tips!

• Give your body a boost with a workout at least 3 times a week. Prioritize your time to take care of the only body you have been given.

Happy Holidays!