Oh, My Aching Back

I used to think the only time you sucked in your gut was when you were at the beach. That is until I went to a physical therapist for my back. While going through my physical therapy exercises, my therapist constantly reminded me "engage your core." In other words, suck in your gut.

The thing is, it did make a difference in how well I did the exercises. On the quadriceps stretches, I did feel a better stretch in my thighs. Who would have guessed?

Those visits also changed my perspective towards abs and crunches. In the past, I thought all you had to do to have good abdominal muscles was crunches. And all of the sudden, I began to notice all sorts of articles about abs. I learned two things:

1. You have to continually engage your core

2. Crunches aren’t necessarily the best exercise for strengthening your core and flattening your belly.

Continually engaging your core

While I was in physical therapy, I spotted a callout in the Red Eye, the free Chicago paper covering pop culture, that Mike “the Situation” Sorrentino, famous for his washboard abs, does core isometrics while he's walking, waiting in lines and doing other daily tasks.

I have lumbar arthritis and frequently have lower back pain, especially when I jog. I noticed if I tightened my abs while jogging, it reduced or eliminated the pain.

Now, I consciously try to engage my core frequently during the day. I tighten my abs when I’m exercising, walking, climbing stairs and sometimes while I’m sitting at my desk.

Crunches Aren’t the Best Exercise

The second thing I learned is that crunches aren’t the best exercise for strengthening or flattening your core. Dr. Richard Guyer, president of the Texas Back Institute, “We stopped teaching people to do crunches a long, long time ago. That’s because the “full flex” movement—the actual “crunch” part of crunches – puts an unhealthy strain on your back at its weakest point.”¹

Another article notes “Doing crunches will only increase instability (constant flexing of the spine), increase your likelihood of catastrophic back injury (risk for disc herniation), and make your posture even worse than it already is (pulling you further into kyphosis, or “hunchback syndrome”.²

Because of my arthritis and low bone density, my physical therapist recommended I never do crunches. Since I’ve been doing her recommended core exercises, plank variations³ and the bird dog⁴, my back is better and my belly has flattened a bit. Warning: the plank exercises can be difficult at first, even for someone who used to do Rock Hard Tummies and P90X.

So remember, suck in that gut and stop with those crunches. Your back will feel better and you may flatten your tummy.

References

1. Stop Doing Sit-ups: Why Crunches Don’t Work, Newsweek
2. No More Crunches, SeatleStrengthCoach
3. Plank tuck, Shape.com
4. Bird dog, YouTube.com (from Runner's World)
5. No More Crunches? Abs-olutely!, The Post Game, Yahoo Sports

How do you know if a health study is valid?

Almost every day you hear about another health study. This will cause cancer. That will make you obese. One thing is apparent:  you can’t rely on the media to check if the research is valid.  So, without being a statistician, how can you tell if a study has any merit? Today’s blog gives you some tips. 

• What does Google say? The recent study linking diet cola to strokes was all over the media. A Google search indicated the study most likely isn’t valid. Scanning the results on the first page, six  of eleven entries had the word ‘flawed’ or ‘controversial’ in the title or summary. But many times you won’t be that lucky. So here are some other tips.
• Self report or controlled study?  Self report is where study participants answer questions about what happended or how they feel (e.g., how many diet softdrinks do you drink every day? or on a scale of one to ten, how much pain do you feel?) The previously mentioned study was a self-report. Self reports are not always reliable.
• Do other studies corroborate? Are there other studies? Did most of them come up with the same result? If not, the study with different results may not be valid. For years people believed the study of Dr. Wakefield linking the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine to autism. Dr. Wakefield’s study was the only study that found that link. Yet despite the fact that other research consistently came up with different results, the study was only recently retracted. ¹
• Planned or Retro?  Studies that were planned before collection of the data are more likely to have valid results than studies where information is collected after the fact (retro). In a planned study, the  researcher can try to control to limit or eliminate other factors which may also contribute to the results being studied.²
• Is the sample good? The sample is a subset of the entire population being studied. You may not have access to information about how the sample was selected, but if you do, here’s a couple of things to look for. First, a random sample increases the likelihood that the results will be valid. Second, is the sample representative of the population the study is making inferences about? For example, if the sample included only diabetics, it might not be valid to make inferences about the general population. One study showed that eating 1 2/3 tablespoons of safflower oil a day helped people lose weight and reduce waist size. The statistical results were impressive. The study had the headline  “Can Your Salad Dressing help you keep the pounds off. New research suggests yes.” Everyone in the sample was diabetic.  The headline implies the results would hold true for the general population. That assumption may not be valid. It may be that diabetics process fat differently than the general population.³
•  What does your doctor say? Many of the studies you hear in the media are in the journals your doctor reads frequently. Ask your doctor his or her opinion of the study and if the results may apply to you.

References

1. How does a parent know if a published study’s findings are reliable and valid? Examiner.com Chicago
2. What makes a research study valid – Oley foundation
3. The Whole Art of Deduction – Research Skills for New Scientists,  Roger Marion, Ph.D.

Comparison of Food and Exercise Logging Sites

Isn’t it frustrating that it can take weeks for us to see a difference in our bodies when we’ve done something to improve, or worsen, our health? We don’t know how much the exercise we did today increased our aerobic capacity and built our muscle fiber. We also can’t tell if, or how much, plaque the pizza we ate added to our arteries.

It might make it easier to stick with our exercise and health eating if we got instant feedback on the minutes changes in our body when we do good or harmful things. Like a peppy voice saying, “Congratulations, you just lowered your LDL cholesterol by one point!” or “Danger Will Robinson, that pizza slice will add two fat cells to your belly!”

Since we can’t see immediate results from either our positive or negative actions, we need a substitute. Logging is the best substitute there is. It’s been proven that people who log what they eat are more likely to stick with positive behaviors and reduce negative behaviors*. If you know you have to log the 400 calorie slice of pizza, you will be more likely to stay on track. Logging works for exercise, too.

But, you say, logging is a pain in the neck! The good news is that with the Internet logging has become easy and can almost be fun when you see the reports and results.

I’ve compared five Internet sites that provide food and exercise logging, plus have many other features such as articles, blogs, social networking (buddies) and much more. I used these five websites for a week to determine ease-of-use, features, and number of foods in the food database. Here is my unscientific opinion on which sites might work best for you based on if you want:

•  Really simple, without bells and whistles, and you don’t care about precision in calorie counts or exercise, choose LoseIt.com. LoseIt does not have an extensive food database, but you can enter your own foods.
• Precision on tracking food and exercise with the largest food database, several reports and relatively easy-to-use, choose Livestrong.com.
• Mood tracking related to your eating, choose Fitday.com which also has a wide range of reports, but a smaller food database than Livestrong.com. Update: 3/30 - Livestrong.com also has mood tracking

See the full analysis of all five sites at: Fitness Logging

To see another analysis of logging sites, see Lose Weight by Using Online Tools.

 *Studies:

Keeping a Food Diary Helps Lose Weight – WebMD 

Keeping a Diary Doubles Weight Loss – Science Daily on a study by Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research and published by American Journal of Preventive Medicine

Six ways to Squelch Bad Snacking

You’ve told me snacking too much is your downfall. Me, too!  That’s why it helps to have several strategies to prevent your snacks from ruining your goals.  Picks some of these strategies to help curb excess snacking.

1. Amuse yourself. Make a list of things you like to do. When you find yourself starting a snacking binge, stop and ask yourself, “I’m I snacking because I’m not  in a good mood?” Non-stop snacking can be a sign you're bored or depressed.   Pick something off your  list to distract yourself. Here’s a few suggestions: Play a game, work a crossword puzzle, meditate, listen to your favorite songs, work on a hobby. What's on your list?
2. Swap it out.  If you're prone to snacking on high-calorie, high-fat snacks,  search for substitute that is equally pleasing. Sometimes our eating is just habit. If we thought about it, we could probably find a healthier snack we enjoy just as much.  I have a friend who freezes low fat yogurt, and takes it out of the freezer about 15 minutes before snacking.  In the winter, I love Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Green Tea with a pinch of sugar. I love the warmth and the smell. I sip it slowly and thoroughly enjoy it.
3. Be a spendthrift. I’m usually a very frugal shopper, but I never buy snack food in the cheaper,  multi-serving bag.  I know I’ll eat more than one serving.  If I’m going to have empty calories, I make sure to limit the calorie count. Those 100 calorie bags are great.
4. Don’t go nuts. Nuts are healthy, but they are high in calories. Some nuts, if eaten in excess, can prompt kidney stones.  Several people tell me that instead of eating just one ounce, they’ll keep eating them.  It is hard to stop. To prevent yourself from the “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” syndrome, don’t eat the nuts from the bag or jar.  Measure them out and put the bag or jar away.
5. Pay the Price.  Before reaching for that snack, do something for ten minutes that you need to cross off your to-do list.  Examples: Do a quick exercise (20 push ups, abdominal exercises), make your grocery list, tidy up the kitchen, pack healthy lunches for the next day.  You’ll feel better by crossing something off your list. As a result, you may be prone to eat less or even forget your desire for a snack.
6. Play Aretha. Sing to yourself, “Think, Think about what you’re trying to do to me.”  That is, be aware of what you are doing to your body and your goals if you continue munch away.  Many times over snacking is just a matter of not being conscious of how much you are eating.

Having strategies ahead of time can increase of chances of keeping your snacking under control. Hopefully one or more of these strategies will work for you.

Let us know if they work or if you have other strategies you’ve used to control snacking. And here's a challenge for inventors out there. I'd love a snack dispenser that doles out only 100 calories a night and won't give you any more until 24 hours later. I bet you'd make billions!

Motivation List - 10 Reasons to Exercise

When you’re brain is thinking of excuses why you don’t want to exercise, keeping a list of reasons why you exercise can give you the boost you need to get going.  Make copies of the list and keep it in places where you can refer to it if you need it: the bathroom mirror, your office wall, the refrigerator, on your night stand where you can read it when you get up in the morning.

Here’s my list:

1. Exercise energizes me throughout the day and makes me feel peppy.
2. I like having a slim body that looks good in clothes.
3. I can eat a little more.
4. I am in a better mood. A friend told me when he kept a journal, he noticed he felt consistently happier on the days he exercised.
5. Since I exercise to music, it's a time when i can listen to my favorite music, which lifts my mood.
6. I feel good about myself when I do things that are good for me and I feel bad about myself when I don't.
7. When I exercise, I sometimes push my limits, a competition with myself and that gets my juices flowing.
8. I can handle the frustrations of the day.
9. It gives me the energy, flexibility and stamina I need to do fun things like hiking in Utah.
10. I’ve seen older people deteriorate because they didn’t stay active and I don’t want that to happen to me.

These reasons might not work for you. What are your reasons? Think of things that might inspire you. Or perhaps things you want to avoid. 

Share your list with us, so we can we can have even more reasons to get moving.

Here are links other lists:

The 10 Best Reasons to Exercise


Ten Great Reasons to Exercise


The Many Reasons to Exercise


Ten Top Reasons to Exercise

Music to Get You Moving

This week has suggestions for making playlists and links to playlist sites. 

A great playlist gets me moving and keeps me moving when my energy wanes.  As C+C Music Factory says "Let the rhythm move you!"  Technology has makes it easy to build a personalized playlist off the web in less than 1/2 hour and for less than $10.  Or, if you are less inclined to build your own playlist, the link list below contains sites where you can purchase prepared playlists.

Making Playlists

Personal Taste.  One of the most important things to consider is your taste and style. Think about what type of music energizes you. What songs do you love? A playlist of songs you love can draw you to a workout.  

Workout Type. Another thing to consider is the type of workout you do. For running I need a more consistent pace, nothing too slow. For spinning, the pace can vary greatly. If the song is slow, I can increase the resistance (which helps to build strength). I know, you maniac treadmill runners out there are going to tell me I could increase the incline on a slower song. Ugh!

Variety versus Consistency. What draws you to the workout? Do you get bored using the same playlist or do you look forward to the same songs each workout? Lucky you if you like the same playlist - it's certainly cheaper and takes less time.

Organizing the playlist. You want to think about your workout. Start with a slower song to warm up. I made the mistake of starting a couple of playlists with extremely fast songs that I love, but paid the price later in the workout. I like to put the most energetic songs at the end of a longer workout to boost me when my energy starts flagging. You might want to put some slower songs at the end for your cool down.

Length of workout.  You might consider separate playlists for different workout lengths. For shorter workouts, you can have faster-paced songs throughout. For longer workouts you might want to change pace a few times between high energy and moderate pace. I have 30 minute playlists, 45 minute playlists and a few playlists that are as long as three hours.

Pace. Beats per minute can be important if you exercise to the beat. Many mp3 providers now provide beats per minute or you can determine it for yourself by playing a song for 15 seconds and multiplying by four.

Finally, edit you playlist if it doesn't work for you. Earlier i said i started   a couple of playlists with lively songs. While using other playlists, I found that even though I loved a particular song, it just didn't keep my energy up in the workout.


List your songs: Use the comments to list your favorite songs. 

What topics would you like covered? One last thing.  Please use comments to tell me what health topics you are most interested in: eating tips, healthy recipes, exercises, stretching, how to keep motivated, how to track your progress. What you you like to see in this blog?

Prepared Playlists

JogTunes.com – Suggests playlists tailored to pace (beats per minute) and preferred song genres and/or artist.  Gives you help in determining your preferred pace. Also lists Prepared Playlists. You can buy the tunes from their suggested lists.

WalMart.com or iTunes.com sells Shape Cardio workout albums.

Songs for the Do-it-Yourselfer

Sue' favs - Song lists for several types of workouts, including a "happy songs" playlist

Shape magazines top 10 workout songs from 2010

Shape’s 20 Minute Playlist

Fitness Magazine – Our Best Workout Playlists

Fitness Magazine – Step it Up Cardio Playlist

Chicago Tribune – What’s Playing at the Health Clubs (2008)

And Now For Some Completely Different Super Bowl Health Tips

Temptation? 1 Hot Wing = 200 Calories

It’s Super Bowl Sunday. And instead of usual advice on healthy snacks and not overeating, today’s blog will hopefully give some tips you don’t see all the time.

But before I give you my unusual tips, here is an interesting fact from the Calorie Control Council : The average calorie intact of Super Bowl snacks is 1,200 calories and 50 grams of fat.  One LA Times article tells you how far you’d have to walk to burn off the calories from various popular Super Bowl snacks.  Another article on Live Well Nebraska from the World-Herald Bureau warns that between the snacks and the stress, you could have a heart attack.

Below I will give you links to healthier snacks. But here are my completely different tips:



Dump those Goodies

 

As soon as the game is over, throw the leftover snacks away (in a way you won’t be tempted to retrieve them a little later). Yes. Right now. Don’t wait a second. Grind those hot wings, blue cheese, chips and dip in the garbage disposal or put them in the trash and cover them with coffee grounds. Why?  If you are anything like me, over the next few days, you’ll continue to sneak from your snack stash. If you keep that food around, you may eat more fat and calories snacking after the Super Bowl than you did during the Super Bowl.  I confess, after my Christmas party over a week’s time span I ate a bowl of fat-laden spinach dip and crackers and a half a salami stick.

Do a little exercise when the Super Bowl ends.  I have a friend takes a half-hour walk after a big meal.  Dr. Oz recommends doing squats for 1 minute, just enough to kick up that metabolism again.

Add 5 minutes a day to your exercise regime for the next two weeks. That way those extra calories won’t add to a permanent weight gain.

So as promised, here are some links to healthy super bowl snacks (my favorite is sugar snap peas and jicama – crunchy and great even without dip).  Note:  All of these links are McAfee Secure Sites. Enjoy the Super Bowl (or whatever else you plan on doing tonight)!

Eating Well’s Healthy Super Bowl Recipes and Menus  - some of these looked scrumptious!

11 Healthy Super Bowl Snacks – from Health.com. Look great, especially the Lemon-drop chicken wings, but watch the calories in some of these

Healthy Super Bowl Recipe Roundup – Links to recipes from This Mama Cooks (on a diet)

6 Healthy Snacks and Recipes for a Super Duper Bowl – Fit Bottom Girls (ok Queen fans, love the title a word play on one of my all time favorite songs and this site has a lot of interesting stuff)

Notes on using the Swish Technique from last week’s .  My attempt to use the Swish Technique worked – I was able to replace my stay-in-bed self talk with a get-up response – but I forgot to add the and exercise part. Also, the link I gave you didn’t talk about making your replacement image as detailed, vivid and complete as possible – actually see and feel yourself in the new behavior. Good luck!

Welcome. Removing Barriers from Staying Healthy

Welcome to my blog on staying healthy. I’m creating this blog to:

·         Share ideas that keep us on the healthy path

·         Share what’s blocking us and come up with ways to overcome the obstacles

·         Support each other

How you can participate: You can join in whatever way you wish – as a reader, as a participant to the blog (by comments or even guest posts), or just support me in person.  If you want to comment, you can use your real first name or any name you wish to remain anonymous. You can become a follower by clicking the Follow button on the right. If you like this blog, send a link to your health-conscious friends.

Posting: I’ll post something about exercise, eating or general health every Sunday. It may be a longer post, like this post, or just a small tip I’ve picked up.

Today’s topic: Removing Barriers - What we say to ourselves

I’m in a health slump right now. Most of 2010 I was rigorous at eating right and exercising.  Since Thanksgiving it’s been a downward slide.  So before I regain all that hard-lost weight and lose my muscle, I decided I needed something to keep me at it.  I noticed one of my roadblocks lately when the alarm goes of at 5:26 is my thoughts.  I stick my arm out of the covers and it’s cold and I’m tired.  So my inner dialogue starts, “I wanna stay here where it’s warm and cozy,” “I didn’t get much sleep last night, I’ll let the snooze go off just one more time.”

At night, the time I use to do strength training the inner dialog is like this, “I really go home late, I have these other things to do tonight,” or “I’m too tired.”

So, how do I smash that negative self-talk barrier?  Some ideas off the top of my head:

• Yell Just Do It! (Nike’s slogan). The minute I start that destructive self-talk, yell “Just Do It” to myself – that’s gotten me to keep moving in the past.
• Replace the negative thought with a positive one. For me, the carrot works better than the stick. I want to replace the negative talk with images of how good I’ll look or how much energy I’ll  have, or being able to hike magnificent places like Bryce Canyon all day give me the incentive to get my body moving.I took NeuroLinguisticProgramming (NLP) several years ago and replacing negative thoughts is called the Swish Technique – swishing the negative thought and replacing it with a positive thought. Duh! Why didn’t I think of this sooner? It does work if you practice it.  Here’s a link  to how to do the Swish Technique.

• Remind myself to ignore those thoughts. Or I can just take the Zen perspective. Reminding myself that my thoughts are not me and I can just ignore them; treat them like clouds that drift through my brain.

What about you?   Do you say things to yourself, and listen?  What do you do to combat the negative self-talk?