Are You In Pain??
November 24, 2008
I just got this email from Naked Nutrition Trainer Keith Scott regarding as survey that some people filled out. It seems like a lot of people are living in pain - this sucks (excuse my language).
Just last week I wreaked by upper back doing dumbbell kettlebell swings (a weird way to hurt your back, I know). Shooting pain, muscle spasms…just a lot of fun. I told Keith about it…he explained what the problem was (diagnosed it over THE PHONE)..I would rehash it for use but it was uber sciencey (I was barely following him), basically because I sit at a desk all day and then when I’m at home I usually have 1 (or 2) kids in a Baby Bjorn my upper back is completely out of whack and when I went to do the kettlebell swings my body couldn’t take it any more…enter pain and spasms.
Keith gave me some quick exercises and stretchs to do and I’m just about ready to get back into the gym (Thanks Keith!). The moral of the story is…Keith knows what he’s talking about when it comes to fixing pain. Check out the survey results below:
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If you live with painful, stiff joints, or sore muscles you are not alone.
If you have pain, or physical problems, trust me when I tell you that you are not alone. Most people I come in contact with have chronic physical pain, in more than one area. Many people have had chronic pain and physical limitations for a good deal of their lives.
When I asked you to take my physical pain and limitation survey, I received some interesting responses. I want to share the results of my survey with you. Remember, although this is a small sample size, the results are telling and interesting. I learned a lot and I think you will find the results interesting too.
When I asked where people experience the most physical pain,I received the following feedback:
Low Back Pain - 38 responses
Shoulder Pain - 24 responses
Neck Pain - 22 responses
Knee Pain - 18 responses
Upper Back Pain - 13 responses
When I asked about which physical issues people had, Pain was number one, followed by stiffness, weakness and soreness.
I found it interesting that when asked how people dealt with their pain and problems, 60 % of people asked dealt with their pain by taking over the counter medications. 45% had physical therapy, while 27% ignored their pain and problems. Surprising to me was that 51% of people dealt with the problems on their own. (remember, people could choose more than one option,that is why the percentages are high)
When asked how the pain and problems impacted life, I received the following feedback:
Cannot exercise - 80%
Cannot Do daily Chores - 10 %
Cannot Play with kids - 10%
Cannot do favorite things, hobbies - 40%
When I asked if Physical Therapy helped with the issues, 52% said it helped a little, but the problems came back. 33% said that PT did not help much at all and 22% said that PT cured their issues for good. 10% of people said that PT made things worse.
Finally, when I asked what was the number one fitness goal,the results were pretty standard:
Lose Fat - 30 %
Add Muscle - 23 %
Eliminate Pain - 27%
Become more functional and move better - 31%
CV fitness - 8 %
Increase strength - 3 %
This was not a scientific study, only a small survey, but I still found the responses to be very interesting and helpful. I think many of us make assumptions about pain, and even how people deal with their issues. I found it very interesting that of the people surveyed, many deal with their pain with medication and other means that are outside of the traditional approaches (i.e. therapy)
A large number felt that therapy didn’t work so well, andsome even felt that it made their problems worse.
My conclusion is simple; there has to be a better way, a better answer. In fact, I know there is a better way…a more effective way to deal with pain and issues. It is only a matter of time before the rest of you know it too.
How to Lose Weight - Change Your Carbs
November 24, 2008
Here is a quick video that talks about how just changing the types of carbs you eat can boost your weight loss. It is SO easy to implement. Check out the video and you’ll see what I mean.
Low Carb Diets - How Low??
November 24, 2008
Here’s a quick video that talks about how carb diets and how low you need to cut your carbs.
Tis the season to gain weight
November 24, 2008
It starts with Halloween candy, continues with Thanksgiving feasts, and quickly moves to the consumption of December holiday goodies. Next comes the New Years parties, and it finally comes to a head with Super Bowl chips and dips, and finally ends with what started it, candy…this time Valentines chocolates. It has become a time-honored tradition to feast more and exercise less during the Fall and Winter months. Needless to say, weight gain increases and fitness stalls. As the Holidays quickly approach it is important to have a plan of action concerning your fitness and fitness goals. If you do not, chances are you will suffer the fate of Holiday weight gain and poor fitness. As we inch closer to the Holidays, shopping, parties, and family gatherings, take precedent, and usually working out takes a back seat. November and December are the biggest months for missed training sessions, skipped workouts and failed diets. Have a Plan…now! It is essential that you plan ahead now for the holiday season concerning your fitness if you want to avoid destroying all of your previous hard work. Even if you have not exercised much, you do not want to make things worse at this time of year. Remember, most weight gain happens between these critical holiday months. A Plan that works Here are some guidelines that you can apply immediately that will help you through the holiday season and keep you on track to reaching and maintaining your fitness goals.
- Schedule your training appointments now. If you work with a trainer, schedule ahead of time. It is less likely that you will skip your workouts when they are scheduled. Pay for sessions ahead of time and schedule them now!
- Join a fitness group or boot camp. Group training and boot camps are an excellent way for you to stay fit and beat the holiday weight gain. Boot camps and group training keep you honest and committed. When you know that others are counting on you, you will more than likely keep your appointments. In addition, boot camps and group training usually give you more “bang for your buck.”
- Eat before you go to your holiday parties. By eating at home, you will fill up on good foods and will be less likely to binge at the parties. This old trick works well.
- Try to plan your fitness sessions at stressful times. Try to workout before you go shopping or have family events. Exercise can combat stress. We all know that stress can lead to over eating and binging. By exercising, you can beat the stress and stay on track.
The holidays are a great time of year and can lead to memories that last forever. Staying on track with your fitness goals during this time will make the rest of your year better and even more memorable. Remember, have a plan and stick to it as much as possible and you might not have to start over again with those dreaded New Years Resolutions.
Five ineffective exercises for Fat Loss, that most people still do
November 18, 2008
There are plenty of things people do in the gym and with their training routines that are ineffective for fat loss. Here are 5 that I see on a regular basis.
- Leg Extensions - First off, these can be very bad for your knees. I don’t recommend doing these if you have bad knees, and further I don’t recommend doing these if you have good knees. I have treated too many people that have injured their knees from doing leg extensions. The shear forces that are place on the knee joint are too high and there are many other way better alternatives (i.e. squats, lunges.) Besides the danger, this exercise is a waste of time if you are trying to burn fat.
- Stability Ball Crunches - 99.999999% of the people that do stability ball crunches do the wrong. With that said, they are not that effective in working your abs as other exercises. Besides, there is a lot of research coming out that talks about how stressful crunches can be on the spine.
- Leg and Hip Machines (abductor and adductor machines) - There are various types of leg and hip machines, but the kinds I am talking about basically open and close your legs. I cringe every time I see people in the gym doing these. First off, they place a lot of stress on the groin musculature and not in a good way. More so, they are a huge waste of time. Another single joint exercise that burns no fat, doesn’t do a whole lot of strengthening, does about zero “toning” and yet again, places the person on their butt. That is the last place you need to be if you are trying to burn fat.
- Biceps curls and triceps extensions - Now I don’t have a problem with these two movements and I use them myself, but remember what we are talking about here…FAT LOSS!! I watch people in the gym that are trying to shed unwanted fat all of the time, and most still spend a good portion of their workout performing single joint arm exercises such as the bicep curl and triceps extension. These two movements wont do much at all for fat loss. If you want to tone your arms, do multi joint exercises such as presses and pulls and wait until you reach your fat loss goal before hitting the arms directly.
- Elliptical Machines - Yes, in the beginning of your weight loss journey these machines will burn some fat, but not for long. There are better ways. Elliptical machines are a momentum based machine that helps you more than it resists you. This is not good for fat burning. Stationary bikes, and treadmills are much more effective for fat burning. Don’t believe me, do your own test. See which machine you can stay on longer at a high intensity. I bet the elliptical wins. That is not a good thing either. It means it is easier. Did you ever wonder why the elliptical machines are all taken in your gym? It’s the easiest machine and most people will do what is easy before they will do what is difficult.
If you are trying to burn fat and lose weight, and any of these exercises are in your plan, you need to reconsider and do things that actually will make a difference. Any exercise is better than nothing, but why waste your time doing things that are barely effective?
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