According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 70-85% of adults suffer from lower back pain during some time in their lives. It is also the most frequent cause of activity limitation in people over the age of 45.
For many Americans, lower back pain is a result of being in a seated posture for most our days, without changing our body positions. The following are a few tips to prevent lower back pain:
Change positions at least, every 30 minutes, during your workday. Cross one ankle over one knee and lean forward to stretch your glut. Stand up. Walk to the water cooler or copy machine. Take a phone call standing up.
Stay well hydrated. Sufficient fluid in your body keeps your joints “lubricated and padded”. (This also will induce more frequent restroom breaks, which will force you to be more active during your day, and utilize your muscles.)
Exercise regularly. This will increase circulation to those muscles that were “turned off” while your were seated throughout the day. This will also help you manage your weight.
Maintain a healthy weight. Too much weight on your body can stress your body’s frame to the point of strain, causing back pain.
Keep a well-balanced strength workout between the muscles of your back and abdominals.
You can also find exercises that you can do at your desk and at home that will keep your core strong and help you prevent lower back pain at the new online health club, V4 Fitness, launched by my company, Balanced Strength. You can still register for a free account through this Friday, February 13. Log on at http://v4fitness.com to set up your account. You can find the exercises by going to the Exercise Library and entering “core” in the search field.
Image found at http://punditkitchen.files.wordpress.com
The majority of us Americans have not-so-fond memories of the Presidential Fitness test. In our youth, some may have asked, “Who wrote these tests?” Even Junior Seau jokes about how he dreads doing pull-ups, onInsider Training with Gabby Reece, because they remind him of those days of old. Now, we have a President who sets a fantastic example of healthy and fit living.
However, I have read that our President has been accused of being workout obsessed because he spent two hours working out, one day during his campaign. Exercise has been proven to alleviate one’s stress. President Obama is going into the White House with a healthy, low blood pressure level, healthy BMI, and body composition, with one of the most stressful jobs in the world today. I tip my imaginary hat to the man for keeping up his daily fitness routine, so that he can remain our healthy Commander-in-Chief for the term of his presidency. In fact, 2/3 of the American population (yes, that’s how many Americans do not get the recommended amount of physical activity) have lost the excuse that “I am too busy/too stressed to exercise.” If the President can do it, yes, you can you, too! “Yes we can.” (Sorry, that is not getting old for me anytime soon.)
I was going to finish this post here, but I am sure that single parents are saying that they don’t have help at home with their kids, thus restricting exercise options. My solution: visit your local YMCA or Boys & Girls Club (if necessary, they also offer financial assitance for families who qualify), parents can workout while the kids get to participate in various programs. Some locations even offer childcare for the kids who are not yet old enough to participate in the art and fitness classes that they provide. For those of us in California, where there isn’t snow or sleet, take your kids out on a walk with you. Getting/staying fit is easy, if you let it be.
In addition to the above suggestion, the next one applies to each and everyone of us: Make a daily appointment with yourself to exercise, and keep it. Your date can be with the well-lit stairwell at your office for 15 minutes per day.
If you would like more guidance, feel free to contact me offline, comment, our visit my website~www.balancedstrength.com. Also, register for a V4 Fitness account for free through January 31, 2009. It is an online health club, complete with daily exercises, fitness tips, and interaction with our total fitness coaching staff of nutritionists, personal trainers, and life coaches.
Most of us have set health & fitness-themed New Year’s resolutions, as we have in years past. Many of us have had difficulty meeting those goals…
I’m plugging a little shameless self-promotion in this blog post, since a project that I have been working on for nearly 6 months will finally go live this week–just in time to give you tools to achieve success in conquering those pesky resolutions!
Balanced Strength, Inc. presents V4 Fitness…a members-only, one-stop, total fitness community that provides you with resources and expert advice on exercise, clinical and integrative nutrition, Habit Reprogramming™, weight loss, injury prevention, and stress management.
We strive to help the busy working professional learn how to get and stay healthy and fit when time is your endangered resource. Your membership entitles you to:
Communicate with experts in fitness & wellness at your convenience.
Interact with others in the private blog, “Coaches Corner”.
Access the comprehensive Exercise Library.
Receive daily exercises that you can do in your office and at your desk.
Receive healthy lifestyle tips.
Be accountable for a daily healthy habits checklist.
Track your wellness progress.
Register for online fitness competitions that help you get fit fast.
Sign up on our preview list at http://balancedstrength.com/v4fitness/ before January 1, 2009, and you will receive a free one-month membership upon our launch!
For the month of January, I am also offering my workshop, “Ready, Set, Fit” free to your corporations! After attending this workshop, you will have the tools to overcoming the obstacles that keep you from meeting your health & fitness goals and set milestones toward achieving your successes. Contact christine.kwok@balancedstrength.com for more information and to book your event.
In this morning’s NBC news in Dallas, it discussed walking conference rooms in NYC. I encourage everybody to go for walking meetings. After all, physical activity spurs creativity. However this morning’s news is quite the boardroom breakthrough.
This company’s conference room is equipped with projectors, telephones, and computers, similar to our “mainstream” conference rooms. However, instead of tables and chairs, it has treadmills. Instead of going to meetings in suits and dress shoes, you get to wear walking pants, t-shirts, and sneakers. In an hour-long meeting, an attendee can burn anywhere from 150-400 calories. Incidently, Dr. James Levine published a study with Mayo Clinic that concluded that “thin” people burn 350 calories more per day than those people who are obese.
Photo courtesy of http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/health/nutrition/18fitness.html?no_interstitial
If you find it difficult to go for that three mile walk per day, or 10,000 steps per day. A treadmill workstation is a great multi-tasking alternative. See the above photo of walkstations at Mutual of Omaha.
For those of you who are interested in creating your own walking workstation, I found an online DIY treadmill desk. While actively working, I recommend walking on the treadmill workstation at a pace of about 2 mph. Also, keep the ramp between 1-2%.
After making mashed garnet yams and crispy fennel, a la Pace Webb, I was left with long fennel stalks. I was planning to try Pace’s fennel apple salad. However, I didn’t have apples, nor gorgonzola in the refrigerator. What I did have was celery, so I thought about what would compliment the flavors and texture of celery & fennel. The product…
4 celery stalks, 2 fennel stalks, 1/2 small onion, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 tbsp olive oil, pinch of kosher salt, pinch of ground pepper, dill & fresh parsley to taste
Chop celery and fennel into 1/8-1/4 inch slices and roughly dice onion. Heat the olive oil in a pan over med-low heat. Saute celery, fennel and onion, with salt, for 2 minutes. Add frozen corn, heat for 3 more minutes. Add pepper, dill, and parsley. Stir for another minute to marry the flavors. Then plate.
For a lunch salad, you can add grilled chicken or toasted pine nuts and gorgonzola cheese crumbles.
Not including any chicken or other additions, this whole recipe, which serves at least two (more if used as a side dish), contains about 300 calories-total. The health benefits include being high in fiber, antioxidants, and minerals. The sweetness of the corn can curb a sweet tooth, while the high fiber content helps inhibit the absorption of fat.
This fourth, and last, installment to the series, “Economic Effects on Our Health & Well-Being,” was intended to be dedicated to nutritional guidance. Although I have a certification in weight management coaching, nutritional counseling is not my area of expertise. Therefore, I can give you a few words of wisdom, which have been reinforced by other nutritional experts: Eileen Weilbacher, Jen Ford, and Nina Segil:
Consume foods rich in B-vitamins. The various B-vitamins assist in production of red blood cells, nervous system function (can improve brain function and reduce anxiety), and metabolism. Some examples of foods rich in vitamin B are green leafy vegetables, fish, poultry, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and legumes.
Include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Not only are omega-3s heart healthy, they help reduce the symptoms of depression and hypertension. This heart healthy oil can be found in coldwater fish (like salmon), flaxseeds, kidney beans, grape leaves, spinach, and walnuts.
Don’t be afraid of mono-unsaturated fats. Consuming fat gives us a natural comforting effect. It makes us feel fuller faster, also, preventing the feeling of being hungry-all-the-time and the need to nosh continuously. Recommended sources of mono-unsaturated fats are walnuts (tablespoon of crushed), almonds (tablespoon of slivered), slices of avocado. You can throw them on salads, in yogurt, create shakes, or mix with fruit for a well-balanced, satisfying meal.Therefore, consuming these “good” fats in moderation is recommended.
The following tips were published in my last newsletter. They include health and wellness recommendations for you to follow when under stress.
1) Elect to exercise – It boosts your body’s mental- and physical-coping mechanisms.
2) Resist overindulgence in “comfort foods“ – Mentally, it can induce feelings of guilt. Physically, perpetual overindulgence in food leads to weight gain, which spurs various health risks.
3) Consume caffeine in moderation – Stimulants promote anxiety. Some research has also shown that our body’s inflammatory response to caffeine can perpetuate or worsen any inflammation in our organs.
4) Include nutrient-rich foods in your diet – Nutrient-rich foods (particularly organic) sustain you longer, making you less vulnerable to cravings for “comfort foods.” Once absorbed, they help your body cope better, mentally and physically, by restoring hormonal balance, providing energy, and reducing inflammation.
5) Recognize your accomplishments - Be grateful of everything you were able to do throughout your day, including making friends smile or having dinner with your family. Being aware of all that you are able to offer the people around you at home, work, and play helps prevent a dismal state of mind.
6) Focus on your desires - “The Secret” helped us understand it, as life coaches around the world advise it – visualize what you want and not what you fear. Visualization leads to fruition.
7) Laugh often – My favorite recommendation from Dr. Norman, “Research shows that laughter produces both physical and psychological dividends. It reduces stress and anxiety and increases tolerance to pain. Since, when we laugh, we stretch muscles, breathe faster, and send more oxygen to our tissues, some have compared the benefits of laughter to mild exercise.”
Think in 8s – For the superstitious, this is the number representing prosperity.
All of our tips are applicable to your life, even when you are not under stress. However, these good habits are easily forgotten when we are distracted by stressors. Please use these posts as reminders, and good living habits.
Yes, you see that correctly, Part 2.5. Sorry, I haven’t had the chance to blog the follow-up with my exercise prescription to manage your stress levels (Part 3). However, an article from Market Watch was just published. It discusses how stress can cause tension and pain in the neck, shoulders, and back, and why. Dr. Norman Marcus also says, “Even though you might feel you deserve to overindulge, don’t use the pressure of the financial crisis to suspend healthy habits: Excessive drinking, overeating, smoking or self-medicating can only make the situation worse,” which reinforces what was stated in Part 1. Happy reading!!! Click here for the article.
The Problem: As I train my clients along the bluffs of Santa Monica, overlooking the ocean, I expect this area to be peaceful. Being in LA County, I expect to hear some sirens and a little honking of car horns. However, in the last few weeks, I have noticed much more driver stress. I am assuming this is due to the economic distress many Americans are now feeling, especially when the majority of reports coming from financial experts is that this is a “once in a lifetime” economic crisis.
The proof is not just in the road rage, but that restaurant sales, spa visits, and other service- and product-oriented sales are down. I’m sure some of you readers may have considered, if you have not already, quit your gym membership. If you are not using your gym membership, I say fine. You really don’t need a gym to maintain a fitness regimen. However, if going to the gym is your means of getting in your workouts, find other ways to save.
Exercise: In times of crises and stress, ultimately, it is exercise and maintaining good health that will help you cope, mentally and physically, with the demands. Regular exercise (I recommend 45-60 minutes/day, 5-6 days/week–does not have to be in a single bout) helps you sleep better and faster, keeps you mentally alert, controls your blood pressure, blood sugar, and balance your hormones.
Nutrition: During stressful times, we also tend to turn to “comfort food” in order to feel good. Normally, I say it’s OK to have a little piece of chocolate, a scoop of ice cream, or a small serving of fries. However, during these times, it’s more difficult to practice moderation. My advice is to resist the urge and have a glass of water. (If you still feel hungry, after a few minutes, have a small palmful of sliced almonds.) A well-hydrated body is a well-coping body. Avoid caffeine as much as possible, in order to minimize feelings of anxiety.
Breathe: Also, don’t forget to breathe. Taking a few minutes at the beginning and end of your day to practice breathing exercise in a quiet place will help you relax, as well.
Look out for the next few segments of “Economic Effects on Exercise.” I will be giving you tips on how to save money in regard to your gym memberships, quick and efficient exercise routines, and nutrition tips that will help you reduce your stress. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions or would like me to cover any other topics.
Think in 8s – For the superstitious, this is the number representing prosperity.
