Core Train Back Pain!

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Virtually every strength training move will engage your core (abdominals) if done correctly, meaning, that you are consciously engaging your core.  This gives you stability through the exercise and works double duty in tightening abs.

Many people stay away from strength training because of lower back problems and fear that it will aggravate the problem.  This is the exact OPPOSITE of the actual truth.  Lower back "weakness" is usually an indicator of a weak core.  Strengthening your core will aide in overuse of lower back muscles and improve posture.  If you have disc issues or injury, always consult your chiropractor or physician before entering a fitness program.

Our bodies are very complex and connected in ways that would seem to make no sense at all.  For example, hamstrings run through the back of the thighs.  Tightness through lack of stretching will cause limitation of motion in the pelvis.  This increases stress across the lower back, compromising posture.  Stretching will eventually lengthen the muscles and relieve stress on the lower back!!

If you don't believe me, believe the Mayo Clinic, this link gives many different exercises for the core with modifications.  As with any exercise, if you feel pain, and I mean sharp pain, not the pain of exertion! stop and move to another exercise or try the modification until you build up enough strength.

Now, if you are looking to see abdominal results, visit my fan page for training tips and nutrition. http://www.facebook.com/bootcampacademy101  You will not reduce belly fat from abdominal exercises alone!! The two go hand in hand! 

New Camp Heaven!

This morning was the christening of the 5:30 a.m. Body Sculpting class.  Campers learned some basic weight training techniques they can take to the gym if they choose to.  Everyone works at their own weight level.

1. Work in enough reps to cover 40 seconds per exercise - don't be a slave to the clock, but get in the zone
2. Three count down, fast return - ex. would be when you are performing curls, don't just sling them up and down quickly.  Curl the weight quickly, then do a slow three count down as you position to curl back up, then repeat.
3. 30 seconds to 3 minute recovery depending on your cardiovascular endurance.

This morning we worked with 5 and 10 pound weights, doing 10 reps each focusing mostly on the heavier weight with 30 second breaks as these are not new campers.  The body parts are broken up between the 2 days, Monday and Wednesday.

SIGN UP TODAY!!

Remember to drink lots of water and stretch!!!   Awesome job ladies!!

PATRIOT GAMES MUD RUN IS FINALLY HERE!

After months of training and Boot Camps, the Mud Run is finally here!  I LOVE MUD!  I've got several campers joining in and it should be a lot of fun.  Hopefully pictures will be available to post.  I know newbies are a bit apprehensive, but we're sticking together and I can feel the love!

This run is family friendly and geared for finishing, I hope to get 'em hooked!

Skinny Fat

If I am diagnosing right, skinny fat is a low scale weight with high percent of body fat (Body Mass Index - BMI).  This can be discouraging for people who have lost weight and look slim in clothes, but still have pockets of fat in unwanted areas.  Also, for people who have been slim most of their life without diet or exercise and as they age, see layers of fat start to come on.

What are some of the causes?

• Skinny fat is a common side effect of starvation diets.  Fat is emergency storage, your body will burn muscle first if caloric intake is too low.
• Overdosing on cario may result in loss of muscle mass if not combined with strength training
• And of course, on a naturally slim person, lack of exercise in general with poor eating habits

What is the solution?  Lifting and eating clean.  Taking in less calories is not the answer, taking in the right calories is. You may gain muscle mass, which will translate in pounds on the scale, yet all the while appearing slimmer.  When I say pounds, in women, I am not talking 10 pound gains, unless you are competing and really making a concerted effort to do so.  The average person may gain 1-3 pounds or stay the same trading fat for muscle and go down a dress size.

Keep these principles in mind if you are trying to gain more muscle mass and less fat on a slim frame.

• Eating clean, this means whenever possible avoid processed foods, soda, sugar and fried foods.  Take in good fats like coconut oil, olive oil, flax seed oil, avocados and raw nuts.
• Increase your lifting weight regularly, this is called strength training.  Slinging the same weight week after week, even if it is heavy, or too light is not building strength.  Increasing the weight gives you a bench mark.
• Taking a week off periodically (try once a quarter) to recuperate from the load.

Street Foods

I have been coveting the food truck phenomenon for awhile, and it seems that it has been perfected first outside of the US.  But we've caught on, and now I am seeing it everywhere.  Or at least reading about it :(  Austin and San Antonio have caught on and hopefully we will see it in the DFW area as well.  Not your standard hotdogs and roasted peanuts either!  I have also been hearing the foodie buzz for smoked paprika.  So the marriage of the two was a great opportunity to venture out into unchartered food territory.  The trip was fantastic!

The recipe was Hot Smoked Paprika Pork with Mango Salsa I was so excited because I saw that they had been selling flat bread at Walmart in the bakery section, traditionally called Naan, which is part of the Indian cuisine.  Of course when I went to get it, it wasn't there!  So the substitute was small corn tortillas that were double wrapped because singly they tend to crumble when stuffed.  This is a very versatile recipes as I imagine it would be good with ground pork or chicken as well and done on the stovetop.

I will be trying out different recipes from this venue, as they can be quick and pretty healthy.  As with most things, adjustments can be made to lower the calories, as most of the bang comes in the exquisite combination of spice.

Dry Bones

There is a book that recently got the dust blown off it called A More Excellent Way.  It's premise being that root causes of illnesses, and the first place to approach healing, is emotional.  That is very oversimplified, but I don't want to sound "preachy" with all the spiritualized jargon that only means something if you are, well, spiritual.  I mention this because I very quickly glanced at a secular article on pain, that, for all intents and purposes, said the same thing!  The article was on arthritis pain.  It sounds like there are principles at work in our body, that are recognized, whether you are spiritual or not.  Coincidence?  I guess if you believe in that sort of thing.  In any case, I wanted to convey the information in case it resonated with anyone.  The section that is underlined is almost word for word, what you would read in A More Excellent Way.

Chronic pain is both physical and psychological, so certain ways of thinking can make it worse, says Ingela Symreng, PsyD., director of psychology for the department of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of California at Davis.  "Fear, anxiety and depression around pain may cause more suffering than the actual physical pain condition", she says.  Chronic pain is a broken alarm system, she explain, designed to trigger a "fight or flight" response.  That works great if you touch something that is hot - it hurts, so you pull your hand away.  With chronic pain, however, you can't get rid of the discomfort, so your left with an intense, unrelenting focus on it and a surfeit of adrenalin, which causes anxiety.  "You have to retrain your brain to react differently to those signals," says Dr. Symreng.  This is the crux of cognitive behavioral therapy, which can be highly effective in reducing pain, but you can learn these techniques on your own.  Here are five common responses to pain that make it worse - and what you can do to change them.

1. Stop expecting the worse

2. Move beyond the fear

3. Lower your stress quotient

4. Challenge negative thoughts

5. Recognize depression

I thought it was also interesting that A More Excellent Way suggests that even the suggestion of a negative object being nearby will elicit a response, even if the stimulus is not present.  For example, if you are allergic to strawberries, to even mention that strawberries are being served in the next room as a snack can (and they really aren't), in some people, may cause symptoms of an allergic reaction to start.  I am not talking actual broken bones being caused by emotional pain, but if you broke a bone 10 years ago and are still using crutches, you may want to look at that.

You can click on the source link for more detail on the solutions given by this article.  I am not personally a big cognitive therapy person, but I DO believe in the power of the mind, our thoughts, to bring life or cause death.  Before you call a doctor, consider taking a quick inventory or seek a counsellor to identify if fear, anxiety or depression, not just around the symptoms, but in general, is related to an unresolved hurt as well.  It may be time to, as Eminem would say, start "Cleanin' Out My Closet".

source: ivillage.com

Vegan Delight

Perusing some vegan recipes trying to get ideas for more veggie recipes, I decided to read the introduction to Vegan Delight.  Right there in the first few pages were some of the same insights from Fit For Life, albeit very abridged.  Here were some of the revelations from the author:

1. In food combining, it is OK to eat grains and legumes together
2. Eat raw veggies with your meal, it aides digestion
3. Eat cooked fruit with carbs
4. Avoid 5, 7 & 9 grain breads (I am not sure why but I have heard this elsewhere, including Fit For Life)
5. Eat fruit alone
6. Eat melon and grapes by themselves
7. Eat citrus alone or with vegetables

It was a confirmation that this is not just one man's opinion.  It also signaled to me that perhaps people can be confused about what is "healthy".  For instance, the swith from white to wheat bread is a common misconception in terms of health benefits. White flour is stripped of all nutrients through a process called "refining"and then enriched to try to put nutrients back in.  It is refined so that is has a shelf life and bugs will not eat it.  Many think that they are eating healthy by buying whole wheat.  But there is a difference between whole "wheat" and whole "grain".  Whole wheat is just that, whole wheat, but not whole grain.  Whole wheat is usually refined and enriched and uses molasses to color it.   Whole grain is as it states, whole grain.  It should be the 1st ingredient, and 1st choice if you are trying to get get grains into your diet as a source of fiber.

I would recommend Vegan Delight for anyone looking for alternatives to mainstream food, such as gravies, dressings, sauces and desserts.  The vegetable recipes are very basic, but it is also a great introduction to unfamiliar ingredients such as arrowroot, sea kelp and kombu sea weed!

The two recipes that caught my eye were VERY simple, so simple, I never thought of it myself!

TURNIP FRIES
6-8 medium turnips, peeled or unpeeled
Natural Oil (I am assuming olive)
Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 350.  Chop turnips into "fries" and lightly coat with oil.  Place on oiled baking sheet and lightly salt.  Bake for 20 minutes or until tender.

STUFFED AVOCADO SALAD
1/2 avocado on a bed of spinach
Fill with marinated vegetables!!
I am assuming the veggies can be raw, steamed or roasted.

So easy but it sounds so yummy!

Apple Cider Vinegar A Day Keeps It All Away!

 There have been many testimonials for apple cider vinegar flying around over the last few years, or at least that I am aware of.  I am sure longer than that!  I was reading an article in the Farmer's Almanac and it peaked my interest again.  I am not talking about the kind of watered down version they sell at supermarkets.  The healing is in the "mother", which is a cobwebby brown residue at the bottom of the bottle. You will need to find a local health food store for this one.  It is Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, from the same people who sell Liquid Amino's that can be used in place of soy sauce.

If some of these symptoms are part of your daily living, you may want to try this natural juice:

High Blood Pressure
Sluggish Metabolism
Fight Colds & Cough 
Relieve Leg Cramps
Soothe Aching Muscles
Relieve Headaches
Soft Skin Elixir
Lower Cholesterol
Boost Immune System to prevent disease
Liver Spots
Arthritis Reliever
Eye and Ear Problems
Destroy Bacteria in Food
Relieve Itches, Insect Bites
Skin Rashes,  Athlete's Foot
Heart and Circulatory Aide
And much more!


To contact Bragg's for information about how it's product can help you, call 1-800-446-1990. 

Some of my clients suffer these symptoms, I would be interested to see a true test trial for the results, comment if you have a testimony!!

The skinny on skinny

I recently read an article on habits of thin women.  Believe it or not, they DO have methods, it's not all genetics.  I always envisioned thin people eating whatever they want while I am sucking on cardboard.  Not the case.  While indulgence is a part of the repertoire, it is the exception, not the rule.  Here's the skinny, on being thin, with some commentary added in!

BE PREPARED Plan your meals, shop, and cook at home.  You are less likely to order pizza if you have a plan.  This is absolutely the truth.  No plan is a plan to fail.  Come mealtime, if I don't know what's coming, I start to look for open cans of frosting.

LEFT OVERS Instant lunch!

EAT SEASONAL Join a local CSA or support your local produce stand.  Pack your meals with produce, lean meats and fish.

OATS Oats are a staple.  Steel cut have more soluble fiber so it sticks around longer.  Some suggestions that I thought were interesting were to add pumpkin puree and flaxseed oil.

DON'T FORCE FEED This means wait until you are hungry to eat.  Don't punch a time card to eat.  This may not work for everyone, if you eat less with scheduled meals, then go for it.  But if you are eating 6 meals a day "just because", you may be taking in unnecessary calories.  Your body knows when it's out of gas!  Learn to know what true hunger feels like.

INDULGE Give yourself a break.  If you have an occasion coming up, don't stress.  Eat reasonably, but enjoy.  Sometimes I will have my husband eat the dessert first and tell me if it's worth the splurge!  If it is, I wait and he let's me have the last bite.

SET A LIMIT Two hors d'oeuvres, 2 drinks, done

AVOID BREAD Treat it like a difficult relative, keep a respectful distance.  If you have to cross paths, take a nibble and politely move on!

LEAVE CARBS LAST Get in the salad, protein and double veggies.  By the end of the meal you may have no room for the carb!

MORE VEGGIES PLEASE When eating out, ask for a double portion of vegetables instead of starch

SNACKS Keep healthy snacks around in case someone brings in donuts, that way if you run to food, it will be the kind you can feel good about and not feel left out

GO NUTS!  If you are craving carbs, eat a few almonds instead.  It will satisfy the urge to "crunch".  But don't go crazy, just a few.

100 CALORIE SNACKS Stay clear of this marketing ploy.  This is processed food and should not be treated as a healthy choice just because it's 100 calories.  Psychologically it seems reasonable, so it's may be hard to stop at one.  Then 100 turns into 300!

WATER And lots of it!  Try to get in at least 2 liters.  Limit or eliminate carbonated drinks.  Coconut water has become popular.  Add lemon, lime, oranges or cucumber to a pitcher of water and put in the fridge.  Instead of adding Crystal Light flavoring to bottles water, add Emergen-C.  You get flavor AND a boost of vitamins!  Mint is also a natural appetite suppressant.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Try saying no, the more you do it, the stronger your resistance becomes.

SET LIMITS If you have a food that is a snag for you, set limits.  Limit it to once on the weekends.  Eliminate food trends, like fried foods.  If saying "I'll never" to a certain food is a set up for failure, than set a limit to it, have ONE

VARIETY, THE SPICE OF LIFE?  Actually, variety creates palette excitement, causing you to want to over eat!  Limit the number of food options on the table.  Keep it simple. Create a ritual.  Oats in the am, salad for lunch, apple for snack etc.  OR...

ROTATE MEALS Keep it simple, but keep it from going stale.  Have a food routine, but then rotate it

Fast Food? Forget About It!

I ran across some fast food facts and thought I would pass them along in case you were in denial about some of your favorite quick stops!!

Burger King Whopper  990 cal, 64 grams fat
Taco Bell Beef Burrito  432 cal, 19 grams fat
Papa John's Cheese Pizza  286 cal, 11 grams fat
Wendy's Big Bacon Classic Hamburger  580 cal, 31 grams fat
Hooter's Buffalo Style Wings (5 wings)  866 cal, 62 grams fat
McDonal's Big Mac  560 calories, 30 grams of fat
KFC Bucket of Original Recipe Chicken (roughly 1 pc.!)  400 cal, 24 grams fat
Arby's Roast Beef 400 cal, 20 grams of fat
Subway's Steak and Cheese Sub 362 cal, 13 grams of fat
Pizza Hut Pepperoni Pizza 250 cal, 11 grams of fat

That...is....disgusting.

Motivation Lost and Found

I love to start a week with renewed motivation.  I ran across this video and felt it touched several different aspects of fitness.  Mind, Body, Soul.   The change for this gentlemen was not just physical, it changed everything in his life.  I think it is a law of nature!  It is a great testimony and reminder that we really are the master's of our own destiny.  We manifest what we think, and that can be for the good as well!!

http://youtu.be/ygCnL6HtYCY

The Barbell of Heaven

This teaching is so powerful, I simply must share.

I will preface prior to "preaching", that in every way I have been broken.  There is no wisdom here that I do not need to hear every minute of every day.  Sometimes, we just need to hear it from a different source to penetrate in a new way.  I was very humbled by this teaching, and at the same time completely encouraged!

You must break through the limit of your present capacity, in order to build greater capacity.  This particular teaching, was referring to manifesting God's kingdom.  I thought it was interesting that the process of building muscle was part of the illustration!

Training implies pain.  If you want to build a muscle, it's a process of tearing down the existing development to build a new capacity.   You condition muscle by exercise, you grow muscle by pushing past your current capacity.  It made me think of an instance over the weekend during a circuit training.  The weight was heavier than one of the girls had ever used in that particular exercise.  She had assessed her current capacity and had never tried to lift heavier.  The heavier weight was a challenge, but her new knowledge took her out of conditioning, and into growing!  And she was pretty excited about it!  Training will take you right up to the place of discomfort and push you past it to build!

If you are not willing to be uncomfortable, you will never grow.  Are you surrounded by people who reinforce your comfort zone?  Are you buried somewhere in the middle of someone ahead of you, and someone underneath you?  If you want to grow, you have to be intentional!  Break into relationship with someone who has achieved a measure of the success that you wish to achieve, and let them speak into your life with love, and listen!  And I am not just talking about weight training.  If you want to know God's glory, He can not play big, if you play small.

It is with much tribulation that we enter the kingdom (paraphrased) Acts 14:22   This is not for our defeat but to expand our capacity to manifest the potential inside of us!  We are sent into a battle we are ready for, yet would rather avoid!  Patience is developed through practice in trying situations.  We are set before people we can hardly tolerate to learn how to love.   Life is our holy sandpaper by which we learn how to grow in character.  How can we have faith for provision if we are never in need?

Stage one: The dream

Stage two:  Distress!!  It is the process of expansion!

Transformation is a process.  It is not made by continual perfection.  It is made by blowing it enough to know how to master it!  Mistakes are not failure.  If you have never failed, then you haven't been doing it enough!  Jesus trained the disciples for 3.5 years, and there were a few times, by his commentary, it was obvious, they were blowing it!

If your road is beset with side tracks, flops and fumbles, take heart!  You are on a path to being transformed if you allow it to be.  I have been tracking my food and exercise on Facebook for buddies of Boot Camp Academy 101.  I admit, the last few weeks I have had some major fumbles.  Keeping a record not only keeps me accountable, it hopefully sets an example, AND shows me where I am struggling myself.

I wish I could take credit for this teaching, I only put it into the context of what it meant to me with regard to fitness, I would need a whole other blog for what it meant to me spiritually!  I hope it will mean something to you too!  A little heavier that a quick fit tip or recipe, but lighter than a kick in the teeth, eh? Amen?  Amen!

PATRIOT GAMES AWAIT

With the Patriot Games Mud Run coming near, we've taken Boot Camp to the limit!  Yesterday we took a wade in the creek then climbed up for some obstacles to be ended with some jacks in the mud we created with a dirt patch and some bottled water, and then a run around the field with a watermelon!  Campers went through 2X!!!  How's that for some creative training!

Sometimes you have to help people stay focused.  And I don't mind doing it.  My latest passion is the Zumba craze.  This will be a new rotation on the horizon.  Yesterday a camper introduced me to some Zumba moves and I have been feverishly searching out dance routines and music.  If anyone has a favorite resources, be sure to let me know!  I can see that I have my own style and the workout is going to be a lot of fun, I am so excited!  And it WILL be a workout!  Sometimes you have to search out new things to keep it motivating.  We are all the same there!