Encouraging manageable lifestyle changes for health and happiness, through research and personal experience.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Workout Without Weights

As a follow up to my last post (regarding the need for strength training in a weight loss program), I wanted to provide some suggestions for resistance exercises you could do at home even if you don't have any equipment. Here are some exercises that will hit all of your major muscle groups, and a few suggestions for how you can progress them over time.
When you are working out with weights, you would most likely select a weight that you could only perform 8-15 repetitions of that exercise before tiring out. When using just your body weight, I would suggest performing as many repetitions as it takes to reach that point of fatigue. If you find yourself doing 30+, then you might want to find a way to make the exercise more challenging.

1. LEGS: lunges, bridges, squats, prisoners squats
I would suggest selecting 1-2 of these exercises per workout.
Lunges: you can move forward, side, and reverse (turning behind you at a diagonal and stepping back forward). You can keep your feet in place and continue lunging up and down, then progress to starting with your feet together and stepping out for each lunge. Try performing a full set and then holding at the bottom and pulsing to get a little more burn.
You can also progress to balancing after each lunge.
Floor bridges: One of my favorite exercises to strengthen your glutes and open your hips.
You can lift and lower on both legs or one leg, hold at the top and alternate leg lifts, and hold at the top and pulse.
Squat: Perform single repetitions, hold at the bottom and pulse, or perform jump squats landing back in the squat position.
Prisoners Squats: Squat low then press up onto your tip toes.
2. CHEST: Push ups, push ups, push ups
Progress from kneeling with your body elevated, to kneeling on the ground, to an incline push up on your toes, regular push up on the ground, and finally a decline push up with your feet elevated.
If you are up for the challenge, check out hundredpushups.com to work your way up to 100 in six weeks.

3. Back: Cobras, supermans, and YTAs
For me, the back is a difficult muscle to work without having weights (or a bar to do pull ups). These are certainly lighter weight exercises, but they would at least keep your back muscles "activated."
Cobra: Keeping your feet pressed into the ground, lift your chest and shoulders off the mat. Make sure to squeeze your shoulder blades in order to activate your upper back.
Superman: Lifting opposite arm and leg, alternate from side to side. This will focus more on your core and lower back.
YTA: This can be performed standing or with your stomach on a stability ball. From standing, come into a partial squat, bending forward at the hips. Start with your arms together in front of you (picture 1), lift your arms into a high-V (Y), back to starting position, then out into a T, back to starting position, and then out into a low-V (A). Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together each time. Picture 3 shows the balance option, performing the series standing on one leg (still in a partial squat and bent forward).
You can also transition between the Y-T-A without coming back to the starting position in between. If you have light dumbbells, you can add those as well.
4. Arms: Dips and close-arm push ups
Both of these mostly work triceps. Biceps are another difficult one to focus on without weights to do curls or a bar to do close-arm pull ups.
Dips: Find a chair, bench, or step to use for dipping. Fingers should face forward, elbows should point back (not out to the sides), and hips should drop close to the bench (instead of further forward). Increasing the height of your bench and also propping your feet on another surface will help to challenge the move.
Close-arm push ups: bringing your hands closer together (right under your shoulders) and keeping your elbows close to your sides while performing push ups with add more focus to your triceps.
5. Core: Plank with knees and "the dead bug"
Plank with knees: Hold a push up position and pull one knee to the same elbow or opposite elbow.

Dead bug: Lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling and then alternate lowering opposite arm and leg - don't let them touch the ground. Make sure to press your lower back into the mat. Bending your knees and limiting your range of motion will make this exercise easier, straightening your legs and dropping them closer to the ground will make it more challenging.

So there you have it! I would suggest performing 2-3 sets of each of the exercises you chose to do. Keep your heart rate up by performing 30-60 second cardio spurts in between each set.
Do your strength training exercises 2-3 days a week to make sure you maintain (and hopefully increase) your muscle mass and your metabolism! It should only take you ~30 minutes.
Let me know how it goes, if you have any questions, and if you have any other great exercises to add to the list.
Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt
PS - the 'model' in this post is sporting the ExerSpy arm band with counts how many calories you burn each day (as well as your steps, physical activity, and sleep efficiency) - a great tool for managing your weight loss that can be purchased here (as well as any other fitness equipment needs!)
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Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Dieting WITHOUT Exercise

Everyone is always looking for that magic pill... ANYTHING to keep from having to exercise (gasp!). The evil, dreaded word... exercise. Whether due to lack of time, or lack of enjoyment, exercise is avoided by most -- like the plague. However, there are many health benefits AND WEIGHT LOSS BENEFITS that can only be achieved through exercise...
it. is. not. replaceable. with. a. pill. (or diet, or supplement, etc.)

Here are a few reasons why exercise is needed as part of your diet, whether your goal is general health or weight loss:
  • By including physical activity (strength training and/or cardio) you will increase your caloric deficit which will lead to greater weight loss.
  • Dieting without exercise will certainly lead to weight loss... unfortunately a large percentage of the weight lost could be coming from FAT FREE MASS and water weight - two things our body needs for proper function.
  • Your metabolism is highly dependent on the amount of fat free mass [FFM] (read: muscle) you have. If you lose your FFM (most likely by dieting without exercise) your metabolism will plummet and you will decrease the number of calories that your body naturally burns each day. This becomes even worse with yo-yo dieting (constant increases and decreases in your weight). This would mean that you would have to eat even fewer calories to maintain your current weight.
  • By adding strength training to your weight loss plan, you will guarantee that the majority of your weight loss is coming from FAT, and you will maintain or increase your FFM. This would mean that you would have a higher metabolism... you would get to eat more calories to maintain your current weight. Or as my professor Dr. Fluckey states, you would become a better-butter-burner.
  • It is true that with a combination of diet + exercise you may not see the numbers on the scale drop as much, or as fast. HOWEVER - as mentioned, that is because you would be retaining if not increasing your muscle mass. You would still be losing fat, losing inches, and needing to purchase smaller clothes. :)
  • Now the benefits for cardio: I believe we take our heart for granted. It is working 24/7 to deliver nutrients throughout your body! When we are stressed - it works overtime. When we eat fatty or fried foods - it works overtime. We need our hearts to be STRONG so that it will not fail us. Through cardiovascular exercise we strengthen our heart. It is able to pump stronger, which means that it does not have to pump as many times to deliver the same amount of blood. We become more efficient at utilizing more of the oxygen that travels through our system, resulting in less waste more productivity. It is better able to withstand stress, decreasing your risk of a cardiac event.
  • The good news is that the largest amount of health benefits are seen with low to moderate levels of physical activity... so no need to start training for a marathon just to increase your health. Aim for thirty minutes of continuous activity on most [5 out of 7] days of the week (walk the dog, chase your kid, enjoy life and the people you share it with!)
Finally, here is a list* of some of the concerns caused by a sedentary lifestyle: angina (chest pain), back pain, breast cancer, colon cancer, congestive heart failure, depression, gallstone disease, high blood triglycerides, high blood cholesterol, hypertension, insulin resistance, less cognitive function, low blood HDL, lower quality of life, obesity (and difficulty controlling weight), osteoporosis, pancreatic cancer, peripheral vascular disease, physical frailty, premature mortality, prostate cancer, sarcopenia (muscle loss), sleep apnea, stiff joints, stroke, type 2 diabetes.
*adapted from handouts from my Applied Exercise Physiology course.

I understand that it is appealing to select the option that leads to the fastest weight loss, but I encourage you to make healthy choices today that will lead to a healthier future as well. As always, I am here to help in any way I can.

Have a HEALTHY day!
~Fit Britt

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Fit Britt Food Fave: V8 Soups


My favorite food item this week: V8 soups!

Have you tried these yet? I started with the tomato herb, when I was having a craving for a grilled cheese sandwich :) DELICIOUS!!

There are many other great flavors as well: butternut squash, garden vegetable, garden broccoli, sweet red pepper and southwestern corn.

Each box has two servings of soup and each portion includes a full serving of vegetables... and the sodium level seems to be lower than many canned soups.

As a semi "non-perishable" item, these are also great to keep in your desk drawer for a snack or part of your lunch.



Try them out and let me know what you think!

Do you have a favorite healthy and convenient food choice? Let me know and we'll share with others!



Have a HEALTHY day!

~ Fit Britt

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Toning Shoes

I've had a few people ask me about toning shoes, and whether or not they really work.
The American Council on Exercise published an article earlier this summer discussing a few key brands:

Will Toning Shoes Really Give You A Better Body?

To this, I will add - I love wearing Fit Flops and have also enjoyed a few pairs of Earth shoes. Whether or not these actually "tone" your muscles while you wear them, I do believe that they help to keep your body in a more supported neutral alignment. This can help to engage your glutes and eliminate joint and low back pain.

Have you tried any brands? What are your thoughts?

Have a HEALTHY day!
~Fit Britt

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Hard CORE Pregnancy

Having many friends that are currently pregnant, as well as receiving a few personal questions, has lead to this post focusing on core exercises during pregnancy. Certainly, these exercises can be done by all individuals, and can be modified in order to make them more gentle or more challenging depending on your needs.

First up: Cat and Cow stretch
Make sure your knees are directly under your hips and wrists under shoulders.
Exhale as you drop your hips and chin, lifting up through your mid back (cat stretch) and inhale as you lift your head and hips, allowing your mid back to drop through (cow).

Next: Spinal Balance
Still kneeling, wrists and knees in line with shoulders and knees (respectively), shift your hips to create a flat back (no arch, no curl). Make sure to keep your belly button pulled into your spine as you go through the following motions.
Start by lifting one arm at a time, hold and balance.

You can also do one leg at a time (make sure both hips stay facing the ground - no need to lift the foot any higher than hip height).
When you are ready to add the two together, lift opposite arm, opposite leg. Try to minimize the arch through the lower back, keeping your body as straight as possible. Variation: Fire Hydrant
For lack of a better name, in this pose you'll be on all fours, lifting one leg out to the side. Continue to keep the stomach pulled in, no arch in the lower back, focus on balance and toning the outer thigh. You can continue lifting up and down, or hold at the top and pulse.

The stability ball is a great tool for strengthening the core, and hopefully reducing tension in the lower back.
Ball sit:
Easy enough, try to sit on the stability ball whenever you can! If you work at a desk, sit on the ball instead of in a chair. While watching tv, sit on the ball. Sorry, you won't be able to recline, but you'll be working your core, perfecting your posture and relieving back pain!
Adding a little movement will provide a greater challenge and help build better coordination and strength. My caution for the pregsters, make sure you don't challenge your balance so much that you are at risk of falling!
Ball roll:
Move your hips around in a circle, try going fast, slow, small circles, large circles, switch directions, etc.
Ball march
Only if your balance and coordination allow, sit up tall, engage the belly, and slowly lift one foot. Switch feet. Overtime, try and lift a little higher or hold a little longer.
Low back pain is caused by more than just "a weak core." Having muscular imbalances through your legs can also contribute. The ball bridge will help to open up the front of your hips and activate/strengthen your glutes and hamstrings.
Ball bridge:
Sit on the ball and roll out until your upper back and shoulders are resting on the ball. Place your hands on your hips and lower your hips toward the ground.
Then press the hips upward to create a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. You can keep moving (up, down, repeat), or you can practice holding at the top. Squeeze your glutes and remember to breathe!
Finally, a few variations on the crunch. While you probably don't want to lay on your back for extended periods of time during your pregnancy, you can continue to crunch on the stability ball!
Stability ball crunch
Start sitting on the ball, and roll down slightly until the ball is supporting your lower back. Make sure to keep your ankles in line under your knees. Lift with the abs, up and down. If you feel too much strain, walk your feet out a little more so that the ball rolls a little higher into your mid-back.
Stability ball crunch with twist
If balance allows, try adding a little twist with each crunch
Stability ball crunch with march
First start by just holding the crunched position. While keeping your upper body still, slowly try and lift one leg and switch. Over time, try to hold your leg up a little higher or possibly add a little crunch to the mix.
Have fun and make smart choices! Pregnancy is not the time to kick your workout into high gear, but rather focus on staying healthy, comfortable, and maintaining your previous fitness level.
Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

Sunday, June 13, 2010

It Watches Every Movement... and Lack Thereof

Sooooo, I broke down and bought an Exerspy. I've mentioned it before (mostly talked about the previous brand called the BodyBugg). This is the device that you wear all day and night on your arm, and it measures your caloric burn, your number of steps, your amount of physical activity (breaking it down into both moderate and vigorous), and even your sleep efficiency.
IT IS SO GREAT!
You can sync it to the computer throughout the day and it is most helpful if you log your food intake as well. It will show you your caloric deficit (or gain) each day, and at the end of the week there will be no surprises when you step on the scale!
It can be used no matter your goal: weight loss, weight maintenance, muscle gain, etc.
I find it helpful to sync around dinner time so I can see how many calories I can still eat and what I still need to burn for the rest of the day. It lets me know if I need to go for an after dinner walk (or something more intense), and if I'm allowed to have dessert and still stay on track.
This post may become long, as I start to add some pictures and descriptions from the website, so I'll mention a few more things first:
- There are a few similar devices out there... the BodyBugg, the GoWearFit, etc. They are all relatively the same, but I can say that the ExerSpy is created by the maker of the BodyBugg, with added features and efficiency (according to a webinar I participated in with the creator). The ExerSpy is the only one I can personally speak of and walk you through the process, but I have friends that have utilized the other brands as well.
- If you live near me, I would be more than happy to let you borrow mine for a week to learn more about your metabolism and get an idea for your daily nutrition and activity plan.
- I have to say, I always thought I'd just want to wear it for a few days and get an idea of what's going on... but now that I've passed it along for another to borrow, I miss it! I want to know how many calories I burned in an intense spin class! I want to know if I am continuing to stay on track with my goal.
- I won't hide the cost from you. The Exerspy is $220.00, additionally you need to have a $10/month membership to the DotFit website in order to sync your device and follow your progress. (I can give you a 14 day free trial to the site.)
- If you are interested in making a purchase, please contact me. It appears you can only purchase through DotFit (believe me, I tried to find one on eBay, etc.) and I have a DotFit account, so I can help set you up. Also, at no additional cost to you, I make a small profit off of everything I sell through my site and would certainly appreciate your support :)
So let's look at the details:
This first picture shows how many calories I burned in a day. You can see my goal was 2093 calories, but I actually burned 2465, woohoo! You can also see many periods of low activity and one big peak when I went to a cycling class.

You can also zoom in and see calories by the minute, and if you block a time period off, you can see how many calories were burned during your exercise, etc. During my cycling class, I burned 227 calories.





Then, if you click on "physical activity" you can get a good idea of how many minutes you've been active each day, as well as if you have had any moments of more vigorous activity. (During my cycling class I performed 34 minutes of moderate activity and 24 minutes of vigorous)







You can also monitor how many steps you have taken each day... with the goal being 10,000 steps a day. You can see that I only walked 5,201 steps... which isn't as many as I should get, but since my workout was a cycling class, this number is a little more understandable.







You can also measure your sleep efficiency. In one of the webinars, the company said that 85% or higher is a good efficiency. Mine certainly varies from night to night, but on the particular night showcased here, I was 93% efficient in my sleep, hurray!








In addition to the feedback given directly through linking the ExerSpy, you can log your food and compare the amount of calories in to the calories out to make sure that you stay on track with your daily caloric goals. This first picture shows a day that I ate pretty close to my goal, but then I performed more physical activity than my goal, thus having a greater caloric debt which would put me on the fast track to weight loss. (My caloric deficit was 938 calories. If I maintained this every day, I would lose close to 2 lbs in one week)






And because we all have them, I will share with you a day where my caloric expenditure was WAY over my plan. I consumed 2727 calories when I was only supposed to consume 1568. Fortunately for me, I had also exceeded my activity needs for the day, and still managed to have a daily caloric deficit of 247 calories.


You can see how this information could be helpful regardless of whether your goal is to lose, maintain, or gain weight. For me, it is helpful to see the visual balance... if I eat too much, then I have to do more physical activity to stay on track.


I think it's clear to say, I'm a big fan!
Let me know if you have any questions :)

Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Fit Britt Now Has Your Fitness Needs!

It has arrived! My online fitness store is up and running!

http://www.myhfpn.com/1073

Check it out if you are in need of any equipment for strength training, flexibility, yoga, weight management, supplementation, etc.
Everything you need to start a home gym!
I'd be happy to make recommendations and get you started with a free program (specific to your needs and goals), based on the equipment you own and purchase (resistance ball, dumbbells, medicine balls, BOSU ball, resistance tubing, kettle bells, etc!).
No matter where you live, I can set you up with a free 14 day trial to the DotFit website, where I can create exercise programs for you, send you videos and articles, and even skype to check your form and your progress!

Indeed, I make a small profit off of every sale on my site, so I certainly appreciate the support!
I hope to highlight certain products for you over the weeks. Many of you know I have been wearing (and LOVING) the ExerSpy arm band so stay tuned for my praise about that soon!

Have a HEALTHY day!
~Fit Britt

Are you doing ENOUGH?

Certainly the amount of physical activity we do is dependent on our fitness/health goals. The American College of Sports Medicine, which sets the guidelines that all other fitness organizations follow, has updated their guidelines for 2010. Here, I share them with you:

For Physical Activity and Health
The recommendation is now 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five times per week, or 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity three times per week.
Currently, more than 66% of adults are overweight and 32% are obese in the US.
For Cardiorespiratory Training
The intensity should be a combo of moderate (40 - 60% Heart Rate Reserve [HRR]) and vigorous (>60 - 85% HRR). However, if you are extremely deconditioned, start at an intensity of 30 - 40% HRR.
The duration should be at least 30 minutes for moderate intensity, sessions totaling 150 minutes a week. When using a more vigorous intensity, go for at least 20-25 minutes a session, totaling 75 minutes a week.
To promote or maintain weight loss, perform moderate exercise for 50-60 minutes per day with a total of 300 minutes a week.
For Muscular Strength/Endurance Training
2-4 sets are recommended for each muscle group (you can do the same exercise multiple times or do various exercises for that specific body part).
Strength training should be challenging, and you should work to the point of exhaustion with each set. Therefore, a 2-3 minute rest period is suggested between sets. (I still like to alternate body parts so I am working out another group instead of sitting on a bench for a 2 minute break between each exercise).
For older and/or deconditioned adults, start with only one set.
It is important to add in "neuromuscular training:" activities such as balance, agility, and proprioceptive training for at least 2-3 days per week. *this is great to work on your "functional fitness" and become more efficient at performing ADLs (activities of daily living).

For Flexibility Training
Static stretches should be held for 15-60 seconds.
For Special Populations
Pregnant Women: exercise at least 3, preferably all, days of the week. Use an intensity of 40 - 60% HRR, or a RPE (rate of perceived exertion) of 12-14 (on a scale from 6-20). Have our sessions last at least 15-30 minutes per day, for a total of 150 minutes a week.
Hypertensive Clients: There is concern with raising the blood pressure too high while doing vigorous exercise. Utilize an intensity of 40 - 60% HRR. Always remember to continue breathing (don't hold your breath) and limit going from lying to standing quickly (or vice versa) and minimize lifting weight over your head.

Have you ever considered logging your activity to calculate how much you perform in a week? I hope sharing these guidelines will encourage you to evaluate your program and make sure you are doing enough, whatever your goal may be!

Thanks to the May/June 2010 issue of American FITNESS, published by the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America for bringing the new guidelines to our attention, as well as to the American College of Sports Medicine for updating their guidelines and helping us stay on top of our game.

Have a HEALTHY day!
~Fit Britt

Friday, April 23, 2010

Fit Britt Food Fave: Earth Grains Thin Buns

Have you ever tried to substitute your white hamburger buns with wheat? Have you noticed how much thicker the wheat buns are? AND many options are much higher in calories than the white buns... not really sure why they do that!



Well, we just happened upon a new product: Earth Grains Thin Buns. They are great! They are thin (as the name mentions) so you don't end up with bread that is four times as thick as your meat. They are only 100 calories and also contain 5 grams of fiber. We thought they tasted great and could even be used for sandwiches, etc.



http://www.earthgrains.com/Bread.aspx?v=thinBunsWholeWheat


Check it out and let me know what you think!



Have a HEALTHY day!

~Fit Britt

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Aging, Exercise, and Knowledge


I went to an interesting seminar tonight regarding "The role of muscle strength and function in aging." While I realize that (at least to my knowledge) I probably do not have many followers that fit into the "elderly" category, this will still impact each of us personally some day, and we certainly all have family members that can benefit from this information now.
The audience was an interesting mix of graduate students who study exercise for a living and elderly members from the university and surrounding community. I felt like there were some great points mentioned in the talk, which I will summarize briefly, but what was most eye opening to me was the reaction to the talk by the elderly participants.
Let me start by summarizing some of the key points that I was able to pick up from the presentation:
  • As we age, our muscle mass decreases and our fat mass increases
  • A lack of muscle mass can certainly lead to debilitation and lack of functionality in activities of daily living
  • However, it is not just the amount of muscle we have, but the strength of the muscles that impacts not only our function, but also our health, including the risk of fatality from cancers and other diseases.
  • Individuals are able to gain strength at ANY age
  • While some [doctors, etc] may recommend supplementing/injecting human growth hormone, this has not shown to increase muscle mass, in fact it has shown a decrease from the control group.
  • Testosterone has shown to be effective (in helping to increase muscle strength), but should only be used for men.
  • Therefore we are back to the "eat right and exercise" mentality.
  • Everyone should be performing resistance training exercises and also getting plenty of protein in their diet (around 1 g of protein per kg of your body weight per day).

So, some of this may be common knowledge... or perhaps it is just common knowledge to those of us who study this for a living. My main take-home message from today's talk comes from the questions that the elderly individuals asked after the presentation. I think they were certainly all convinced that they need to be doing resistance training in order to delay degeneration and extend their lives (and quality of life). However, the first question that was asked was, "Well, what is resistance exercise?" Followed by many questions to include, "what machines should I use, are there certain muscle groups I need to focus on, how many days a week should I do this, and how hard do I need to work?"
I felt that if I were working as an independent personal trainer right now, I probably could have walked out of there with 20+ new clients. There is now a captive group who have no idea what to do. Their questions kept coming, and while I felt that a lot of the exercise students may have been rolling their eyes a bit, to me this was an eye opener. It was interesting for me to realize that this lack of knowledge may be an additional reason why individuals are not exercising. Because it is my lifestyle, sometimes I forget that it may not be common knowledge.
Well the good news is that I am passionate about teaching others what to do, and I'm not the only one. Please know that I am here if you need help designing a program for yourself or for any of your family members (I do have a SeniorFit training certification).
Don't wait until you have lost muscle mass (and gained fat mass) to fix the situation... start today! I would highly advise that when you are putting a new program together or setting a new health goal, you consult a team of health professionals. Consult with your doctor to make sure you are cleared to exercise, and see if you have any limitations. Get at least one personal training session to learn how to safely use the equipment and have a program designed for your interests. And finally, consult a nutritionist to get an individualized nutrition plan for your specific needs (that fits both health concerns and fitness goals).
More than anything, don't be afraid to ask questions! I would be more than happy to answer your questions individually, or write a post for everyone to read about your topic of question.

Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

Monday, March 22, 2010

Lovin the Food Revolution

Did you catch the premiere of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution last night?
Don't worry if you missed it, it really kicks off with a 2-hour event this Friday (the 26th).
Jamie is a British celebrity chef who has started a 'revolution' within the public school system of his homeland, and is spurring one on our side of the pond as well. His challenge is the city labeled "the unhealthiest in America," where more than 50% of the population is OBESE. The town that is also known for "We are MARSHALL;" Huntington, West Virginia.
You'll be amazed to see what is fed in the public school system (pizza for breakfast?) and the guidelines they must abide by (each meal should include TWO grains, each student MUST have milk [good idea, but they all pick high-sugar chocolate or strawberry]).
I encourage you to check it out. It will challenge you to think more about what you serve your family and who you allow to make health/nutrition decisions for your children.

Become part of the revolution!!

Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Put Your Best Foot[wear] Forward

As Spring makes an appearance and we spend more time being active, there is one piece of fitness equipment more important than all others... proper footwear!
We all know the foot bone is connected to the leg bone which is connected to the hip bone... but we often fail to realize that the pain we are having in our knees or lower back is due to our footwear and improper body positioning.
There is more to picking proper footwear than just picking out the most stylish, pair of sneaks at your local athletic store. It is very important to select footwear that is geared towards your body movement, the height (or lack there of) of your arches, and also your planned activity.
Gait Analysis
It would be best to go to a running store where the staff are knowledgeable in performing gait analysis - watching you walk, run, and checking the wear on your old tennis shoes in order to determine if you pronate or supinate.

Pronating involves your feet/ankles turning inward with each step, and is fairly common with low and flat arches. Pronators need stabilizer shoes that have more support on the insole.

Supinating involves rolling your foot outward, with the majority of the weight on the outside of your foot. There are also special shoes for supination with more support on the outer edge of the shoe.


When you go to an actual running store, the shoes should be labeled as stabilizers, neutral shoes, etc. However if you just go to a basic tennis shoe store, they may not label the shoes by type, but you can tell what type of shoe it is by where the darker, more supportive base is, like so:

Additionally, regardless of what type or brand of shoes your purchase, you should also get more supportive inserts. Two types that I use and enjoy are SuperFeet and Lynco orthotics. Both come in different styles for different activities and shoe types (athletic, casual, dress, etc.)

I would encourage you to either purchase your shoes and inserts together, or purchase the inserts in advance and take them with you to try on shoes.Also, remember that your tennis shoes should be replaced every SIX MONTHS or 500 miles. Most individuals complain of knee pain when the shoes are too old and no longer supportive. One rule of thumb for tennis shoes or any of your shoes is to try and bend them backwards. If the toe and the heel wrap around towards each other, there is no support left in your shoe!

These were my favorite shoes, which used to be very comfortable and supportive. But last December when I started having a lot of foot pain, I went to both an orthotic shoe store and a podiatrist and both of them commented on the lack of support of these shoes.Alas, we need to be making smart decisions about supportive footwear all the time, not just when doing activity. Don't buy shoes that are uncomfortable, unsupportive, and your toes don't have space to wiggle. And ladies, remember that when wearing heels all day long, you are keeping your ankle in "plantar flexion," which tightens the calves. Therefore, upon taking off your heels, make sure that you warm up slowly and stretch your calves thoroughly before taking off on your activity of choice.
We often don't make the connection that our knee, hip, back pain is coming from the footwear we've selected. I challenge you to check the shoes in your closet and make a commitment to make smart and healthy decisions for your feet and body with future purchases.

Finally, just a few suggested stores to check out:
- If you are in the DC area, look up a Pacers Running Store
- College Station friends check out Shoe Daze (they have casual shoes as well as running).
- All others - do your best to find a running store and specifically ask them if they perform gait analysis. (Let me know if you find a good one!)

Good luck and may your future steps be light :)

Have a HEALTHY day!
~Fit Britt

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Excuses, Excuses

So... I have to say, I think about blogging just about every day. I have so many ideas that I jot down that I could be writing about, so many great tidbits that I am learning through my classes, experiences in my own life, etc.

So why haven't I been blogging? My reason has been, wait for it... I think you know this one... "I've been too busy. I DON'T HAVE TIME!" But it's time for me to be honest with myself... and it's time for you to do the same.

What do we really mean when we say we don't have time to do something? Let's be honest, we are saying that it just isn't a priority. There are other things we'd rather do than [fill in the blank]... blog, exercise, cook a healthy dinner, get a health screening, etc. We all have 24 hours in our day, we all have the same opportunities.

You and I both need to evaluate our priorities. Once upon a time, when we were filled with emotion and excitement, we passionately and outwardly set a goal for ourselves. Then, over time, motivation started to fade for one reason or another... with exercise perhaps you haven't found something you enjoy, you haven't seen the results you wanted to, something "more important" filled its' place for one day and then another. Each day we have the same decision to make all over again.... how important is our goal to us? Will it be a priority today?

Let's start by re-evaluating. Put together a list of the reasons why we want to reach our goal. What are the pros of acheiving it? What are the cons of not?? Look further into the future... how can acheiving this goal help your life? Better health? Better self confidence? More successful? Better relationships? Write these down and put them where you will see them regularly, posted on the fridge, bathroom mirror, etc. Give yourself a daily reminder of why this goal is important to you.

Each day we can chose to make either decision, and we won't always make the decision in favor of our goal... but let's not kid ourselves into thinking that it's a "time" issue. It's a priority issue.

I hope you'll be hearing from me again soon, because it is important to ME to be here to motivate YOU on your journey of health and happiness.

Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

10 Ways to Get Kids to Eat Healthier

I just came across a pretty good article by ACE (American Council on Exercise) and thought I would share the highlights with you. This is from their Jan/Feb 2010 Fitness Matters Magazine.

In summary, here are the 10 tips published by Dr. Natalie Muth to help you encourage your kids to eat better:
1. Model Healthy Eating: Eat healthy foods yourself! Be enthusiastic about it!
2. Eat Together: Family meals are generally more nutritious and provide an opportunity to talk about food and model healthy behaviors.
3. Increase Exposure to Healthy Foods: Continue to reintroduce foods that your children have previously shunned. Children learn to eat (and enjoy) what they are exposed to most often.
4. Let Them Choose the Portion Size: This gives children a sense of empowerment, and they often choose appropriate portion sizes. As parents, it is common to dish too much food onto your child's plate and encourage them to finish their plate. Instead, let your child become intuned to their internal hunger cues.
5. Share the Control: As mentioned above, do not make your child clean their plate. Additionally, do not offer them a dessert reward if they finish a particular item, as this can lead the child to dislike that item even more.
6. Refuse to be a 'Short Order' Cook: Instead of feeling the need to cater to what each child wants for dinner, make sure there is at least one healthy food the child likes at each meal time. If they do not want to eat it, excuse them from the table and let them know that you will save their dinner for them if they become hungry later. This also helps children become more accustomed to eating previously rejected foods.
7. Limit Television Time: TV watching is linked to poor nutrition, mostly because of the numerous commercials for unhealthy products (such as sugary breakfast cereals, soft drinks, candy, salty snack products, and highly processed foods).
8. Exploit Similarities: Once a food is accepted, find other foods of similar color, flavor, or texure to introduce your child to. (ex: pumpkin pie --> mashed sweet potatos --> mashed carrots)
9. Make Eating Healthy Fun: Teach your child about plants by planting a small garden. Allow your child to pick out one new fruit and veggie at the farmers market to try at home.
10. Skip the Food Fights: The more a parent pressures their kid to eat a certain item, the less likely the child will be to develop a taste for it. Kids resist pursuasion. Instead, try your hardest not to put up a fight because that will make this food item a bigger deal than it needs to be. Just follow the tips above and reintroduce that food again at a later time.

I hope you find these helpful, I thought it was a pretty great article and wanted to summarize it for you!


Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Online Personal Training by Fit Britt!

While the website is not at 100% yet, nor do I have it linked from my blog quite how I'd like yet, the fact is my HFPN Pro site is up and running for Online Personal Training! And, as promised, all training and consultations for the month of January will be FREE!

Click here to check out the site!

Inquire by filling out the 'contact me' box in the bottom left corner.
I have a 2-page questionnaire for you to fill out, and then I can work on designing your individualized program, complete with pictures and descriptions of each exercise!
Coming soon, there will also be opportunities to purchase fitness equipment at a discounted price!
Already you can purchase various supplements as well as an exerspy arm band device similar to the bodybugg that I've blogged about (scroll down to item #1).

Let Fit Britt help you achieve your 2010 resolutions and cross them off your list once and for all!

Have a HEALTHY day!
~Fit Britt

Monday, January 11, 2010

It's Time to Brag (and get accountability)!

We've made it through a full work week in 2010 plus two weekend opportunities to be healthy and active! Are you willing to share your New Years Resolutions? Let us know your goals and how things have gone thus far! Perhaps you've come up with some tips that might be helpful to others! Maybe you've experienced some struggles that I or other followers can assist you with.
Publicly posting your goals will help you stay on track and give you an excellent support system to encourage you and share experiences along the way. Please add your comments below!

The last post was all about goal setting. One very important point to mention is that you MUST accept that there will be set backs! There will be mornings when the comforter wins over the tennis shoes and the chocolate cake is victorious over the bowl of fruit. THAT IS OKAY! You need to find a lifestyle that is manageable to continue living and enjoying, while continuing to progress towards your ultimate goal. This should not feel like a punishment. With that said, don't punish yourself if you miss a workout one day... or even a few days in a row. You have not failed. What is most important is to resist the urge to say "I'll start again next week." NO! If the day is not over yet... there is still a chance to fit a healthy morsel into THIS day. If it is the end of the day, start fresh in the morning... don't wait for the calendar to flip to a new week... a new month... or even a new year. Each day, each hour is an opportunity to start again.

Please! Share your goals and progress thus far!
If you are looking for additional assistance or direction, I should have my new online personal training site up within the next day... so stay tuned for details on FREE online training and wellness consultations for the month of January! (notice: I posted this last week and I'm posting it again in order to hold MYSELF accountable!).

Have a HEALTY day!
~ Fit Britt

Friday, January 1, 2010

Will You Achieve Your Goals in 2010?

Happy New Year! I hope this year brings you much health and happiness!
This is certainly a time of year that we all reflect on our lifestyles, habits, and our future goals.
I'm going to take a huge leap and assume that most of you have even made some sort of goal regarding your health or fitness level for 2010. Allow me to provide some information and encouragement which is an integral part of all goal setting, and certainly works well for health and fitness:
Is your goal SMART?
All goals need to have start dates, end dates, and plenty of details to keep you on track along the way. In other words, your goals should be:
Specific - instead of saying "I will exercise more this year," be specific! Once you reach your final goal, how many days a week or hours per week do you want to be working out? Likewise, be more specific than "wanting to lose weight" ... how much weight do you plan to lose?
Measurable - all goals should have a measurable component. Minutes exercising and pounds on the scale are easily measurable. So are health goals like lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. Some goals you may need to get more creative with... lowering stress for example... perhaps create a 1-5 scale that you can use to analyze your stress level occasionally.
Action Oriented Write your goals out in sentence (paragraph if needed) form and add specifics about HOW you will achieve your goals.
"I will exercise two hours a week by going for a 30 minute walk four times a week."
"I will lose 1 pound a week by keeping track of my caloric intake and making sure that each day I have a deficit of 500 calories."
"I will decrease my stress level by going for a 10 minute walk every time I feel anxious, going to a yoga class at least once a week, and making sure I allow myself one hour each day to do something that I enjoy."
Realistic It is certainly easy to get a little carried away with goal setting. I encourage you to aim high, but keep it realistic! If you don't run, don't set a goal of running a marathon next month... give yourself 6 months to a year to train. Likewise, your end goal should be something that you have to build towards... so if you are already able to walk 30 minutes a day - four days a week, you'll want to set your sights a little higher!
Timely A very important component of your goal setting... make sure you have an end date! What good is a goal without a deadline pressing upon you, keeping you accountable?

Finally, set your main goal to be your "long term goal" and create at least three "short term goals" to help you take the appropriate steps along the way. Here are a few examples:

1. Long term goal: I will lose 20 pounds by June 1st by creating a 500 calorie deficit each day (and thus losing an average of 1 pound a week).
Short term #1: In January I will sign up for a calorie tracking website and keep track of how many calories I consume daily. I will also start walking 15-20 minutes most days of the week.
Short term #2: In February and March I will focus on continually increasing the number of minutes that I walk each day (to one hour) while continuing to control my caloric intake.
Short term #3: In April and May I will increase the intensity of my activity by jogging for portions of my 1-hour walks.

2. Long term goal: I will eat 3-5 servings of vegetables a day by April 1st.
Short term #1: For the month of January, I will focus on sampling one vegetable each day (various colors), in order to discover my preferred veggies and cooking methods.
Short term #2: For the month of February, I will focus on eating two servings of vegetables each day, and by the end of the month I will also be drinking one V-8 each day.
Short term #3: For the month of March, I will make sure to eat a serving of vegetables with lunch each day and fill half of each dinner plate with vegetables.

Whatever your goal... make sure it's SMART!

A few more tidbits to help you on your journey:
- Check out my last post linking to a 3 month - weekly exercise program from the American Council on Exercise.
- Stay tuned to http://www.fittbritt.com/ to receive FREE online personal training for the month of January! (Hopefully coming next week!)

Have a HEALTHY 2010!
~ Fit Britt

ACE’s Kick Start Workout : A Week-by-Week, 3-Month Exercise Program

One of my certifications is through ACE: The American Council on Exercise. I received this email the other day and thought that I would share it with you guys! It looks great especially for someone starting a new workout program, and from what I can tell, it's free!

It also appears to be compiled by a gentleman I knew working in DC!

Let me know what you think and if you have any questions along the way with the exercises, etc.

ACE’s Kick Start Workout : A Week-by-Week, 3-Month Exercise Program

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