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

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

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

Quick AND AFFORDABLE Meal Prep

What's for dinner?
Oh the planning, the preparation, the last minute obstacles, and finally giving it all up and running through the drive thru. It happens to the best of us...but it doesn't have to!

There are TONS of great "meal preparation locations" across the country that can help you stay on track and have delicious home-cooked meals ready in no time.
So here's the deal, you dedicate two hours either one evening a week or once on the weekend to go to a storefront and prepare as many meals as you would like. All the marinades, sauces, sides, etc... they each get their own freezer bag and then finally a spot in your freezer at home (most recommend eating within 2 months of freezing). From there, they are ready to be cooked for about thirty minutes and dinner is done! Some of them don't even need to be thawed before throwing in the oven or on the stovetop. If they do, the only planning needed is a transfer to the fridge one or two days before you'd like to cook it!

I love this for soooo many reasons. It is a great opportunity to try out new recipes, styles and flavors that you might not venture into with your own cooking. Additionally, you don't have to purchase all of the spices, etc. that you only use for one recipe. You also don't have to spend time chopping all the veggies yourself. Everything is waiting for you at the meal prep stations! At most locations, you don't even have to clean up after yourself! You just move along to your next prep station. Don't like mushrooms? Leave them out of your mix! Or my favorite, add an extra scoop of veggies or a little more of your favorite flavors! There is still plenty of flexibility to adjust the meals to your liking.

Yeah, but it's probably pretty expensive to have such a convenient service, right? NEGATIVE! Depending on the company, it averages about $3-5 per plate of food (and most meals make somewhere between 3-6 "plates" depending on how you package it). For a home-cooked well-balanced meal with fresh vegetables and lots of flavor, you can't beat it!

I encourage you to try it out yourself. I believe it will truly save your life - by saving you time and perhaps helping you eat a little healthier. On the healthy note: not all of the recipes are lean and healthy, which I think is good because variety is the spice of life. But most locations have additional options for you to make the dishes more healthy if you'd like (some allow you to substitute wheat tortillas, pasta and brown rice; others allow you to change a beef or a pork option to lean chicken if you let them know ahead of time, etc.). Most locations also offer pretty amazing desserts: some that are already prepared and ready for you to take home and some that you can prepare yourself.

Can't spare two hours? A lot of companies have freezers already stocked with pre-prepared dishes, so you can stop by, purchase what you'd like and be on your merry way! Some companies even deliver to your home! (Both of these options are for an additional charge.)

I actually just pulled this website back up to find a new location for myself in Texas, and I thought it would be great to share with you as well!

So start by checking out this website to find locations and companies near you:
http://www.easymealprep.com/main/direct02.php

Some things that differentiate the companies:
- Some companies will let you split the meals, meaning you can take a 6-plate meal and turn it into 2 3-plate meals (great for me and the hubby). Also great if you want to go with a friend and split all the meals and split the cost.

- Some locations will allow you to bring your children, which can be a great family activity.

- Some locations offer private parties - how fun would it be to have a ladies night, eating scones and drinking wine while hanging out with all your besties and being productive?

- Definitely the menus will vary by location and vary by month.

- Some locations focus more on the entree, while some make sure that the entrees include a side. (To help keep cost down, the more expensive entrees like steak often do not come with a side). Don't let this discourage you if everything else looks good... I find it very easy to add a frozen Steamfresh veggie pack and some bagged frozen rolls that you just bake the number you'd like and dinner is still ready in no time!

*A shout out to "Let's Dish"
So I know there are many options and companies out there... but the one I have gone to and been so incredibly happy with that I never bothered trying another company is Let's Dish. If you are in the DC/NC/SC area or in WA state - I encourage you to give them a try. Actually, let me know if you are interested, because I can "refer" you to them, which means you will get a 10-15% discount on your first visit.

*Seeking out "Super Suppers"
For those of you that are in TX, I plan to check out one of the Super Suppers in Houston one weekend before the end of September. Let me know if you'd like to join!

I do hope that you will try this out, and I hope it will be a life saver to you like it has been to so many already. Please share if you have any experiences or companies that you truly enjoy!

Have a HEALTHY day!
~ Fit Britt

Coming to Terms with Health/Wellness/Fitness

We all throw around the words "health, wellness, and fitness," but what does each one mean and encompass? Defined today, this blog is intended to encourage you to think outside of the "workout and diet" box to the various ways you can focus on your health, as well as introduce the diversity of topics that can and will be covered on this site in the future.

Wellness vs. Health
My favorite definition for health (from the World Health Organization) is that it is not merely the absence of disease, but also a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
Wellness is a lifestyle choice that you make to enhance your health, reaching your highest potential.

Six Dimensions of Health
There are six dimensions of health that are intertwined with eachother and will certainly be strengthened (hopefully not weakened) based on the lifestyle decisions you make daily.

1. Physical Health - this includes our fitness (the breakdown of the 5 components follow) and nutrition, but also includes avoiding other harmful substances for our bodies, obtaining regular health screenings, and taking all precautions to keep ourselves safe.
2. Psychological Health - mental health. How is your stress level? Your self image?
3. Social Health - includes our healthy interractions and relationships. Do you have confidants and partners in crime? Are you taking time out of your busy schedule to do things you enjoy? Your health depends on it!
4. Spiritual Health - does not have to involve a belief in a god. Different for everyone, yet important none the less, this can simply be your purpose in life. Your spiritual health may be enhanced through your mindfulness during exercise or daily living, or through meditation/yoga.
5. Intellectual Health - not defined by your IQ, intellectual health includes your ability (and speed) to make decisions, learn from life experience, and be open to new ideas. One of the books I am pseudo-reading right now, "Spark" by John Ratey, discusses how physical activity ehnances the function of your brain. It starts with great case study information regarding students who worked out before school every day and how that has increased their attention span and ability to retain information (and win international math/science competitions!). You actually create and strengthen neuro-connections in your brain by working out!
6. Environmental Health - perhaps often overlooked as an aspect of health, is the way we interract with our environment. Do you recycle? Purchase from local farmers? Avoid excessive use of water and electricity? Additionally, how does the environment effect you? Is the air safe to breathe? Do you wear sunscreen? Do you know the dangers of working out in certain climates (hot, cold, high altitude, rain/snow, etc.)

I hope to utilize guest bloggers as the site grows, as I want to continue learning as well.
Perhaps starting with additional environmental encouragement from Korin???


Components of Physical Fitness

Briefly, as I know most of you are interested in exercise information, I would like to mention the five components of physical fitness that every program should include:

1. Cardiovascular - elevating your heart rate for an extended period of time (at least 20-30 minutes). The latest suggestions reach up to 90 minutes a day if your goal is to lose weight. (don't worry, it doesn't have to be continuous!)
2. Muscular Strength - the amount of weight you can life one time - your one repetition maximum (1RM).
3. Muscular Endurance - continuous effort on your muscles. Such as how many push ups or sit ups can you perform in one minute?
4. Flexibility - the range of motion of each joint. If you find that you are more stiff on one side than the other (or front of your body vs. back), you will develop muscle imbalances which throw off the efficiency (strength, recruitment, motion) of your entire skeleton.
5. Body Composition - the breakdown of muscle vs. fat tissue in your body. You are probably all too familiar with the non-budging-weight-phenomonon on the scale when you start a new program, but did you consider that you could still be losing fat in the process? There are many tools and devices to measure your fat, but if you don't have access to those, make sure you are at least taking circumference measurements along with your scale measurements. You'll most likely find encouraging results!

Everyone should know where they stand in each of these areas and re-measure over time to record and celebrate advancement. (If you are local, I'd be happy to measure for you, otherwise I can give you suggestions on who to go to, or what you can do yourself.)

So, you see - we've got a lot to cover on this lil ole blog. And I'd love your help in deciding future topics. I've started a running list of requests on the right side of the page - email me (fitbritt@gmail.com) or leave a comment to add some more!


Have a Healthy Day!
- FitBritt


*My Personal Health Textbook, "An Invitation to Health" by Hales was referenced but not quoted for the above information.