We stump, stoop, slouch…so much so that the quality of our everyday lives can be directly affected from these posture problems.  I thought of this while sitting at the computer working, and had to stretch to relieve that nagging tightness between my shoulder blades. At the same time, I noticed a whole slew of other bad habits I was committing, and quickly set about practicing what I preach.

Why good posture is important:

Practicing good posture can improve your breathing, decrease your risk of injury, help you move more easily through the tasks of daily living, and also improve your sports performance.

Some signs you might need to improve your posture?

-      Do you have one hip higher than another?

-      Do you have one shoulder higher than another?

-      Does one side of your body rotate slightly more to one side?

-       Does your pelvis tip forward, back, or to one side when you stand?

-       Does your head juts forward beyond neutral alignment?

-       Do your chest and shoulders roll inward, as if your slouching, even when you’re trying not to?

-       Are the arches of feet are collapsed?

9  Pointers for Improving Posture

1. Check your posture throughout the day, and note some of your back habits.
2. If you spend a lot of time hunched over your computer keyboard, take time to stretch your chest muscles, lower your shoulders, stretch your neck, and roll  your shoulders down and back into proper position.
3. If you have a habit of crossing your arms in front of you, try clasping them behind you.
4. If your pelvis tips forward, try engaging your glutes. Standing in line at the grocery or a check out line is a good time to practice this, or even while driving in your car.
5. Take time every day to stretch muscles that tend to be tighter for most people: chest, hip flexors, hamstrings: too much tightness in these areas can cause posture problems
6. If you always sit or stand in the same position, vary your position from time to time.
7. Shoulders have a tendency to creep up toward our ears…try to keep them rolled back, and down, as if your placing your shoulder blades into the back pockets of your pants.
8. Consider yoga or Pilates – both help realign the body and strengthen the muscles that improve posture.
9. If you continue to have problems, see a physical therapist, chiropractor, or orthopedic specialist.

If I see ONE MORE claim on a product or service that promises you’ll, “lose weight fast,” “lose 10lbs in one week,” or get a “flat belly in 5 days,” I think I’ll die. Or pass out from screaming, “are you SERIOUS?” Let’s take a level-headed look at some common beliefs about weight loss…

Did you know…?

Myth #1: A detox diet will increase energy, rid the body of toxins, and boost weight loss.

Truth: Save your money. Toxins, or by-products of normal, daily metabolic activity, are just that – normal. Yur liver and kidneys rid the body of unwanted toxins every day. In fact, that is their job! A safer, more effective alternative to detox juices, pills, products and supplements is to make healthier nutritional choices every day. Little things like reducing your daily intake of sugar, saturated fats, alcohol, refined flour, pesticides, chemicals and unnecessary additives and chemicals, while increasing your daily intake of fruits and vegetables; whole grains; quality protein such as fish, eggs, lean poultry and beef will take a you a long way baby! Also, add more mono- and polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil, salmon and tuna, and nuts.

Myth #2: Vitamins will give you energy.

Truth: Unless your vitamin comes in the form of a nutrition / sports bar that has carbohydrates and protein, your vitamin will not give you energy. Energy, or fuel for your body, can only come in the form of calories. Vitamins and minerals should  supplement what you eat by filling in the gaps when not enough of a specific nutrient is consumed. Want more energy? Eat carbohydrates.

Myth #3: Carbohydrates are bad. To lose weight, you should eat more protein.

Truth: Fruits, vegetables and whole grains, like brown rice, quinoa, spelt, bulgar, and flax seed (all high quality carbohydrates) are crucial components of any diet. Carbs provide the body with energy, and if you don’t get enough, you might downshift your metabolism into low-gear, thus burning fewer fat calories during the course of the day. The other undesirable side effects of eating too much protein:

• The liver and kidneys are forced to work harder, creating unnecessary metabolic by-products.
• Headaches
• Poor endurance
• Muscle tissue breakdown
• Dehydration

The solution: aim for 50-60% of daily calories from quality carbohydrates!

Myth #4: Exercising on an empty stomach will help burn fat.

Truth: This goes along with the myth that you should exercise in the morning before you eat so you’ll burn fat. That too is a myth. You need energy to workout effectively. Without enough of it, you will lose oomph quickly (read: “you won’t burn as many calories while you workout”) and possibly force your blood glucose level to plummet, placing you at risk for dizziness, faint, or worse, a coma.

If working out on an full stomach causes you to feel nauseous, try a snack that contains both protein and carbohydrates, such as whole grain cereal and low-fat milk, 30-minutes prior to working out.

(See “Fuel your early morning workouts” for more on the importance of eating before a morning workout.)

Myth #5: Diet “X” worked for my neighbor, so it will work for me too.

Truth: There is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” approach to weight loss. The best plan is one that matches your special needs and takes into consideration things such as your current weight, weight loss goal, activity level and medical history. A registered dietician can help you create a plan that is just right for you.

Need help finding a registered dietician near you? Visit the American Dietetic Association.

Other helpful links:
* Ideal Bite
* The Daily Plate
* Eating Well

I caught a glimpse of small Bobcat plowing a long stretch of running path near my house yesterday, and thought, “Yippeee! I can run outside!        F-I-N-A-L-L-Y!” And so I did. And it was harder. So thought I’d share some helpful tips for you, avid runner girls, to ease the transition from treadmill to trail.

5 Tips for taking your run outdoors

1. The first run outside after a long winter of treadmill running WILL BE HARDER. If you haven’t stepped foot outdoors since the first snowfall, which for Ohio folk, was before Christmas, then you might want to spend a couple of weeks weaning yourself off the treadmill. If “0″ incline is your standard setting for indoor runs, gradually start bumping it up in .5% grades until you reach 2 or 2.5% incline. Why?  Because that incline most closely mimics the natural terrain.

2. Outdoors, the trail does not move for you. Sure, treadmill workouts can be very challenging, especially if you’re using the inclines for hill repeats, etc. But let’s face it – it is mentally challenging enough to run inside on the hamster wheel without adding the challenge of making our muscles work harder than you want them to they need to. Expect your first outdoor run to feel different. Your legs might be expecting the pull the treadmill gave them through each stride. Now, you have to do all that work. Alas, this is not a bad thing.

3. Do hit the ground running, but not at full throttle. As you accustom your muscles and joints to their somewhat new motor pattern, it is probably wise to ease into your typical run. If you usually run 30 minutes indoors, start with 20 outdoors, and gradually work back up to 30 minutes.

4. Watch your hat. Depending on where you live, spring can be very windy. Again, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it provides resistance and helps improve endurance. But indoors, there is no wind to contend with, except from the chatterboxes nearby. I could spend an entire post venting about these chatty sorts who talk 90% of the time and exercise the other 10, but not today. If you wear a hat, bobby pin it to your head, or skip it altogether – otherwise, the constant tugging on it to keep it on your head will drive you crazy. It drove me crazy this morning.

5. Get new scoots. If you’ve been wearing the same pair of running shoes all winter and have logged 300 or more miles on them, treat yourself to a new pair. Whether the path you run on outdoors is concrete, asphalt, or packed dirt, it will be harder on your skeleton than the forgiving structure of the treadmill. A brand new pair of shoes will add some cushioning to help you transition from treadmill to trail.

Adios, and here’s to an enjoyable outdoor run! Finally!