If you have ever suffered from sciatica, or lower lumbar problems, you understand the excruciating, sometimes immobilizing pain associated with flare-ups. Often recognizable by an acute pain in your derrière that also radiates down into the lower leg, sciatica can cause muscle weakness, tingling, numbness, and of course, wicked pain. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, more than 65 million Americans that suffer from lower-back pain, such as sciatica, will have a recurrence of the pain within one year. (American Assoc. of Neurological Surgeons, 2000.) Therefore, seeking medical attention is the first step toward alleviated that nagging pain, as well as preventing its return.

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the entire body. It runs from the lower back, through the hip and buttocks, then down each of your legs. Its job is to control a variety of muscles in the legs. If a medical professional diagnoses you with sciatica, the direct cause of the problem will often be the first step toward treatment. When you experience sciatic nerve-related pain, the true culprit is actually the pressure being placed on the nerve, rather than the nerve itself. So to alleviate the pain, you must first relieve the pressure on the nerve. Again, good reason to seek a medical professional, who can determine if the pain is caused by spinal stenosis, a herniated disk, injury, or piriformis syndrome. A professional can diagnose the cause based on where you feel the pain. For example, do you feel pain from the lower back to the knee? Or, is the pain along the inside of your calf down to the bottom of the foot? Is your pain tingly, or pins/needles? Based on your feedback, a course of treatment may include physical therapy, yoga, Pilates, stretching, and medication, or a combination of any of these.

Generally, exercises that strengthen the lower back and abdominals, improve posture, and increase flexibility in the hip and knee joints (and muscles surrounding them), are targeted.  Athletes aren’t immune to sciatica problems, especially if their sport causes tightness in the hips and hamstrings. With this in mind, stretching the piriformis muscle, located deep within the gluteal muscles, is good practice for both relieving sciatic nerve pain, as well as preventing it.

Stretch it out!

To stretch the piriformis muscle, start on hands and knees. Bring your left foot in front of your right knee until the outer left thigh is resting on the floor (knee is still bent) and the left foot is under your pelvis.

Slide the right leg back, keeping the thigh toward the floor as much as possible, until the leg is straight behind you. This will look like the splits, but the front leg is bent underneath you.

Beginners: Sit up straight, pull your lower abdominal muscles in as though you are zipping up pants, and using your arms for balance, hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.

To achieve a deeper stretch, you can lean forward over the front, bent leg, and if possible, place your forearms on the floor in front of the bent leg.

To achieve maximum benefit from this stretch, do 2-3 sets, holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds.

Practice prevention every day.

-  When sitting for long periods of time, be sure to stretch every half-hour to 45-minutes.

-  If you stand for large chunks of time, try placing one foot on a stool to alleviate the pressure on the spine. Switch feet every 15-20 minutes.

-  Make stretching a part of your exercise routine and address muscle tightness as soon as possible with stretches targeting tight/sore areas.

-  Stay active. Inactivity can make back pain even worse.

Kind of reads like a magazine cover, doesn’t it? In all seriousness though, there really are some simple steps that will help you achieve a weight loss goal…but you can’t do just one and kinda do the other two, or only kinda do all three. Do all three, keep you eye on the ball, and you’ll hit a home run.

Ready? Here we go…

Your Plan

1. Record your food intake daily. Include in your diet a variety of fruits and vegetables at 6-9 servings daily; 2-3 servings of lean protein; 3 servings of dairy; and quality oils.
Why? Keeping track of what you eat for a few weeks (I’m not talking forever people), can tell you several things:
* how many calories you are really eating
* what nutrients you are getting enough of and which ones are lacking
* why you may be sluggish at certain times of the day
* why you feel lightheaded and shaking an hour or so after a meal of snack (i.e, the meal may have too much sugar in it)
Food tracking sounds very tedious. At first, it is. But most of us eat the same types of things over and over, so once recorded, the hard part is done. Also, there are some spectacular apps now that help with food tracking. On the short list: MyFitnessPal.com(Free), MyNetDiary – Food and Exercise Diary for iPad ($9.99), and Calorie Counterby FatSecret for iPad (Free).

2. Find opportunities throughout the day to move (walk, climb stairs, do squats while waiting for bread to toast, etc.).
Why? All movement counts, so why not move whenever you can? How many times do you stand in front of the microwave and watch it reheat your morning coffee? You could knock out a set of push-ups in that amount of time, or some jumping jacks. Once you are in the habit of thinking about movement, you don’t have to think about it anymore and you’ll automatically take the stairs at work, or park farther away from the front door of just about everywhere.
There is an app for this too! Check out RunKeeper (RunKeeper.com) and find an app for just about every activity you can think of. If you like to walk, jog, or cycle, then MapMyRun will track your mileage for you.

3. Make goal-setting a habit. In a notebook, list 5, health-fitness-related goals for 2008 and record them DAILY. Review them 1-2 times per day. For example, “I weigh ____lbs by _____(date)” and “I eat ___ servings of fruit/veggies per day by _____(date)”
Why? When you write it down, the goal takes on a new life. As long as the goal remains in your head, it is just an idea you are tossing around. Write it down, and you can’t ignore it. Take this one step further: add the goal as a reminder on your smart phone, plaster it on your calendar, update your Facebook status with it, Tweet it…you get the picture. Involving others in your goal helps to hold you accountable, so the next time you bump into Aunt Edna at a family gathering and she asks, “I saw on Facebook you are training for some running race. How is your training going?” You’ll either sheepishly admit you bagged that plan, or proudly say, “it is going great!” Don’t be afraid to tell others your plan. You’ll find you have way more supporters than naysayers.
Helpful Apps: Life Goals ($3.99, iTunes), and Unstuck, winner of the 2012 Appy Award for Best Lifestyle App, (for iPad, free).

these are "soft" weighted fitness balls

Some recent research shows that crunches, the old standby for ab exercises, only targets 3 of the abdominal muscles. Yet there are muscles that surround the entire core, acting as a girdle to support your spine, increase power and speed, improve stability, and oh yes, give you that six-pack look.

Six-pack abs aside, you need a strong core…

A strong core is your center of power. Powerhouse. Like a rocket ready to take off on a moments notice. Okay, you get the idea. When your core is weak, or shall we say, not as strong as it could be, then your back is not supported as well. Think of all the daily activities you do that require reaching, bending, twisting, turning, and so on. Every time you do that ‘stuff’ you’re asking a lot of your back, and while it is designed to do all of those things, without a strong core acting as a girdle around it, one day that little twist to reach for something could send you right to the couch for two days. Or worse.

But wait, there is more. If you are an athlete or participate in regular physical activity, a strong core is your secret weapon. It helps propel you forward (really fast, if you want, and with POWER), can help you change directions on a dime (without losing your balance), and can take minutes off your personal best if you are a runner. Golfers…a strong core will improve your swing, and help reduce the risk of repetitive stress injuries. Sports requiring jumping, like basketball and volleyball, require explosive power. Yeah, the legs deliver a good bit, but the core – a strong one will make it SO much easier. Have I convinced of the merits of having a strong core? I could go on…but I won’t. I’ll save it for another post, but take away this much: include core work in your exercise routine a minimum of three times per week. And one exercise alone won’t do it – you need to work the front, back and sides, ideally from different planes, to get the best bang for your buck. More on this multi-directional stuff later. ;0)

Here are 2 moves to try, neither of which requires a single crunch!

1-LEGGED REVERSE CHOP

Ideally, use a medicine ball (4-6lbs should do) or a Duraball (a soft, smaller weighted ball). If you have neither, a dumbbell will do.

Begin by standing on one leg. Make sure hips are level. You can check this by raising and lowering the hip of the raised leg until both knees are level and hip points are facing forward.

Next, hold the weighted ball, or dumbbell, in both hands at about hip height. At a speed that is appropriate for your level of fitness and experience with this exercise, raise the ball diagonally from the hip, upward across the body, ending above the ear of the SAME side as the leg you are standing on.

The abdominals should be drawn in (this is what I call, “zipping it up,”) toward the spine, and pelvic floor contracted throughout the move.

Return to starting position without lowering the raised leg and repeat 10-12 times before switching sides, or direction of the ball.

For added challenge, you could take the ball in the opposite direction of the raised leg, increase the speed of the ball, add a bit of rotation, or stand on a BOSU or balance cushion. You can get creative as your balance and core strength improves.

To progress this exercise, you can use a heavier ball, add more repetitions, add an additional set or two, or again, begin using an unstable surface as I mentioned above.

MEDICINE BALL PLANK

This is a fun one too. I use the word “fun” when I really mean, “challenging.” ;0)

Using any hard medicine ball (weight of ball isn’t important for this exercise, and a softer med ball probably won’t large enough), place the ball near your feet.

Then, assume the standard elbow plank position: up on the toes, elbows stacked under shoulders, forearms on the floor, neck neutral (this is important!), and abdominals pulled in tight.

Next, hoist your toes up onto the medicine ball. The nature of the ball is, of course, to move, so it is your job to KEEP IT STILL. This is the “fun” part.

For starters, hold for 10-15 seconds, gradually building up to 30, 45, and 60 seconds. Eventually, you may be able to pass the ball back and forth between your feet, add Pilates push-ups, and more “fun” stuff.

Actually, the question went more like this: “I hate to run. It is hard. Did I already say that I hate it? Yet, you talk about running so much. Why?” There was more, but for the sake of this post, let’s just say that this reader’s negative feelings about running ran deep (no pun intended).

Why am I so hip on running? Well, for one thing, it is hard. I like things that are hard to do. Second, it is “me” time, and often the only time I have for finishing a thought. Four kids…enough said. And finally, (and let’s face it, this is important stuff) few physical activities burn as many calories per minute as running. Check it out…

Table:

110 lb woman, 3 miles, 215 calories

130 lb woman, 3 miles, 255 calories

150 lb woman, 3 miles, 294 calories

170 lb woman, 3 miles, 333 calories

True, other cardiovascular activities come close to these stats, but in my opinion, they aren’t nearly as much fun. I can spend 40 minutes running through the woods and enjoy nature, or I can spend 40 minutes on an elliptical machine smelling the garlic spew from the pores of the sweaty guy next to me. And by the way, rec center staff, ESPN is not enjoyable to women, even when displayed on a fancy flat screen TV. Naw, it is outdoor running that I like – even when it involves chasing turkey vultures out of my way as I go. Now back to the topic of calories…

Tip: Want to find out how many calories you burn running? Look it up on Run the Planet. Enter your weight, gender and distance or speed and the handy calculator does the thinking for you!

Running has many perks

• Running is appropriate for a variety of fitness levels, and virtually any age can participate. Leave from your doorstep, cruise a scenic trail, or wind your way through Chicago’s historic neighborhoods. There is no shortage of places to run, and no telling what you’ll see along the way.
• Running is easy to learn. While running for sport and competition does require good form and some knowledge of proper training progression, the skill required is low compared with other sports, such as tennis or golf.  Regardless of your size, age, speed, or experience level, whether your goal is fitness, weight loss, or competition — nearly anyone can run.
• Running is portable. How many activities can you think of where you can wear your equipment, and that is all that is required to begin your workout?
• You can take it with you when you travel. There is nothing better than sightseeing on foot, and if you are a runner, you can see it all a bit faster. Quaint cafes, one-of-a-kind boutiques, off-the-beaten-path art galleries, and unique neighborhoods are among the many hidden treasures and well-kept secrets that would be easily missed when traveling by car.
• With enough practice, running can become a competitive endeavor for your. From 5K to ultra-marathons, there is a challenge ripe for the picking, no matter what your level of fitness may be. This may possibly be what I like most about running – the dangling carrot.

So there you have it. I’m hip on running – other people, not so much, and that is fine. The important thing is to find an activity (preferably a physical activity that you enjoy, and will stick with, for the long haul. I won’t hold it against you if you hate running too.

If you’d like to give running another shot, you might like to read, “Run/Walk/Jog: Footprints toward fitness,” to learn about getting started, even if you have no experience. Also, “Running Resources” is chock full of, well, running resources, from trail and map information, to running groups for women.

Have a favorite activity other than running? Let’s hear it…

Maybe you’ve been on a workout train for some time, diligently going to the gym and happily taking your dose of cardio and weight training, maybe even a few classes too just to challenge yourself. Perhaps you’ve been on this train, per se, for years, then all of a sudden, you’re okay with missing a workout, then two. The idea of going to the gym or out the door for a jog becomes a chore, when it was once something you enjoyed. Have you been there? Are you there now? If so, read on… I think I can help.

True, I am a trainer, but at heart, I’m really a fitness buff and have been since college. My reasons for working out have not always been the same, however. They change every 3-5 years. For example, in college I worked out to equalize the pizza and beer I consumed on the weekends. After college it was to lose the weight I’d gained when workouts weren’t enough to equalize pizza and beer, which I had to give up as well. That’s okay – good riddance. In my early twenties, the goal was to maintain weight loss, then to prepare for my wedding and honeymoon. After that, to deal with the stresses of a high pressure job. Moving into my thirties, my goals changed more frequently: I worked out to stay healthy and strong during pregnancies, and to lose weight post-pregnancy, and to keep up with my active brood. At forty, workouts have become a way to slow the aging process, maintain muscle mass and bone health, and keep arthritis at bay for as long as I can. As you can see, goals and reasons or working out evolve as you do. If those goals don’t evolve, or you don’t take the time to assess WHY you are working out, workouts can become meaningless. Dull. Passe. A chore.

Your body likes change. So does your mind.

When (if) you find yourself losing interest in exercise, it may be time for an overhaul. I don’t necessarily mean harder workouts, but maybe different workouts. Challenge means many things – just trying something new may help you discover a new love for exercise, and a new reason to keep at it.

Last year, I began to notice that I didn’t recover quite as quickly from hard workouts as I used to. I felt tight and unbalanced. I found myself less interested in hitting the gym, more interested in my “rest and recovery” days, which sometimes spanned two or more days. That wasn’t like me, and I knew it. Based on experience, I also knew it was time to reassess why I was working out.

Why do you want to be fit?

Ask yourself this important question from time to time: Why do you want to be fit? Your answer will likely change every few years, so if you haven’t thought about it in awhile, now might be a good time. For me, my reason quickly went from “training for an endurance event,” to “staying fit and flexible for the long haul.” The daily pounding and brutal workouts served their purpose, now I wanted to learn something new, something gentler. Enter, yoga! For me, this served the purpose of both challenging me, and correcting some of the tightness and imbalances that weren’t resolving on their own (most don’t, by the way.) Yoga improved my mental focus, and helped me realize that fitness is about a balance between strength, cardio, and flexibility. And mental muscle. Once I acknowledged the benefits, my attitude toward the gym took a turn too and I found myself looking forward to working out again, but in a gentler way than before.

So before you throw in the towel and quit working out together, first see if you can come up with some new reasons for staying fit. I bet you’ll find a renewed enthusiasm for sweat.