Mary jogging

In the Blink of an Eye

Posted May 3, 2013 by Plus One Foundation in Health & Science, Success Stories. Tagged: balance and mobility training, blink of an eye, brain aneurysm, health, Plus One Foundation. Leave a Comment

Our feet are our connection to the earth, our support, and really the foundation of our body! No wonder so many people have foot aches and pains!

Feet come in all sizes and shapes, but they all have 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments combined.  Believe it or not, ¼ of the human body’s bones are in the feet!

We ask a lot of our feet. We stuff them into all kinds of shoes, pound on them when we walk and run, ask them to hold us up and balance our body, and bend and flex as we move.

According  to the experts, dysfunction in the foot can create problems in other joints of the body, including the knee, hip, and shoulder.  Ankle mobility is also a crucial factor that affects the functioning of these other joints.

Because our feet are so important, I want to touch on some of the most common issues that I have seen with clients over the years of training.  I have also dealt with tendinitis in my feet in a couple of different places and know first-hand how frustrating it is to deal with a foot problem.

Heel Pain

According to Web MD, plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is a band of tough connective tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes.  It frquently becomes irritated or inflamed.  Heel pain, worst in the morning when getting out of bed, is the most common symptom. Arch pain may also be present with his condition.

Heel spurs are another cause of heel pain.  These are abnormal growths of bone on the bottom of the heel bone. Causes can include an abnormal gait, posture or walking, inappropriate shoes, or certain activities.  Foot pain while walking or standing is likely.  Not everyone with heel spurs has foot pain. People with flat feet or high arches are more likely to have foot pain from heel spurs.

Ball of Foot Pain

Metatarsalgia causes pain and inflammation in the ball of the foot. The usual causes are strenuous activity or poorly fitting shoes.

Morton’s neuroma is thickening of the tissue around the nerve between the bases of the toes (usually between the third and fourth toes). Foot pain, odd   sensations, or numbness over the ball of the foot are the usual symptoms.  It is more common in women and can be a result of wearing high heels or tight shoes.

Arch Pain

Arch pain is most often caused by plantar fasciitis, which can affect the heel, arch, or both.

Fallen arches — or flat feet — occurs when the arches of the feet flatten out (often when standing or walking), causing foot pain and other problems.  Flat feet can be treated with shoe inserts (orthotics), shoe adjustments, rest/ice, using a walking case or brace, or physical therapy. There are some great exercises to strengthen the arches.

Toe Pain

Arthritis, including gout, can cause pain in the toes.  Gout is an inflammatory condition in which crystals periodically deposit in joints, causing severe pain and swelling. The big toe is often affected by gout.

Tendinitis is inflammation and irritation of tendons, the bands attaching muscles to bones. Tendons run along all the surfaces of the foot, and can cause foot pain in many different locations.

With the amount of information out there today, it’s possible that people are misinformed about what they can and can’t do with cancer. In many recent studies, physical activity has been shown to increase mood, energy and lessen the effects of cancer treatment for cancer patients, including symptoms of fatigue. It’s possible that with daily activity and exercise, a cancer patient going through even rougher treatments for mesothelioma may feel better and even resolve some of their issues with appetite and energy balance. In addition, physical activity has been shown to reduce heart disease and lessen the risk of other cancers. That’s why it’s so important to get moving even when going through cancer treatment. It can mean feeling better today, gaining more strength and eventually healing your body.
Why People Don’t Exercise with Cancer

In some cases, physical activity may be overlooked by cancer patients because they are overwhelmed with the disease and do not realize how it could actually help. It’s so important to speak with a doctor about the benefits and before beginning any exercise regimen. The National Cancer Institute-Funded studies are exploring more into the idea of physical activity as a way to survive and improve the quality of life with cancer patients. There are studies that have shown that regular physical activity can reduce the risk for breast cancer in women as well as prostate cancer in men.
What Types of Activities to Consider

There are all sorts of physical activities out there that you may enjoy. Many people just starting out with cancer treatment don’t want to get into strenuous activity, so they opt for things like yoga, light strength training, walking, and even tai chi, a form of martial arts. These are low impact exercises designed to keep the body moving and loose. There are also other activities which don’t put a lot of strain on the body such as stationary cycling, rowing machines, short jogs, swimming and light aerobic exercise.
How to Form a Cancer Fitness Plan

Getting in shape with cancer can be difficult. It starts with motivation to heal your body and a will to build your strength back. If you focus on certain aspects of your body that you want to train, then you can regain more confidence and even bring an energy balance back into your body. It’s important to realize your fitness goals early on so that you can motivate yourself and find inspiration through photos, videos and quotes that pertain to your fitness goals with cancer.

Visit Melanie’s Blog for more great articles about cancer.

We all do this to some degree.  Often times, injuries require us to step back from a fitness activity that we love to do, or were at least doing regularly.  I have had to take a running break since July.  Others get out of the habit after an illness, vacation, or just get too busy with work or family.

My job is to help my clients figure out how to get back in the habit of exercising.  Do I do a good job of that?  Well, it is really a two-way street.  We both have to recognize that you have slid down the slippery slope of taking a “Gap Year” from all or a portion of your fitness regimen.  Then we have to talk about it.  From there, it is really up to you to make a commitment to doing something about it, which is where I step back into the picture.                            

Let me ask you this?  Do you find that you “used to” do more exercise and now you are doing less because you have slipped down that slippery slope of “getting out of the habit”?  Yes, it is easy to do. 

If you answer yes to this question, you might try a few of these suggestions.

Once you decide on a plan of action, tell someone your plan.  This will help you to follow through with it.

1.  Sign up for a 5k, 10k, half marathon, etc.

2.  Pick a class that you want to try and commit t o going once/twice a week.  Maybe it is Zumba, TRX, Yoga, Pilates, Water Aerobics, Tai Chi…..

3.  Agree with  a friend that you are going to both go for a run, swim, class, etc. together on a specific day and time.

4.  Get a friend to workout with a trainer (guess who) with you.  Shared sessions can be so much fun and a little cheaper than a private session.

5.  Think about how your body felt when you were lifting weights regularly, running regulary, going to Pilates or Yoga regularly, etc.

Here are two abdominal exercises that are varied and excellent for developing lean and strong abs.

Plank

1. Plank–This is such a great exercise for overall core strength. There are many modifications and variations to try. Planks can be done on forearms or hands/ knees or feet, from the fitness ball, TRX, and much more.

Criss-cross

2. Pilates Criss-Cross–This exercise is about “lengthening” vs. just crunching and twisting. You wan to make sure and flatten your stomache when exhaling and rotating vs. letting it pooch out.

Diet is a huge player in how our bodies store fat. Eating a diet with an abundance of lean proteins, healthy fats, and low-glycemic carbs, including fresh veggies, vs. a diet high in processed carbs, makes a giant difference in how our bodies store and release fat. A lot of people have great success changing their diets by doing the 5-day sugar detox, called RESET (I can help you with this). Eliminating cravings for processed carbs is a major step in the right direction.

Stress increases cortisol levels, among other stress hormones, which also lead to fat storage. The “fight or flight” response is so primal in our systems that we are pre-programmed to store fat in response to high stress hormonel levels. How many of you live in a constant state of sress? A lot of it is actually self-induced by packing our schedules too full and always being on the go, but a lot of it is also due to other factors that are just part of life, such as raising kids, work, financial stress, etc. There are many ways to reduce stress levels though, and that is another whole topic.

Many more factors can influence your fat storage, but these are the most obvious ones that you really can do something about right now!

Of course I don’t get it at all since food is one of the first things on my mind when I get up in the morning, no matter what time it is. Why is it not on theirs? A lot of people say that they just don’t think about eating first thing….well, this is a habit that can be changed. Others think that they are going to lose weight by skipping breakfast. This is so not true! Not eating breakfast will actually slow your metabolism down, vs. speed it up and cause you to ultimately eat more during that day.

Why is it so important to eat breakfast, even if you don’t feel like it? Research says that those who skip breakfast eat as much as 80% more calories during the day! Is this you? I hope not! While you are sleeping, your body is using stored calories from either glycogen or fat to do its nightly repair work. The glycogen is stored in your muscles and liver.

Before a workout in the morning, if you don’t have a lot of time before you go to the gym, I suggest that you eat something light such as a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter, a few bites of yogurt with some fresh fruit and a sprinkle of nuts, or even part of a low glycemic bar or shake. Your body needs something to draw its energy from and when you get up in the morning since you are already at a deficit fuel. Eating low-glycemic carbohydrates (unprocessed, whole grains) with a little protein is ideal.

When you return home after working out, then you can finish feeding your body with a couple of eggs and whole grain toast with almond butter or uncured turkey bacon, or slow-cooked oatmeal with some fruit and nuts, a nutritious low-glycemic shake, or whatever you like to eat for breakfast that will give you the energy for your day. This is where a balanced meal including healthy fats, protein, and unprocessed carbs is important—-every day! Just think, if you start your day out this way, you won’t be making a direct deposit to those unwanted fat stores in the belly, thighs, or hips!

Eating breakfast daily is a step in the right direction towards a healthy start to your day! Research shows that eating breakfast is consistently important for people to lose weight and/or keep lost weight off for good!

You probably think I am crazy, a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach, telling you to eat whatever you want! This advice could certainly backfire on me and you could gain a bunch of weight and feel like hell. On the flip side, what if you have an understanding that food nourishes your body and your soul?

If you respect your body and have a healthy relationship with it, do you think that you would regularly choose McDonald’s burger, fries, and a shake for lunch over fresh arugula salad with avocado, cherry tomatoes, and leftover grilled salmon with a bite of dark chocolate for desert? The key is “regularly or frequently”.

If you are craving that burger, shake, and fries because that is what your family had on special occasions growing up when mom didn’t have to cook, then you might check in and ask yourself if that is the real reason that you want this junk food. Are you trying to feed your soul by indulging in something that has great childhood memories? Or are you indulging in it because you want to feel good and are avoiding something unpleasant in the present?

If you are looking for that feel-good trip down memory lane in having Grandma’s favorite coffee cake for desert, then, I say go for it! If you have a healthy relationship with your body and with the food that you feed it, then, you will enjoy the coffee cake at the time, but that will be it. You won’t trigger an avalanche of unhealthy food choices. However, if your relationship with your body and food is not so healthy, then look out! You will undoubtedly have negative feelings towards your body about making this choice as well as possibly unleashing a cascade of other unhealthy food choices.

All that I ask is that you consider your motivation for eating certain foods! Where you take it from there could be a huge discovery.

What I love about Pilates is how great I feel after a class. I feel taller, stronger, leaner, and energized! Of course, the most immediate result is that I feel so much more energized and alert after class. I walk and sit taller afterwards too. The strength benefits of Pilates are so obvious to me when I inadvertently take a week off! I feel it! Acquiring leaner and longer muscles takes a little time. How long depends on your body type and how frequently you do Pilates.

What do my clients say? “Sue Bream has a great pilates class!! Every time it reduces my hip tension and I leave with reduced knee pain. I highly recommend her classes!! ” -Andrea

Need I mention that anyone can do Pilates? There are so many exercises to choose from and modifications for each one. Athletes, pregnant women, teens, older adults, cancer patients and recovering cancer patients, obese, etc…..

Check out a class if you haven’t already done so. I recommend starting with a small class and/or private lesson to get the basics down.

Excuses are just that…excuses. In the long run, excuses don’t help you accomplish your goals, do they? Believe me, as a Personal Trainer I hear lots of them. Recently I saw a dog that was hugely inspiring to me. He was a yellow lab with three good legs and one leg that stuck straight out to the side. It just sort of hung there flapping around as he ran and chased the tennis ball. His owner said that he was born that way and had no idea that he had only three good legs! Encountering that dog really made me think. Most of us don’t have any excuse not to get out and move our bodies on a regular basis!

Motivation to exercise is a hot topic in many exercise books, articles, and programs. Here are a few tips that I feel are super helpful:

• Schedule your exercise in your calendar.

• Plan out your exercise week on Sunday (i.e. schedule in classes, appointments with trainer, runs/walks, etc.).

• Find an exercise buddy.

• Be realistic (don’t run/workout if you are sick with a fever).

• Be flexible, yet committed. If you have a run scheduled on Tuesday morning at 6 and it is pouring, blowing, and cold…have a backup plan.

• Change it up! Try Zumba instead of going for a walk/run or go to Yoga or Pilates instead of hitting the weight room. Head out to a different area for your bike ride, run, walk…explore somewhere new.

• Listen to good music on your IPod, an audio book, or even a podcast.

• Acknowledge your accomplishment when you are done!

While I have to admit, I eat pretty healthily and keep a lot of healthy foods in my cupboards, there are some things that need to go. I just tossed a jar of jelly beans that were at least 4 years old! After accusing my son of hoarding them, he said, “Mom, those have been in there forever, don’t you remember when we got them?”

For those of you who are making some changes in your eating habits, cleaning out your cupboards is a great place to start! First, toss all food that is stale or outdated. Yes, you likely have some. Then, take a look at what you want to replace with healthier choices. For example, toss the boxes of mac and cheese. In other words, toss the processed foods. Instead of “tossing” them, you might consider donating them to a food bank.

This process of spring cleaning is so crucial to your commitment to eating healthier and eliminating processed carbs from your diet. If you haven’t made this commitment to yourself, then we should talk! Out with the Cheerios, Quaker Oats, instant oatmeal, Mac and Cheese boxes, instant white rice, Wheat Thins, low-fat maple syrup, and pre-packaged cake and brownie mixes! In with steel cut oats, whole grain cereals, Quinoa, buckwheat pancake mix, Agave syrup, whole-grain crackers (like Mary’s Crackers), and fresh nuts like almonds. Having hummus and fresh veggies around is also a great idea.

The bottom line is that when you are hungry and open your cupboard looking for something to eat, you will grab whatever is available, especially if your blood sugar is low. Give yourself a head start on eating healthily and have foods available that are going to make you feel better, not worse an hour later when your blood sugar crashes!