Why Myofascial Stretching And ELDOA Are Important.
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Personal Training
What not to have for more energy In Santa Fe!
Do energy drinks work and are they good for you?
They come in shots, cans and powdered form and they are big business.
In 2012, the sales of energy drinks in the United States was $12.5 billion dollars. By 2017 that figure will rise to $21 billion according to consumer marketing research company, Packaged Facts.
They are popular, but do they work? And more importantly, are they good for you? First, the good news. Energy drinks do increase alertness and can decrease sleepiness.
But the bad news is the price you pay may not be worth it. Because Energy Drinks are considered herbal supplements and, unlike soda, they are generally not regulated, which means the manufacturer can add whatever they want to them in whatever quantity they desire.
Having said that, let’s take a look at the three main ingredient groups in energy drinks:
1) Caffeine – An article on The Mayo Clinic website recommends that your daily caffeine intake be between 100 and 200 mg maximum per day. Energy drinks contain between 80 mg and 500 mg per can. Why do they contain caffeine? Caffeine makes you more alert, gives you more energy and helps with your concentration.
However too much caffeine can make you jittery, irritable, give you a tremor and accelerate your heart rate. One energy drink could raise your heart rate by 14 points. So if you suffer from high blood pressure you should definitely abstain. Many energy drink companies add Taurine (an amino acid) to increase the “effectiveness” of the caffeine.
2) B Vitamins – There are massive amounts of B Vitamins in Energy Drinks. Usually eight B Vitamins in total. According to Dr. Keri Peterson, they don’t boost your energy unless you are deficient in them and most people get enough of the various B Vitamins in their regular diet. She adds that getting too much is not a problem except in the case of B3 (Niacin) and B6. Excess B3 could give you blurry vision, liver abnormalities, stomach upset and flushing of the face. Many energy drinks give you 150% of the recommended daily intake of B3. Too much B6 could cause damage to your hands and feet which could cause numbness and tingling, says Dr. Peterson.
3) Natural stimulants – Most Energy drinks contain Guarana which does tend to boost energy. One Guarana seed has twice as much caffeine as a coffee bean. They also contain Ginseng which, some studies show boost your brain power, but only in amounts over 200 mg (most energy drinks contain less than 200 mg.) Ginseng has been known to interact with blood thinners so if you’re on a blood thinner you should avoid Energy Drinks. And, of course, energy drinks also contain sugar. Up to 14 teaspoons per Soda has around 11 teaspoons per serving. The recommended daily intake of sugar as advised by the American Heart Association is 6 teaspoons for women, 9 teaspoons for men. So if you drink just one energy drink you’ll already be over your recommended daily sugar intake which could lead to weight gain.
If you type “energy drink-related deaths” into Google, you’ll find that there are numerous reports of people whose deaths have been attributed to consuming energy drinks. Energy drinks have also been linked to insomnia, headaches, agitation and seizures.
In the United States, the number of people who went to the hospital emergency room after consuming energy drinks more than doubled from just over 10,000 in 2007 to nearly 21,000 in 2011 (according to a U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report.)
The age group attributed to the highest number of ER visits was people aged 18 to 25 followed by people from 26 to 39 years old. More than half of all ER visits involved energy drinks alone. 42 per cent involved energy drinks taken in combination with “other drugs” the report says.
The bottom line is that “yes” energy drinks give you a temporary rush of energy, but after that you generally come crashing down and the other side effects make it extremely questionable as to whether they are worth the risk.
If you need to have a little help with you energy, first make sure you going to bed by 9-10:30 pm, are sleeping 7-8 hours, drinking half your weight in OZ of water and eating for your metabolic type. AFTER THAT a good organic espresso or tea would definitely do the trick. Energy drinks are not worth it. Plus they are not recommended for children and never, never, never mix them with alcohol. They should also not be consumer before, during or after exercise.
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Personal Training Success Story
Personal Training Success Story – Denise Johnson
Denise Johnson is one of those people who just intrinsically know how to work hard. She was an emergency room nurse while living in Colorado and used to workout by riding 250 miles a week and competing in races.
She and her husband Bill have both worked hard to have a good life and make a difference in this world. They have three great, intelligent kids and a therapy practice that helps kids from troubled homes. So it was a little frustrating for Denise when she started having back pain and “just” working hard didn’t help.
She decided to reach out to us because of a recommendation from her good friend Amy Weyrauch. After she was explained on why this system would help her back pain she was hopeful, but she knew that it was going to be challenging. Now when you are used to riding 250 miles a week and then find yourself doing, what you perceive, as “just” a stretch, it can be a little frustrating.
But what you do after feeling the frustration (as we ALL who have done this have experienced) is where you either succeed or fail. You can make up a bunch of excuses and quit and say, “It’s not for me. “ Or you can trust the process and yourself and know that it is going to take a little work to reap the new life it will give you.
Obviously since she is the March member of the month and a personal training success story, Denise chose the latter.
1) What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a program?
My back was in constant pain from Spinal Stenosis. I always had pain and it was frustrating. I also wanted to reconnect to my health and fitness. I had developed apathy about it, and knew it needed to change. “If you don’t have your health and fitness you don’t have anything. You wont be able to enjoy the life that you have created because you will not feel like yourself, be in pain and not have vitality.”
2) What did you do before?
I used to be a spin instructor and used to lift weights. Back when I lived in Denver, CO I used to compete in bike road races and train by ridding 250 miles per week. I used to run, but had to stop because it hurt my back WAY too much. I walk a lot even though I know that that will also hurt my back. I had also gone to every different kind of modality and it hadn’t really done anything. I was lukewarm on the idea of trying any of them again.
3) What results have you achieved since starting your program that you are proud of?
My back feels fantastic! The whole program has really helped, but the myofascial stretching and the ELDOA’s really helped. I now know how to move properly. Being educated on how to address my body and how to perform the exercises correctly has really helped me. I am now more connected to my health and fitness and what it means for me to be fit.
4) Do you have a favorite exercise? Least? What do you like or don’t like about them?
I love all the exercises that involve lifting weights. It feels really good to move like that. I dread the ELDOA’s and Myofascial stretching, even thought I know that they are what I need the most. I still do them, but they are really difficult.
5) What are some challenges or goals you are currently working on?
Myself!!!
6) What do you like best about our program/ having a trainer?
The education. I love learning how to move properly. You could study it, but that would take forever and even then I might not get it right. So this was invaluable to teach me how and why. The fact that I have been able to correct and alleviate the pain is very exciting to me.
7) What advice would you give to the other SolCore Fitness members?
Stick with it. It is a difficult mental adjustment, as you get older. Having support along the way is necessary.
8) What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program?
If you can’t make a commitment to yourself you wont be able to fully commit to anything. If you are in pain this is the program that is for you.
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Lower Back Pain – The Pelvis, The Base Of Our Body
How Training The Pelvis Helps Lower Back Pain
Hello again,
It has been about a month since you have last heard from me through the blog page. Although, I already knew I wanted to write about the “base” of our body – the pelvis – and its importance for our daily functions, I wanted to wait until the end of my ELDOA-2 course.
With more insight and working knowledge of the body, I am hoping that this blog can give you a better understanding of why the trainers at SolCore Fitness focus so much on the pelvis ‘tucks’ during the warm-up in each session we teach.
You might have read or heard that I have been (and still want to be) very active in my sports ‘career’ and consider myself a fit individual. My cardio fitness level might be very good, and I appear to be physically fit, not everything is as it seems. During our hands-on ELDOA-training, I was informed that my spine looks like that of an old man. Really, it’s not just lower back pain, I also have a kyphosis in the thoracic spine and a forward lean in my cervical spine. (Chin tucks are really hard for me to do properly and maintain during an exercise) I had no idea, I was so out of whack …
Nevertheless, with daily ELDOA postures I can maintain the pain and even adjust the curvatures in my spine, so I can keep swimming, cycling, running, skiing, hiking and perform regular chores around the house.
Because, everything is connected in the body with ‘chains’, the cause of my back issues are likely muscle imbalances from repetitive motion and poor exercise-technique, resulting in a slight tilt of my pelvic floor, which effects the rest of the spine. When muscles become short and tight, the antagonist (opposite) muscle often becomes long and weak. This creates an imbalance in the body. The body learns faulty reoccurring patterns. So, with the proper technique and enough repetitions, you can re-learn your body to be in a better posture and go through life more comfortably.
Maintaining a neutral pelvis position is achieved via the opposing force-coupling between 4 major muscle groups that all have attachments to the pelvis. When these muscles demonstrate good balance, the pelvis holds an optimal position.
A few facts; Back pain in one of the most common reasons people miss work and visit the doctor. There are very few people who never experience back pain in their lifetime. Americans spend $50 billion every year on lower back pain, which is the most common. Second to the common cold, back pain is one of the leading causes of missed work and it causes more lost days of productivity in the workplace than any other medical condition. Unfortunately, the treatment and management of back pain can be ineffective.
Doing ELDOA is not a magic pill, but it does strengthen the postural system, by mobilizing the intrinsic muscles and normalizing the tensions throughout the body and spine. “Creating” space also increases blood flow, reduces disc pressure, spinal disc rehydration, better muscle tone and a sense of wellbeing and awareness.
So, if you don’t want a spine like mine, please, do your “homework”, especially the wall stretch, ELDOA for L5-S1.
Thank you,
Jo Van Cutsem
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Personal Training Success Story
Personal Training Success – Leslie Weinstein
This member of the month’s success story is great for a number of reasons.
First, this is the whole reason we exist. Our mission is to have #500balancedhealthystrongpeople that can live their lives to the fullest and be of the most service. Leslie is one of those people. Having a personal training success story like Leslie’s makes our mission worthwhile and fun!
The second reason is due to the power of referring someone to a program and support system that will help them achieve a better life through health and fitness. Leslie’s friend and fellow member, Barbara R, referred her to our personal training program. Barbara heard that her friend was in need of help and, based on her trust in us, told Leslie that we would be a great option for her.
It was important that Leslie find the right fit in a personal training program, because she has very specific health concerns that need to be taken into consideration. Chief among her health issues is a blood clotting disorder that she has to control with medication. This medication thins her blood and if she were to fall and cut herself, it would be quite serious.
Due to Barbara’s outreach and recommendation, Leslie has now achieved amazing results and is on the right track.
Leslie and her husband, Sheldon, came from St. Louis and have been in Santa Fe for over a year now. She had been a successful Social Worker and businesswoman in St. Louis, but when the time came to retire she packed up Sheldon, Alice (her beautiful dog), and a host of other pets and hoofed it to Santa Fe.
For the first year, she was getting her bearings and setting up her life. She found friends, great places to visit and eat, and she even found a way to give back by visiting a local nursing home with Alice on a weekly basis. But the one thing lacking was her health.
Leslie was ready, but due to her health, she was unable to enjoy her retirement. She wanted to be stronger and healthier. Now through her amazing mindset and hard work, she has obliterated her goals and has moved on to bigger ones.
This is why Leslie is our February personal training success story.
1) What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a program?
I was overweight and a pre-diabetic and knew that if I didn’t do something immediately it would be too late. I wanted to get stronger and healthier and to be the best that I could be. Just because I am in my 60’s and retired, doesn’t mean that I need to give up. Just the opposite, I want to live my retirement with the best life possible.
2) What did you do before?
I go to my doctors to manage my blood disorder. I went to PT for my knee and back and after my shoulder surgery. I took water aerobics twice a week and it was enjoyable, but I knew it wasn’t going to get me anywhere.
3) What results have you achieved since starting your program that you are proud of?
My stamina, strength, posture and balance are so much better. I used to be terrified of falling because of the fact that getting a cut could be very dangerous for me and now I feel more “upright” and physically confident in my body. I have lost 15lbs and 10% body fat. My shoulder which always kind of hurt and felt funny after the surgery feels as if I never had it.
4) Do you have a favorite exercise? Least? What do you like or don’t like about them?
I like all the exercises that we do because I see the results it gives me. Well, except the cardio part and that is because it is hard, but I know that it is good for me also.
5) What are some challenges or goals you are currently working on?
I want to continue to lose weight and continue to gain confidence in my balance. A nice benefit to this program is that it is helping my knees and I would like to continue to get them strong. I also want my back to continue to get strong.
6) What do you like best about our program/ having a trainer?
It doesn’t feel like you are going to the gym. You guys pay a lot of attention beyond what the routine is. The program is flexible and intelligent and goes beyond just the muscles and bones.
7) What advice would you give to the other SolCore Fitness members?
Keep the positive movement forward. Don’t dwell on what you can’t do. You will do as well as you can. It’s not about comparing yourself, it’s about how you feel.
8) What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program?
Figure out what you can do, because this works. If you have the resources, it is well worth it. After the first 2-3 months you will be able to see and feel what it is all about. Go on “autopilot” and have faith and trust. This is what I did! It was very challenging at the start, but I just kept coming and doing what I could of the homework. And after that first 3 months, you will love it! The “homework” they give you is very important and priceless. It helps solve the problems that you have and gives you the ability to “treat yourself.” Invest in yourself. It will come back to you and more.
Do you want to achieve what Leslie was able to achieve? If you are looking for a little more support and education on how to do it right to reach your health and fitness goals them contact us about a free consult and trial. Go to https://www.solcorefitness.com/consultation-landing-page/ to request one.
The free trial wont be around long so claim it while you can. Go to FREE CONSULT AND TRIAL.
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