Short-term and Long-term Goals
Once you've determined the starting point for improving fitness,
specifying what you want to accomplish is the next step. To continue
with the GPS analogy, now that you've entered the point of origin,
it's time to enter the point of destination. It's equally important
to note though, that just like the GPS, you will have a series of
points along the map to successfully reach before the destination can
be achieved. Also like a good GPS, if you deviate from the steps
along the way, you will need to recalculate your route.
Most of us start out with a destination in mind. Using the same
method you chose to assess the starting point for your body size, form
a positive statement about the goal you want to ultimately achieve.
Next, based on the distance between where you are now and where you
want to be, set a reasonable timeline for achievement.
Personally, I think reaching my goal at the rate of one pound a week
is reasonable. While I can in fact lose 2 pounds in a week without
going to extremes, I know that I will also have weeks in which
maintaining is all I can do and other weeks in which I will gain back
a pound or two. So using one pound a week as an average, I set the
timeline for achieving my ultimate goal.
The "Train Your Brain for Fitness" approach to getting fit is not
really intended for quick weight loss. While it's possible to apply
some of these techniques for starting a power weight loss and fitness
program, I don't think this is actually the best way to affect
long-term change that will stay with you. I have too often done the
quick power routine only to be right back where I started or even
worse a few months later. Learning what we need to know to lead a
lifestyle that supports fitness and making it habitual is what this
approach is designed to accomplish.
Using body weight as an example, here's how I'd suggest that you set your goals.
1. Look back at where you recorded your current body weight.
2. Write down the body weight you want to ultimately achieve.
3. Determine the difference between the two numbers by subtracting
your goal weight from your current weight.
4. Turn this number into number of weeks (e.g., 40 pounds = 40 weeks).
5. Using a calendar, count out that number of weeks from the current
date. I advise adding in a few more weeks as it is really not
practical to assume that you will drop a pound every single week.
Remember that you will have holidays and vacations and other occasions
for distraction along the way that will make steady progress
difficult. 40 weeks can easily be made into 45 or even 52 weeks.
6. Write your ultimate goal statement as though you have achieved it
such as "I weigh 140 pounds by 06/01/11."
Next, take your ultimate goal and break it down into periodic
milestones. If your ultimate goal is one year out, then breaking it
into evenly spaced, quarterly goals is a good way to do this. Using
the example above of reaching a goal 40 pounds away in a year, the
milestones will be 10 pounds a quarter.
1. I weigh 140 pounds by 06/01/11.
2. I weigh 150 pounds by 03/01/11.
3. I weigh 160 pounds by 01/01/11.
4. I weigh 170 pounds by 10/01/10.
In this example you are working from the macro to the micro. You may
find it more useful to reverse this list once you've set all of your
goals, but starting with the ultimate and working your way back
through the stages through which this will be accomplished is a good
way to set the goals in the beginning.
It's important to remember that body weight is only a measuring tool.
The real goal is to be fit through good nutrition and exercise.
Achieving the goal body weight is just one way you will know that you
have met your fitness goals. Therefore, let's write goal statements
about how you want to achieve this new body weight.
Once you've established the goals based on body size, do the same for
your food intake. Working from your established eating norm, set
goals for food intake that will achieve your body size goal. Examples
of goal statements are:
1. I make smart choices about what I eat.
2. I eat 1600 (or fill in the appropriate caloric intake for yourself)
calories or less a day.
3. I choose foods rich in protein to build muscle.
4. I eat carbs that are complex and beneficial.
5. I check nutrition facts about new foods before I eat them.
The point here is to write your goal statements about eating so that
they promote the behavior you want to achieve. Making them positive
statements of achievement makes it possible for your subconscious to
use them as triggers for daily activity.
Finally, go through the same process to set goals for exercise. Look
at your established level of daily activity and decide how you will
increase it. Then form positive statements about these goals.
1. I exercise 5 times a week – 3 with weights and 2 cardio.
2. I take the stairs to and from my office each day.
3. I walk for 30 minutes every morning.
4. I attend yoga classes twice each week.
5. I play basketball with my colleagues every Saturday morning.
Once you've established your goal statements, write them out in a way
that makes sense to you. Mine look like this:
1. I make smart choices about what I eat.
2. I eat 1600 calories a day or less.
3. I exercise 5 times a week – 3 weights and 2 cardio.
4. I feel good and am getting fit through better nutrition and exercise.
5. I achieve my goals at a rate of one pound a week.
6. I feel good and weigh 166 by 07/08/10.
7. I feel good and am making real progress and weigh 153 by 10/08/10.
8. I am fit and toned, feel awesome and weigh 140 pounds by 01/08/11.
9. I maintain fitness through smart eating and regular exercise and
perhaps set new goals, 2011-2015.
You can see that I start with the immediate and then work my way up
through a year and end with a projection for keeping this going for
the next 5 years. This list spells out "life change" for me
specifically, and your list should do the same for you.
This is a living, breathing work in progress. I write out my goals,
all of them as above each week when I measure my success. The list
changes a little each week depending on what is going on in my life.
If I'm taking a cruise next week, then I don't say that I'm going to
stick to 1600 calories each day, or that I'm going to exercise 5
times. I decide what I want to achieve while on my cruise and then I
write it out accordingly. When I return home and am back to a regular
routine, then my list looks like it does above. Choosing achievable
goals and setting them out in a way that fits into your life so that
they can become a part of your life, is the only way I know to make
this long-term change to a healthier lifestyle.
I want to once again acknowledge that I have pulled liberally from Tom
Venuto's book "The Body Fat Solution." I strongly urge you to get a
copy of this very inspirational book and add it to your reading list.
It provides a wealth of information!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Setting Goals, Part 1
Training Your Brain for Success
There is a lot of information out there about setting goals. As with
anything else associated with improving fitness, you will need to
select the method of goal-setting that suits you best. My favorite
method and one that I firmly believe to make the most sense, is
promoted by personal trainer, Tom Venuto in his book "The Body Fat
Solution." For more information about this book and other information
from Tom Venuto, visit: http://www.tomvenuto.com/.
The key factor in achieving the goals we set, is to believe that we
can, and the key to believing that we can, is to set this message of
achievement into our subconscious. There is a tremendous amount of
research about the role of our subconscious and its impact on our
daily activity, and experts agree that over 90% (and that's a very
conservative number as most experts actually say 95%), of our daily
activity is driven by our subconscious. In addition to the things we
almost never think about such as breathing, blood circulation,
digestion, etc., many of the things we learn to do such as driving,
walking, eating, sports, cooking, cleaning, work routines, etc. also
become mostly driven by our subconscious. Though we are usually aware
of the activity and even direct it with conscious thought, a lot of
the triggers start up prior to consciously deciding to do so. When
the phone rings, we don't stop to think that we need to pick up the
phone, press a button, place the phone just so to be able to both hear
and talk and say hello. We just do it. Our conscious mind engages
long enough to determine who is calling and to determine appropriate
responses, but most of the actions involved in using a phone are not
conscious activities. This becomes very apparent when you get a new
phone and have to make yourself think about using it until it, too,
becomes something you can do without conscious thought.
So if we accept that most of what we do is triggered by our
subconscious, including eating and exercising, then the trick is to
train our subconscious mind to give us the triggers needed to make
smart choices. To do this, we need to understand that our
subconscious mind responds best to positive statements (i.e., "Do
this," as opposed to "Don't do that.") Again, this is hardly cutting
edge information. How long ago was the popular book "The Power of
Positive Thinking" topping the best-seller list? A more recent
article on this topic that I found to be a good refresher is
"Motivating Yourself in Three Simple Steps Using the Law of
Attraction" by Steve Jones and Frank Mangano:
http://www.tomvenuto.com/articles/motivation_and_the_law_of_attraction.shtml
This is all a rather elaborate introduction to setting goals for
fitness and nutrition, but a necessary introduction in my mind. When
we set our goals, it is important to frame them as positive statements
of accomplishment. If we want our subconscious to trigger the actions
that will help us achieve our goals, then we must frame statements
that our subconscious can use. Instead of saying "I will lose 10
pounds" or "I won't eat dessert" or "I will make myself exercise
today," we should say, "I achieve my goals one pound at a time,:" or
"I make smart choices about what I eat," or I get to exercise today."
These are statements that our subconscious can understand and use to
trigger activity. Telling it to lose something or not do something
doesn't quite compute. Also stating our goals as though we have
already achieved them gives us a powerful visualization of the
behavior we want to exhibit and makes it more likely that we will do
it. When the underlying thought is "I make smart choices about what I
eat," then it is so much easier to choose fruit to go with your
sandwich at lunch instead of fries or chips. And when the underlying
thought is "I get to exercise today," then you go do it with energy
instead of dragging against the more negative thought of "I have to"
or "I really should exercise today." "I get to" means that it is
something you want to do and are excited about doing, whereas "I have
to" or I really should" means that you would rather not and it's a
real chore that you have to make yourself accomplish. The power of
these underlying messages is tremendous and harnessing that power to
affect positive change in our lives will set us on the road to fitness
through better nutrition and exercise.
There is a lot of information out there about setting goals. As with
anything else associated with improving fitness, you will need to
select the method of goal-setting that suits you best. My favorite
method and one that I firmly believe to make the most sense, is
promoted by personal trainer, Tom Venuto in his book "The Body Fat
Solution." For more information about this book and other information
from Tom Venuto, visit: http://www.tomvenuto.com/.
The key factor in achieving the goals we set, is to believe that we
can, and the key to believing that we can, is to set this message of
achievement into our subconscious. There is a tremendous amount of
research about the role of our subconscious and its impact on our
daily activity, and experts agree that over 90% (and that's a very
conservative number as most experts actually say 95%), of our daily
activity is driven by our subconscious. In addition to the things we
almost never think about such as breathing, blood circulation,
digestion, etc., many of the things we learn to do such as driving,
walking, eating, sports, cooking, cleaning, work routines, etc. also
become mostly driven by our subconscious. Though we are usually aware
of the activity and even direct it with conscious thought, a lot of
the triggers start up prior to consciously deciding to do so. When
the phone rings, we don't stop to think that we need to pick up the
phone, press a button, place the phone just so to be able to both hear
and talk and say hello. We just do it. Our conscious mind engages
long enough to determine who is calling and to determine appropriate
responses, but most of the actions involved in using a phone are not
conscious activities. This becomes very apparent when you get a new
phone and have to make yourself think about using it until it, too,
becomes something you can do without conscious thought.
So if we accept that most of what we do is triggered by our
subconscious, including eating and exercising, then the trick is to
train our subconscious mind to give us the triggers needed to make
smart choices. To do this, we need to understand that our
subconscious mind responds best to positive statements (i.e., "Do
this," as opposed to "Don't do that.") Again, this is hardly cutting
edge information. How long ago was the popular book "The Power of
Positive Thinking" topping the best-seller list? A more recent
article on this topic that I found to be a good refresher is
"Motivating Yourself in Three Simple Steps Using the Law of
Attraction" by Steve Jones and Frank Mangano:
http://www.tomvenuto.com/articles/motivation_and_the_law_of_attraction.shtml
This is all a rather elaborate introduction to setting goals for
fitness and nutrition, but a necessary introduction in my mind. When
we set our goals, it is important to frame them as positive statements
of accomplishment. If we want our subconscious to trigger the actions
that will help us achieve our goals, then we must frame statements
that our subconscious can use. Instead of saying "I will lose 10
pounds" or "I won't eat dessert" or "I will make myself exercise
today," we should say, "I achieve my goals one pound at a time,:" or
"I make smart choices about what I eat," or I get to exercise today."
These are statements that our subconscious can understand and use to
trigger activity. Telling it to lose something or not do something
doesn't quite compute. Also stating our goals as though we have
already achieved them gives us a powerful visualization of the
behavior we want to exhibit and makes it more likely that we will do
it. When the underlying thought is "I make smart choices about what I
eat," then it is so much easier to choose fruit to go with your
sandwich at lunch instead of fries or chips. And when the underlying
thought is "I get to exercise today," then you go do it with energy
instead of dragging against the more negative thought of "I have to"
or "I really should exercise today." "I get to" means that it is
something you want to do and are excited about doing, whereas "I have
to" or I really should" means that you would rather not and it's a
real chore that you have to make yourself accomplish. The power of
these underlying messages is tremendous and harnessing that power to
affect positive change in our lives will set us on the road to fitness
through better nutrition and exercise.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Finding the Starting Point, Part 3
Part 3: Determining Your Physical Activity
This part is all about figuring out how much you move your body during
the day. This won't be as complicated as establishing your eating
norm because we typically don't get active as often as we eat, hence
the need to affect change!
Using the lists below, check the items that most closely resemble your
level of activity. If there is something that you do to be active
that is not listed, then add it to your own list. The purpose is to
establish how active you are right now so you can make smart choices
about how to change that level of activity to achieve your fitness
goals.
1. In a typical work day, I am:
• Sedentary – sit at a desk or work station with little to no
additional activity.
• Moderately active – sitting mostly with some walking about for
periods longer than 15 minutes at a stretch.
• Active – mostly on my feet and moving throughout the day with only
occasional periods of sitting that exceed 15 minutes at a time.
• Very active – I'm always moving about and also do lifting, product
movement, control machinery, etc.
(Note: If you do not work but engage in some other daily activity such
as going to school or volunteering, then pick the item above which
most closely represents your activity or create a new item that
describes your activity more accurately.)
2. In the evening after work, I am:
• Sedentary – sit on the sofa and watch TV till bedtime.
• Moderately active – tidy the house, do light work in the yard, play
active games with the children before relaxing in front of the TV or
with a book.
• Active – work a second job that involves physical movement, do heavy
work in the yard or around the house, play sports with the children or
friends, work out.
3. I do a specific workout routine:
• Once in a while but nothing regular
• 2-3 times a week
• 3-5 times a week
• 6-7 times a week
4. My routine lasts for XX minutes and here's what I do:
(Note: give a brief description of the type of exercises included in
your routine.)
5. Other physical activity include:
(Note: write in anything else you do such as kayaking, skiing, golf,
etc. and include the frequency this occurs.)
Record the information above directly on your "My Starting Point"
document. You have just entered the name of the city into your GPS,
thus completing the point of origin!
Summary
Now you have the information you need to make smart choices about how
to move forward. You know your body size plus critical information
about what you eat and how you expend energy through activity. You
know that to maintain this course with no changes, will either keep
you at the body size you are now, or perhaps keep pushing you in the
direction you don't want to go such as gaining weight or continued
muscle deterioration. The next step will be to set your goals, break
them down into immediate, short-term and long-term, and to determine
the changes you are willing to make to achieve those goals.
Before you move on to that, take time to really assess what you've
recorded as your starting point. Make sure that it is as accurate as
you can make it and then really take a look at it. You are doing the
things you've recorded because you have been doing them for a long
time. Most of us are not following any set plan, but simply engaging
in a set of behaviors that we have built over the years with little or
no thought about the consequences. The result of this non-planning
approach is what we see in the mirror or feel under our hands. You've
taken this big step because you want to change that image in some way,
and to do that, you need to fully comprehend if not how you got here,
then at least what here truly is. You can't edit a story without
reading it and this is your chance to read the story of your current
level of fitness. If you don't like the outcome, then it's time to
start editing!
This part is all about figuring out how much you move your body during
the day. This won't be as complicated as establishing your eating
norm because we typically don't get active as often as we eat, hence
the need to affect change!
Using the lists below, check the items that most closely resemble your
level of activity. If there is something that you do to be active
that is not listed, then add it to your own list. The purpose is to
establish how active you are right now so you can make smart choices
about how to change that level of activity to achieve your fitness
goals.
1. In a typical work day, I am:
• Sedentary – sit at a desk or work station with little to no
additional activity.
• Moderately active – sitting mostly with some walking about for
periods longer than 15 minutes at a stretch.
• Active – mostly on my feet and moving throughout the day with only
occasional periods of sitting that exceed 15 minutes at a time.
• Very active – I'm always moving about and also do lifting, product
movement, control machinery, etc.
(Note: If you do not work but engage in some other daily activity such
as going to school or volunteering, then pick the item above which
most closely represents your activity or create a new item that
describes your activity more accurately.)
2. In the evening after work, I am:
• Sedentary – sit on the sofa and watch TV till bedtime.
• Moderately active – tidy the house, do light work in the yard, play
active games with the children before relaxing in front of the TV or
with a book.
• Active – work a second job that involves physical movement, do heavy
work in the yard or around the house, play sports with the children or
friends, work out.
3. I do a specific workout routine:
• Once in a while but nothing regular
• 2-3 times a week
• 3-5 times a week
• 6-7 times a week
4. My routine lasts for XX minutes and here's what I do:
(Note: give a brief description of the type of exercises included in
your routine.)
5. Other physical activity include:
(Note: write in anything else you do such as kayaking, skiing, golf,
etc. and include the frequency this occurs.)
Record the information above directly on your "My Starting Point"
document. You have just entered the name of the city into your GPS,
thus completing the point of origin!
Summary
Now you have the information you need to make smart choices about how
to move forward. You know your body size plus critical information
about what you eat and how you expend energy through activity. You
know that to maintain this course with no changes, will either keep
you at the body size you are now, or perhaps keep pushing you in the
direction you don't want to go such as gaining weight or continued
muscle deterioration. The next step will be to set your goals, break
them down into immediate, short-term and long-term, and to determine
the changes you are willing to make to achieve those goals.
Before you move on to that, take time to really assess what you've
recorded as your starting point. Make sure that it is as accurate as
you can make it and then really take a look at it. You are doing the
things you've recorded because you have been doing them for a long
time. Most of us are not following any set plan, but simply engaging
in a set of behaviors that we have built over the years with little or
no thought about the consequences. The result of this non-planning
approach is what we see in the mirror or feel under our hands. You've
taken this big step because you want to change that image in some way,
and to do that, you need to fully comprehend if not how you got here,
then at least what here truly is. You can't edit a story without
reading it and this is your chance to read the story of your current
level of fitness. If you don't like the outcome, then it's time to
start editing!
Finding the Starting Point, Part 2
Part 2: Establishing Your Eating Norm
Using the GPS analogy, you have entered the zip code and now it's time
to enter your street address. I can't stress enough how important it
is to get a handle on exactly what is the norm for your current eating
habits. I have multiple issues with prescribed diet plans, but one of
them is that they don't address your habitual eating behavior. Even
if the diet plan works, once the goal has been achieved, we leave the
diet plan and go right back to our old way of habitual eating which
then puts us right back where we started. Sound familiar? Well,
let's break that vicious circle!
We mostly eat out of habit. Yes, it's essential to life and we get
hungry, but it's habit that makes us pick up the same things at the
grocery store and prepare the same food at home. It's habit that
drives us to stop at the same fast food chains, pick up a grande
calorie coffee on the way into work, drink a few beers in the
afternoon, or pull out the same snacks while watching TV. The first
step to changing those habits into habits that will promote fitness is
to understand clearly what it is that we do. This is what I mean when
I say that we need to establish our eating norm.
The only way I know to do this is to make a list. We absolutely must
write down everything we eat over the course of a day. How much
information you record on this list or the number of days that you
keep the list going is up to you. As I've mentioned before when
discussing body size and will undoubtedly mention again, the key is
doing this in a way that suits you so that you'll really do it. We
can design the perfect widget, but if you won't use it then it's a
waste of time. So while I can't think of any way to work around
making a list of food consumed within a day, below I offer several
ways you can gather and record this information.
First, go back to your "My Starting Point" document and write: "My
Eating Norm" and add today's date. Then start a list with the title
"Food I eat in a day."
Method 1: The Basic List
This list is really the minimum information you can gather and still
hope to have something you can use. It's just as it sounds. Start
writing down everything you eat within a day. Make sure it's really
everything and try not to use too many generic terms. So if you
record that you eat cereal, write down what kind of cereal such as
frosted mini wheats. Don't leave out anything such as the piece of
candy you picked up when walking through the lobby of your office or
the soda you drank while out running errands. It must contain
everything.
This is harder than it looks on the surface. You will need to figure
out the best way to make it happen. You could carry a note pad with
you and write things down all day. You could open a note page on your
PDA and record it that way. You could wait till you're home in the
evening and sit down to write a list from memory. However you do it,
be honest and thorough.
In order to get a really good snapshot of your eating norm, keeping a
list every day for a week is best. Since how we eat is mostly
habitual, it is often driven by our other daily activities. So if you
work in retail or some other industry that doesn't allow for much time
to eat while you are working, then you will discover that your work
day eating habits look very different from how you eat on your day
off.
If you can't bring yourself to make a list every day for a week, then
pick two or three days on which you do very different kinds of things
and make lists for those days. In the end you want an accurate
assessment of what you are feeding your body so that you can make
smart decisions about how to improve your eating to achieve your
fitness goals.
Method 2: List plus Portion Size
To provide a little more information with which to work, beside each
food item on your list, write down the portion size. Weighing,
measuring and calculating it from the package information is the most
accurate way to do this, but if that's too much, then record the
portion size in some way that will be meaningful to you. So if you
recorded that you ate frosted mini wheat for breakfast, and you can't
bring yourself to use a measuring cup to determine how much you put in
your bowl, then you could write something like "frosted mini wheat,
blue bowl about ¾ full." With that information you can later decide
if you want to give yourself more or less than your typical serving to
achieve your fitness goal.
Method 3: Caloric Distribution
This is my preferred method of establishing my eating norm and later
to track changes to how I eat in order to achieve my goals. If this
is the street address information for the GPS, then the basic list is
like putting in the street name only, adding portions is like putting
in an approximate street number, and writing down calories is like
putting the exact full street address. The more information with
which you choose to work, the more accurate your results will be. But
of course, accurate information does you no good if you won't collect
it. Regardless of my obvious preference, it's still about choosing
the method that you will use.
To establish an eating norm through calories consumed, you need to
track calories at four levels: total calories, calories from fat,
carbohydrates and protein. If you have health issues such as diabetes
or high blood pressure, then you may also want to track other things
such as carbohydrates broken down into fiber and sugar, or sodium
content. But to establish a baseline for weight gain or loss, this
basic break down is sufficient.
Now when you look at the food you eat during a day, you want to look
up the nutrition facts about that food and record this caloric
information. This also requires more specific portion size
information. No source is going to be able to calculate the caloric
content of frosted miniwheat, blue bowl about ¾ full. You can,
however, easily learn that a cup of frosted mini wheat has 183 total
calories, 9 calories from fat, 135 calories from carbs, and 16
calories from protein. If you added a half cup of whole milk to that
bowl of cereal, you added 75 total calories, 36 calories from fat, 22
calories from carbs, and 16 calories from protein.
No way am I going to say anything but that this is a lot of work.
When I started out charting calories, I was totally surprised at how
much time I spent thinking about feeding myself! It's just another
indicator as to how much eating is habitual which means that we mostly
do it with little to no consideration. Of course, it's this lack of
consideration that got us into the situation of being less fit than
we'd like, and so it's going to take some effort to reverse this.
If you choose this method to establish your eating norm, collect the
information and then go to your "My Starting Point" document and
write: "My eating norm:" followed by summary information from your
daily chart such as "day 1, total calories XXX; fat calories XXX" etc.
Keep the complete daily list somewhere handy so you can refer bakk to
it when it's time to make decisions about needed changes to achieve
your fitness goals.
For more information about charting calories, check out an earlier
posting to this blog, "Counting Calories, The Bane of Any Fitness
Program"
Using the GPS analogy, you have entered the zip code and now it's time
to enter your street address. I can't stress enough how important it
is to get a handle on exactly what is the norm for your current eating
habits. I have multiple issues with prescribed diet plans, but one of
them is that they don't address your habitual eating behavior. Even
if the diet plan works, once the goal has been achieved, we leave the
diet plan and go right back to our old way of habitual eating which
then puts us right back where we started. Sound familiar? Well,
let's break that vicious circle!
We mostly eat out of habit. Yes, it's essential to life and we get
hungry, but it's habit that makes us pick up the same things at the
grocery store and prepare the same food at home. It's habit that
drives us to stop at the same fast food chains, pick up a grande
calorie coffee on the way into work, drink a few beers in the
afternoon, or pull out the same snacks while watching TV. The first
step to changing those habits into habits that will promote fitness is
to understand clearly what it is that we do. This is what I mean when
I say that we need to establish our eating norm.
The only way I know to do this is to make a list. We absolutely must
write down everything we eat over the course of a day. How much
information you record on this list or the number of days that you
keep the list going is up to you. As I've mentioned before when
discussing body size and will undoubtedly mention again, the key is
doing this in a way that suits you so that you'll really do it. We
can design the perfect widget, but if you won't use it then it's a
waste of time. So while I can't think of any way to work around
making a list of food consumed within a day, below I offer several
ways you can gather and record this information.
First, go back to your "My Starting Point" document and write: "My
Eating Norm" and add today's date. Then start a list with the title
"Food I eat in a day."
Method 1: The Basic List
This list is really the minimum information you can gather and still
hope to have something you can use. It's just as it sounds. Start
writing down everything you eat within a day. Make sure it's really
everything and try not to use too many generic terms. So if you
record that you eat cereal, write down what kind of cereal such as
frosted mini wheats. Don't leave out anything such as the piece of
candy you picked up when walking through the lobby of your office or
the soda you drank while out running errands. It must contain
everything.
This is harder than it looks on the surface. You will need to figure
out the best way to make it happen. You could carry a note pad with
you and write things down all day. You could open a note page on your
PDA and record it that way. You could wait till you're home in the
evening and sit down to write a list from memory. However you do it,
be honest and thorough.
In order to get a really good snapshot of your eating norm, keeping a
list every day for a week is best. Since how we eat is mostly
habitual, it is often driven by our other daily activities. So if you
work in retail or some other industry that doesn't allow for much time
to eat while you are working, then you will discover that your work
day eating habits look very different from how you eat on your day
off.
If you can't bring yourself to make a list every day for a week, then
pick two or three days on which you do very different kinds of things
and make lists for those days. In the end you want an accurate
assessment of what you are feeding your body so that you can make
smart decisions about how to improve your eating to achieve your
fitness goals.
Method 2: List plus Portion Size
To provide a little more information with which to work, beside each
food item on your list, write down the portion size. Weighing,
measuring and calculating it from the package information is the most
accurate way to do this, but if that's too much, then record the
portion size in some way that will be meaningful to you. So if you
recorded that you ate frosted mini wheat for breakfast, and you can't
bring yourself to use a measuring cup to determine how much you put in
your bowl, then you could write something like "frosted mini wheat,
blue bowl about ¾ full." With that information you can later decide
if you want to give yourself more or less than your typical serving to
achieve your fitness goal.
Method 3: Caloric Distribution
This is my preferred method of establishing my eating norm and later
to track changes to how I eat in order to achieve my goals. If this
is the street address information for the GPS, then the basic list is
like putting in the street name only, adding portions is like putting
in an approximate street number, and writing down calories is like
putting the exact full street address. The more information with
which you choose to work, the more accurate your results will be. But
of course, accurate information does you no good if you won't collect
it. Regardless of my obvious preference, it's still about choosing
the method that you will use.
To establish an eating norm through calories consumed, you need to
track calories at four levels: total calories, calories from fat,
carbohydrates and protein. If you have health issues such as diabetes
or high blood pressure, then you may also want to track other things
such as carbohydrates broken down into fiber and sugar, or sodium
content. But to establish a baseline for weight gain or loss, this
basic break down is sufficient.
Now when you look at the food you eat during a day, you want to look
up the nutrition facts about that food and record this caloric
information. This also requires more specific portion size
information. No source is going to be able to calculate the caloric
content of frosted miniwheat, blue bowl about ¾ full. You can,
however, easily learn that a cup of frosted mini wheat has 183 total
calories, 9 calories from fat, 135 calories from carbs, and 16
calories from protein. If you added a half cup of whole milk to that
bowl of cereal, you added 75 total calories, 36 calories from fat, 22
calories from carbs, and 16 calories from protein.
No way am I going to say anything but that this is a lot of work.
When I started out charting calories, I was totally surprised at how
much time I spent thinking about feeding myself! It's just another
indicator as to how much eating is habitual which means that we mostly
do it with little to no consideration. Of course, it's this lack of
consideration that got us into the situation of being less fit than
we'd like, and so it's going to take some effort to reverse this.
If you choose this method to establish your eating norm, collect the
information and then go to your "My Starting Point" document and
write: "My eating norm:" followed by summary information from your
daily chart such as "day 1, total calories XXX; fat calories XXX" etc.
Keep the complete daily list somewhere handy so you can refer bakk to
it when it's time to make decisions about needed changes to achieve
your fitness goals.
For more information about charting calories, check out an earlier
posting to this blog, "Counting Calories, The Bane of Any Fitness
Program"
Finding the Starting Point, Part 1
Finding the Starting Point (Part 1 of 3)
Part 1: Body Size
All you have to do is use a GPS device to know that in order to map
out directions to reach your goal, you must first enter your point of
origin. To achieve your fitness goals this means determining the
point of origin for three factors: size, food intake and physical
activity. I was recently asked to mentor a friend in developing a
fitness program to achieve her goals, and as I am not a licensed
trainer with a bag of tricks at hand to accomplish this, I decided to
write out a plan to get this program started. It is my experience
that completing the following information will establish the point of
origin in your personal journey to better fitness, so that you can map
out reasonable directions to reach your destination.
Before we go any farther, open a blank document on your computer or
pull out a blank piece of paper and write at the top, "My Starting
Point" and then add today's date. As you work your way through each
of the following sections, you will add more information to this
document.
1. Body Size
If your goal is to improve fitness, then there is something about your
physical body that you want to change (e.g., more weight, less weight,
better ratio of muscle to fat, smaller waist, bigger arms, etc.)
Therefore, in order to measure progress, it is essential to establish
the size at which you are starting. Below I offer four different
methods for measuring body size. My personal preference will probably
be obvious, but the important thing is that you pick the one that you
will use. Measuring your body size is not only how you determine your
starting point, but it is how you will measure your progress
throughout. For this reason, it needs to be something that you will
reliably do.
Method 1: Body Weight
This is probably the simplest and most straightforward method of
measuring body size. You buy a reliable scale and then you step on it
and get results. However, I acknowledge that some people really have
a problem with evaluating weight in pounds. I've been there myself.
Our culture is not kind, particularly to women, about body weight.
It's ironic that in the USA we are so obsessed with the runway model
standard for body size when we have the highest rate of obesity of all
industrialized countries. What's wrong with that picture?
I like the advice given by personal trainer, Tom Venuto. Weigh
yourself without putting a judgment value on the results. It's
neither good nor bad. It's just feedback. If your goal is to put on
10 pounds of muscle and you step on the scales to learn that you are
down a pound from last week, take the information for what it is …
feedback that you need to look at your behavior over the last week and
make changes to achieve your goal. Make a little sign and hang it
over your scales that says "It's just feedback!"
If this is the method of measuring body size you choose, switch back
to your document and write "Body weight:" and fill in the appropriate
measure.
Method 2: Body Fat Percentage
This is exactly as it sounds … the total weight of your body fat
divided by your total weight. This method is preferred by some
trainers, though it is not one that I choose to use. There is a lot
of discussion around the most effective way to determine body fat
percentage as well as dispute over what is an appropriate number to
achieve. Equipment and skill to use it or complex formulas are
required to measure body fat, and again there is some controversy over
which method produces the most accurate results. If you're working
with a personal trainer or some other professional who reliably uses
body fat percentage as a measure of body size, then feel free to use
this as your measure for a starting point and to determine progress.
If you choose this method, then go back to your document and write
"Body fat percentage:" and fill in the appropriate number.
To learn a little more about body fat percentage, start with this
information from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage
Method 3: Body Measurements
Perhaps you have a very clear picture of the body measurements you
want to achieve. Your goal could be to have a 32 inch waist or to
increase the size through muscle toning of your upper arms. In this
case, using a tape measure to determine the size of your body could be
effective.
This is more easily accomplished with a trusted friend, though if you
are patient and persistent, you can do it by yourself. Consistency is
the key. However, you measure yourself for this starting point is how
you need to measure yourself to determine progress later. Choose one
of the following:
Measure yourself while:
• Fully dressed (If you choose this one then make sure you wear the
same thing the next time you measure.)
• Wearing underwear (Same caution as above.)
• Naked (This will give you the most accuracy about your body measurements.)
Next, choose some or all of the following targets to measure. Feel
free to add others.
• Bust/chest
• Waist
• Hips
• Upper arms
• Thighs
• Wrists
• Ankles
Measure around the fullest part, keeping the tape measure parallel to
the floor and snug, but not tight, against your body. Stand relaxed
and do not inhale or hold your breath.
The most experienced group of body measurers I know are
seamstresses/tailors. They pull no punches because when they are
done, the garments must fit the body size that you are and not the
body size you'd like to be!
If this is the method of measuring body size you choose, go back to
your document and write: "Body measurements:" and follow it with a
list of body parts you are monitoring along with the appropriate
numbers.
Method 4: Clothes Size
Some people need to start out with a non-threatening way to discuss
body size, and making it about clothes size is one way to do this. It
is the least accurate method and provides the least feedback about
progress, but if it is the one that works for you, then use it.
Keep these things in mind.
• Different manufacturers size clothes differently. It's best to
select a few things that you wear a lot and use these garments to
judge if you are making progress.
• You have to change your body size pretty significantly in order to
change your clothes size. It takes about 20 pounds to move you into
the next size. So this is a method that is not going to give you
weekly feedback. However, you can tell if the clothes are getting
tighter or looser, though this is somewhat of a subjective judgment.
If you choose this method of measuring body size, go to your document
and write "Clothes size:" and then list your size for tops and
bottoms.
Part 1: Body Size
All you have to do is use a GPS device to know that in order to map
out directions to reach your goal, you must first enter your point of
origin. To achieve your fitness goals this means determining the
point of origin for three factors: size, food intake and physical
activity. I was recently asked to mentor a friend in developing a
fitness program to achieve her goals, and as I am not a licensed
trainer with a bag of tricks at hand to accomplish this, I decided to
write out a plan to get this program started. It is my experience
that completing the following information will establish the point of
origin in your personal journey to better fitness, so that you can map
out reasonable directions to reach your destination.
Before we go any farther, open a blank document on your computer or
pull out a blank piece of paper and write at the top, "My Starting
Point" and then add today's date. As you work your way through each
of the following sections, you will add more information to this
document.
1. Body Size
If your goal is to improve fitness, then there is something about your
physical body that you want to change (e.g., more weight, less weight,
better ratio of muscle to fat, smaller waist, bigger arms, etc.)
Therefore, in order to measure progress, it is essential to establish
the size at which you are starting. Below I offer four different
methods for measuring body size. My personal preference will probably
be obvious, but the important thing is that you pick the one that you
will use. Measuring your body size is not only how you determine your
starting point, but it is how you will measure your progress
throughout. For this reason, it needs to be something that you will
reliably do.
Method 1: Body Weight
This is probably the simplest and most straightforward method of
measuring body size. You buy a reliable scale and then you step on it
and get results. However, I acknowledge that some people really have
a problem with evaluating weight in pounds. I've been there myself.
Our culture is not kind, particularly to women, about body weight.
It's ironic that in the USA we are so obsessed with the runway model
standard for body size when we have the highest rate of obesity of all
industrialized countries. What's wrong with that picture?
I like the advice given by personal trainer, Tom Venuto. Weigh
yourself without putting a judgment value on the results. It's
neither good nor bad. It's just feedback. If your goal is to put on
10 pounds of muscle and you step on the scales to learn that you are
down a pound from last week, take the information for what it is …
feedback that you need to look at your behavior over the last week and
make changes to achieve your goal. Make a little sign and hang it
over your scales that says "It's just feedback!"
If this is the method of measuring body size you choose, switch back
to your document and write "Body weight:" and fill in the appropriate
measure.
Method 2: Body Fat Percentage
This is exactly as it sounds … the total weight of your body fat
divided by your total weight. This method is preferred by some
trainers, though it is not one that I choose to use. There is a lot
of discussion around the most effective way to determine body fat
percentage as well as dispute over what is an appropriate number to
achieve. Equipment and skill to use it or complex formulas are
required to measure body fat, and again there is some controversy over
which method produces the most accurate results. If you're working
with a personal trainer or some other professional who reliably uses
body fat percentage as a measure of body size, then feel free to use
this as your measure for a starting point and to determine progress.
If you choose this method, then go back to your document and write
"Body fat percentage:" and fill in the appropriate number.
To learn a little more about body fat percentage, start with this
information from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage
Method 3: Body Measurements
Perhaps you have a very clear picture of the body measurements you
want to achieve. Your goal could be to have a 32 inch waist or to
increase the size through muscle toning of your upper arms. In this
case, using a tape measure to determine the size of your body could be
effective.
This is more easily accomplished with a trusted friend, though if you
are patient and persistent, you can do it by yourself. Consistency is
the key. However, you measure yourself for this starting point is how
you need to measure yourself to determine progress later. Choose one
of the following:
Measure yourself while:
• Fully dressed (If you choose this one then make sure you wear the
same thing the next time you measure.)
• Wearing underwear (Same caution as above.)
• Naked (This will give you the most accuracy about your body measurements.)
Next, choose some or all of the following targets to measure. Feel
free to add others.
• Bust/chest
• Waist
• Hips
• Upper arms
• Thighs
• Wrists
• Ankles
Measure around the fullest part, keeping the tape measure parallel to
the floor and snug, but not tight, against your body. Stand relaxed
and do not inhale or hold your breath.
The most experienced group of body measurers I know are
seamstresses/tailors. They pull no punches because when they are
done, the garments must fit the body size that you are and not the
body size you'd like to be!
If this is the method of measuring body size you choose, go back to
your document and write: "Body measurements:" and follow it with a
list of body parts you are monitoring along with the appropriate
numbers.
Method 4: Clothes Size
Some people need to start out with a non-threatening way to discuss
body size, and making it about clothes size is one way to do this. It
is the least accurate method and provides the least feedback about
progress, but if it is the one that works for you, then use it.
Keep these things in mind.
• Different manufacturers size clothes differently. It's best to
select a few things that you wear a lot and use these garments to
judge if you are making progress.
• You have to change your body size pretty significantly in order to
change your clothes size. It takes about 20 pounds to move you into
the next size. So this is a method that is not going to give you
weekly feedback. However, you can tell if the clothes are getting
tighter or looser, though this is somewhat of a subjective judgment.
If you choose this method of measuring body size, go to your document
and write "Clothes size:" and then list your size for tops and
bottoms.
Stretches
Caution: What follows is a description of exercises based on my
personal experience. Before attempting any exercise, please take into
consideration your own body including your current physical condition
and any medical issues and medication taken that may affect physical
activity and your reaction to it. If you are concerned about any pain
or discomfort resulting from attempting these exercises or the
positions described, you should consult a doctor or another
professional before continuing.
*** Introduction: Flexibility is an important part of fitness.
Stretching your muscles before, during and after other exercise, will
provide you greater ease of movement and will add to your over-all
fitness. I strongly recommend including a series of stretches with
any exercise routine. Stretching can also be relaxing and refreshing
any time during the day. You may find that it relieves tension and
helps you to focus mentally and physically on your daily tasks.
*** Leg and Hip Stretches
1. Sit on the floor and bend your knees outward, placing the soles of
your feet together. With your hands or elbows, press down on your
knees or thighs till you feel the stretch. The point to this stretch
is to get your legs flat against the floor or as close as possible.
Hold this stretch for at least a minute or as long as you like!
2. Keeping one leg bent as in the previous stretch, extend the other
leg fully in front of you. Keeping the extended leg flat on the
floor, lean forward at the hips and extend your arm toward your toe.
Touch your toe or reach as far as you can and hold this stretch for at
least a minute. You can press against your bent knee with the other
hand for a more extensive stretch. Then reverse your position and
stretch the opposite leg in the same manner.
3. Lie on your back with both legs fully extended. Bend one knee and
clasp your hands around your shin, pulling your knee toward your
chest. Keep the extended leg flat on the floor with your foot flexed
(toes toward the ceiling). Hold this stretch for at least a minute,
then stretch the other side.
4. Remain on your back with both legs extended on the floor. Raise
one leg in the air, keeping the leg straight and lift as high as
possible. As before, keep the other leg flat on the floor and keep
the toes flexed toward the ceiling. Hold for one minute, then reverse
to stretch the other leg.
5. Remain on your back and bend your knees up with the soles of your
feet flat on the floor. Place your right ankle against your left leg
just above the knee, similar to the way you might cross your legs when
sitting by putting one ankle on the opposite knee. At this point, you
will still have your left foot on the floor. Lift your left foot,
keeping your right ankle pressed just above the left knee, and clasp
your hands behind your left thigh, pulling it toward your body. When
positioned properly, you will feel this stretch in your right hip.
Hold this stretch for one minute and then change up to stretch your
left hip.
I start every exercise with the routine of 5 exercises described
above. It takes about 10 minutes.
*** Calf and Thigh Stretches
1. In a seated position, flex your feet, pulling your toes up toward
the ceiling and back toward your leg as far as you can. You will feel
this stretch in your calves. Then extend your toes pointing toward
the floor. Repeat this series of 2 stretches, holding each for a
count of 15 seconds. This is a good stretch before taking a walk.
2. For a more extensive stretch of your lower leg muscles, stand
facing a wall and take a giant step back with your left foot. Flex
your right foot and place your toes against the wall. Position your
left foot flat on the floor at a comfortable distance to maintain
balance and provide a stretch. Then lean in toward the wall. Reverse
and stretch the opposite leg in the same manner. This is good to do
before getting on the treadmill or doing some other form of
cardiovascular exercise.
3. For the next stretch, you will need to stand on one foot. If this
is difficult for you, then stand next to a wall so that you can keep
one hand on the wall for balance. Lift your left foot as though you
are trying to touch your heel to your butt, and grasp your ankle in
your left hand. Pull on the ankle so that you feel the stretch in
your thigh. Hold this stretch for one minute and then stretch the
right leg. This is a good stretch to do after you have given your
upper legs a good workout.
*** Technique to Prevent Shin Splints
I learned this little gem of a technique from a massage therapist who
happened to be getting a Seeing Eye dog the same time as I a number of
years ago. He said this is what he teaches competitive bicyclists to
do so they can keep on biking. It really works!
In a seated position, find the top of the muscle that runs along the
outside of your shin. It's about 3 inches below your knee and just to
the outside of the long bone. You can make it more defined for the
purpose of finding it by flexing your foot. Press both thumbs at the
top of this muscle and keeping as much pressure as you can, slowly
drag your thumbs all the way down to your ankle. If you don't have
enough thumb strength, you can use the tips of your other fingers or a
clenched fist using your knuckles. The point is to press in on this
muscle with a constant pressure all the way down. Repeat this motion
three times on each leg. I am very prone to having this muscle
tighten up painfully when walking for any length of time, and this
technique really keeps it from happening 9 times out of 10.
*** Back Stretches
1. Kneel on the floor and sit back on your legs with your butt over
your feet. Lean forward as if to put your face on the floor while
maintaining this kneeling/sitting position and stretch both arms over
your head. When you are fully in this stretch, your legs from your
knees to your toes are on the floor, your butt is over your ankles,
probably not touching, but hovering as closely as you can manage, your
stomach is over your thighs with your arms extended along the floor in
front of you with your nose almost touching the floor. This is
sometimes called the prayer position or the child's pose. You will
feel the stretch in your lower back. Hold this stretch for one
minute.
2. Lie face down on the floor and place your hands on either side of
your chest as you would do for push-ups. Press up with your arms to
lift your upper body off the floor, but keeping your hips and legs
pressed tightly down. With your arms fully extended, you will feel
the bend in your back. This is sometimes called the cobra position
and is awesome for relieving back stress.
3. Lie on your back with your legs fully extended and your arms over
your head. Lie still for a few seconds to be sure that you are
comfortably extended with your arms and legs feeling very natural and
relaxed. Then stretch your right foot down and your right hand up,
keeping everything on the floor and reaching as far as you can.
Remember, you are not lifting any part of you off the floor. You will
feel this stretch in your side. Hold for about 10 seconds and then
relax back into the previous position. Then stretch the left side.
Repeat this stretch to either side several times and finish by just
lying still and relaxed. This is a good stretch with which to finish
an exercise routine.
4. Lie on your back with your knees up and the soles of your feet flat
on the floor. Stretch your arms straight up from your body toward the
ceiling. Drop your knees to the right and twisting at the waist,
stretch your arms to the left. Hold for about 15 seconds and then
reverse the stretch. Repeat several times and enjoy the stretch in
your back.
*** Neck and Arm Stretches
1. Standing, place your hands on your hips and let your head fall back
until it rests comfortably over your back. Do not try to make it
stretch any farther than is natural for putting your head back. Then
slowly roll your head over your right shoulder, to the front, over
your left shoulder and back around to the back. This should be a
slow, smooth continuous motion with no extra exertion to increase the
stretch. Just let the weight of your head provide the stretch needed.
Make several rotations in this direction, and then reverse it. If
your neck feels particularly tight in any position, stop the rotation
at that point and let the weight of your head pull on the spot that is
tight. Then continue the full rotation.
2. Lift your left arm up and angle it across your body as if you are
trying to scratch your right shoulder blade. Your left arm will be
coming across your face and your elbow will be pointing toward the
ceiling. Then lift your right arm till you grasp the back of your
left arm just above the elbow in the crook of your right arm. Use
your right arm to pull against your left shoulder till you feel the
stretch. Hold for a minute and then reverse to stretch your right
shoulder.
3. Sit on the floor Indian style or in whatever upright position is
most comfortable. This stretch can also be done from a standing
position. Raise your left arm above your head and bend it at the
elbow reaching down behind your head and neck and as far down your
spine as you can reach. At the same time, bend your right arm at the
elbow and reach it in an upward position also behind your back with
your hand along your spine. The point here is to stretch from both
directions and try to clasp your hands at the center of your upper
back. Stretch as far as you can even if your hands don't touch. One
elbow is pointing up and the other is pointing down. You can also use
a strap of any kind, (a tie or scarf or hand towel will work), and
holding it in the hand that is reaching from the top side of your
back, grasp the strap with the hand reaching upward and work your
hands along the strap toward each other. Repeat this stretch again,
switching your arm positions.
These arm stretches are very good after a good workout with hand
weights or the exercise straps.
personal experience. Before attempting any exercise, please take into
consideration your own body including your current physical condition
and any medical issues and medication taken that may affect physical
activity and your reaction to it. If you are concerned about any pain
or discomfort resulting from attempting these exercises or the
positions described, you should consult a doctor or another
professional before continuing.
*** Introduction: Flexibility is an important part of fitness.
Stretching your muscles before, during and after other exercise, will
provide you greater ease of movement and will add to your over-all
fitness. I strongly recommend including a series of stretches with
any exercise routine. Stretching can also be relaxing and refreshing
any time during the day. You may find that it relieves tension and
helps you to focus mentally and physically on your daily tasks.
*** Leg and Hip Stretches
1. Sit on the floor and bend your knees outward, placing the soles of
your feet together. With your hands or elbows, press down on your
knees or thighs till you feel the stretch. The point to this stretch
is to get your legs flat against the floor or as close as possible.
Hold this stretch for at least a minute or as long as you like!
2. Keeping one leg bent as in the previous stretch, extend the other
leg fully in front of you. Keeping the extended leg flat on the
floor, lean forward at the hips and extend your arm toward your toe.
Touch your toe or reach as far as you can and hold this stretch for at
least a minute. You can press against your bent knee with the other
hand for a more extensive stretch. Then reverse your position and
stretch the opposite leg in the same manner.
3. Lie on your back with both legs fully extended. Bend one knee and
clasp your hands around your shin, pulling your knee toward your
chest. Keep the extended leg flat on the floor with your foot flexed
(toes toward the ceiling). Hold this stretch for at least a minute,
then stretch the other side.
4. Remain on your back with both legs extended on the floor. Raise
one leg in the air, keeping the leg straight and lift as high as
possible. As before, keep the other leg flat on the floor and keep
the toes flexed toward the ceiling. Hold for one minute, then reverse
to stretch the other leg.
5. Remain on your back and bend your knees up with the soles of your
feet flat on the floor. Place your right ankle against your left leg
just above the knee, similar to the way you might cross your legs when
sitting by putting one ankle on the opposite knee. At this point, you
will still have your left foot on the floor. Lift your left foot,
keeping your right ankle pressed just above the left knee, and clasp
your hands behind your left thigh, pulling it toward your body. When
positioned properly, you will feel this stretch in your right hip.
Hold this stretch for one minute and then change up to stretch your
left hip.
I start every exercise with the routine of 5 exercises described
above. It takes about 10 minutes.
*** Calf and Thigh Stretches
1. In a seated position, flex your feet, pulling your toes up toward
the ceiling and back toward your leg as far as you can. You will feel
this stretch in your calves. Then extend your toes pointing toward
the floor. Repeat this series of 2 stretches, holding each for a
count of 15 seconds. This is a good stretch before taking a walk.
2. For a more extensive stretch of your lower leg muscles, stand
facing a wall and take a giant step back with your left foot. Flex
your right foot and place your toes against the wall. Position your
left foot flat on the floor at a comfortable distance to maintain
balance and provide a stretch. Then lean in toward the wall. Reverse
and stretch the opposite leg in the same manner. This is good to do
before getting on the treadmill or doing some other form of
cardiovascular exercise.
3. For the next stretch, you will need to stand on one foot. If this
is difficult for you, then stand next to a wall so that you can keep
one hand on the wall for balance. Lift your left foot as though you
are trying to touch your heel to your butt, and grasp your ankle in
your left hand. Pull on the ankle so that you feel the stretch in
your thigh. Hold this stretch for one minute and then stretch the
right leg. This is a good stretch to do after you have given your
upper legs a good workout.
*** Technique to Prevent Shin Splints
I learned this little gem of a technique from a massage therapist who
happened to be getting a Seeing Eye dog the same time as I a number of
years ago. He said this is what he teaches competitive bicyclists to
do so they can keep on biking. It really works!
In a seated position, find the top of the muscle that runs along the
outside of your shin. It's about 3 inches below your knee and just to
the outside of the long bone. You can make it more defined for the
purpose of finding it by flexing your foot. Press both thumbs at the
top of this muscle and keeping as much pressure as you can, slowly
drag your thumbs all the way down to your ankle. If you don't have
enough thumb strength, you can use the tips of your other fingers or a
clenched fist using your knuckles. The point is to press in on this
muscle with a constant pressure all the way down. Repeat this motion
three times on each leg. I am very prone to having this muscle
tighten up painfully when walking for any length of time, and this
technique really keeps it from happening 9 times out of 10.
*** Back Stretches
1. Kneel on the floor and sit back on your legs with your butt over
your feet. Lean forward as if to put your face on the floor while
maintaining this kneeling/sitting position and stretch both arms over
your head. When you are fully in this stretch, your legs from your
knees to your toes are on the floor, your butt is over your ankles,
probably not touching, but hovering as closely as you can manage, your
stomach is over your thighs with your arms extended along the floor in
front of you with your nose almost touching the floor. This is
sometimes called the prayer position or the child's pose. You will
feel the stretch in your lower back. Hold this stretch for one
minute.
2. Lie face down on the floor and place your hands on either side of
your chest as you would do for push-ups. Press up with your arms to
lift your upper body off the floor, but keeping your hips and legs
pressed tightly down. With your arms fully extended, you will feel
the bend in your back. This is sometimes called the cobra position
and is awesome for relieving back stress.
3. Lie on your back with your legs fully extended and your arms over
your head. Lie still for a few seconds to be sure that you are
comfortably extended with your arms and legs feeling very natural and
relaxed. Then stretch your right foot down and your right hand up,
keeping everything on the floor and reaching as far as you can.
Remember, you are not lifting any part of you off the floor. You will
feel this stretch in your side. Hold for about 10 seconds and then
relax back into the previous position. Then stretch the left side.
Repeat this stretch to either side several times and finish by just
lying still and relaxed. This is a good stretch with which to finish
an exercise routine.
4. Lie on your back with your knees up and the soles of your feet flat
on the floor. Stretch your arms straight up from your body toward the
ceiling. Drop your knees to the right and twisting at the waist,
stretch your arms to the left. Hold for about 15 seconds and then
reverse the stretch. Repeat several times and enjoy the stretch in
your back.
*** Neck and Arm Stretches
1. Standing, place your hands on your hips and let your head fall back
until it rests comfortably over your back. Do not try to make it
stretch any farther than is natural for putting your head back. Then
slowly roll your head over your right shoulder, to the front, over
your left shoulder and back around to the back. This should be a
slow, smooth continuous motion with no extra exertion to increase the
stretch. Just let the weight of your head provide the stretch needed.
Make several rotations in this direction, and then reverse it. If
your neck feels particularly tight in any position, stop the rotation
at that point and let the weight of your head pull on the spot that is
tight. Then continue the full rotation.
2. Lift your left arm up and angle it across your body as if you are
trying to scratch your right shoulder blade. Your left arm will be
coming across your face and your elbow will be pointing toward the
ceiling. Then lift your right arm till you grasp the back of your
left arm just above the elbow in the crook of your right arm. Use
your right arm to pull against your left shoulder till you feel the
stretch. Hold for a minute and then reverse to stretch your right
shoulder.
3. Sit on the floor Indian style or in whatever upright position is
most comfortable. This stretch can also be done from a standing
position. Raise your left arm above your head and bend it at the
elbow reaching down behind your head and neck and as far down your
spine as you can reach. At the same time, bend your right arm at the
elbow and reach it in an upward position also behind your back with
your hand along your spine. The point here is to stretch from both
directions and try to clasp your hands at the center of your upper
back. Stretch as far as you can even if your hands don't touch. One
elbow is pointing up and the other is pointing down. You can also use
a strap of any kind, (a tie or scarf or hand towel will work), and
holding it in the hand that is reaching from the top side of your
back, grasp the strap with the hand reaching upward and work your
hands along the strap toward each other. Repeat this stretch again,
switching your arm positions.
These arm stretches are very good after a good workout with hand
weights or the exercise straps.
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