FIT BLOG:
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Do you struggle to stay on track with your fitness goals in the Summer or during your vacations? If so, I've got 4 simple moves to help you avoid a Summer slump or help you reset right away. Remember you'll have more success if you can tie any exercise or healthy habit to something you're already doing. For example, getting your walking in while you shop or explore on vacation. And in the Summer make Mother Nature your accountability partner as much as possible... getting near trees or bodies of water will calm & inspire both your mind & body. 4 SUMMER FITNESS MOVES: 1. RECONNECT- use full body movements to stretch and strengthen your core. Example: Yoga Dog Poses- You can do all of these on a counter or wall if you don't have the shoulder range of motion to do them on the floor. Listen to your Body & do the ones that you can do with good form and still breathe well for a few reps each to a few sets of the entire sequence. Warm up a little before you do them.  2. RESIST- use resistance from weights, water, bands, even sand to help you grow stronger. You can also turn any workout into interval training to get some cardio benefits. Walking is easy to do anywhere. Spice it up by adding resistance- walk back and forth in waist high water OR walk or run in sand to challenge your strength, cardio, and balance. Bands travel easily so you can bust out a workout anywhere at anytime as well. Bands are great because they challenge your stabilizer (postural) muscles with less wear and tear on your joints. They also work well with interval training. In just 10 minutes (1 minute of hard exercise), you can get the benefits of 50 minutes of traditional endurance training & get a stronger brain (mental health) & body (muscles & heart health). Grab a band & get going with this full body BAND workout here. 3. RECHARGE- when your body is tired, rest your body. You might feel heavy or burning sensations in your muscles, sloppy movements or poor posture, decreased balance, or even feeling weakness and/or stiffness in your muscles. Those are signals your body needs a break. Keep it simple this summer and take a 10-20 minute POWER NAP. It'll help with fatigue as well as improve your attention, mood, and focus. 4. REIGNITE- make time for fun, play, & pleasure. Create something- art, gardening, cooking, baking. Get in some deep, belly laughs (soul laughs) with your bestie. Intentionally find something that brings you joy each day. OVER TO YOU What's one MOVE your Body needs most today? You can start with that. If your Body said "all of the above", then practice the following sequence: Reconnect > Resist > Recharge > Reignite = Restore Your Body Morning- Yoga Dog Poses Mid Morning- Walk or Band workout Mid Afternoon- Power Nap Evening- Play You just made your own mini retreat & got in some strength, cardio, & recovery workouts. Keep it short & simple. It all adds up. Do daily check ins. Your body will tell you what it needs to feel, move, & perform better.  P.S. Want more ways to Reset Your Body each day? Get the Daily Energy Planner- it's a FREE Bonus in the Relaxed Body Toolkit- download here.
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Ready for Step 3 to Better Balance? This month we've been talking about adding Balance Work to your workouts so you can stay active & agile as you age. Let's keep going... 4 Steps To Better Balance Review First Step Review: Check Your Base Of Support- start with a Foot Core Check Up Second Step Review: Change Your Base Of Support- strengthen your hips Third Step: Challenge Your Base Of Support- strengthen your core >>A Strong Core = Better Balance<< It's time to challenge your core and postural muscles (i.e. stabilizers) with resistance. Our muscles need resistance to help them grow stronger and overcome the effects gravity and aging have on them. Resistance can be from weights, water, or my favorite…BANDS. BAND WORK can be less stressful on joints and easier to take anywhere. You can add bands to any movement for a more intense workout & to challenge your core muscles. Bands help make workouts more full body as you have to stabilize through your entire body as you use them (as long as you use good form). Getting started with BAND WORK: Here are 3 Strength Moves with BANDS to help you get started. Note the blog post also shows you how to add interval training to them, so you get a good cardio challenge while you build strength. If you haven’t been strength training regularly, start with just the 3 Strength Moves with Bands then spice it up with intervals after a few weeks. If you’re limited on time, interval training is for you but check out the Blog to learn how to do it safely. BAND WORK is a great place to start but there are lots of ways to keep challenging your base & core as you get stronger & more stable. Weights Progression: Lift free weights and progress to kettle bells or lifting while balancing on one leg or in a lunge position. Advanced Core Stabilization Challenges:
OVER TO YOU Which Balance Move will you target this week to challenge your core? A strong core isn't just for better balance. It'll also helps decrease risk for injury, promotes good posture, and improves coordination & power during sports. You'll walk, run, bike, row, and move better. Up next, tune in for the final step, Step 4, of the Better Balance Series.  It’s the first thing my acupuncturist asks me when I complain of low energy. Am I dehydrated? Not only can dehydration cause fatigue, it can cause stronger cortisol (stress hormone) spikes when stressed as well as dizziness, headaches, dark circles, dry skin, and/or heart palpitations. One study with young women showed that just 1.36% dehydration impacted their concentration, vigor, mood, fatigue, anger, and increase task difficulty perception and headaches. Good thing everyone’s carrying around their Water Bottles these days! When you’re dealing with low energy, make sure you do a HYDRATION CHECK UP to rule out dehydration. HYDRATION CHECK UPWhen? Best time of day is in the morning. How? Check your urine color. Is your urine light in color? Your urine should be pale yellow or light in color (think lemonade) in the morning and pre and post workout if you’re getting enough fluids. Are you drinking at least ½ your body weight in ounces of water/non-caffeinated beverages each day? Making sure you’re well hydrated is second in line to sleep for helping your body feel, move, and perform at its best. Not a water lover? You can drink herbal tea, sparkling water, or add lemon and stevia to your water. Eating a diet rich in fruit and veggies can help with hydration also. HOW TO AVOID DEHYDRATIONYou’ll need extra fluids for exercise or when living in hot climates. Rehydrate during workouts, typically 1 cup water every 15 minutes of exercise and/or as thirsty. After exercise, drink 2-3 cups per pound lost during exercise. Replace electrolytes if exercise was longer than an hour or if you sweat a lot during exercise. You may need more fluids if you:
Post Menopausal women can be higher risk for dehydration due to hormone changes affecting fluid balance, hot flashes & night sweats, and even diminished thirst sensation as you age. You can lose electrolytes through night sweats. Electrolyte water or tablets can be helpful. Replenish sodium and minerals if you sweat a lot. My dentist recommends electrolyte water for dry mouth which is also common after menopause. I've found it helpful. Hungry? Sometimes hunger is actually a signal you're dehydrated. Got tight muscles? Healthy tissue isn’t stiff It’s elastic. Bungee cord like versus rope like. Staying well hydrated is key to increasing the elasticity of your tissue and critical for nourishing all your cells. Make sure to drink up after any Fascia Bodywork- massage, stretching, even acupuncture- to help flush toxins. PACE YOURSELF Too much water, too fast can be dangerous and lead to Water Toxicity or Hyponatremia. A serious condition where you have diluted sodium levels in the blood. The most severe cases can lead to seizures, coma, and death. Listen to your body. Drink when thirsty. Sip water throughout the day. Check your urine color. Dark = you need more hydration. Clear or frequent might mean you're overdoing it. If you have heart or kidney disease, follow what your specialist recommends for your water intake each day. OVER TO YOU Start your day with 8 ounces of water to replenish your body after a full night’s sleep. Figure out your daily water goal. Track your intake with an App or water bottle if you need some support or reminders. Increase your hydration if you meet any of the criteria shared above. Sip away each day to keep your energy, mood, & performance levels up. Your brain & body will thank you!  P.S. Ready to improve your Elasticity AND Energy? Join us for Mini Massage Camp!  It's time to challenge your CORE muscles so you can have better posture, power, and overall performance. Hopefully you've been using the CORE FLOW MOVES to wake/warm up your core muscles at the start of your day or before workouts. Here's a sequence that'll help you keep building a strong core.  GETTING STARTED: During the exercises:
6 CORE POWER MOVESWork through these 6 CORE POWER MOVES in the following sequence: 1. Planks- Hands shoulder width apart and feet hip width apart. Press your hands down into the floor, slide your shoulders down toward your hips, scoop your belly and tuck your booty. Gaze at the floor slightly in front of your hands. Modify if needed on elbows and knees. Progress to straight arms and legs. Hold 30-90 seconds. 2. Push Ups- Drop knees to floor and hands slightly wider than shoulders and closer to chest level than the plank position. Scoop your belly and lower your chest toward the floor. Press back up into starting position. Modify if needed with hands on incline (like edge of sofa, bench or counter). Progress to the floor with knees bent then with knees off the floor. Repeat: 10-20 reps. 3. Bird Dog- Reach opposite arm & leg (right arm and left leg) while keeping your spine and hips steady. You can slide or reach your hand and opposite foot on the floor vs off the floor to modify the pose. You can also just reach your arm or leg to modify then progress to both at same time. Do 5-10 reps or hold for a few breaths on each side. Slowing it down and holding is more challenging to stabilize than lots of reps. Progress to making small (orange size) circles with hand and foot each direction while reaching & keeping spine and hips steady. 4. Dead Bug Leg Lowers- Lie on your back. Knees bent. Engage your belly muscles and lift legs to table top position. Arms reaching to ceiling. Slowly lower one foot to the floor as you reach the opposite arm overhead. Switch sides. Inhale to prepare to move. Exhale and move/lower/reach leg and arm. Modify - do one leg or arm at a time. Progress to lowering a straight leg. Only go as far as you can without losing neutral spine position. If you pooch your belly, you are going to low or fast. Slow down and do small controlled movements. Do 5-10 reps each side. 5. Side Plank- Line up head, shoulder, hips, feet on one side. Place your forearm on the floor and lift hips toward the ceiling. Modify- legs bent. Progress- legs and/or bottom arm straight. Hold 10-30 seconds. Switch sides. 6. Downward Dog- Move into position from a plank position- press chest toward your thighs and imagine your inner thighs connecting as you reach long through your head and heels thru the floor. Hold 10-20 seconds. >>Reminders:
OVER TO YOU Add these 6 CORE POWER MOVES to your workout line up each week. They'll help challenge your core and stabilizer muscles to decrease your risk for injury, promote good posture, and improve coordination & power during functional activities especially sports. Listen to your body. It'll tell you what it needs to feel, move, perform better.  P.S. Want more support with building a Strong, Balanced Core? Check out Hip Camp:  How's it going using the CORE FLOW MOVES to start your day or prep for workouts? It's been about 2 weeks so you should be feeling more connected throughout your core if you've been doing them at least 3 times a week. Your core muscles like and need regular reminders to turn on. They can struggle if you've had any previous injuries to the area. Pain or tightness in your shoulders, spine, and/or hips can make it harder on your core muscles as well. If you find yourself holding your breath or you feel tension or clenching in your neck or glut muscles when you do core exercises, then you'll want to prep before your core workouts. Start with a Pelvic Floor Check In. Remember your Pelvic Floor Muscles (PF) are the base and foundation of your Core. When strong and healthy, they coordinate with the diaphragm and abdominals as you inhale and exhale during physical activity to support and stabilize the spine. If you've got PF weakness, it might show up as
You may not have issues with a cough or sneeze (forced exhalation) but leak after running 20 minutes (dysfunctional breathing or endurance issue). If you're having signs of PF weakness, it's time to do some Pelvic Floor Prep Work. These FIT Blogs will walk you through it: PELVIC FLOOR STRETCH MOVES PELVIC FLOOR STRENGTH MOVES If you're pain-free, you can jump ahead to this FIT Blog for some core prep tips. PREP FOR CORE WORKOUTS OVER TO YOU Work through these PF and CORE PREP MOVES to address any weakness in your fascia and to strengthen your postural (stabilizer) muscles. A strong core helps decrease your risk for injury, promotes good posture, and improves coordination & power during activities especially sports. Next up, I'll share some CORE POWER MOVES to challenge your core. In the meantime, keep going with the CORE PREP & FLOW MOVES. You'll feel and move better if you do them regularly.   It's time to give your CORE muscles some love and attention. Your CORE muscles are a complex series of muscles from arm pits to hips that help keep the spine aligned during movement. They're involved in almost every movement you make. You need them for all your daily activities and definitely for sports. They protect, support, and stabilize your spine helping you have better posture, power, and overall performance. Your core muscles need to be turned on and challenged regularly so the body doesn't start to compensate with other muscle groups. Here's a sequence that'll help you do that.  FOCUS ON FORM During all movements, you want to:
>>There should be no pain especially in your wrist, neck, back and knees when doing these exercises properly. STOP if you feel pain. You can get sore from them but sharp pain is never OK. If you have pain, modify and look at your form. If that helps, keep going. If it doesn't, STOP. CORE MOVES: 1. TWIST & GLUT STRETCH- do on each side; if you need instructions on how to do them - go here. Hold for a few breaths each side. 2. BRIDGE- lift hips up and down while lifting your belly up and in. Keep hips level and neck/shoulders relaxed. Have equal weight on front and back of your feet. Modify- legs together or with a ball between knees Do 8-10 reps. 3. PLANK- Hands shoulder width apart and feet hip width apart. Press your hands down into the floor, slide your shoulders down toward your hips, scoop your belly and tuck your booty. Gaze at the floor slightly in front of your hands. Modify if needed on elbows and knees. Progress to straight arms and legs. Hold 20-60 seconds. 4. DOWNWARD DOG- Move into position from the plank- press chest toward your thighs and imagine your inner thighs connecting as you reach long through your head and heels thru the floor. Hold 10-20 seconds. 5. PLANK- move back into a plank position. Hold 20-60 seconds. Repeat Plank into Downward Dog into Plank at least 3 times 6. PIGEON STRETCH- when ready- end with a pigeon stretch on each leg.  OVER TO YOU You can use these CORE FLOW MOVES to wake/warm up your core muscles at the start of your day or before workouts for better posture, power, and overall performance. If you've had a back injury or have really tight hips, slow down and spend more time on the Twist and Glut Stretches. Start and end on your tight side (i.e. tightest side gets 2 stretches for every 1 stretch on the other side). You may also want to use the trigger point massage ball in your glut before you begin the Core Flow Moves. Listen to your BODY. It'll tell you what it needs to feel, move, & perform better.  Spring is a great time to do a check in on how “aligned” you're feeling in different areas of your life. What's blooming (or not) so far this year for you? Remember you’ll feel ease, flow, & relaxation in your body (& life) when you’re in alignment whether it’s for your posture or your purpose. It's never too late to course correct if you're off track or took an accidental detour on your fitness goals. When it comes to your posture, you want to start with creating space. You need to overcome the compressive forces that gravity, aging, sitting, and even exercise have on your tissue and joints. How? Through daily stretch moves that help you lengthen through your fascia (connective tissue) and spine. A great stretch tool for this is an exercise ball. The surface can support your spine while you stretch up and over it. You can also add some gentle rocking motions while you stretch with it which is super calming to your nervous system. Use these 3 BALL STRETCH MOVES to help open up your shoulders, hips, and low back for better posture & core mobility.  You can do the STRETCH MOVES for a few breaths to a few minutes. Add gentle rocking if it feels relaxing. Child's Pose on the Ball is a great one to do before bed. Move the ball slowly to each side to get a deeper stretch through your lat and core side muscles. Caution!!! *always protect your neck- you may need to support your head/neck with your hands like you would for an abdominal crunch especially if you have had a neck injury. Imagine a string pulling from the top of your head so you keep your neck long (not crunched). *if you get dizzy in any of the positions, support your head/neck with your hands and make sure you aren’t holding your breath. Stop if that doesn't help relieve it. OVER TO YOU Remember our fascia takes the shape of the thing we do most during the day. Do these BALL STRETCH Moves after sitting long periods or at the end of your workouts or day. You can also use these BALL STRENGTH Moves before you stretch over it. Find more ways to traction while you stretch here so you can make lasting changes to your posture and flexibility.  P.S. Want a full body daily massage & stretch routine that takes less than 10 minutes? Check out MINI Massage Camp here.
Do you know what activity will help your brain stay younger? Nope it’s not sleep, exercise, or what you eat. Yes, they're all healthy brain habits but PLAY has been shown to decrease your brain’s biological age by 6 years! What kind of PLAY? This research study involved doing or learning a creative, skilled based activity. Dancing the Tango, singing or playing an instrument, drawing, or playing real time strategy video games specifically were types of play studied that showed they helped your brain stay younger by improving your overall cognitive function. PLAY taps into your superpower- Neuroplasticity or your brains ability to create new pathways for better movement, focus, mood, and creativity. It helps you regulate your nervous system and can move you into a flow state- fully present, focused, at ease, and in your creative zone. Where time seems to slow down. Movement, Meditation, Exploring, Journaling, Music, or creating Art can all help you get in flow and tap into your Peaceful, Playful, Powerful Body. Unfortunately, we all typically play less as we age. Even dogs stop playing as much as they get older. We have to be more intentional about adding creative PLAY time into our days if we aren’t professional musicians or artists. The busier you are, the more you’ll have to block off some PLAY time each week. OVER TO YOU: Do you need to add more PLAY into your life? If so, what sounds fun to start in January? Ready to sign up for some Tango classes? Always wanted to learn the Banjo? Do it. It's time. I want to start playing piano again and I'm working on getting a keyboard. For now, I’m going to bust open this animal watercolor book and pens I got recently. Pick one PLAY Move to do and see how your Body & Brain respond. At a minimum you’ll feel more energy, ease, and flow but overtime your helping your brain become younger & healthier.   P.S. Ready to Boost your ENERGY, Strengthen your JOY Muscles, & Bring out the BLISS?
Use the 12 Days of Bliss Challenge- ONE simple REST Move in just 5-10 minutes a day to help you Recharge & anytime you need a Reset. Download the FREE Challenge here. Have you caught the buzz? I couldn’t ignore the research coming out about it. And since I’d started lifting heavy*, it seemed like the perfect time to make this change as well. I’m referring to the benefits of taking Creatine daily vs only with heavy workouts. It’s been 5 months since I started taking 3-5mg per day. I know it’s part of the reason I feel stronger. What’s more exciting to me is how it impacted my mood and cognition. Like less brain fog. I think it’s even helping my memory. I just feel better overall since starting it. I’ve tried to make one change at a time this year to see how my body responds but of course it’s all building on each other. And sure, it could be the consistent exercise and cleaning up my diet but there was a change in my mental health that I hadn’t felt before I started it. It’s hard to describe but it’s like a shift in my level of optimism about everything. Creatine is undeniably good for your gut, heart, brain, muscles, & bones. What’s so cool are the studies on all ages and women showing that Creatine helped improve memory (short term, working, reasoning) and cognitive processing (how clear and fast you think/respond) even when under stressful conditions like lack of sleep. Higher doses (10mg+) of Creatine have been shown to help older adults maintain their mental sharpness and improve depressive symptoms. Do you see why I had to test it out for myself? You can get Creatine in certain foods like meat and fish but it’s worth deciding if you want to supplement daily considering all the health benefits, especially if you’re over 40 years old & female. 6 Tips For Taking Creatine Daily:
More Info on Creatine:
You’ll get the best results when you combine it with resistance training. I've not experienced any weird side effects or symptoms. My labs look good & I feel good so I’m keeping this one going. I aim to take it daily, but I do miss occasionally. I take it around my workouts since I do a lot of resistance training. I want to maximize my muscle building and recovery. It also helps me remember to take it. It’s OK if I miss a dose. Remember it’s about progress not perfection. I’m aiming for 80% consistency each week with all these healthy habits I like to do for my Body & Brain. What about you? Do you want to Feel Better, Have More Energy, Strong Bones, & Build Muscle Mass? If YES, then your recipe for success is…. Protein + Resistance Training + Creatine!  You probably know someone that has had a concussion at some point in their life, but did you know it’s considered a mild brain injury? In honor of National Concussion Awareness Day, I’ve got some prevention & recovery tips to share with you. Can you guess the #1 cause of brain injuries? It’s not sports or motor vehicle accidents. It’s FALLS especially in our youngest (0-4 years old) and oldest (over 65 years old). What do both age groups have in common? Balance issues! 75% of brain injuries fall into the mild category each year. Males are higher risk for brain injuries due to sports and higher risk-taking behaviors. Brain injuries related to motor vehicle accidents are highest in ages 20-24. 67% of females have symptoms of traumatic brain injuries due to domestic violence. Concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries are caused by a jolt or blow to the head causing the brain to bounce around inside the skull. This stretches and damages brain cells and is sometimes referred to as shearing. It’s not going to necessarily show up on CT scans or MRI's because it can be microscopic tears. 90% won’t lose consciousness. It can take 3-5 days to show signs. The brain is not a muscle, but it bruises somewhat like a muscle does when injured. Sprain your ankle and it bruises, swells, hurts. You can’t put weight on it, so you don’t walk. You slowly put more weight on it as it heals. What bruising looks like in the brain is headache, dizziness, nausea, difficulty reading, irritability in noisy environments, light sensitivity, memory issues, confusion etc. While it’s healing, the brain needs to avoid taking another hit. It needs time to recover. REST is key. Unlike a sprained ankle, you can’t see it so it’s hard to decide when it’s safe to go back to normal activities. Headaches with exertion are the main reason people go to the doctor after a concussion. <<BTW always go to ER if you have a headache after a brain injury>> Most concussions resolve within 1-2 weeks but 10-15% of people will have symptoms for longer. After a concussion, you can have physical, cognitive, behavioral or emotional issues. You might see changes in personality, behaviors, mood, and routines. PPCS or Persistent Post Concussive Symptoms refers to symptoms lasting > 4 weeks. In my Rehab Work, these patients have difficulty returning to work or school due to ongoing issues typically with dizziness, brain fog, decreased concentration, fatigue, anxiety, vision issues, and/or headaches. The Beauty of the Brain is its ability to rewire and heal (neuroplasticity) but it can heal in a chaotic way without the right guidance in place. It’s important to get support from a neurologist or neuro trained therapists as early as possible in order to get strategies for managing the symptoms of PPCS. You’re higher risk for PPCS if you’re:
I previously wrote a FIT Blog with tips for return to play (sports) after concussion that apply to anyone dealing with a mild brain injury or PPCS. I would emphasize that Rest & Relaxation are KEY when recovering from a concussion (mild BI). You CANNOT get too much rest. It takes time for the brain to heal. So remember to get plenty of NAPS and pull out the APPS for Relaxation Exercises to help your brain recover. Stress will SLOW and can even HALT brain healing after injury. Check out the blog post for 10 Things To Help Heal After A Concussion that’ll walk you through how to avoid stressing your brain & for tips to help support the healing process. And since dealing with a brain injury is no fun, let’s talk PREVENTION for a second. Although helmets and seatbelts are really important prevention tools, FALLS are #1 cause of brain injuries. What can you do to prevent falls? I’m so glad you asked. You want to do regular MOBILITY & AGILITY exercises especially as you age. That includes all the fascia body work, resistance band work, & balance work that I share regularly on FIT Blog, in my weekly newsletter, and in my online camps to help build your REST & RECOVERY Toolbox. In terms of fall prevention around your home, keep your paths well lit & clear of clutter. Also make sure you can handle the shoes you wear especially if they don’t have heel support (i.e. flip flops, slippers). And finally, be careful around little ones- pets & kids. Staying active & agile as you age will help prevent falls & reduce your risk for all kinds of injuries including brain injuries. If you take a hit to the head, take it seriously. Get support if you’re having symptoms or just don’t feel like yourself. It’s in your head, literally. Your brain needs support healing just like an injured muscle does. Reach out if you’re stuck or check out some additional resources below.  P.S.
--For tips on Return To Work or Sports after Concussion, check out this FIT Blog. --If you need some Brain Injury Resources for Texas, you can book a consult with me here. --If you're ready to start working on your mobility & agility, check out Mini Massage Camp. |
Mollie, Ender, Ty & Teddie
Mollie Miller, PT
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