FIT BLOG:
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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! 
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I don’t think I’ve ever talked about this before. I tend to focus on muscles, joints, & fascia so you can have better mobility & posture, but Strong Bones form the foundation to every move you make. Our soft tissue has to attach to something. Right? We’ve got 206 bones in our bodies. Bones can get weaker (less dense) as we age making them more prone to break. Hormone changes in both women (lower estrogen) and men (dropping testosterone) as well as inactivity play a role in bone loss. Osteopenia is a warning sign that you may develop Osteoporosis which is a disease where more bone is broken down than replaced leaving your bones brittle and weak. Both put you at risk for fractures especially in the spine, hips, and wrists. What can you do about it? BONE workouts. How? Exercise is #1 way to prevent or possible reverse bone loss! Not just any kind of exercise helps you have Strong Bones. Resistance Training is key. Bones get stronger when stressed as it triggers them to lay down more bone. Resistance of your bones against gravity during weight bearing activities like a push up or plank will help them get stronger. If you've ever recovered from a leg fracture, it's the reason we have you gradually put more and more weight on it when walking to help the bone heal around the break. Resistance of your muscles pulling on the bone when you do strength training with weights will as well. 4 TYPES OF RESISTANCE TRAINING FOR STRONG BONES:
One thing I love about Pilates equipment, especially the Reformer, is that the springs provide resistance and Pilates is full body weight exercises. All good for your bones (& muscles) yet gentle on your joints. PRO TIP: Try wearing a weighted vest during your daily activities or cardio workouts to help strengthen your spine. Ankle and wrist weights for the extremities. More Tips for Strong Bones:
BONUS: Resistance training not only builds Strong Bones but improves your overall strength, balance, and posture which helps prevent falls. Falls are number one cause of broken hips which increase the risk of death in the elderly population. Good Form is essential when doing any strength training especially if you already have some signs of bone loss. Always go slow and consult your physician before you start a new exercise program. If you’ve been diagnosed with Osteopenia or Osteoporosis, consult with a health professional to help you develop a strength training program, so you don’t injure yourself. OVER TO YOU: Do a Bone Check Up. What do you need to add to help your bones stay Strong & Healthy? If you're not sure, start with adding some Resistance Training 2-3 times a week to give your bones a good workout.  P.S. Ready to be active & agile at any age? Download your FREE Relaxed Body Toolkit to get started here.  Have you ever wondered why most Pro athletes retire in their 30’s? Part of the reason is how the body changes as we age. If you’ve noticed you aren’t quite as strong as you were in your 20’s, there is a reason. All of us- both female and male- lose lean muscle and strength as we age. If you do nothing, you’ll lose 8% of your strength every 10 years after age 30. This process speeds up after age 60 for all of us. Maybe you’re like me and started wondering WTH is going on as I approached midlife and my normal strength training workouts didn’t seem to be working as well. Luckily, I ran across research that helped me make a major shift this year. The result is that it has made me feel stronger than I’ve ever felt. What was it? One of the changes I made was to lift heavier. I bumped up my resistance training- less reps, more weight. Lifting weights with the goal of tearing fibers isn’t enough as we age. Among other things we’ve got reduced estrogen- a main driver of muscle mass & strength. You’ve got to lift heavier weight in order to get the attention of your brain to turn IT up and recruit all the muscle fibers for that power move you are asking it to do. But there’s a catch. We aren’t talking about lifting heavy for isolated muscle movements like bicep curl or rotator cuff exercises. You want to lift heavy with functional movements of pushing, pulling, squatting motions that require a lot of muscle groups to perform them- i.e. squats, deadlifts, chest presses, row (bent over). Power Moves > Heavy Weight > Low Reps- 3-6 reps is what you are targeting as you age. Why? Resistance training helps increase your metabolism and immune system, strengthen bones/tendons, improve blood pressure and lean muscle, and decrease inflammation. Lifting heavy will accelerate all of these benefits as well as build better posture and burn fat while you exercise. How do you know how much to LIFT? Step 1: Figure out the heaviest weight you can lift for one rep for one of the power moves (squats, deadlifts, chest presses, bent over rows). Once you know that you’ll build up to it. Step 2: Build up your foundation and endurance overtime. Get your joints and tendons ready to lift heavier weights. Start with an amount that you can do 8-15 reps for 2-3 sets. Step 3: Increase weight and lower reps every 4-6 weeks until you reach your “heavy” lift goal of 3-6 reps for 3-6 sets. REST REMINDER: You need more rest when lifting heavy so make sure to take 2-5 minutes of rest between sets. Do NOTHING while resting. WEEKLY GOAL: Aim for resistance training 3x/week. PREP WORK SAFETY TIPS: You need to know how to have good technique when doing resistance training to avoid injury or straining your joints. You want to have a good foundation and know how to engage your core and pelvic floor. You may need to use a mirror to watch your form if you are new to lifting. You can lift heavy with dumb bells or barbells. Dumb bells require more stability since you have to coordinate each side of the body. Most importantly BUILD UP to lifting heavy OVERTIME. NOTE: This is one of the rare times that I’m going to tell you to go hard and I’m assuming you’ve already got some type of resistance training with weights, machines, or bands under your belt. I’m also assuming you DO NOT have osteoporosis or osteopenia. If you do, then you will need a health professional to guide/modify for you after you get clearance from your physician to lift heavier weights. NEED MORE SUPPORT? If you need support building your foundation (core) and mobility so you don’t injure your tissue lifting heavy, then you’ll want to check out our online camps here. If you want 1/1 instruction & are in the Austin area, you can book a private session with Ender here. Always listen to your body. If it needs more rest, give it rest. Build up lifting heavy overtime. Take the time to learn good technique and to get your daily mobility & recovery program in place. The pay off is worth it- better bones, posture, strength, & energy.  P.S. Not sure how to get started with lifting heavy? Start with your form & mobility in our online camp or book a 1/1 with Ender to learn techniques for these power moves.
Ready to help your Body become a FAT burning machine? If so, you'll want to add this Interval Training Protocol to your workout routines. It's called The Fat Burner* and easiest to do it you have access to an indoor cycle. It’s one of the tweaks I made earlier this year to support getting my Waist To Hip Ratio down and reducing the visceral fat that I noticed creeping up after Menopause. I made it a regular go to for my cardio workouts. Here’s how you do it. THE FAT BURNER WORKOUT* Note- you'll need a timer or way to track the 8 seconds- on, 12 seconds- off format.
At first it will seem difficult to pace yourself, but it gets easier. You’ll find a rhythm. I like this one because the sprints are short and you’ve got options to build up intensity of them over time. >>A 2012 Australian study using this protocol 3x/week for 12 weeks found that participants had:
>>A 15 week study out of the same lab found that when the sprint intensity was increased to 10+ (i.e. 8 seconds- on at intensity of 10 or all out) participants:
Can you see why it’s called the “Fat Burner?” I tend to use this protocol when I’m super busy or having a flare up in my foot. I got more intentional about using it when I started my fat burning quest earlier this year. This Fat Burner protocol and the Interval Walking protocol are excellent ways to get started, get back on track, or increase the intensity of your cardio workouts. Which one will you test out this week? Besides boosting your fat burning & energy levels, you’ll be building a foundation for the more advanced interval training protocols. Grab your timer & get moving… As always, make sure you take a recovery day between interval training days. Listen to your body. If it needs more rest time, add more rest.  P.S. Ready to be active & agile at any age? Download your FREE Relaxed Body Toolkit to get started here.
*From the book: The One Minute Workout by Martin Gibala, Ph.D. **For intensity guidance, refer to the Modified Borg RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion) Scale from 1 (extremely easy) -10 (extremely hard or max effort). 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. **Note- We shared this blog post about a week before the devastating 4th of July floods in the Texas Hill Country. We are sending so much love to all of those impacted by this tragedy & gratitude to all of the responders who continue to support these communities. If you need some Rest & Recovery Tools to help you manage the stress or trauma of this event, the next blog post has resources for you. You can find it here. Be extra kind to yourself right now. XO- Mollie & Ender We’ve all seen the power of water by what happens in flash flooding events. Trees, cars, buildings are no match. Water will WIN every time. We can take advantage of that force when we exercise IN water. Water provides 12-14% more resistance than on land. The more you push, the harder the water pushes back. Exercise IN water is not just for cardio workouts like swimming. You can get a full body, low impact, strength training workout IN water. A gentle yet challenging way to workout. It’s great to build strength AND work on your posture and balance. It’s a safe place for you to exercise if you have pain or arthritis. Anything you can do on land exercise wise, you can do in the water. The water can assist or resist your muscles. 30 minutes of pool exercise can give you the benefits of closer to a 2 hour land workout. Less time, same or better results. You can change the intensity by moving:
You can add weights or bands to increase resistance or just use the water itself. When you change the shape of what you’re pushing or moving through water, it changes the resistance (i.e. hand closed vs open or with a fin vs without). You can do your arm or leg strength workouts in the water- punch, lift, kick, squat, lunge. Walking in water is a great full body workout for your strength, cardio, & balance. Walk forward then turn around and walk through the current you just made to increase the resistance and intensity. Do that all directions (front, side, back). Kick Boards are great for pressing through the water to workout your core and arms or across the water to workout your core and legs. Group exercise classes in the water are getting more varied lately as well. Some classes might focus more on strength training vs cardio or do a combo of both. I’m seeing more Mind Body Exercise classes pop up especially at the YMCA. Yoga Aquatic classes or even ‘Ai Chi’ classes that involve breathing & resistance training to relax and strengthen your Body using Qi Gong and Tai Chi Movements. Water exercise can make your strength training more fun, varied, and full bodied. Remember to Start Slow! If you aren’t used to water exercise, start with 15 minutes and build up slowly overtime especially if you have an injury or chronic pain. Monitor how you feel into the next day to see if you overdid it or not. Aim for 2-3 times a week of strength training whether it's on land or in water. NEXT UP: I’ll share how to use water for recovery or rehab. In the meantime… jump in. The YMCA is one of the best places to find an indoor pool. If it's Summer where you are right now, you should be able to find an outdoor pool to exercise in.   *If you have diabetes or cardiac conditions like uncontrolled hypertension, you'll need clearance from your physician to exercise safely in water. P.S. Ready to be active & agile at any age? Download your FREE Relaxed Body Toolkit to get started here.
You never know what you might encounter when you go exploring in nature... I mean crossing the street in Austin, Texas. Check out what Ender ran across recently... I’m not sure how I went from growing up with the dad that everyone knew as the neighborhood’s 'Rattle Snake Killer' to having a husband who stops to make sure a snake got home safely?!?! It was alarming but NOT surprising that Ender decided to jump out of his truck to video the snake. One day I’ll share how we ended up visiting The Snake Whisperer on our Amazon trip in the southern region of Venezuela. Fun fact snakes have more bones than us but no pelvis and have evolved to have no legs. We obviously can’t change our shape as smoothly or as much as a snake but we can work on our mobility by targeting our Fascia (connective tissue). Fascia is the tough connective tissue that spreads throughout your body in a three-dimensional web from head to toe. It holds everything together from the bones, and organs to the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. Everything is connected to everything by your Fascia. How you spend your day effects your play. Your fascia takes the shape of what you do most. If you sit most of the day, your hips are going to be tight in the front (your hip flexors). Your PSOAS MUSCLE is the most popular or well known of your hip flexors. It starts at the front of your lumbar spine (lumbar vertebra) goes under the organs and attaches to the front of your hip (i.e. at the lesser trochanter of femur) helping bring your thigh to your chest (bend your hip).  When the Psoas Muscle is tight, it can lead to low back, hip, groin or pelvic pain. It can also affect your posture and ability to stand up straight. It’s even been called the “muscle of the soul” as it can be tense or tight from holding onto emotional stress (fear, anxiety) and trauma due to being activated during fight or flight stress response. Tight hip flexors can cause your gluteal (buttock) muscles to not fire properly which impacts your power, speed and stability. Stretching your hip flexors daily will improve your posture and performance. ️Here are 3 HIP FLEXOR STRETCH MOVES that go from less to more fascia. The tighter you are, start with the least amount of fascia and work your way to more full body stretches (i.e. supine > kneeling > standing positions). 
OVER TO YOU: Do you have tight hip flexors? If so, are you ready to give them some attention each day? Your low back will appreciate it. You’ll notice you have better posture and more ease with movement and walking kind of like that floating on air sensation when you get a new pair of running shoes. Stretching your hip flexors is a great counter to all the sitting we do now. Make sure to add Hip Flexor Stretches to your Rest Toolbox.  P.S. If you’d like to work on your gluts & get more healthy hips tips, check out this FIT Blog. If you're ready to improve your mobility, posture & fascia fitness, get on the interest list for our next online Rest Camp here. We do not provide medical advice. Always consult your physician before starting a new exercise program.
You're probably familiar with Wall Squats as a leg strengthening exercise but have you heard about other benefits? Research studies show it's #1 Isometric Exercise for reducing blood pressure. And by making one small tweak, your wall squat can also help release stress. So let's spice up your Wall Squats! Here are 3 Wall Squat Modifications that'll help you:
 WALL SQUAT WORKOUTS:STARTING POSITION FOR ALL SQUAT MOVES:
3 WALL SQUAT MODS & MOVES:
And of course, ALL of the above will help you have Strong Legs as well. Staying strong in your lower body as you age will help prevent falls & support good posture. If you haven't already added some Wall Squats to your workouts, it's time! Slide, Hold, & Shake your way to a Strong, Calm, more Balanced Body at least 3 times a week!  P.S. Ready to go from your Stressed Body to your Relaxed Body?
It’s never too late to break the habit of going too hard, too fast- THE recipe for inflammation, injury, & burnout... if you're willing to sprinkle some Rest & Relaxation Moves into your day. Let’s calm your body with daily Rest Moves so you can feel more energy, ease, & flow. Download the Relaxed Body Toolkit & Daily Energy Planner to help you get started. When you need to get focused, grounded, and ready to perform at work or for sports, one of the most powerful breathing exercise you can do to prep your Body & Brain is called: Breath of Fire. This Breath Work not only helps boost performance but gets your blood flowing, turns on your nervous system, breaks through emotional blocks, and stimulates your pituitary gland. Your pituitary gland secretes hormones that impact many body functions like:
Excellent reasons to add this one to your REST Toolbox. Please note: this breathing exercise should not be done while you are pregnant or bleeding during your cycle. BREATH OF FIREHow to do it:
Move with it: Once you have the breath work down, add it to a Yoga Pose. Breath of Fire + Yoga Pose for 1 minute = the same benefits as holding that pose for 1 hour with a normal breath. Boost confidence with it: Breath of Fire + a Power Pose will boost your confidence AND your focus before a Performance! Strike a Power Pose for 2 minutes (think Wonder Woman- feet apart and hands on hips) while doing the Breath of Fire. Then go for it. You'll be UNSTOPPABLE! Start practicing Breath of Fire slowly (during the daytime). If you get dizzy, go slower. It's not one to do before bed. It's to help you get ready to perform. The more you practice Breath Work, the faster you'll feel the benefits in your Body & Brain.  P.S. Want to get stronger with less effort? Download this 3-minute Active Recovery Yoga Routine to help you train smarter, it's free!
Did you use the 80/20 rule yet to identify the main activities that’ll give you the best results & maximize your time and energy? You still have time to go through the 80/20 exercise but you can also flip it to help with setting your wellness or fitness goals. It’ll help you take the pressure off when you’re trying to build new habits. It’s important to get your mindset right as you set goals. You’re not going for 100%. It’s about progress NOT perfection. You want to aim for 80% success rate especially for diet or exercise goals. It’s normal to get off track. There may be weeks when you can meet your goals more than 80% of the time. That’s awesome but not realistic ALL the time. It has definitely taken my Physical Therapy brain awhile to buy into this approach to goal setting. My neuro rehab work involves coordinating teams of therapists with different specialties. There is always a battle about what to expect with the patient’s performance of their home exercise programs. The Physical Therapists, typically the most Type A personalities on the team, expect 100% performance of whatever they’ve prescribed for a patient to do outside of therapy NO MATTER WHAT is going on. The Neuropsychologists, the behavior experts on the team, have to constantly remind the "team" (i.e. mostly the PT's) that 80% compliance for home programs is the goal NOT 100%. Deep down I know this is true from my own life and from 30+ years of experience working with all kinds of patients. Even if I give someone just 3 exercises to do. Even if I have the most motivated patient. Even if they’re in pain and get relief from the exercises. Something will pull them off track or off focus from doing their home exercise program. Knowing that’s normal human behavior and not beating yourself up about it is key to getting back on track fast so you can make gradual gains overtime. I’ve finally made the shift in my mindset. It’s your turn. Check in. What kind of expectations are you holding yourself to in regard to your wellness or fitness goals? Take the pressure off. Make the shift. Aim for choosing healthy habits 80% of the time.  P.S. On the verge of Overwhelm & Burnout? Calm your Brain with the 12 Days of Bliss Challenge- ONE simple REST Move in just 5-10 minutes a day to help you Recharge & Reset.
Let the Adventure to a Peaceful, Playful, Powerful Body Begin- Download the FREE Challenge here. |
Mollie, Ender, Ty & Teddie
Mollie Miller, PT
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