Author: rpadmin

Lower Back Health

Lower Back Health
WELLNESS

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

MOTION: HOW YOU MOVE

Our spines are remarkable—they’re made up of incredibly intricate systems of bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles that work together to enable movement in all directions. While all of this movement is great, the potential downside is that it can contribute to injuries and wear-and-tear damage over time that may lead to back pain and stiffness. Back pain is commonly caused from everyday movements as seen below:

• Lifting a heavy object or twisting the spine while lifting.

• Sudden movements that place too much stress on the low back, such as a fall.

• Poor posture over time.

• Sports injuries, especially in sports that involve twisting or large forces of impact.

POSTURE: THE POSITION YOU ARE IN

Unsupported postures cause the loads on your spine to disperse incorrectly, weakening the tissues in your lower back. As a result, the intricate network of muscles, discs, and joints in your back tend to be pushed beyond their tolerable limit, causing pain. Common unsupported postural habits come from everyday activities that typically involves a combination of actions, such as walking, sitting, standing, bending, lifting, and lying down. Common habits that you may develop while performing these actions include:

• Slouching or sitting slumped on your office chair or couch.

• Lying on your stomach on the bed while working on a laptop/reading a book.

• Sitting on a bed and working on your laptop.

• Hunching forward while weeding your garden or washing dishes for a long time.

• Using your vacuum cleaner with one hand and long arm movements.

• Standing with the weight of your body concentrated on one leg.

• Walking in a hunched manner without supporting the head or the trunk.

• Lifting heavy objects off the floor by bending your back.

When you use incorrect posture, several areas of stress may develop within your muscle tissue, spinal joints (lumbar facets), and discs. These stresses may be relieved once the offending posture is corrected or may continue to accumulate, slowly weakening the affected structure.

LOADS: COMPRESSION OR SHEAR ON THE SPINE

The lumbar spine is subjected to a multitude of loading combinations in everyday life, both on and off the job. Loading modalities on the spine are frequently categorized as compressive forces (forces acting down the long axis of the spine), shear forces (forces acting at 90° from the compressive forces defined above, in both lateral and anterior–posterior [A–P] directions) and torsional forces (rotation forces acting around the long axis of the spine). 

Shear: This is the load or weight away from the center of mass or hip. The farther away the load 

is the greater the shear on the spine.

How to Stay Cool with Outdoor Workouts

FITNESS

With the summer heat in full swing and outdoor workouts becoming more commonplace, it’s important we stay safe in the heat and sun while raising our heart rates!

It’s important to remember that when the temperature is higher our body struggles a bit more to recover in between exercises. If you own a device that measures your heart rate you may even notice that it doesn’t drop as quickly.

When the air is really hot and humid it becomes harder for your sweat to evaporate and cool off your body and so you have to take some extra measures to help your body keep itself cool.

Here are some tips and considerations for your next outdoor sweat session:

  1. Sweat Wicking Clothes/Materials

Sweat wicking clothe are important in any weather, but with the heat and humidity it is especially important. Firstly, these materials tend to be much more breathable and lighter, so you aren’t trapping heat inside of your clothing.

Secondly, clothes made of just cotton or polyester with absorb your sweat and make you feel uncomfortable and extra hot.

  1. Wear Lighter Colours

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that darker colours will make you feel hotter. Therefore, opting for lighter coloured tops and bottoms when going out for your outdoor workout is a great decision.

  1. Hydrate before and throughout

When you sweat you lose water, so it’s important to replenish, but it’s also important to go into your workout already well hydrated!

Make sure you’ve had some liquid in the day before starting your workout and aren’t s

  1. Look for shade to cool off

Find a shady spot and either workout in the shade or use it as a resting place in between your sets is a good way to help regulate your body temperature and also stay away from the sun’s harmful rays.

You can also use this shady spot to store your water and snacks!

  1. Early morning or late evening workouts

One of the best strategies is to stick to early mornings or late evenings once the sun has gone down or has not yet reached its peak. Although not every morning or evening is cool, it is still a little easier to get moving when the sun isn’t directly shining at you.

Always remember to listen to your body and do only as much as you can handle while taking frequent breaks to cool off, rest and hydrate. Bring some electrolytes as back up in case you feel unwell and remember to reapply sunscreen!

How to Improve a Sedentary Lifestyle

How to Improve a Sedentary Lifestyle
WELLNESS

You’ve probably heard it before that a sedentary lifestyle is contributing to so many chronic illnesses and conditions in the modern-day society. Being sedentary means that most of your daily tasks do not involve very much activity and can be completed from a seated position.

However, there are ways to intentionally help combat a sedentary lifestyle to help not only your health, but mobility and help improve overall body composition.

Wake Up and Stretch

One of the best ways to start your day is with some activity. Depending on how early you wake up you can even go for a walk, but at the very least, do a 10-minute stretch and get the blood flowing through your system.

Want a mobility routine to try out? Check out our YouTube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1oLXCHbo2w

Go For a Mid-Morning/Noon Walk

Walking is a highly underrated way to staying active and is accessible to most people! Just one 30-minute walk can take your daily step count from 4000 to 10,0000, which is a big deal. This will not only keep your joints, heart and muscles healthy but also increase your total daily caloric expenditure.

This is especially important for anyone with weight loss goals or even those who are struggling with their mental health. Going outside and getting fresh air and sunlight is a great strategy for feeling more energized and healthier.

Standing Afternoon Break

Don’t have time for another walk or to exercise in the middle of your day? No problem! Try standing during meetings or between meetings. If you work from home, step away from the computer and do a quick household chore or walk over and talk to a family member.

Depending on the nature of your work this can look different for different people, but try setting reminders to get up from your desk at least twice per afternoon.

Evening Workout

Exercise is the way to ultimately build a strong body and mind. There are plenty of ways to exercise and the most important factor is that you enjoy the process. While it may be challenging at times, find a way to move that motivates you to be better every single day.

Check out any of our videos here to help you get started: https://movatiathletic.com/on-demand-video/

While breaking up your day like this may not work for you, take this opportunity to look for ways to find a way to place activity breaks throughout your day to help you live a long, healthy and mobile life.

3 Common Myths and Misconceptions about Pregnancy and Exercise

WELLNESS

When it comes to exercising during pregnancy, it turns out that as a society we were wrong about a lot. You likely know people who hold many beliefs that are considered now to be outdated and you may still hold some of them yourself.

As a facility that has many members who will perhaps one day end up pregnant, it’s prudent we reinforce current recommendations and clear up common myths when it comes to keeping the pregnant body fit and healthy!

MYTH #1: If you didn’t exercise before pregnancy, you shouldn’t start

This one is probably the most common one you’ll hear, and it may surprise you that it is indeed a myth. While it’s true you shouldn’t start intense and frequent training all at once if you were sedentary pre-pregnancy, starting to exercise and building the habit of moving your body is highly recommended assuming you have been cleared by your physician to do so.

In fact, according to the 2019 Canadian Guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy, it is strongly recommended that women who were previously inactive to be physically active throughout pregnancy unless they have specific contraindications.

MYTH #2: Pregnant women should stop lifting weights and only do very light exercise

This is not true! While pregnant people go through many bodily changes and some adjustments may have to be made to accommodate, the pregnant body is still quite resistant and should be moved in a variety of ways.

According to the 2019 Canadian Guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy:

  • Pregnant women should incorporate a variety of aerobic exercise and resistance training activities to achieve greater benefits.
  • Pregnant women should accumulate at least 150 min of moderate-intensity physical activity each week to achieve clinically meaningful reductions in pregnancy complications.

MYTH #3: You don’t have to change anything about your exercise regime

While most types of exercise are encouraged, to assume that every activity should get the green light would also be incorrect.

There are several contraindications for moderate-intense exercise that you should discuss with your doctor and in that case, you should follow their specific advice on how to proceed.

For otherwise healthy pregnancies, you should still avoid activities where you are at risk of falling or experiencing impact to the abdomen. Examples of this may include one legged exercises and step ups without any balance support, or even sports like skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking etc.

There is also some evidence to suggest high intensity interval training should also be avoided especially for those with complications and it’s best to review your exercise plans with a medical professional who is well versed in the most updated recommendations.

Gone are the days of not lifting a finger for 9 months out of fear that it will negatively affect your pregnancy. The reality is that the moment you deliver the baby you will be expected to carry strollers out of cars, car seats, or even just carry your child, and so deconditioning yourself entirely for more than half a year isn’t in your best interest.

With the proper guidance, most pregnant individuals can continue to exercise throughout their pregnancy, and it will likely lead to better outcomes for parent and child.

References: 2019 Canadian guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy, Mottola et. Al. (https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/21/1339)

Do You Still Need Cardio If You Lift Weights?

Do You Still Need Cardio If You Lift Weights?
FITNESS

The short answer is yes.

The long answer is that it can depend based on what type of lifting you are doing and what your current lifestyle is like. And while everyone is different and everyone’s priorities are different, cardio is not something that should be ignored.

The importance of cardio

Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise is the type of exercise that works the heart muscle and is related to lower risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic disease outcomes. The same way we do bicep curls to challenge the bicep and help it grow and get strong, raising your heart rate in a controlled way helps your heart become more efficient and effective at doing its job.

The fact is that the average lifting routine in the gym doesn’t provide enough challenge to the heart muscle, and it often gets ignored by gym go-ers with all levels of experience.

Will it compromise your ability to build muscle?

There is a fear that doing cardio will compromise your ability to build muscle and strength, assuming that is your primary goal. However, being overall more “fit,” which includes cardio fitness, is likely to help enhance your overall athletic performance even with weight bearing exercise as well.

Being more physically active in even just a moderate way, like taking more steps or doing a couple bouts of cardio a week can help you with your recovery and resilience in the weight room because of the increased blood flow.

So long as you are providing enough nutrients to your body through adequate nutrition and enough stimulus through adequate resistance exercise, there should not be a worry about some cardio severely affecting your gains.

Ways to add cardio to your routine

If strength performance and muscle building are your top priority, there are some ways to strategically implement cardio, so it doesn’t leave you too tired to give your full effort in the weight room.

Some tips include:

  • Opt for longer bouts of lower intensity cardio (I.e., 30-60 minutes at a comfortable, speaking pace)
  • Do cardio on off days from lifting
  • Do cardio after, not before, any weight training
  • If you wish to combine cardio and weights, do so on a day right before a rest day
  • Start slow and do not over-do it right off the top as this will put you at risk for injury
  • Raise your heart rate in a way that is enjoyable to you (run, dance, cycle, skip)

Intermittent Fasting, what’s the hype?

Intermittent Fasting, what’s the hype?
WELLNESS

Intermittent fasting is a form of time-restricted eating that has been popularized in the last several years, most notably as a method for losing weight.

It’s grown so much in popularity that you probably know someone doing it right now or who has done it in the past. But what is it and does it live up to the hype?

What does intermittent fasting mean?

Intermittent fasting, in short, means that you are abstaining from food for an extended period. You can think of the time between dinner and breakfast as “intermittent fasting,” but in popular culture it refers mostly to those who intentionally fast for longer than the conventional period of dinner and breakfast.

While someone typically fasts 8-12 hours from evening to night, someone who is partaking in “intermittent fasting” will extend this to 13-18 hours.

Why has it gained popularity?

Intermittent fasting has gained popularity much like any diet gains popularity: it provides novelty and presents an alternative to the current popular views. This particularly will catch the attention of those who are struggling to find success with the current prevailing methods.

For so many years the predominant belief was that 6 meals a day were the way to success in fitness and as such intermittent fasting came as a direct challenge to that belief system. This then provides a new way to achieve the same goal, but for those who have not found success or adherence with previous method.

In addition, it marketed itself as a “non-restrictive” way of eating since there were no rules for what you could consume. However, we should be careful in labelling it as non-restrictive because it is restrictive, just with time instead.

Is Intermittent fasting the magic pill we’ve all been waiting for?

Many do find success with intermittent fasting because it simply lessens their opportunity for overconsuming food throughout the day. It is also a naturally preferred way of eating for many, especially those who were never fond of breakfast to begin with.

In the end, if you lose weight, you simply did so by creating a deficit in overall calories consumed. The act of holding off eating is not a magic pill, just one strategy, and it may not work for everyone.

Women have reported the loss of their menstrual cycle so that and any other hormonal abnormalities are something to be aware of. Further, those with a history of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviours should acknowledge that this is still a restrictive way of viewing meals and likely isn’t advisable.

Please speak with a dietician or medical professional before altering your diet in a significant way and remember the right diet will always be the one that is sustainable for you in the long term.

5 Ways to Stay Happily Motivated to Reach Your Fitness Goals

5 Ways to Stay Happily Motivated to Reach Your Fitness Goals
FITNESS

Let’s make 2021 the year we stop shaming ourselves into action.

How many times have you decided today will be the day you make a change and then at the first sign of an obstacle or a waning in motivation you throw your hands up in defeat? Or perhaps a year-long pandemic sidetracks you and jumbles up your priorities and now you feel like you’ll never be able to get the “old you” back?

Many of us may ruminate on regrets and get into a cycle of shaming ourselves for not being better which leads to punishing ourselves through exercise or restrictive dieting practices. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

We’ve compiled a list of 5 ways you can put a focus on your health and fitness without fixating on the things you cannot control or aspects that may trigger negative behaviours:

  1. Wear clothes that fit comfortably

A person who reaches their goals is a confident person and you won’t find confidence in pants that are 2 sizes too small. This can be an incredibly difficult task for many as it may act as a physical reminder of body changes, but you deserve to look and feel great in every phase, body shape and size.

Feeling good about yourself is not something you need to earn.

  1. Track your progress in behaviours

Achieving health and fitness goals can all be boiled down to behavioural change and so tracking progress should come down to checking in on your behaviours. Set some goals for the week and check in at the end of the week or month to see if you stuck to the plan.

For example, if you want to go on a daily walk and drink 2L of water a day, make note of these things daily and then reflect on whether you were able to do the tasks at hand. This will work better for motivation than tracking your weight or going off how you look in the mirror because they are tangible, smaller and arguably, more important, wins.

  1. Measure success in performance

Traditionally in the fitness world we set milestones based on body size or weight, which can be a very fluid measure and one that isn’t always indicative of our efforts, dedication, health or abilities. Instead, determine a performance-based goal for yourself.

This can include getting stronger in a certain movement like squat or push up, improving your endurance on piece of cardio equipment, or even just getting less tired from exercise itself.

  1. Focus on what is going right

It’s easy and tempting to think about where you fell short. Maybe you skipped a workout or haven’t been sleeping well, but you have been eating vegetables daily and drinking water!

As you track your progress keep a list of things you have achieved rather than just focusing on the things you did not. This will help you push forward and aim to do even better next week.

  1. Understand that perfection isn’t healthy

Ultimately, it’s important to keep in mind that perfection itself is neither attainable nor healthy. Even the most outwardly healthy people have off day, months and even years. Life is not linear, our relationship with fitness is not linear and the healthiest perspective is a flexible one.

Why you’re never too old to start lifting weights

Why you’re never too old to start lifting weights
FITNESS

Have you ever had the thought of “lifting weights isn’t for me” before? Perhaps you think it’s too intense for someone of your age, size or experience; however, this is all just one big misconception.

Benefits of resistance training include:

Improved Bone density and Muscle Quality

Bone density is a measure of how strong your bone and while eating a nutritious diet is important in its maintenance, the best way to build and maintain good bone density is through resistance exercise. This is because, just like muscles, bones need to be placed under a moderate amount of stress in order to adapt.

Bone density goes down with age and for women specifically, it will dip significantly during perimenopause. This is problematic because without adequate density you are at risk of developing osteoporosis and being less mobile and independent as you move into older age.

Similarly, muscle helps us stay mobile and independent into old age and is mostly built through progressive resistance training. Therefore, if anyone should be lifting weights, it’s those in middle to older age.

Improved Body Composition and Lowered Chronic Disease Risk

While cardio is important for our heart health, it’s working with resistance that will give your body composition the greatest improvement. Working with weights and truly focusing on getting stronger over time will not only help you build and maintain muscle but also help you maintain a healthy body fat percentage.

A healthy body composition means lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses that can creep up as we age. Although there is no foolproof way to avoid it entirely, improving your chances never hurt!

Isn’t lifting weights dangerous as you age?

No! So long as you are in good health and have no conditions that would prevent you from engaging in such activity. It’s always good to check with a doctor if you’re unsure.

While age may be imposing some limitation on you or you may be faced with different obstacles than a younger counterpart, resistance training and lifting weights is good for you, especially in middle and older age.

Depending on your mobility and current training history you may need to start with some modifications; however, entirely avoiding resistance work just because you have limitations is not the answer!

Science is still unclear on the long-term recoverability of adults over 40; however, the short-term studies show that those over 40 years old respond to training just as well as those in their 20s. The important thing to keep in mind is just to work within your limits and ensure you hydrate, fuel, sleep and take enough time to recover after your training sessions.

It’s not uncommon to see competitive powerlifting athletes continue well into their 40, 50s, 60s and beyond!

To help you get on the right track, speak to someone from our personal training team today: https://movatiathletic.com/personal-training/training-solutions/

4 Healthy Habits Aside from Diet and Exercise

4 Healthy Habits Aside from Diet and Exercise
NUTRITION

While regular exercise and proper nutrition are important for our health and well-being, there are so many, often overlooked, behaviours that also contribute to feeling and looking great.

The 5 habits that don’t include diet and exercise are:

  1. Sleeping at the same time every night

While this may be challenging for those who work in shifts, having a regular bedtime is a great way to ensure you get a regular baseline level of sleep, both from a quantity and quality perspective.

This is because we have internal clocks and are creatures of habit, so if your body know 11pm is bedtime it will consistently be tired and prepare to shut down for the night. Whereas those with sporadic bedtimes may find it difficult to feel tired even when they know they should be sleeping at a certain time in order to get 7-8 hours in.

Some ways to ensure you do this is to set a reminder on your phone about 30-60min before your set bedtime to account for any time  that it takes to get ready for bed.

  1. Getting sunshine early in the morning

Getting sunshine early in the day is especially important for those who spend time indoors for most of the day and perhaps don’t have many windows where they live or direct sunlight reach them early on.

Our circadian rhythm is your internal clock and one way to trigger your brain to realize it’s time to be awake and active is by getting sunlight into your eyes. Therefore, taking a short walk in the morning either before work or a couple hours later can be a great strategy for feeling awake and ready to tackle the day.

  1. Wearing and reapplying sunscreen daily

Any dermatologist will tell you that the first thing you need to include in your skincare routine is a sunscreen with broad spectrum of SPF 30 or higher. There are several reasons it’s important, with the most important being skin cancer.

Over 80,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed a year in Canada and wearing sunscreen on all exposed areas is the best way to prevent this.

Additionally, sun damage is one of the factors of ageing and wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen will prevent or delay the onset of ageing related changes in your skin. This is also why it’s important to not only sunscreen your face, but also your neck and hands as well!

  1. Take frequent breaks from screens

Screens are everywhere and have enabled us to do so many incredible things including working from home, connecting with others and for entertainment. However, our brain and our eyes are such important organs, and they often would like a break from all the stimulation.

Try spending a couple minutes every couple hours looking away from the screen, maybe it’s to do some chores or just close your eyes and rest or to have a conversations with someone around you. In addition, try opting for screen-free activities during the hours when it’s not required.

Some ideas could include, going on a walk, listening to a podcast, building a puzzle, reading, baking or playing a board game.

Staying healthy and being your best isn’t just about eating leafy greens and getting 10K steps a day, it includes so many other facets of our life that are just as important to helping us thrive as individuals.

What is “Exercise Snacking” and is it right for you?

What is “Exercise Snacking” and is it right for you?
FITNESS

When you think of snacks, what comes to mind? It’s just a small meal that you possibly have multiple times throughout the day. Well, the concept of exercise snacking is exactly that!

Exercise snacking means splitting up exercise into smaller bite-size pieces and spread it out throughout the day, rather than just focusing on exercise for a full hour at a time.

While not many studies have been done to determine its long-term efficacy and outcomes, some short-term interventions and anecdotal evidence from those who have tried it sounds promising.

However, exercise snacking is not for everyone, so in today’s blog we’ll go over some reasons to try it or not try it, depending on your goals and current exercise habits.

Exercise snacking is for you if…

You are not currently exercising regularly

The saying “something is better than nothing” is very true when it comes to exercise. When you start from 0, even 5 minutes in your day is a job well done.

Exercise snacking can therefore be a great steppingstone for developing the habit of making time to exercise more frequently or for a continuous period of time.

You have a sedentary desk job

Sitting isn’t inherently bad for you, but rather it’s sitting for long periods of time that can have an impact on your mobility and cardiovascular health.

Splitting up your activity can help your time at work pass by faster and will act as a nice break from the screen if you are someone who works in front of one all day.

You do not have 30-90 minutes/day to set aside any days of the week

Regardless of the reason, if you simply cannot find it in your days to set aside time for exercise or go to the gym because of the time commitment, then exercise snacking is for you!

Are insulin resistant

One of the very few studies done on exercise snacking was done on insulin resistant participants who were instructed to do a relatively short bout of exercise before consuming their meals and it showed some improvement for them.

Therefore, this may be something you can speak to your doctor about.

Exercise snacking is not for you if…

You have serious strength or muscle gain goals

There simply has not been any convincing evidence to suggest that exercise snacking is superior to continuous exercise especially when it comes to those with serious progress in mind.

It does suggest a good way to stay fit perhaps, however if you have your eyes set on goals like putting 100lbs on your deadlift or gaining mass, you’re likely best off setting aside 1-2 hours for your training goals.

You are an athlete and train for specificity

An athlete’s warm-ups alone take more than 10 minutes to complete, so exercise snacking doesn’t apply well. A lot of sport-specific training has to do with building and maintaining skills and is not so much focused on just elevating your heart rate.

Specific skills need to be practiced repeatedly and to become advanced you are best off not relying on exercise snacking to help you get there.

You already exercise for 30-90 minutes a day, multiple times a week

If you are already exercising regularly and intensely, adding 5 mini workouts into your day to get “extra” exercise may be a terrible idea and potentially put you at risk of injury by placing you above your personal threshold of recoverability.

This might be something to consider for off days from the gym, or for times when work and life responsibilities get in the way of your regularly scheduled exercise routine.

Way to implement exercise snacking

Is there any right or wrong way to implement exercise snacking? The short answer is, not really, so long as it’s sustainable for you and hopefully challenges you in some way.

Set an alarm multiple times a day to remind you to get up and move. Depending on how much time you can dedicate in one bout will determine how often you should get up.

Here are some sample ways to break up your workout snacks:

  • 30 minutes in the morning and then 30 minutes in the evening
  • 20 minutes, 3 times a day, morning, lunchtime and in the evening
  • 10-15 min exercise sessions 4 times a day
  • 1-5 min every few hours

We hope the idea of exercise snacking helps inspire you to never give up on your health and fitness even when life and difficulties get in the way. There is always something that can be done to make you better off today than you were yesterday.

Happy exercising!

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