Personal Training by Nicole Ott LLC

Common Injuries Part 2 – From Shin Splints To Stress Fracture

As your foot touches the ground while running, your lower leg absorbs an impact as much as three times your body weight. If running isn’t your typical workout and/or if you are quickly adding on the miles, this type of impact can easily stress the muscles along your shinbone, causing pain and tenderness called tibial stress syndrome, a.k.a. shin splints. (Sometimes this can also happen if you are power walking.)

Without adequate recovery, these muscles become so overworked that they simply shut down, leaving your shinbone (“tibia”) to manage the added stress. Since the tibia is not designed to handle such repeated impact and pressure, over time small cracks start to appear in the bone structure itself. A bone scan or MRI will be necessary to confirm the diagnosis of a stress fracture. At that point, a minimum of six to eight weeks rest without any weight-bearing activities is required in order to let everything heal!

Therefore, if you experience pain and tenderness around your shins, reevaluate your cardiovascular routine, rest as needed, and look for slow but gradual progress.

Source: http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/49/glute-bridge/

Step 1

Starting Position: Lie supine (on your back) on an exercise mat or the floor in a bent-knee position with your feet flat on the floor. Place your feet hip-width apart with the toes facing away from you. Gently contract your abdominal muscles to flatten your low back into the floor. Attempt to maintain this gentle muscle contraction throughout the exercise

Step 2

Upward Phase: Gently exhale while holding your abdominal contraction and press your hips upwards off the floor into extension by contracting your glutes (butt muscles). At the same time press your heels into the floor for more stability. Avoid pushing your hips too high as this generally increases the amount of hyperextension (arching) in your low back. Maintaining your abdominal contraction helps avoid excessive arching in your low back.

Step 3

Lowering Phase: Inhale and slowly lower yourself back towards your starting position.

Step 4

Progression: Gradually progress this exercise by starting with both feet together and extending one leg while in the raised position.

Tip: Avoid arching your lower back as your press your hips upward which normally occurs if your attempt to push your hips as high as possible. This can be achieved by contracting your abdominal muscles prior to lifting, and keeping them engaged throughout the lift

Quick and simple, great for a cold day! And even my kids love it

 2TBL extra virgin olive oil

¼ onion, diced (I use red onion)

1 garlic clove, diced

8oz of whole wheat noodles OR 4 medium potatoes, sliced

8cups of water

3 cubes of vegetarian vegetable bouillons

1 bag (16oz) of mixed frozen veggies (I use broccoli, cauliflower & carrots)

1 can (15.5oz) of kidney beans, drained

Dash of each: Black pepper, Cayenne red pepper & no-salt all purpose seasoning

Serves about 8 people. Also freezes well for later use.

In a large pot, bring the 8 cups of water to a boil. In the mean time, heat the olive oil in separate pan and add the onion and garlic until it starts to brown (sizzle). Throw in the dry noodles until they are slightly roasted. Stay close though because this only takes a couple of minutes. Then add this pan mixture to the boiling water along with the vegetable bouillons cubes. Carefully also add the bag of mixed vegetables and the can of kidney beans. Let everything cook on low heat for another 5 minutes. Add a dash of black pepper, cayenne red pepper and no-salt all purpose seasoning to taste. It’s that simple. ENJOY!

If you would like to use potatoes instead of the noodles, simply cook the sliced potatoes in a separate pot first and then add it into the soup mix.

Common Injuries Part 1 – Weak Hips Leading To Knee Pain

The saying goes something like this: ‘The leg bone connects to the knee bone’. While this phrase is not anatomically correct, the principle itself is. In our bodies, everything is connected and everything we do has a ripple effect on other body parts. You could for example have shoulder pain caused by an imbalance in your foot. Any time something is not functioning properly in our bodies, a diagnosed injury or not, surrounding muscles and joints have to pick up the slack by working in ways they were not designed for. This can lead to secondary problems. That is exactly what we will examine in the next few issues of this newsletter.

This month, you will learn how weak hips may be the real reason for your knee pain.

Whenever you walk, and especially when you jog or run, your foot rolls inward upon contact with the ground. In order to maintain alignment and keep your balance, you knee and lower leg roll too. That is considered normal body mechanics. However, how much your foot rolls is dependent on the strength of your hips. If the muscles surrounding your hips are weak, they cannot stabilize your leg which results in greater rolling of the foot. As miraculous as our bodies are though, not being able to stabilize is not an option. Therefore in this situation, since the hips muscles are too weak, other areas of the leg have to take over to try to regain the alignment of the lower leg. The next joint down is your knee. Since the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the knee were not designed to handle such stress, patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS or also known as “runner’s knee”) and stress fractures are soon to follow. Typical symptoms include pain/aching near the kneecap and the back of the knee. Studies have revealed stunning data that 92% of the time, knee pain in runners has nothing to do with the knee itself but rather with weak hips. To test your hip strength, perform a one leg squat. If your knee collapses further inside than your big toe, your hip abductors and flexors need strengthening. Studies have shown a 89% decrease in knee pain within patients who focused on strengthening their hips in just 4 to 6 weeks.

Source: http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/69/stability-ball-wall-squats

Target Areas: Thighs, Butt, Hips

Primary Muscles: Gluteus Maximus (glutes), Quadriceps (quads)

Secondary Muscles: Rhomboids, Erector Spinae, Serratus Anterior, Rectus Abdominus (abs), Transverse Abdominus, Hamstrings, Adductors, Obliques 

Equipment Needed: Stability Ball

Level: Beginner

Starting Position: With the stability ball against the wall, lean gently against it so that the ball is in contact with your body from your tailbone to your mid back. Your feet should be hip-width apart approximately 12inches in front of you with your toes pointing forward but slightly out. Keep a straight back with your shoulders pulled back and down (good posture) with your body weight transferring through your heels. Keep your abdominals tight and place your hands on your hips or the front of your thighs.

While inhaling, slowly lower yourself toward the floor by bending your knees, allowing the ball to roll down the wall. Make sure to push your hips slightly back into the ball to reduce stress on the knees, like you are about to sit down on a chair. Keep your feet and knees stable throughout the entire movement. Lower yourself down as far as comfortable yet challenging or until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Hold that position for a few seconds. Then exhale while slowly pushing yourself back up to the starting position, bringing your hips back underneath your body and extending your knees. Start by doing 5-10 repetitions.

Tip: During the downward phase, you should be able to see your toes at all times while maintaining good upright posture. In other words, instead of letting your knees go forward, focus on pushing your hips back (a.k.a. stick your butt out).

Make sure to check out my interview with Pete Williams live from Cypress Cove (recorded on March 27th, 2010), speaking on various aspects of Aquatic exercise, as well as Pre- and Postnatal Fitness.

I am grateful for the opportunity to bring light to the often forgotten benefits of Aquatic exercise and to point out the great importance of Prenatal and Postpartum Fitness. A lot of commenly asked questions and misconceptions were addressed in this interview.

Let me know what you guys think!

Here’s the link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fitnessbuff/2010/03/27/nicole-ott-live-from-cypress-cove

We all know that in order for any weight management program to work effectively long-term, it’s primarily about the balance between calories in vs. calories out. Figuring your daily caloric maintenance needs is the first step to stay on track and to hold yourself accountable through proper nutrition. Exercise should be the second step. In order to reconfigure your caloric balance based on your exercise program, you have to know approximately how many calories you are burning for each exercise on a given day. That’s where calories burned calculators come into play. But how accurate are they?

Calories burned calculators estimate the calories expended for an activity on a given day based on several factors: your body weight, the specific exercise, and the time and speed / intensity of the exercise performed. You can then use that information to adjust your caloric intake specific to your goals – maintenance, weight loss or weight gain. Therefore, knowing your daily caloric expenditure is just as important as knowing your daily caloric intake in order to live a healthy lifestyle.

Discrepancies in the results of a calorie burned calculator typically only occur when the information entered is not accurate. In other words, you have to be truthful about your current fitness level and the extent of the exercise performed on a given day. If you are only 5 lbs away from your goal weight, you still have to put in your current weight for the calories burned calculation to be accurate. The same goes for the exercises performed. If your intentions were to go on a 45minute run at a speed of 7.0mph but for some reason your energy level was down and you only completed 30 minutes at a speed of 6.5mhp, then the amount of time and speed that you actually completed needs to be put into the calculation. Do not round up or down either to allow for the most accurate calculation. Additionally, if you are choosing an exercise from a drop-down menu in the calories burned calculator, make sure you are picking an exercise that most accurately resembles the type and the intensity of the exercise you performed ( ex. jogging at 4.0mph vs. running at 6.5mph). If you are truthful about your performance, then the calories burned calculation will paint an accurate picture and you can then adjust your next exercise session and / or your nutrition to stay on track with your goals.

If you want to know your current daily caloric maintenance needs so you can figure out what you need to do to lose weight, contact me now and provide the necessary information (age, height, gender, weight) and pick one of these activity levels that most accurately sums up your typical week:

• sedentary (little or no exercise)
• lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week)
• moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
• very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week)
• extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training)

The health benefits of following a vegetarian diet

To eat meat or not to eat meat? To eat eggs and dairy or not to eat eggs and dairy? If you knew the facts about the various health benefits of following a vegetarian diet, would you switch?

I was recently asked for my opinion on eating a vegetarian diet vs. a vegan diet. Personally, I have never been a big meat eater. Sure, I eat white meat poultry and fish and an occasional steak but I have never been real big on it. I kind of have to be in the mood for it, so to speak. Therefore, if faced with the challenge of switching to a completely vegetarian diet, I believe that it would not be a big problem for me. Vegan on the other hand, I’m not so sure. The soy products that I have tried so far, I didn’t like. Therefore, going vegan would mean I would have to completely give up my beloved cheese and yoghurt. I’m not going to lie here, that would definitely test my willpower.

One of my professors from college referred to being vegetarian or vegan as degrees of insanity. Based on the overwhelming research-based findings that point to various health benefits associated with following a vegetarian diet, I have to disagree with his definition… Let’s analyze the vegetarian diet strictly in regard to its health implications:

Omnivore is the term used for meat-eaters. Vegetarians do not consume animal meats. However, there are different types of vegetarian diets based on the extent of what may or may not be included in the overall nutrition. By adding the prefixes lacto (dairy), ovo (egg), or pesco (fish) in front of the word vegetarian, the specific inclusions to a person’s vegetarian diet are indentified. Vegans are the most restricted form of vegetarians as the vegan diet does not include any type of animal products and depends strictly on plant based foods and drinks.

Years of research suggest that vegetarians live an average of 10 to 15 years longer than meat eaters. This stunning data is due to the fact that diets which include meat are higher in saturated fats, cholesterol, and dietary protein. These factors combined are the leading cause of obesity, hypertension, heart disease, type II diabetes, gallstones, kidney stones, osteoporosis and some types of cancer. The total direct medical costs in the United States attributable to meat consumption were estimated to be $30-60 billion a year. Extensive research has shown that lifelong vegetarians had a 24 percent lower incidence and lifelong vegans had a 57 percent lower incidence of coronary heart disease compared to meat eaters. Now that’s something to think about in regard to being proactive about your own health. Diary products are not as safe as many assume either. Studies have shown that diary causes many health problems. A majority of people are allergic to diary but have never been diagnosed. Some of the symptoms include stomach discomfort, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea and diary has also been shown to worsen menopause symptoms. Shockingly, even asthma has been linked to diary products. Diary contains a substance called casein which causes the body to produce histamines which then produce mucus.  Mucus makes breathing very difficult and causes many people to rely on inhalers and other asthma medications. Targeted studies have shown a 71% improvement in Asthma patients over a period of 4 months who switched to a vegan diet. That number went up to 92% after just one year. As if that wasn’t convincing enough, currently about three dozen plant foods have been identified as possessing cancer-protective properties.

Don’t be fooled though, following a vegetarian or vegan diet means you have to do your research. Consuming a variety of whole grains, fruits and vegetables is the key to balance out the daily nutritional needs. Special consideration should be given to calcium, iron, riboflavin, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Vitamin B12, for example, occurs only in animal foods.  Here are some recommendations to ensure you get all the nutrients needed:

• vitamin B12: fortified soy beverages and cereals
• vitamin D: fortified soy beverages and sunshine
• calcium: tofu processed with calcium, broccoli, seeds, nuts, kale, bok choy, legumes (peas and beans), greens, lime-processed tortillas, and calcium-enriched soy beverages, grain products and orange juice.
• iron: legumes, tofu, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, whole grains and iron-fortified cereals and breads, especially whole wheat. Iron absorption is improved by vitamin C, found in citrus fruits/juices, tomatoes, strawberries, broccoli, peppers, dark-green leafy vegetables and potatoes with skins.
• zinc: whole grains (especially the germ and bran), whole wheat bread, legumes, nuts and tofu

To sum it up… I’m not going to sit here and try to convince you to go cold turkey (no pun intended) and become a vegetarian or vegan. But maybe it wouldn’t hurt for all of us to take a step back and reevaluate our current nutritional decisions. I’m sure there is room to cut back on the meat a few times a week and to incorporate more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Doing so may be the turning point for you to finally reach your weight loss goals, come off a specific medication, or ultimately prevent/reverse certain diseases. Isn’t your health worth the effort?

What’s you take on the vegetarian diet? Have you tried to make the switch? If so, what were your reasons, and what physical and mental changes did you notice?

If you are playing with the idea of hiring a Personal Trainer, please do yourself a favor and keep reading. As someone who has been working in the Fitness industry for over 8 years, I can tell you first hand, if you do not do your research ahead of time, you will be wasting your money!

I will reveal the one thing most gyms (and unfortunately some Personal Trainers) do not want you to know!

Over the years of working in the Fitness industry, I have come across all kinds of clients and all kinds of Personal Trainers. Every client is unique and has their own reasons for seeking Personal Training. At the same time, every Personal Trainer is different in regard to their educational background, practical experience, their specific training methods and approaches, and their specialty.  That being said, let’s outline what you need to look for when finding and hiring a Personal Trainer.

• Credentials

Know who you are hiring. This is the number one concern I have come across in my years of working in the Fitness industry. Unfortunately, today it is relatively easy to become a Personal Trainer. There are a number of programs available ranging from college degrees and weekend seminars, to at home programs or even online programs. Make sure when finding and hiring a Personal Trainer that they have adequate educational AND hands-on experience! If possible, hire a Personal Trainer who holds a college degree in the Fitness field and has a reputable certification to go along with it. Remember, you have the right to ask to see the diploma and/or certification document of the Personal Trainer you are about to hire. Here is a list of the most regognized accredited Certification Bodies: ACE, ACSM, IFPA, NASM, NCSF, NESTA, NFPT, NSCA.

(Hint: Be careful hiring a Personal Trainer at big name gyms. These gyms tend to hire carelessly without checking the validity of certifications and other references of their Personal Trainers.)

• Specialty/Experience

Make sure you find and hire a Personal Trainer that is specialized in your specific area of need. For example, if you want to start Personal Training as a continuation of your rehabilitation of a knee injury, make sure you are working with someone who has experience working with and around such an injury. The same principle applies for weight loss clients. If you have been sedentary for the majority of your life and are overweight, you probably do not want to hire a Personal Trainer who mainly works with athletes.  Therefore, know what you want to get out of your Personal Training program and find a Personal Trainer specialized in your needs and goals.

• Training Methods

Every Personal Trainer uses different methods of training based on the client’s needs and fitness level, as well as the Trainer’s experience and preferences. Personal Training should never be a one size fits all approach because every client has different needs and goals. Therefore, make sure the Personal Trainer you are looking to hire knows how to individualize training programs. At a gym for example, observe the Personal Trainer that you are considering working with for a few sessions with different clients. If it looks like the same program over and over again, find someone else to work with. If you are hiring someone privately, make sure to set up a consultation first to discuss your concerns and questions.

Aside from individualized programming, you also have to know what kind of a workout you prefer. Do you prefer to stay on the cautious side and ease your way into exercising, or are you looking for a Personal Trainer to push you to your limits? Do you want to learn about the importance of each exercise and how to design your own program, or do you simple want a Personal Trainer who tells you what to do, when and how?

Find a Personal Trainer that follows the same training approach you are looking for.

• Personality

This is one aspect often overlooked by clients and Personal Trainers alike. In order for your training program to be as successful as possible, a constant giving and receiving of feedback needs to take place. That means, as the client, you have to be comfortable enough with your Personal Trainer to tell them about your struggles and situations in your life that may be an obstacle to your fitness success. You need to be able to have an open line of communication. You also need to be comfortable telling the Personal Trainer when a workout is too intense or not challenging enough.  

(This one is hard to find in the typical big name gym setting. Unfortunately, there the main goal tends to be profit rather than the client’s progress.)

• Appearance

Caution, this may strike a nerve with some people… In my own personal opinion, the fitness level of a Personal Trainer is important. Now please do not misunderstand. I know people have different body types and I’m not referring to a Personal Trainer being super skinny or extremely muscular. All I am trying to point out is that the Personal Trainer you are hiring should lead by example in correlation to your specific needs. For example, if you want to become a body builder, hire a Personal Trainer that does bodybuilding. If you are looking to lose a few pounds, hire someone who knows how to maintain their own weight.

This topic goes hand in hand with a Personal Trainer’s specialty and training methods.

What are your reasons for hiring a Personal Trainer? What has your experience been? Post your comments below.

To learn more about the services offered by Personal Training by Nicole Ott LLC, click here.

Healthy Eating Tip # 1

Everything is a choice. Start by choosing wisely when going grocery shopping. We all know, if it’s in the house, someone will be eating it. So why temp yourself with mindless snacking. When grocery shopping, start by gradually replacing one item at a time. For example, replace your typical sweet snack item with your favorite type of fruit.

Healthy Eating Tip # 2

Shop mainly the perimeter of the store. That’s where you will find the healthier options such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish. Avoid the inner aisles as much as possible as those aisle mainly contain processed foods high in salt, sugar and/or preservatives.

Healthy Eating Tip # 3

Start reading food label. The easiest way to start is by examining what’s already in your kitchen cabinets. Pay attention to serving sizes vs. actual the amount you would normally eat. Also focus more on particular food contents such as fat, sodium, or added sugars instead simply the overall number of calories.

Healthy Eating Tip # 4

Stay away from diet foods. Just because an item is labeled “low fat”, “low sugar”,“ low anything”, that does not make it healthy. Usually, when something is being reduced or taken out of a product, something else has to take its place to still satisfy taste. Example, low in fat usually leads to higher sugar or sodium content.

Healthy Eating Tip # 5

Know appropriate serving sizes. Your fist or your cupped hand is approximately equal to a measured cup. Depending on the food group, that may equate to more than one serving. Familiarize yourself with the number of servings needed daily per food group.

Healthy Eating Tip # 6

Give your brain and your taste buds a chance to relearn what truly healthy food tastes like. Start replaces a sweet treat with a piece of fruit and pay attention to the change in your taste over a period of time.

Healthy Eating Tip # 7

Know your alternatives. Examples, choose backed or broiled over fried or battered, choose white meat over dark meat, choose water over juice or soda, choose fat-free milk and low fat diary over full fat versions, replace your usual side dishes with veggies or fruit, etc.

Healthy Eating Tip # 8

Be colorful. Your plateful of food should not be only beige, brown or white in color. It should have a variety of colors such as green, red, yellow, and orange to ensure proper amounts of vitamins and minerals are consumed.

Healthy Eating Tip # 9

Don’t skip meals. Doing so slows down your metabolism and forces your body to hold on to body fat rather than burn it. Healthy snacking throughout the day is good for you and works wonders on your metabolism.

Healthy Eating Tip # 10

Stop eating about 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. Doing so gives your body a chance to digest the remaining food rather than holding on to it overnight.

Healthy Eating Tip # 11

Most importantly, aim for improvements, not perfection! Healthy eating has to become in lifestyle and everyone’s lifestyle is different. You have to use a trial and error method to find what works best for you. Listen to your body to find your balance and you’ll reap the benefits.

What tip did you find the most helpful? Do you have other tips to share? Post your comments below.

Click here to learn more about your specific nutritional needs.