Best Fitness Blog

... By Karli Taylor

If asked, most people will tell you that drinking green tea is good for you. Over the last decade, green tea has been linked to health benefits ranging from fighting cancer and heart disease and lowering cholesterol to burning fat. More recent research has pointed out a few ways to get more out of that tiny little tea leaf….

Green tea has been linked to a reduced risk of heart attacks, thanks to powerful antioxidants called catechins. Studies show, however, that our bodies are only able to absorb about 20 percent of these healthful compounds. The good news is that by combining green tea with lemon juice, we can increase the absorption to over 75%!

So after brewing yourself a cup of green tea, squeeze in the juice of one whole lemon. If you don’t like the flavor of lemon, lime and orange can in at a close second and third in recent studies. It is the ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, that improves catechin absorption.

People who drink green tea with their meals report feeling more full and are less likely to want a second helping than those who drink plain water. Experts say the compounds in green tea can affect the hormones that regulate hunger and fullness. If you are drinking green tea for fat loss, you may want to try adding black pepper to your next meal. A recent study found that the combination of greet tea and black pepper boosts the absorption of EGCG, a key antioxidant in tea tied to calorie burning, by over 100 percent. Studies say as little as a half-teaspoon of black pepper can increase the absorption of tea’s beneficial compounds.

...By Karli Taylor

Each and every winter, many people visit their doctors complaining of back pain. Often, they blame the last snowfall. After shoveling the sidewalk or driveway, their backs feel stiff and achy.

In some cases, people have sudden pain the moment they pick up a shovel. Shoveling snow can cause anything from muscle strain to slipped disks and even serious bone fractures.

But if you follow these simple tips, you can help prevent low back pain related to snow shoveling:

• Check with your doctor. Because this activity places high stress on the heart, you should always speak with your doctor before shoveling. If you have a medical condition or do not exercise regularly, consider hiring someone to remove the snow.
• Dress appropriately. Light, layered, water-repellent clothing provides both ventilation and insulation. It is also important to wear a hat, mittens or gloves and thick, warm socks. Avoid falls by wearing shoes or boots that have slip-resistant soles.
• Choose a proper shovel. Consider two types of snow shovels. One lifts loads of snow. The other - with a wide, curved blade - is used as a "plow." Make sure both types of shovels have curved handles with plastic, lightweight blades. The curved handle helps you keep your back straight when lifting the snow-filled blade off the ground - or when you push snow aside with the plowing shovel. Make sure the handle of your snow shovel reaches your chest to avoid hunching over while “plowing” or scooping up snow.
• Try to clear snow early and often. Begin shoveling when a light covering of snow is on the ground to avoid dealing with packed, heavy snow.
• Be sure you can see where you are shoveling. Do not let a hat or scarf block your vision. And make sure the area s well lit so you can safely spot icy patches and uneven surfaces.

Shoveling technique:

• Warm-up your muscles. Shoveling can be a vigorous activity. Before you begin this physical workout, warm-up your muscles for 5-10 minutes with light exercise- even walking around the house and up and down the stairs a few times will do the trick.
• Pace yourself. Snow shoveling is an aerobic activity. Take frequent breaks and prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids.
• Try to push the snow instead of lifting it. If you must lift, do it properly. Squat with your legs at least hip-width apart, knees bent, and back straight. Lift with your legs. Do not bend at the waist. Scoop small amounts of snow into the shovel and walk to where you want to dump it. Holding a shovelful of snow with your arms outstretched puts too much weight on your spine. Never remove deep snow all at once. Do it in pieces.
• Do not throw the snow over your shoulder or to the side. This requires a twisting motion that can put undue stress on your back.

... by Karli Taylor

Shin Splints, or pain in the front of your lower leg, can creep up on you when you start building mileage. First things first- if you are running on a treadmill, make sure that you have the incline set to at least 1.0. For some reason, all treadmills are set up so that 0.0 incline is actually downhill! This will put undue stress on your shins and knees when mileage starts to get up past 2 miles.

If you are an outside runner, shin splints will occur if you have weakness in the front of your lower leg (tibialis) or tightness in the back of your lower leg(calves). To prevent this annoyance, make sure that you stretch your calves after every run, and on off days try the following exercises to strengthen your shins:

1. Sit on the edge of a chair and tap your toes on the floor with your heels planted- tap hard to create stress. Sounds simple, but it will prepare your shins for the stress of running.
2. If you have a resistance band of some kind, sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you, loop the band around your feet and point your toes while pulling back on the band. Point and flex 20-25 times then rest.

Another thing that may be contributing to your shin pain is your foot strike while you run. Focus on striking the ground with the balls of your feet instead of your toes. Toe-running will tighten your calves right up, and tight calves lead to weak shins!

Ladies- if you wear high heels all day long, do NOT come home and run right away. Give yourself some transition time to get used to your sneakers. Going straight from high heels to pavement pounding will put those shins at risk.

Any other pains creeping up on you as? Let me know and I'll try to help you fix it!