<![CDATA[Fireheart Fitness - Blog]]>Tue, 26 Mar 2019 19:50:18 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[Recovery Series: Correcting Tight Hips]]>Fri, 18 Jan 2019 06:00:00 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/recovery-series-correcting-tight-hipsPicture
Did you just kill leg day? Are you a rucker or a runner? Does your job require you to sit most of the time? Chances are high that for any of these reasons (along with any number of others), you've found your range of motion lacking in your hips. You may even feel how tight they are in your movements, or found that your low back is suffering due to the pull from your consistently static position (sitting) or through constant activation (training). One thing is for sure: I see the consequences of tight hips day in and day out with fellow athletes as well as clients. I make recommendations consistently on what should be done to ameliorate the problem, but felt it best to share everything in a full-on recovery series covering different areas of the body starting with this very prominent issue. Let's get started.


Before we get into the nitty gritty about what you can do to loosen up and strengthen your hips, let's get a visual about what the muscles are so we can pinpoint trouble areas.
The iliopsoas (that is, the iliacus and psoas together which share a common insertion point in the hip complex) is very commonly the region that is most often the "tight" hip flexor. This grouping attaches to the top of the hip and to the spine and is a common trigger of low back pain. Because the psoas attaches to the spine, this muscle also plays an integral role in lumbar spine stabilization.

The tensor faciae latae (TFL) inserts onto the IT band, so if you have had tight IT band problems you also need to take care of this area of the hips as it's also going to be terribly tight.

If you've ever had sciatic pain, you may have impingement from a tight piriformis as the sciatic nerve passes through this muscle. The piriformis stabilizes the hip join and lifts/rotates the thigh away from the body. It allows us to walk, shift weight from one foot to the other, and maintain balance.

The gluteus maximus is one of the strongest muscles in the human body and is one of the primary movers in running. The gluteus medius is a dynamic pelvic stabilizer, meaning it holds the pelvis in a neutral place during strides -- this muscle gets tight particularly in female athletes. The gluteus minimus assists the piriformis in external rotation of flexed thighs, assisting in balance.

The adductors are fan-like muscles in the upper thigh that pull the legs together when they contract and help stabilize the hip joint. They are part of the grouping generally called the groin muscles: adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, pectineus and gracilis. Men in particular often have chronically tight groin musculature.
An additional hip flexor which is often forgotten is the rectus femoris, which is one of the anterior quad muscles. Its origin point is attached to the pelvis, making it a hip flexor which must be addressed in any treatment of tight hips.

Each of the many muscles in the lumbo-pelvic hip complex has a slightly different function which you may or may not be able to pinpoint in your daily movements. Together they allow the flexion of the hip joint, the rotation of the pelvis and the extension of the lumbar spine and are an important part of injury prevention and daily activity, regardless of whether you are an athlete.


Let's assess the flexibility of your lumbo-pelvic hip complex. The Thomas Test is quick and easy.
  1. Begin on the edge of a bench, box or treatment table.
  2. Lie back holding one knee toward your chest (but not pulled all the way to your chest). Your low back needs to press against the surface you are lying on.
    1. Does the thigh reach full extension? If there is a gap between this thigh and the surface you are lying on, then your thigh is NOT at full extension. This indicates hip flexor tightness.
    2. Is the knee able to bend to 90 degrees without the thigh raising? If the knee CANNOT flex to 90 degrees without the thigh rising, the rectus femoris is tight. If the knee can flex to 90 degrees without the thigh rising BUT the thigh still doesn't reach full extension, the illiopsoas is tight.
    3. Does the thigh migrate laterally? If so, the TFL and illiotibial band is tight.
  3. Repeat with the opposite leg, as you may have more flexibility in one or the other limb.


Your first task once you've identified what's tight is to release the tension locked up in those areas. You may not be able to perform all of these initially, so start with the movement you can execute with the best form. As you progress with daily work on the same areas, your flexibility and range of motion will increase and you can progress to more challenging stretches.


  • Begin by stepping forward into a lunge on a mat or foam pad. Continue until your knee is resting on the mat or pad, making sure that your front leg is at a 90-degree angle with the knee tracking directly over your foot.
  • Reach your arms overhead and clasp them.
  • Drive your hip forward and your knee into the mat or pad.


  • ​Begin by stepping forward into a lunge. Your forward leg should be bent at a 90-degree angle to the ground with your knee tracking directly over your foot.
  • Reach your arms overhead and clasp them.
  • Drive your hip forward and your back knee downward. This variation allows for a potentially deeper range of motion.


  • From downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana), exhale and step your right foot forward between your hand, aligning the knee over the heel.
  • Lower your left knee to the floor.
  • Sink your weight down into your hips, keeping the weight distributed evenly. If you feel comfortable, lower down onto both forearms. Keep your chin lifted and your chest open.
  • To sink deeper into this pose, curl your left toes under and press up into the ball of your foot. Actively lift the inner left thigh and press the left heel back while reaching the chest forward.
  • Repeat on the other side.


  • Lower your left knee to the floor.
  • While keeping the right knee fixed in place , slide the left back until you feel a comfortable stretch in the left front thigh and groin. 
  • Turn the top of your left foot to the floor.
  • Lift your torso upright and bring your arms up overhead, perpendicular to the floor. Draw the tailbone down toward the floor and lift your pubic bone toward your navel. Lift your chest.
  • Repeat on the other side.


  • Begin on all fours on a mat. Bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right wrist. Place your ankle in front of your left hip. The more parallel your lower leg is with the front of the mat, the more intense the stretch.
  • Slide your left leg back, straighten the knee and point the toes. Make sure your leg is behind your body (rather than moving outward) and your heel is pointing up toward the ceiling.
  • Draw your legs in toward one another to keep your hips square.
  • Lower yourself down slowly, using support under your right buttock if needed in order to keep your hips level.
  • Draw your navel in, tailbone down, and open your chest. Hold for several breaths.
  • Repeat on the other side.


  • Begin by lying on your back with your feet hip-distance apart on the mat. Lift your right leg, bend your knee, and flex your ankle.
  • Cross your right ankle over your left knee, creating the shape of a figure-4 with your legs.
  • Clasp your hands around the back of your left thigh and lift your left knee toward your chest.
  • Press your right knee away from your body.
  • Hold for 1 minute, then repeat on the other side.


  • Begin by standing with your feet hip- distance apart. Lift your right leg, bend your knee, and flex your ankle.
  • Squat down as far as you can, leaning forward slightly to counterbalance, making sure that your left knee tracks over your left foot and that it does not extend over your toes.
  • Press your right knee away from your body.


  • Begin by lying down on your mat with knees bent. Cross your right leg fully over the left so that your right knee is crossed over the left thigh.
  • Pull your right knee toward  your left shoulder as far as is comfortable and hold.
  • Repeat on the opposite side.


  • This variation of the above offers a larger range of potential motion, and therefore a deeper stretch. Begin by finding a stable surface a little lower than hip height that you can lay your left leg on such as a table, stool, box or bench. Your right leg remains flat on the ground, toes pointing forward.
  • Adjust your left leg so that it is parallel to the edge of the surface it is resting on.
  • Extend both arms overhead and lean forward over your leg until you feel a good stretch in your glutes.
  • Hold for several breaths and then stand up straight again. Perform several times before switching legs.


  • Begin by sitting on your mat with your feet hip-distance apart, knees bent.
  • Relax your knees toward the  outer edges of your mat as you draw the soles of your feet toward your body until they touch each other.
  • Slide your heels as close toward your body that you are comfortably able to, relaxing your arms.
  • To deepen this stretch, lean your upper body forward as far as you are able.
  • Hold for up to 2 minutes.


  • Hold for up to 2 minutes.


  • Begin by standing with your feet at least as wide as your mat with your toes turned out in plié.
  • Bend your knees and drop your hips as low as you can, keeping your knees stacked over your ankles.
  • Relax the weight of your hips toward the floor.
  • Hold for up to 1 minute.


  • Face the long edge of your mat and assume a wide-legged stance with your feet as far apart as is comfortable with your toes turned out into plié.
  • Keep your left leg straight and bend deeply into your right knee, leaning your weight to the right, placing your hands on the floor for balance. Be sure that your right knee is tracking directly over your foot.
  • Flex your left foot with your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Keep your chest up.
  • For a balance challenge, draw your palms in to meet at chest level.
  • Hold for 1 minute and then switch to the other side.


  • Begin by sitting on the edge of a thickly-folded blanket or mat with your legs extended in front of you. Shrug your shoulders up and back as if tucking them into your back pockets, pressing the bottom tips of your shoulder blades into your back. Bend your knees and bring them in to your chest.
  • Slide your left foot under your right leg to the outside of your right hip and lay the outer leg on the floor. Stack your right leg on top of the left. Be sure that the right ankle is outside the left knee (sole perpendicular to the floor). If this is too difficult, sit with your shins crossed in easy pose (sukhasana)
  • Hold for 1 minute and then switch.


  • Position your left leg so that your thigh is straight out from your hip and your knee and hip are in alignment. Position your shin at a 90-degree angle. Stack your right leg on top of the left in the same 90-degree angled position.
  • Hold for 1 minute and then switch.


  • Begin on all fours. Keep your hips in line with your knees as you slowly slide your knees apart from each other as far as is comfortable.
  • Turn your toes toward the exterior of your mat with your arches resting on the mat.
  • Keeping your core engaged, relax the weight of your hips toward the floor.
  • If comfortable, lower your forearms to either yoga blocks or to the floor.
  • Hold for up to 1 minute.


  • Begin by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor about hip-distance apart.
  • Press down against the mat with your shoulders and feet to lift your hips off the floor. 
  • Slide a rolled-up mat, yoga block or other soft prop under your sacrum (about where your waistband is) and rest the weight of your hips on the block.
  • Extend your legs either one at a time or together simultaneously and hold for 1 minute.


  • Begin in a deep squat position. Rotate one knee inward and downward toward the ground.
  • Hold for a couple of seconds and switch sides. Perform 10 reps per side.
  • This dynamic stretch can also be performed on a small stool or yoga block if you cannot squat comfortably.


  • ​Begin by standing with your feet hip width apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Cross your left leg over your right at the ankles, so that the soles of both feet are able to bear weight.
  • Reach overhead with your right arm and push your right hip away from your body. Your upper torso will bend toward the left.
  • Be sure that your shoulders and hips are still squared and facing forward -- that they are not curling over. Imagine that you are trying to fit your body between two panes of glass.
  • Hold the stretch for a few breaths and then release. Perform several times before switching sides. You should feel the stretch along the side of your hip. This works the IT band and abductors.
  • If it is difficult for you to balance, use a doorway or a thin pole for support.


  • Begin by standing with feet hip width apart. Bring your left foot backward, grabbing and holding your ankle with your left arm.
  • Bring your knees as close together as you are able, squaring your hips and straightening your stance.
  • Pull your left leg in toward your left buttock as far as you are comfortable able and hold for several breaths before returning to starting position.
  • Repeat several times on the left side before switching to the right.
  • If it is difficult for you to balance, extend your right arm out to counterbalance or find a stable object to hold on to (wall, table, etc).


  • Begin by standing with feet hip width apart. Bring your left foot forward with your foot flexed, so that the heel is resting on the ground and your toes are pointed toward the ceiling.
  • Bend your right knee as needed and lean forward over your left leg as far as you are comfortably able. 
  • Hold for several breaths and return to starting position. Repeat several times before switching legs.


  • Begin with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, toes pointed at a diagonal away from your body at an angle that is comfortable for you.
  • Keeping your back flat and chest proud, lower your body down with your knees tracking over your feet. Imagine that you are trying to sit down but are sideways in a narrow passageway -- your butt should not be sitting back but moving straight down.
  • Press the backs of your hands into your knees as firmly as you are able. You will feel a stretch in your hip flexors.
  • Hold for several breaths before returning to starting position. Repeat several times.


  • Begin by lying face down on your mat. Place a foam roller or lacrosse ball in the crease of your hip.
  • Apply a tolerable amount of pressure on the left hip and move slowly forward and back to roll the device. When you find a point of tension, remain still on that spot for at least 30 seconds to release the muscle adhesion (sometimes this can take up to a minute).
  • For additional release, slowly slide left and right to glide the tense spot over the roller or lacrosse ball. 
  • Once you have released the tension on the left hip, proceed to the right hip.


  • Begin by sitting on a foam roller or lacrosse ball with your knees bent. If using a lacrosse ball, position it under your right buttock. Cross your right leg over your left so that your right ankle is atop your left knee.
  • Lean onto your right buttock and slowly glide forward and backward until you find a point of tension. Remain still on that spot for at least 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Repeat on the left side.


Once you've gotten the knots worked out of your muscles and upped your flexibility, you'll need to strengthen your muscles in order to prevent future injury. 


  • Begin by lying down on your mat with your knees bent. Bring your heels as close as you can toward your posterior. Keep your hands to your sides. 
  • Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line. Squeeze your glutes and tuck your navel toward your spine.
  • Hold for a couple of seconds and then ease back down.
  • To perform a single-leg bridge, simply raise one leg and perform the same movement with all of your weight on the other leg. Perform all reps on one side before switching.


This glute bridge variation makes you work hard to achieve full hip flexion. You'll find you have much more glute activation.
  • Begin with your back flat against the mat and your knees bent. Keep your heels as close as you can to your butt.
  • Raise one knee toward your chest and hold.
  • Lift your butt off the mat into full extension, as high as you can, pausing for a moment at the apex of the motion before dropping back down.
  • Perform all reps on one side before switching to the other knee. 


  • Begin by lying on your side with legs stacked and knees bent at a 45-degree angle. Place a resistance band around both legs, just above the knee.
  • Rest your head against your lower arm and use your top arm to steady your balance. Be sure that your hipbones are stacked on top of one another and are not tilted.
  • Draw your navel toward your spine to engage your core. 
  • Keeping your feet touching, raise your upper knee as high as you can without shifting your hips or pelvis. Don't move your lower leg off the floor.
  • Pause, then return your upper leg to the starting position. Perform all reps on one side before switching.
  • If this is too difficult, remove the resistance band.


  • Begin by placing your resistance band around your ankles, or just above your knees (wherever you find tolerable resistance), feet hip width apart.
  • Step out to the side with your right foot, keeping your hips and toes pointing forward. Sit your butt back and keep your chest up.
  • Step your left foot in, and at the same time step your right foot out again so that you travel laterally. Once you run out of space to move right, shuffle to the left while facing the same direction.
  • If this is too difficult with the resistance band, perform the movement without it.


This movement activates the psoas. It is crucial that you keep your spine flat against the ground when you perform this movement.
  • Begin by lying flat on your mat with a resistance band loop around both feet. Keep your spine flat against the mat at all times.
  • Slowly bring one leg up as high as you can, pausing at the apex of the movement before lowering your leg back down again.
  • Optimal muscle work is achieved by working one side at a time; perform all reps with one leg before switching to work the other.

hip ups

  • Begin by standing with the arch of your right foot alongside the edge of a step, yoga block, box etc. with your left foot hanging off the side.
  • Without moving your standing knee or rotating your hips, bring your left hip directly up toward the ceiling as high as you can, holding for a moment at the apex of the movement before releasing back down to starting position.
  • Perform all reps on one side before switching to the other.


  • Begin by sitting in a chair, on a bench, etc, with your back straight, knees at a 90-degree angle with feet flat against the floor. Your hands should be straight along your sides, palms flat against the seat of the chair or bench.
  • Extend your left leg until it is straight and your foot is flexed, toes pointing up toward the ceiling.
  • Raise your left leg as high as you are able and hold for a few seconds before releasing back down.
  • Perform all reps on your left side before switching to your right.


  • Begin by lying on your side with legs stacked and straight. Place a resistance band around both ankles.
  • Draw your navel toward your spine to engage your core. 
  • Raise your upper leg as high as you can without shifting your hips or pelvis. Don't move your lower leg off the floor.
  • If this is too difficult, remove the resistance band.


  • ​​Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet flat on the floor. 
  • On an exhale, gently rock your hips toward your face. Your butt will not actually leave the floor but you will feel your low back press into the floor.
  • Hold for a few seconds, inhale and return to starting position.


  • ​Begin with feet hip width apart and arms extended in front of you at shoulder height. Lunge to the right, keeping your feet parallel and your left leg straight.
  • Twist your torso and left arm to the right, making sure that your hips still face forward.
  • Perform all reps on one side and then switch to the other.


  • Begin by standing with feet hip-width apart. Rotate to your left and take a step with your left foot approximately 45 degrees behind you. You will land in a plié squat position.
  • Place your left foot next to your right foot about 12" apart from each other with the toes pointed in. Your knees will fall in slightly.
  • Step back out into the plié squat position.
  • ​Perform all reps on one side and then switch to the other.


  • Begin by standing with feet hip-width apart. Shift your weight to your right foot and lift your left foot a few inches off the ground.
  • Tap your left foot forward and then backward.


  • Begin by lying with your back against the floor and your feet flat against a wall, your knees stacked over your hips and bent at a 90-degree angle.
  • Place a rolled up towel under your tailbone (not your back) and a book or rolled up towel under your head. Relax all of your muscles, your head, shoulders and neck, back, hips and legs. Do a quick check by touching these areas if you are in doubt. If needed, place a pillow between your knees to help your legs and hips relax.
  • Place your fingertips on your low belly, a couple of inches below your navel. Inhale a deep breath, and then slowly exhale for as long as you can, emptying all of the air out of your lungs. You should feel your low belly muscles tighten at the end of this breath.
  • Breathe in slowly and fully so that your belly is completely expanded, and then exhale all of your air again in this same fashion.
  • This movement works your deep ab muscles which aid in breath but also assist in strengthening and releasing your hips.


I couldn't finish out this article without addressing some common misconceptions about tight hips. Let's go over what they are.


Although the hips are often the source of many pains and injuries to the low back and legs, and although I frequently recommend the above stretches and exercises to clients and fellow athletes to assist in correcting these pains, a certain degree of stiffness is required for specific forms of movement. Runners, for example, require a degree of tightness in the hips coupled with leg mobility to propel themselves forward economically. For them, although some stretching is good to prevent excessive tightness, the strengthening exercises are more important to stabilize the hips. 


One does not necessarily equal the other. The muscle that is most prominent in the glute complex is the gluteus maximus, but it's the gluteus medius that provides stability.


The hip joint's primary purpose is stabilization, however many types of athletes require a good range of motion as well. For weightlifters, if their hips are too tight they can't sink into a deep squat. For runners, overly tight hips shorten stride length and can slow up their pace. As with all things, finding a happy medium is the key.


Muscles can become tight from overuse and repeated contraction, but also from being under-utilized and weak. Both a long-distance runner and an office worker with sedentary lifestyle may suffer equally from excessively tight hips. 


Actually, quad dominance is more often an issue for weightlifters, runners and cyclists. When there is a discrepancy in quad vs glute strength the quads take on the task of stabilizing the hips in place of the glutes. Over time this pulls the pelvis out of alignment, strains the hamstrings and IT band and can lead to any number of issues in the low back and knees that wreak havoc on performance. Weightlifters, runners and cyclists: work on the above strengthening exercises and on releasing the tension in those quads! I'll be covering legs in another installment of this recovery series. 
<![CDATA[21 Ways to Get (or Stay) Motivated]]>Fri, 11 Jan 2019 15:38:36 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/21-ways-to-get-or-stay-motivatedPicture
You made your New Year's resolution and you've been doing pretty good for those first couple of weeks -- but now you're starting to lose focus and are struggling to stay motivated. That extra hour of sleep sounds better than that morning run, or those free breakfast tacos are more appealing to you than your healthy homemade meal. You still want to reach your goals but you haven't established these new behaviors as habits just yet. This is the critical "make or break" phase where your decisions have enormous impact.

What can you do? Let's talk options.


One surefire way to keep your healthy habits going strong is to give yourself a real reward for a job well done. Working out a positive "habit loop" which involves a cue to trigger the behavior (setting your running shoes next to the door), the routine (running) and then the reward (getting a smoothie or watching an episode of your favorite show afterward) will generate a Pavlovian response to the behavior, increasing the chances of the routine becoming habitual according to Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

Over time, the extrinsic motivation (that is, the tangible reward mentioned above) becomes an intrinsic motivation and the brain begins to associate the sensations of the new behavior with a surge of endorphins. Once your brain is trained to recognize the workout itself as the reward, you won't feel the need for the treat anymore.


Logic stands to reason that if you're doing your new activities in an environment you like or with people whose company you enjoy, you're more likely to look forward to going. The cost of a given gym or club membership may be prohibitive for you, but definitely shop around and look at your options as best you can. There are many free or low-cost clubs out there, as well as online groups on social media who meet up in person. So long as you can find a way to look forward to being in the place you perform your new behaviors, or enjoy the company you have when you get there, you will generate a new form of motivation for yourself. A strong and supportive fitness community or appealing environment can make all the difference.


Oftentimes putting your running shoes on even if you don't feel like running will help to talk you into enacting the behavior you're trying to maintain.  Research  suggests that our brains are susceptible to "enclothed cognition," which is a fancy way of saying that dressing the part helps to galvanize you toward completing the task. If you put on your workout gear, even if you don't feel like working out you are very likely to find yourself doing just that.


Joining a fitness or wellness challenge or signing a commitment contract with a gym buddy is a great way to keep you accountable. But don't just put in the work -- be sure that you check in regularly with the people participating in the challenge, or set up a schedule with your buddy so that you know that someone else is counting on you to show up and get it done. Don't let your gym buddy off the hook -- and make sure they don't let you off the hook either!

When you have a friend or two to train with and they're killing the workout, you also feel motivated to push yourself. If you're a competitive person, set up a competition with other people. Maybe you do a versus battle with coworkers for who has the highest number of steps each week, or set up a weight loss challenge; whatever it is, make sure there are some sort of rewards at the end. Anything from simple bragging rights to perhaps a gift card purchased with a money pool from participants who now have a financial stake in the event. You can even bet on yourself using Pact, where you and others pay into a collective pool and set individual goals. If you meet your targets, you cash out; if not, you lose the money. 


Once you set up strict rules for yourself ("I have to start on Monday otherwise I won't be able to do it") makes it easy for you to talk yourself out of that behavior according to Dr. Deborah Feltz, professor of Kinesiology at Michigan State University and author of several fitness studies. The fact of the matter is that life happens and your hard and fast rules don't allow for the bending that needs to take place on a regular basis when conditions are not 100% favorable. Be willing to be flexible and change up your routine if you need to in order to get in whatever you can. Even if you're scheduled for a long run, if you wake up feeling ill perhaps the most you can do is take a walk or perhaps an easy, short jog -- or maybe you need to change up your activity entirely and do yoga instead. Be willing to be flexible.


If you're a resolutioner and you're only a couple of weeks in this possibly doesn't apply to you just yet, but keep it in mind: you may just be bored of the routine and need to switch up what you're doing and how you're doing it. Once you fall into a rut of doing the same thing every day you stop feeling excited about it and your effort ceases to be focused as you start to run on autopilot. 

You may want to select a fresh goal (even if it's only slightly adapted from your original goal) and adjust your plans accordingly. You may want to find a new place to execute it or new method to enact it. Your goals that you set may simply be too far off and you need to add some smaller sub-goals to keep yourself going. In either event take a look at what's making you lose interest and swap things up as needed.


Everyone's heard about the power of positive thinking, and perhaps have even experienced it for themselves. But visualizations and other mind tricks only work when you add realistic problem-solving to the mix according to Dr. Gabriele Oettingen, psychologist and author of Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation.

It's not just about making a SMART goal and visualizing the outcome (as discussed in last week's article), but it's also about identifying what is holding you back and then troubleshooting. During a study of students who wanted to eat fewer junk food snacks, researchers asked participants to imagine the benefits of snacking on better foods. Those who identified the thing that made healthy snacking difficult for them and came up with a plan to counteract it were most successful at sticking to their goal. The trigger? They wanted something sweet. The solution? Eating fruit.

If you feel too tired after work to work out, try swapping to lunchtime or morning workouts or go straight to the gym after work rather than stopping at home first.


Nothing kills motivation like the sensation that you're getting nowhere. Chances are you're making progress, but you may not notice if these changes are gradual. Weighing in each week or noting how much weight you're lifting and keeping a record -- or participating in a fit test each month for example -- are great ways to see where you're at with regard to your wellness goals.

Moreover, tracking what you eat raises your awareness and personal (internal) accountability when you log that cheat meal in on MyFitnessPal or your tracking app of choice. Especially when you link up with a friend and allow them to see what you're up to, you know that someone else is noticing what you do and that allows for external accountability as well.


Planning is a crucial element of reaching any goal, and most of us need reminders as well in today's culture of distraction. I talked all about it in last week's article, so check it out!


If you're finding that you get distracted by the events of the day and your plans are consistently getting derailed you may benefit from waking up earlier and getting your workout in before your day begins. Getting out of bed is tough especially that first week, but it may just be your path to success.

If low energy is the cause of your after-work workout woes, be sure you're eating breakfast and packing snacks. Eating breakfast helps you stay energized all day long according to Wendy Bazilian, RD and co-author of The Super Foods Rx Diet: Lose Weight with the Power of SuperNutrients. Be sure it includes protein, a fruit or veggie, and a complex carbohydrate such as whole grain toast. A pre-exercise snack to eat about 45 minutes before you train is an optimal habit as well to attain energy to power through. Your snack should be small and easily digestible, and mostly carbs with a little protein. Something like an apple with peanut butter, for example.


You may find that you've reached the limits of your personal knowledge and need some expert advice. A certified fitness instructor or registered dietitian may be just what you need to help you reach your goals. These folks can program training that works best for you, teach you how to use your gym's equipment, account for your personal situation and conditions, set up a meal plan etc. If you have a professional service contract in place, this is also a tangible, financial commitment that may help you feel more obligated to your goals (yes, this is really a thing that helps motivate people).


A frequent pitfall of resolutioners is obsessing with how they look and making that the be-all, end-all for their wellness goals. Chances are you desire to look like someone who has an entirely different body type and wellness history than yourself. While sometimes it's possible to reach a state of having six-pack abs or whatever your goal may be, it may also be outside of your genetics/body type. I for example will never have an hourglass figure because I have a short torso; I will also never have a thigh gap regardless of how small I am because of how my hip and leg bones are positioned. Set goals that begin with where you are and are attainable, and be sure to break down your goals into smaller victories along the way such as losing 5% of your body weight for example, executing a perfect push-up or running a full mile without stopping.  Review last week's article for more about successful goal-setting.


If you hate every moment of the thing you're doing, you're not likely to keep up the habit. Prioritize workouts that you'll look forward to and plan meals that are appealing to you (but still healthy). 


Posting your gym selfie or results of your meal prep, checking into your accountability group, or just talking to a loved one about how your training or meal planning went is a great way to hold yourself accountable. Very often people I don't even know are paying attention to my posts will ask me during a lapse what I'm up to and when I'll be posting again; sometimes when I'm engaged in an easy-to-follow daily challenge others will participate along with me without posting about it. Knowing that people are watching and deriving inspiration from what I'm doing is a tremendous motivator for me.


Got 5 minutes? Apparently you do if you're reading this! So make a plan to do a 5-minute workout every day and stick to it. Work your way up from there -- when you're comfortable with 5 minutes, bump it up to 10 minutes. 

There are all kinds of free workout videos on YouTube for 5-minute workouts you can do right where you are. Take a look, set up a playlist and get crackin'!


Sign up for a charity race or event or participate in an event that offers charity fundraising. Once you begin raising money for a cause you believe in, you now have a sense of debt that you need to strive for and a deadline in sight, the end goal of completing that marathon or finishing that event for the sake of the people receiving the charity and the people who donating on good faith that you'd execute your training. This is a phenomenal way to keep you focused on your target.


Put your phone on Do Not Disturb if you use it to listen to music while you work out or pick up a now-archaic MP3 player that's not attached to any network. Drop your phone all together in your gym locker, leave it at home or in your car. Take your fitness time as time in the real world away from your devices and think of it as your time off the grid.


For some folks, the digital world is absolutely essential. So why not use that connection to your advantage? Try Zombies, Run! for example, or any app from MapMyFitness Inc which all have some "fun" components to them. 


Train at a gym close to home. Train at home. Start your run the moment you step outside the door. Set up your meal plan and write up your grocery list in advance of the day you to go to the store. Prep your healthy snacks (cut up fruits and veggies etc) and put them into single serving containers and bring them along. Carry your water bottle everywhere.

The easier you make it to adhere to your chosen behavior, the more likely that you will engage it.


What is the 5-minute rule? Set a timer and start your workout. If after five minutes you still don't want to be doing it, stop. In most cases, once you get started it doesn't seem so bad after all; starting is the hardest part!


Yes, that's right. Your lack of enthusiasm may potentially be a sign of overtraining and you may just need a day off particularly if you have been consistently training for a long time. If you do take a break, don't make it open-ended: set a hard end date for the break when you resume your normal schedule.
<![CDATA[How To Make (and Keep!) Your New Year's Resolutions]]>Fri, 04 Jan 2019 15:08:35 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/how-to-make-and-keep-your-new-years-resolutionsPicture
The new year brings potential for a fresh start. You're all fired up about cleaning up your nutrition and putting the work in to burn off the extra pounds you just gained over the holidays. You hit the gym for a couple of weeks, but then your adherence begins to wane as the excitement dies down. How can you keep this from happening to you? How can you keep your New Year's resolutions year-round? Let's discuss some strategies.


One third of those who make resolutions quit before the end of January. This is in part due to a lack of planning and detail of the resolutions being made. Any goal you make should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely.
  • Specific. Your goal should be clear and detailed. "I want to lose weight" is too vague. How much weight do you want to lose?
  • Measurable. This is easy when your goal is something like losing weight because you can use a body tape, scale etc to track. A way to follow the progress of something else such as "eating better" would be to use a nutrition app like MyFitnessPal and/or by taking photos of a typical meal at the start and at designated intervals along your path toward your goal.
  • Achievable. Your goals need to be realistic. Losing 50 pounds if you are 50 pounds overweight is achievable, but if your goal includes something that goes against your body type (looking like a certain supermodel, for example) your goal is not reasonable and should be adjusted. Begin by losing those 50 pounds, and then evaluate where you want to go next.
  • Relevant. Does this goal truly matter to you? Are you making this goal for the right reasons? If you are doing it out of a sense of self-hate or remorse or a strong passion in that moment, the resolution is not likely to stick. If, however, you are working to consider what is good for you and overhauling your lifestyle to match, so long as you are taking the appropriate steps to set yourself up for success you have a fighting chance at making your resolution happen.
  • Timely. Make a timeline (again, be sure that this timeline is achievable -- if you want to lose 50 pounds for example, do not set your timeline for a month; healthy weight loss should be at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week). Set up smaller milestone goals with dates attached to them. 


So now you've got your goals ironed out, and they're SMART. Not only that but you have smaller sub-goals lined up as well. From here you'll need to develop a plan of action: how are you going to reach your goals?

Outline your gameplan. Write it down. Talk to a friend or family member about it and get some feedback. Put this plan somewhere easily accessible and review it regularly. Set reminders on your phone or write your necessary actions down in your calendar. Review the following week before it begins so that you can mentally prepare yourself for your newly-adjusted schedule.


Once you've set your goals, it is critical that you make the actions leading to those goals a true priority. This requires a shift in mindset regardless of what your goal is. Losing weight (and keeping it off), eating better (indefinitely), keeping a clean house (indefinitely), spending more time with your children (indefinitely): all of these things require a long-term lifestyle change
It's said that when something is truly a priority to you, you will find (or make) the time for it. If it is not a true priority, you will make excuses. It's not something that most people want to hear, but it is true all the same.

The trick to this is to think of your goal as an unquestionable daily requirement. Just as you get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth and go to work you will also put in that time at the gym, cleaning house, with your kids, etc. Take out the notion that you have a choice. If you really want to reach that goal, you WILL take the necessary steps to get there.

Part of the way you can help steel your resolve is by employing visualization techniques. When you feel your intentions wavering, take some time out and mentally picture your goal being actualized: you've lost the weight and fit into that dress you wanted; you have more energy and feel great from eating a healthy, balanced diet; your house is pristine and visitors are complimenting how clean you've kept it; you share a stronger bond with your kids from the time you have spent together. 

But don't just SEE it -- FEEL it. How do you feel now that you've lost the weight? How do you feel about your eating habits? How does it feel to have such a clean and organized living space? How does it feel to share that irreplaceable time with your children?

Keep those mental images and feelings on tap so you can draw from them whenever you need. Write down your goals and keep them in a place you see frequently such as your bathroom mirror or at your desk at work, or keep them with you and repeat them thoughtfully whenever you are struggling.


Your accountability can be anything from hiring a personal trainer to checking in with a friend or relative to posting about what you did on social media or blog. Whatever you decide to do, make sure that you have someone else following along who can and will ask you about your resolutions if you don't tell them first.

Set clear expectations and be sure that wherever or however you are creating accountability,  you receive that feedback and questioning piece.


Having support along the way is crucial to your success, but the good news is that there are all sorts of accountability groups online even if you don't know anyone willing to be that cheerleader you need when things get tough. Join a Facebook group or forum, introduce yourself and make it a point to get to know a few other active members to generate the rapport you need. Find a training or support group either in your area or online. Spend some time on your search engine of choice looking for resources: websites, books, reference guides or (better yet) honest to God people who are knowledgeable about the subject of your resolution. The more access to data and interaction you have, the more likely you will succeed because your goals will be in the forefront of your thoughts multiple times a day as you engage with those people or materials.


Keeping track of where you started and where you're going is important during any pursuit. Take photos of yourself before you start working out or eating better, of your house before you begin your new cleaning regimen. Write notes about how your relationship with your children is before you begin making more time for them. Be aware that you will likely feel all sorts of negative emotions when you do this, because after all this is something that you wish to change about yourself. But if you don't record your starting point, how can you truly track where you are in your plan?

Don't just take "before" photos or notes, either. Be sure continue doing so at specific intervals: each week perhaps, or each month. Be sure you update your log at a regular interval that is not too spread out from your last entry. 

Review your log each time you add a new entry and compare where you are to where you were before. If something is not going well, reflect back on your actions and behaviors to see if you can discern the root cause. This will help you to adapt your action plan (and possibly your goals) accordingly.


It's too easy for you to say, "I've been doing good so I'm going to eat a cheat meal" and then that quickly turns into a return to your prior poor nutritional habits. Establish a reward system for yourself: when X happens, I will Y.  "When I have lost 10 pounds, I will get that scarf I've been eyeing" or "When I have consistently spent time with my kids each day for 2 weeks I will plan a special date with my significant other for a place I've wanted to go."

It's optimal if the reward you intend for yourself once you achieve your intermediate task is related or beneficial to your end goal. This isn't a requirement, but it does better set you up for success. Maybe you purchase a new piece of training gear or something you can use to meal prep more conveniently for example. 


When your visualization techniques aren't working and you're on the fence about whether to persist toward your goal or take a break for a day, I find that it is incredibly helpful to take a step back. Look at the situation and the argument against taking the necessary steps toward your goal. Is that argument valid reasoning, or an excuse?

Examples of potentially valid reasoning:
  • I feel extremely sore and tired 
    • If this is related to a resolution to work out, remember that you must give yourself rest days to recover. You could potentially be overtraining. Refer to my article on muscle soreness for more information about this topic.
  • I am sick
  • You're running late/overslept
    • But can you fit in even an abbreviated form of your resolution later in the day? If you don't take steps to make it happen in some form or fashion, then this becomes an excuse.

Examples of excuses:
  • I don't feel like it
    • Understand that it takes discipline to reach goals, just like going to work or caring for your pets or children. You must be willing to do what needs to be done regardless of when you 'feel like' doing it. 
  • I got distracted and forgot the time
    • If it's a priority you'll set a reminder, if that's what it takes.
  • I'm having a bad day
    • It happens, but even on bad days you still have to tend to your responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is to yourself and your resolution(s).
  • It's cold/hot/raining/etc
    • Even if there is a weather advisory, if your resolution pertains to working out you can still train indoors even if you don't want to step foot outside.


Everyone falls off the wagon from time to time. It happens to the best of us. It is therefore crucial that you cultivate a sense of self-forgiveness when you mess up. If this is an issue you struggle with, take some time to read this article from Psychology Today.

Another important thing is to prevent the mistake from becoming habitual. If this is a challenge for you, take a look at ﻿this article about how to break bad habits﻿.

It is okay to make mistakes. Each time you do and learn from them, you gain a little more self-knowledge to help you succeed in the future. Just get back on the wagon, let it go, and keep on rollin' from wherever you are now.
<![CDATA[Nutrition Tips for Travel]]>Fri, 14 Dec 2018 06:00:00 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/nutrition-tips-for-travelPicture
The bulk of the nation is in the midst of travel or inundated with lots of dietary challenges with all the holiday parties, events with big dinners, and year-end celebrations as we ramp up for 2019. Historically this is the season that is busiest for me, and I don't have as much time to cook.

Although this week's article is about how to eat when on the move, it's also useful for people who are just too busy to meal prep. Nutrition is one of the largest factors in your overall health and wellness, so to toss that out the window because you have a lot going on or are traveling makes settling into your usual routine a nightmare once things calm down. So let's get to it: ways to mitigate the damage to your hard work.


The actual transportation portion of your trip is the first place you have an opportunity to take responsibility for your own success. Here are some things you can do while in transit:
  • Take your own food and healthy snacks whenever possible so that you don't rely on convenience eating on the road. I usually keep some snacks in my car so if I get hungry I can tide myself over until I get to my destination. If your food needs to be kept cool, be sure to take a cooler or cooler bag. Check out this article which lists healthy snack ideas for plane rides and this article for forming balanced diets out of gas station foods.
  • Pack -- and DRINK -- water. When on the go we commonly do not drink as much, and this is crucial to keeping your system running optimally. If on a long flight, pack an empty drink bottle and once you are on board, ask the flight attendant to fill it for you. Planes in particular are very dry (10-15% humidity) and moisture is drained from you. For more about hydration check out my prior blog post about the ins and outs of hydration. 
  • Avoid alcohol, soda, tea and coffee while in transit as these all dehydrate you.
  • For long trips where a meal is served on your transport-of-choice, you can usually request a special meal for the ride -- just give the airline a call about a week before your trip to arrange.
  • Long hours of travel upset your digestive system. Be sure to drink plenty of water and eat fiber-rich foods to minimize the tummy trouble.
  • Here are some tips for overcoming jet lag:
    • Before departing, consume a high-carb meal to build extra glycogen and fluid stores.
    • Drink one cup (8 oz) of water for every hour of air travel.
    • Upon arrival, go out into the sunlight to help adjust to the new time zone.
    • Some of the previously-mentioned tips apply here too: limit coffee, tea, soda and alcohol and pack healthy snacks for the trip.


The next thing to consider is what happens when you get where you're going. While many will be eating home-cooked meals at least on the holidays themselves and it's hard to tell Grandma that you don't want three helpings, those who love us care about our well-being and we need to think in terms of the long con rather than short-term satisfaction.
  • Be mindful of your portions as when we are traveling we are usually not as active, especially around the holidays when we're primarily visiting with friends and family (i.e., sitting around talking). You may need to eat less depending on your level of activity on your trip versus when you are at home. Forced inactivity or boredom on your journey often leads to overeating -- before digging in, ask yourself whether you are actually hungry or wanting to eat because you're not doing anything else. Try drinking a glass of water and waiting 10-15 minutes. Traveling from warmer climates to colder ones may make you feel like you need to eat more as well -- just be aware of the environment change and how that may impact your sensations of hunger.
  • Limit caffeine consumption as this will affect your already disrupted sleeping patterns.
  • Limit alcohol consumption as it is empty calories which dehydrate you.
  • Know your destination. Will you be required to eat out often, and if so what restaurants are you likely to go to? Do some research -- check out articles like this one which lists the healthiest options available at 40 popular restaurants, and this one which lists tips about how to order healthy while eating out.
  • If eating at a buffet:
    • Avoid overeating by looking at all of the options first before putting anything on your plate.
    • Eat like you would at home: one meal, following the same serving sizes you would normally have.
    • Once you finish, leave if you can so you don't eat out of boredom.
    • Limit high fat items (such as anything fried, crispy, creamy, or buttery). Opt for baked, broiled, steamed, poached or in tomato sauce.
  • Prepare your own foods and snacks as much as possible. Many hotels have mini-fridges, coffee makers and microwaves; some even have cooking facilities and dishes in your room.
    • Try to shop for food along the outer perimeter of the supermarket (the center is where all the processed stuff is) and prepare as much fresh, whole food as you can for yourself. Personally I am a fan of frozen steamer bags of veggies as a good starting point -- just be aware that any sauces that are included in some of the "meal in a bag" steamers are high in sodium. Read your nutrition facts and ingredient lists.
    • Pack utensils, containers to store leftovers, spices, TSA-approved BYO condiment packets, can opener, napkins and Zip-lock bags in your check-in bag or purchase some disposable stuff from the grocer. 
    • Once at your destination, think like a squirrel and stash snacks in your purse or pockets or bring a lunchbox with you. 
  • Here are some snack ideas and cooking-in-a-hotel-room resources:
    • This article lists healthy snack ideas for travel.
    • This article has a lot of ideas for ways to cook in a hotel room.
    • This article has some great breakfast ideas for hotel room cooking.
    • This article lists several recipes for meals you can make with limited resources, again in your hotel.
<![CDATA[15 Fitness Myths Debunked]]>Fri, 07 Dec 2018 06:00:00 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/15-fitness-myths-debunkedPicture
In the information age we have all kinds of research at our fingertips, but not a lot of time to sift through to find the accurate advice from the chaff. There are also plenty of commonly-held beliefs that hold sway simply because we hear them all the time. Today we'll deconstruct some common misconceptions and myths and (hopefully) perform a little course correction.

Myth #1: Crunches Will Give You a 6-Pack

The Truth: Abs are made through a favorable change in body composition achieved through a combination of cardio, resistance and core training supported by healthy eating habits.

Core work including crunches increases muscular endurance, strength, spinal stabilization and posture. However, if you eat a poorly-balanced and/or highly processed diet, refrain from cardio and resistance training you will not get that 6-pack. In my personal experience, that nutrition piece has been the key that makes all the training fall into place when it comes to midriff muscle definition.

Myth #2: Eating Late At Night Will Make You Fat

The Truth: The total number of calories you consume throughout the day is what matters.

When you eat your daily allotment of calories matters less than your energy intake vs. output. That said, eating smaller meals throughout the day or engaging in intermittent fasting helps keep hunger at bay and may prevent you from overeating, which is the common late night culprit.

Myth #3: More Protein Means More Muscle

The Truth: Your body can only synthesize a certain amount of protein; excess is passed through the urine.

The maximum amount of protein one can assimilate for the use of building muscle per meal is 30g depending on body type, kind of training you do and metabolism. When you exceed that amount, you place a strain on your kidney and colon as you pass that protein out through your urine. You may even see weight gain (that is not muscle). Nutritionists say that one should focus on eating a balanced diet. 

Note: it is also commonly believed that eating protein every few hours is important to maintain muscle. Research, however, indicates that as long as you consume the required amount through meals there is no need for more.

Myth #4: Weight Training Means Getting Bulky

The Truth: If you want to turn into the Hulk, you'll need to overhaul your nutrition plan in addition to pumping iron.

Women in particular are often terrified that if they train with weights they will bulk up, and that just isn't going to happen because women lack the chemical makeup required. Unless a woman adjusts to extreme training volumes, strict dietary habits and potentially supplementation she will not turn into a bodybuilder -- and nor will men for that matter! Take a look at this article for an in-depth look at this concern.

Myth #5: The More You Sweat, The More Fat You Burn

The Truth: The harder your body is working, the more calories you will burn. 

If you're running outside in Houston in the summer you'll sweat more than you would indoors on a treadmill with the A/C set to 60. Your sweat isn't an accurate metric.

Myth #6: No PAin, No Gain

The Truth: Pain is not an indication of muscle growth; it is an indication that you are working beyond your body's current capacity, are fatigued or possibly suffering nutrient deficiencies. Increases to your number of reps, the weight you can lift, cardiovascular endurance, and physical appearance are more reliable indicators.

You need to listen to your body in order to avoid injury. If you are always sore after a workout, you are likely pushing too hard and have a greater potential for injury. If your pain lasts for several days, you need to get it checked out as it may be an injury.

Athletes in particular (and by 'athlete' I am referring to anyone who trains consistently) are more likely to ignore pain during their workouts, which actually sets them up for injury as they don't go to the doctor or take steps to treat the issue when symptoms arise. See this article about workout pains you should never ignore.

Myth #7: Vegans and Vegetarians Can't Build Muscle

The Truth: Plants have protein. 

I have been vegan for 2 years, and was vegetarian for a decade before that. I certainly don't have any problem building muscle. As with anyone else with any form of diet, it's about balancing your nutrition and putting in the work. Have a look at bodybuilders Nimai Delgado, Jon Venus, or Torre Washington -- they are all vegan.

Myth #8: Longer Workouts Mean Better Results

The Truth: Quality over quantity.

Short, focused, intense workouts are as effective -- and sometimes more effective -- than long workouts where you are distracted or not giving your full effort.

With the exception of endurance athletes who are specifically training to be able to continue heavy labor over long stretches of time, it is safe to say that if you only have 20 minutes to work out, if you give it all you have for those 20 minutes you will come away with great fitness benefits.

Myth #9: With Hard Work, Anything is Achievable

The Truth: Hard work delivers amazing results, but if the transformation you envision is in contrast to your natural body shape you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

Be realistic with your body goals and try to draw inspiration from people who have a similar body type. You may also opt to perform exercises that help balance your proportions, but keep in mind that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

Myth #10: Cutting Calories is the Key to Weight Loss

The Truth: Not eating enough calories can lead to weight gain as the body will go into 'survival mode' and store everything it can.

Consult your trainer, nutritionist or doctor regarding how many calories you need in a day in order to maintain proper energy and functionality and make sure your intake is aligned with this number. 

Myth #11: Carbs Are the Enemy

The Truth: Imbalance in energy intake vs output (how many calories you take in versus how many calories you burn during your daily activities) is what causes fat gain.

With ketogenic diets being a hot item in the nutrition world right now, it's easy to believe the fallacy that carbs are the enemy. Carbs are actually the body's preferred fuel source, but it's important to eat healthy carbs like fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, beans and legumes rather than refined carbs such as white rice, white pasta, processed snacks and sweets.

I personally have tried high-protein and high-carb macro ratios, and once my body adjusted to one or the other it functioned equally well. The key is to find an eating style that works for your lifestyle, as everyone's body performs differently.

Myth #12: Spot Reduction Works

The Truth: You need to perform exercises to tone the muscles while also working overall to burn away excess fat so that you will be able to see the muscles.

You can't tell fat cells to accumulate in a specific area, and you can't therefore burn them off in one specific area. Your focus should be on overall toning and weight loss, with strengthening work performed to tone the muscles you want to build up.

Myth #13: Early Morning is the Optimal Time to Train

The Truth: Consistency is the key, not the time of day.

My early bird clients always tell me that they love to work out in the morning because they get it done and have the rest of the day to do everything else. While it's true that morning workouts leave less room for other obligations to crowd out training time, everyone has a different circadian rhythm and preference. Train at whatever time works best for you, so that you can remain consistent.

Myth #14: Exercise is the Best Way to Lose Weight

The Truth: Slimming down almost always starts with significant changes to your diet.

Exercise burns calories, and the way to lose weight is to adjust that aforementioned energy intake vs output ratio. However, you can't just 'work off' whatever you eat -- truth be told, physically you feel worse eating unhealthy, processed foods and your performance suffers. Adjusting your nutritional hygiene is a major step toward seeing the results you want.

Myth #15: It Takes at Least 2 Weeks to Get "Out of Shape"

The Truth: Muscle tissue can begin to break down within a week without regular exercise, and degrades from there.

When you stop training, you will begin to see signs of de-conditioning in as few as 7 days of complete rest. Your body is programmed for "use it or lose it, so yet again consistency is key.
<![CDATA[Correcting Tech Neck]]>Fri, 02 Nov 2018 14:04:11 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/correcting-tech-neckPicture
Our technology is great, but it comes with certain costs. One of those is the health of our cervical spine and our overall posture. Each and every one of us is guilty of holding our tablets, phones or other mobile devices such as wearables, laptops and gaming systems down low and craning our neck to look at the screen. This affects everything from hormone production to balance and eventually serious injuries which may require surgery to correct. Today we'll discuss what we can do to fight this new wellness battle.


"Tech neck" is the layman's term used to describe the consequences of long-term forward-leaning flexion of your head and neck while looking down at your phone, tablet or other device. It can cause muscle strain, disc injury, nerve impingement and arthritic changes in your neck -- as well as the development of added neck wrinkles, continual neck and shoulder pain, headaches, and shooting pain down your arms

The average human head weighs 10-12 pounds, but according to one study, with the head tilted 15 degrees forward the effect of the head's weight is equal to 27 pounds. By the time you tilt your head to 60 degrees, that effect shoots up to 60 pounds. As that weight increases and the spin falls out of alignment and extra pressure is placed on the spine. This will trigger neck pain, herniated discs, and in more serious cases surgery may be required.

Correct posture has been linked to​ increases in testosterone (male hormone), decreases in cortisol (stress hormone), and increased feelings of power and comfort with risk-taking. In short, our posture affects us in many different ways and fixing postural imbalances should be a priority especially in our primarily sedentary, tech-driven society.


All of us have some degree of tech neck, due to the culture we live in. First, let's talk about ameliorating the symptoms we have:
I covered many neck and shoulder stretches and exercises in my prior article, Stretching & Strengthening for Computer Users. As applicable, I will indicate below when details of the stretch/exercise can be found in that article.
  • CHIN TUCK: Found in my prior article, described as 'back of neck stretch.'
  • NECK EXTENSION & SIDE NECK STRETCH: Found in my prior article, described as 'head tilts.' For a more intense stretch, press gently on your forehead when looking up at the ceiling and hold for 20 seconds; repeat 5 times. Do this twice a day. As regards side neck stretch, do not press on your head or contract your neck muscles; allow gravity to do the work for you.
  • UPRIGHT CHEST LIFT: Found in my prior article, described as 'chest butterflies.' Lean your head back to look up at the ceiling for additional neck stretch.
  • YWTLs: Perform these standing up.
    • "Y": Extend your arms straight up, stretching fingertips toward the ceiling and rotation your wrists so your thumbs are pointed at the wall behind you. Hold for 30 seconds.
    • "W": Drop both upper arms to the left and right so they are parallel to the floor, elbows at 90 degrees, with your fingers still pointing up and your thumbs pointing behind you. (You’ll form a human goal post.) Contract your upper-back muscles. Hold for 30 seconds.
    • “T”: Drop your lower arms so your fingertips are pointing to the walls on either side of you, rotating your wrists so your thumbs are still pointing behind you. Hold for 30 seconds.
    • “L”: Drop your upper arms to your sides, bend your elbows 90 degrees, and contract the muscles between your shoulder blades to reach your thumbs back towards the wall behind you, keeping your palms facing up. Hold for 30 seconds.
  • DOORJAMB POSTURE ASSESSMENT/STRETCH: Standing in a doorway, position yourself two feet from the frame but with your pelvis and upper spine touching the doorjamb. The back of your head should also touch the jamb—if it doesn’t, position a folded-up towel between your head and the jamb. Reach your arms forward at shoulder height, palms down. Bend your elbows. Hold for 60 seconds. Repeat 3-4 times a day.
  • YOGA: Check out Yoga Journal's article on poses to counteract tech neck.
As regards the damage to the skin itself, dermatologists recommend that you exfoliate your chest and neck once a week using a mask, mild scrub or peel. You may also use neck rejuvenation patches, which are made by a variety of companies to reduce wrinkling and skin damage.


You likely already suffer the effects of tech neck, but in order to truly correct it, you will need to engage not only with treatment methods, but also take preventative measures to ensure you don't exacerbate the condition. Here are some things you can do in order to maintain proper cervical spine health:
  • SET TIME LIMITS: Limit the amount of time and frequency that you use your device(s). If you have to use it for extended amounts of time due to work etc, take breaks. Develop a habit of taking a 3-minute break for every 15-20 minutes you use your device and while using it, change your posture and move around. Check out this article for tips on improving posture and ergonomics.
  • SET AUTOMATIC REMINDERS: This is getting easier with apps on phones and built into some websites such as Facebook. Use an automatic alarm with your smart device to remind you to take time out.
  • DOWNLOAD POSTURE APPS: There are apps available that track your posture based on the tilt angle of your phone and provide real-time feedback while others walk you through stretches to strengthen your neck muscles. Some you may want to check out include Text Neck IndicatorSimply Align, and Posture.
  • USE A TABLET HOLDER: Use a holder to elevate your device to significantly reduce the amount of neck flexion and forward positioning. Try to keep the device as close to eye-level as possible.
  • KEEP YOUR MONITOR AT EYE LEVEL: Even your PC's monitor can cause tech neck, unless you keep it set at eye level. Also consider a standing desk, which helps with posture and movement and can help reduce the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
  • HOLD YOUR PHONE IN THE PROPER POSITION TO TEXT: We most often hold our phones down low, which is why our necks are constantly in flexion. The proper positioning for texting is to hold the phone at eye-level, as with the tablet holder mentioned above.​
  • STAND UP STRAIGHT: Good posture (chin tucked and shoulders rolled back and down) keeps the body aligned and in neutral position.
  • USE YOUR INDEX FINGER TO TEXT RATHER THAN YOUR THUMB: This causes less strain down your arms.
  • USE VOICE COMMANDS: Rather than texting, use voice commands so that you reduce how often you need to look at your screen. Check out these complete lists of commands for 'OK, Google', Siri and Cortana.
  • SPREAD OUT YOUR SCREEN TIME: Rather than waiting until the end of the day to cram all of your digital tasks in, set reminders on your smart device(s) for certain intervals throughout the day, so that you avoid consecutive hours of electronic work.
  • ARCH AND STRETCH: Arching the neck and upper back backward periodically will help ease muscle pain.
  • SIT IN A CHAIR WITH A HEADREST: ...and make sure the back of your head is flush against the headrest. This will ensure you're not flexing your neck.
  • STAY HYDRATED: Yes, hydration plays a part in this, too. Because the disks in the spine consist largely of water, frequent hydration is critical in preventing tech neck and keeping disks healthy and pliable.
  • EXERCISE REGULARLY: The stronger and more flexible your neck and back are, the less likely they will become strained.
  • USE PAIN AS A WARNING: If you have pain in your neck, between the shoulder blades, frequent headaches or numbness/tingling in your arms, you may have a more serious issue to address. Pay attention to these warning signs and act quickly to make changes to reduce or eliminate neck strain.

If all of the above steps have been taken and your pain is still a problem, seek help from a qualified medical professional.
<![CDATA[Periodization and Plateaus]]>Fri, 26 Oct 2018 14:00:00 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/periodization-and-plateausPicture
Maybe you made a New Year's resolution. Perhaps you have a special event coming up. You may just have woken up one day and realized that you aren't at the place you want to be with your overall health and wellness. For whatever reason, you start a training plan. It's going great, and you begin losing weight and building muscle. You stick to what works for several months, and end up hitting a plateau. Now the weight stops melting off. Maybe you even gain a little back. Suddenly you're having trouble getting back to that state you were in at first, with the type of strength and endurance gains that you were seeing so quickly at first. This is a natural result of becoming fitter. Your body adapts to the demands placed on it, and it requires new stressors (new movement types, training intensities and styles) in order to yield fresh weight loss and muscle gain.



Periodization is known to have been used in sports as far back 
2nd century AD, when Galen and Philostratus developed training theories which laid the foundation for contemporary training periodization in order to excel at the Olympic games. Galen in particular implemented the idea of building strength without speed and speed without strength, and then using intense exercises to combine both elements after they had been trained individually.

In the 20th century, a couple of fresh faces offered up the bones which would eventually meld together to form modern periodization.

A factory supervisor named Frederick Winslow Taylor founded the Principles of Scientific Management which laid out a systematic method of organization and planning in order to achieve the best outcomes in the most efficient manner.

Hans Selye was an endocrinologist who studied non-specific responses of an organism to stressors. He identified two types of stress:  eustress, which generates beneficial muscle strength and growth; and distress, which leads to tissue damage and disease. 

Selye's General Adapatation Syndrome (GAS) model describes predictable way the body responds to stress, outlined in 3 phases: the alarm stage, where the body isn't sure of what's happening and provides a burst of energy (also known as "fight or flight"); the resistance stage, where the body attempts to fight back by adapting to the stressor (muscle growth and improvement); and the exhaustion stage, when the long-term stressor is not removed and the body has depleted all of its energy (over-training). Speaking in terms of the GAS model, the principle of periodization is used to prevent over-training (the exhaustion stage) and keep the body constantly adapting to new stressors (the resistance stage) in order to consistently achieve beneficial results.

Modern periodization combined  the principles of Taylor and Selye with Soviet 5-year plans. It originated in Russia after the 1956 Olympic games and is credited to sports scientist Lev P. Matveyev. After its initial implementation, Romanian sports scientist Tudor Bompa further expanded its scope.

In more recent years, GAS has been criticized as a basis for periodization theory because it describes response to a general stressor and was not created specifically for fitness training. As a result, two new models were developed: the Stimulus-Fatigue-Recovery-Adaptation (SFRA) model which states that training stress is dependent on many factors such as intensity and volume of training; and the Fitness-Fatigue model (also known as the Impulse-Response model), which suggests that fitness and fatigue are inversely related and thus strategies that maximize fitness and decrease fatigue are most optimal.

The SFRA model can be seen in the progressive overloads found in strength training and the implementation of rest days in order to give your body time to recover. A well-known example of the Fitness-Fatigue model is tapering, where training volume is dialed back in order to eliminate fatigue and express maximal strength, power and endurance leading up to a fitness event.


There are several proven benefits to utilizing a form of periodization in your workout cycles, as follows:
  • Maximizes both general and specific adaptations due to the cyclic structure, meaning that your overall fitness improves as well as the specific attributes you are training up;
  • Optimizing performance over a specific period of time;
  • Management of fatigue, reducing risk of over-training and injury;
  • Individual tailoring for your time constraints, training age and status, and environmental factors;
  • The cumulative effect of months and years of these cycles produce dramatic results;
  • Eliminating boredom by introducing variety;
  • Eliminating the plateau effect by constantly giving your body new stressors to adapt to.
A study performed at the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University has shown that a periodized strength traning program can produce better results than a non-periodized program. It was published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise in 2001 and its purpose was to determine the long-term adaptations associated with low-volume, circuit-type training vs. periodized, high-volume resistance training in women. These effects are also seen in periodized cardiovascular training as well, so regardless of the type of training you perform, periodization will accelerate your progress.


There are 3 types of periodization cycles: a microcycle is a period up to 7 days; a mesocycle is anywhere from 2 weeks to a few months; and a macrocycle is the overall training period (usually a year).

Training programs placed on an indefinite loop (i.e., for general health and wellness not tied to a specific event) use 1 week for the microcycle, 1 month for the mesocycle, and 1 year for the macrocycle. If you have a hard deadline (such as an event), however, your cycles will change according to your needs.


Before discussing how to use periodization in your own workout cycles, it's critical to go over some of the fundamental concepts:
  • A training stimulus needs to be big enough to push you into the "resistance" phase, but not so big or long-term as to lead to exhaustion. Therefore, training stimuli need to be changed periodically.
  • Each phase of training should be devoted to a single physical characteristic, or a narrow range of characteristics. Training too many physical qualities simultaneously will decrease the rates of adaptation for all of them while increasing risk of exhaustion. This concept also supports the idea of cycling training goals.
  • Training load can be progressed over time as prior exposure to a stressor allows one to tolerate a larger stressor in the future without experiencing exhaustion.

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) uses the Optimum Performance Training (OPT) model​Clients of a NASM trainer will work on different aspects of physical fitness according to their goals on a periodized cycle. These cycles focus on certain key elements of fitness as shown in the diagram below. As a client progresses through cycles of the OPT training phases, their training intensities and loads increase per the aforementioned concepts.
Stabilization endurance refers to your base fitness and works on improving your balance, coordination, endurance and core stabilizer strength. This is also where corrective exercise is performed in order to ameliorate muscle imbalances, posture and general stability and proprioception.

Strength endurance trains up muscle strength while still working on your core stabilizers and endurance.

Hypertrophy cycles focus on muscle growth using high volume with short rest periods.

Maximal strength increases the recruitment of more motor units, rate of force production and motor unit synchronization. This is more sport-specific and often a main focus for bodybuilders and powerlifters.

Power​ refers to explosive energy adaptation used in sprinting and powerlifting. This is another sport-specific focus that is not often implemented by those seeking general fitness benefits.

The above categories of training are employed in different periodization models according to preference, need, and how the body responds to each. ​The most common models are linear (traditional) periodization, block periodization and undulating periodization.


This refers to the system developed back in the 50s and 60s by Matveyev and later honed by Bompa. When using this form of periodization, the training volume decreases over time while training intensity and load increase over time with a taper at the end leading into the next cycle.

This is a training structure in which volume and intensity/load both go up and down repeatedly over time. There are two primary subcategories: weekly undulating periodization (WUP) and daily undulating periodization (DUP).

WUP fluctuates in volume and intensity each week. So if in a linear/traditional style you would lift 70% 1RM (one rep max) on week 1, 75% on week 2, 80% on week 3 and 85% on week 4, a weekly undulating approach may instead be 70% on week 1, 80% on week 2, 75% on week 3 and 85% on week 4. Rather than simply increasing each week, the intensity goes up, down, up, down.
A daily undulating periodization style would mean that if your weekly intensity is 75% 1RM, your first session that week might be 70% and your second session 80%. The overall intensity will equal the week's scheduled load, but how you reach that goal within the week is through a series of different intensities.


This style of programming was originally designed for sports that had more than one major competition or event per year. It is more generally described as having a block focused on strength endurance, followed by a block focused on hypertrophy, following by a block focused on maximal strength, followed by a block focused on power and velocity (followed by a competition block if a team sport athlete).
For years, periodization theorists (and enthusiasts) have argued about which model is the best (and why other models are inferior), which is why the research has treated them as separate concepts.


If you're working with a personal trainer or following a pre-made fitness program, you are already working within the periodization model. However, if your workouts are independent of this form of guidance, you can style your plan using periodization methods by considering the factors below:
  • Choice of exercises;
  • Order of exercises;
  • Resistance/load;
  • Number of sets per exercise;
  • Number of exercises per muscle group;
  • Repetitions;
  • Type of contraction;
  • Speed of movement;
  • Rest periods between sets;
  • Rest periods between training sessions;
  • Nutritional status

Most sports utilize 12-week cycles, meaning that the training style and focus remains the same for 3 months and then changes using any number of the above-listed variables. If you have a particular event in mind, however, your cycle duration may change.

Depending on your starting fitness level, you may need to cycle between the first two phases of training (stabilization endurance and strength endurance, as described above) a a few times before progressing to the hypertrophy stage. For general weight loss and fitness, you will remain in phases 1 and 2 for most of your training. You may vary any of the aforementioned factors in order to provide variety within that scope, however. A few ideas for starting your own program design can be found here. There are all kinds of periodization samples and mock-ups online, with a variety of theories behind each. Take the time to find what works for you -- or seek out a personal trainer to assist in your personal programming.


Every training plan and trainer says the same thing: consistency is key​. The problem lies in the following: For professional athletes, their lives revolve around training. For everyone else, training revolves around their lives. 

What I mean by this is simply that life happens​ and sometimes things come up which interrupts your perfect training schedule: work gets busy; you get sick; your kids get sick; vacation; family joys or crises happen; and so on. Unless you are a professional athlete, this means your training will drop back or be put on hold until things clear up again as working out is not your first priority. Here are a few important things to remember when things come up:
  • Don't beat yourself up. Guilt is a common reaction when you have a workout schedule -- created by yourself, your trainer, your fitness club, etc -- and you miss something (or several somethings). If you missed because you felt under the weather (refer back to my blog about training when sick), your family needed you, or otherwise your chores and duties kept you away, then you have valid reason for skipping a workout.
  • If you missed because your heart wasn't in it or you felt bored, it may be a passing issue. If it becomes chronic, you may need to reconsider you plan; you should also look beyond the workout to what in your life is coloring your perspective about your workouts. Wellness isn't just your activity level and nutrition.
  • DO NOT TRY TO 'MAKE UP' MISSED WORKOUTS. Adding more workouts into a smaller number of days creates the potential for injury, soreness and excessive fatigue, which could lead to another loss of time.
  • If you miss 3 or fewer days, you can return to training as if there was no lapse.
  • If you miss 4 days to a week, you will need to consider that lapse as a rest week. Your schedule will need to be adjusted accordingly. If you were to perform peak workouts during the time you missed, especially if your time off was due to illness these will need to be delayed and plugged in later in the training program.
  • Upon returning to exercise after less than a week off, you may see an increase in heart rate and perceived exertion at common output levels depending on whether your lapse was due to sickness. In this case, your training plan will need to be geared down to build your endurance and strength back up again. The degree of adjustment will vary depending on the severity of your condition.
  • If you miss more than a week, your training plan will need to drop back as many days as you missed. If you missed 10 days and left off on the 18th of the month, count backwards 10 days and start training over again using the plan for the 8th of the month. In some cases especially if you were sick, you may need to drop back even further; be sure to listen to your body. For longer lapses (2 weeks or more), be sure to perform an updated fitness assessment so that your programming is accurate for your current fitness level.
  • If you were in a base phase of your program, lapses in training can generally be handled more leniently. The further along in your plan you were when you missed workouts, the more likely you will need to drop training back as outlined above.

<![CDATA[Cold Weather Workouts: What to Wear, Tips & Tricks]]>Fri, 19 Oct 2018 05:00:00 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/cold-weather-workouts-what-to-wear-tips-tricksPicture
As fall marches on toward winter, it's important to dress properly for your workouts in order to ensure that you may continue training without injury or excessive discomfort. Unless you live in a climate which is mild year-round, the chill of the latter half of the year can present a challenge -- sometimes even a roadblock -- to the maintenance of your usual fitness regimen. Today we'll go over some tips on what to wear, how to layer and how to train as the seasons become cooler.


The main thing to remember about training in the cold is that the key is layering clothing made of technical materials

There are two main methods of dressing for colder temperatures, but what I will describe today is the "Wicking Method" as I find it to be the most common, most popular tactic. For more information on the "Sauna Method," check out this TrainingPeaks article.
Cotton is great for towels, but terrible for training gear because it absorbs water and sweat and retains it. There's nothing worse than having cold sweat rubbing up against your skin when you're exercising outdoors in the winter (or any time of the year, let's be real). 

Tech materials such as nylon, polyester, spandex, polypropylene and any number of blends wick moisture away which keeps you drier and warmer. They also tend to dry much faster than cotton. If you'd still prefer a natural material, wool is a good choice.

Everyone's cold tolerance is different, as is each person's workout. Someone from Minnesota can handle the cold much better than someone from South Florida. And if you're doing a long run for several hours outside, your needs will be different from someone who is attending an hour-long bootcamp session. A good rule of thumb is to add 20 degrees to the outside temperature to calculate your "training temperature," which is how warm you feel once moving. This doesn't take into consideration the humidity (rain) or windchill, and it's dependent on body size, training intensity and duration of exercise. Smaller people or those working out for a short or easy session should only add 10 to 15 degrees to estimate training temperature.

It's best to try out the information listed below and adjust as necessary for your training needs. Rather than a single thick layer, it is always better to wear several thinner layers so that you may adjust as needed during your session.
​Your base layer can be any sleeve length which works for you, but should be made of breathable tech material. It is best if this layer is form-fitted. Your outermost layer should be condition-appropriate: if it's windy, wear a windbreaker or wind vest. If it's sunny, opt for fleece, wool or another cold weather shirt over your bottom layer. Consider arm and leg warmers, particularly if you are a cyclist. Swimmers should consider a long sleeve rash guard to provide an extra later of insulation if they have trouble keeping warm. When it's raining, be sure to always wear a waterproof outer layer.

A great deal of heat escapes from the head, so the colder it gets the more you will want to consider protecting your head and neck. Hats and beanies/skullcaps are warmer than headbands. Turtlenecks help keep your neck warm and protected, but neck gaiters/buffs can be used to protect your face and may also be removed once you warm up. Balaclavas, in addition to making you look like a ninja, provide extra protection for your entire neck and head including your face.

Your hands and feet are most likely to get cold quickly as when the temperature drops your body relocates much of the blood to the core to preserve your internal temperature. This can help protect against hypothermia, but leaves your extremities prone to frostnip (skin numbness or tingling due to cold) or all-out frostbite (damage due to freezing skin). Depending on the temperature, consider gloves or mittens that provide appropriate insulation. If it's particularly cold you will need a glove liner as well. For the feet, be sure to use socks made of tech material or smart wool. Cyclists may consider neoprene booties, toe covers or shoe covers

If you're training in the snow and ice be sure that your shoes have a good grip. If running in snow, try vapor barrier or waterproof socks (SealSkinz is a good brand); another option is to wear a plastic bag between your socks and shoes. 

As it gets dark earlier, be sure to wear reflective clothing or add lights and reflective straps or a vest to your outermost layer. You will also want to keep dry, warm clothes on hand in your car or at your starting point so that you may immediately remove your wet training gear.


Athletes who routinely consume water or sports drinks in the summer heat are much less likely to do so in the colder months. Cold weather is often drier, especially at higher altitudes. More fluid is lost as vapor through breathing. Cold also suppresses thirst so athletes don't think they need as much water. Failure to drink carries the same risks in the cold as in the heat: dehydration, bonking and even fatigue-related injury, so it is critical to establish and execute a hydration schedule during the winter months. 

Drink water or a sports drink during all workouts lasting longer than an hour on a schedule of 4-6oz every 10 to 15 minutes. Consider heating your drink of choice before heading outdoors to make it more palatable, as many do not drink because they don't wish to feel cold.



When your body temperature drops, your appetite is stimulated as your body attempts to entice you to consume extra food to keep it fueled and warm. If you become chilled during your winter workout, you will likely find yourself craving more fuel than usual. Due to thermogenesis, 30-60 minutes after you eat your body generates about 10% more heat than when you have an empty stomach.

Cold weather itself does not increase calorie needs and you don't burn extra calories unless your body temperature drops to the point that you begin to shiver. However, your body expends a lot of energy warming and humidifying the air you breathe when you exercise in the cold. If you are wearing a lot of extra gear -- skis or boots, a heavy parka, snow shoes etc -- then you will expend some extra calories from carrying the additional weight but the extra clothing of your average winter runner will not affect nutrition requirements.

Although more calories are burned when the air is especially cold and dry and snow, ice and slush makes your muscles work harder, in milder winter weather your nutrition needs are predominantly affected by your ability to dress properly for the weather. If you're consuming considerably more calories thank usual in temperatures above freezing, you probably need to adjust your training gear.


  • Check the forecast before heading out. Temperature, wind and moisture and duration of your training are all critical factors to planning a safe winter workout.
  • Extend your warm-up time to accommodate the temperature and do a little extra stretching post-workout, as frigid muscles are like taffy on ice -- they're more prone to injury if not properly warmed up and eased back into form during cool-down.
  • On windy days, if you are running, cycling, snowshoeing etc plan your route so that you move into the wind on the way out so that you have the wind at your back when you return. Running into the wind when you are wet and sweaty will cause you to chill very quickly and you will feel extra cold.
  • Make sure that your layers are easy to pull off and replace as needed. If you know that you will be shedding layers, plan a loop traversal so you can circle back and drop off extra layers at your starting point, or carry a hydration pack or other such gear so that you have a place to stow the extra layers as you train.
  • Safeguard electronics in a waterproof case. When it's cold it's also often wet or potentially so with snow and ice in play.
  • Always have a buddy or carry your phone and a credit/debit card. On especially cold days there is a greater chance that you may encounter a situation where you have to stop exercising far from your starting point (having a severe muscle cramp, falling, etc) and your body will produce considerably less heat. If this happens you may have a life-threatening situation on your hands, so you will need a buddy or your phone to call for help. Avoid training too far out or taking unfamiliar routes on extra frigid days.
  • The best way to warm yourself up is to consume warm carbohydrates​ such as hot cocoa, mulled cider, steaming soup, oatmeal, chili or pasta.
  • Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Early warning signs of frostbite include numbness, loss of feeling or a stinging sensation (this is called 'frostnip' as stated previously). Hypothermia symptoms include intense shivering, slurred speech, loss of coordination and fatigue. Seek help immediately for possible hypothermia.
  • Don't forget sunscreen and lip balm -- it's as easy to get sunburned in winter as in summer particularly if you're exercising in the snow or at high altitudes. Use a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays and a lip balm with sunscreen. Protect your eyes from snow and ice glare with dark glasses or goggles if the situation warrants it.
  • Sudden strenuous physical activity in extreme winter weather may place those predisposed to heart conditions at greater risk of a heart attack due to the extra strain on the body from the weather. This is most applicable to skiiers going on vacation -- if you are not in good physical condition be sure to limit your time on the slopes. Know your fitness level and don't overextend yourself.
  • Be sure that any route you take is well-maintained and well-traveled to avoid slip and fall injuries.
  • Train in the daylight so you can see your surroundings and safely navigate any tricky terrain.
  • Get out of the cold as soon as possible at the end of your workout. Once you stop exercising your body will cool rapidly. As mentioned previously, keep warm, dry clothes on hand to change into as soon as you are able. I carry spare clothing in my car for just this reason.
  • Those with asthma or other breathing problems should always pack their meds. Inhaling cold air during your workout can irritate or even damage your throat, inflaming your airways and ultimately leading to an asthma attack or complication with breathing, especially when training more intensely. Using a neck gaiter/buff or balaclava to keep the air around your nose and mouth warmer and moister is something to consider.
  • For those living in a warm climate, you will find it easier to train in cold weather if you take cold showers regularly. This helps your body adjust its perception of the cold, and makes it easier to deal with psychologically. It may even help the body produce more heat through non-shivering thermogenesis!
<![CDATA[Strengthening & Stretching for Computer Users]]>Fri, 12 Oct 2018 13:34:31 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/strengthening-stretching-for-computer-usersPicture
These days everyone uses computers to some extent or another. For those whose occupation revolves around work at a desk, a major challenge is combating the shoulder, neck and back issues common to hunching over your keyboard and staring at your monitor.

OSHA guidelines recommend getting up from your desk every 60-90 minutes to walk around and stretch for at least 1 minute, but there are many more things you can do in order to prevent chronic pain and postural imbalances. Let's go over some of these.


The first thing we need to cover is what you can do sitting at your desk. Let's face it, this is what you're most likely to do if you do anything! So let's get to it.
Hold each of these for 5-10 seconds before moving on to the next one.

  • 1) Hold your hand up straight, fingers fully extended.

  • 2) Curl just your fingers in tightly together.

  • 3) Make a fist.

  • 4)  Loosen the fist but keep your fingers close to your palms.

  • 5) Make a 90-degree angle with your fingers (or as close as you can manage).

  • 6) Return to the original straightened position.

1) Hold one arm out straight and bend your fingers downward, pointing toward the floor. Hold onto your fingers or press gently on the back of your hand to deepen the stretch.

2) Keeping your arm outstretched, bend your fingers upward, pointing toward the ceiling. Hold onto your fingers or press gently on the palm to deepen the stretch.

1) Make loose fists and bend your wrists in at an angle with the knuckles pointing downward. Hold for 5-10 seconds.

2) Flex wrists up and outward at a diagonal with knuckles pointed upward. Hold for 5-10 seconds.

1) Extend your arms out to your sides with fingers fully extended. Imagine that you are reaching as if to brush the walls with your fingertips; you want to stretch them as far as they will go and hold that stretch.

2) Move your arms in slow, small circles moving forward for 10 repetitions and then backward for the same number of repetitions. Your fingers should remain straight and your arms fully extended the entire time.

1) Begin by fully extending your arms with your fingertips activated as mentioned above, as if you are stretching to reach the walls. Your palms should face downward.

2) Reach your arms overhead slowly, turning your palms in as you do so, until your hands touch at center. Your arms should remain straight with elongated fingers. Hold this position for 5 seconds and then return to starting position. Repeat 10 times.

1) Begin by shrugging as if you are trying to touch your ears with your shoulders. 

2) Rotate your shoulders and arms forward as if you are trying to hug someone in front of you with your shoulders. It helps if you use your arms to ensure you are getting a full extension.

3) Drop your shoulders down as far from you ears as you can. Imagine that you are trying to touch the floor with your shoulders.

4) Rotate your shoulders backward, squeezing your shoulder blades together as if wrapping them around your spine. Again, it helps if you use your arms to ensure you are fully extending. Rotate forward 10 times and then reverse for 10 more repetitions.

1) Place your palms together in front of your face with your elbows at shoulder level.

2) Slowly draw your arms downward, pushing your palms together as if trying to squish something between them. Your arms will feel strong tension. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Repeats 10 times.

1) Scoot to the front of your chair. Reach your arms backward clasping your hands and interlacing your fingers. 

2) Lean forward and raise your clapsed hands as far as you are able. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then lower. Repeat 5 times.

1) Reach your arms forward clasping your hands and interlacing your fingers with your palms facing away from you. 

2) Raise your arms above you, stretching your arms up as if you are trying to touch the ceiling. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then lower. Repeat 5 times.

1) Place your hands lightly behind your head. DO NOT tug on your neck. 

2) Press your elbows back as if trying to touch the wall behind you and hold for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.

1) Extend your chin forward as far as you are able using only your neck muscles.

2) Retract your chin as far as you are able, as if you are trying to touch the back wall with it. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

1) Tilt your head forward tucking your chin to your chest and looking down at your lap.

2) Rotate your head to one side, pausing when your ear is in line with your shoulder. Keeping your shoulders down, imagine you are trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. You will feel a stretch in the opposite side of your neck.

3) Continue to roll your head backward until you are looking at the ceiling and you feel a stretch in your throat.

4) Rotate your head to the opposite side, pausing when your ear is in line with your other shoulder. As before keep your shoulders down and imagine you are trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. You will feel a stretch in the opposite side of your neck.

​Repeat 10 times rotating one way, and then reverse direction for another 10 rotations.

1) Tuck your chin to your chest, looking down at your lap.

2) Lean your head back, looking up at the ceiling.

3) Keeping your shoulders forward, turn your head to look over one shoulder.

4) Keeping your shoulders forward, turn your head to look over the other shoulder.

​Repeat all of these 10 times.

1) Fully extend your arm and your fingers.

2) Flex your wrist, pointing your fingertips at the back wall and hold. Hold for 5-10 seconds.

3) While your wrist is flexed, tilt your head to the opposite (relaxed) shoulder and hold for 5-10 seconds.

​Repeat 5 times.

1) Sitting in your chair with your knees facing forward, place one hand on your right knee and the other hand on the arm (or seat) of the right side of your chair. Twist your upper body only to look behind you and hold for 5-10 seconds.

2) Sitting in your chair with your knees facing forward, place one hand on your left knee and the other hand on the arm (or seat) of the left side of your chair. Twist your upper body only to look behind you and hold for 5-10 seconds.

​Repeat 5 times.

1) Extend one arm in front of you and then move it in a sweeping motion towards the opposite side. 

2) Using your free hand, reach up and hold your active elbow or shoulder, pressing it closer to your body gently. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then switch to the other side.

​Repeat 5 times.

1) Extend arm upward and then bend at the elbow, letting your hand dangle behind your head.

2) Using your free hand, hold the elbow of the active arm and pull it gently toward the midline of the body.

3) Tilt your upper body to the side opposite your active arm. Your hips should remain stable. Hold this stretch for 5-10 seconds and then repeat on the other side. 

Repeat 5 times.

1) Pick your leg up from the floor. Slowly rotate your foot as if you are drawing a large circle with your toes. 

2) Complete 10 circles rotating clockwise, and then reverse direction and perform 10 counter-clockwise circles.

1) Flex your foot with you toes reaching upward toward your body. Hold for 5-10 seconds.

2) Point your foot reaching your toes as far away from your body as possible. Hold for 5-10 seconds.

Repeat 10 times.

1) Scoot to the edge of your chair. Grab your ankle and pull it toward the back of your thigh, stretching your leg downward so that your knee points toward the floor. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then switch to the other leg.

Repeat 5 times.

* This can also be performed standing up.

1) Stand up and step one foot forward, bending the front knee. Keep the back leg straight.

2) Lean forward to stretch your calf. You may also place your hands on your desk or a wall and press into it to get a deeper stretch. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then switch legs.

​Repeat 10 times.

1) Lift your knee up as high as you are able and wrap your arms around it. Pull it into your chest.

2) Curl your back forward to hug your knee as tightly as you can. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then switch legs.

​Repeat 10 times.

1) Kick one heel out, extending fully and locking your knee into place. 

2) Point your toes up toward your body and hold for 5-10 seconds, then switch legs. For a deeper stretch you may hold onto your leg or foot and pull yourself in gently, leading with the chest, NOT the head

Repeat 10 times.

1) Lift one leg off the ground as high as you are able, locking the knee and pointing your toes up towards the ceiling. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then switch legs. Repeat 5 times.

2) Raise both legs as high as you are able, locking the knee and pointing your toes up towards the ceiling. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.

Believe it or not, this is REALLY IMPORTANT! Whether or not you realize it, your face ends up strained from your workday too. In order to loosen and relax it, wiggle your eyebrows, move your jaw, stick out your tongue, move your lips around and generally look like a fool for a good 30 seconds or so. You'll be glad you did because your face will be entirely relaxed afterward!


In addition to the stretches and exercises mentioned in the "At Your Desk" section above, there are many more things you can do to combat the tightness, soreness, weakness and overall malaise of sitting at a computer too long in your cubicle if you have a few minutes during lunch. I'll be going over more of these at a later date, but for now here are a few to start you off:
1) Start with feet shoulder width apart, toes facing forward.

2) Keeping your back straight and chest proud, lower yourself as if sitting in a chair. Your knees should remain over your ankles or at least over your feet -- do not hyperextend your knees.

3) Return to standing position, squeezing your glutes. 

Repeat 20 times.



3) Return to standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.

​Repeat 20 times.

1) Move into the lower end of a sumo squat. 

2) Press the backs of your hands into your knees as firmly as you are able. You will feel a stretch in your hip flexors. Hold for 5-10 seconds.

​Repeat 5 times.

1) From the same sumo squat position, place one palm against the knee on the same side of the body, turning to face away from the knee being pressed. Stretch your arm out as straight as you are able. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then switch sides.

​Repeat 5 times per side.

1) Kick one leg up as high as you are able while keeping it straight. At the same time, windmill your opposite arm back, up, and then forward reaching towards the toes of your kicking leg. Use your free arm to counterbalance.

2) Repeat with the other leg and arm. Perform 20 kicks per leg (or 40 total kicks).

1) Place your feet hip width apart and then squat down and hold (or sit in a chair). Raise your arms up at a diagonal in front and above you as if making the letter "Y".

2) Rotate your arms down and straight out to your sides, as if making the letter "T".

3) Rotate your arms back at a diagonal behind you as if making the letter "A". 

​Repeat 10 times.

1) Extend your arms back behind you, squeezing your shoulder blades together.

2) Bring one knee up while bringing your arms forward, wrapping your hands around your bent leg and pulling it in towards your chest. Hold for 5 seconds and then release your leg, bringing your hands back behind you to squeeze your shoulder blades together again before repeating on the other leg.

Repeat 10 times per leg (20 total high knee hugs).

1) Begin with your heels, hip, entire spine and shoulders are flat against the wall.

2) Place your hands and elbows against the wall along your sides. Keeping your shoulders, elbows, backs of your hands, hips, heels, and spine all against the wall the entire time, slowly bring your arms up and overhead.

3) Bring your arms back down again, double-checking to ensure your body remains against the wall.

Perform 10 times.

1) Place your elbows on the floor underneath your shoulders. Your hands should be facing palm down on the floor for the best and most active stretch.

2) Lift your knees off the floor so that you are balancing on your toes and elbows. Pull your belly button in towards your spine, engage your core, and keep your legs in line with your back in a straight line. Your butt should not be up in the air and you should be looking a couple of inches forward so that you do not strain your neck.

3) Hold this position for 15-30 seconds, then drop down to your knees and relax.

Repeat 5 times.

1) From plank position, take one arm and reach through the gap between your body and the floor as far as you are able.

2) Using the same arm, rotate and reach your arm up above you with fingers stretching to touch the ceiling. Let your eyes follow the length of your arm.

3) Repeat 10 times, and then switch to do 10 more on the other side.

1) Start from a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Knees and hands should be shoulder width apart directly under hips/shoulders and your back should be flat with your belly button pulled in towards the spine.

2) Exhale all of the air in your lungs, squeezing tightly as you arch your back like a cat. Your head will lower, following the curve of your spine.

3) Inhale and expand your diaphragm and belly as far as they will go, looking upward and bowing your back.

​Repeat 10 times slowly.


2) Extend one leg and the opposite arm out as far as you are able, keeping your shoulders and hips pointed toward the floor and level.

3) Repeat on the opposite side.

Perform 10 on each side (20 total reps).

1) Begin by lying flat on your back with your arms to your sides, palms facing the ground. 

2) Bring your heels as close to your rear as you can. 

3) Lift your butt off the ground as far as you are able, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement and holding for 5 seconds before releasing back down to the floor.

​Repeat 20 times.

<![CDATA[Power Up Your Energy]]>Fri, 05 Oct 2018 14:06:19 GMThttp://www.fireheartfitness.com/blog/power-up-your-energyPicture
A common struggle for most of my clients has been related to overall feelings of tiredness and a struggle to find enough energy to cook or become more active. There are several different strategies to combat the sensation of exhaustion, and so today we'll be going over what all you can do to boost your energy levels so that you may improve your overall health and wellness.


Sleep is the one of the primary culprits of chronic fatigue. Even if you are in bed for the appropriate amount of time, your sleep may not be restful or you may have an ongoing sleep debt that needs to be recuperated before you will see benefits from improved habits. I discussed this topic including strategies to improve your sleep hygiene on last week's post, All About Sleep.


The next major factor which helps decide your overall energy levels is your nutrition.

Limiting the amount of processed food you eat will help ​ensure that you are consuming a greater mix of nutrients. Studies show that three-fourths of the average American's diet includes moderately (15.9%) to highly processed (61%) foods and beverages. The amount of convenience food we eat is ever-increasing, and it's affecting our overall health.
"Fast Food, Weight Gain and Insulin Resistance." Dr. Stephan Guyenet. Whole Health Source.
Eating foods and consuming beverages low on the glycemic index will help prevent sugar crash or reactive hypoglycemia. High-GI foods contain simple sugars and starches that are quickly processed. After these have been absorbed, you may feel a sense of tiredness, lethargy, irritation or even hangover. Avoid white bread, pasta and rice as well as breakfast cereals, yogurt etc with added sugars; eat whole grains and complex carbohydrates with high fiber (5 or more grams per serving).

Include protein with your carbs to maintain sustained energy throughout the day. Protein helps control blood sugar levels, thus assisting in preventing sugar spikes and crashes. Great energy-boosting snacks are those with both carbohydrates and protein in a balanced mix.

Try making whole fruit-and-veggie smoothies to boost nutrient and fiber consumption -- I recommend trying the 7-Day Green Smoothie Challenge. Bear in mind that these still contain sugar and calories, but these recipes are solid, tasty and packed with vitamins. The challenge (which is FREE) even includes a shopping list for the week and a guidebook to help you along the way.

Use caffeine to your advantage, but don't overdo it as it may cause insomnia (especially if consumed after 2 PM) and lead to dehydration as it is a diuretic. Caffeine provides an energy boost, but too much and you may get the jitters. Avoid energy drinks as they are often laden with sugar -- sometimes as much as 10 teaspoons per serving.

Limit your alcohol consumption as it is a sedative that is particularly strong at midday. When you drink, do so in moderation at a time when you don't mind winding down.
I've mentioned foods you should avoid above, but here are some things that you should eat:
  • Unprocessed foods
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables, especially bananas
  • Non-caffeinated beverages
  • Lean proteins
  • Whole grains and complex carbs
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Oats
  • Chia seeds
  • A multivitamin/mineral supplement


I talked all about hydration in a prior post. Believe it or not, this plays a role in your energy levels! Review A Hydration How-To for more information.


Exercise helps you sleep more soundly at night, and also gives your cells more energy to burn while also circulating oxygen throughout your body. When you work out, your body produces epinephrine and norepinephrine, stress hormones which in modest amounts can make you feel energized. You don't need to join a gym to reap the benefits, though: even a brisk walk around the neighborhood is a good starting place for boosting your energy.


Stress-induced emotions consume vast amounts of energy. If you cannot reduce your level of stress, consider the following suggestions for management:
  • Talk with a friend or relative
  • Join a support group
  • Meditation
  • Yoga 
  • Tai Chi
  • Seeing a therapist

Working too much is one of the primary culprits of fatigue. You can overwork yourself not just professionally, but also via family and social obligations. Try to work on streamlining your "must do" activities; set your priorities in terms of the most important tasks and pare down those which are less important. You may need to ask for extra help at work, or from your domestic partner or roommate at home. It is important to note that you cannot give 100% of yourself to each of these areas of your life consistently without eventually burning out; something has to give. When considering your priorities, it may be a good idea to discuss with your domestic partner or a good friend.