2016

So here we are again, faced with the start of another new year! Resolutions abound to try and promise changes....but why continue the promises and continue to not change? Rather than making resolutions this year, instead make obtainable goals and plans for those goals!!! Whether it's physical or emotional or spiritual or all of the above....stop the cycle of just dreaming change and this year actually make the plans to accomplish real change in your life...You're worth it!!!

Bare Realness

So, I know lots about a lot. How to eat, workout, have good posture, take care of my physical/emotional/spiritual self, etc. Knowing is not the same as doing. I've experienced the gambit of not knowing and trying; learning and practicing; knowing and doing; knowing and trying; knowing and not doing; giving up; trying again; starting over; giving up and starting over again; etc. Having an extensive amount of knowledge of what works doesn't mean it's always applied. When I am doing everything I am supposed to for my body, mind, and spirit, it's awesome....when I'm not, it sucks. When I'm in balance and juggling all the balls in the air, it's freeing and great. When life piles in on me and I drop all of the balls, it sucks. That's life. I'm not perfect and never claim to be anything other than very human. I find myself in a transition that has gone on for a couple of years now. It's a process, and one that I have learned more than I think I'm capable of sharing in it's entirety, but I will certainly share what I can as I continue to breathe. While I am still in transition, I feel it's nearing the end where I can just live and juggle all the balls I have. I am finally in the head space to again "start over" in living what I know. As I go through this process, I want to be able to help you in whatever part of your journey you find yourself. Help if you are beginning, in transition, starting over, trying to juggle and balance. There are tips for every stage I have certainly learned the hard way and know what works and doesn't for each stage. Let me save you some unnecessary stress and help you apply what works (sans all the trial and error)! I will be posting as I go and try to provide tools/tips/practices/inspiration and also always available at veryeffectivefitness@gmail.com. 

Gratitude....Update....

We are reaching the end of 2015, and I wanted to give special thanks and appreciation to those kind and wonderful hearts who have been in my life and touched my soul. I am very lucky to have long time friends who are present in whatever capacity life and situations allow!!! Further, I am very blessed to have the clients who have come into my life and taught me as much as I have taught them....thank you for sharing your struggles and your successes with me, as you enrich my pe...rsonal growth in doing so....you guys all rock!!!

To the few that are aware of the health struggles I am currently dealing with, and who have kept me in their prayers, and supported me by being functional wonderful human beings honoring my boundaries with love and gracious kindness...THANK YOU so, so much!!!! Your care allows me the space for my own growth and healing!

This past year has been one of transition, and as I reach the end of this year I am filled with a new purpose and have a new direction by which to help others. In the months to come, I will have a completely new approach to delivering both my experiences and knowledge to better assist you on your fitness and health journeys. The final Fitness Class at the current VEF Studio will be 12/29/15. I am in the process of reorganizing the venue & delivery by which I offer one-on-one and group fitness coaching. As I finalize this, I will be updating my web site and blogs accordingly....In the meantime, please keep up-to-date on all workout information, eating supportively tips, and inspiration on my free blogs and my Facebook page .... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Very-Effective-Fitness/501193266624220 & veryeffective.blogspot.com & veryeffectiveliving.blogspot.com .... veryeffectivefitness.com

"Getting Back To It" Workout

Fallen "off the wagon" and out of your workouts and healthy eating? Here's a workout to get you back going:

10 Rep Circuit (2-4 times through)

Push Ups

Bodyweight Squats

Forearm Plank Hold 20-40 seconds

Bodyweight Reverse Lunges each leg

Forearm Side Plank Hold 20-40 seconds each side

Burpees (thrusters)


As for the healthy eating: veryeffective.blogspot.com/p/eating-supportively 

Versatile Beans

Beans are so good in so many ways. Protein, fiber, cheap, easy, and versatile. I cooked an entire bag of mixed dried beans and a bag of lentil beans, lightly seasoned. I then used them for two weeks' worth of meals.....Awesome beans!

1) veggie side
2) mixed with marinara sauce and put with whole wheat spaghetti noodles (kids didn't notice that it was beans instead of hamburger (have you seen the cost of hamburger lately?))
3) mixed with cut up stewed tomatoes, mixed soup veggies, cajun seasoning and quinoa
4) mixed with cottage cheese, salsa, and flax seed (second best only to the kidney beans usually used)
5) mixed with ground turkey (or hamburger), diced onions, stewed tomatoes, one egg, and seasonings for a yummy bread free meatloaf
6) mixed with ground turkey (or hamburger) for sloppy joes

Know Your Muscles

Before we begin on posture and body mechanics, let's first delve into muscle names, locations, and groups so you can better understand your body. We will break the body into groups and then go into the mechanics of typical incorrect movement patterns and how you can adjust those in your daily life to have correct mechanics and free your body from pain.

There are 680 muscles, 206 bones, and 360 joints in the human body. That's a lot of working parts that need to work well together in order for us to function and be pain free. The majority of us deal with pain to chronic pain daily due in large part to poor posture, overuse, and incorrect body mechanics. This can be corrected with knowledge of how to stretch, move, and adjust patterns of movement. You do not need to know all of the muscles, bones, and joints, but you do need to have a working knowledge of the main groups that contribute to some of the more common problems in posture and movement patterns. We will take these group by group in forthcoming Posts.

Aging Fruits & Veggies

A great way to not waste aging fruits and veggies that are not yet throw away material but are not visually as appealing as you would want them to be in order to eat them, is to throw them in a smoothie. I definitely hate to waste food, but there are times when I don't want to munch down turning spinach either. I have found that throwing expiring produce into the blender is an excellent way to consume them. Saturday I had such a need and threw the remaining 3 cups of spinach into the blender with a large orange and cup of strawberries no one would have eaten otherwise. It was delicious; didn't waste the food; provided me with the produce I was needing with my breakfast; and was a new flavor discovery for me for future smoothies. Try it....you'll be surprised what combinations you end up doing again. I have thrown carrots and tomatoes in with kale, apples, and blueberries before and was surprised at the taste...no not in a bad way ;-)  Know too that tossing in those wonderful herbs and spices you can't always get into your day, are also awesome added to smoothies! 

Recap Before We Begin

This series on body alignment and how to obtain it will be over the course of weeks and possibly months and scattered among other fitness/nutrition posts. In case you missed some of the preseries posts and/or want a refresher:

Reworking Your Path To Pain Series
Postural Alignment
Just A Couple Of Things About Muscles & Joints
What's Core Got To Do With It?
Sweet Anatomy Breakdown

Reworking Your Path To Pain Series

Medicine/medical system/doctors are necessary, but understanding that it is not always the best solution to what your body needs is paramount! More times than not, the real solution is within your own power to obtain, and not in the masking of pain that is so often sought through the medical system. Addressing your body's alignment, structure, and fundamental movement patterns (body mechanics), and making the necessary changes is a lot of times all that is needed to permanently relieve your daily aches and pains. Your body is not just individual parts, but the interdependency of all parts working together properly. In other words, a system that is anatomically connected and functionally related with not any one part incorrectly having to perform another's tasks.

"....the Path to Pain begins with muscle imbalance issues. A muscle imbalance is a discrepancy in length and strength between two opposing muscle groups. That is, muscles that oppose each other (pull in opposite directions) need to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship. They should have corresponding lengths and strengths that allow a joint to move equally and within its normal range of motion." The Pain-Free Program by Anthony B. Carey, M.A., C.S.C.S

This is the beginning of a series of Posts that I will be doing over the next months to assist you on the self-examination to adjusting your body mechanics in order for you to rework your paths from pain to permanent relief.

Holidays and New Year

So here we are in the midst of the holidays and all the eating and stress that goes along with them...followed by all the New Year resolutions and then it's shorts and bathing suit weather. If you are on the roller coaster of contending with head trips and body issues, etc., then this is an agonizing up and down mess. So, just get off the ride! It doesn't matter what time of year it is, what weather attire you are needing to fit into, who you need to look a certain way for.....It only matters if you are healthy, balanced, and feeling good about yourself (inside/out and not the other way around). Be vulnerable, but be you! You are ok and will be ok, if you take care of yourself. Start today! Let me help you!

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Positive Stream....

We all are insecure about (fill in the blank...body, work, abilities, finances, parenting, etc., etc., etc.). The real danger with not getting a grip on reality of your insecurities and putting them into perspective is that you will make long lasting and regrettable decisions based on them. It puts you in a negative approach to whatever you try to do as long as what's leading your decisions is fear and insecurity. 

Was it easy getting to a positive stream of thought on a consistent and daily basis? No, but it was worth all the trials and tribulations to achieve it!  Life is a funny road of twists and turns, pitfalls and pedestals.  Time and again the road I was on took a sharp turn to what felt like nowhere and sometimes despair. Today I have understanding and positivity that eluded me in my younger years. When we check ourselves, we realize in times of trouble just how deeply desperate and ugly things can become. Just as our bodies do not remember pain or appreciate our good health and working parts until one is not in such good working order…Our souls and mind forget how sunshine is just around the corner on our darkest days. However trite it seems….”this too shall pass” and pass it shall. Grab your boot straps and pull yourself up and move onwards and upwards!! This is not to say that there are not still the trials and tribulations of life, just that I now have the skills and perspective necessary to contend with each and every one I am faced.  The journey I am on continues to be one of self discovery, and one I am happy to share with you in hopes it in some way helps you on yours!!!

December 2015 VEF Class Schedule

Supplements & The Rest

First know that the information contained on this blog is not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health-care professionals. I am not a registered dietician. Consult your physician before beginning or making changes in your diet or exercise program, for diagnosis and treatment of illness and injuries, and for advice regarding medications. 

That all said....Just a little blurb on supplements. Supplements should not be "replacements" for obtaining actual sources of nutrients your body needs, but only in addition to obtaining these nutrients. Bottom-line is you should always try to get your vitamins and minerals from natural, whole food sources. That being said, sometimes this isn't always feasible. A good whole food multi-vitamin with probiotics can be a great way to supplement your healthy and supportive dietary intake daily. When choosing a vitamin, make sure it is from a good source, will be ingested as opposed to excreted out and what times of day and with what foods is best for it to be taken, and that you are not taking an overabundance of any such vitamin. B Complexes are another good add on ... not to replace actual produce and other food sources, but to enhance what you are not able to intake on a daily basis. Things to know about any supplements you choose to take:

1) No one other than a medical doctor and/or a registered dietician who also know your full medical history should advise you of what supplements to take. Why? There can be severe drug and medical interactions that without full knowledge of your personal situation could cause harm to you.

2) It is important to get educated on what you are taking, whether it be medicine or supplement because there are certain foods you have to take with certain things in order for your body to ingest it as intended as well as certain foods you should not eat while taking certain things or they will cause adverse effects to you either immediately or over time. An example would be certain medications that cause adverse effects if you also eat grapefruit while taking. Another example would be something as simple as a vitamin which in large doses and with certain auto-immune diseases can cause thinning of the blood.

3) Everyone's make up is different and so too are their bodily demands. What an athlete may require, I would not, nor would you most likely need. So don't get caught up in sports enhancing selling practices for reasons why you need this sports drink and/or supplement.....'cause you don't, nor would that very sports drink and/or supplement have the same effect in your body as it does in a highly trained athlete.

Mostly what everyone needs is a balanced and supportive diet with proper daily/weekly exercise and rest. Save the quick fixes and gimmicks for folks who are not yet educated on proper healthy choices and practices! http://www.veryeffective.blogspot.com/p/eating-supportively.html

from the September 2012 issue of Fitness Magazine:

Should You Swallow by Paige Greenfield

"Taking vitamins to stay healthy seems like a no-brainer. But new research has found that supplements aren't the magic bullet we've been led to believe. One recent review of 78 studies found that antioxidant supplements don't reduce the risk for death from disease; in fact, in some cases they actually raise it. And now calcium supplements, which so many of us have been dutifully popping for years, have been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks. Say what? But don't trash your stash just yet. Read on so you can make the best decisions for your body."

The article goes on to state the facts that "Vitamins don't cancel out bad health habits" &  "Megadoses are useless and possibly even harmful" & "What you put on your plate mattes most". 

Sweet Anatomy Breakdown

from http://www.ifafitness.com/book/kinesiology.htm [with clarification in places added from me]

Anatomy Bones provide attachment points and support for muscles. Bones are connected together by fibrous tissue called Ligaments. Tendons are also fibrous tissue and attach muscle to bone. Both have some elasticity and do not heal on their own if torn. An overstretched tendon is called tendonitis and is an inflamed tendon. Cartilage is also fibrous tissue but is not elastic. Cartilage is used to cushion the junction of two bones. The body is divided into three anatomical planes the Frontal, Sagittal and Horizontal. The Frontal plane divides the body from front to back. The Sagittal plane divides the body down the center or vertically. The Horizontal plane divides upper and lower. The table below lists the anatomical term and the corresponding description. ANATOMICAL TERM DESCRIPTION Anterior front Posterior back Medial inside Lateral outside Supine face up Unilateral one side Bilateral both sides Prone face down Superior upper Inferior lower Muscle Action The three types of muscle contraction are Isometric, Isotonic, and Isokinetic. Isometric is defined as that type of contraction where muscle tension and muscle length remain constant. This type of exercise provides muscle strength gains but only at the joint angle held during the exercise. Isotonic contraction is defined as that where the muscle tension remains constant and muscle length varies. Isokinetic contraction is defined as varying tension and length. [Key difference between Isotonic and Isokinetic is rate of speed. They both lengthen and shorten the muscles in use, but isotonic does so at any speed varying at weakest link and isokinetic is the same rate of speed throughout the movement.] In each exercise there are four main functions of the associated muscles, Agonists (prime movers), Antagonists, Stabilizers and Assistors. The Agonists is generally the muscle we are exercising. The Antagonist is the opposing muscle and acts in contrast to the agonist. The Stabilizer muscles are those that hold a joint in place so that the exercise may be performed. The Assistors help the Agonist muscle doing the work. The stabilizer muscles are not necessarily moving during exercise, but provide stationary support. For example, when doing biceps curls, the biceps are the agonists, the triceps are the antagonists and various muscles including the deltoids are the stabilizer muscles. However, when doing a triceps push down, now the triceps are the agonists and the biceps are the antagonists. Again the deltoid muscles are the stabilizer muscles. The agonist/antagonist relationship changes depending on which muscle is expected to do the work. However, every muscle group has an opposing muscle group. The following table lists muscles and their opposing counterparts: AGONIST (Prime Mover) ANTAGONIST Biceps Triceps Deltoids Latissimus Dorsi Pectoralis Major Trapezius/Rhomboids Rectus Abdominis Erector Spinae Iliopsoas Gluteus Maximus Quadriceps Hamstrings Hip Adductor Gluteus Medius Tibialis Anterior Gastrocnemius In reference to Agonist and Antagonist, this above list could easily be reversed when exercising the muscles in the right hand column. Muscle balance is that relationship between the Agonist and Antagonist. It is important to have muscle balance to prevent injury. If the Agonist is much stronger than the Antagonist, the Agonist can overpower and injure the Antagonist. Tendons are made up of fibrous tissue and connect muscle to bone. Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendon due to overuse. A stretching or tearing of the tendon is referred to as a strain. A Strain is a muscle or tendon injury. Ligaments are also fibrous tissue and connect bone to bone. There are less flexible than tendons. The function of ligaments is to restrict the joint movement within normal parameters. When a ligament is over stretched or torn it is called a sprain. Since ligaments don't have a vascular system, they may take a very long time to repair or may never return to their original length. This can cause abnormal joint movement and even cartilage and bone wear due to this unrestricted movement. Joint Action Joints provides a fulcrum point for muscles to do work. There are six types of joint action: JOINT ACTION MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE MOVEMENT Flexion decreasing joint angle Biceps Curl Extension increasing joint angle Triceps Extension Abduction movement away from body centerline Lateral Raises (Deltoids) Adduction movement toward body centerline Horizontal Flyes (Pectorals) Rotation rotation about and axis Twisting the Arm Circumduction 360 degree rotation Arm circle around

Restaurant Survival

HELP! Is what I hear a lot of regarding how to "eat out" and not completely screw up fat loss success. Planning ahead is always a good idea. There are numerous ways to find out the nutritional information for any particular restaurant....easiest way is to simply Google it. Some restaurants offer their nutritional info and for those restaurants that do not, there are tons of free sites offering up the info. If you have a smart phone, there are free apps you can download such as Calorie, Fast Food, etc., that provide both fast food and sit down restaurant nutritional info at a quick glance and search. Whether you look up the info on the ride over to the restaurant, or in advance planning, knowing what you are choosing is the best way to side step the pitfalls of a restaurant experience and not falling "victim" to the head trips of what only looks like the healthier option.

Produce Serving Sizes

A question that gets asked a lot is what constitutes a serving size of produce. First know that the information contained on this blog is not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health-care professionals. I am not a registered dietician. Consult your physician before beginning or making changes in your diet or exercise program, for diagnosis and treatment of illness and injuries, and for advice regarding medications. That said, the rule I go by is to eat a minimum of 8-10 servings of fruit and vegetables daily. I try to weight the fruits earlier in the day due to the sugar content and I always combine my produce with protein. Eating Supportively The serving sizes I utilize are as follows:

1 Fruit Serving Size is Equal to:
1 medium whole fruit (e.g., apple, banana,, orange)
1/2 cup small fruit (e.g., berries, grapes)
1 cup chopped large (e.g., melons)
1/4 cup dried fruit

1 Vegetable Serving Size is Equal to:
1 cup cooked or raw
2 cups leafy greens
1/2 cup beans/legumes

Short On Time?

Short On Time? Don't think you have time to prepare supportive meals for you and your family? That's kooky talk! First, don't make it complicated!!! You can have extremely supportive home cooked meals in minutes! Here's how I do it: Pick one hour a week (whatever day you have an hour to be home...Sunday afternoon, Friday evening, Tuesday morning, whatever day works for you) to prepare your weeks worth of meals. I usually cook the meats (mostly baked...so not even in the kitchen for the hour) whether it be a combo of baked, grilled, sauteéd, or crock pot. Then if I am going to cook dried beans, I also put those on and/or anything that needs some time to cook or prepare. Then it all goes in the fridge to be pulled out the meal of throughout the week and put with whatever veggie or grain I am combining with it. Some grains (such as quinoa can be prepared also in advance and stored and just pulled out). Fresh veggies steam within 10 minutes in a free standing steamer pot (can be purchased at WalMart for $20). I can have a healthy and supportive dinner within 15 minutes of walking in the door at night (1/3 of the plate protein (lean meat/fish, beans/legumes) and 2/3 veggies and/or grains).  Eating Supportively

Alcoholic Beverages

Note that alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and add up very quickly. Just as restaurant plate sizes and portions have increased beyond reason and healthy amounts so too have the "pour" sizes. A glass of wine is not a "serving" glass of wine as an example....If you are drinking a full glass of wine, that is closer to 2 1/2 to 3 servings depending on the size of your glass. Beyond the calories and the sugar involved with drinking alcohol (and of course health concerns if you are drinking in abundance on a regular basis), a big thing to keep in mind is that alcohol SLOWS down your metabolism in a major way. I am no teetotaler by any means, but just as with your food, know that alcohol is a PI and should be handled as such so as not to derail your fat loss goals. Don't know what a PI is or how to track your food intake: Eating Supportively

Following is from: "What Is One Drink"

Beer: 22 oz 5% beer = 2.2 drinks                            40 oz bottle = 4 drinks 5% beer [3.3 of 4% beer]

Malt Liquor: 22 oz 6% malt liquor = 2.75 drinks    40 oz bottle = 5 drinks 6% malt liquor

0.5 oz ethyl alcohol / % alcohol by volume = serving size (oz)

For Typical Hard Alcohol Brands— 80 proof: (0.5 / .40 (80 proof is 40 % alcohol) = 1.25 ounces)

1 serving = 1.25 oz       4 servings = 5.0 oz         7 servings = 8.75 oz

2 servings = 2.50 oz      5 servings = 6.25 oz      8 servings = 10.0 oz

3 servings = 3.75 oz      6 servings = 7.5 oz        9 servings = 11.25 oz

Bad Weather Run

If you don't have access to a treadmill for those bad weather run days but don't want to get off schedule.....Do an indoor interval run. Put your pedometer on your shoe (or wear your fitbit) and do some warm up walking lunges and/or jump squats, turn on your tunes and get going. If you have stairs, great you can use those. If you don't have stairs no biggie cause this will kick your indoor run into high gear regardless. Do 45 seconds to 60 seconds full out and then 15 seconds to 30 seconds active recovery...you can do this for 15-20 minutes. Check your pedometer and see how far you were able to go. Or, the other way you can do this is to go close to full out in your normal run time (e.g., if you typically run for 5+min before a slower jog/walk interval then do that same course for up to the entire duration of your normal runs). Some ideas for the "work" move: leaned back knee highs, tuck jumps, rock star jumps, stairs, running in place, box jumps, ski jumps. Some ideas for the "active recovery" move: butt kicks, toe taps, light run in place, march in place, jumping jacks, jump rope. Have fun!

Entitlement = Led Astray

It's the feeling of entitlement that leads us astray!!! We are not entitled to comfort, relaxation, or work-free lives! Think about that....If you lived each day fulfilling your responsibilities and obligations without the mindset of "getting a break" or deserving time away from responsibilities and obligations, would you be as stressed out? Would you be as frustrated? More importantly, would you be as off track fitness and/or nutrition wise?? Are not a lot of bad eating, any bad habits really, just a result of "a vacation from our lives" mindset (aka responsibilities and obligations)??? Why? Who said we were entitled to anything but hard work?

Enjoy your life by not fighting it! What happened to the satisfaction in a job well done, a days hard work, a gift of good behavior from our children following our examples?? Our children mirror our behavior, so consider what the reflection is teaching them....Your Children Are Watching!

I am by no means suggesting you not have enjoyment or downtime, but rather you step outside of feeling it is owed you. Happy breaks come throughout each and every day, enjoy them in the satisfaction of truly earning them instead of yearning for them!

In that same regard, stop thinking of eating well as a chore or drudgery, or exercise as punishment.  Food is the nourishment your body needs to sustain life. That's it. Very simply, food is fuel. Where did we get so sidetracked to think that it was a sport or a well deserved treat? You are not a dog.  Reward yourself with something other than food! 'Back in the day' when food had to be grown or hunted or you didn't eat, there was plenty of physical activity. Exercise today is necessary to replace our very 'relaxed' and easy lives (seriously, think just as far back as the settlers and complain about your day?). The conveniences of modern day has left us needing to replace the lack of daily physical activity in an artificial way....EXERCISE. Your body requires it!

Fiber Basics

from Idea Fitness Journal October 2015 issue:

Question I know that it is best to avoid overly processed foods as much as possible. But isn't the fiber found in fortified foods such as breakfast cereals as good for you as the fiber found in naturally occurring foods? In other words, aren't all types of fiber created equal?

Answer Actually no. But I am happy to hear you make the distinction between the fiber found in naturally occurring foods and the fiber added to processed foods. The fact that many consumers believe that a high-fiber product, regardless of its source, is a healthful option is not surprising. But all fibers are not identical and as a result do not provide the same health benefits.

Basics on Fiber The fiber that occurs naturally in foods is called intact fiber. This fiber can be categorized as either soluble fiber (found in grains, nuts, fruit skins and vegetables, it tends to speed the transit time of food in the intestines) or insoluble fiber (found in beans, oats, and some fruits and vegetables, it tends to slow the rate of digestion and absorption). Isolated fiber is either chemically synthesized or isolated and extracted from certain plant foods and then added to processed foods to boost fiber intake. These types of fiber appear on ingredient lists under names such as "resistant starch", "polydextrose", "indigestible dextrin" and "inulin", among others.

Health Benefits of Fiber Intact fiber has a wealth of health benefits, ranging from aiding digestion to reducing the incidence of obesity. But it is fiber's longer-term benefits--being a key element in the prevention of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and diabetes--that is most impressive. (Epidemiological studies show that populations with high fiber intake have a lower incidence of chronic disease).

Bottom-Line Essentially, the synergistic effect of fiber and other biologically active components found in whole foods are what have been credited with offering protection against chronic disease. This doesn't mean your fiber-fortified breakfast cereal isn't good for you; it's just not as good as the naturally occurring fiber found in old-fashioned oatmeal.

November 2015 VEF Classes

What's Core Got To Do With It?

For someone challenged with a repetitive stress injury of the wrist or a knee problem, a question that might arise is, "What has the core got to do with my problem?" This is a good question, because there seems to be a more obvious relationship with back pain or hip pain when we discuss the core. The core equates to our center. All movements emanate from the core. For instance, If you are handwriting a letter at your desk for twenty minutes, you may experience "writer's cramp." This is when the small muscles in your hand become overworked. These working muscles are anchored on the wrist. Muscles that cross over the elbow joint dictate the position of the wrist. Muscles that cross over the shoulder joint control the elbow joint's position. And the muscles that cross over the shoulder joint are anchored to our core. ~ Anthony B. Carey "The Pain-Free Program"

Core matters and affects shoulders, neck, arms, back, hips, and knees. Weak core = weak everything. Working the core incorrectly = more pain and no gains! Let's change this at veryeffectivefitness.com

Just A Couple Things About Muscles & Joints

Taken from "The Pain-Free Program" by Anthony B. Carey:

When the proper relationship between the two sides [of a joint]  is maintained, the joint can move freely through it's designed range of motion (ROM). If the muscle or the connective tissue on one side of the joint pulls more than do those on the other side, which can be caused by muscle imbalances, the proper relationship of the two sides is not maintained. Instead, the range of motion in one direction becomes greater, and the range of motion in the other direction decreases.

Muscle balance. Every muscle in your body exists for a reason. There are no "extras" or accidental misplacements. Each muscle is responsible for specific movements, and each muscle has a counterpart called an antagonist. For every bicep, there is a tricep. In other words, if there is a muscle or muscles that bend the elbow, then there is also a muscle or muscles that straighten the elbow. In proper postural alignment, opposing muscle groups have a mutually respectful arrangement. They maintain an equal degree of pull on either side of a joint, and they share essential information from the nervous system. This allows the joint to move with equal efficiency and freedom in every direction that it is designed to move. The opposite is true if muscles on one side of the joint are dominant. Those muscles would be shorter and tighter. A short, tight muscle will demand more information from the nervous system. This, in turn, inhibits the antagonistic muscle(s) on the other side of the joint. An inhibited muscle will eventually become longer and weaker to allow for the needs of the shorter and tighter muscle. For example, if the muscles of the chest are worked all the time and they become short and tight, they'll inhibit the muscles between the shoulder blades. This pulls the joint that those muscles act upon out of alignment, causing the shoulders to round froward. As mentioned earlier, this will lead to abnormal movement patterns and excessive wear and tear on various structures in the body.

It's not hopeless! There are a series of corrective dynamic stretches and movements that you can do coupled with changes in your daily postural habits that can change these imbalances and have you moving pain free! veryeffectivefitness.com

Postural Alignment

Postural alignment is the basis of our movement patterns. If the basis of our movement begins from a less-than-optimal position, then movement itself will likely be less than optimal. Optimal standing posture, the "blueprint," has many benefits for our bodies. First of all, it enables us to neutralize the downward pull that gravity constantly exerts on our bodies. If all of the building blocks that make up our bodies were stacked on top of each other the way we were designed, gravity couldn't create pulls and torques on our tissue. ~ Anthony B. Carey "The Pain-Free Program"

Good postural alignment keeps us pain free. Postural misalignment causes pain and stems from our lifestyles, workplace/habits, and compounded by injuries and accidents leading to compensatory movement. There is a lot about our environments that we cannot always change, but how we adapt to our environment we absolutely can. The first step to correcting postural issues is to first address movement patterns. I can help! veryeffectivefitness.com

Remember, all of your physical experiences to date define who you are from a musculoskeletal standpoint." ~Anthony B. Carey

Perfect Practice = Perfect Results

You know the saying "practice makes perfect" but that's not really accurate. If you are practicing bad form for example, then you will never get good form or good results as a result regardless of how much you practice...it will never be "perfect". The saying really should be Perfect Practice makes Perfect. You will only ever get out what you put in, so don't repeat bad behavior, bad mental dialogue, bad form, sloppy workouts, bad eating habits and expect to get anything out of it but bad results. A good example of bad form would be the squat (Importance of a Proper Squat) or the push up....Folks will rush through those moves workout after workout and wonder why they don't get the results for their efforts....simple answer is you are not working the correct muscles and most likely just stressing your joints. Same with mindless eating....If you nibble, bite, sample your way through the day not thinking those little tastes here and there amount to anything, you are sadly mistaken. Results = the Effort you put into it.  Perfect Practice = Perfect Results!

In the same line of thinking of perfect practice makes perfect..... More is not always Better but rather Better is Better! More of a bad thing is still a bad thing. If you are always trying to do your best, then you will get better. If you are always practicing good, mindful, intense form in your workouts, for example, you will get better and achieve great results! See a theme here?  

Law of Facilitation The body subscribes to the law of facilitation, meaning that the body will achieve the desired movement following the path of least resistance. If your body has any mobility-stability compromises, you will end up with dysfunctional movement causing inevitable breakdowns at your weakest link. This is corrected by focusing on moving correctly as opposed to just moving. A great example is the squat and the push up. If you just move through either of these movements regardless of incorrect movement just to say you got the move done, you are actually causing layers of damage to muscular and joint function which will impede your progress to moving correctly in those and other movements. An excellent way to get in touch, stay in touch, as well as improve your mobility-stability issues is to STRETCH. Yoga is an excellent way to accomplish this. When you are stretching, regardless of what modality you use, pay attention to what is tight and what is overcompensating for your “weak links” and communicate those findings to me during our sessions. We can work together to improve your movements so your body doesn’t have to “compromise” to move.

Not working with me?  If you find that you are moving incorrectly resulting in any pain, be sure to seek the assistance of a professional to aide you in your movement to correct any misalignment and incorrect form. I am always an e-mail away to answer questions at cagib1@charter.net.

Worth Striving For

Being Active does not equal being Fit!
Being Physically Fit does not equal being Healthy!
Being Physically Healthy does not equal being Mentally Healthy!
Finding Balance, being Physically Active, Fit and Nutritionally Sound and Healthy, & Mentally and Emotionally Healthy is worth striving for, working towards, & achieving on a daily basis!!!!

Balance is fleeting! We no sooner think we've found it and poof it's gone. Sometimes the stressors in a new situation can cause this poof, and sometimes we just get lax in our daily practices that achieve balance does it. Not overfunctioning or underfunctioning in our daily lives is a tricky little harmonization. The best course of action when it all seems "undone" is to sit quietly and make a list of everything on your plate...the big and little stuff. Break your list down into two lists of daily and long term, and then prioritize. Just having it all on paper and out of your head helps tremendously. Having set goals of everything in a reasonable timeframe frees up your mental traffic jam.

Balance
Overwhelmed?
To-Do's, Have To's & The Remainder
Very Effective Living

A Great Reminder On Starting Over

The only thing worse than starting over is giving up! Sure starting over on anything stinks regardless of what it is. I know from first hand experience too that starting over on clean eating and working out stinks major because you feel like it is pointless and why does it have to be so hard and why can't I just get the results without so much sacrifice??? Why indeed??? Well.....It's the effort you put in to achieving the results you want that make the results last!!!! The effort is simply living correctly, so it's not really punishment or sacrifice....it just feels that way because the world we live in today is lazy, superficial, and all about convenience but that's not really living! Don't quit yourself before you have even truly invested in yourself!!! Sure we can all come up with "reasons" things don't work out or won't work out, but that is all just lies we tell ourselves and others to quit trying. Every little bit you do in the direction of supportive eating and moving your body is a success on your journey and one you can be proud to own! Move forward because you are worth the effort!!! Let go of how many false starts or do overs.....you didn't learn to swim the first time you tried either...."just keep swimming" and you'll get to your destinations!!!!

Don't Give Up!

If you have a bad day or bad week or bad experience doesn't mean it's okay to give up on your fitness goals and aspiration of good health! We all have bad days, etc. Nothing is perfect or ever going to be, but keep on moving forward with each new day, each new opportunity, each new experience! One day might be seemingly perfect....kids well behaved and doing everything you ever desired them to do, house is in place, to-do list is getting checked off, workout done, work done, etc., then the next day all hell breaks lose...kids have forgotten everything you ever taught them, the house looks like an F5 hit it, you feel like a failure with anything and everything you attempt to do, nutrition goes out the window, etc. Don't despair and don't give up.....Just as quickly as it all goes to hell, it can turn around and go right and awesome again. It's all about finding some peace and solace in each and every moment (even the bad ones) and ebbing a flowing right along with the rockiness that is all of our lives.

Proper Footwear

Proper footwear is vital to decreasing your risk of lower-extremity injuries. Whether you need activity specific footwear (running, walking, tennis, basketball, or aerobics) or multipurpose cross trainers (multiple cardiovascular and weight training activities), your shoes should match both your activity type and level as well as your foot type. Some general recommendations when shopping for proper footwear from the American Council on Exercise are:

*Get fitted for footwear toward the end of the day. It is not unusual for an individual's foot to increase by half a shoe size during the course of a single day. However, if an individual plans to exercise consistently at a specific time, he or she should consider getting fitted at that exact time.
*Allow a space up to the width of the index finger between the end of the longest toe and the end of the shoe. This space will accommodate foot size increases, a variety of socks, and foot movement within the shoe without hurting the toes.
*The ball of the foot should match the widest part of the shoe, and the client should have plenty of room for the toes to wiggle without experiencing slippage in the heel.
*Shoes should not rub or pinch any area of the foot or ankle. You should rotate the ankles when trying on shoes, and pay attention to the sides of the feet and the top of the toes, common areas for blisters.
*An individual should wear the same weight of socks that he or she intends to use during activity.  You should look for socks that are made with synthetic fibers such as acrylic, polyester, or Coolmax®  for better blister prevention.

It is also important to be aware of when shoes need to be replaced.  If they are no longer absorbing the pounding and jarring action, you are more likely to sustain ankle, shin, and knee injuries. Athletic shoes will lose their cushioning after three to six months of regular use (or 350 to 500 miles of running). However, you should look at the wear patterns as a good indicator for replacement. Any time the shoe appears to be wearing down unevenly, especially at the heel, it is time to replace the shoes. Additionally, if the traction on the soles of the shoes is worn flat, it is time for new shoes. (ACE Personal Trainer Manual)

Surprise Yourself

Two sides to this coin for which I was recently reminded. Tackle the hard tasks first and Do what intimidates you (face your fears). If you know me well,  you know the former is something I do daily. I come by my work ethic and tough as nails stubbornness honestly through genetics. I think of my grandparents and know I have them to thank!

Seriously though, if you tackle the tough tasks first, then the rest is like dessert ;-) This not only applies to all aspects of daily life & growth, but to our fitness journeys as well. If there is something you dread or do not like doing, Just Do It! Is it tracking your food, planning your food, doing your workouts, specific workout moves (burpees?)? Whatever it is, tackle it before procrastinating it tackles your success!!! Just like the first time you tried holding plank, this too gets easier and soon you will wonder what all the fuss was about in the first place. Don't believe me?  Go ahead, prove me wrong....catch is, you will have to do it, and do it, and do it before you can tell me it doesn't work....Go ahead ;-)

I was recently in a situation that I wanted to turn away from because it was intimidating and seemed like a no win situation. I set my jaw and faced my fears by being prepared for all scenarios I went into the dreaded task at hand. As with most twists and turns in my life, I was surprised to discover the thing I thought was going to be a disaster was actually a blessing! That's the thing about our lives and our fitness journeys, you can't judge by your fears what is going to be the best path. Nor should you just wing every moment. I do love the saying that 'if you fail to plan you plan to fail'. It's true, you have to be prepared best you can for what you face and then Just Do It! Realize too that sometimes our best successes come out of the many failures along the way. Another saying I love and live by is that 'it is only a true failure and bad experience if you do not learn anything from it'. My life is built on the many lessons learned and I am truly blessed and better off for each rocky moment. Embrace the difficulty and move forward a stronger person for it! http://veryeffectiveliving.blogspot.com/

"Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses, and disappointments, but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures."  ~Joseph Addison

Reworking Your Path To Pain

Medicine/medical system/doctors are necessary, but understanding that it is not always the best solution to what your body needs is paramount! More times than not, the real solution is within your own power to obtain, and not in the masking of pain that is so often sought through the medical system. Addressing your body's alignment, structure, and fundamental movement patterns (body mechanics), and making the necessary changes is a lot of times all that is needed to permanently relieve your daily aches and pains. Your body is not just individual parts, but the interdependency of all parts working together properly. In other words, a system that is anatomically connected and functionally related with not any one part incorrectly having to perform another's tasks.

"....the Path to Pain begins with muscle imbalance issues. A muscle imbalance is a discrepancy in length and strength between two opposing muscle groups. That is, muscles that oppose each other (pull in opposite directions) need to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship. They should have corresponding lengths and strengths that allow a joint to move equally and within its normal range of motion." The Pain-Free Program by Anthony B. Carey, M.A., C.S.C.S

I am working on an upcoming series of Posts that I will be doing to assist you on the self-examination to adjusting your body mechanics in order for you to rework your paths from pain to permanent relief. Visit me at the VEF Studio all month long for personal help in this! veryeffectivefitness.com

The Whys Behind The REVISE

Part of 'knowing better' is actively 'doing better'! The VEF Studio has been a blessing and a wonderful opportunity to share what I know and do what I love. It has also been a lot of work and a lot of hours. I have spent the past two years in the studio accommodating everyone's needs and schedules but my own, and it has taken its toll on my children and myself. Working around my clients is something I want to do, but have to practice what I know to be true which is practicality ... I cannot continue being there between 6am-8pm six days a week. In examining what is best for my family, as well as trying my best to accommodate my clients and class participants, I have had to make some extremely difficult decisions. Difficult, in that I struggle not giving to those I care about, and I care very much for those I work with, around, and for at the studio. Knowing that by changing my availability, I am less able to meet the needs, wants, and wishes of my clients and class participants, and that is not something I ever take lightly!

I have been so busy "giving" that I haven't been taking my own advice for balance and health. My whole reason for being a personal trainer and coach is to share what I know. But, if I'm not able to also practice what I know, then I cannot be as effective at sharing. I have spent the past six years very much in the research and development of some truly phenomenal truths to share about the body and how to truly heal yourself from the inside out, but what I lack is the amount of time to put it together to share with you. My conclusions are these: I need to take a step back in order to take a better step forward! I need to heal myself again, before I can be of real service to you! I need to continue in my R&D as well as practice to fine tune this almost complete new system to better health and pain free living! I need time to write this system down for you to have and practice for yourselves for life!

To those ends, here is where I am: I reluctantly need to revise my Class and One-on-One availability through the end of the year in hopes to accomplish all of the above, and be in a place to offer to you a much better me, system, and schedule in 2016. I understand that with any change there are repercussions, hence why I have mulled them over for weeks and months now before acting. It is also why I have reached the acceptance of where I am, and know what I need to do however challenging it may be. I hope you can understand and can see the value of the investment. I will keep you updated on this journey and outcomes and changes to come, as sharing this is part of my life since I started down this path in 2009!!! I am forever grateful for all the support and blessings I have received through working with all of you!!!! Thank you!!!!

Revised October 2015 VEF Class Schedule:

October 2015 VEF Classes

Tight? Tired? In Pain? Whether you have been working out with me or not...Whether you have been working out at all...The month of October is going to be dedicated to correcting form and function in your movements as well as addressing the pain caused by overuse and/or incorrect movement patterns. This month is a great time to start as a beginner as well as take a "recovery" month if you're a beast!!! See you there veryeffectivefitness.com!

Where's The Finish Line?

We get so focused on reaching our goals and "being done"...but there are no quick fixes or finish lines when it comes to good health and fitness. You either have good habits and a healthy lifestyle or you don't. A healthy lifestyle doesn't expire until you do.  The only finish line in these flesh bodies is the grave, and I don't know about you, but I'm in no hurry to cross that line. Need help getting started or bumping up the intensity?  I'm here:  cagib1@charter.net

Weekends

Don't let the weekends be your pitfall!!!! It is so easy sometimes to allow yourself to just "do whatever" on the weekends because you felt you did so well (or mostly well) during the week. This is not a good practice because not only can you undo all your good from the week, but you can actually make matters worse than just that. Try to stay focused on your goals, plan, motivation, and reasons for change by planning how you are going to handle the weekend before it arrives. Whether you are having to plan around a birthday party or dinner party or family time make sure you make wise choices and are including such events in your planned PI's. (To learn what PI's are and all the rest, check out http://www.veryeffective.blogspot.com/p/eating-supportively.html.)

Indulgences, whether they be planned or unplanned, are a part of life and should be enjoyable without being destructive. The majority of your PI's (or UPI's) should not be a day-long event or weekend-long event or even a whole meal event.  Sure this will be the case on occasion, but for the majority of your indulgences, make them one item and the rest of your meal (day, weekend) supportive choices. Try to also limit your physical indulgences on the weekends (a.k.a., couch time). Sure you need to rest, but you don't need to be a slug. Make time to be active with your family, friends, dogs, or just a date with yourself.....twister with the kids, fetch with the dogs, walk with your friends, whatever....you can be relaxed and have a good time and still get off the couch.

If you have a major splurge dinner before you, try to get in some intervals (15 minutes, 10 minutes, or even 4 minutes (20 seconds of intense work and 10 seconds of active rest for 8 rounds) of intervals is better on the front end than nothing) beforehand to help balance out your metabolism as well as your insulin response. A workout on a day you have a very indulgent PI on the agenda is also a great way to balance it out. Know that it does not do you any good to starve all day long so you can gorge at dinner....this will actually be more detrimental to your metabolism as well as your choices come dinnertime. Eat supportively throughout the day and make good choices around your indulgence at dinner.

Remember that this is not a fad diet you are doing here.....it is your life and you need to try to make it a balanced one. Will you be perfect every time with everything...no...but it's about making the best choices you can, and moving on from there and not beating yourself up for the bad ones. We all have our days, but those bad moments or days should not define who we are, who we become, or what our next day will be like. When you make a bad turn, just set your mind to make the next choice a good one....you'll get there....this is a journey not a sprint to a destination you never have to revisit. 

The One Most Important Nutritional Tidbit....

Don't give up trying! The biggest pitfall to eating supportively is we try to change all of our habits all at one time. We of course fail miserably because that's like climbing Mt. Everest without any training. Start basic and progress from there. Start exchanging a couple of bad habits for good ones, and then keep exchanging. Eating clean and healthy isn't a fad crash diet of deprivation, and like exercise has to begin where you are and move you to where you want to go gradually for success. At a loss of where to begin? Start by eating out less, eating less processed foods, and adding in a few more veggies to your daily eating. Want more steps? I'm working on just such a plan for you...coming forthwith! In the meantime, check out http://veryeffective.blogspot.com/p/eating-supportively.html

The Only Real Obstacle....

K, so why all the "self-help" reflection posts interspersed throughout this blog instead of just the "typical" do this to get fit? Several reasons, with the main one being that the majority of everyone's (including my own) battle with getting fit and staying fit is mental...not knowing what to eat or how to work out is not what is holding you back. It matters little what your financial situation is or whether you workout this way or that way....What makes the difference is how you feel about yourself, what your motivation is, and what your goals are and how you feel about your success. Know that getting into a particular jean size is not going to solve how you feel about yourself.....Sure you'll feel great about it, but that is a fleeting feeling if how you feel about who you are and the balance of your life isn't okay. The first step of your journey needs to be acceptance of who you are and where you are in life. This doesn't mean that you have to have everything figured out before you begin, just that you are okay with who you are. Acceptance of you and your situation in the present does not mean there are not things to work on and change...that's growth, that's the journey of life, but mentally beating yourself up over what you don't like or want to fix or whatever, is not progressing you to anywhere you want to go. It is one thing to say I want to lose 20 pounds and I have a plan to accomplish that versus saying to yourself that you hate your body and you never are able to stick to anything you set out to do, etc., etc. Those 20 pounds, or whatever it is on your goal list is not what is making you anguish, but the dialogue in your head about it. Accept where you are, make a plan for what you want to change, improve, enhance, and set about doing just that. You are you regardless of jean size....love yourself the way you would a loved one and get about your journey!

Put another way: What you focus on and put your attention on is what prospers SO Negative thoughts and negative energy = Negative outcomes......STOP pouring your energy into what you don't want and instead INVEST your energy on what you do want!!!! Each and every day is a new opportunity to do better and achieve better in all  you do!

For more "self-help" beyond fitness and nutrition, be sure to visit my other blog at http://veryeffectiveliving.blogspot.com/.

Whoo Hoo

Finally!!! I took the time to weed through hundreds and hundreds of posts and have corrected all the embedded links!!! Wow, I embed a lot of links ;-) Should you find a link that does not work, please e-mail me at cagib1@charter.net to let me know so I can fix it!!!!

I am currently working on several Post Series (form, function, eating supportively and the like) and e-books, which I hope to have available to you by the end of the year. In the meantime, enjoy the weekly posts on fitness, nutrition, inspiration! 

Upper & Lower Crossed Syndrome

Why is posture so important? In absence of proper movement and posture we cause our muscles to work incorrectly. Over time, the muscles that should be strong become weak and vice versa. The muscles that should be the primary movers take a back seat to those tasked with jobs they are not designed to do. We incur primary, secondary, and tertiary trigger points that cause joint problems, aches and pains and inflammation leading to more impaired movement and avoidable compounded pain and limitations.

Learn, Grow, Repeat

I don't like when someone tells me 'what to do', but I love when someone shares with me their knowledge of what to do. None of us know everything, but it's the people continually seeking knowledge that know the most. There is never a time that I sit down and think to myself that I've learned all I need to know and that 'I've arrived and can relax now'. Just the opposite is true for me in fact. The more I learn, the more I know that I don't know....or something along the lines of that 'old saying' (as my son would say). My purpose is not to judge you or tell you what to do. We are all unique individuals walking walks of which we only share a small portion to another. To judge a whole building by peering into just one window would be foolish. To then tell someone how to go about 'fixing' their interior by only seeing a fraction of a room is pointless. When I coach, I speak from experience and education, but even at that am only effective to the degree the client allows me in the building (so to speak). I write my blogs on fitness, living, and Bible study not because I know everything or have experienced everything, but to share what I have thus far walked through and learned. I share the basic principles and knowledge of what I know through continuous study and experience to be true. It is up to the person reading or talking or working with me to then take what I offer and apply as it fits...or remold as they need based on where they find themselves. Me sharing my 'building' is not because it's finished, but because I'm happy to save you some time and some pain working on yours.

Regarding fitness, nutrition, and getting fit and healthy, I am always honing what I know through practice and continuing education. Assessing a client's body and goals is an ongoing process as the client changes. Designing programs to meet their needs is my priority and not something I regard lightly.  Why Workout With Me

Trigger Point Recap

Trigger Point Series:

Trigger Points
Referred Pain,Trigger Point & Symptoms
Shoulder Trigger Points
Back Trigger Points
Hip & Knee Trigger Points
Final Word On Trigger Points

Myofascia
What Is A Trigger Point?

What Is A Trigger Point?

from NielAsher Advanced Trigger Point Techniques:

We will define a trigger point after Drs. Janet Travell and David Simmons (1998),

"A highly irritable localized spot of exquisite tenderness in a nodule in a palpable taut band of (skeletal) muscle."

These hyperirritable localized spots can vary in size, and have been described as "tiny lumps", "little peas", and "large lumps"; they can be felt beneath the surface, embedded within the muscle fibers. If these spots are tender to pressure they may well be "trigger points". The size of a trigger point nodule varies according to the size, shape, and type of muscle in which it is generated. What is consistent is that they are tender to pressure. So tender in fact (hyperalgesia) that when they are pressed, the patient often winces from the pain; this has been called the "jump sign". When pressed and held for six or more seconds this acute pain seems to melt into a specific and reproducible map of pain.

Myofascial trigger points may well be implicated in all types of musculoskeletal and mechanical muscular pain. Their presence has even been demonstrated in children and babies. Pain or symptoms may be directly due to active trigger points, or pain may "build up" over time from latent or inactive trigger points. Studies and investigations in selected patient populations have been carried out on various regions of the body. There is a growing amount of research evidence directly linking musculoskeletal pain to trigger points. A high prevalence of trigger points has been confirmed to be directly associated with myofascial pain, somatic dysfunction, psychological disturbance, and associated restricted daily functioning.

Poor posture is a powerful "activator and perpetuator" of myofascial trigger points (Simons et al. 1998) and is always worth considering in chronic trigger point syndromes. Postural muscles tend to have a greater percentage of type 1 fibers; this characteristic, as discussed, may lead to a more resistant type of trigger point. Human beings are four-limbed animals, and like our cousins, we are designed to move around and hunt for food. I am sure that if one put a gorilla in a chair all day, it would get a bad back!

Myofascia

What is Myofascia and why is it important? Myo means muscle and fascia is:

Imagine you are an orange. Your skin is (superficial) fascia embedded with hairs and receptors; the white tough pith beneath the skin is fascia; the bags that surround each segment are (deep) fascia; and, if  you look really closely, the juice of the orange is held in even smaller fascial bags. We are all similar to some extent: our fascia is ubiquitous--it wraps and supports organs, bones, and tendons. Where it wraps muscles, it is known as myofascia. Fascia is a living tissue and has memory; it also helps transport and move chemical and other substances around the body. When we refer to "myofascial trigger points," we are talking about a trigger point in a specific muscle and its fascial wrapping. Myofascia connects many of the areas of the body together, which is why it is sometimes referred to as a connective tissue. ~Niel-Asher Advanced Trigger Point Techniques

...In other words, it is the growth of fascia along lines of stress and strain that is the powerhouse of muscle orientation and development. This also explains why muscle action is not singular, but interconnected. For example, a contraction of the biceps brachii muscle will exert a force on the fascia of the whole arm, shoulder, and neck. Fascia has neither beginning nor end, and is described by anatomists according to location. On closer inspection the myofascial bags surrounding the muscles are actually part of a continuum. This may also go some way to explaining the referred pain patterns stimulated by pressing on a trigger point. ~Niel-Asher Advanced Trigger Point Techniques

Healthy & Yummy Recipes

Breakfast
~Be sure to scroll to bottom of PAGE for LINKS to other Recipe Posts~

Kashi Cereal Breakfast:

1 cup of Kashi GoLean Cereal

1 cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch

1 large Banana

¾ cup 1% or Skim Milk

w/whole Grapefruit (or other Fruit of choice)

Rolled Oats with added Protein:

½ cup Rolled Oats

¾ cup Water

1 Scoop Whey Protein Shake

¼ cup of Walnuts

1 tsp of Cinnamon

w/whole Peach (or other Fruit of choice)

Breakfast Burrito

2 large Eggs scrambled w/a ¼ tablespoon of Olive Oil

2 Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Links cut up & scrambled w/eggs

1 ounce Colby Jack Cheese

1 FlatOut Light Flatbread

w/1 serving of Seapoint Farms Edamame Shelled on the side &/or 1 serving of Fruit

Fried Egg Sandwich

2 large Fried Eggs

1 tablespoon of Flaxseed (sprinkled on top of cooking eggs)

1 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

1 Arnold Select Sandwich Whole Wheat Thin

w/1 serving of Seapoint Farms Edamame Shelled on the side

w/1 serving of Fruit

Spicy Fried Egg Scramble

¼ tablespoon of Olive Oil

½ whole Bell Pepper (red, yellow, or orange) sautéed just before cracking eggs in skillet

½ Jalapeno Pepper cut up & mixed w/Bell Pepper before cracking eggs in skillet

2-3 large Eggs cracked on top of sauté (as if to fry but once eggs start to fry, cut up to almost a scrambled state w/sauté; season with ½ teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

Top served mix with a ¼ cup of Athenos Feta Cheese Crumbled &

½ cup of Seapoint Farms Edamame Shelled

w/1 serving of Fruit

Spicy Flaxseed Scramble

2 large Eggs scrambled w/a ¼ tablespoon of Olive Oil

½ Jalapeno Pepper cut up & scrambled w/eggs

2 tablespoons of Flaxseed scrambled w/eggs

½ cup Bell Pepper (red, yellow, or orange) sautéed just before pouring egg mix in skillet

1 cup of wilted Spinach (served under eggs)

½ cup of diced Tomatoes (served on top of eggs)

¼ cup of Athenos Feta Cheese Crumbled (served on top of tomatoes)

w/1 serving of Fruit

Cheesy Scrambled Eggs w/Quinoa

2 large Eggs scrambled w/a ¼ tablespoon of Olive Oil

2 Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Links cut up & scrambled w/eggs

1 ounce of Colby Jack Cheese

1 serving of Seapoint Farms Edamame Shelled or 1 cup of fresh, chopped Asparagus

1 cup cooked Quinoa

w/1 serving of Fruit

Healthy Pancakes

1½ cups Rolled Oats

1 cup Low Fat Cottage Cheese

7 Egg Whites

1½ tablespoons Cinnamon

3 pkts SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener

Dairy Free/Gluten Free Pancakes

2 cups Garbanzo Bean Flour

4 teaspoons Baking Powder

3 Large Eggs

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Sugar (or SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener)

½ teaspoons Salt

2 cups Water

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 tablespoons Cinnamon

Greek Yogurt Parfait

1 cup of Fage 0% Greek Yogurt

1 cup of Blueberries

½ cup of Strawberries

2 tablespoons Flaxseed (sprinkled on top of mix)

½ cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch (sprinkled on top of mix)

Simple Fruit Smoothie

1 cup of Blueberries

1 cup of Strawberries

1 large Banana

1 cup of Fage 0% Greek Yogurt

 Simple Green Smoothie

1 cup of Blueberries

1 cup of Strawberries

3 cups of Spinach (or 2 cups of Spinach & 1 cup of Kale)

1 med-large Apple (or 1 med-large Banana)

1 serving Protein Shake mix (or 1 cup of Fage 0% Greek Yogurt)

Green Smoothie

1 med-large Apple

1 cup of frozen Blueberries (if fresh, 1 cup of ice)

1 cup of Strawberries (or Raspberries)

2 cups of Spinach

2 cup of Kale

1 Cucumber w/peel (or 1 cup of Water)

1 serving Protein Shake mix (or 1 cup of Fage 0% Greek Yogurt) in or on the side

Variations: you can also add Banana and/or carrots, beets puree w/ginger, wheat grass, etc.

Breakfast Sides:

Blueberry Syrup:  1 cup of Blueberries microwaved until a little soupy (part berry, part soupy), mixed w/1-3 tablespoons Flaxseed (optional) and/or (1 tablespoon of Sugar-Free Maple Syrup) (optional) 

Protein Shake Coffee Latte:  1 Protein Shake mixed with 2½ + cups of Coffee

Raspberry Chocolate Protein Coffee:  Brew coffee as normal but add one tea bag to the actual pot the coffee drips into so it steeps while your coffee is brewing.  The magic tea bag to add is: Lipton Superfruit (red goji and raspberry) Green Tea.  Leave the tea bag in until you have drunk all the coffee just gets better with age.  This alone makes an excellent flavored coffee.  If you either let the coffee cool to room temperature or chill it then add 1 scoop of your chocolate protein shake mix to your desired amount of the coffee/tea (I use about 2 ½ cups) & mix (in blender bottle or whatever you usually mix your protein shake in)…do not add extra water, just the coffee/tea/shake mix.  Such as super yummy treat!!!

Lunch/Dinner

Feta Olive Salad

3 cups Romaine Mix

2 cups Spinach

½ large Cucumber w/peel

½ Bell Pepper (red, yellow, or orange)

1 cup diced Tomatoes

¼ cup of Athenos Feta Cheese Crumbled

1 serving Mezzetta Calamata Olives

1 serving Spanish Olives

2-3 ounces of Chicken diced or strips

2 tablespoons Kraft Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

(you can add Radishes, carrots, etc.)

Cajun Chicken Salad

3 cups Romaine Mix

2 cups Spinach

½ large Cucumber w/peel

½ Bell Pepper (red, yellow, or orange)

1 cup diced Tomatoes

3 ounce of Chicken strips sautéed previously in Olive Oil & Cajun Seasoning

4 tablespoons Salsa

(you can add any veggie and/or a ¼ cup of Fage 0% Greek Yogurt)

Spicy Chicken and Avocado

3 ounces of Chicken cut into strips & sautéed w/Olive Oil & seasoned w/Cajun or Cayenne

½ Bell Pepper (red, yellow, or orange) sautéed w/Chicken when Chicken is almost cooked

3 cups of Spinach wilted in w/Chicken & Bell Pepper

½ diced Avocado mixed w/3-4 tablespoons Salsa & ¼ cup Fage 0% Greek Yogurt (served on top of cooked Chicken mix)

w/1 Serving Black Beans mixed w/1 Serving Kernel Corn

Sautéed Chicken and Veggies

3-4 ounce Chicken Breast sautéed w/previously sautéed to caramel (yellow) Onions & Olive Oil

(if cooking 3-5 Chicken Breasts=1 tablespoon Olive Oil & 1 med-large Onion)

w/any veggie mix (such as 1-2 cups steamed Broccoli & 1 cup steamed Carrots) and Brown Rice, or Quinoa, or Sweet Potato, etc.

Kale Pepper Chicken

½ TBL Olive Oil

1 Whole Red or Orange or Yellow Bell Pepper cut in chunks

1 Whole (or half depending on taste for the spicy and size of the pepper) Jalapeno Pepper diced

3 Cups chopped Kale

3 Ounces diced or shredded cooked Chicken

½ Cup cooked Quinoa

Dash of Cayenne Pepper

Heat up olive oil in skillet then add chopped peppers and sautee for a few minutes before adding all of the kale.  Cook added kale and peppers until the kale is just starting to get wilted as you want the kale to still have some crunch; so just long enough on the heat to absorb some oil and bring out the deeper flavor of the kale.  Add the cooked peppers and kale mix to the warmed chicken and quinoa.  Mix then sprinkle with a dash of cayenne pepper. 

Curry Kale Lentil Soup

4 cup Vegetable Broth (for lower sodium omit broth and just season with desired Herbs & Spices)
1 cup Lentils
2 tsp. Curry Powder
4 cup Fresh Kale  (Cook lentils in vegetable broth. When almost done add curry powder and fresh kale. When kale has wilted down serve.)

Italian Chicken

3-4 ounce Chicken Breast baked w/Light Italian Salad Dressing on 350º or Grilled (after marinating in dressing)

w/any veggie mix and grains or as a Sandwich w/Lettuce or Spinach & Tomato & Turkey Bacon and 1 tablespoon Honey Mustard Dressing

Barbecue Chicken

3-4 ounce Chicken Breast baked w/Barbecue Sauce on 375º til extra tender, then fork shred chicken

Served a top any Salad configuration or as a Sandwich w/Bush’s Grillin Beans Smokehouse Tradition & Kernel Corn

Chicken and Pasta

3-4 ounce Chicken Breast sautéed w/previously sautéed (red) Onions & Olive Oil

(if cooking 3-5 Chicken Breasts=1 tablespoon Olive Oil & ¾ of large Onion)

1 ½ cups of following previously sautéed mix:          1-2 Zucchini chopped

                                                                                    1 Red Bell Pepper

                                                                                    1 Orange Bell Pepper

                                                                                    ¾ large Red Onion

                                                                                    ¾ tablespoon Olive Oil

w/1 Serving of Whole Wheat Angel Hair or Linguini Pasta & 1 Serving Marinara Sauce

Tuna Salad

5 ounce can of Chunk Light Tuna in Water

1 hard boiled Egg

½ cup diced Cucumber w/peel

½ cup diced Tomato

1 tablespoon Kraft Light Mayo (or Kraft w/Olive Oil Mayo)

1 teaspoon Yellow Mustard

w/Arnold Select Sandwich Whole Wheat Thin as a Sandwich or as a Salad w/Greens, etc.

Cottage Cheese & Red Beans

1 cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese

1 cup Red Beans (dark or light)

3 tablespoons Flaxseed

4-6 tablespoons Salsa

Greek Yogurt w/Grapes & Walnuts

1 cup Fage 0% Greek Yogurt

1 cup Red Seedless Grapes

¼ Diamond Shelled Walnuts

3 tablespoons Flaxseed

Greek Yogurt/Cottage Cheese

½ cup Cottage Cheese

½ cup Greek Yogurt

3 TBL Flaxseed

½ TBL Cinnamon

1 medium Peach

Variation: 1/4 cup Cottage Cheese with ½ cup to ¾ cup Greek Yogurt with the flaxseed/cinnamon and added ¼ cup Walnuts and fruit on the side

Peanut Butter Sandwich

2 tablespoons creamy Peanut Butter

3 tablespoons Flaxseed (mixed w/Peanut Butter)

1 Arnold Select Sandwich Whole Wheat Thin (spread Peanut Butter mixture on thins)

¾ tablespoon Honey (a top spread)

w/Fruit Serving

Lunch/Dinner Sides:

Sweet Potato: (cook in microwave til done then open up & mix in 1 tsp Cinnamon & ¼ tsp Ginger)

Sweet Potato Wedges:  Sliced Sweet Potatoes, lightly sprayed w/Olive Oil and seasoned w/Cinnamon & Ginger or Cajun Season & baked at 350º for about an hour

Kale Chips:  Wash & pat dry Kale, tear in pieces & spread out on baking sheet, lightly spray w/Olive Oil then season w/Cajun Season or Cayenne Pepper or Sea Salt/Ground Pepper or Red Wine Vinegar or Balsamic Vinegar & then bake at 350º for 10-15 min (until crisp)

Snacks

Protein Shake & Large Apple

Think Thin Brownie Crunch Bar w/Fruit Serving

Nuts & Fruit

1 Serving of Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts) & 1 Fruit Serving

Peanut Butter Banana

2 tablespoons creamy Peanut Butter

2 tablespoons Flaxseed (mixed w/Peanut Butter)

1 large Banana (spread Peanut Butter mixture on Banana)

Side Fruit Treat

½ cup sliced fresh Strawberries

½ cup fresh Blueberries

½ cup – 1 cup fresh sliced Banana

1 tsp Cinnamon (just sprinkle then mix in the Cinnamon on the fruit)

w/side of protein or as dessert following a meal with protein

Any Yogurt or Lighter Meal Options from Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Links to Posts with Recipes: 
Case of the Mondays? 
Aging Fruits & Veggies
Versatile Beans
What Was Your Dinner?
Additional Recipes
Yummy Sweet Lunch
Veggie Yumminess
Savory Eggs