Q: I don’t have back pain, but when I look at myself in the mirror, my back and shoulders look rounded. Is that just bad posture?
A: Well, let me help you understand what you’re seeing. First of all, I don’t think people really grasp what the term “posture” means. For instance, you’re seeing yourself as you are today, but your posture is the result of how you were years ago—maybe even decades.
What does that mean? Your posture, good or bad, is a result of your lifestyle. In other words, your habits, pattern, positions—the things you do every day.
Our bodies are very good at adapting to the environment we place it in. If we look back on our lives, most of us sat in school for 12 years, then maybe we went on to college and sat some more. If you happen to work at a computer, you sit even more. By the time you’re 40, your body has gotten used to sitting, and your muscles are most comfortable in the sitting position. But all that sitting can cause some physical changes that, in turn, can lead to postural dysfunctions. If left alone long enough, these postural dysfunctions will cause structural changes that will be, for the most part, uncorrectable.
One of our subscribers said it best: “Our bones only go where our muscles put them.” If you don’t quite understand that statement, keep reading.
I’ve already told you that our bodies adapt to what we give them and that our bodies can be pulled into abnormal positions based on a number of lifestyle factors. Understanding this concept is more than half the battle, because once you do, you can begin to work on preventing and correcting problems with your posture.
Your rounded back and shoulders are the result of what are called “muscle imbalances.” These imbalances are causing the physical dysfunction you see in the mirror. You are not alone. And you are not the first to have this problem. It has been known about for years—as well as what causes it. Just because your doctor didn’t tell you how to address it does not mean that it can’t be done.
Now for some nuts and bolts. If you’re wondering how your muscles are responsible for the posture you have now, you must understand that our muscles can be either tight or flexible, strong or weak. And they can be in any combination of these four states, from front to back and side to side.
If you look at your rounded back and rounded shoulders, you will see that your head and shoulders are being pulled forward, which would indicate that the muscles in the front of your body are overly strong and/or overly tight compared to the muscles in your upper back, which are weaker and more flexible. That is how I would describe the imbalance between your muscles, which is the root of the problem.
Please realize that your body is and has been undergoing these physical changes for a long time and that there is no quick fix. It is a physical problem that will require a physical solution. There is no pill, injection, or massage that can make your muscles come back into balance. It takes work.
Simply because you know that there is an imbalance and you even know the direction does not mean that you can just start doing a general exercise program. In order to correct a known imbalance you will need to know very specific and very targeted stretches and exercises. If you choose to do nothing, your imbalances will gradually develop into a condition that will cause you pain.
I strongly recommend that you take a proactive approach to your current situation. You are lucky that you do not have pain. It is such a shame that millions of people are suffering from conditions that could have been prevented or corrected years ago, if only they understood how muscle imbalances affect our bodies.
I hope I have shown you that the problem is something more than just bad posture. I suggest that you seek out a qualified expert in muscle imbalances who can prevent any further progression of your condition.
Yours in Health
Connie Oliwa
yogacore
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Bio for Connie Oliwa
Bio for Connie Oliwa
After working for a local health club for 4 ½ years I relocated to Whistler BC, in 1996, purchased a local gym and became a full time trainer along with managing the facility full time.
Soon afterwards I studied yoga in California and fell in love with this type of training. I discovered the powerful benefit of combining yoga with core training. Soon afterwards Yogacore Training was developed
My training focuses on functional core development which includes training the core muscles (the bodies foundation) and incorporates yoga in all my programs.
I believe we must move our bodies in all ways to be functional for our daily activities.
My hobbies include running, biking and any sport which allows me to get outside!
In 2004 I created a powerful training program and called it Yogacore
In 2004 I created a powerful training program and called it Yogacore
In October 2006 I relocated by training business to Fort Langley, BC and now train full time from my private training Studio located.
In 2009 I launched BC’s most innovative and creative Online Coaching Program.
Credentials
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Yogafit Certified Instructor
Integral Certified Yoga Instructor
BCRPA Certified Weight Instructor
C.O.R.E Certified Trainer
Certified Spinning Instructor
Optimal Sports Nutrition Certified
Winning Sports Nutrition for Athletes
CPR & First Aid Certified
Your body will adapt to anything that you teach it. So teach it well
Heart Healthy Snacks
These snacks get our hearts pumping, literally and figuratively. They're delicious alternatives to the ho-hum bag of chips or candy bar. Skip the drive-through or the candy aisle and load up on some heart-healthy snacks that will not only maintain your cardiovascular health, but may help you drop a few pounds as well.
1. Vegetables dipped in hummus.
Fresh vegetables are low in calories and have many antioxidants, and many have no fat with plenty of fiber to satiate you. Fiber has also been shown to lower cholesterol. Hummus, made from chick peas, is a great alternative protein without saturated fat.
2. Fruit skewered on a stick with a little dark chocolate for dipping.
Fruit has a variety of antioxidants to fight cancer and heart disease. Dark chocolate has a high concentration of flavinols, a type of antioxidant, to fight heart disease.
3. Half of a cantaloupe filled with fat free cottage cheese, a dash of cinnamon and some berries.
The cantaloupe and berries have antioxidants, and the fat-free cottage cheese fulfills a serving of dairy without the saturated fat.
4. Fat-free yogurt with fruit and a sprinkle of nuts.
Get another serving of dairy without saturated fat as well as antioxidants from fruit and unsaturated fat from the nuts.
5. Smoothies with silken tofu and berries plus a dash of grape juice or pomegranate juice.
Yours in Health,
Connie Oliwa
yogacore
1. Vegetables dipped in hummus.
Fresh vegetables are low in calories and have many antioxidants, and many have no fat with plenty of fiber to satiate you. Fiber has also been shown to lower cholesterol. Hummus, made from chick peas, is a great alternative protein without saturated fat.
2. Fruit skewered on a stick with a little dark chocolate for dipping.
Fruit has a variety of antioxidants to fight cancer and heart disease. Dark chocolate has a high concentration of flavinols, a type of antioxidant, to fight heart disease.
3. Half of a cantaloupe filled with fat free cottage cheese, a dash of cinnamon and some berries.
The cantaloupe and berries have antioxidants, and the fat-free cottage cheese fulfills a serving of dairy without the saturated fat.
4. Fat-free yogurt with fruit and a sprinkle of nuts.
Get another serving of dairy without saturated fat as well as antioxidants from fruit and unsaturated fat from the nuts.
5. Smoothies with silken tofu and berries plus a dash of grape juice or pomegranate juice.
Yours in Health,
Connie Oliwa
yogacore
The Role of Exercise and Nutrition in Weight Loss
In this new study conducted at the University of Minnesota, moderate or substantial drops in dietary fat were linked to weight loss in overweight men and women, regardless of how much they changed and/or increased physical activity.
On average, these successful program participants decreased the number of high-fat foods they ate by five to ten servings a week.
In women, even substantial increases in exercise were not enough to produce weight loss if they did not decrease fat consumption.
Men, however, were able to lose weight through increased exercise alone. This might be because the men were able to burn more calories in exercise than women, or might reflect either some metabolic difference or a problem in the study’s ability to detect changes accurately.
This study doesnt say exercise isnt beneficial , it is and necessary to maintain optimal health.
Exercise strengthens, tones, shapes muscles, keeps your bones strong, maintains and builds lean muscle mass which keeps the body burning calories.
But in order to lose weight efficiently, nutrition, mainly fat intake must be watched.
Yours in health
Connie Oliwa
yogacore
On average, these successful program participants decreased the number of high-fat foods they ate by five to ten servings a week.
In women, even substantial increases in exercise were not enough to produce weight loss if they did not decrease fat consumption.
Men, however, were able to lose weight through increased exercise alone. This might be because the men were able to burn more calories in exercise than women, or might reflect either some metabolic difference or a problem in the study’s ability to detect changes accurately.
This study doesnt say exercise isnt beneficial , it is and necessary to maintain optimal health.
Exercise strengthens, tones, shapes muscles, keeps your bones strong, maintains and builds lean muscle mass which keeps the body burning calories.
But in order to lose weight efficiently, nutrition, mainly fat intake must be watched.
Yours in health
Connie Oliwa
yogacore
Metabolic Syndrome
After reading Oxygen’s March 2009 issue, I read that an Oxygen lifestyle of clean eating and regular exercise (cardio and weights!) could help you reduce the five risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome. But if that wasn’t enough to get you seriously thinking about shaking up your habits, here are 10 facts that will get you there.
1. According to the American Heart Association, more than 23 percent of women have metabolic syndrome.
2. Women with metabolic syndrome are three times more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke and up to 30 times more likely to develop diabetes than women without the condition, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
3. Skimping on calcium in your diet makes you 1.5 times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, according to a study in the American Journal of Health Promotion.
4. A 2008 study by the University of Chicago found the same genetic variations that allow you to tolerate cold climates could also lower your susceptibility to metabolic syndrome.
5. Cardio queen? Studies from 2008 showed that high-intensity interval training is the best type of cardio for decreasing your risk.
6. Doing enough cardio doesn’t mean you should be ditching the weights. A 2007 study found that an increase in muscular strength correlates with a decrease in metabolic syndrome risk in women.
7. Apples and apple juice reduce your risk by 27 percent, recent studies show.
8. Milk and dairy products reduce your risk by as much as a whopping 62 percent.
9. Soda junkie? Just one can per day can increase your risk of metabolic syndrome by 34 percent.
10. A 2008 study in the journal SLEEP found that sleeping fewer than six hours increased risk by 45 percent. So did sleeping more than eight hours.
Yours in Health,
Connie Oliwa
yogacore.ca
1. According to the American Heart Association, more than 23 percent of women have metabolic syndrome.
2. Women with metabolic syndrome are three times more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke and up to 30 times more likely to develop diabetes than women without the condition, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
3. Skimping on calcium in your diet makes you 1.5 times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, according to a study in the American Journal of Health Promotion.
4. A 2008 study by the University of Chicago found the same genetic variations that allow you to tolerate cold climates could also lower your susceptibility to metabolic syndrome.
5. Cardio queen? Studies from 2008 showed that high-intensity interval training is the best type of cardio for decreasing your risk.
6. Doing enough cardio doesn’t mean you should be ditching the weights. A 2007 study found that an increase in muscular strength correlates with a decrease in metabolic syndrome risk in women.
7. Apples and apple juice reduce your risk by 27 percent, recent studies show.
8. Milk and dairy products reduce your risk by as much as a whopping 62 percent.
9. Soda junkie? Just one can per day can increase your risk of metabolic syndrome by 34 percent.
10. A 2008 study in the journal SLEEP found that sleeping fewer than six hours increased risk by 45 percent. So did sleeping more than eight hours.
Yours in Health,
Connie Oliwa
yogacore.ca
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