Healthy Swellness: Don’t let pursuing your fitness goals give you back pain

With the warmer spring weather on its way, a lot of us are scrambling to get started on getting our beach bods back in time for summer. And while we may be considering how toned we want our arms to get, or of that six-pack of abs, the health of our back is not something we typically consider, but really should not be overlooked.

Ironically, as I write this, it was almost a year to the date that I discovered how important back health is in the most painful way. It’s hard to say for certain what caused me to throw out my back, but long flights and running both possibly contributed to the issue. What I can say for sure is that it is the most physical pain I have experienced ever. I couldn’t sit down, lie down, pull open a door, or move in any way without incredible pain. My pride kept me from crying actual tears, but there was much whimpering and crying on the inside. And the only way I found relief and got my back to health? Regular appointments with a chiropractor.

If you’ve never seen a chiro, I think they’re a health pro we could all use in our lives. For example, if you’ve thrown yourself into a new workout regimen this spring, remember how important proper form is. Improper form can cause injury to your spine, knees, and shoulders, says the Ontario Chiropractic Association. Three popular exercises, when done with bad form, that can and often do lead to back injuries are squats, deadlifts and kettlebell swings.

First off, for these exercises, remember to maintain a neutral spine (to discover your neutral spine, stand backed up to a wall, with your head, upper back and tailbone touching the wall, with enough space for your fingers between the wall and your lower back). Next, keep these pointers in mind for each exercise:

Squats

Keep your chest up, and as you bend your knees, engage those glutes by lowering your body as though you were taking a seat. This form will help you maintain a neutral spine.

Deadlifts

As you hinge at the hip to perform your deadlift, envision a wall two feet behind you and imagine you are touching your glutes to this wall. This little tactic helps ensure you hinge at the hips instead of overusing your knees,

Kettlebell swings

Maintain that neutral spine as you swing so that you hinge at the hip and avoid straining the back. Swing the kettlebell only up to shoulder level (if you swing higher, you may compromise your neutral spine form.

Whether you’re just getting back into fitness or are a regular at working out, make sure you can continue your exercise routine by caring for your back, bones, muscles, joints and central  nervous system. You can find more essential info on keeping your back health in check at www.chiropractic.on.ca. And while you’re at it, on the site, you can find a local chiropractor who can help you learn about and maintain your back health.

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Leave a Comment May 1, 2017

Travel Swellness: Expedia.ca Fitness Breaks

I’m so excited because I can finally talk about this work I developed in partnership with Expedia.ca! If you know anything about me, it’s that I’m out and about quite a bit in my hometown of Toronto, and that includes working out and eating, and I travel a helluva lot, too, so I know what it’s like to want to fit in workouts while you’re away from home.

So I shared with Expedia a few of my favourite workouts in the 6ix in a one-day itinerary, should you find yourself here in Toronto and wanting to get your sweat on. There are, of course, way more workouts than I could include in a single day, but I made it a mix of running (cuz that’s my jam, plus it can be a great way to see any city), a workout to strengthen the core and overall conditioning, and finished off with something more zen. You can find my Toronto Fitness Break itinerary here!

Then, well, you know what goes hand in hand with working out? Fueling the body well. So for my roundup, I focused on more plant-based spots and narrowed it down to a handful of restaurants. It doesn’t include where I’m likely to go to carbload the week before racing a marathon, but rather places I frequent for a bowl filled with a rainbow of veggies loaded with nutrients and minerals, and yes, where you can get a good cold-pressed juice (because even though I don’t believe in juice cleanses, I think these juices, while they can put a dent in your budget, can be a wholesome complement to what you eat). Where to get healthy food that is tasty? Well, here’s my little healthy foodie favourites list over on the Expedia fitness breaks! I’m drooling right now just thinking of all the good-for-you tastiness.

The Expedia Fitness Breaks includes loads of other itineraries for you to check out as well. Like there’s one for Denver (where I’m dying to visit), Vancouver (love that city), Washington D.C., Rio de Janeiro, Montreal (my hometown, what what!), London, Barcelona, and more — so many cities and so many fun ways to be healthy! You can access them all on the homepage for Expedia Fitness Breaks.

1 Comment February 3, 2017