The impact of posture on exercise

Since my last post it seems everywhere I turn something is coming up about posture. Great, I have terrible posture and always have. It has improved over the last year or so doing Crossfit which has helped improve my core strength and posterior muscles in legs and back. So last week I go to a running class just to check it out see what they have to say about improving running. The whole class is centered around posture. Since then it seems that everything I have read has something to do with posture so I take the hint and I am going to try and improve this and see what happens. I can already say that I have noticed a few things , but I will get to that in a minute.

Why is posture important? It helps prevent injury, it improves breathing, and it is more efficient. Injury  is the number one reason people end up backing off or quitting exercise, but with the right posture it can be prevented. In running, walking or even during certain exercises the vertical alignment of neck, spine, hips and ankles is critical. If someone where standing beside you looking at your profile they should be able to see alignment of the shoulder, hip/pelvis, and ankles. If you are like me... this was not the case. Because my hips were in front of my ankles and shoulders, my weight or the impact of running is on the knees... hence injury in the making. I have to work on shifting my pelvis and hips top get them in alignment with ankle and shoulders. The head position is critical too.... especially in running. The key is to hold the head up... chin up so that the spine is vertical and not curved. When we are vertically aligned during running, the pressure of our body weight shifts from our knees and feet to the hips. Our hips are designed to carry the load of our body weight. Just by tilting my pelvis back in I noticed a certain amount of lightness... a shifting of my weight... interesting.


The other impact of this posture thing is breathing. When we are in alignment , it allows the diaphragm to move  ( expand and contract) the way it is suppose to. When we are hunched over or the pelvis is moved forward the spine is not straight. If the spine is not straight, then the diaphragm is not able to work properly which impacts our breathing. Think about someone that is running and they are hunched over from fatigue. What does their breathing sound like? It is labored.. short desperate gasps. We make it harder on ourselves by not allowing the body to work the way it is suppose to.

So the ultimate impact on running and even exercise is efficiency. We are able to work longer utilizing less energy when the body is not under stress form poor posture and poor breathing which means better running. This does not happen over night. You have to be conscious of posture and work on changing it especially if you have established bad habits like me. The whole time I am running now I am trying to think about my posture. I have to get back in alignment until it becomes a natural state of being.  One of the main things that I have noticed especially on long runs is that my upper back and shoulders aren't getting tired anymore. The strain of leaning/hunching over has created pain in this area for years and now with just a change in posture it is gone... It must work... I'm just saying....

Soluble vs. Insoluble fiber

OK .... I must admit, I really didn't know the difference between the types of solubles. The fact is I just don't think about fiber much. So I decided to read up on fiber and this is what I found out. There are two types of fiber: Soluble and Insoluble.

         Soluble Fiber
               1. Dissolves in water
               2. Slows down digestion and emptying of the stomach
               3. Makes you feel full- helps with weight control because you feel full
               4. Helps stabilize blood sugar levels
               5. Examples: apples oranges, pears, strawberries, nuts, flax seed, blueberries, cucumber, celery
                        Grains and beans too, but  i don't eat these on the PALEO Diet:)
        Insoluble Fiber
               1. Does not dissolve in water
               2. Considered a gut healthy fiber
               3. Has a natural laxative effect; prevents constipation
               4. passes through system quickly and speeds up passage of food and waste through gut
               5. Found in whole vegetables too
               6. Examples: seeds, nuts broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, green beans, dark leafy vegetables,
                      raisins, grapes

Suggested intake for women: 25 grams per day
Suggested intake for men- 35 grams per day


Basically, you don't need to be worried about whether or not you are getting soluble or insoluble fiber.... you just need fiber. A good combination of fruits and vegetables will take care of both. On average a person takes in 15 grams of fiber a day and as you can see this is not enough based on the suggested recommendation. When you start consuming more fiber it = more gas in intestines...  until the body acclimates to the intake and then this settles down. More fiber means you also need to take in more water too. Fiber is a big part of the paleo diet so I think I am good... how about you?

Believe, Belong, Become

I was reading today in John Maxwell's Leadership Bible.... Romans chapter 5-7 and in this Paul presents a very clear Image of our need says Mr. Maxwell. He (Maxwell) states that becasue of our "fallen human state" we have three fundamental needs:

           1. To believe: All human hearts need to have faith in something or someone.
           2. To belong: All human hearts need to experience community and family.
           3. To become: All human hearts need to grow, stretch, and reach their potential.

As I read what he had to say this morning, I thought this is absolutely true. Above all things we need to believe, belong, and become. As I applied this to myself, I realized that most of my life I searched for some type of fullfillment , but when I met Jesus I became satisfied with who I was in him. Knowing him has created a family and community  for me, one that I could never have imagined... the church... my brothers and sisters in Christ whom I lean on for support and guidance through this thing called life. But, more importantly, I realize that being satisfied does not mean being complacent. God wants and expects us to grow and reach the potential that he sees in us.  This smeans that sometimes things get uncomfortable and we are placed in places and situations that force us to grow and mature in various areas of our life. This means spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I have a quote on the side of my blog that you may have never noticed by George Elliott. It states... "It is never tool late to become what you might have been." how appropriate to this. Dont become comaplacent with who or what you are, but step out in faith knowing that God wants us to grow and become something more.

Today as you you set forth place these three words in your heart....believe, belong, and become... where are you in this thing called life?

Three Amigos still at it!

                                                                   Lindy, Laura, Ashley

So here we are the three amigos one year later and still running. This was a race in McDonogh this past Saturday evening called the "Summer Nights Run Series". All three placed in our age groups... woohoo!

Why I run

So it has been over a year since I last posted on fitwarriors. I have missed it and decided to pick back up and give it a whirl again. So... where am I one year later with my fitness? Well I have continued to run and will be completing my first marathon in October... The Marine Corp Marathon in Washington D.C. so I am in about my 6th week of training and so far so good. I am over a year into Crossfit and love it! I am about to compete in my first crossfit competition "Garagae Games" in July. It is an unbelievanble core strength and body conditioning program that is spreading across the world. Crossfit is amazing how it changes the way you look and feel. I continue to work on eating habits... this is the hardest for me. I am working on "Paleo Nutrition" to help with my running performance. I have to say it has improved and I feel better when I don't have the high carbohydrates in my diet. I think there is something too it.

On another level, it is a very difficult time, my grandmother is not doing well and time is short, as her liver is shutting down. My son will be a senior next year in high school and we are looking at colleges and trying to make decisions for his future. I pray that God will continue to guide us as we make the best decisions for him. Laura and Ashley, my BFFs, are still right beside me going through this thing called life. I will be 43 in six days and life seems to be moving very rapidly. Somewhere in my future I am thinking I would like to do a half ironman, after my son graduates and is off at college (maybe then I will have some time to train).
 My pastor has asked me to start a walk/run group for some of the people in church looking to improve their health so if that s what I need to do then I will. Life is busy, but never too busy to make sure I take care of me and my health. Until next time....

Oh, I will get a current picture up of me and the girls soon:)