Top 10 Posture Mistakes and 17 Tips to Get Better Posture

Top 10 Posture Mistakes and 17 Tips to Get Better Posture
Growing up, many of our parents would demand that we sit up and stop slouching, for no other reason than it might make us look bad. But there are so many other elements to the importance of posture, elements that are affecting millions of us every day. From neck and back pain to blood flow and respiration, posture can have a major impact on how we live and how we feel every day.
So here are 10 of the top posture mistakes, followed by 17 tips to get better posture (you're welcome, Mom).  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Back Workout and Gardening
I started my day with an early workout of weighted chinups, low cable rows, bodyweight pullups and hanging scapular depression/retraction.
After finishing client sessions I spent some time in the garden tilling with a shovel (a nice little workout) and finally planting my corn.

~Feelin' Alive!~

OVERTRAINING

Overtraining occurs when you train your body beyond its ability to recover.  If your body cannot recover from the last workout then it will be unable to adapt and improve.  Symptoms of overtraining include:

1. A higher-than-normal resting pulse
2. Illnesses become more frequent and last longer than usual
3. Muscle spasms while resting
4. Shaky hands
5. Loss of sleep
6. Loss of appetite
7. Unexpected and unexplained fatigue or soreness
8. Unintended weight loss
9. Very slow, non-existent or loss of gains in the gym
10. Declining libido

Solution: If you are overtraining on your current routine, first take a few days or a week off to let your body recover, then cut back on the level of volume and/or intensity that led to the overtraining.  Different choices of exercises and cross training would also be welcome changes to your body.

For more health and fitness tips, visit www.topfitonline.com/tips.htm

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run and a Chest Workout
After taking care of some business earlier in the morning, I made time for a good Upper Table Rock run....I was definitely feeling more energetic than yesterday!
Later, I did a workout of BB bench presses, DB flye/press supersets and decline pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Diet soda habit as bad for teeth as meth addiction

Diet soda habit as bad for teeth as meth addiction
Heavy consumption of diet soda can damage teeth as badly as methamphetamine or crack cocaine, a new study contends.
"You look at it side-to-side with 'meth mouth' or 'coke mouth,' it is startling to see the intensity and extent of damage more or less the same," said Dr. Mohamed Bassiouny, a professor of restorative dentistry at the Temple University School of Dentistry in Philadelphia.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Walking Lunges and a Lower Table Rock Hike
There's nothing like 1/4 mile of walking lunges and a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client to wake you up in the morning!
After my last session of the day I headed out to Lower Table Rock for an intense run.....but, unfortunately my body said "NO".  Fatigue from this morning's walking lunges and the past days' activities made me opt for a brisk hike instead.  And as a result I was able get a good pic of another one of my little friends......just a reminder of how I'm such a snake magnet.

~Feelin' Alive!~

How to fix health problems with exercise

How to fix health problems with exercise
Ever wonder why you feel so great after you break a sweat? Turns out, exercise isn't just an effective flab-fighter -- it's a remedy for pretty much any troubling health issue you are facing: anxiety, insomnia, back pain -- even hot flashes.
"When it comes to preventing health problems, exercise is one of the best medicines we have," says Dr. David Katz, founding director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag and an Upper Table Rock Run
After dealing with business and personal errands and chores this morning, I did a full old school pro boxing match with my heavy bag ......15 x 3 min rounds with 1 min rests.....sure glad it doesn't hit back :)
In the afternoon I did a fun Upper Table Rock run.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Listing calories alone not enough to sway diners

Listing calories alone not enough to sway diners
Take a closer look at the menu. Want that Big Mac? It has 550 calories. A Whopper? It hsa 630, without the cheese.
As part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, restaurants with 20 or more locations soon will be required to display the calorie content of food on their menus. Some larger chains, such as McDonald’s and Burger King, already post them.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run and a Leg Workout
After a couple of morning sessions with clients that didn't let the holiday get in the way of their health and fitness, I headed out to Lower Table Rock for a run in the rain.  It was too warm for a jacket, so I just got soaked!
A little later I did a quick workout of BB front squats, BB SLDLS and calf raises.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

Exercise came in varied forms this past week.
Although I spent a full day on the road in the middle of the week, in addition to countless hours of intense play with kids and plenty of yard/garden work, I also made time for:

1 5k road run
2 Table Rock runs
2 Heavy bag workouts
1 Upper body workout

Did you accomplish your health and fitness goals this past week?

~Feelin' Alive!~

Experts: US Schools Should Make Physical Education A Core Subject

Experts: US Schools Should Make Physical Education A Core Subject
Reading, writing, ‘rithmetic — and PE?
The prestigious Institute of Medicine is recommending that schools provide opportunities for at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day for students and that PE be designated a core subject.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Body Workout and Heavy Bag
It was time to break back into a little heavy lifting today, so I started with BB bench presses and weighted pullups.....I followed this with supersets of pushups and chinups.  Later, in the evening, I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Diners badly underestimate calories in fast-food meals

Diners badly underestimate calories in fast-food meals
Teens underestimated the calories in fast-food meals by 34%; parents of school-age children by 23%; adults by 20%, study shows.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
I started my day with a 30 minute heavy bag workout and followed that with lots of play time in the jump house with the kids at Hailey's b-day party.  Later I spent an hour on some much needed yard work......overall, a good day of activity!

~Feelin' Alive!~

The Exercise Equivalent of a Cheeseburger?

The Exercise Equivalent of a Cheeseburger?
Over the last few months, during the endurance-athletics offseason, something extraordinary happened: The line began to blur between the health effects of running marathons and eating cheeseburgers.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run
Between training sessions and getting caught up on errands and chores, I made time for a fun Lower Table Rock run.  I'm going to have to make time for some heavy lifting soon....it's been over a week.

~Feelin' Alive!~

How to exercise without eating more

How to exercise without eating more
Maintaining that delicate balance of eating enough to fuel your workouts and not overdoing it afterwards is a source of confusion for even the most educated exerciser. Sometimes, those post-workout hunger pangs hit, begging you to replace what you just burned off. Other times, your brain is telling you it's time to reward your hard work (with extra cheese).  read more
(I'm not too sure about the post exercise advice, but It probably won't hurt to do it.)

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run
After sitting in a car all day yesterday, I NEEDED to get out on the trail today.  So I headed out to Upper Table Rock for a fun run.  And lucky me, as I was running down I flew around a corner and one of my little friends was there to greet me.........

There some definite tongue action going on here.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lack of strength training is most common U.S. health vice

Lack of strength training is most common U.S. health vice
Have you lifted weights today? Odds are, the answer is no. A new report on Americans’ health vices says failure to do strength-training exercises is far more common than the more obvious bad behaviors of smoking, heavy drinking, being a couch potato and staying up way too late.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- 5k Run
After taking yesterday as a rest day (if you consider several hours of running, jumping, climbing, rolling and playing in general with kids rest), I got up early this morning for a 5k run around Pogue Flat.....and then I spent several more hours doing the same thing I did yesterday.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

It was a strange week of activity and even though I took a rest day and spent a full day on the road, I still managed to fit in:

1 Pogue Mountain hike
3 Table Rock runs/hikes
1 bench press workout
1 pullup/chinup workout
1 heavy bag workout
1 insane walking lunge workout
1 5k run

What did you do to improve or maintain your health and fitness this past week?

~Feelin' Alive!~

5 biggest mistakes people make with food and exercise

5 biggest mistakes people make with food and exercise
Whether you earn your living working up a sweat, or squeeze in workouts when you can, it's easy to fall prey to eating errors that unintentionally hold you back from getting the most out of your workouts. Here are five common missteps I see, and how to correct them to reap the rewards of your hard work.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- 5k Run and a Pogue Mountain Hike
After a rest day on Friday followed by a full day of driving on Saturday, this morning I was up early and decided to head out for a 5k run around Pogue Flat.  Afterward, my mother and I hiked up to the top of Pogue Mountain....about 1000 ft elevation gain with a fantastic view of the Flat.....and tons of wildflowers too.

 A view from the bottom

A view from the top

~Feelin' Alive!~

True or false? Common healthy-eating myths

True or false? Common healthy-eating myths
Advice for how to eat, exercise, rest, and anything else related to health and fitness is everywhere. Sometimes it's hard to know what to trust. To clear up some of that confusion, the KING 5 "Get Fit" team doctor, Emily Cooper of Seattle Performance Medicine, shared her tips for how to eat right and get healthy.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Rest Day
After a dozen days of mostly high intensity and volume activity, it was time for a break.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Study Pinpoints Link Between Fitness and Cancer in Men

Study Pinpoints Link Between Fitness and Cancer in Men
There's new evidence out today that being fit reduces your risk for getting cancer.
The study, released at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting, looked at the link between fitness in middle-aged men and the likelihood of a cancer diagnosis later in life.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Hike and Heavy Bag
After yesterday's high intensity activity I was going to take a break today.....and I kind of did.  Instead of power hiking and running a Table Rock, I just did a moderately paced hike on Upper Table Rock followed by a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Study Questions How Sharply US Should Cut the Salt

Study Questions How Sharply US Should Cut the Salt
A surprising new report questions public health efforts to get Americans to sharply cut back on salt, saying it's not clear whether eating super-low levels is worth the struggle.
Make no mistake: Most Americans eat way too much salt, not just from salt shakers but because of sodium hidden inside processed foods and restaurant meals.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Walking Lunges and a Chinup/Pullup/Row Workout
This one is gonna leave a mark!  Today I did 3/4 mile of walking lunges........2 laps around the rolling hills of the Lower Table Rock Savannah Loop + an additional 90 steps to round it out to 3/4 mile......about 1300 total steps.
Afterward I did some yard/garden work and followed that with a workout of weighted chinups, single arm low cable rows and bodyweight pullups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Typical Restaurant Meal Loaded With Fats, Calories

Typical Restaurant Meal Loaded With Fats, Calories
The next time you sit down at your favorite local eatery, ponder this: Two new studies find that the average restaurant meal provides diners with most of the calories, fats and salt they require for the entire day.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run and a Bench Press Workout
This morning between business and personal chores and errands I made time for a fun Upper Table Rock run followed by a workout of BB bench presses, supersets of DB presses and flyes, and ring pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

New Guidelines for Using Exercise as an Antidepressant

New Guidelines for Using Exercise as an Antidepressant
Exercise has been proven as an effective treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), and now there is sufficient research to help doctors prescribe the proper dose of exercise for depressed patients, according to a new report in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run
In between clients, chores and errands today I made time for a great Lower Table Rock run......and I was met at the top by one of my friends..........

Say hello to my little friend :)

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

It was another active week which included several brisk walks with clients, lots of yard and garden work (both for myself and to help a friend), plus 1/4 mile of walking lunges with a client......but, I still made time for the following:

5 trail runs/hikes
1 bench press workout
1 pullup workout
1 Tabata workout
1 heavy bag workout

What did you do to stay fit and active this past week?

~Feelin' Alive!~

Obesity May Be Fueling Jump in Sleep Apnea Cases

Obesity May Be Fueling Jump in Sleep Apnea Cases
Researcher calls troubled sleep an 'uncalculated cost' of America's weight epidemic.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Bandersnatch Run
I started my day off with a couple of active hours with Hailey and followed that with a run on the Bandersnatch trail above Ashland with a friend.  Afterward I spent about an hour helping her with some heavy yard/garden projects.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Your 5 Worst Gluten-Free Mistakes

Your 5 Worst Gluten-Free Mistakes
The truth is, navigating the gluten-free landscape can be pretty darn tricky. Here are five common missteps I see, and how to resolve them.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
I started my morning with a 30 minute heavy bag workout and then pretty much remained inactive the rest of the day......not that I took it easy, I was just inactive for the better part of 4.5 hours holding some mostly awkward poses....LOL.

~Feelin' Alive!~

10 Fitness Tips for the Whole Family

10 Fitness Tips for the Whole Family
Staying fit is important at any age. Maybe you want to get your family active but don’t know how to go about it. Here are ten good ideas to help educate you on fitness so you can make changes in your life.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Pullups and a Lower Table Rock Hike/Run
After finishing with client sessions today I did a workout of weighted pullups, single arm suspension pullups, chinups and hanging scapular depression/retraction.
Later a friend and I headed out to Lower Table Rock for a sunset hike and run.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Teens ate 'too many calories' at Subway and McDonald's

Teens ate 'too many calories' at Subway and McDonald's
Adolescents who went to McDonald’s and Subway in Los Angeles bought about the same number of calories at each, despite Subway's reputation as a healthier place to eat, researchers said.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run
It was mostly a day to take care of personal and professional errands and chores, but I still made time for a quick Upper Table Rock run.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Missed opportunities for children’s activity

Missed opportunities for children’s activity
Regular physical activity is essential for optimal growth, development and health in children.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, first published in 2008, recommend that all children and adolescents should do at least one hour of physical activity each day. Most of this time should be spent in moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
Additionally, children should include muscle and bone-strengthening activity at least three days a week as part of the 60 or more minutes per day.
These activities should be appropriate for their age, be enjoyable and offer variety.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lunges and Tabatas

What a way to start the day!  6am......1/4 mile of walking lunges in addition to 2 brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.
In the afternoon I did a workout of Tabata pullups, pushups SB crunches and squats with a friend.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Hungry Shoppers Eat Worse All Week Long, Study Finds

Hungry Shoppers Eat Worse All Week Long, Study Finds
It has long been known that grocery shopping while hungry overpowers dietary caution and sabotages weight loss efforts.
But the dietary killjoys at Cornell University have determined the situation is much worse than we thought. Not only does filling up your food cart while your stomach is empty lead to out of control snacking in the short term, it condemns you to an entire week's worth of unhealthy eating.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run
After dealing with business earlier in the day a Lower Table Rock run was just what I needed......and to make it all the better, there were only a few other people up there.

~Feelin' Alive!~

8 fitness myths debunked

8 fitness myths debunked
Skip the stretching and forget the sports drinks. Modern research is proving that many commonly held fitness beliefs just aren't true.
Much of what we think we know is based on myth. We hear something when we’re kids, it gets repeated a few times, and before you know it, it’s “fact.”  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run and a Bench Press Workout
In addition to getting my day off to a really early start with a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client, after finishing with clients for the day I headed out to Upper Table Rock for a fun run.  Afterward I did a workout of BB bench presses and ring pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

Another active week in the life of TOPFIT.
In addition to the usual brisk walks with clients and plenty of yard and garden work, I also made time for:

3 trail runs/hikes (2 TRs and Grizzly Peak)
1 chest/tricep workout
1 back/bicep workout
1 lunge workout (both bw walking and DB stationary)
3 heavy bag workouts
1 5k trail run around the Lower TR Savannah Loop

What did you do to stay fit and active this past week?

~Feelin' Alive!~

Smoking, being overweight, decreases brain function even in younger adults

Smoking, being overweight, decreases brain function even in younger adults
Adults as young as 35 are susceptible to declines in brain function as a result of cardiovascular risk factors, like smoking or being overweight, a new study published in the journal Stroke revealed.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Grizzly Peak Hike/Run
After a couple of lighter days of activity, I was primed for a good trail run and hike on Grizzly Peak with Clista.  Lots of awesome wildflowers are blooming right now, and I'm sure there's more to come.

~Feelin' Alive!~

The Real Bears -- The Unhappy Truth About Sugar

The unhappy truth about soda (and all of the other sweetened garbage in most people's diets).
It wasn't so bad when soft drinks were the occasional treat. But now sugary drinks are the number one source of calories in the American diet. With one third of America overweight and another third obese, it's a wonder anyone is still swallowing what the soda companies are selling.

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
I kept things on the light side again today and, other than a bunch of chores, I only made time for another 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

5 Dieting Mistakes and How to Fix Them

5 Dieting Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Time and again, I see both classic and modern-day eating mistakes that have a huge impact on weight, health, and quality of life.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
I kept things a little lower volume and intensity today and the only exercise I made time for was a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Most people aren't meeting exercise guidelines

Most people aren't meeting exercise guidelines
Most adults in the USA aren't meeting the federal physical activity recommendations for both aerobic exercise and muscle-strengthening activity, according to government statistics out today.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Savannah Loop 5k Run
Just as it was really warming up this morning I headed out to the Lower Table Rock Savannah Loop for a 5k run (actually a tiny bit over 5k).  After all of the walking lunges and weighted stationary lunges/split squats that I did yesterday I wasn't even sure I would be able to run the whole thing, much less break the 30 min mark.  But, I put it to the test and finished in 27:36.

~Feelin' Alive!~

3 snack tips for faster weight loss

3 snack tips for faster weight loss
How often do you snack? Once a day? Twice? At least twice a day is the magic number for nearly half the population. And although snacking gets a bad rep, if you’re munching on the right foods, snacking can actually help you lose weight.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lunges and Heavy Bag
I got the day off to an early and intense start with 1/8 mile of walking lunges in addition to a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client.  Later in the afternoon I did some DB split squats (stationary lunges) followed by a 30 min heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~