First, warm up your muscles by walking, marching in place, or doing squats or jumping jacks, for ten minutes before you head outdoors.

Pick the right shovel. Choose a shovel with a small blade. This will help you by not lifting as much so less strain is on your back. Select a shovel that is comfortable for your height and strength. A short handle will cause you to bend more to lift the load. Using a shovel that’s too long makes the weight at the end heavier. Space your hands several inches apart on the tool grip to increase your leverage. You might consider an ergonomic shovel that has a curved handle and is designed to take the stress off your back.

Begin shoveling slowly, allowing your body to become accustomed to the load demands.

Instead of lifting, push the shovel to move the material whenever possible.

When you do have to lift, squat with your legs apart, knees bent, stomach muscles tight and back straight. Take a small amount of whatever you are shoveling, then lift by straightening your legs, without bending at the waist, then walk to where you want to dump it, holding the shovelful close to your body.

Don’t throw over your shoulder or to your side because twisting while throwing.

Never rotate or twist your body. Pivot with your feet. This will keep the load off your spinal tissues as well as protect your shoulders. Remember the rule “nose follows toes”. Your nose and your feet should always be pointing in the same direction.

Pace yourself by taking frequent breaks. Stand up straight and walk around periodically to extend the lower back.

Try this stretch before, during and after your shoveling: Lean backward, look up and reach your arms toward the sky and slowly exhale. This will provide relief to the spinal muscles that are doing much of the work while you are bent over shoveling. Repeat 3-5 times, stretching 10 seconds on each round.

If you do experience a strain. Keep in mind that most pain goes way after a day or two. Apply a cold pack as soon as possible after the injury at least several times a day for up to 20 minutes and take an anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen. After two or three days apply heat.

Poor sitting postures are major causes of neck and back pain.

Sitting posture while at your computer should be as follows:

• Adjust your chair so that your hips are 3 inches higher than your knees
• Your back should recline slightly so your back is at a 135 degree angle
• Your back should rest against the back of the chair with a lumbar roll supporting spine
• Your monitor should be 20-28 inches from your eyes
• Feet are flat on floor
• Shoulders relaxed
• Elbows at a 90 degree angle
• Wrists in neutral position and resting on palms or wrist support, not edge of desk

Follow the 50-10 rule. For every 50 minutes you work sitting at your desk, take a 10 minute break. During your break, walk around, stretch out your muscles.

Here are some startling facts if you are overweight:

• 50% more likely to develop heart disease
• 360% more likely to develop diabetes
• 31% more likely to die of any cause
• 120% more likely to develop stomach cancer
• 590% more likely to develop esophageal cancer
• 35% more likely to develop kidney cancer

But for some reason, these numbers don’t scare us enough, maybe these next two will.

Let’s focus on what really motivates us – money and… well, you know:

• 14% less attractive to the opposite sex
• 37% more in expenses for prescription drugs

But there is hope. Exercising even a small amount each day has been shown to:

• Reduce mortality by 14%
• Reduce chance of cancer by 10%
• Reduce chance of cardiovascular disease by 20%
• Reduce risk of getting diabetes by 50%

Think you are “immune” from developing diabetes? The number of people who develop it are staggering:

• 35% of adults ages 20 years or older and 50% of adults ages 65 years or older have pre-diabetes
• 25.6 million, or 11.3% of all people age 20 or older have diabetes
• 10.9 million, or 26.9% of all people age 65 or older have diabetes

Weight loss decreases risk of diabetes. For every kilogram of weight loss, there was a 16% reduction in risk, adjusted for changes in diet and activity.  Increased physical activity was important to help sustain weight loss. Among 495 participants not meeting the weight loss goal at year 1, those who achieved the physical activity goal had 44% lower diabetes incidence.   Diabetes Care  September 2006,  vol. 29,  no. 9,  2102-2107                                               

So, getting in shape in 2012 will allow you be healthier, richer, and more attractive. Where do we start?

From Men’s Health editor David Zinczenko in his book The New Abs Diet.

The two main variables that contribute to weight loss are caloric intake and exercise or calories burned. This illustrates how the different program variables can affect estimated weight loss.  Keep in mind this is theoretical. Actual results may vary.

Client SJ 1/10/12

48 year old female, 5’5 inches, 222 pounds

BMR: 1641 Calories/Day

Calorie needs to maintain her weight are about 2256

1. Calorie intake

1750 calories per day.

2256 calories are needed to maintain her weight minus 500 calories per day deficit= 1750 per day intake = 1 pound loss per week

1256 caloric intake per day.

2256 needed to maintain minus 1000 calorie per day = 1256 per day intake = 2 pound loss

2. Exercise amount = calories burned
200 calories exercise x 7 = 1400 calories per week burned = .4 pound loss per week
600 calories exercise x 7 = 4200 calories per week burned = 1.2 pounds loss per week

SJ has several options to choose from depending on how much weight she want to lose:
1. 1750 calorie intake per day and 20 minutes exercise= 1.4 pound loss per week
2. 1750 calorie intake per day and 60 minutes of cardio =2.2 pound loss per week
3. 1256 calorie intake per day and 20 minutes exercise= 2.4 pound loss per week
4. 1256 calorie intake per day and 60 minutes of cardio = 3.2 pound loss per week

So weight loss can vary depending on caloric intake and caloric expenditure. For someone beginning a program I would recommend option 1 and gradually increase the amount of exercise done. Option 3 would also be a good start although I wouldn’t recommend this low of a caloric intake for more than a week straight. It is important to maintain metabolic rate and too much of a decrease in caloric intake can decrease metabolic rate.

In reality this low 1256 caloric intake is difficult to continue on a daily basis. I find that most people when given this information end up using this information as a general recommendation to eat 1256-1750 calories per day and to exercise 20-60 minutes per day resulting in a 1.4 to 3.2 pound loss per week.

At 49 years old, Lynn began training with me with a history of little to no exercise
and she was quick to tell me that she didn’t enjoy working out.  Her goals
were to tighten her body, increase her strength and lose inches. 

After 4 months of workouts with me three days a week and a nutrition makeover,
Lynn’s results were amazing.

Lynn lost 5 inches, her body fat went down 4.2%, and her pushup strength increased
600%. It is interesting to note that with all these results her weight actually
increased .8 pound. This illustrates that with the correct nutrition plan and exercise
program that lean mass is maintained or even increased and body fat decreases. 

Lynn now loves to exercise! She works out on a regular basis and continues to
see new and exciting changes in her body.

Lynn says: Best personal trainer ever!

I have never been able to stick to an exercise program but Maria changed that for
me in a big way. When I started with her in May I was extremely unfit. I had tried
other trainers, classes, gyms etc. but I’d always end up hurting myself or
being so sore I couldn’t get out of bed the next morning! She has shown me that
getting and staying fit is absolutely attainable and amazingly fun! I feel better
than I have since my 20′s. Thank you Maria, you have literally changed my life