3 Secrets to a PAIN FREE body!

By Tim Drown and Annie Poirier

Did you know what most women do to alleviate pain (rest, take medicine, ice, heat or do specific exercises prescribed by a doctor or physical therapist at the specific joint where the pain is felt) doesn’t work- it does not solve the root of the problem it only treats the symptoms for a short while.

What Does Work:

Secret #1: Improve your FASCIA Health by Foam Rolling
Fascia is a tough cobweb-like sheath that envelops the muscles, nerves and bones. It protects organs and joints from head to toe and acts as a shock absorber.
The fascia becomes tight, knotted and constricted from trauma, injuries, accidents, the same repetitive motions, poor posture, neuromuscular weakness and the aging process.
When the fascia constricts, shrinks or gets tight it gets inflamed and creates pressure on the tissue surrounding it causing an increase in pain and inhibits mobility and flexibility. The fascia is also rich in nerve cells, so you will feel the pain.


Secret #2 – Ensure that the joints along your Kinetic Chain Function Correctly/Optimally.
Did you realize the nagging pain in your knee might be caused by tight muscles in your hips? Ifyou only do movements to strengthen muscles around the knee you won’t resolve the kneepain. You might be wondering why this is – our entire body is related (connect by something called a kinetic chain) and compensates for imbalances, pain or injury in order to protect itself. Simply put, every body part is linked and dependent on every other body part through a system called the kinetic chain.
The kinetic chain is the system that promotes and manages movement -from the feet tofingertips and the muscles, fascia (that’s that word again), and other connective tissue tie it all together. If one area of the chain is weak, another part must compensate and the next link in the chain will suffer.

For the chain to functional optimally it must have both stabile and mobile components with one part of the chain stabile and then the next mobile all the way up to the shoulders/neck.
If one component along the chain is broken, deficient or not working properly your body will compensate and you will FEEL PAIN/ACHES.


Secret #3 – While every joint is important along the chain the HIPS maybe most important –Implement a Movement Prep and Prehab Routine.
Todd Durkin, a fitness pro who trains professional athletes as well as every day Joes and Janessays, “If your hips are tight and don’t or can’t function correctly (properly), you are on the road to pain, injury and even disability.”
The key to improving HIP rotation function is to improve both Hip mobility and stability. I will go into more detail later on when I talk about HRD (Hip Rotational Deficit)
So, the 3 Secrets to Pain-Free Living is: to Improve your Fascia Health, Make Sure Your Joints Along the Kinetic Chain are Functioning Correctly and Make Time to Improve Hip Mobility Function.
Now that you know the 3 secrets to Pain-Free living let take a look at the top 6 causes that women suffer from chronic daily plain. (From Todd Durkin)

1. Elevated, too much Stress
2. Too much Sitting
3. HRD (Hip Rotational Deficit) /Poor Hip & Pelvis Functioning
4. Poorly Designed Exercise Programs
5. Not enough focus on doing Movement Prep or Prehab
6. Poor or inadequate Recovery & Regeneration Strategies

Having too much stress (distress) leads to fat storage and body changes, bio markers are impacted negatively, leading to shallow breathing and hinders quality sleep.
Simply put distress leads to dis-ease. When you live in excessive distress, you feel anxiety, worry, anger, frustration, irritability and have high levels of cortisol (the fat storage hormone). Stress impacts sleep quality, causes blood pressure to spike and breathing becomes shallow, causing muscles from your neck down through your back to tense up and tighten It then wreaks havoc on your entire body.
Solution: Listen to Yoga Nidra Guided Meditations, learn how to improve your breathing drink more water and tea get out into nature, move-play-exercise joyfully

Too much Sitting which causes our glutes to bear the brunt of the weight and our chest muscles to tighten and pull the shoulders forward. We wind up hunched forward putting pressure on the back and neck. We all sit too much (in front of computers, in meetings, at lunch, on the coach at night watching tv, etc....) Sitting for hours develops poor posture which alters the body’sfascia and causes perpetual pain.
Solution: Play, Move & Exercise Joyfully. Implement our 2x2x2 Movement Formula (Do 2 days of walking, 2 days of PlayFit, and 2 days FitMoves. Foam Roll do Movement Prep and Prehab Activities on a consistent basis.


Hip Rotational Deficit (HRD) Having limited ability at the hip complex (glutes, piriformis, psoas, and adductor muscles) impacts how the pelvis functions (it flexes and rotates the trunk and stabilizes the back). It locks the hip down and prevents the proper amount of rotation needed to move effectively.
All these muscles are connected by fascia. The renowned movement expert Moshe Feldenkraissaid, “You go as your pelvis goes” When your pelvis is off level, out of balance, tilted forward orback it causes muscles to function poorly and the body moves inefficiently. This compensatory causes multiple joints along the chain be impacted, leading to pain.
Solution: Use Movement Prep, Prehab and Foam Rolling to improve mobility and flexibility of the muscles that surround the pelvis and hips in order to keep the body pain-free performing well and feeling great.


Poorly Designed Exercise Programs found on the internet or old outdated training methods and exercises lead to joint injuries, muscle strains and chronic tendonitis and over-training. In addition, most traditional programs use machines that isolate muscles and are linear based (that is they train the body in one plane) Lifting, cycling, running and rowing are straight linedactivities and don’t reflect how the body functions and works in the real world. Lastly, certainmovements or exercises might be exacerbating the pain.
Solution: Train the core in all directions, do movement prep and prehab activities that increase flexibility in the hip and midthoracic (mid back) while strengthening low-back stability. Use training equipment like bands, dumbbells, medicine balls and kettlebells while doing more pulling exercises to overcome sitting. Since our body moves in multiple planes and dimensions, exercises and movements should also challenge you in this manner.

Not Focusing on Movement Prep or Prehab. Most women have serious flexibility and mobility issues especially in the hips, hamstring and chest. And the older we get the worse it becomes. Failure to focus on this important part of a workout/ training leads to muscle tightness, discomfort, knotted and constricted fascia, injury and pain.
Solution: Foam Roll, Implement a 5-7-minute Movement Prep routine prior to your workout, play, movement or exercise session. Do 3-5 prehab activities either at the start or end of a workout. Do some static stretching especially for the calves, hamstrings, glutes and piriformis and chest muscles.


Poor Recovery and Regeneration Strategies that lead to over-training and burn out. Not using the best practice standards with regards to nutrition and sleep. Not listening to Yoga Nidra (Stress-Less with Divine Sleep) Not using ProVantage a world class recovery beverage from Reliv to speed recovery and enhance fascia health.
Solution: Rest, Recover & Re-energize. Learn more about nutrition and change your habits with regards to food and eating. This is the #1 thing you can do, as food fuels our body and is key to our body systems functioning properly and optimally
(Enroll in our Precision Nutrition with ProCoaching Program)

• Drink ProVantage after an exercise, play or movement session
• Listen to Stress-Less with Divine Sleep (Yoga Nidra), reduce stress
• Listen to Positive Self-talk (change your mood, mindset and emotional state)
• Implement a Self-Care Practice daily
• Utilize our 2x2x2 Movement Formula (walk 2 days a week, complete FitMoves 2 days a week and do
  2 days of PlayFit)
• Active Rest – foam roll, contrast showers, massage, Rolfing, take a music bath
• Order our “Kitchen Rescue Pak” – Make meal planning and preparation easy
• Journal
• Enroll in Annie’s On-line Drumming Fitness Class
• Create a victory and gratitude practice and list
• Laugh
• Get outside in nature
• Get and Give Hugs, Hold Hands
• Do something with a friend, family member, etc.
• Find a spiritual practice
• Volunteer for something that gives you energy back
• ADD YOURS HERE
  Sources & Reference(s):
  “The Impact Plan” by Todd Durkin M.S., CSCS
  Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist & Personal Trainer Tim Drown M.S., CSCS. NSCS-CPT, CPNC, CLC, CSTT“The Art and Science of Functional Sports Conditioning” by Vern Gambetta

Click here for more information and grab your free YOU ARE ENOUGH Finally Free Fit and Fabulous 5 step guide to peace with food, eating, weight and body image. 

You are worth it. 

You make a difference

            I stand on my deck and throw a stone into the glass like water on the small pond outside my house.  There is an instant impact, a circular ripple that spreads outward towards the edges of the pond.  It reminds me of the impact that we have on those around us every day.  You never really know how your actions, big or small, impact the world and people around you.

o   The smile you share with someone on the street

o   A hug between you and a friend you haven’t seen in a while

o   The little extra you left the server in the tip at the restaurant

o   The morning walk you have been taking

o   The decision to sign up for that class

That smile that you shared with someone today?  It made their day.  That is what it took for them to realize that they mattered, that they were not invisible to the world.  They have been slowly losing their self-confidence over the past month…feeling unworthy and unloved.  It was the smile that you shared that gave them a boost. They went home feeling uplifted. Like life may be worth living after all and that feeling was spread to her little 3 year old daughter.

That hug that you gave to a friend today?  It was the first sense of warmth and kindness that they have felt in over a year. The physical touch of a hug made their blood start to flow warm again.  They have been feeling lonely, sad, and withdrawing from people lately.  .  Why was it today that you bumped into each other at the store?  It had been years since you last saw them.  It was YOUR strong, compassionate hug that was just what they needed to let them know someone cared.  

The little extra you left the server in the tip at the restaurant, It was only a couple extra dollars, the server seemed sad, that is all, and you just left not thinking anything of it.  Come to find out that server came home to a sick child and needed the extra money for a prescription that needed filling…making the extra money in the tip a much appreciated gesture

That new morning walk you have been taking? It has inspired the mom who lives across the street.  She hasn’t moved in years!  She has been watching and admiring you from the window, lace up your sneakers, smile, and stretch and move your body.  She admires your drive and dedication.  You had told her about your goal a couple months ago and asked her to join you.  She said she couldn’t ever do that, but now, because of you, she wants to set her own goal and move with you…

That Class that you debated on signing up for?After all that deliberation in your head, the voices telling you it would be too hard, or that you wouldn’t be able to do it, you decided to take the bull by the horns, bite the bullet…jump into your fear, and you did it. You successfully finished.  You are proud, and because of what you accomplished you have been the perfect model for your son, daughter, cousin, sister…Giving them all hope that anything is possible, even when they think it is not.

You make a bigger difference in this world than you may think.  The events and experiences of our lives are like ripples a stone makes in the water. They last long after the stone sinks to the bottom.  What kind of ripples have you made in your past, AND what kind of ripple will you make today?   

How to Eat Ice Cream Without any Guilt this Summer

Eating Ice cream without guilt only took me 40 years to master.  I hope this will cut down any guilt on your part as you sit and enjoy the ice cream that is in your freezer or from your favorite ice cream shop this summer.  I needed to discover 5 simple steps that would ensure both the enjoyment and satisfaction of my summer ice cream, with NO GUILT OR SHAME.

Imagine a long day at work, your boss is on your case, your computer is possessed, that problem continues to rear its ugly head, and you get stuck in traffic on the way home, even when you took the short cut!

All you want to do is go home, sit in front of the TV with your carton of ice cream (you may have purchased on your way home), and zone out….because at least you deserve that! You continue to feel frustrated and are now obsessed with the thoughts of ice cream.

Fast forward, 30 minutes, WHAM, you are sitting on the couch, staring at an empty carton filled with shame, guilt, anger and disbelief.  You can’t even remember eating it.  The feeling in your stomach is all too familiar.  

THEN COMES THIS:  Your inner critic, that inner mean girl voice (I call her my mini-me) 

She begins her assault on you…

“I can’t believe you did this again!”

“You are so stupid”

“You have NO willpower”

“You can’t do anything right”

“You will never lose weight!”

“You are such a failure”

The first step, when you notice this all too familiar voice is to STOP, this assault is not doing anything productive, other than increase stress and decrease your self-esteem.  This is where to insert the 5 steps.  Yes, 5 steps that focus on finding a way to eating ice cream that feels and tastes good…period.

Let’s rewind and look at another scenario…

Picture this: As soon as you get to work, your boss is on your case, your computer is possessed, that problem continues to rear its ugly head, and you got stuck in traffic on the way home, while taking the short cut.

You can feel your stress level rising as the day progresses.  Thoughts of ice cream bombard your head. Your chest and shoulders are tight, your head is pounding and your stomach is in knots…Ice cream…”I want ICE CREAM!” your inner child screams! 

Here is when you PAUSE…

11.    You close your eyes and take a slow deep breath in and let it out.  You do it again and count to 5 as you inhale, pause and exhale slowly and count to 5 again.

22.  You keep your eyes closed and picture yourself on a beach, or swinging on a swing, or taking in the view at the top of a mountain, or sitting on a rock by a babbling brook.  Your body begins to relax as you visualize this scene. You notice calm and peace flow over your body. 

33. Your eyes open and ask yourself “What do I need?” knowing that the ice cream is right there, a short drive away, or in your freezer.  AND it will STILL BE THERE in 5 minutes

. 

44.  You pause, take another deep breath and think…then ask the question again.  What is it I need?  Am I Bored? Angry? Lonely? Frustrated?  Hungry?  What might sooth this emotion other than the ice cream?  

·     A hot shower?

·     Paint your nails?

·     Call a friend?

·     Take a walk?

·     Journal your thoughts?

·     Listen to your favorite pod cast?

·     Dance around the room to your favorite song?

       Do any of these things sound appealing?  

If SO, then PICK ONE, and when you are done, you THEN ASK THE QUESTION: Do I still want Ice cream?  If the answer is yes, go ahead and move to step 5

IF NOT, take another deep breath.  Notice if you are hungry.  And then Give yourself full permission to have a bowl of ice cream….proceed to step 5

55. The eating of the ice cream!!! Find the prettiest bowl you can, and scoop yourself out some ice cream, you then sit down, light a candle, relax and enjoy. Slowly and simply, savoring every bite, moment to moment (mindfully). An act of mindfulness.  Being in the present moment. 

A smile crosses your face as you realize you just ate ice cream mindfully and fully present.  Something you have never been able to do before and…if you have truly given yourself permission, release any feelings of shame or guilt either, they are not helpful here. 

There is a time and space for ice cream in all our lives.  Release yourself from the inner critic, maybe invite her down to share some ice cream with you next time.  

A Letter to my Thighs...

I look at the mirror at my thighs. The mini-me inside my head begins her assault; “I hate you, you are so big, why aren’t you thinner? And these pants look horrible!” 

This harsh criticism and judgment is all too familiar.

I stop, pause and take a breath. In this moment I ask this question; what have my thighs ever done to me to cause me to hate them so much?  

They hear my question and respond:

Dear Annie,

That is a good question, why do you hate us so? All we have ever done for you is support you, yet you continue to treat us poorly, call us fat, pinch us and degrade us. We feel a punching bag, Brocken down and bruised.  We don’t understand.

We have loved being strong and stable for you. As a matter of fact over the years we have:

• Played on sports teams
• Carried 4 babies to term
• Climbed numerous trees and mountains
• Jumped lots of waves at the beach
• Ran, skipped and jumped across fields and parking lots
• Helped carry your mom when she broke her hip
• Shopped, cooked and cleaned for your family
• Stood and cheered for your daughters at their games, concerts and plays.

We have loved helping you live your life. 

We would appreciate it if you did not criticize us for what we look like. We always work hard for you and do our best. We want to be appreciated and accepted by you. Your respect is important to us. Can we please be friends?

We just wanted you to know,  

Your stable and grounded thighs

---------------

I am enlightened….

I have relied on this body to live my life. My thighs and my body that I’ve hated for so long, have done so much for me.

Does this sound familiar to you? Do you bash your body every chance you get? Join me in taking some steps to move from hating this body we were given to appreciating it.

It is time to begin to befriend our bodies, show it compassion and kindness… I’ve taken the first step by listening to my thighs.

7 Steps to Becoming Friends With Our Bodies

1. Write one thing that your body has done for you to begin to build this friendship.
2. Build this into a BODY ACCOMPLISHMENT LIST. List ALL of the things your body has done for you. This can include things like hugging a friend, sharing a smile or shivering to keep you warm.
3. Next write a list of what your body CAN do for you today. Place your attentions on the can do's instead of the can't do's. 
4. Pause, take a breath and become aware of your own judgments of yourself, when these thoughts come into your brain, begin to find some kindness with your words.
5. Be mindful of social comparisons and judgments...these will leave you feeling "not good enough"
6. After reflecting on all of the things your body does and can do for you, write a letter to your body or a specific body part that you dislike...AND then write a responds from your body (or body part)
7. Don't spend any more time playing the WHEN I....(lose the weight)...THEN I (will go on that trip) GAME.  Live your life today.  Don't wait any longer

I write an apology...

Dear Thighs,

I cannot believe how horribly I have treated you all these years, after all you have done and continue to do for me. You have enabled me to experience some of my greatest memories… winning a soccer championship, climb trees,  walking down the aisle at my wedding, and rocking my babies to sleep…

You have always grounded me, helped me up when I have fallen and stayed strong. I have hated you merely because you didn’t look a certain way. I am so very sorry. I now realize how much I have come to rely and depend on you to live my life, and I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for always being there for me, so strong, sturdy, dependable and sustainable. 

I appreciate you, and am looking forward to the years to come.  

With Gratitude,

Annie

How to Strengthen the Mother-Daughter Dieting Cycle Relationship

How to end the Mother and Daughter Dieting Cycle while Strengthening Your Relationship and Bond with One Another

Mothers and daughters have a tenuous relationship.  It is challenging enough to move through the chapters of our daughters lives...from infancy to young adult.  They don't come with a manual, darn it!  

Here is a contract that you and your daughter/sister/mother can look at and agree to follow to build a better relationship with food, eating and your bodies.  Taking the time to build a common language can make a big difference in how you navigate conversations that come up between family and friends.  

• Agree to reject the diet mentality and the “ThinIdeal” for
  good.
  
  
• Agree to keep fashion magazines and social media feeds that support the “thin ideal” and dieting mentality out of the house and off phones and computers as much as possible
  
  
• Agree to educate yourself and each other on the physiological and psychological effects of dieting.  Solidifying your belief that diets don’t work
  
  
• Learn to trust yours and your children’s inner food compass.   Ask questions like: Are you hungry? What are you hungry for ...something hot, cold, soft, hard, salty, sweet, snack or a meal?
  
  
• Learn and Agree to Neutralize Foods.
  Educate each other on the different nutritional information about foods without placing Labels or judgment on them (such as good or bad, right or wrong, healthy or unhealthy)
  
  
• Agree to notice, listen and ask what does my body need.
  Encourage each other to tune into their own bodies physical and emotional wants and needs. Give yourself permission to eat or not to eat, and to notice what the body needs... Is it something other than hunger? And if so, what?
  (For more information on emotional eating or how to eat intuitively, email me at annie@shapingperspectives.com I can help!)
  
• Agree to serve a variety of foods to your children and to yourself.This offers independence of choice, develops autonomy and helps insure the body is getting the nutrients it needs.
  
  
• Agree to tune into how you talk to yourself( or others) when you are around your children or your parents.   It is just as devastating or triggering to a mother to hear her child say they “feel fat” or“I’m so fat”
  
  
• Agree to speak up if someone “fattalks” about themselves.vHelp change the conversation to something positive about them or say something like this “Don’t talk about my friend like that”

• Notice how you talk to yourself or act when you are with other members of your family or friends, your words and actions can easily be misinterpreted by others.

• Agree to seek to understand when you hear others talking about someone else’s weight, size or body shape. Strive to make the point that we never really know what is going on in someone else’s life that might have an effect on either weight loss or gain, and that we shouldn’t make assumptions. Some things which we know can impact weight and size include medications, sicknesses, stress, emotional trauma and disordered eating.

• Agree to disconnect exercise from weight loss, burning calories or altering body shape or size. Learn to appreciate your body for what it can today. Incorporate movement, play and exercise is fun and enjoyable, gets you or keeps you out of pain and improves your function and ability to do the things we want to do and value the most. Ie: Dancing, playing with a grandchild on the floor, walking the beach, flying to visit a friend, family member or loved one.

• Educate yourself about weight bias, weight diversity and weight inclusivity. It is the same as race, religion or cultural biases.

• Agree to adopt the philosophy and mindset that all bodies are special, unique and worthy bodies, no matter what size or shape they are.

• Agree to model self-compassion and self-kindness towards yourself.This includes your self-talk, your body image, behaviors and actions.)

• Take action steps to work on healing your own relationship with food, mind and body.

If you would like guidance or support with regards to transforming your relationship with food, mind, body and self, or help with your mother/daughter relationship in regards to food and eating, please contact me at annie@shapingperspectives.com, call me at 603.339.1212 or go to www.shapingperspectives.com I have inspired and empowered hundreds of women like you to achieve their health, wellness and lifestyle dreams and goals.