Fireheart Fitness Blog

Recovery Series: Correcting Tight Hips

1/18/2019

Did you just kill leg day? Are you a rucker or a runner? Does your job require you to sit most of the time? Chances are high that for any of these reasons (along with any number of others), you've found your range of motion lacking in your hips. You may even feel how tight they are in your movements, or found that your low back is suffering due to the pull from your consistently static position (sitting) or through constant activation (training). One thing is for sure: I see the consequences of tight hips day in and day out with fellow athletes as well as clients. I make recommendations consistently on what should be done to ameliorate the problem, but felt it best to share everything in a full-on recovery series covering different areas of the body starting with this very prominent issue. Let's get started.

HIP MUSCLE ANATOMY

Before we get into the nitty gritty about what you can do to loosen up and strengthen your hips, let's get a visual about what the muscles are so we can pinpoint trouble areas.

The iliopsoas (that is, the iliacus and psoas together which share a common insertion point in the hip complex) is very commonly the region that is most often the "tight" hip flexor. This grouping attaches to the top of the hip and to the spine and is a common trigger of low back pain. Because the psoas attaches to the spine, this muscle also plays an integral role in lumbar spine stabilization.

The tensor faciae latae (TFL) inserts onto the IT band, so if you have had tight IT band problems you also need to take care of this area of the hips as it's also going to be terribly tight.

If you've ever had sciatic pain, you may have impingement from a tight piriformis as the sciatic nerve passes through this muscle. The piriformis stabilizes the hip join and lifts/rotates the thigh away from the body. It allows us to walk, shift weight from one foot to the other, and maintain balance.

The gluteus maximus is one of the strongest muscles in the human body and is one of the primary movers in running. The gluteus medius is a dynamic pelvic stabilizer, meaning it holds the pelvis in a neutral place during strides -- this muscle gets tight particularly in female athletes. The gluteus minimus assists the piriformis in external rotation of flexed thighs, assisting in balance.

The adductors are fan-like muscles in the upper thigh that pull the legs together when they contract and help stabilize the hip joint. They are part of the grouping generally called the groin muscles: adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, pectineus and gracilis. Men in particular often have chronically tight groin musculature.

An additional hip flexor which is often forgotten is the rectus femoris, which is one of the anterior quad muscles. Its origin point is attached to the pelvis, making it a hip flexor which must be addressed in any treatment of tight hips.

Each of the many muscles in the lumbo-pelvic hip complex has a slightly different function which you may or may not be able to pinpoint in your daily movements. Together they allow the flexion of the hip joint, the rotation of the pelvis and the extension of the lumbar spine and are an important part of injury prevention and daily activity, regardless of whether you are an athlete.

TESTING YOUR RANGE OF MOTION

Let's assess the flexibility of your lumbo-pelvic hip complex. The Thomas Test is quick and easy.

Begin on the edge of a bench, box or treatment table.
Lie back holding one knee toward your chest (but not pulled all the way to your chest). Your low back needs to press against the surface you are lying on.
1. Does the thigh reach full extension? If there is a gap between this thigh and the surface you are lying on, then your thigh is NOT at full extension. This indicates hip flexor tightness.
2. Is the knee able to bend to 90 degrees without the thigh raising? If the knee CANNOT flex to 90 degrees without the thigh rising, the rectus femoris is tight. If the knee can flex to 90 degrees without the thigh rising BUT the thigh still doesn't reach full extension, the illiopsoas is tight.
3. Does the thigh migrate laterally? If so, the TFL and illiotibial band is tight.
Repeat with the opposite leg, as you may have more flexibility in one or the other limb.

RELEASE TENSION

Your first task once you've identified what's tight is to release the tension locked up in those areas. You may not be able to perform all of these initially, so start with the movement you can execute with the best form. As you progress with daily work on the same areas, your flexibility and range of motion will increase and you can progress to more challenging stretches.

KNEELING HIP FLEXOR STRETCH

Begin by stepping forward into a lunge on a mat or foam pad. Continue until your knee is resting on the mat or pad, making sure that your front leg is at a 90-degree angle with the knee tracking directly over your foot.
Reach your arms overhead and clasp them.
Drive your hip forward and your knee into the mat or pad.

LUNGE WITH OVERHEAD REACH

Begin by stepping forward into a lunge. Your forward leg should be bent at a 90-degree angle to the ground with your knee tracking directly over your foot.
Reach your arms overhead and clasp them.
Drive your hip forward and your back knee downward. This variation allows for a potentially deeper range of motion.

LIZARD POSE (UTTHAN PRISTHASANA)

From downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana), exhale and step your right foot forward between your hand, aligning the knee over the heel.
Lower your left knee to the floor.
Sink your weight down into your hips, keeping the weight distributed evenly. If you feel comfortable, lower down onto both forearms. Keep your chin lifted and your chest open.
To sink deeper into this pose, curl your left toes under and press up into the ball of your foot. Actively lift the inner left thigh and press the left heel back while reaching the chest forward.
Repeat on the other side.

LOW LUNGE (ANJANEYASANA)

From downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana), exhale and step your right foot forward between your hand, aligning the knee over the heel.
Lower your left knee to the floor.
While keeping the right knee fixed in place , slide the left back until you feel a comfortable stretch in the left front thigh and groin.
Turn the top of your left foot to the floor.
Lift your torso upright and bring your arms up overhead, perpendicular to the floor. Draw the tailbone down toward the floor and lift your pubic bone toward your navel. Lift your chest.
Repeat on the other side.

PIGEON POSE (EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA)

Begin on all fours on a mat. Bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right wrist. Place your ankle in front of your left hip. The more parallel your lower leg is with the front of the mat, the more intense the stretch.
Slide your left leg back, straighten the knee and point the toes. Make sure your leg is behind your body (rather than moving outward) and your heel is pointing up toward the ceiling.
Draw your legs in toward one another to keep your hips square.
Lower yourself down slowly, using support under your right buttock if needed in order to keep your hips level.
Draw your navel in, tailbone down, and open your chest. Hold for several breaths.
Repeat on the other side.

RECLINING PIGEON POSE (FIGURE 4 STRETCH)

Begin by lying on your back with your feet hip-distance apart on the mat. Lift your right leg, bend your knee, and flex your ankle.
Cross your right ankle over your left knee, creating the shape of a figure-4 with your legs.
Clasp your hands around the back of your left thigh and lift your left knee toward your chest.
Press your right knee away from your body.
Hold for 1 minute, then repeat on the other side.

STANDING FIGURE 4 STRETCH

Begin by standing with your feet hip- distance apart. Lift your right leg, bend your knee, and flex your ankle.
Cross your right ankle over your left knee, creating the shape of a figure-4 with your legs.
Squat down as far as you can, leaning forward slightly to counterbalance, making sure that your left knee tracks over your left foot and that it does not extend over your toes.
Press your right knee away from your body.
Hold for 1 minute, then repeat on the other side.

PIRIFORMIS STRETCH

Begin by lying down on your mat with knees bent. Cross your right leg fully over the left so that your right knee is crossed over the left thigh.
Pull your right knee toward your left shoulder as far as is comfortable and hold.
Repeat on the opposite side.

STANDING PIRIFORMIS STRETCH

This variation of the above offers a larger range of potential motion, and therefore a deeper stretch. Begin by finding a stable surface a little lower than hip height that you can lay your left leg on such as a table, stool, box or bench. Your right leg remains flat on the ground, toes pointing forward.
Adjust your left leg so that it is parallel to the edge of the surface it is resting on.
Extend both arms overhead and lean forward over your leg until you feel a good stretch in your glutes.
Hold for several breaths and then stand up straight again. Perform several times before switching legs.

BOUND ANGLE POSE (BADDHA KONASANA)/BUTTERFLY STRETCH

Begin by sitting on your mat with your feet hip-distance apart, knees bent.
Relax your knees toward the outer edges of your mat as you draw the soles of your feet toward your body until they touch each other.
Slide your heels as close toward your body that you are comfortably able to, relaxing your arms.
To deepen this stretch, lean your upper body forward as far as you are able.
Hold for up to 2 minutes.

RECLINING BOUND ANGLE POSE (SUPTA BADDHA KONASANA)/RECLINING BUTTERFLY STRETCH

Begin by lying on your back with your feet hip-distance apart on the mat.
Relax your knees toward the outer edges of your mat as you draw the soles of your feet toward your body until they touch each other.
Slide your heels as close toward your body that you are comfortably able to, relaxing your arms.
Hold for up to 2 minutes.

YOGI SQUAT (MALASANA)

Begin by standing with your feet at least as wide as your mat with your toes turned out in plié.
Bend your knees and drop your hips as low as you can, keeping your knees stacked over your ankles.
Relax the weight of your hips toward the floor.
Hold for up to 1 minute.

SIDE LUNGE (SKANDASANA)

Face the long edge of your mat and assume a wide-legged stance with your feet as far apart as is comfortable with your toes turned out into plié.
Keep your left leg straight and bend deeply into your right knee, leaning your weight to the right, placing your hands on the floor for balance. Be sure that your right knee is tracking directly over your foot.
Flex your left foot with your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Keep your chest up.
For a balance challenge, draw your palms in to meet at chest level.
Hold for 1 minute and then switch to the other side.

FIRE LOG POSE (AGNISTAMBHASANA)

Begin by sitting on the edge of a thickly-folded blanket or mat with your legs extended in front of you. Shrug your shoulders up and back as if tucking them into your back pockets, pressing the bottom tips of your shoulder blades into your back. Bend your knees and bring them in to your chest.
Slide your left foot under your right leg to the outside of your right hip and lay the outer leg on the floor. Stack your right leg on top of the left. Be sure that the right ankle is outside the left knee (sole perpendicular to the floor). If this is too difficult, sit with your shins crossed in easy pose (sukhasana).
Hold for 1 minute and then switch.

FIRE LOG POSE, PIGEON VARIATION

Begin by sitting on the edge of a thickly-folded blanket or mat with your legs extended in front of you. Shrug your shoulders up and back as if tucking them into your back pockets, pressing the bottom tips of your shoulder blades into your back. Bend your knees and bring them into your chest.
Position your left leg so that your thigh is straight out from your hip and your knee and hip are in alignment. Position your shin at a 90-degree angle. Stack your right leg on top of the left in the same 90-degree angled position.
Hold for 1 minute and then switch.

FROG POSE (MANDUKASANA)

Begin on all fours. Keep your hips in line with your knees as you slowly slide your knees apart from each other as far as is comfortable.
Turn your toes toward the exterior of your mat with your arches resting on the mat.
Keeping your core engaged, relax the weight of your hips toward the floor.
If comfortable, lower your forearms to either yoga blocks or to the floor.
Hold for up to 1 minute.

STRAIGHT-LEG SUPPORTED BRIDGE (SETU BANDHASANA VAR.)

Begin by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor about hip-distance apart.
Press down against the mat with your shoulders and feet to lift your hips off the floor.
Slide a rolled-up mat, yoga block or other soft prop under your sacrum (about where your waistband is) and rest the weight of your hips on the block.
Extend your legs either one at a time or together simultaneously and hold for 1 minute.

SQUATTING INTERNAL ROTATIONS

Begin in a deep squat position. Rotate one knee inward and downward toward the ground.
Hold for a couple of seconds and switch sides. Perform 10 reps per side.
This dynamic stretch can also be performed on a small stool or yoga block if you cannot squat comfortably.

CURTSY STRETCH

Begin by standing with your feet hip width apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Cross your left leg over your right at the ankles, so that the soles of both feet are able to bear weight.
Reach overhead with your right arm and push your right hip away from your body. Your upper torso will bend toward the left.
Be sure that your shoulders and hips are still squared and facing forward -- that they are not curling over. Imagine that you are trying to fit your body between two panes of glass.
Hold the stretch for a few breaths and then release. Perform several times before switching sides. You should feel the stretch along the side of your hip. This works the IT band and abductors.
If it is difficult for you to balance, use a doorway or a thin pole for support.

FLAMINGO STRETCH

Begin by standing with feet hip width apart. Bring your left foot backward, grabbing and holding your ankle with your left arm.
Bring your knees as close together as you are able, squaring your hips and straightening your stance.
Pull your left leg in toward your left buttock as far as you are comfortable able and hold for several breaths before returning to starting position.
Repeat several times on the left side before switching to the right.
If it is difficult for you to balance, extend your right arm out to counterbalance or find a stable object to hold on to (wall, table, etc).

KICKSTAND STRETCH

Begin by standing with feet hip width apart. Bring your left foot forward with your foot flexed, so that the heel is resting on the ground and your toes are pointed toward the ceiling.
Bend your right knee as needed and lean forward over your left leg as far as you are comfortably able.
Hold for several breaths and return to starting position. Repeat several times before switching legs.

SUMO SQUAT HOLD

Begin with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, toes pointed at a diagonal away from your body at an angle that is comfortable for you.
Keeping your back flat and chest proud, lower your body down with your knees tracking over your feet. Imagine that you are trying to sit down but are sideways in a narrow passageway -- your butt should not be sitting back but moving straight down.
Press the backs of your hands into your knees as firmly as you are able. You will feel a stretch in your hip flexors.
Hold for several breaths before returning to starting position. Repeat several times.

SMR: HIP FLEXORS

Begin by lying face down on your mat. Place a foam roller or lacrosse ball in the crease of your hip.
Apply a tolerable amount of pressure on the left hip and move slowly forward and back to roll the device. When you find a point of tension, remain still on that spot for at least 30 seconds to release the muscle adhesion (sometimes this can take up to a minute).
For additional release, slowly slide left and right to glide the tense spot over the roller or lacrosse ball.
Once you have released the tension on the left hip, proceed to the right hip.

SMR: PIRIFORMIS

Begin by sitting on a foam roller or lacrosse ball with your knees bent. If using a lacrosse ball, position it under your right buttock. Cross your right leg over your left so that your right ankle is atop your left knee.
Lean onto your right buttock and slowly glide forward and backward until you find a point of tension. Remain still on that spot for at least 30 seconds to a minute.
For additional release, slowly slide left and right to glide the tense spot over the roller or lacrosse ball.
Repeat on the left side.

STRENGTHEN AGAINST INJURY

Once you've gotten the knots worked out of your muscles and upped your flexibility, you'll need to strengthen your muscles in order to prevent future injury.

GLUTE BRIDGES & SINGLE-LEG GLUTE BRIDGES

Begin by lying down on your mat with your knees bent. Bring your heels as close as you can toward your posterior. Keep your hands to your sides.
Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line. Squeeze your glutes and tuck your navel toward your spine.
Hold for a couple of seconds and then ease back down.
To perform a single-leg bridge, simply raise one leg and perform the same movement with all of your weight on the other leg. Perform all reps on one side before switching.

THOMAS BRIDGES

This glute bridge variation makes you work hard to achieve full hip flexion. You'll find you have much more glute activation.

Begin with your back flat against the mat and your knees bent. Keep your heels as close as you can to your butt.
Raise one knee toward your chest and hold.
Lift your butt off the mat into full extension, as high as you can, pausing for a moment at the apex of the motion before dropping back down.
Perform all reps on one side before switching to the other knee.

CLAMSHELLS WITH RESISTANCE BAND

Begin by lying on your side with legs stacked and knees bent at a 45-degree angle. Place a resistance band around both legs, just above the knee.
Rest your head against your lower arm and use your top arm to steady your balance. Be sure that your hipbones are stacked on top of one another and are not tilted.
Draw your navel toward your spine to engage your core.
Keeping your feet touching, raise your upper knee as high as you can without shifting your hips or pelvis. Don't move your lower leg off the floor.
Pause, then return your upper leg to the starting position. Perform all reps on one side before switching.
If this is too difficult, remove the resistance band.

SIDE SHUFFLES WITH RESISTANCE BAND

Begin by placing your resistance band around your ankles, or just above your knees (wherever you find tolerable resistance), feet hip width apart.
Step out to the side with your right foot, keeping your hips and toes pointing forward. Sit your butt back and keep your chest up.
Step your left foot in, and at the same time step your right foot out again so that you travel laterally. Once you run out of space to move right, shuffle to the left while facing the same direction.
If this is too difficult with the resistance band, perform the movement without it.

SUPINE KNEE LIFTS WITH RESISTANCE BAND

This movement activates the psoas. It is crucial that you keep your spine flat against the ground when you perform this movement.

Begin by lying flat on your mat with a resistance band loop around both feet. Keep your spine flat against the mat at all times.
Slowly bring one leg up as high as you can, pausing at the apex of the movement before lowering your leg back down again.
Optimal muscle work is achieved by working one side at a time; perform all reps with one leg before switching to work the other.

hip ups

Begin by standing with the arch of your right foot alongside the edge of a step, yoga block, box etc. with your left foot hanging off the side.
Without moving your standing knee or rotating your hips, bring your left hip directly up toward the ceiling as high as you can, holding for a moment at the apex of the movement before releasing back down to starting position.
Perform all reps on one side before switching to the other.

STRAIGHT LEG RAISES

Begin by sitting in a chair, on a bench, etc, with your back straight, knees at a 90-degree angle with feet flat against the floor. Your hands should be straight along your sides, palms flat against the seat of the chair or bench.
Extend your left leg until it is straight and your foot is flexed, toes pointing up toward the ceiling.
Raise your left leg as high as you are able and hold for a few seconds before releasing back down.
Perform all reps on your left side before switching to your right.

SIDELYING ISOMETRIC LEG RAISES WITH RESISTANCE BAND

Begin by lying on your side with legs stacked and straight. Place a resistance band around both ankles.
Rest your head against your lower arm and use your top arm to steady your balance. Be sure that your hipbones are stacked on top of one another and are not tilted.
Draw your navel toward your spine to engage your core.
Raise your upper leg as high as you can without shifting your hips or pelvis. Don't move your lower leg off the floor.
Pause, then return your upper leg to the starting position. Perform all reps on one side before switching.
If this is too difficult, remove the resistance band.

PELVIC TILTS

Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet flat on the floor.
On an exhale, gently rock your hips toward your face. Your butt will not actually leave the floor but you will feel your low back press into the floor.
Hold for a few seconds, inhale and return to starting position.

LATERAL LUNGES WITH SAME-SIDE ROTATION

Begin with feet hip width apart and arms extended in front of you at shoulder height. Lunge to the right, keeping your feet parallel and your left leg straight.
Twist your torso and left arm to the right, making sure that your hips still face forward.
Perform all reps on one side and then switch to the other.

ROTATING PIVOT LUNGES

Begin by standing with feet hip-width apart. Rotate to your left and take a step with your left foot approximately 45 degrees behind you. You will land in a plié squat position.
Place your left foot next to your right foot about 12" apart from each other with the toes pointed in. Your knees will fall in slightly.
Step back out into the plié squat position.
Perform all reps on one side and then switch to the other.

SINGLE-LEG PIVOTS

Begin by standing with feet hip-width apart. Shift your weight to your right foot and lift your left foot a few inches off the ground.
Tap your left foot forward and then backward.
Perform all reps on one side and then switch to the other.

DEEP AB BREATHING

Begin by lying with your back against the floor and your feet flat against a wall, your knees stacked over your hips and bent at a 90-degree angle.
Place a rolled up towel under your tailbone (not your back) and a book or rolled up towel under your head. Relax all of your muscles, your head, shoulders and neck, back, hips and legs. Do a quick check by touching these areas if you are in doubt. If needed, place a pillow between your knees to help your legs and hips relax.
Place your fingertips on your low belly, a couple of inches below your navel. Inhale a deep breath, and then slowly exhale for as long as you can, emptying all of the air out of your lungs. You should feel your low belly muscles tighten at the end of this breath.
Breathe in slowly and fully so that your belly is completely expanded, and then exhale all of your air again in this same fashion.
This movement works your deep ab muscles which aid in breath but also assist in strengthening and releasing your hips.

TIGHT HIP MYTHS

I couldn't finish out this article without addressing some common misconceptions about tight hips. Let's go over what they are.

MYTH #1: TIGHT HIPS ARE ALWAYS BAD

Although the hips are often the source of many pains and injuries to the low back and legs, and although I frequently recommend the above stretches and exercises to clients and fellow athletes to assist in correcting these pains, a certain degree of stiffness is required for specific forms of movement. Runners, for example, require a degree of tightness in the hips coupled with leg mobility to propel themselves forward economically. For them, although some stretching is good to prevent excessive tightness, the strengthening exercises are more important to stabilize the hips.

MYTH #2: STRONG BUTT MEANS STABLE HIPS

One does not necessarily equal the other. The muscle that is most prominent in the glute complex is the gluteus maximus, but it's the gluteus medius that provides stability.

MYTH #3: I NEED TO OPEN UP MY HIPS

The hip joint's primary purpose is stabilization, however many types of athletes require a good range of motion as well. For weightlifters, if their hips are too tight they can't sink into a deep squat. For runners, overly tight hips shorten stride length and can slow up their pace. As with all things, finding a happy medium is the key.

MYTH #4: TIGHT HIPS ARE STRONG HIPS

Muscles can become tight from overuse and repeated contraction, but also from being under-utilized and weak. Both a long-distance runner and an office worker with sedentary lifestyle may suffer equally from excessively tight hips.

MYTH #5: TIGHT HIPS ARE THE ROOT OF ALL MALADIES

Actually, quad dominance is more often an issue for weightlifters, runners and cyclists. When there is a discrepancy in quad vs glute strength the quads take on the task of stabilizing the hips in place of the glutes. Over time this pulls the pelvis out of alignment, strains the hamstrings and IT band and can lead to any number of issues in the low back and knees that wreak havoc on performance. Weightlifters, runners and cyclists: work on the above strengthening exercises and on releasing the tension in those quads! I'll be covering legs in another installment of this recovery series.

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21 Ways to Get (or Stay) Motivated

1/11/2019

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You made your New Year's resolution and you've been doing pretty good for those first couple of weeks -- but now you're starting to lose focus and are struggling to stay motivated. That extra hour of sleep sounds better than that morning run, or those free breakfast tacos are more appealing to you than your healthy homemade meal. You still want to reach your goals but you haven't established these new behaviors as habits just yet. This is the critical "make or break" phase where your decisions have enormous impact.

What can you do? Let's talk options.

1. REAL REWARDS FOR YOUR WORK

One surefire way to keep your healthy habits going strong is to give yourself a real reward for a job well done. Working out a positive "habit loop" which involves a cue to trigger the behavior (setting your running shoes next to the door), the routine (running) and then the reward (getting a smoothie or watching an episode of your favorite show afterward) will generate a Pavlovian response to the behavior, increasing the chances of the routine becoming habitual according to Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.

Over time, the extrinsic motivation (that is, the tangible reward mentioned above) becomes an intrinsic motivation and the brain begins to associate the sensations of the new behavior with a surge of endorphins. Once your brain is trained to recognize the workout itself as the reward, you won't feel the need for the treat anymore.

2. JOIN A GYM OR GROUP YOU ENJOY

Logic stands to reason that if you're doing your new activities in an environment you like or with people whose company you enjoy, you're more likely to look forward to going. The cost of a given gym or club membership may be prohibitive for you, but definitely shop around and look at your options as best you can. There are many free or low-cost clubs out there, as well as online groups on social media who meet up in person. So long as you can find a way to look forward to being in the place you perform your new behaviors, or enjoy the company you have when you get there, you will generate a new form of motivation for yourself. A strong and supportive fitness community or appealing environment can make all the difference.

3. DRESS FOR SUCCESS EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT

Oftentimes putting your running shoes on even if you don't feel like running will help to talk you into enacting the behavior you're trying to maintain. Research suggests that our brains are susceptible to "enclothed cognition," which is a fancy way of saying that dressing the part helps to galvanize you toward completing the task. If you put on your workout gear, even if you don't feel like working out you are very likely to find yourself doing just that.

4. MAKE A COMMITMENT, POSSIBLY COMPETE

Joining a fitness or wellness challenge or signing a commitment contract with a gym buddy is a great way to keep you accountable. But don't just put in the work -- be sure that you check in regularly with the people participating in the challenge, or set up a schedule with your buddy so that you know that someone else is counting on you to show up and get it done. Don't let your gym buddy off the hook -- and make sure they don't let you off the hook either!

When you have a friend or two to train with and they're killing the workout, you also feel motivated to push yourself. If you're a competitive person, set up a competition with other people. Maybe you do a versus battle with coworkers for who has the highest number of steps each week, or set up a weight loss challenge; whatever it is, make sure there are some sort of rewards at the end. Anything from simple bragging rights to perhaps a gift card purchased with a money pool from participants who now have a financial stake in the event. You can even bet on yourself using Pact, where you and others pay into a collective pool and set individual goals. If you meet your targets, you cash out; if not, you lose the money.

5. NO RULES ARE THE BEST RULES

Once you set up strict rules for yourself ("I have to start on Monday otherwise I won't be able to do it") makes it easy for you to talk yourself out of that behavior according to Dr. Deborah Feltz, professor of Kinesiology at Michigan State University and author of several fitness studies. The fact of the matter is that life happens and your hard and fast rules don't allow for the bending that needs to take place on a regular basis when conditions are not 100% favorable. Be willing to be flexible and change up your routine if you need to in order to get in whatever you can. Even if you're scheduled for a long run, if you wake up feeling ill perhaps the most you can do is take a walk or perhaps an easy, short jog -- or maybe you need to change up your activity entirely and do yoga instead. Be willing to be flexible.

6. CHANGE IT UP

If you're a resolutioner and you're only a couple of weeks in this possibly doesn't apply to you just yet, but keep it in mind: you may just be bored of the routine and need to switch up what you're doing and how you're doing it. Once you fall into a rut of doing the same thing every day you stop feeling excited about it and your effort ceases to be focused as you start to run on autopilot.

You may want to select a fresh goal (even if it's only slightly adapted from your original goal) and adjust your plans accordingly. You may want to find a new place to execute it or new method to enact it. Your goals that you set may simply be too far off and you need to add some smaller sub-goals to keep yourself going. In either event take a look at what's making you lose interest and swap things up as needed.

7. RETHINK POSITIVE THINKING

Everyone's heard about the power of positive thinking, and perhaps have even experienced it for themselves. But visualizations and other mind tricks only work when you add realistic problem-solving to the mix according to Dr. Gabriele Oettingen, psychologist and author of Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation.

It's not just about making a SMART goal and visualizing the outcome (as discussed in last week's article), but it's also about identifying what is holding you back and then troubleshooting. During a study of students who wanted to eat fewer junk food snacks, researchers asked participants to imagine the benefits of snacking on better foods. Those who identified the thing that made healthy snacking difficult for them and came up with a plan to counteract it were most successful at sticking to their goal. The trigger? They wanted something sweet. The solution? Eating fruit.

If you feel too tired after work to work out, try swapping to lunchtime or morning workouts or go straight to the gym after work rather than stopping at home first.

8. TRACK THAT

Nothing kills motivation like the sensation that you're getting nowhere. Chances are you're making progress, but you may not notice if these changes are gradual. Weighing in each week or noting how much weight you're lifting and keeping a record -- or participating in a fit test each month for example -- are great ways to see where you're at with regard to your wellness goals.

Moreover, tracking what you eat raises your awareness and personal (internal) accountability when you log that cheat meal in on MyFitnessPal or your tracking app of choice. Especially when you link up with a friend and allow them to see what you're up to, you know that someone else is noticing what you do and that allows for external accountability as well.

9. PLAN YOUR ROUTE AND SET REMINDERS

Planning is a crucial element of reaching any goal, and most of us need reminders as well in today's culture of distraction. I talked all about it in last week's article, so check it out!

10. THE EARLIER THE BETTER, OR PACK SNACKS

If you're finding that you get distracted by the events of the day and your plans are consistently getting derailed you may benefit from waking up earlier and getting your workout in before your day begins. Getting out of bed is tough especially that first week, but it may just be your path to success.

If low energy is the cause of your after-work workout woes, be sure you're eating breakfast and packing snacks. Eating breakfast helps you stay energized all day long according to Wendy Bazilian, RD and co-author of The Super Foods Rx Diet: Lose Weight with the Power of SuperNutrients. Be sure it includes protein, a fruit or veggie, and a complex carbohydrate such as whole grain toast. A pre-exercise snack to eat about 45 minutes before you train is an optimal habit as well to attain energy to power through. Your snack should be small and easily digestible, and mostly carbs with a little protein. Something like an apple with peanut butter, for example.

11. CALL IN A PROFESSIONAL

You may find that you've reached the limits of your personal knowledge and need some expert advice. A certified fitness instructor or registered dietitian may be just what you need to help you reach your goals. These folks can program training that works best for you, teach you how to use your gym's equipment, account for your personal situation and conditions, set up a meal plan etc. If you have a professional service contract in place, this is also a tangible, financial commitment that may help you feel more obligated to your goals (yes, this is really a thing that helps motivate people).

12. STOP MAKING WELLNESS ABOUT HOW YOU LOOK

A frequent pitfall of resolutioners is obsessing with how they look and making that the be-all, end-all for their wellness goals. Chances are you desire to look like someone who has an entirely different body type and wellness history than yourself. While sometimes it's possible to reach a state of having six-pack abs or whatever your goal may be, it may also be outside of your genetics/body type. I for example will never have an hourglass figure because I have a short torso; I will also never have a thigh gap regardless of how small I am because of how my hip and leg bones are positioned. Set goals that begin with where you are and are attainable, and be sure to break down your goals into smaller victories along the way such as losing 5% of your body weight for example, executing a perfect push-up or running a full mile without stopping. Review last week's article for more about successful goal-setting.

13. DO WHAT YOU LOVE

If you hate every moment of the thing you're doing, you're not likely to keep up the habit. Prioritize workouts that you'll look forward to and plan meals that are appealing to you (but still healthy).

14. SHARE YOUR PROGRESS

Posting your gym selfie or results of your meal prep, checking into your accountability group, or just talking to a loved one about how your training or meal planning went is a great way to hold yourself accountable. Very often people I don't even know are paying attention to my posts will ask me during a lapse what I'm up to and when I'll be posting again; sometimes when I'm engaged in an easy-to-follow daily challenge others will participate along with me without posting about it. Knowing that people are watching and deriving inspiration from what I'm doing is a tremendous motivator for me.

15. DON'T BE AFRAID TO START SMALL

Got 5 minutes? Apparently you do if you're reading this! So make a plan to do a 5-minute workout every day and stick to it. Work your way up from there -- when you're comfortable with 5 minutes, bump it up to 10 minutes.

There are all kinds of free workout videos on YouTube for 5-minute workouts you can do right where you are. Take a look, set up a playlist and get crackin'!

16. DO IT FOR A NOBLE REASON

Sign up for a charity race or event or participate in an event that offers charity fundraising. Once you begin raising money for a cause you believe in, you now have a sense of debt that you need to strive for and a deadline in sight, the end goal of completing that marathon or finishing that event for the sake of the people receiving the charity and the people who donating on good faith that you'd execute your training. This is a phenomenal way to keep you focused on your target.

17. CONSIDER EXERCISE AN ESCAPE FROM THE DIGITAL WORLD

Put your phone on Do Not Disturb if you use it to listen to music while you work out or pick up a now-archaic MP3 player that's not attached to any network. Drop your phone all together in your gym locker, leave it at home or in your car. Take your fitness time as time in the real world away from your devices and think of it as your time off the grid.

18. ...OR MAKE IT A GAME

For some folks, the digital world is absolutely essential. So why not use that connection to your advantage? Try Zombies, Run! for example, or any app from MapMyFitness Inc which all have some "fun" components to them.

19. MAKE IT CONVENIENT

Train at a gym close to home. Train at home. Start your run the moment you step outside the door. Set up your meal plan and write up your grocery list in advance of the day you to go to the store. Prep your healthy snacks (cut up fruits and veggies etc) and put them into single serving containers and bring them along. Carry your water bottle everywhere.

The easier you make it to adhere to your chosen behavior, the more likely that you will engage it.

20. TRY THE 5-MINUTE RULE

What is the 5-minute rule? Set a timer and start your workout. If after five minutes you still don't want to be doing it, stop. In most cases, once you get started it doesn't seem so bad after all; starting is the hardest part!

21. TAKE A BREAK

Yes, that's right. Your lack of enthusiasm may potentially be a sign of overtraining and you may just need a day off particularly if you have been consistently training for a long time. If you do take a break, don't make it open-ended: set a hard end date for the break when you resume your normal schedule.

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How To Make (and Keep!) Your New Year's Resolutions

1/4/2019

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The new year brings potential for a fresh start. You're all fired up about cleaning up your nutrition and putting the work in to burn off the extra pounds you just gained over the holidays. You hit the gym for a couple of weeks, but then your adherence begins to wane as the excitement dies down. How can you keep this from happening to you? How can you keep your New Year's resolutions year-round? Let's discuss some strategies.

PROPER GOAL SETTING

One third of those who make resolutions quit before the end of January. This is in part due to a lack of planning and detail of the resolutions being made. Any goal you make should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely.

Specific. Your goal should be clear and detailed. "I want to lose weight" is too vague. How much weight do you want to lose?
Measurable. This is easy when your goal is something like losing weight because you can use a body tape, scale etc to track. A way to follow the progress of something else such as "eating better" would be to use a nutrition app like MyFitnessPal and/or by taking photos of a typical meal at the start and at designated intervals along your path toward your goal.
Achievable. Your goals need to be realistic. Losing 50 pounds if you are 50 pounds overweight is achievable, but if your goal includes something that goes against your body type (looking like a certain supermodel, for example) your goal is not reasonable and should be adjusted. Begin by losing those 50 pounds, and then evaluate where you want to go next.
Relevant. Does this goal truly matter to you? Are you making this goal for the right reasons? If you are doing it out of a sense of self-hate or remorse or a strong passion in that moment, the resolution is not likely to stick. If, however, you are working to consider what is good for you and overhauling your lifestyle to match, so long as you are taking the appropriate steps to set yourself up for success you have a fighting chance at making your resolution happen.
Timely. Make a timeline (again, be sure that this timeline is achievable -- if you want to lose 50 pounds for example, do not set your timeline for a month; healthy weight loss should be at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week). Set up smaller milestone goals with dates attached to them.

CREATE AN ACTION PLAN

So now you've got your goals ironed out, and they're SMART. Not only that but you have smaller sub-goals lined up as well. From here you'll need to develop a plan of action: how are you going to reach your goals?

Outline your gameplan. Write it down. Talk to a friend or family member about it and get some feedback. Put this plan somewhere easily accessible and review it regularly. Set reminders on your phone or write your necessary actions down in your calendar. Review the following week before it begins so that you can mentally prepare yourself for your newly-adjusted schedule.

MAKE IT A TRUE PRIORITY

Once you've set your goals, it is critical that you make the actions leading to those goals a true priority. This requires a shift in mindset regardless of what your goal is. Losing weight (and keeping it off), eating better (indefinitely), keeping a clean house (indefinitely), spending more time with your children (indefinitely): all of these things require a long-term lifestyle change.

It's said that when something is truly a priority to you, you will find (or make) the time for it. If it is not a true priority, you will make excuses. It's not something that most people want to hear, but it is true all the same.

The trick to this is to think of your goal as an unquestionable daily requirement. Just as you get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth and go to work you will also put in that time at the gym, cleaning house, with your kids, etc. Take out the notion that you have a choice. If you really want to reach that goal, you WILL take the necessary steps to get there.

Part of the way you can help steel your resolve is by employing visualization techniques. When you feel your intentions wavering, take some time out and mentally picture your goal being actualized: you've lost the weight and fit into that dress you wanted; you have more energy and feel great from eating a healthy, balanced diet; your house is pristine and visitors are complimenting how clean you've kept it; you share a stronger bond with your kids from the time you have spent together.

But don't just SEE it -- FEEL it. How do you feel now that you've lost the weight? How do you feel about your eating habits? How does it feel to have such a clean and organized living space? How does it feel to share that irreplaceable time with your children?

Keep those mental images and feelings on tap so you can draw from them whenever you need. Write down your goals and keep them in a place you see frequently such as your bathroom mirror or at your desk at work, or keep them with you and repeat them thoughtfully whenever you are struggling.

CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY

Your accountability can be anything from hiring a personal trainer to checking in with a friend or relative to posting about what you did on social media or blog. Whatever you decide to do, make sure that you have someone else following along who can and will ask you about your resolutions if you don't tell them first.

Set clear expectations and be sure that wherever or however you are creating accountability, you receive that feedback and questioning piece.

FIND SUPPORT & RESOURCES

Having support along the way is crucial to your success, but the good news is that there are all sorts of accountability groups online even if you don't know anyone willing to be that cheerleader you need when things get tough. Join a Facebook group or forum, introduce yourself and make it a point to get to know a few other active members to generate the rapport you need. Find a training or support group either in your area or online. Spend some time on your search engine of choice looking for resources: websites, books, reference guides or (better yet) honest to God people who are knowledgeable about the subject of your resolution. The more access to data and interaction you have, the more likely you will succeed because your goals will be in the forefront of your thoughts multiple times a day as you engage with those people or materials.

TRACK PROGRESS

Keeping track of where you started and where you're going is important during any pursuit. Take photos of yourself before you start working out or eating better, of your house before you begin your new cleaning regimen. Write notes about how your relationship with your children is before you begin making more time for them. Be aware that you will likely feel all sorts of negative emotions when you do this, because after all this is something that you wish to change about yourself. But if you don't record your starting point, how can you truly track where you are in your plan?

Don't just take "before" photos or notes, either. Be sure continue doing so at specific intervals: each week perhaps, or each month. Be sure you update your log at a regular interval that is not too spread out from your last entry.

Review your log each time you add a new entry and compare where you are to where you were before. If something is not going well, reflect back on your actions and behaviors to see if you can discern the root cause. This will help you to adapt your action plan (and possibly your goals) accordingly.

REWARD YOURSELF FOR REACHING MILESTONES

It's too easy for you to say, "I've been doing good so I'm going to eat a cheat meal" and then that quickly turns into a return to your prior poor nutritional habits. Establish a reward system for yourself: when X happens, I will Y. "When I have lost 10 pounds, I will get that scarf I've been eyeing" or "When I have consistently spent time with my kids each day for 2 weeks I will plan a special date with my significant other for a place I've wanted to go."

It's optimal if the reward you intend for yourself once you achieve your intermediate task is related or beneficial to your end goal. This isn't a requirement, but it does better set you up for success. Maybe you purchase a new piece of training gear or something you can use to meal prep more conveniently for example.

LEGITIMATE REASON OR EXCUSE?

When your visualization techniques aren't working and you're on the fence about whether to persist toward your goal or take a break for a day, I find that it is incredibly helpful to take a step back. Look at the situation and the argument against taking the necessary steps toward your goal. Is that argument valid reasoning, or an excuse?

Examples of potentially valid reasoning:

I feel extremely sore and tired
- If this is related to a resolution to work out, remember that you must give yourself rest days to recover. You could potentially be overtraining. Refer to my article on muscle soreness for more information about this topic.
I am sick
- If your resolution relates to working out, refer to my article about whether you should train while sick to discern the best course of action.
- If your resolution relates to eating better, it is even more important that you eat as best you can. Refer to my article about eating on the go, as it has some time-saving tips which may help if you are under the weather.
You're running late/overslept
- But can you fit in even an abbreviated form of your resolution later in the day? If you don't take steps to make it happen in some form or fashion, then this becomes an excuse.

Examples of excuses:

I don't feel like it
- Understand that it takes discipline to reach goals, just like going to work or caring for your pets or children. You must be willing to do what needs to be done regardless of when you 'feel like' doing it.
I got distracted and forgot the time
- If it's a priority you'll set a reminder, if that's what it takes.
I'm having a bad day
- It happens, but even on bad days you still have to tend to your responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is to yourself and your resolution(s).
It's cold/hot/raining/etc
- Even if there is a weather advisory, if your resolution pertains to working out you can still train indoors even if you don't want to step foot outside.

IT'S OKAY TO MAKE MISTAKES

Everyone falls off the wagon from time to time. It happens to the best of us. It is therefore crucial that you cultivate a sense of self-forgiveness when you mess up. If this is an issue you struggle with, take some time to read this article from Psychology Today.

Another important thing is to prevent the mistake from becoming habitual. If this is a challenge for you, take a look at this article about how to break bad habits.

It is okay to make mistakes. Each time you do and learn from them, you gain a little more self-knowledge to help you succeed in the future. Just get back on the wagon, let it go, and keep on rollin' from wherever you are now.

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