PT 360 - September 2020

PT 360 - September 2020

Getting you back to the life you want to live.

360

S eptember 2020

In Touch

U ltramarathons

Shelly Coffman

down a few notches lets her run for hundreds of miles, and she’s not sure if it’s been 50 or 350. She just keeps going. Now here’s where I wanted to circle back: No doubt, this pandemic is painful — the pain of not spending time with our friends and loved ones, the pain of lost jobs and income, the pain of homeschooling (so much more homeschooling), and the list goes on and on. Ever since I read about Van Deren years ago, her story has been a touchstone for me. It’s just pain. It’s an uncomfortable feeling you might not be able to escape, but it’s just pain. Now, that may sound cavalier to you, but you should try it. You can let the pain burn you up inside, or you can let the heat out by releasing the pressure, just a little leak. It’s just pain. I think about this when I am doing all-out sprints, or my kid is screaming at me about … (scratchy socks, bad avocado, drop-off time … ), or things are just HARD and feel like TOO MUCH. I stop, breathe, examine it, turn it over, and realize that it was just a big emotional reaction to “the thing,” and it will pass. It’s okay. And there goes that valve release. I know some people have a few unhealthy valve releases, but from someone who considers their professional job description as “taking the world’s pain away, one person at a time” (yes, I’m really that goofy about it), it’s important to know you have the power to manage, moderate, and distance yourself from the hard stuff WITHIN YOURSELF, just to get through it. Because we do get through it. My wish for you is that you take hold of that power. It’s amazing stuff. Even if you take a little detour, you won’t get lost, and you might find out you’re a whole lot stronger than you ever knew. –-Shelly Coffman

I had a little too much to say last month, and brevity is not my strong suit. So there’s more! As someone who spends a lot of time examining and turning things over and over in her head, a lot of wrinkles and bumps get scrutinized. In any challenging situation, we often respond and move forward in common ways. If we are less flexible, we can get stuck or paralyzed. I often think about the ultramarathoner, Diane Van Deren. I read an article about her incredible story many years ago and refer to it as a touchstone for myself when times are tough. Van Deren was always an amazing athlete, but also suffered from epilepsy-related seizures. These seizures were so intense that they were life threatening and not well controlled by medication, but they were moderately controlled by running. She underwent a partial lobectomy in her right temporal lobe to save her life. She has not had a single seizure since. She has, however, had some interesting side effects. She loses track of time. She is late for everything. She gets lost easily. She can’t remember things well. When she has too much sensory stimulus thrown at her, she gets grumpy and irritable. That last bit sound like everyone you know? Interestingly, the right side that underwent the lobectomy for Van Deren is the part that controls emotional processing. In particular, it seems to have affected her emotional response to pain. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel pain; she does. It just impacts how she responds to and characterizes the pain, and whether she lets that pain dictate any other choices. Pain is complex, and (as you may have heard from your PT team) subjective. One person’s 10 is another person’s 3, and it’s difficult to standardize, as it truly is personal. Van Deren’s ability to take the emotional response to pain

Thanks to social media, you don’t have to turn to magazines or the gym for fitness inspiration anymore. Instead, just reach into your pocket. There, both men and women are showing off their workout routines, meal prep plans, and muscle gains to win followers on Instagram. If you’re active on Instagram, you’ve probably come across the hashtags #fitspiration or #fitspo on photos of kale salad, record-breaking deadlifts, and weight loss before and afters. #Fitspiration has graced more than 70 million posts to date! Sometimes these posts are one-offs from the average Joe, but more often they’re the currency of fitness influencers and celebrities — people with a passion #FITSPIRATION: 3 FITNESS INFLUENCERS TO FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM Get Inspired to Work Out and Eat Healthy With Just a Few Swipes

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for health and fitness who make a living sharing their tips and journeys online. While some of these folks are in it to make a buck, others are truly inspirational. If you’re stuck in a fitness rut and could benefit from some good advice and a motivation boost, check out these inspiring influencers. KAYLA ITSINES: THE ALL-STAR Kayla Itsines is an Australian personal trainer and the author of the “Bikini Body Guides” book series and workout program. She has more than 12 million followers on Instagram, her own website (KaylaItsines. com), and even her own app. The app, Sweat With Kayla, offers workouts and meal planning guides. On her Instagram account, Itsines posts IGTV videos of her workouts along with content about her life, cooking tips inspired by her Greek family, and inspirational before and after photos of the women who follow her programs. Itsines is all about keeping it real and encourages her followers to make “accountability calendars” for their meals and workouts and set “mini-goals” they can celebrate to stay motivated. JOE WICKS: THE HEALTH FOOD GURU Also known as “The Body Coach,” Joe Wicks has built an Instagram following of 3.8 million around his high-intensity interval training videos and recipes. Wicks is a British fitness coach, author of the “Lean in 15” series, and the star of “The Body Coach TV” on YouTube. Through his website, TheBodyCoach.com, he offers healthy 90-day meal plans for meat eaters and vegetarians.

Wicks’ Instagram account is packed with positivity, goofy selfies, food photos, adorable snaps of his kids, and before and afters of his followers. There’s the occasional workout video, but for Wicks, diet is the biggest pillar of health. The guy even has his own cookware line! MASSIEL INDHIRA ARIAS: THE 6-PACK WHISPERER A California-based health coach and mom, Massiel “Massy” Indhira Arias is also the owner of a truly impressive set of abs. Weightlifting makes up the bulk of the fitness content she shares with her 2.7 million followers, and her program, The MAWarrior Challenge, has helped almost 90,000 people get fit. Arias’ diet advice is based on macronutrients, or “macros,” and she teaches that a healthy lifestyle can change you mentally, physically, and spiritually. Her Instagram account is a great home base for workouts, weightlifting tips, inspirational advice, and cute photos of her daughters. Of course, to reap the benefits these influencers have to offer, you need to do more than just hit that follow button To get fit in their footsteps, put your inspiration into action: Follow one of Wicks’ recipes, try Arias’ latest workout, or make an accountability calendar with Itsines’ help. The possibilities are endless, and the gains are waiting!

F eel the B urn F rom Y our L iving R oom 3 O nline W orkout P latforms to T ry R ight N ow

with on AloMoves.com. You can even download routines to your phone and follow along with them in your backyard or at the park, all for just $20 a month. P.VOLVE While P.volve only has around 200 workouts available through its online platform right now, new videos are being added every week. If you’re looking for resistance-based, high-intensity, low-impact workouts, this is the platform for you. You can customize a workout plan based on which body parts you want to strengthen and even buy optional equipment to use at home. Get access to the entire fitness library for a monthly fee of $20 or save by paying an annual fee of $135 at Pvolve.com. TONE IT UP Tone It Up is more of a fitness community than a workout program, but the website still offers a variety of both free and paid workouts plus a paid nutrition plan. Try high-intensity interval training (HIIT), cardio, a total-body workout, or one geared toward specific body parts, like abs or glutes. Through the Studio Tone It Up app, which costs $15, you can get additional workouts delivered to you weekly. Even if they’re not what you’re used to, doing these online workouts can ensure you don’t lose the fitness you’ve worked so hard to gain. Try one of them today!

Your living roommight not be the most conducive environment for a good workout. But as the world continues to grapple with the effects of the coronavirus, working out at the gym, or any other public facility, is out of the question for many of us. Fortunately, you can still work up a sweat from home with the right workout videos for a fraction of the cost of a monthly gymmembership. Here are a few worth your time and money! ALO MOVES Alo is one of the most prominent outfitters for yoga lovers everywhere, but the workout routines offered through Alo Moves go beyond just yoga and meditation. Whether you’re new to working out or a seasoned fitness buff, you can find thousands of workout routines to follow along

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F oods for a F aster R ecovery T he N utrients Y ou N eed D uring P hysical T herapy

Attending your physical therapy appointments and doing your at-home exercises as instructed by your PT are crucial parts of your recovery process. However, they’re not the only important steps you should take. What you eat can affect how quickly and well you heal just as much as your dedication to your exercises. By incorporating a few of these foods into your diet, you can heal faster and come back stronger than ever before. OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS There are three phases to the healing process: inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. While you might think that inflammation is a bad thing, it’s actually a normal and necessary part of healing. That said, you should still try to reduce inflammation, as it can be harmful in excess. Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids do wonders to control inflammation. Plus, our bodies can’t make omega-3 fatty acids naturally, so we have to get them from what we consume. Foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish, olive oil, avocados, pecans, walnuts, and almonds. ANTIOXIDANT-RICH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Along with omega-3 fatty acids, the antioxidants from fruits and vegetables can also go a long way in reducing inflammation. Broccoli contains vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folic acid and several different minerals. ( Pro Tip: Cook your broccoli to maximize these nutrients!) Citrus fruits and peppers have high levels of vitamin C, and

PROTEIN-RICH MEATS, NUTS, AND DAIRY PRODUCTS When it comes to the proliferation and remodeling stages of healing, healthy sources of protein are the way to go. Lean meats like poultry and fish are easy sources of protein, but if you don’t eat meat, you can also get protein from beans, eggs, nuts, and dairy products. Protein-rich foods will help heal muscles and bones and prevent muscle atrophy. It’s incredible what the body can do with just a few intentionally consumed superfoods!

P each and A rugula P asta S alad BALSAMIC MARINATED FLANK STEAK

peppers have high levels of beta-carotene as well. Additionally, turmeric and garlic work wonders during the healing process.

The summer isn’t over yet! Get out the grill for this delicious steak dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling • 1 3-lb flank steak • Kosher salt, to taste • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves • 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 2 tbsp whole-grain mustard • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar Directions 1. Combine garlic, rosemary, oregano, mustard, and vinegar in a blender. Purée until garlic is minced. 2. Add oil and continue blending until creamy, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 1/4 cup. 3. Place steak in a ceramic or glass baking dish and cover

4. Remove steak from

marinade and let excess marinade drip off. Sprinkle the steak lightly with salt and pepper. 5. Light grill and oil grates with olive oil. 6. Grill steak over moderate heat for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway through, until steak is lightly charred and the internal temperature reaches 125 F.

steak with the remaining marinade. Turn to coat the other side, cover, and let marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

7. Let the steak rest for 5

minutes. Thinly slice, drizzle reserved sauce, and serve.

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Ultramarathons 3 Instagram Fitness Influencers to Follow Page 1 3 Online Workout Platforms You Should Try Page 2 I nside T his I ssue

The Nutrients You Need During Physical Therapy Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak Page 3 Tips for Running After an Injury Page 4

G etting B ack on the T rack T ips for R unning A fter an I njury

what exercises you can do in your restless moments. For example, strength-based exercises may be beneficial to help you improve your impact resistance. If you try running sooner than you’re supposed to, then you’re risking even more damage. Follow your therapist’s instructions closely and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Contrary to what some might believe, the main reason people quit running for exercise is not because of laziness or lack of motivation — it’s injury. If you’ve sustained an injury while running and have been forced to switch up your workout routine because of it, you might be tempted to throw in the towel and move on to another exercise. But you can bounce back from injury! Contact your physical therapist and read these tips for improving your recovery time and getting back on track. Don’t run before your therapist says you can. It’s understandable to want to amend your therapist’s recommended running regimen if you have extra time at home, but it’s better to stick with their recommendations. If you know the change in your running routine will be challenging, then ask your therapist

might be painful at times, but it’s all part of your journey to recovery.

Keep a journal.

Pay attention to your training progress.

There’s no better way to track your recovery than keeping a journal. Use it to track how you feel each day and what your experiences are as you recover from your injury. Try to record the exercises you’ve done and note any places you’re feeling pain, but otherwise, jot down as little or as much as you want. We hope these tips help you! There’s no magic spell for recovery, but with a little effort and the right mindset, you’ll be able to put your running shoes back on and take a lap around the track in no time.

As a recovering runner, you may not feel significant differences in your pain levels at first. That isn’t uncommon, so you’re likely doing fine as long as your pain doesn’t increase. Often, an injured runner will make notable improvements to their overall performance before they begin to feel their pain ease off. That’s why it’s important to stay aware of your training and keep up with the recommended exercises. The beginning

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