Do you like cilantro? Do you usually choose organic?

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Since you’re already putting in the time and are working out, you might as well make sure you maximize your efforts! Shaina Manning, Equinox Group Fitness Instructor and NASM certified personal trainer shares the top mistakes she spots at the gym… and how to fix them!

Mistake: Your hips sag during a plank

A plank (either on the elbows or hands), must always looks like a plank, not a hammock! Be careful not to drop your hips, because if the hips sag, the lower back starts to take over causing stress in the area Manning says.
Fix It: Effectiveness can only be maintained if the hips are in neutral, demonstrating that the deep abdominal muscles are doing the proper work. If you cannot maintain a straight line from shoulders to hips through the heels, drop to your knees. Work on holding 15-30 seconds and build up to one minute.

Mistake: You grip the handlebars on the elliptical

Don’t rely on the support of the handles to brace your body weight. It makes it less effective because it reduces the work required of your legs, by decreasing the amount of weight you have to physically hold. Be careful not to shrug the shoulders up to the ears as it could irritate or strain the back, neck and shoulders.
Fix it: The handles (if stationary) should be held lightly, with palms facing down. You should be able to wiggle your fingers if you are holding on, and only relying on the support of the bars for balance. The handles, (if moving) are held with palms facing each other; create a pulling action with the arms. Using a lighter grip on the handle bars will force the abdominal to engage more in order to stabilize–whenever the body has to balance, core muscles are recruited!

Mistake: You stretch before a workout

Save the stretching for when your body is nice and warm. Your muscles are like salt water taffy–if they are cold and you go to stretch them, they might (figuratively) snap! But if they are warm, they will stretch smoothly.
Fix It: Prepare the body for exercise by going through a slower warm up of walking or jogging slowly. End with static stretching, like you might do on a stretch mat or even with the assistance of stretch straps and foam rollers.

Mistake: You collapse to the floor when doing push-ups

When lowering to to floor, your body should resemble a stiff board, not a slithering snake. Women tend to make the same mistake in push-ups as they do in planks Manning says.
Fix it: Knees should be on the mat, creating a straight line from knees to shoulders (like a plank). Keeping abdominals engaged, lower the chest between the hands and push straight back up. Keep the head in line with the spine (look straight, not down), and the back of the neck long. Lower the body as one straight unit–don’t let the hips collapse to the floor before the chest. Ready to up the intensity and sculpt a lean upper body?

Mistake: You watch TV while on the treadmill

When you’re focusing on the TV, which is usually hung above your head at most gyms, your body’s alignment is completely thrown off, Equinox trainer Matthew P. Pasqua, MA, CSCS says. (He also teaches a treadmill race training group fitness class.) Looking up can increase the pressure on the neck and upper back. It will lead to an unnatural tightness, and it can throw you off balance.
Fix It: Keep your focus on what’s happening at the machine. Pick a treadmill that’s in front of a mirror and concentrate on keeping your shoulders and hips squared, your face, shoulders and hands relaxed. To avoid bouncing like a gazelle, focus on shortening your stride and running at quicker cadences by have your foot strike under your center of gravity and by bending more at the knee by bringing your heel higher up at end of your stroke, Pasqua says. It is advised to run at 1% incline at all times to mimic flat outdoor running

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The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests how to reduce the risk of runner’s knee:

• Get regular exercise to stay physically fit and avoid weight gain.
• Gently stretch your muscles before any exercise.
• Increase the intensity or duration of your workouts gradually — not all at once.
• When you run, wear appropriate running shoes with a sturdy, supportive construction.
• Practice good form when running. Bend your knees and lean forward slightly.

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In the study, Benjamin Tseng, a researcher in the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine’s (IEEM) Cerebrovascular Lab at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, and colleagues compared brain structure and function in 10 athletes and 10 sedentary people.

The types of brain function they looked at included muscle control, executive function (a type of cognition that includes working memory, self-monitoring and the ability to suppress distractions) as well as other neurological functions.

“We know that brain structure and some aspects of cognitive function deteriorate with aging, but we haven’t been able to find exactly what the contributing factors and mechanisms are,” Tseng said in a hospital news release. “Our preliminary results shed light on this important topic, and we hope the findings lead to better prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.”

The study participants included 10 Masters athletes, average age 73 years, who had at least 15 years of competitive aerobic training, and 10 sedentary people of a similar age and education level. The investigators found that the brain’s white matter fiber was better preserved among the athletes than the inactive people.

In the human brain, white matter plays the critical role of transmitting messages between different regions of gray matter — areas where functions such as seeing, hearing, speaking, memory and emotions take place. So, without sufficient white matter, gray matter can’t do its job, as is the case for many people with various forms of dementia, the study authors explained in the news release.

“Without properly functioning white matter, people can begin to show signs of neurological problems,” Dr. Benjamin Levine, director of the IEEM and a professor of medicine and cardiology and a distinguished professor in exercise science at UT Southwestern Medical Center, explained in the news release. “They can lose the ability to do simple daily tasks that we take for granted.”

The researchers concluded that their study sheds some light on the mysteries of the aging brain, such as how brain blood flow is related to its structure and function.

“It also tells us that long-term aerobic exercise has definitive, measurable impact on brain health,” said Levine. “Most importantly, it lets us know that we have tools that can help fight off dementia and some of the other classic signs of aging with a purposeful, consistent exercise regimen.”

The findings were scheduled for presentation this week at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, held in conjunction with the World Congress on Exercise Is Medicine, in Denver. Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

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Yogurt

Yogurt is great because it comes in its own packaging, and the probiotics and cultures help keep you full and aid in digestion. Look for low-fat and low-sugar varieties that are less than 100 calories.

Popcorn

Popcorn is low-calorie, yet high in fiber, so you will feel fuller and eat less. Look for “light” varieties with low butter and salt, or better yet, if you have an air-popper go with that alternative. Some brands even carry small 100 calorie microwave packs to help take the guess work out of measuring.

Instant Oatmeal

Nothing fuels the body like oatmeal. High in fiber and nutrients, a little oatmeal goes a long way, and a 100 calorie serving is probably the best way to give your body the most energy and fight hunger. Look for the prepackaged varieties with low calories and sugar, preparing it with water for best results.

Dark Chocolate

Yes! Chocolate is good! The darker and higher cacao content, the better for less sugar, and more antioxidant properties. Keep your serving size to just 1.5 oz for best results. Some studies have shown that eating dark chocolate can help reduce stress and high blood pressure!

Bananas

Like oatmeal, no more complete snack food exists than a banana. Perfect for that quick energy boost with its natural sugars and potassium to keep your muscles fed and prevent fatigue. Best of all? Portable and easy to eat!

100% Fruit Juice

Instead of reaching for a sugary energy drink or an enhanced diet water, reach for a cup (8oz) of 100% fruit juice. Plenty of natural sugars and vitamins in the real thing and without any additives, fewer calories than you think.

Cold Cereal

Fortified with vitamins and fiber, cold cereal is a low-calorie, nutritionally complete snack. Keep it to one 8 oz. serving with 4 oz. of skim or soy milk and you will definitely get the energy you need between meals. Stay away from sugary cereals and veer towards more whole grain alternatives. Eat it dry if you’re on the run.

Granola

Granola is great because it’s hearty, and has protein, fat, and carbohydrates as well as some anti-oxidant properties. You need to be careful with granola because it is high in calories, so a little goes a very long way.

Berries

Berries are nature’s antioxidant and a great snack if you’re looking for something sweet to snack on. Berries, especially blueberries, are loaded with vitamin C and fiber, too, so it’s way better than grabbing a handful of candy.

Natural Peanut Butter

It’s kind of messy, and might take a little getting used to, but all natural peanut butter is a great snack. Hearty, and full of nutrients and protein, it will fill you up, as well as give you the essential fatty acids you need without all of the added sugar.

This list can get you well on your way to making snacking simpler, healthier, and staying on your fitness and diet routine. What are some of your favorite healthy snacks on the go? Did they make the list?

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THE PROBLEM: Insomnia
Insomnia—from the Latin word for “sleepless” –is the most common sleep disorder, characterized by difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep, or waking up too early in the morning. For a clinical diagnosis, the lack of sleep must impair your daytime functioning, says Gregg D. Jacobs, Ph.D., sleep specialist at UMass Memorial Medical Center and founder of cbtforinsomnia.com. “Almost half of all adults have insomnia once a week,” he adds. But only a fraction of sufferers seek treatment, in large part, Jacobs says, “because they’re afraid their doctor will prescribe sleeping pills, and there is a growing belief that pills are not a good choice.” Try these drug–free solutions instead:

Retrain your brain for sleep
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a common psychological technique used to help people change the way they think and act and thereby break certain self–destructive habits. In two major studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association and one study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, cognitive behavior therapy proved to be more effective than sleeping pills, says Jacobs. “And unlike pills, CBT has no side effects and works long term.”

The CBT insomnia treatment program that Jacobs developed and tested at Harvard Medical School and UMass Medical Center (now online at cbtforinsomnia.com) involves five sessions over five weeks. It teaches insomniacs many techniques—like waking up at the same time every morning, including weekends; and when sleep doesn’t come within 30 minutes, getting up and doing something quiet and relaxing–that help people reform their sleep habits.

RESOURCES Check with the National Association of Cognitive– Behavioral Therapists Organization, nacbt.org, to find a practitioner.

Try melatonin
The same hormone that your body produces to induce drowsiness, melatonin, can be purchased overthe– counter in a pill form. Unlike valerian, “melatonin usually has an immediate effect,” says Wong. BUYING GUIDE Look for Puritan’s Pride melatonin at puritan.com. DOSAGE Take 0.3 mg per day about 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime. “The recommendation on product bottles, 1 to 3 mg, is higher than many practitioners believe it should be,” says Wong. “There’s concern that too large a dosage could cause the body to reduce its own production of melatonin.”

Sniff lavender before bed
When 31 “healthy sleepers” aged 18 to 30 years in a Wesleyan University peer–reviewed study (published in 2005 in the journal Chronobiology International) sniffed lavender essential oil over the course of one half hour before bed, it increased the amount of time they spent in the most productive stages of sleep, and they reported feeling more rested the next day.
BUYING GUIDE Try Aura Cacia lavender oil at health food stores or natural markets or at auracacia.com. DIRECTIONS“Put a few drops of lavender oil in a warm bath about an hour before bed,” suggests Wong. “A warm bath raises body temperature. When it falls after you get out, that drop causes you to feel drowsy.”

THE PROBLEM: Sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea’s symptoms include loud snoring and gasps for breath, but it also interrupts sleep because it causes you to stop breathing for anywhere from ten to 30 seconds at a time. “The oxygen–deprived brain sounds an alarm—the arousal trigger—forcing you to wake up, jolting open the upper airway, and allowing the proper airflow to resume,” explains Carlos H. Schenck, M.D., in his book Sleep: The Mysteries, the Problems, and the Solutions, More than 18 million Americans have sleep apnea, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Try a mask to breathe right
Obstructive sleep apnea needs to be diagnosed in a sleep lab. The most reliable treatment is a mask that fits over the nose and/or mouth called a “continuous positive airway pressure device,” or CPAP. It blows in pressurized air to keep the airway open.
CAVEAT Be sure to test a mask first to make sure it’s comfortable for you. Ask your doctor to suggest a make.

THE PROBLEM: Snoring
Snoring happens when you breathe in through your mouth and your soft palate or uvula vibrates against the back of your throat or the base of your tongue as you breathe in. Snoring is an indication that something is preventing you from breathing efficiently, says Krainson, and can lead to sleep disruption, headaches, and fatigue. It’s also associated with an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, even if you’re not overweight.

Tips to stop snoring Lose weight You’re more likely to snore if you’re overweight.
Stay off your back Sleep on your side as much as possible.
Drink less Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the airway, making it more likely you’ll snore. Drink your last glass of wine or bottle of beer at least four hours before bedtime.

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Half Suspended Jumping Jack
Jumping jacks go to a whole new moon-walk level in the pool. Not only do you have to push through the water, but you also have to keep your balance as your natural buoyancy will lead you to tip forward or back. Jump your legs out as you normally would but don’t let your feet touch the bottom when you bring them back to the center.

Tip: Try a full suspended jumping jack by doing the whole jack without touching the bottom!


Flutter Kick
Holding on to the edge of the pool, a paddleboard, a noodle, or your dog (if he’ll let you), kick your legs rapidly behind you.

Tip: While splashing is fun, you’ll get a better workout if you keep your legs under the water and focus on moving them faster, not higher.

Frog Jump
Starting from a “plie position” (heels together, knees bent outward, and bottom tucked under), jump as high as you can out of the water, returning to the plie as you land. The deeper you go in the water, the harder your quads and butt will have to work to propel you out of it.

Tip: To really work those inner thighs, go as quickly as you can with no rest at the top or bottom of the move. Ribbits are optional but totally encouraged.


Knee Tuck While this is a powerful plyometric move for your legs on land, you add in some core work in the pool. The water will slow down your movement and force your abs to engage to help stabilize. Plus, the water takes out the high-impact nature of the jump for anyone with knee or foot injuries. From a standing position perform a tuck jump by bringing both knees up to your chest. Got that mastered? Try it while treading water.

Tip: Keep your chest up and shoulders back or you’ll end up with a face full of water. Not that I’d personally know anything about that…

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The other day, as I wheeled my cart down the soft-drink aisle to pick up some seltzer, my 3-year-old pointed at the soda and said (loudly),“Soda’sbaaaaaaad.” First thought: I’ve never directly said that to you… but right on, little man! Still, I didn’t want my preschooler schooling all the people who’d come to pick up pop (as we call it where I grew up). That’s just rude. So I said, “Well, we like seltzer better, right?”

While I don’t go around telling people soda is “baaaaaad,” I don’t think it’s good: it’s full of sugars or sugar substitutes; some kinds of soda, namely colas, contain phosphoric acid, which, according to some studies, may harm bones. That said, I don’talways avoid soda: now and then, I’ll order one to have with a burger or with popcorn at the movies. I usually order a Diet Coke. Why? For years, I drank tons of diet soda—and that’s what my taste buds grew to like. But when it comes to diet soda versus regular soda, what’s really the better choice?

I decided to weigh the pros and cons of each. Here goes:

REGULAR SODA
Con: It’s full of added sugars, usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. High intakes of added sugars are linked with high blood pressure and high triglyceride levels, risk factors for heart disease—which is why the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting all sugars to no more than about 6 teaspoons a day if you’re a woman, no more than 9 teaspoons if you’re a man. A 12-ounce can of cola has about 8 teaspoons—which translates to about 130 calories. So one soda won’t make or break your diet, particularly if you make room for it by cutting out something else, but if you drink too many, these calories can add up to major weight gain. Side note: One of my college friends lost 20 pounds in about six months just by eliminating sodas. (He’d been a big soda drinker.)

Pro: If you’re trying to avoid artificial sugar substitutes, you won’t find them in there. Yes, I know that some people consider HFCS a chemical akin to the artificial sweeteners found in diet sodas; if you’re among them and crave a soda, you could consider a variety sweetened with cane sugar.

DIET SODA
Con: It contains sugar substitutes, which some people prefer to avoid. Some studies show that consuming no-calorie sweeteners may actually make you hungrier. But, in other research, scientists didn’t find artificial sweeteners to stoke appetite, so the jury’s still out on that.

Pro: Sodas with no-calorie sweeteners don’t directly add calories to your diet; they also may be better for your teeth, since bacteria can’t live on artificial sweeteners—they need sugars.

So which is better? Only you can decide. Personally, looking at this pro/con sheet makes me thirsty for… some seltzer.

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Breast self-exams help detect breast cancer earlier. While women between the ages of 19 and 39 do not have to schedule a mammogram every year, unless a lump has been detected in the past, self-exams should be a regular part of life. Instead of scheduling self-breast exams, some women prefer to exam breasts in the shower every day. This gives the woman a “feel” for healthy breast tissue. If a lump were to appear, early detection is easier with daily self-breast exams.

How to perform a daily self-breast exam. While in the shower, raise the left arm straight over the head. Use the right hand to feel breast tissue. Remember to cover all breast area including under the breast and near the underarm. Repeat with the right arm raised over the head using the left hand to perform the self-breast exam.Rush University Medical Center offers instructions on self-breast exam from a laying position.

Pap smear tests are not required every year. Yearly Pap smears are no longer required for women with a history of healthy Pap smear screenings. After the age of 21, according to Womenshealth.gov, women should schedule a Pap smear every two years. If screenings are clear through the age of 30, Pap smears should be scheduled every three years. If a Pap smear comes back with questionable results, a yearly schedule should be followed until your gynecologist feels safe moving the schedule to two or three year increments.

Immunizations continue beyond childhood. Babies and children get immunizations leading up to school years. After starting school, there are only a few immunizations most parents are aware of to maintain child health. What most women don’t know is that immunizations should continue through adulthood. Immunizations suggested for women between the ages of 19 and 39 as part of a regular women’s health check-up schedule include influenza, Tdap, Varicella, HPV, MMR, Pneumococcal, Meningococcal, Hep A and Hep B. Check out the interactive immunization schedule on Womenshealth.gov for detailed information on adult immunization schedules.

Don’t forget eyes and ears. Regularly scheduled eye exams should take place every six to 12 months. Women who wear glasses or contacts may need to schedule appointments every six months if vision changes, otherwise yearly exams are appropriate. Ear exams should be scheduled every 10 years with the first being scheduled between the ages of 19 and 39 as part of a regular women’s health check-up schedule.

Take control of your health and schedule regular women’s health check-ups. Print this list, share with friends and make your health check-up appointments today.

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Whether back pain is a frontal assault or a sneak attack, the fact is you’ve probably been laying the groundwork for spinal troubles for months, if not years. All kinds of habits — from how you walk to whether you smoke — can do in your back, but here are five biggies. Fixing them could save your back . . . and your weekend.

1. Smoking: Yep, it doesn’t ruin just your lungs and your breath. Smoking also nearly triples your chances of back pain, especially if you’re a woman. One reason: The carbon monoxide in smoke forces oxygen out of your bloodstream, so muscles, ligaments, and other back supporters become oxygen-deprived. Another: Nicotine constricts blood vessels, further shrinking your oxygen supply. Try this proven program for quitting smoking.
2. Slouching: The Paris Hilton slouch you may have been emulating (unwittingly, of course!) stresses the ligaments that stabilize the joints in your spine — and that is almost as famous for causing back pain as Paris is for creating scandals. Try these five steps to perfect posture right now.
3. Couch/computer surfing: To widespread surprise, a review of 8 years of medical studies concluded that being sedentary is not linked to low back pain. But consider the side effects of doing little more than switching from keyboard to clicker and back again: gaining weight, losing muscle strength, and hunching or slumping for hours at a time. Talk about a perfect storm of back-pain risk factors!
4. Sleeping awkwardly: A bunched-up or cramped sleep position (bed too small?) can leave your back stiff. So can sleeping on an old mattress. A well-made, medium-firm mattress is worth the price, University of Oklahoma researchers have found: Low back pain is significantly more common among people who sleep in cheapo beds.
5. Stressing out: Tense jobs cause tense muscles, which can magnify back pain. In fact, workers with the highest stress levels are five times more likely to have problems, say Swiss researchers. When stress has you tensed up, head to toe, take some calming, muscle-relaxing deep breaths. Not just after you read this; several times a day.

What to Do When Your Back Is Under Attack

First, stay mobile, even if you just take short indoor walks. A day or two of bed rest is okay if you’re really hurting, but muscles begin to atrophy with amazing speed, which makes your back weaker and future injuries and pain more likely. These simple, proven treatments will help ease your aches and get you back in action.

Hot and cold therapy: Cold packs every 20 minutes or so reduce swelling and inflammation during the first day or two. After that, the warmth of a heating pad or a hot water bottle soothes muscle tension and spasms.

Pain meds: Over-the-counter pain relievers give short-term relief. Just don’t exceed the dosing instructions. Call your doctor if your situation does not improve.

Rub-on relief: Pain-easing ointments, gels, and creams often reduce stiffness and muscle soreness, not least because massaging them in feels soothing and stimulates circulation.

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