Almost eighty percent of the population has experienced or will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. It is wise to warm up the spine thoroughly prior to doing anything strenuous in the gym.  If you don't understand some stretches and strengthening exercises for your back, talk to a personal trainer today!

 There are many methods you can use to awaken and strengthen your back.  In this article I will cover a few simple movements that you can incorporate into your routines!  Another important thing to think about if you are experiencing back pain is your flexibility.  Yoga can really aid in your ability to be flexible, stabolize your core (abs and back) muscles, and teach your muscles the importance of Contract-Relax.

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10 burpees

20 push ups

30 situps

40 body weight squats

50 jump ropes

Do 3 rounds through WITHOUT stopping and record your time! Post to the blog and winner gets a free shake!

Summer is just around the corner. Try this "Apple Barbecue Sauce" for your next grilling venture.

APPLE BARBECUE SAUCE

 1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup apple juice

1 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 teaspoons sugar substitute

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard

5 drops hot pepper sauce

 Combine onion and apple juice in 1 quart saucepan. Simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in chili sauce, applesauce, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper sauce. Simmer 10 minutes. Makes 2 cups.

 2 tablespoons of sauce

 Calories 31

Protein 0g

Carbohydrate 8g

Fat 0g

Fiber 0g

Sodium 211mg

Source. The "3 APPLE-A-DAY" plan

April 5, 2010

It was good to see some of the “flight 1” participants already back at the gym. For me, I’m planning to take the weekend off and head back on Monday. A whole two days away from the gym…amazing! But I’m already enlisting the help of my workout buddies for next week and making plans for a new routine. I’ve worked too hard to go back. Someone commented on another blog about giving ourselves “time and patience” on moving forward. I LOVED that because we have the rest of our lives to use what we’ve learned to be healthy. Knowledge is half the battle. My goal is to find the right balance for me between working out and eating. I’m not sure EXACTLY what that will be, but I now have a lot of knowledge, time and hopefully patience to work on it. In a way, I’m excited for the new phase of maintenance. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t trying to lose weight. I’m even more excited to go shopping for clothes. What will you do with your former clothes? Some say to keep them, so you’ll remember how far you’ve come. Some say to clean them out so you’ll never go back. Looking forward to the start of a new goal….just a few more days and counting.

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