The reason this happens is that the muscles in the back of the legs hook into a bone in the bottom of your foot.  When these muscles become tight they pull on their attachment to the bone.  When we wear flip-flops or shoes without an arch support, our arches are stressed and this can cause inflammation in the same area.  Proper stretching is vital to our foot health as are proper foot supports. 

Stretching should be performed on warm muscles.  Start with both feet together. Take a large step forward with your left foot. Lean forward with hands on the wall for support while bending the left knee, keeping the right knee straight , both heels on the floor.  You should feel the stretch behind the right calf.  Hold the stretch 30 seconds and repeat on the other side. 

The 2nd stretch:  start as in the first stretch,left foot forward, keep the right heel down and bend boths knees while leaning forward and holding onto a counter or some stable device.  Hold for 30 seconds.  You should feel the stretch closer to the heel cord or Achilles. Repeat on the left side.

Last but not least, good arch supports are a must.   There are many over the counter supports as well as athletic shoes that have support.  I like the ¾ arch supports so that I can slip them in any shoe, even the popular ballet flats!

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Nancy Whelan is the owner of the West Palm Beach Physical Therapy Center . She has been a physical therapist for over 30 years.

Of course, diet and exercise are, understandably, the big box-office draw of the fitness industry, but here is a tiny fact that only peeks its head out of the clouds every once in a while: If you don’t get enough sleep, what you do in the gym and in the kitchen might not make that much difference – even if you work really hard and stick to your diet like glue.

It’s hard to believe that something as sedentary as sleep could actually be one of the best, most overlooked diet aids around, but the proof has been out there for years.

Findings presented during the 2006 American Thoracic Society International Conference revealed the results of one of the largest studies to track the effects of sleep habits on weight gain over time. The 16 year long study, which included more than 70,000 participants, showed that women who slept 5 hours per night were 32% more likely to gain weight (33 pounds on average) and 15% were more likely to become obese, when compared with those who slept 7 hours a night.

In the study, it was found that even among women who eat less, those who slept less still gained weight over time. Lead researcher Sanjay Patel, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH explains, "Prior studies have shown that after just a few days of sleep restriction, the hormones that control appetite cause people to become hungrier, so we thought that women who slept less might eat more," Patel says. "But, in fact, they ate less. That suggests that appetite and diet are not accounting for the weight gain in women who sleep less."

While the evidence was clear – sleeping less has a direct effect on the ability to lose weight – the reasons behind this phenomenon are still unclear. A range of possibilities are thought to be responsible - from insulin regulation to an over abundance of the stress hormone, cortisol.

But, the real question isn’t so much “why” but “how?” How does one go about getting more sleep? Experience has taught me that sleep habits are often as hard, if not harder, to re-tool than eating and exercise habits. The following are a few of my favorite ways to go about getting more Zzz’s:

Change Your Ritual – One of the best ways to change a habit is to start by changing the environment surrounding the habit. Try ending your evening with a relaxing soak. Turn the TV off, listen to soothing music, or read something inspirational. Change a few things each week – adding to your new routine until you have a solid “getting ready for bed” ritual. This will prompt your brain to begin winding down  even if it is not your usual bedtime.

Add 30 Minutes at a Time – If you’re accustomed to crawling into bed at 11:30pm, make an intentional effort to start making it 11:00pm. Once you have accomplished this three nights in a row, try moving it to 10:30pm and so on, until you are spending a full 7 to 8 hours in bed. Work on getting to bed earlier first, then work on getting to sleep. Eventually, your body will adjust to the change and you will fall asleep more easily.

Wear Ear Plugs – Second only to stress and worry, the number one cause of sleepless nights is noise – specifically snoring. If this is a problem for you, consider using one of the many disposable ear plugs that are available at most drug stores. My favorite (I find them the most comfortable) are Flent brand “Quiet! Please” noise reducing foam ear plugs. I’ve used them for many years and have heard from more than a few folks that wearing ear plugs at night not only help them sleep better –it's saved a few marriages to boot!

Listen To Meditation CDs – Find a good quality meditation or relaxation CD that will help you relax and wind down. These are also great to have by your bedside if you happen to wake up during the night with your mind racing about this and that. They serve as a great tool to get your mind off the stress so you can drift back to sleep. Use flat stereo ear buds (the type designed for sleeping) to get the best results. I recommend using recordings that contain the sounds of rain, ocean waves or white noise only, and save guided, spoken recordings for daytime meditations.

So, in an effort to lose those stubborn love handles, while you count your calories and count the minutes ticking away on the treadmill, make sure to count on getting a few more hours shut eye as well. Your body, mind and spirit will be all the better for it!

About the Author:
Dianne Orwig is a success coach, motivational speaker, fitness trainer, and founder of LivingFit Online™, a fitness program that has helped thousands of men and women completely transform their bodies and live healthier, happier lives though her less-is-better approach.

For more information on how you can get better results in less time and with less effort than you ever thought possible, visit http://www.lovelivingfit.com. Discover how you can stay motivated and on track – to request your Free LivingFit ebook, “Prepare To Succeed” send an email to dianne@lovelivingfit.com and place the words “Prepare To Succeed” in the subject line.

(c) Copyright - Dianne Orwig. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Now I really resent when people who are over 45 surrender to father time. However, I must admit that I was confused because I had not changed my routine; I still exercised seven days a week and I really wasn’t eating excessively.  Still, I refused to hide behind the age card, so I went to Dr. Bruce Bloom, a man who touts himself as the “Health Coach of Westchester,” and he set me straight.

As we age, Bloom told me, “The rules of the game change dramatically.  The model we once had is older and less energy efficient.”  By the way, that doesn’t only mean you may gain weight, when your metabolism breaks down you can also get more wrinkles – it’s all part of the same degenerative process.  “The single most important physiological function of the human body,” Bloom insists,  “is to convert fuel to energy.”

The first thing we did to see what was wrong with my older and slower metabolism was to run an electrical current through my body (no it doesn’t hurt) to get a break down of how much of my weight was fat, protein, water and muscle.   To my chagrin that extra ten pounds was fat.

Apparently I had killed my metabolism by eating the way I had been since college.  Basically, that meant not eating at all until at least four o’clock in the afternoon. Coffee carried me through my errands, and it wasn’t until the witching hour- that would be the time when I cooked dinner for my kids- that I allowed myself some fuel.  My body thought it was starving, so the food I fed it was stored as fat. UGH!

Resurrecting my metabolism took some discipline.  First I had to detoxify by drinking a very foul concoction that tasted like sulphur, or perhaps you can identify better with a rotten egg; either way, you get the picture. Bloom also believes in taking natural supplements that he says help your cells burn fuel more efficiently, or as he puts it,  “They turn on a metabolic switch.”  Still, the most important thing I did was to eat.

For the first time in my adult life I ate breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks.  My calories for the day totaled about 1200.  I was allowed to eat as many green vegetables as I wanted, but only three ounces of protein with each meal for the first four weeks.   After that I upped the protein to six ounces and in a month and a half I had lost 15 pounds.  Oh yeah, and my nighttime snack was a glass of red wine!

Now, after we pass a certain age, we have been told by beauties such as Catherine Deneuve that we have to choose between north and south – our faces or our bodies. I am 5’4” and have never worn larger than a size 6, so I was shocked, even embarrassed, that I could lose that much weight and still not look gaunt. According to my health coach that was because my body composition was divided up properly and I had lost fat without losing protein or muscle.  So you see- you can have your cake and eat it too!

With that in mind, it’s probably a good idea to plan on doing a little extra cardio this week to balance things out. Yeah… right…

Okay… well, let’s say you somehow find some time between basting the turkey and taste-testing the sweet potato casserole to take a walk or hop on the treadmill. Let me offer you two things that are guaranteed to help maximize the calories you burn, no matter what kind of cardio you choose to do:

Do The Run/Walk Routine – It’s no accident that when you first start out doing cardiovascular work, your inclination is to go fast, then slow, fast, then slow. This is how your body actually wants to be worked (in waves of highs and lows.) Unfortunately, most of us think we need to progress to a more consistent “run the whole time” routine. That’s where we get caught in the whole “harder, faster, longer is better" trap and I am here to tell you, when it comes to removing body fat, strengthening the heart and improving overall health, same-pace cardio is not better.

This week, whether you choose to take a walk outside, jump on the treadmill or hit the elliptical, try varying your speed between easy and hard work. You might go for 2 minutes at a moderate speed, then really fast for one minute, and then alternate back and forth; two minutes easy and one minute hard, for a total 20 minutes. That’s it - that’s all it takes - then you’re done. This is known as interval cardio or what I call WAVE cardio. When done to the proper intensity, WAVE cardio has been proven to burn more calories in less time than traditional straight-line cardio. As an added bonus, WAVE cardio can create what’s known as an after-burn of calories for up to an hour after you’ve finished your workout.

Pump Up The Volume – Another thing you can do to burn more calories is to add some fired up music to your routine. It’s estimated that people who listen to rhythmic music burn up to 30% more calories than people who just watched TV or read or chat during their workouts.

So, if you can find a way this week to do 20 short minutes of WAVE cardio everyday between now and Thursday, that Thanksgiving meal won’t mean a thing!

Have a happy, healthy, Thanksgiving!

Dianne Orwig is a success coach, motivational speaker, fitness trainer, and founder of LivingFit Online™, a fitness program that has helped thousands of men and women completely transform their bodies and live healthier, happier lives though her less-works-better approach.
For more information on how you can get better results in less time and with less effort than you ever thought possible, visit http://www.lovelivingfit.com.

(c) Copyright - Dianne Orwig. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

If that’s the side of the fence you’re sitting on, don’t give up hope just yet! With a little adjustment in your approach and a quick lesson in what I call “Holiday Math,” it’s possible you'll not only break even on the scale come January 1st… you may even lose a pound or two! Here’s how: 

First, start by letting go of that old, worn out “Give it up until January” mentality. Sure, you can run with that crowd if you like (94% of the population gains between 3 and 8 pounds during the holidays) or you can hang with the other 6% who know how to have fun AND keep it off!

Second, do the math…

There are exactly 61 days between November 1st and January 1st.  To put it another way, each of us has at our disposal a total of 1464 hours to spend whichever way we choose.

Here’s how I envision spending my 1464 hours:

Sleep – 488 hours

Work – 380 hours

Shower, Grooming, Prep For The Day - 92 hours

Shopping (includes food, gifts, cards, and regular every day stuff too) – 32 hours

Cooking, Preparing, Waiting for and/or Eating Food – 183 hours

Working Out – 20 hours

Parties and Holiday Celebrations – 39 hours (this includes family dinners, cocktail parties and office parties)

Leisure, Family Time, Writing, Meditating, Watching Movies, Playing on the Computer – 230 hours

Here are a few things I can take away from this little math lesson: 

1) The one thing I dedicate the LEAST amount of time to (but one that offers the best return on investment) is Exercise. Come on now… how busy can I be that I'm not willing to give it a measly 2½ hours per week? (That’s two strength training sessions lasting 45 minutes each and three 20 minute cardio sessions – that’s it!)

2) The two things that make the holidays the holidays-extra shopping and parties-only add up to a total of 71 hours, just shy of 3 days! Am I really going to throw two months out the window for 3 little days?

3) Ah! Here are some numbers I forgot to factor in… In the course of these two months I am allowed one “free day” per week. That’s a total of 192 free hours that I can do, be, have or drink whatever my little heart desires… and still stay on the program! Maybe I can use some of those free hours to cover the three party and shopping days I mentioned in #2. Best of all, I still have a few free hours left over for any spur-of-the-moment celebrations with friends!

So, you see, it isn’t how you spend your holidays as much as how you spend your hours that will determine your results and separate you from the rest! My suggestion is to spend some of those hours having fun, some working, some celebrating and spend the rest of them like a Champion!

Dianne Orwig is a success coach, motivational speaker, fitness trainer, and founder of LivingFit Online™, a fitness program that has helped thousands of men and women completely transform their bodies and live healthier, happier lives though her less-works-better approach.

For more information on how you can get better results in less time and with less effort than you ever thought possible, visit http://www.lovelivingfit.com. While you are there, sign up to receive the most current and innovative weekly health and fitness tips in the industry by subscribing to our FREE newsletter!

(c) Copyright - Dianne Orwig. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

But, it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, some of my most successful clients have made amazing transformations during the months between October and January! Here are a few things that contributed to their success:

A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO BE DIFFERENT:  When you decide you want to look different, you become very clear that being different starts with ACTING and THINKING differently. “I always attend holiday get-togethers with my mind pointed towards what I WANT (a firm, healthy body) instead of what food and drinks I CAN’T have,” one client explains. “I spend a few minutes before I leave for the party reading my goals, looking at my goal pictures and writing out the things that are important to me… like connecting with friends, learning something new I didn’t know about someone. That way, the celebration is about enjoying the people around me as opposed to making the star of the show the food and drink.”

 
A CLEAR PICTURE OF SUCCESS: “The night before a party, I visualize myself sharing time with my friends without mindlessly eating and drinking everything in sight. I ‘practice’ the whole thing in my mind first - from the time I walk in the door until I say ‘Good Night.’” When you know you’re facing a tempting situation, mentally rehearsing your success (as opposed to imagining yourself failing) can help you formulate alternative choices. This is a powerful and often overlooked method that will put you in better control when the party actually starts.

THE RIGHT WORDS:  It’s tough enough to turn down pumpkin pie… but Aunt Frances’ pumpkin pie? Ah… no way! Food prepared by family or friends is one of the sincerest offerings of love there is, which is why it’s so hard to refuse without a fight. Here is a great win-win solution: Come to every celebration ready to say these words. “I can’t wait to taste that pie, Aunt Frances… will you cut me a piece to take home so I can enjoy it later, when I’m not so full?” This way, you get to eat the pie (or not) on your own terms, without hurting anyone’s feelings. A good rule of thumb is to give your aunt or friend a call the next day to say how much you appreciate the love and effort that went into preparing the dish, pie, cake, cookies, they made with you in mind. When you point your focus toward fulfilling this desire (the main thing folks want when they have prepared something special for you is to know that you understand, love and appreciate their gesture) everyone wins! 

So, as you approach this holiday season, plan to be different, keep a clear view of what you want and make sure you say it right!

Dianne Orwig is a success coach, motivational speaker, fitness trainer, and founder of LivingFit Online™, a fitness program that has helped thousands of men and women completely transform their bodies and live healthier, happier lives though her less-works-better approach.

For more information on how you can get better results in less time and with less effort than you ever thought possible, visit http://www.lovelivingfit.com. While you are there, sign up to receive the most current and innovative weekly health and fitness tips in the industry by subscribing to our FREE newsletter!

(c) Copyright - Dianne Orwig. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

While the research team is quick to point out that a study of this kind does not prove that diet soda actually causes obesity, the link is hard to ignore. "One possible part of the explanation," suggests Fowler, "is that people who see they are beginning to gain weight are more likely to switch from regular to diet soda."
 
Another possibility may be that artificial sweeteners not only trick the pallet, they may also trick the body into believing it will receive the calories that a sweet tasting treat would normally deliver. Nutrition expert Leslei Bonci, MPH, RD explains, "People think they can just fool the body. But maybe the body isn't fooled," she says. "If you are not giving your body those calories you promised it, maybe your body will retaliate by wanting more calories."

Either way, it certainly brings new meaning to the phrase, "I'll have a double bacon cheese burger, a large order of fries, and a diet Dr. Pepper."

Dianne Orwig CPT, CFC, CYFI is founder and creator of Living Fit Online.
For more information about her 12-week transformation programs and workshops, call 352-562-4117 or visit her website at www.LoveLivingFit.com or you can email her directly at lovelivingfit@gmail.com.