Renae – V Shred Member

Renae is a wife and full-time mom of four with a very demanding career. She could have easily used “busy” as an excuse to keep scrolling when she saw a V Shred advertisement pop up on her social media, but something about our unique approach to “dieting” caught her eye.

“I was interested in the fact that I could still eat carbs and do the carb cycling, and that was really an important part to me,” remembers Renae. 

After reading, Renae says she felt encouraged that there might actually be a program out there that she could stick to! So she instantly purchased the V Shred exercise and diet program that our fitness quiz said was best for her goals and body type.

Then she did something VITAL to her overall success in the program. It’s one of our biggest fit tips and something most people skip and later regret not doing!

Nope, she didn’t rush to buy supplements or feel pressured to join a fancy gym. Our programs don’t require either of those things!

The first thing Renae did to set herself up for success didn’t cost a single penny!! 

She set out to discover her unique why.

“When I started the program, I was kinda like, what am I really working towards. A couple weeks in, I decided I want to feel good wearing a bathing suit,” says Renae.

We teach our clients how to “find your why” because it’s vital to successfully reach your short and long-term health and fitness goals. 

Renae was off to a good start with discovering hers but needed to dig a little bit deeper than wanting to confidently wear a swimsuit. 

“I was in a size 8 or 10, and they were tight on me.  I didn’t feel good about them. I’d look down and see rolls of whatever and was like, I don’t like the way I look. I just wanted to feel like I looked good again.”

That still wasn’t specific enough. Renae knew there was more, and after further soul searching — it finally clicked!

Renae realized it had been a long time since she saw a picture of herself and had something positive to say! Right then and there, she knew her why and the goal she needed to set to keep herself motivated. 

“I booked a vacation, and I called the resort ahead of time and I booked a professional photographer to take pictures while I was there.”

She also kept her bikini on display as a constant visual reminder of her why and the time-stamped goal only a few months away! 

“I hung my bathing suit on the mirror, and every morning I’d get up and do my workouts,” says Renae. 

Renee established her clear why, set a big goal, and visualized her goal self early in the program. Important psychological steps that helped Renae lose 22 pounds after just one round of Toned In 90 Days!

That is an impressive amount of weight to lose in only 3 months, but seeing a lower number on the scale isn’t what wowed Renae the most. What she really noticed was the calorie-burning lean muscle she gained!

“I think that was the big difference for me. By putting on that muscle, all the fat just started melting off,” says Renae. 

Lean muscle changed the shape of her body so much that there were times Renae says she didn’t even recognize herself! 

“There was a time in the gym I was walking by a mirror and looked over, and I thought, oh who is that and I went oh my goodness that’s me. When you start to make a lot of changes, your mind doesn’t quite catch up sometimes to how fast your body changes on this program.”

Renae went on her goal vacation and, at 43 years young, confidently rocked that bikini photoshoot. 

The pictures speak for themselves…. Renae looks INCREDIBLE!!

But what does Renae think? Was she able to reach her ultimate goal of looking at pictures of herself and liking what she sees?

“When I got these pictures back, I was floored that I liked pictures of me, and I was floored about the way I knew I felt inside when I was doing those,” smiles Renae.

Renae even printed her favorite photos and put them on display! So now, instead of a bikini hanging on her mirror, she has pictures of herself wearing it that serve as motivation moving forward.

“I never want to go back to how I felt before V Shred. I want to feel like this as far forward as I can feel this way,” says Renae. 

Aside from changing the shape of her body and reaching her confidence goals, Renae says something else really cool happened while doing Toned In 90 Days. 

Despite the addition of daily exercise, meal prep, and everything else that comes with living a healthy lifestyle —  her busy days ended up feeling much less demanding!! 

“I felt good and wasn’t tired. I just feel healthier now. It’s just a complete difference from what I felt before. I was in a better mood and I even felt like I had more time because I was getting things done faster.”

Like all of our clients that have success with our programs, Renae says now that she knows what it feels like to be healthy, happy, and confident — she will never go back to her old ways! 

“I never want to go back to how I felt before V Shred. I want to feel like this as far forward as I can feel this way.”

Thank you, Renae, for trusting us to help you reach 

such a big goal and for sharing your story!

You are such an inspiration!!

If you are reading right now and are … 

• Uncertain if you have the time to get started?! 
• Not sure if you are capable of seeing results like Renae achieved?! 
• Don’t know how to discover your why?!
• Are scared to set big goals out of fear of failure?! 

Renae has two main pieces of advice for you! 

First, she wants people to know that V shred is not too good to be true or like many quick fix programs out there. She says she is proof that our programs work as long as YOU do! 

“I hope other people can see that it works and have the courage to do it because it’s life-changing. They just need to take the first step, and as soon as they see results, they are never gonna want to quit.” 

Her second piece of advice is probably geared a little more toward the ladies, and that is — don’t be intimidated or hesitant to pick up the weights!!!

“As a woman, ya know, I think a lot of girls shy away from it but don’t be afraid to get in there and really lift some weight.” 

And if you want to get started on YOUR journey to being our next V Shred testimony, it’s best to get started where all of our most successful clients do — by taking our BODY TYPE QUIZ! 

It’s free for everyone (even if you aren’t a V Shred member) ..  only 6 questions .. tells you your body type in seconds  … and then gives you the best ways you should exercise and eat based on your genetics!

We can’t wait to help you step into your own unique greatness through living a healthy and fit lifestyle! 

Renae’s Case Study is the story of Renae’s unique experience with V Shred and her weight loss and fitness journey.  Her results are uniquely her and this Case Study is a detailed presentation of Renae’s decision making and use of V Shred products and programs. There is no assurance that your personal experience will be similar to hers.

The post V Shred Review: Busy mom of four loses 22 pounds in 90 Days appeared first on V Shred.

Do your knees seem to be older than the rest of your body? Are they stiff when you get out of bed? Do they hurt when you walk up and down steps, play sports, run, squat, or lunge? 

If so, we might be able to help you avoid a costly scan or trip to a doctor/therapist! 

We have Dr. Zaki Afzal back with us for Part Five of our FIX YOUR BODY series to tell you how to assess knee pain safely so you know why you are having issues. 

Assuming your knee pain is movement-related, he has a few corrective exercises that you can do on your own that should help get you pain-free in no time!

Before we dive in, we want to quickly discuss when you SHOULD NOT do these assessments and exercises and some stats and facts that may help you better understand your knee pain! 

How Common Is Knee Pain?

Knee pain is the second most common cause of persistent pain, and one-third of all Americans report experiencing knee pain at some time or another.

Two of the most common reasons for knee pain are being overweight and improper form/technique during activity. 

If either of these is the root cause of your knee issues, there is a solid chance your knee pain is reversible, and something we can help you with — for free!!

Types Of Knee Pain 

The biggest difference in day-to-day knee pain versus pain that may be activity or workout related is that discomfort in those that are active is generally felt on the front side of the knee and sometimes only occurs when lifting or post-lift. 

Often, when people feel knee pain in the gym, they automatically think they need to take a week off training or go get an x-ray or MRI. Not so fast!!

There is a good chance that none of that is necessary! Remember what we’ve said throughout this series …. 

If your pain originates from a movement-related issue … movement is most likely the answer to finding relief!

Of course, you have to do the right corrective movements — which is exactly what we are helping you with today and why we’re doing this entire series! 

Speaking of, we’ve already gone over neck, shoulder, back, and hip pain! If you missed those episodes — you can find links to each at the bottom of this article!

Before we get started, we do want to make sure you know that these assessments and corrective exercises should only be done if you have knee pain that is movement or possibly joint-related. 

If your knee pain is ongoing, severe, due to an injury or medical condition, or is accompanied by any other symptoms —  you should see a doctor or physical therapist like Dr. Afzal for a one-on-one assessment.  

FIX YOUR BODY EPISODE 5: KNEE PAIN 

Below you will find three common movement related reasons for knee pain, assessments you can perform on yourself to see if this is your issue, and then a quick corrective exercise that typically provides INSTANT relief! 

Again, before trying any of these, you must ensure your knee pain isn’t something more serious. 

If you are confident your knee pain is movement-related, here are some possible root causes, assessments, and simple fixes!! 

If at any time you are unsure how to perform anything below, click on the video box above for a step-by-step video demonstration! 

COMMON ISSUE #1: POOR KNEE FLEXIBILITY 

As mentioned, most active people will feel knee pain in the front of the knee.

The “medical” term for this is Patellofemoral Pain. To break down this type of pain in really simple terms  …

• The patella is your knee cap.
• The femoral refers to your femur (the big bone in your thigh.) 
• Patellofemoral is just the relationship your knee cap has with your femur – which is the straightening and bending of your knee.

Most active people with knee pain will have pain after they workout around this area or slightly underneath. 

The first instinct when most people feel this pain is to stretch the quad. But that isn’t going to help because most of the time, this issue it’s not from the inability to bend the knee; it’s the inability to fully straighten the knee.  

You can check this really easily! 

Knee Flexibility Assessment

You want to see if you can get your “painful knee” as straight as your non painful side. The goal with this assessment is to check for symmetry side-to-side!  

• Sit on a table or hard surface with your knees straight out in front of you. 
• Evaluate if both backs of your knees hit the surface about the same. 
• Now evaluate if they hyperextend about the same. 
• Hold your knee down and see how high you can lift your foot up off the surface. Repeat on the other side. 

If you are lacking on either side, that knee may need more mobility to properly tackle day-to-day movements and activities in the gym.

There is a straightforward way to correct this! 

Corrective Exercise – Knee Extension Mobilization

This is an easy way to get your knee moving! All you need to perform this exercise is a foam roller or anything firm you can prop your foot on to slightly elevate it.

• Sit on a hard surface with legs extended and relaxed.
• Put the foam roller under the ankle of the “bad” knee. 
• Cup your hands around your knee and push downwards toward the table/ground.
• Push until you feel a good stretch in the back of the knee.
• Hold for about 2 seconds and ease off.
• Repeat this movement for 10-15 reps. 
• Immediately see how your knee feels! Perform the knee assessment again, go for a walk, go up/down some steps, do a squat movement, etc. One round should give you significant knee pain relief.

Tips:

• Do not place the foam roller under your heel. 
• You want to get a good stretch, but do not push too hard to where you feel pain or discomfort. Ease your way into more pressure. 
• As you progress and build more flexibility, try flexing your quad when pressing down on your knee.  

COMMON ISSUE #2:  TIGHT/RESTRICTED ADDUCTOR

If you feel achiness in the knees when lunging or in a deep squat position, you want to make sure your inner knee muscles are open and have a full range of motion. 

You may be shocked at what muscle in your leg could be limiting this from happening and potentially causing knee pain.

It’s your groin muscle!! 

During the bottom of a lunge or squat, one of the main muscles that help you get up is the groin muscle (better known as the adductor muscle) – which attaches to the inside of the knee! 

You want to ensure this muscle isn’t restricted, and the assessment for this is very simple. 

Adductor/Groin Assessment 

Nothing fancy here .. just perform a few deep lunges or squats and see what they feel like! Super simple, but don’t skip this step! 

You need to see if you feel any pain or restrictions. If they feel off, pay attention to how far you can go down, when and where you feel pain, etc.

This will be your “baseline” so that when you re-test – you will be able to better determine if the corrective exercise is working! 

Corrective Exercise – Inner Knee Soft Tissue Release 

This is very similar to the side glute tissue release we did in our hip pain video in the sense that once you hit “the spot,” — you will know!!

• Flip over onto your stomach.
• Prop yourself up on your side with the foam roller placed lengthwise under the inner part of your knee (to see the exact placement, click here.)
• Move around until you feel the spot that needs to be released. You will know when you hit it!! 
• Once you have found it, hold and then lift your foot up and rotate it up and down, so you are rolling back/forth on the adductor muscle. Work your way across the length of the muscle, stopping at about halfway up the thigh.
• Hit each spot for about 5-10 rotations, for 2 sets, with about 30 seconds rest between. 
• Switch legs and repeat. 

Re-test your lunge and squat. If you had pain before, you should notice instant relief. Or, if you didn’t have pain, you should notice that you are stronger coming out of the bottom of the lunge or squat. 

This is another example of where you feel pain may not directly represent where the pain stems from. 

Exactly why we are giving you multiple options to try out! Let’s move on to the next! 

COMMON ISSUE #3:  LIFTING FORM
You might not have bad lifting form; you just might not have an ideal form for preventing knee pain or not aggravating the existing pain. 

The few things you can do are – – limit range of motion, perform isometric holds, strengthen your quads, and make slight modifications to things like squats and lunges. 

Modify Lower Body Exercises

In our episode on low back pain, we discussed how allowing your knees to go over your toes is not inherently a bad thing. 

But if you have knee pain and still want to squat, it could be beneficial to not allow your knees to track over your toes simply because it can take a little bit of stress off the knee. Instead, sit back in your squat. Box squats are a great alternative. 

Same with lunges! There is nothing wrong with allowing your knee to slightly track over your toes if you don’t have knee pain. But if you do have knee pain, you may want to try shifting your weight more onto your hips to see if that relieves some pressure. 

Another good modification for lower body exercises is not going as deep as you normally would without knee pain. Have a marker you are going down to — then slowly move that mark lower and lower each training session. 

Remember, these modifications are temporary! You don’t want or need to use them forever!

The intention is to make small adjustments that take a little pressure off your knees while you are working through your knee issues, so that you can still exercise. 

You do eventually want to get back to the full exercise! 

Limit Range Of Motion and Use Isometric Holds

Limiting your range of motion and incorporating holds is a simple and very effective way to calm down an irritated knee.

An isometric hold is simply when you hold a position and the muscle is firing, but nothing else moves. Think .. wall sits, static lunges, or holding a leg extension in the contracted position.

These are really great low-level exercises because you are in complete control of how hard you squeeze, how long you hold, etc. You can push harder or softer, depending on how it feels. 

The idea is to start here. Eventually, after doing isometric exercises for a while, try adding in some limited range of motion until you work up to full knee extension!

If you feel any pain when attempting more range of motion, just scale it back! 

Don’t Write Off Leg Extensions 

Speaking of leg extensions, you may have heard they are a bad exercise if you have knee pain, but this isn’t entirely true.

In fact, Dr. Zaki says almost every patient he works with in knee rehab does some sort of knee extension because having strong quads can help avoid knee injuries in the future!! 

Before you totally write of an exercise, remember that nothing is inherently bad for a particular part of your body. It’s all about the context that it is performed in. 

If leg extensions hurt your knees, chances are you are just attempting to lift too heavy. Try scaling back before totally removing the exercise. 

This sort of reminds us of the running myth. I’m sure you’ve heard that running is bad for your knees … but again, it’s all about context!

If you already have bad knees, pounding the pavement for hours might not be a  great idea.  But Dr. Afza says studies have actually shown that recreational runners have stronger and more healthy-looking knee cartilage in imaging than those that sit on the couch! This kinda busts the myth that running “gives wear and tear on the knees.”

BUT …

What if none of these exercises work?!

What if you STILL have knee pain?!

As mentioned, you would want to see a doctor to rule out an injury, something mechanical, or anything more serious.

But there is another reason your knees could be bothering you. It is actually the most common reason people have knee pain.

If you are carrying around extra weight, there is a good chance your knees hurt because you are overweight. 

In that case, you may probably want some help getting rid of the excess fat in the fastest and easiest way possible.  The best way to do that is to diet and exercise based on your goals and body type!

A great place to get answers is our free body type quiz! 

It is only 6 questions, you get your results instantly, and we also give you the top three things you should be doing to reach your goals faster and easier based on your genetics! 

Take it for free — HERE!!

WE HOPE THIS ARTICLE AND VIDEO HELPED YOU FIGURE OUT WHY YOUR KNEES HURT AND HOW TO FIX THEM!! 

You need to consider the root of your pain! You should not attempt any of these exercises if your pain is extreme or not related to joints and muscles.

Please talk to your doctor, or if you are in the Las Vegas area, feel free to click here to contact Dr. Afzal. He would love to help you! 

If you are interested in the rest of our FIX YOUR BODY series with Dr. Afzal, here are the links to the episodes we’ve filmed to date! 

Episode 1 on neck pain — you can WATCH HERE.

Episode 2 on shoulder pain — check that one out HERE. 

Episode 3 on Back Pain – watch HERE

Episode 4 on Hip Pain – watch HERE

Come back next week! We are wrapping things up with ankle pain! 

Source – https://www.classicrehabilitation.com/blog/knee-pain-statistics-and-causes/

The post Fix Your Body Episode 5: Knee Pain appeared first on V Shred.

If you’ve never experienced back pain, consider yourself a minority. 

Experts estimate that up to 80% of the population will experience back pain at some time in their lives. 

Of course, those who are active put themselves at more risk, especially if you are using poor form in the gym or not taking proper measures to fully recover from workouts.

But back pain can happen to people of all ages and activity levels. Heck, you could be doing something as simple as picking up a piece of food you dropped on the floor and somehow tweak your back!

Be it from an injury, the gym, or everyday tasks — lower back pain is such a recurring issue that it is said to cost Americans upwards of $50 billion in health care costs each year!

The promising news is that many episodes of low back pain are mechanical, which means it’s an issue with the muscle or irritated joints. You probably don’t need a costly trip to a therapist or doctor for these types of pains.

With the proper at home assessment and professional advice — you may be able to fix your body at home!

To help you determine the root cause of your back pain and what you can possibly do to find relief, we brought in performance physical therapist Dr. Zaki Afzal. 

We will go over everything for you step-by-step in this article. But many people prefer visuals, so we also filmed Dr. Afzal going over each of these issues, assessments, and solutions! 

FIX YOUR BODY AT HOME: LOW BACK PAIN 

STEP ONE: Make Sure Your Pain Is Not Serious
Dr. Afzal says when someone comes to his clinic with low back pain, the very first thing he does is make sure it’s nothing serious! Never assume! You can’t skip this first step! 

You should not try any of these exercises if your back pain is ongoing, chronic, and/or in tandem with things such as …

• Pain that is so severe it wakes you up at night. 
• Tingling, numbness, or radiating pain down your legs. 
• Balance issues 
• Bladder issues

If you are experiencing any of the above or any other issue that seems off, please do not use this article or video to self-treat — go see a professional for an in-person assessment. 

STEP TWO: Give Yourself An Assessment
After you are certain your low back pain is nothing serious, you might need to do a few quick assessments to see where you are limited and what motions you are having issues with.

This will help you better understand the root causes of your pains, so you aren’t wasting your time doing the wrong corrective exercises! 

One thing to remember as you consider the root cause of your low back pain is that your back isn’t usually the culprit! Your back is typically the victim of other parts of your body not working the way you want!

We will discuss some of these other culprits in the next three episodes. For today, we are just going to key in on the lower back.  

3 COMMON CAUSES OF LOWER BACK PAIN
+++
SIMPLE WAYS TO FIND RELIEF AT HOME 

Just because you have low back pain does not mean you have an injury or something serious happening!

Dr. Afzal says that most back pain complaints he sees at his clinic are movement-related, and if it comes on from movement, he says it can generally be fixed with movement!

POSSIBLE ISSUE #1:  “Backward Bend” Range Of Motion
Healthy joints have a full range of motion, but to have that, you need to expose your body to each part of the range of motion frequently. 

Dr. Afzal says unlike a bent forward position, which most people spend a lot of time in (i.e., sitting,) the backward position IS NOT one we usually put ourselves in.

We rarely, if ever, experience a full backward bend throughout the day. Not putting our body in this position regularly can create range of motion limitations that can lead to back pain. 

Check Your Bending Forward & Bending Backward
Keep your knees and feet straight. Relax and reach forward and down toward the ground. Do you feel a good stretch going down the back of your legs? Or do you feel tightness and/or pain?  If it’s the latter, that may indicate an improvement needs to be made in your lower back.

Now, put your hands on your hips and do the same thing, except bend backward as far as you can. Do you feel pain in your lower back, or do you just need to stop because that is as far as you can go without falling backward? Grab a mirror or record yourself. You generally want to see your shoulders pass your heels as you bend backward.

If your shoulders did not go past your heels, or you felt any pain during the bent backward assessment, we have an easy corrective exercise that should help you open up.

How To Improve Backward Bend Range Of Motion
A great exercise to do to put your body in this position is the PRONE PRESS UP.

It is kind of like the “cobra” pose in Yoga, except you will NOT use your lower back or glute muscles to press up. 

• Lie face down on a flat surface.
• Put your hands in a push-up position.  
• Use your ARMS to push yourself off the table. 
• Try to get your elbows straight. (If your hips come off the table, that is fine.)
• Slowly lower back down
• Immediately repeat for 10  reps. 
• Start out doing 1-2 sets.

Important Tips

• Do NOT use your lower back or glute muscles. You need to turn them off so you can get a full range of motion through the back.
• Getting your elbows straight is important! That is your goal! 
• How often you perform this exercise will depend on how frequently your low back pain pops up and your lifestyle habits. For example, if you experience back pain because you sit a lot at work, this is an easy exercise to do. Instead of taking just a walking break, get on the floor and do a couple sets to 

Most pain isn’t because you are injured or because something is wrong; it’s usually because you are using an option of your body too much and not giving it the opposite direction!! 

Sprinkle in some extension (backward bend) throughout the day, so you aren’t spending ALL your time in flexion (forward bend), and you should see a considerable improvement! 

POSSIBLE ISSUE #2:  Nerves
You have nerves that run out of the back, down the back of your leg, and all the way down to your foot.

Even if you don’t have numbness or tingling in the leg or shooting pain, you can still have an issue with limitations in the way the nerves feel. 

Opening them up can make you feel better in terms of movement and pain. 

How To “Open Up” Your Nerves
People often think they need to bend over, reach for their toes, and hold a hamstring stretch when they have lower back pain.

It is true that muscles typically like longer stretching, but your nerves don’t like to be held in a stretch for an extended time.

If your back issues are because you need to “open up” your nerves, you want to avoid “static” stretching and incorporate some movement in the stretch.

Try this in-and-out movement called NERVE FLOSSING. 

• Lie on your back on a flat surface.
• Take your right knee and bring it toward your chest.
• Take both hands and put them behind your knee. 
• Straighten your knee until you feel a stretch down the back of your leg.
• Hold it for one second.
• Come back down and do that motion repeatedly in and out.
• Do this for 15-20 reps for 1-2 sets. 
• Repeat on the other side. 

Important Tips

• If you want a deeper stretch, point your toe down. 
• As you bring your leg up, also bring your head and chin up at the same time.

As for that last tip, you may be wondering how moving the UPPER body could help with LOWER back pain.

MRI studies show that when you move your neck, nerve movement happens all the way down your leg into your foot!  In short, this means that movements up top can move nerves down low! 

POSSIBLE ISSUE #3:  The Way You Squat
There is a huge fear in the gym-based population that they will “fall forward” and go into flexion when they squat. When that happens, people tend to go the opposite and over-extend.

If you ONLY squat that way, you will potentially cause stress on your back that can leave you having low back issues. Dr. Afzal says staying in a “stacked” position is much more efficient than going into an over-extended position.

Other “rules” that many have ingrained in their heads that Dr. Afzal says are probably NOT the best for your back …

• Driving your butt back when squatting.
• Not allowing your knees to go past your toes. 

I’m sure you are giving us that “say what” kinda look right now, especially on that second one about allowing your knees to go past your toes.

If you have knee issues, Dr. Afzal says that “rule” may possibly be beneficial. But probably NOT if you are concerned about keeping your back healthy. 

There was a study done that shows that you take 40% stress off your knees when you don’t let your knees go past your toes when squatting. But the same study also showed that not letting your knees go past your toes caused a 1000x percent increase of stress on your hips and lower back!!!

Is it worth the knee trade-off? Dr. Afzal says, probably not!

The bottom line with any lifting “rule” is not to immediately say something is off-limits. Dr. Afzal says that nothing is off-limits. It’s all what your body is used to and ready for. You need to find a squat position that works for you.

Dr. Afzal says safely allowing your knees to go past your toes is probably beneficial for most people with back issues or those hoping to prevent them.

How To Correct Your Squat To Lessen Your Risk Of Back Pain
Follow these simple steps the majority of times you squat. For a visual demonstration, click here.

• Do a gentle exhale. You want your ribs down and chest facing forward. 
• Slightly scoop your butt “under.”
• You should now be in a “stacked” position with your pelvis pointing down.
• Squat DOWN, not BACK. 

Important Tips

• The direction your pelvis is pointing is the direction your hips will go. When squatting, you want your pelvis pointing down because you want your hips to go in an up/down movement. An example of when you would want your hips to go back and forth would be when doing deadlifts. 
• You need to be pretty aware of your body to be able to “feel” this. One “cheat code” to help you “feel” this position a little easier would be to elevate your heels. You can do this by placing plates underneath your heels.  

Dr. Afzal says it is rare that any movement would be off-limits forever. Still, sometimes your body needs a break from the things that are giving you an issue, and performing your squats like this MOST of the time should reduce stress in your lower back — often immediately.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS THIRD EPISODE
OF OUR SPECIAL SIX-PART SERIES
 “FIX YOUR BODY” with Dr. Zaki Afzal

If you have any questions about this episode, leave them in the comments section HERE, and we will do our best to get you answers! 

Make sure you come back next week! We are moving on down the body and talking about how to fix your hip pain! 

If you missed Episode 1 on neck pain — you can WATCH HERE.

If you missed Episode 2 on shoulder pain — check that one out HERE. 

Source — https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/What-is-Chiropractic/Back-Pain-Facts-and-Statistics 

The post 3 Possible Reasons Your Lower back Hurts  and How To Find Relief appeared first on V Shred.

If statistics are correct, most people reading this can expect to

Good thing you found this article because we aren’t going to let YOU be “most” people! Lower temps do not have to equal larger waistlines! You just have to have a plan! 

In this short read we will …

• Explain why winter weight gain happens. Knowing why is important if you want to prevent it and the reason is probably not what you think. In fact, it is partially not even your fault!
• Tell you why fall/winter is actually the BEST time to start a diet and training plan.
• Give you 7 easy pro tips that will help guide you through the next few months. 

You may believe winter weight gain happens because of the holidays. Those extra home cooked meals and holiday parties are certainly a factor.

But there is a DAILY issue you need to be prepared to fight if you want to avoid packing on winter pounds.

WHY YOU REALLY PACK ON POUNDS AFTER LABOR DAY

In the spring and summer months, you are given what we call a fitness freebie.

You get a seasonal motivation boost that doesn’t happen when temperatures start to drop, and you begin to pull out the chunky sweaters and comfy leggings. 

Not only is the sun shining (which makes you happier because of Vitamin D), you are wearing LESS clothing in the summer months.

I don’t know about you, but knowing I’m going to be exposing more skin makes walking in the gym a little easier. 

Covering up in layers, no doubt leads to the temptation to slack on body goals!

Knowing your arms, legs, and abs will be less exposed can easily be an excuse to slack.

Also, being layered up often means you don’t SEE the extra pounds, so they are easier to ignore.

But there is more to it than being bundled up….

The #1 reason you slack on health and fitness goals in colder months ISN’T EVEN YOUR FAULT!!

Of course, you have a part to play in all of this, but there is actually a scientific reason why you have less desire to train and eat healthy when the sunshine of summer fades.

We will explain why a little further down. But ya know what really stinks?

The scientific reason why we all experience these motivation slumps in the winter only adds to an even bigger issue with motivation.

It doesn’t matter what season it is motivation ALWAYS comes and goes!

Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter – you can NEVER rely on it!

So, what can you do when lack of sunshine and warm temps leave you even more tempted to hit snooze and reach for comfort foods?

You certainly don’t throw your hands up in the air and wait until January to make a resolution to crash diet to get your body ready for spring. Believe it or not, RIGHT NOW is actually the IDEAL time to get started! 

To help you out, and give you an extra edge on beating winter weight gain, we are offering a special end of summer 40% OFF promotion on ALL Sculpt Nation Supplements!  


CLICK HERE TO SHOP and use code: LABORDAY for 40% off your order!

Sculpt Nation supplements are a great addition to any fitness program to help you push past plateaus and take your results to the next level.

This sale is  only available for a limited time, so stock up for the winter months with 40% off while supplies last!!

Just click here and use the code LABORDAY at check out to redeem your discount.  

If you START NOW, you will develop discipline and a routine heading into the holidays. This will put you in a great place mentally and physically to relax and “indulge” a little more at all those holiday gatherings!

Look at it this way ..
Would you rather head into the holiday season already making progress toward your goals and be in a great spot (where it would be okay even if you did gain an extra pound or two?)

Or would you rather put it off and only add more fat on top of what you want to lose?

The answer is clear— the solution to getting the motivation needed to make it happen, not so much.

But don’t worry! We’ve got ya covered (no pun intended) with a few easy motivation hacks!

7 TIPS TO STAY MOTIVATED AS SEASONS CHANGE

One of the number one questions we always get is … “I am just not motivated. How can I motivate myself to train and eat better?”

As we mentioned earlier, it doesn’t matter what season it is, you can’t always rely on motivation. 

When you have it, great! You should certainly take advantage of it! But you have to know that it is totally normal to not have much of it. Even professional athletes lack motivation. 

You have to develop other daily habits that create discipline if you want to succeed long term!

Here are a few of our pro tips that we use with our clients, specifically when temperatures drop, and motivation seems to be at its lowest! 

TIP #1: Switch To An At Home Training Program

If you know that getting out of bed and stepping into the winter elements is going to be an excuse trigger, make a plan to train at home during cooler months! Some of the most effective and challenging workouts only require your body weight and maybe a set of dumbbells or some resistance bands.

A good fat-blasting, muscle-building sweat session can 100% be achieved from the comfort of your home!

Adjustable dumbbells, ankle weights, resistance bands, a jump rope, etc., are all things that are inexpensive and can easily be stored in a closet or under your bed and pulled out anytime you don’t feel like leaving the house.

But if you have the right training program, you don’t need any of that. 

Our favorite at-home bodyweight-only program is called MOVE. It was designed to help you achieve your fitness goals without a single piece of equipment, and each workout is under 20 minutes!

Learn more about MOVE by watching the video below!

CLICK HERE to get your copy of MOVE: 30 Day At-Home Program!

If you need a little extra “nudge” to get up and get moving, another pro-tip we use is keeping some PRE WORKOUT on your bedside table. Have it already blended up and chug it as soon as your alarm goes off!

By the time you have brushed your teeth and put on your workout clothes, you will have a nice little jolt of energy and tons of motivation to get going before you have a chance to come up with an excuse! 

At the bottom of this article, we will tell you about a big end of summer sale happening so that you can stock up on our favorite PRE WORKOUT for 40% off when you use code: LABORDAY at checkout! 

TIP #2: Make Your Workouts Seasonal

Embrace the change of seasons and take advantage of activities that you can only do in fall or winter! 

• Go on a fall hike and view all the gorgeous foliage.
• Try rock climbing.
• Walk around a corn maze or pumpkin patch with your family. 
• If you live in a snowy climate, go skiing, sledding, build snowmen with your kids, etc.
• Go ice skating.
• Lace-up your sneakers, go for a walk or run at night, and admire all the Christmas lights and decorations.

There are some things you can only do and see during specific times of the year. So instead of missing sunshine and water sports, focus on all the positive things that only come about with cooler temps!

TIP #3: Try Something Totally New

Sometimes a change of routine is all you need to boost motivation.

If you have been doing all your gym lifts alone, recruit a gym buddy! Try switching up your cardio by skipping your solo runs and joining a group fitness class instead. 

Another option is to allow yourself to slow down! If you have been crushing it all spring and summer with intense training and hardcore workouts, it may actually be time to take it down a notch. 

Going full force 365 can cause your stress hormone cortisol to increase. This can lead to a host of drawbacks, including weight gain, muscle loss, poor moods, fatigue, and occasional issues sleeping! 

We aren’t saying you should become lazy! But if you have been crushing it 24/7 all spring and summer, your body (and mind) may need to slow down.

Use the next few months to embrace a slower routine. 

• Commit to daily yoga.
• Focus on becoming more flexible.
• Switch to low or moderate-intensity cardio, instead of HIIT.
• Try out some bodyweight workouts instead of heavy lifting.

Giving your body a couple of months to recover might even make you more responsive when you decide to kick things up again come spring/summer!

TIP #4: Stay Accountable

The best way to stick to a plan is to have someone that you report back to. This could be a friend, family member, a social media community, or even a coach. 

Including someone else, or even just telling someone else about your health and fitness goals and asking them to check in with you to make sure you are sticking to the plan, is a great way to keep the promises you make to yourself.

If you prefer to fly solo, it helps to create visuals. Make a vision board, create a daily checklist you can mark off after each workout, or keep an accomplishment journal.

TIP #5: Set A Spring Goal

March may seem like a long time away, but it will be back before you know it, and 6 months is a long time to make significant changes. 

Setting a goal is a great way to encourage yourself to push past discomforts and temptation, but there is a science to goal setting.

The key to creating goals that stick .. be REALISTIC and SPECIFIC!

Let’s start with reality. You should always focus on one goal at a time and make sure you are being honest with yourself if that goal is really attainable.

If you know that your schedule will never allow you to work out 6 days a week, why would you choose a program that requires you to do that?

If you know it’s not healthy to attempt to lose 10 pounds a week, why would you aim that high?

If you love carbs, why would you go on a KETO diet? 

Doing these things will essentially set yourself up for failure. Set attainable goals that fit YOUR lifestyle. You can always bump things up if your schedule allows, or you notice you aren’t pushing yourself hard enough. Just keep in mind that being realistic isn’t the same as not believing in yourself or making excuses. 

Moving on to being specific. The more specific you are about your goals, the more likely you will be to reach them. 

It may seem like it’s good enough to say things like .. I want to look good, lose weight, or get ripped! But you have to dig deeper than that!! 

Wanting to “lose weight,” for example, is an excellent place to start. But ask yourself what that means to you?

If you expand on that and say — “I want to lose 10 pounds of fat. I will do this by not eating any sweets and doing the V Shred MOVE program for 30 consecutive days. I am doing this because I want to have better self-esteem and a head start on bikini season.” — that makes your goal more specific.  

The more specific (and attainable) your goals are, the more likely you will be to not give up!

TIP #6: Reward Yourself

Once you have checked a “mini goal” off your list, treat yourself. Knowing that you have a reward coming to celebrate your efforts will make you want to achieve it even more. 

It may be tempting to make your reward one of your favorite “forbidden foods” but we never suggest that you reward yourself this way.

You aren’t a dog. You should never reward “good behavior” with food. Having this mentality can create a really unhealthy relationship with food.

You need to eat healthy MOST of the time, control your portions, and see food as fuel. But if you are craving something that isn’t quite as healthy as your grilled chicken and rice, never feel like you need to lose 20 pounds to “deserve” a bite of cake, or nice dinner out with your family. 

Instead of rewarding yourself with food, buy yourself something you have been wanting. Maybe some new workout clothes, a massage, or an extra $20 bucks in your vacation fund! 

If you think you need some nutrition guidance or want to learn more about creating a healthy relationship with food, take our free body type quiz and we’ll tell you exactly what type of diet will deliver results for your goals and specific body type. 

TIP #7: Make Mental Health Top Priority

Earlier, we mentioned that cold weather motivation dips may not be your fault.

I’m sure you have heard of winter blues. Well, it’s a real thing. Less natural light can cause dips in serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates mood.

The dark and dreary days of winter can also cause your body to produce more of the sleep hormone melatonin. This shift can disrupt your body and impact your sleep patterns and overall mood.

Here are a few ways that you can focus on improving your mental health.

• Invest in a light therapy box that simulates natural daylight.
• Make sure you are supplementing with or eating plenty of foods with Vitamin D.
• Start journaling. There is a lot of scientific evidence that supports putting your thoughts on paper provides a long list of benefits, including stress management, self-confidence, and goal setting. 

Suppose you still find yourself struggling with negative seasonal motivation shifts. In that case, you may need to experiment with taking naturally sourced herbs to help support brain health and a positive mood.

Here are a few with some great scientific backing to help boost mood.

• EnXtra: A natural caffeine-free patent-pending botanical ingredient that has been shown to help increase dopamine levels.**It is also one of the first and only natural caffeine-free patent-pending botanical ingredients shown to boost mental alertness & acuity for hours or ending in a huge caffeine energy crash.
• Piper Nigrum Fruit Extract: A very specific type of black pepper that has been shown to help increase both serotonin and dopamine.
  
• L-Theanine: A powerful amino acid that is believed to help reduce occasional anxiety brought on by stressful situations.

You can find all of these natural herbs (plus 3 more) in a one of a kind supplement called NEUROCTANE.

As part of our big end of summer sale, this brain and mood booster along with Sculpt Nation’s entire line of body optimizing supplements are 40% off for a limited time!

Just click here to shop and use code: LABORDAY at checkout for 40% off your order!

BOTTOM LINE IF YOU WANT TO STAY MOTIVATED YEAR ROUND
When you put away the shorts and swimsuits and shift out of bikini season, it’s common for motivation to “fall back” with the clocks. 

The seasons have to change (unless you live near the equator) – so you have to figure out ways to not let your fitness goals go into hibernation mode! Pumpkin spice lattes are only here for a limited time, but getting into shape isn’t seasonal! It’s a year-round commitment!! 

Combining Sculpt Nation supplements with V Shred’s diet and training programs is a great way to get a head start on keeping those winter pounds at bay this year. 

This combo has helped tens of thousands of happy customers reach their goals faster and easier!

(Click HERE now and use code: LABORDAY for 40% OFF — Prices will go back up after Labor Day weekend!)

The post 7 Ways To Avoid Seasonal Burnout appeared first on V Shred.

You may be an ideal weight.

Your last check-up may have resulted in a clean bill of health.

You take daily vitamins, move your body, and get decent sleep .. but are you SURE you are giving your body what it needs to function at 100-percent?

How about your gut? Is it in perfect balance? And your mental health… how is it holding up these days?

The truth is, most of us know that we aren’t doing everything we should do to take care of ourselves. We rationalize and reassure with wishful thinking rather than actual truth.

Now more than ever, it is essential to take a step back and take a long (very honest) look at how healthy you REALLY are and seek ways to be healthier.

There isn’t a better time to self-reflect on this… than WORLD HEALTH DAY!

Every year the World Health Organization (WHO) deems April 7th as World Health Day.
A global health awareness day focused on promoting healthy living habits that promote human health and well-being.

When it comes to health … your number one goal should be taking steps to be PROactive instead of REactive.

Hand washing, coughing into your elbow, limiting potential exposure to germs, and other common-sense practices are indeed important… but there are other things you must do to ensure you are healthy and provide support to help keep your immune system strong!

Our team here at V Shred and Sculpt Nation brainstormed to expand on the “health tips” you are hearing day in and day out.

We hope that the additional information we are providing within each of these tips will help you out during a time where proactive health measures are more important than ever!

5 PROACTIVE WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY

(1) Get Enough Quality Sleep

We know sleep is important, yet it’s often the first thing we sacrifice to fit everything into our hectic schedules.

Sleep is essential if you want your brain and body to work at full capacity. Not getting enough shut-eye trickles down into every other part of your life.

In terms of immune health, studies show sleep deprivation can impact your immune system, leaving your defenses down and slowing recovery from workouts..

Being exhausted can also affect your ability to lose weight, especially stubborn fat. This is primarily because not getting enough shut-eye has a significant impact on your hormones.

Your stress hormone cortisol goes into overdrive when you don’t get enough sleep. Excess production of cortisol can lead to some unpleasant effects, including weight gain, inefficient immune system function, and digestive issues.

Your “hunger hormones” (leptin and ghrelin) are also thrown off. Leptin decreases hunger and ghrelin stimulates your appetite. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, ghrelin spikes, and leptin plummets. This leaves you hungry (even if you aren’t) and more prone to make unhealthy choices.

You want to INCREASE your leptin levels. The way to do that is… deep sleep.

Sleep quality matters just as much as how long you are sleeping!
Restless sleep is not fat-burning & immune-supporting sleep!!

Your best defense is a supplement that will not only help you fall asleep but get you into that restful deep sleep your body needs to balance these hormones.

Sculpt Nation BURN PM does just that!

It gets you into your REM cycle (fat-burning state) quicker and then keeps you there longer. The perfect way to battle occasional sleeplessness. This will support an increase in your leptin levels, lower your cortisol, and put you into a virtually 24/7 fat-burning state.

BURN PM contains 6 hand-selected super powered nighttime fat burners that attack fat from every angle… supporting an increase in how much your body burns while you do nothing .. but sleep!

Many of our routines are thrown off right now. This makes sticking to our usual sleep schedule difficult. It is important that you keep a regular bedtime and wake time to stabilize your sleep.

Our bodies crave consistency… BURN PM will help you wind down so that you can get to bed at your usual time.

Everyone’s sleep requirements are different. The general suggestion is to get between 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

(2) Exercise Regularly

Something else that will help you sleep better and feel better .. is exercise!

For decades, researchers have investigated how exercise affects the immune system.
Most agree that a little bit of activity every day will help maintain a healthy immune system.

You don’t need to live in the gym 24/7 to reap the endless health benefits of exercise.
Simply going for a daily walk or jog can be a great first step.

However, to see the most health benefits, it’s important to get in 30 minutes of some sort of physical activity every day. A few days a week, incorporate longer exercise sessions that incorporate strength training.

These strength training sessions do not need to be at a gym.

Training at home is the only option for many people. And right now, home workouts are something we are all having to adapt to.

It only takes a few small purchases, or even just a little creativity using items lying around your house, and you can build your own home gym!

It can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to make the most of your home workouts, especially if you are used to having access to fancy gym equipment.

We’ve got you covered!

Over on our YouTube channel, we have a FREE At Home Playlist. It includes over 60 WORKOUTS that you can do from home! You do not even need equipment for these sweat sessions!

This HOME WORKOUT PLAYLIST is in addition to the thousands of workout tips, videos, and full follow-along workouts we already have on the channel. Again .. ALL FOR FREE!

For those of you looking for something more specific, that includes a diet and at-home training plan catered to your specific fitness goals, can take our free quiz and we’ll match you with the best at-home training and diet plan for you. Find your perfect plan here by clicking here.

(3) Follow A Sustainable Nutrient-Rich Diet

Most people see the word diet and picture a plate full of nothing but bland lean protein and green vegetables and believe that is what it takes to be healthy.

You do not need to starve yourself, and you do not need to restrict food groups. Doing these things is the opposite of “healthy” and will almost always backfire!

In terms of fat loss, in most cases, you will need to eat in a caloric deficit to lose body fat.
If you aren’t sure where to start, try using our free macro calculator tool that will tell you exactly how many proteins, carbs and calories you should consume a day to reach your fitness goals. Use our free macro calculator tool here.

Just know that reaching your goals does not mean you need to fall victim to a fad diet. These types of eating plans are usually the opposite of healthy.

You can still eat foods you enjoy as long as you prioritize nutrient-rich foods that are not overly processed. Focus on eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats.

The biggest hole we see in most people’s attempts to “eat healthy” is lack of diversity.

Even if you manage to consume enough quality fruits and vegetables, you probably stick to the same 3 or 4 that you enjoy the most.

Sculpt Nation Greens provides a diverse profile of veggies and nutrients all at once. In addition to those micronutrients your body needs, our GREENS are packed with collagen, alkalizing greens, adaptogenic herbs, and antioxidants

One scoop a day will provide the nutrients that are needed to prime your body and brain to burn fat, build muscle, increase performance, and support immune health!

If you are trying to keep your immune system strong and create a healthy body from the inside out, start incorporating Sculpt Nation GREENS into your diet!

(4) Focus On Mental Health

The World Health Organization defines health as… “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.”

Take a moment today to ask yourself how you are feeling MENTALLY!

A healthy body is not going to do you much good if you do not have control of your mental health.

In fact, it may be impossible.

Mental health and physical health are very connected. If you aren’t in a good headspace, you will be less likely to start (and then stick) with healthy behaviors.

On the flip side, when you aren’t physically healthy or have negative body-image issues… this can have a serious impact on your mental health.

Don’t wait until you are in “crisis mode” to make mental health a priority. Start forming healthy mental habits today that will help you cope better with stress that pops up in the future.

Here are a few things that may help you out….

• Talk To Someone
  Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Whether it is a professional or a trusted friend, do not keep your emotions locked up inside.
• Be Positive
  Negative thoughts will quickly put you in a bitter mood. Researchers found that long term pessimists had an almost 20 percent higher risk of dying than those who were optimistic! No matter how bleak things appear, there is ALWAYS a silver lining. Seek the positive and try your best to focus on that!
• Find Things To Be Grateful For
  It’s no surprise that researchers found that people who focused on gratitude (even as little as once a week) were happier and had fewer physical complaints! One study even found that expressing gratitude may have LONG lasting effects on the brain. Speak things you are grateful for, write a gratitude letter, or keep a gratitude journal!
• Help Others
  We are hardwired to love! Doing something kind for someone else will leave you with “feel good” emotions that will positively impact your own self-esteem!
• Improve Your Life Outlook
  Try meditating, mindfulness, positive affirmations, and/or prayer. These practices can provide instant stress relief. Over time, they can help make positive thinking more automatic.

(5) Prioritize Gut Health

If your gut health isn’t optimal, your immune system can’t be either. 70-80% of the cells that make up your immune system reside in your gut wall!

Immune support is only one reason you need to place a high emphasis on gut health.

Did you know your gut is the only organ that has it’s very own nervous system?! It has more neurotransmitters than your brain! A healthy gut is crucial for optimal mental health and brain function.

Your gut also houses a second set of genes (that many call the second genome) that you probably didn’t even realize you have! These are not the same genetics passed down from your parents. You have the ability to change these genes. But like the genes you can’t change, your second genome can impact the way your body looks, feels, and functions.

Inside your gut is over three pounds of bacteria… known as your gut microbiome.
Many things can cause unhealthy bacteria to populate and take over.

• Age
• Stress
• A Poor Diet
• Not Enough Digestive Enzymes
• Environmental Toxins
• + More

Too much harmful gut bacteria and not enough good bacteria can result in serious trouble for your health and waistline!

The good news is that you are in complete control and can change your gut flora!
You simply need to feed it… GOOD bacteria!

The easiest and best way to achieve this is by taking a QUALITY PROBIOTIC.

We didn’t cut any corners when developing our formula for Sculpt Nation Probiotics. We spent years looking at scientific studies on gut health.

We wanted to make sure we included the right strains in the right amounts.
It had to be THE BEST on the market.

The result is a blend that contains 7 different live probiotics, as well as a prebiotic. This is an important combo because probiotics can’t do their job unless they are fed. The prebiotic in our blend is a special kind of fiber that acts as a fertilizer. It feeds the probiotics what they need… to work!

A healthy gut is essential for overall GI health, energy balance, emotional support, optimal brain health, and immune support.

Take one capsule of Sculpt Nation Probiotics a day to get your gut back in balance! The result will be better digestion, promoting a more robust immune system, and support for an easier time losing weight!

Prevention can’t be preached enough!

The most important relationship you will ever be in is the one you have with your own body!
Take a look at the stay healthy checklist above and be brutally honest with yourself about the areas where you know you need to improve.

Vow that you will begin to consistently incorporate these ”5 Stay Healthy Tips” and encourage those around you to do the same!

Having people hold you accountable, offer advice, and give you ideas to stay happy and healthy… is a great way to remain positive and stick with your wellness goals.

We have an amazing community of people that come from all walks of life here at V Shred.
If you aren’t already part of our virtual “family” … join us!

Check out our Instagram, Facebook groups, and our YouTube Channel.
You will find endless support, motivation, and further ideas to help you get fit and healthy!

We are all in this together…
Encouraging each other to be PROACTIVE when it comes to our health is, no doubt, the best approach we can take!

We hope you allow WORLD HEALTH DAY to serve as a reminder of just how vital a PROACTIVE approach to your health is… EVERY DAY!

The post World Health Day: 5 Ways To Proactively Manage Your Health appeared first on V Shred.