I’m injured – what do I do?!
October 30, 2019
Written By: Kelly Miller
Have you ever slipped on the ice and tweaked your knee? Have you ever picked something up to only tweak your back? Maybe you over stretched a hamstring at hockey… Now what?
Injuries happen, we’re not as invincible as we think (dang, it!) so, the question becomes: how do I maintain my fitness regime and stay active during the healing process?
At Degree, we work with people from all walks of the earth, some of these people have chronic injuries, or, have experienced an acute injury in the past, where now there is always this lingering fear of “what if I push to hard?” “What if it happens again?”
Our emotions and thought processes and ego can help us, but they can also start to hold us back.
Here are my top 3 tips for dealing with an injury and how to not let is stop you:
1) Tell your Coach! Tweaked your knee at broom-ball last night? We want to know! By telling us we can give you alternative options that will not aggravate your knee, and allow you to still get a kick-butt workout. We can also chat with you about how you’re feeling emotionally about this – sometimes these events can really get to us!
2) If it is an acute injury, and things are still really sore, take a day, or two or three of rest. It’s OK to take some time off if things are really, really sore. Then, it will be important to communicate with your Coach upon heading back to your 1-1 sessions, or classes to ensure we’re giving appropriate scaling options to get you moving again, pain free!This is an important tie to focus on eating nutrient dense foods, and drinking lots of water – good nutrition and hydration are keys to faster healing! Our Registered Dietitian can help if you’re feeling stuck – click here to email her !
3) Understand the old saying “if there is a will, there is a way”. By being open to modifying your workouts for a while, you’ll open yourself up to a faster healing process, a decreased risk of re-injury, and the ability to really dial in sound movement patterns.Injuries, whether chronic or acute, can wreak havoc on our self esteem. Sometimes we feel as if there is something wrong with us, maybe we feel ‘stupid’ because things just aren’t healing as fast, or, we feel like we’ve exhausted all avenues.
You are not alone. You are not broken, and there is nothing wrong with you.
In a day and age where we’re almost expected, without fault, to have it all together, it can be tough to say “hey, I just need to slow down for a little bit”. Your Coaches have your back, and we’ll do whatever it takes to help you re-ignite that inner fire, and get you moving.
We’re lucky in Seaforth in the surrounding area to also have access to many, many awesome resources! We will work with other health professionals in the area to ensure sound treatment and sound training for those we serve. Here are a few awesome organizations we have worked with before!
Check out our friend, Jason Church of Jason Church Osteopathy , for one! We work together with clients whom are receiving treatments from his professional service, as well as coming to their regular personal training sessions or group classes. Team work makes the dream work, and in this case, allows individuals to continue to live the life they want, and do all of the awesome things they can! Movement is medicine and man, does it ever feel good. Let’s do it!
Your Coach,
Kelly
Ready to get started at Degree? Email kellymiller@degreecrossfitseaforth.com or visit www.degreecrossfitseaforth.com/get-started
Injuries happen, we’re not as invincible as we think (dang, it!) so, the question becomes: how do I maintain my fitness regime and stay active during the healing process?
At Degree, we work with people from all walks of the earth, some of these people have chronic injuries, or, have experienced an acute injury in the past, where now there is always this lingering fear of “what if I push to hard?” “What if it happens again?”
Our emotions and thought processes and ego can help us, but they can also start to hold us back.
Here are my top 3 tips for dealing with an injury and how to not let is stop you:
1) Tell your Coach! Tweaked your knee at broom-ball last night? We want to know! By telling us we can give you alternative options that will not aggravate your knee, and allow you to still get a kick-butt workout. We can also chat with you about how you’re feeling emotionally about this – sometimes these events can really get to us!
2) If it is an acute injury, and things are still really sore, take a day, or two or three of rest. It’s OK to take some time off if things are really, really sore. Then, it will be important to communicate with your Coach upon heading back to your 1-1 sessions, or classes to ensure we’re giving appropriate scaling options to get you moving again, pain free!This is an important tie to focus on eating nutrient dense foods, and drinking lots of water – good nutrition and hydration are keys to faster healing! Our Registered Dietitian can help if you’re feeling stuck – click here to email her !
3) Understand the old saying “if there is a will, there is a way”. By being open to modifying your workouts for a while, you’ll open yourself up to a faster healing process, a decreased risk of re-injury, and the ability to really dial in sound movement patterns.Injuries, whether chronic or acute, can wreak havoc on our self esteem. Sometimes we feel as if there is something wrong with us, maybe we feel ‘stupid’ because things just aren’t healing as fast, or, we feel like we’ve exhausted all avenues.
You are not alone. You are not broken, and there is nothing wrong with you.
In a day and age where we’re almost expected, without fault, to have it all together, it can be tough to say “hey, I just need to slow down for a little bit”. Your Coaches have your back, and we’ll do whatever it takes to help you re-ignite that inner fire, and get you moving.
We’re lucky in Seaforth in the surrounding area to also have access to many, many awesome resources! We will work with other health professionals in the area to ensure sound treatment and sound training for those we serve. Here are a few awesome organizations we have worked with before!
Check out our friend, Jason Church of Jason Church Osteopathy , for one! We work together with clients whom are receiving treatments from his professional service, as well as coming to their regular personal training sessions or group classes. Team work makes the dream work, and in this case, allows individuals to continue to live the life they want, and do all of the awesome things they can! Movement is medicine and man, does it ever feel good. Let’s do it!
Your Coach,
Kelly
Ready to get started at Degree? Email kellymiller@degreecrossfitseaforth.com or visit www.degreecrossfitseaforth.com/get-started
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian Supplements are a hot topic these days! It seems like everyone is on a different combination of products they swear by. Everywhere you look online, someone is trying to sell you a new shiny supplement, swearing that it will change your life. Supplements include vitamins and minerals, like multivitamins or those with a specific nutritient. The category of supplements also includes fibre supplements, electrolyes, probiotics, and many other products. There's just so many! There's many reasons to take supplements. Your doctor may diagnose a deficiency and recommend a supplement to correct it. You might need a supplement to make up for certain foods that you don't or can't eat, or to manage a specific condition. May people just take them because it seems like a good idea! And while many supplements are harmless, not all of them are harmless at all doses. Next time you're wondering if a supplement is for you, think about the following questions to decide if it's a good fit! 1. Could I get this from food? Sometime we have to take supplements because of things we don't or can't eat - but sometimes we can avoid the need for supplements altogether by using food! If the thing you need more of is found in food, you can often meet your needs without a supplement simply by learning more about what foods have that certain nutrient. For example, instead of taking vitamin C, you could focus on eating more fruits and vegetables to meet your needs. There are even nutrients that are more effective in their whole-food form than when they're isolated in a supplement! (Psssttt... your friendly neighbour dietitian is the perfect person to work with on this.) 2. What is this going to do for me? Often, people take a supplement just because it "seems like a good idea". This can lead to taking supplements that you don't need, which is harmless at best and can cause health issues at worst! If you are taking a supplement, it should be because you actually need it, not just for fun. One person may need a supplement because of their own dietary habits and health concerns, while the next person may not! 3. Who is selling me this? If someone is selling you a product, they can't possibly give you an unbiased opinion on whether you should be taking it. While you can definitely buy products to support your friends or influencers, make sure the product is actually the right one for you. Many people selling supplemented products may not have much or any health and nutrition education, and may not be the right person to be making recommendations. 4. How much is too much? Just because some of a vitamin, mineral, or other product is good, doesn't always mean more is better! Most vitamins and minerals have a Tolerable Upper Limit. This is the amount beyond which you could start to see side effects or health concerns as a result of taking in too much of the nutrient. Taking some supplements for extended periods of time can actually result in deficiencies of other nutrients! Some blended supplement products may also have very high amounts of certain nutrients, so remember to have a look at your labels. Check your supplements to make sure you're not taking in too much! 5. How do I know if it's working? If you are spending money on a product and using energy to remember to take it, it should be doing something good for you. So how do you know if it's working? For some cases, you may need to repeat bloodwork to see if a deficiency has been resolved or is being properly managed. For other supplements, you can assess for yourself based on whether any symptoms have improved. There are also some types of supplements that may just quietly do their job without you really noticing - and that's also ok! Make sure you know what to expect your supplement to be doing so you know if it's the right fit and working for you! Looking for more supplement advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more information about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian We all know drinking enough water and staying hydrated is important - and even more so in the summer! But with so much information out there, sometimes it's hard to know what you need to focus on! Check out these answers to the most common hydration questions! How much should I be drinking? For most healthy adults, aiming for about 30ml per kilogram of body weight per day will meet your needs. You can also take your weight in pounds, and drink half that number of ounces of water daily. The math will work out pretty similar! In warmer weather or for those who are sweating a lot, you may need more water than this. What counts as water? Generally plain water is considered best to meet your hydration needs, although technically all fluids (except alcohol) do count. Aim to meet your fluid goals mainly with plain water, unsweetened soda water, unsweetened coffee and tea, and try to limit sugar-sweetened beverages, such as pop and energy drinks. Does caffeine dehydrate me? Some people are concerned that their coffee is causing them to lose twice as much fluid as they're putting in! While caffeine is a diuretic, meaning you will pee more often, it does not dehydrate you. Aim to make most of your fluid intake non-caffeinated, and you will stay hydrated! Can I drink too much water? Yes! Despite what you may see on social media, drinking gallons and gallons of water can actually be hazardous and causes mineral imbalances in your body, causing you to feel sick or even need medical attention. You do need to drink enough but you don't want to overdo it. You're likely properly hydrated if your pee is a pale yellow colour. If it's consistently clear, you might be drinking too much. Do I need electrolytes to stay hydrated? Electrolytes are everywhere right now! These minerals do help your body maintain it's fluid balance, and are lost in sweat. If you are working out or active for long periods of time in the heat or know you're a "salty sweater" from seeing salt stains on dried workout clothes, you may want to consider using electrolytes. However, these products don't take the place of drinking enough total fluid in the first place to help you stay hydrated. Help! I can't remember to drink water! It can be hard to drink enough when you're busy! Try bringing a water bottle with you wherever you go to encourage you to drink throughout the day. Use a straw to help you take bigger sips. Set a goal to finish your water or drink a certain amount by certain times in the day. You could even set reminders in your phone or use an app that will help you remember to drink! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info about our Nutrition Programs or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian We all know that vegetables and fruit are good for us and key part of a healthy diet. They are packed with fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are low in calories, for those watching their portions but still wanting to stay full. A diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. But actually getting those fruits and vegetables in can be hard work, especially for families! Fortunately, there's lots of ways to make produce more fun for everyone - from parents who know what they should be eating to kids who just don't want to. For kids, even if they don't love their produce, continuing to explore and be exposed to fruits and vegetables is still helping them learn about healthy eating! Check out these tips to help everyone eat more produce! 1. Explore new options! There are so many fruit and vegetable options out there! If you're feeling bored with your usual produce standbys, it's time to look for more options. Go explore the produce department of your favourite grocery store - the bigger the store, the more new options there may be. Kids especially can have fun checking out all the different new-to-them ideas. Pick one or two to bring home and try, and repeat the whole adventure as needed! Even for adults, this can add a much-needed dose of whimsy to your fruit and vegetable game. 2. Add produce to your snacks! Sometimes we just need more opportunities in a day to get that fruits and vegetables in. If you're not already, adding them to your snacks can give you just that! Easy options on the go include apples, bananas, and raw veggie sticks. It doesn't need to be complicated, and can be an easy options for kids and adults alike. For longer lasting energy, make sure to pair your produce with some kind of protein, such as cheese, nuts, or hummus. 3. Cook them in different ways! Maybe the rut you're stuck in is that you're preparing your produce the same way every time. If you always go for a basic salad or steamed veggies at dinner, try roasting a medley of whatever's in your crisper drawer. Maybe do a family experiment to see how many different vegetables you can find that make great oven fries! (Spoiler alert, it's way more than just potatoes!) For fruit, try making fruit salads, or adding them to more savory salads, baked goods, or your favourite breakfast cereal. Mixing it up might be just the way to get everyone more excited about fruits and veggies! 4. When in doubt, add a dip! Kids love dip. Adults love dip. This can be such an easy win! While dips sometimes have a bad reputation due to their higher fat content, the veggies or fruit you have with dip is still better for you than having no produce at all! In fact, the fat you find in many dips actually helps your body better absorb certain vitamins, including vitamins A, E, D, and K. While the obvious dip pairing is with raw veggies, roasted or other cooked veggies may also be fun to dip, and fruit pairs well with yogurt-based dips! Would your family try any of these ideas this summer? When the goal is to help everyone include more vegetables and fruit in their diets, sometimes you just need new ways to make them more fun! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!