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A Whole Body Solution for Neck Discomfort

– By Birgitt Haderlein Owner of To Fit You, Wellness coach/Fitness Consultant

Did you know the human head weighs about 12 lbs. — the equivalent of a medium bowling ball? As you look down at your phone, the weight on your neck begins to increase.

To give some perspective, the human head at a 15° angle, is about 27 lbs. At 30°, it weighs about 40 lbs., and at 45° it weighs about 49 lbs. At 60°, the point in which your head is hunched over your phone, your head weighs about 69 lbs.!

That’s like carrying a small child.

Many of my clients come to me feeling stiff with discomfort as a result of repetitive actions or motions that do not add much to their overall health. This includes looking down at their phone to check emails or slouching because they are
working at their desk all day long. Over time, their posture slumps inward, which creates tension on the neck and shoulders. I call this Slumpy Dumpy.

To combat Slumpy Dumpy, I give my clients suggestions on how to get moving throughout their day so they don’t suffer the consequences of a sedentary work environment. Instead of “cracking” my clients into perfect posture, I work with their unique situation. I give them small achievable steps to take them where they need to be (check the Lazybrook website).

Simple, and easy things you can do to help ease neck tension:

Purchase an iRing (attachable accessory which allows you to comfortably grip your device).
Look at your devices with your eyes without flexing your neck.
Exercises for your neck http://bit.ly/2mi56tS

Head to Hips in Proper Alignment solution
Maintaining great posture burns calories as it engages your muscles and improves balance and reduces lower and upper back pain. Sitting for long hours in front of a computer or standing with shoulders down and hunched forward places your pelvis in an unnatural position. Keeping a watchful eye on your posture from head to hips reduces pain and the potential for injury.

Your lumbar curve should be relaxed but not pronounced. If your lower back muscles are tight, causing your buttocks to stick out, you may have to stretch your lower back muscles to allow you to stand appropriately.

Check your head alignment as well. Your head should be centered over your body and hips, with your chin tucked. As your chin tucks and your head aligns over your pelvis, this functionally engages the muscles without over tightening or
stretching.

Upper Back Alignment solution
Often called a dowagers hump, kyphosis is a rounded upper back that may result from sitting at an office chair for hours or leaning forward and looking down as you walk. Paying attention to your sitting and standing posture during the day is an important addition to both reducing back pain. Try stretching your back over a foam roller in the evening to massage tired muscles and do several squats to engage and strengthen your lower back.

So when your body is in alignment your energy, fatigue, and discomfort can be reduced significantly. When we feel better we have more energy, we are more productive at work and enjoy our days to the fullest.

Are you ready to get fit, lose weight, eat healthy and feel great! Call or email me to implement a program that supports and motivates you.

In health,
Birgitt Haderlein

President & CEO
1750 Seamist Dr. Suite 170
Houston TX 77008
713-410-3376
WWW.Tofityou.com

Posture and body awareness

General News

– By Birgitt Haderlein Owner of To Fit You, Wellness coach/Fitness Consultant

I have been in the fitness industry for over 25 years. As we have evolved to using iPads and iPhones more, our posture is being challenged more than ever. You can be in great shape, have really strong muscles yet if you don’t work on good posture throughout your day, slouching in a chair for hours still puts your body in a state of tension! That’s why body awareness is so important and making the choice to put your body in the best position at all times is the key.

When my clients ask what can I do to remind me to do this through out my day I tell them to use their devices to set alarms to remind them to stop, breath, pay attention and most of all do a posture check. I tell them their quality of life depends on their ability to tune into their body, even on their busiest days.

Posture is not a “one size fits all”

Good posture and alignment indicate where the body has the least physical stress. This varies because everyone’s internal structure is slightly different. Bone variation and tissue damage vary from one person to the next. The best indicator for proper body alignment requires us to tune in.

This is how I teach my clients to develop posture at a deeper level.

Increasing body awareness is the key to maintaining a healthy spine. Our bodies feel better when they are aligned. Try this: sit on the edge of a chair, with feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your hips and imagine your hips are a bucket. Tilt forward and backward slowly and pay attention to what happens below and above the hips. Then find that point in between where you feel like your back is not under tension. This is a practice it takes some time yet you will know when you are there. When you feel like you are there pay attention to your spine and neck.

When they feel light with minimal tension that’s an ideal position for you in that chair. It can change day to day based on the chair you are sitting in and varies whether you are standing seated or lying down. The most important thing is that you are aware and present in your day to make adjustments. This will increase your energy and breathing capacity, focus and most of all decrease repetitive stress injuries.

So what are you waiting for. Get off your buts and your butt and increase your vitality through practicing great body awareness. You deserve to look and feel your best and being mindful and focused on ideal posture will enhance that process!

If you are stuck and need some accountability, call or email me today to book your COMPLIMENTARY consultation to coach you in the direction you want to go. You can reach me at 713-410-3376 or email me at Birgitt@tofityou.com Gift certificates are available! YOGA class on Wednesdays at 12:00pm.

In health,
Birgitt Haderlein
President & CEO
1750 Seamist Dr. Suite 170
Houston TX 77008
713-410-3376
WWW.Tofityou.com

What Lack of Sleep Does to Your Body

Around the Neighborhood

– By Birgitt Haderlein Owner of To Fit You, Wellness coach/Fitness Consultant

Happy New You! I hope 2014 was as great a year for you as it was for me. It was filled with many challenges that kept me focused and on my toes. And now I look forward to what 2015 holds.

I spend every New Year’s Eve reviewing my goals and writing down my top 10 accomplishments. This is important because it gives me the motivation and inspiration to be a great role model for myself and my clients. Yet what I find most of my clients still struggle with is getting the rest they need. So one of my colleagues put together some great facts that I hope we all can use to help us focus on getting better sleep.*

Don’t skimp on slumber if you want to be as healthy as you can be.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, most healthy adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a night. If you consistently fall short of this goal, you may be increasing your risk for obesity, cognitive impairment, a compromised immune system and much more.

In 2011 Harvard scientists estimated that sleep deprivation costs U.S. Companies $63.2 billion in lost productivity per year.

In one study, middle-aged and older adults who reported 5 hours of sleep or less were 2.5 times more likely to have diabetes, compared with those who slept 7-8 hours per night.

Several studies have found that sleep deprivation raises blood pressure. Half a night of sleep loss has been reported to increase blood pressure in people with hypertension or prehypertension.

When exposed to the cold- causing rhinovirus, study subjects averaging less than 7 hours of sleep a night were about three times more likely to develop cold symptoms than study volunteers who slept 8 or more hours a night.

Insufficient sleep decreases the number of genes that peak and fall in expression during a 24 – hour period from 1,855 to 1,481. Less than 6 hours of sleep a night affects more than 700 genes.
Sleeping 5 hours or less may increase mortality risk from all causes by roughly 15%.

I hope these facts help give you the desire to get and work on getting better quality rest. Here are my top 5 suggestions for improved sleep!

Exercise. It helps you relax! (To the right are 5 great exercises)
Some form of relaxation. I meditate regularly and it has helped not only my sleep but it has increased my energy.
I create my day every morning. I do that by asking my self “what is the greatest ideal of myself”. The person I don’t want to be (negative or pessimistic) and the person I do want to be (happy, joyous and balanced).
I don’t watch tv, read, or do anything while I am in bed.
Lastly, before I go to sleep I review my day and ask myself how I did today when did I fall from grace and how I can do it differently.

This has increased my quality of sleep and I am happy to report – I sleep a lot better.

Are you ready to get the gift of happiness and health? If you are stuck and need some accountability, call me at 713-410-3376 to coach you in the direction you want to go. You can also check out my website at www.tofityou.com. Give the gift of health. Gift certificates available.

Yoga class times are Tuesdays at 6:30 pm and Wednesdays at 12:00 pm.

*Idea Fitness Journal, January 2015

Fall Fitness

Around the Neighborhood

– By Birgitt Haderlein Owner of To Fit You, Wellness coach/Fitness Consultant

It’s hard to believe that my fitness studio, To Fit You, has been open for three months. It has been amazing and great fun to meet new people, challenge my self to grow my business and, last but not least, walk to work. My old clients love the studio and new clients really like the location and what we have to offer them to get healthy and fit. I have a yoga classes Tuesday evenings and Wednesday at noon. Also my friend and colleague Willard McGowan is training at the studio. So lots is happening at the studio. So come by and see what we can do to get you moving and grooving this fall.

This summer has been one of the mildest summers I can remember. Houston really has two seasons cool and hot. That can be a little confusing for new people just moving to the city. Because fall is really our spring so that is when we start that fitness program we have been putting of or just get out doors. With that I have a lot of weekend warrior mentality or people starting their fitness program with too much intensity and they end up getting hurt or discouraged because they started out too fast and got burned out. This is we’re I come in. I have several clients that I work with who have had some injuries doing cross fit, yoga etc. I specialize in analyzing movement and seeing what my clients need to improve on to get them back to doing what they love.

The challenge I see with most exercise programs is they start out too vigorous and most people do not know how to go at their own pace. What exactly does that mean? I help my clients build a tool box so they can modify their activity based on their fitness level. With the weather getting cooler people want to be Outdoors so to fit you does group training of 3-5 people. Just enough for clients to still get individual attention and have some socialization with their group members. So for those of you wanting to spend this fall feeling better and getting ready for those holiday party’s in better shape and looking great To Fit You can get you there with some choices that will work for you.

People come in all shapes and sizes and I don’t believe in a cookie cutter approach. So here are a few exercise and stretches you can do on a daily basis to get you in the grove of fitness and well being. Remember to breath and make a set time in your day to exercise. The number one reason people don’t exercise is that they don’t have time. So I am encouraging every one of you “to have time you got to make time”. Have a great fall season and hope to hear from some of you.

A fitness training studio near you!

Around the Neighborhood

– By Birgitt Haderlein Owner of To Fit You, Wellness coach/Fitness Consultant

I have been in the fitness industry for over 25 years. I can say my passion for helping people look and feel their best is just as important to me as it was 25 years ago. To hear a client say “My knees feel better”. “My attitude towards my family and friends has changed since I learned behavior modifications” are some of the things I hear from clients that keep me being my best. The rubber meets the road when everything is in constant change. I, as all of you have experienced in your lives, am going through a big change that requires me to let go of old, outdated ideas and move into new ways of thinking and experiencing my journey called life.

Screen Shot 2014-05-13 at 12.26.59 PM — To Fit You, 1750 Seamist Dr, Suite 170

I am excited to announce the grand opening of my fitness studio right here in the heart of Lazybrook. By the time you get this newsletter my studio will be up and running. It has been something I have pondered over for some time and now is the time for me to move in that direction. It is bitter sweet. I have been a contract trainer for the YMCA for 25 years and it has been great yet the time has come for me to spread my wings and fly. I will miss all the great relationships I developed there and am truly grateful to have brought so many clients to join that facility and grow my business. That chapter in my life is closing and I am beginning a new chapter of discovery. I am reminded and humbled at my peers who have walked before me in this process. They have demonstrated great courage to live their dreams of helping people be their best. I am honored to be a part of that experience too.

As soon as I made my decision to move on, things have fallen into place. Which has been my experience when making a change that is right for me. Having my own studio will give me the freedom to offer great opportunities for clients that will keep them fit and healthy with a more personal experience. There are many important pieces to being a great business owner yet one of the most important is service. I am sure most of you have experienced great service whether buying a house, new car or even going to your local grocery store. I myself have had that experience and bought my last car at the same dealer because of my service guy. That is why my clients love working with me. I do my very best to listen, communicate and make sure they are heard so they have a great experience every time they walk out of my sessions. I know I am doing a great job when a client refers a friend, coworker or neighbor to me.

To Fit You fitness studio is very close and I look forward to working with and getting to know some of you better. So here are my top 6 strategies for taking care of your self during times of change.

Breathe, drink plenty of water and talk slow.
Ask for help especially when you don’t think you need it
Don’t skip exercising. It will keep your energy up
Before going to sleep ask yourself how did I do today, when did I fall from grace and how can I do things differently
Smile often. It takes less muscles to smile
When you don’t know what to do next, acceptance and gratitude keeps things in perspective.

Are you ready to get the gift of happiness and health? If you are stuck and need some accountability call me at 713-410-3376 to coach you in a direction you want to explore. Gift certificates available and more information can be found at www.tofityou.com

Get the life you want in 2012!

Around the Neighborhood

– By Birgitt Haderlein Owner of To Fit You, Wellness coach/Fitness Consultant

Happy New You! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season with family and friends. It is that time of year when we reflect on what worked and how to improve the areas that we didn’t get to. That is what goal setting is all about. You will take side trips and maybe what you thought the focus was last year changed and you went another direction. Don’t beat yourself up. Use what you learned and ask yourself how you can apply this to an area you need improvement in.

Having said that I hope most of you were able to stick to an exercise program regardless of the busy season. I know what some of you might be thinking. I didn’t do enough or who had the time. Regardless of your experience I hope you took care of yourself the best you could.

So one of my new years resolutions is to obsess on the good. So when my mind wonders to the negative or worst case scenario I start shifting the focus to what the best outcome can be. I am a work in progress and will commit to my well-being.

You have a clean slate with a brand new year spread out in front of you, filled with endless possibilities.

How will you harness your potential to be the very best you in 2012?

I recommend using the teachings of Dr. Maxwell Maltz in his legendary book ‘The New Psycho-Cybernetics’.

Dr. Maltz created the original science of self improvement and success. So who better to turn to when you’re ready to take your life to another level. His teachings have stood the test of time.

Take the following and get all that you want out of 2012:

Use Your Imagination
If you thought that imaginations were only valued in preschool, think again. One of the key points in ‘The New Psycho-Cybernetics’ is the technique of using your imagination to reprogram and manage your self image.

You may have been exposed to self improvement strategies that tell you to ‘act as if’ or to ‘fake it till you make it.’ Those typically don’t work because your self image is still the same.

According to Dr. Maltz, your self image is the key to changing your actions and habits. If you want to lose 50 pounds, you first have to think of yourself as someone 50 pounds lighter.

Spend time in your imagination. See yourself 50 pounds lighter. Experience a day in your life at this slimmed down size. Imagine everything down to the smallest detail.

According to Dr. Maltz, this imagination time will begin to change your self image to that of a person 50 pounds lighter, and your actions and habits will fall into place.
Reject Negative Thoughts
Negative thoughts will undoubtedly arise as you use your imagination to see your ideal self. “I’m not really going to lose 50 pounds.” “I’ve tried losing weight before and it never works. I’m always going to be overweight.” “This imagination stuff is bogus. It won’t work for me.”

Dr. Maltz says that the instant you receive a negative thought simply dismiss it. Don’t spend any time on it at all.

The quicker that you dismiss negative thoughts, the less impact they will have on your self image. Also you’ll find that fewer and fewer negative thoughts arise once you get into the habit of dismissal.
Be Nostalgic For The Future
It’s so easy to be nostalgic for the past, especially when you only remember the good stuff. But what good does it do for you to wish for things that are long gone?

Dr. Maltz recommends developing nostalgia for the future.

In your imagination you’ve already lost the 50 pounds, so start pining for the future! Your self image will lock onto that picture and your nostalgic feelings will fuel the fire.
I’m The Kind Of Person That…
What kind of person are you?
I’m the kind of person that loves sweets.
I’m the kind of person that hates exercise.
I’m the kind of person that can’t lose weight.

OR

I’m the kind of person that eats fresh and healthy food.
I’m the kind of person that keeps fit.
I’m the kind of person that maintains an ideal body weight.

Your self image will fulfill any label that you put on yourself. The power is all in your hands.

What kind of a person do you want to be in 2012 it is closer than you think? If you are stuck and need some accountability call me at 713.410.3376 to coach you in the direction you want to explore. You can start today by signing up for one of my fitness classes listed below.

2012 Strengthening and Walk fitness class. (Six weeks)
February 8
April 25
July 11
September 19

Gift certificates available and more information can be found at www.tofityou.com

Search Results for: tofityou

Don’t skimp on slumber if you want to be as healthy as you can be.