Archives for 2019

How To Heal Abdominal Separation, Lose Baby Fat, And Lose Baby Belly

November 22, 2019

How to naturally heal abdominal separation, lose baby fat, and lose baby belly after pregnancy. The fastest way to lose abdominal fat, tone your abs, and tighten your stomach after having a baby. Tips and advice from a postnatal physical therapist specialist.

Are you tired of your postpartum “mommy tummy”?

Sick of putting in hours of work for only minimal results?

Have you ever thought “well I guess this is as good as it’s going to get”?

Postpartum fitness can be a tricky road to navigate. In its simplest terms, losing weight and toning/strengthening your body after giving birth has to look different than working out before giving birth.

As a postpartum fitness specialist I’ve helped thousands of women heal their abs, lose weight, and accomplish their fitness goals after pregnancy. These are the top 5 questions I get asked about postnatal fitness and what you can do to start seeing the progress you seek today!

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Low Carb Shredded Rotisserie Chicken Chili

October 29, 2019

Healthy low carb shredded chicken chili is an easy dinner you can make on the stove top or with a slow cooker. It’s the perfect meal for leftover rotisserie chicken or frozen shredded chicken. Try this chicken chili for nights when you need a quick and simple meal– you already have the ingredients! It’s also a great freezer meal for later.

Low Carb Shredded Rotisserie Chicken Chili

Keep reading for the recipe, tips and directions, and nutrition facts.

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This chili is so easy to throw together for those nights when you need a quick and easy dinner – it’s made with ingredients that you usually have in your pantry and fridge (hello leftover chicken or shredded freezer chicken).

This chili is totally delicious as-is and also perfectly easy to customize your way. Feel free to throw in any extra vegetables that you want – bell peppers, celery, zucchini, and broccoli would all be delicious.

If you like heat, feel free to add in a jalapeno pepper or even some hot sauce.

Get the recipe below– there’s directions for making this soup on the stovetop or even in your slow cooker.

I know you’ll enjoy this slow cooker chili. It’s healthy and tasty, and did I mention it’s low carb? The perfect good-for-you and satisfying dinner meal for the end of your busy day.

RELATED RECIPE: Low Carb Creamy Chicken Stuffed Peppers

You’re obviously interested in low carb recipes . . . How about 40 of my BEST Low Carb Dinners that are both delicious AND healthy?

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The Low Carb Dinner Cookbook

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How to Freeze Shredded Chicken Chili:

Prepare chili as directed and then allow it to cool. Place soup in an freezer-safe airtight container or even in a gallon-sized freezer bag.

The soup will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What’s the easiest way to shred chicken?

The first step to perfectly shredded chicken is to cook some chicken breasts. You can cook it on the stove, in the pressure cooker, slow cooker, roast it in the oven, or even use a rotisserie chicken from the store.

I like to use my slow cooker whenever possible, it’s simple and the chicken just falls apart for easy shredding. Check out this slow cooker recipe for perfect shredded chicken. You can make a big batch and freeze it for quick dinners later!

Once your chicken is cooked, let it cool for a few minutes and then start shredding. Use 2 big forks (one in each hand) to shred the chicken, pulling in opposite directions. You can also use the stand-mixer method and shred the chicken on medium-low speed. It only takes a few seconds.

If you don’t have any tools, you can simply use your hands. Using your hands to pull apart the chicken is the easiest way to control the size of the pieces you are shredding.

If you are going to shred a lot of chicken, you might want to invest in these tools that look like claws, called meat claws, to shred chicken easier. I like to use them if I have a large amount of chicken to shred, especially for big family gatherings.

Is it easier to shred chicken hot or cold?

If the chicken is still warm it makes the shredding process a lot easier and faster. After you have cooked the chicken breasts, let it cool for a few minutes and then start shredding when the meat is still warm. If the chicken has cooled it is still possible to shred it, but it won’t be quite as fast.

Now that you know how to make easy shredded chicken, try out this chicken chili recipe below.

How to make this chili in the slow cooker:

If you have a slow cooker, this recipe is so easy to throw together!

Add all ingredients except for the cream cheese in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours, or low for 6 to 8 hours. It is okay if the chili ends up cooking a little longer on the “keep warm” setting.

Shred the chicken using two forks. Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker; or if it feels easier, transfer the large pieces to a bowl, shred, and then return the chicken to the slow cooker. Taste the chili and add salt and pepper as needed.

Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and add into the slow cooker. Stir until the cream cheese is completely incorporated into the soup.

Add desired toppings and serve!

Optional Chili Toppings:

fresh cilantro
shredded cheese (I used Mexican-blend shredded cheese, but Pepper jack is delicious as well)
diced green onions
diced avocado
sour cream
diced tomatoes
jalapeno
hot sauce
crushed tortilla chips

Low Carb Shredded Rotisserie Chicken Chili

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 pounds chicken breast, cooked and shredded
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 yellow zucchini squash, diced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
4 ounces cream cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in onion and saute for 4-5 minutes (or until translucent). Add in garlic and saute 30 seconds more.
Add in cooked chicken, chicken broth, tomatoes, squash, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and green chilies. Bring to a boil, then let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
Cut cream cheese into small pieces and add to stockpot.
Stir until cream cheese is melted and completely incorporated into the soup.
Season with salt and pepper, then serve.
If desired, top bowls with cheese and fresh cilantro.

Check out these other delicious Low Carb recipes:

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How To Fix IT Band Knee Pain FAST

October 3, 2019

The best stretches and exercises to help fix your IT band knee pain fast! These are the same exercises I recommend to my physical therapy patients to give them relief from their lateral knee pain. How to treat IT band syndrome naturally and effectively right at home with the right stretches and exercises.

Iliotibial band syndrome, or “IT band pain“, is a common knee pain condition characterized by pain sharp pain on the outside of the knee joint. It is a very typical overuse injury that is common in an active population (runners, weightlifters, etc.).

While this pain can be very sharp, severe, and debilitating at times, fortunately there is a lot that conservative care including the right stretches and exercises can do to mitigate this problem. Today I wanted to share with you eight of my favorite stretches and exercises to help decrease your IT band pain symptoms.

WHAT IS THE IT BAND?

Your IT band is actually a thick, broad tendon that runs down the outside of your upper thigh. It is primarily a tendon for one of your hip flexor muscles, but there are also other muscles that do attach to it and influence its function.

WHAT ARE THE MUSCLES THAT ATTACH TO THE IT BAND?

There are four main muscles that directly influence IT band function. In order to alleviate IT band pain, each of these muscles must be given special attention. Most often, pain is due to increased activity/tension in the anterior muscles and decreased activation of the posterior muscles.

The muscles that influence the IT band include:

Tensor Fasciae Latae – a small hip flexor in the front of your hip that mainly connects into the top of the IT band.

Gluteus Maximus: large hip extensor in the back that often gets weak and fails to control the IT band under dynamic conditions.

Vastus Lateralis: one of the quad muscles that runs down the outside front of your leg.

Biceps Femoris: one of your hamstring muscles that affects the IT band tendon on the outside and back part of the knee joint.

WHY DOES MY IT BAND HURT?

Most of the time, it’s due to faulty mechanics of the IT band including increased tension in the muscles and decreased strength. When your knee is straight, the IT band is in front of the knee joint axis. When you bend your knee, the IT band crosses the outside of your knee joint and ends up behind the axis. If there’s increased tension in your IT band the result is a rubbing or “friction” that occurs on the outside of your knee. This is the common cause of pain.

HOW TO STRETCH YOUR IT BAND

Here’s the thing – your IT band is a tendon. It’s sole purpose is to NOT stretch, but rather to be pulled on by muscles to influence joints. You cannot stretch your IT band, but there’s certainly a lot you can do to affect all the muscles that attach to it.

BEST EXERCISES FOR IT BAND PAIN

The best exercises for IT band pain are going to be those that target the deficits that cause IT band syndrome – namely stretching the muscles that tend to get tight and strengthening the muscles that tend to get weak. The combination of these two primary treatments will help you see the progress and improvement you’re after with your knee pain.

EQUIPMENT DEMONSTRATED IN THIS VIDEO

FOAM ROLLER: https://amzn.to/2ogrSpf

STRETCH OUT STRAP: https://amzn.to/2oZA8dR

RESISTANCE BAND/LOOP: https://amzn.to/2o9Qikq

1. Lateral Hip and Thigh Stretch – probably my favorite stretch for those muscles that tighten up your IT band. Make sure you pull back to extend and push down to adduct the leg.

2. Lateral Hamstring Stretch – don’t just bring the leg straight up, but pull it across the center of your body for a whole new stretch.

3. Lateral Hamstring Standing – great option for when it’s not convenient to lay down and stretch.

4. Standing Lateral Hip Stretch – effective for stretching out the entire lateral side of the hip and torso.

5. Single Leg Bridge – my go-to to build glute strength at home.

6. Side-lying Abduction – the majority of knee pain I see in my clinic could be avoided and even eliminated if people paid more attention to this one simple exercise.

7. Hip Hikes – kick the lateral hip and leg stabilizers into overdrive with this effective bodyweight exercise. Also great for balance and stability.

8. Lateral Band Walks – these are brutal! There are few exercises that get all the muscles I’ve mentioned in this video as effectively as band walks. Make sure there’s tension in the bands at all times for a more effective workout.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I DO THESE IT BAND EXERCISES?

I recommend that you perform these exercises daily to help decrease the knee pain you’re experiencing. The stretches (numbers 1-4) can be performed twice a day and the strength training exercises (5-8) can be done once a day.

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Finally if you have any questions or comments about any of the material I covered in this video please leave those in a comment below and I’ll get to it just as soon as I can.

HOW TO FOAM ROLL YOUR IT BAND:

How To Foam Roll Your IT Band – Foam Roll Exercises To Decrease Pain

September 12, 2019

IT Band (or illiotibial band) pain is a common orthopedic condition that occurs on the outside part of the knee. Foam rolling the IT band is a common IT band pain treatment, but most of us do it WRONG! In this video I’m demonstrating the best way to foam roll your IT band correctly to decrease tension, decrease pain, and help you return to normal function.

WHAT IS THE IT BAND?

The illiotibial band (or IT Band) is a large, thick tendon that runs down the lateral side of your leg. It originates up on the front 1/3 of your hip bone, comes down your leg, crosses your knee joint, and attaches into the outside of your shin bone (tibia).

Because of this arrangement, the tendon is actually in front of the knee joint pivot point when the knee is extended straight but the travels behind the knee joint pivot point when the knee is bent.…

STOP Kneecap Pain – Best Exercises For Patellofemoral Pain

August 29, 2019

Patellar pain, or pain under the kneecap, is a painful condition that can be treated effectively with the right exercises. Get the best patella pain exercises you can do at home to eliminate your kneecap pain and start to feel better today. Demonstration of patellofemoral pain exercises presented by a physical therapist.

THE BEST EXERCISES FOR KNEECAP / PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN:

1. STRAIGHT LEG RAISES WITH QUAD CONTRACTED

2. STRAIGHT LEG RAISES WITH FOOT ROTATED OUT

3. SIDELYING HIP ABDUCTION

4. HIP HIKES

5. LATERAL BOX STEPS

6. REVERSE LUNGES

7. BAND WALKS FORWARD

8. BAND WALKS LATERAL

Keep reading below for video instruction on how these exercises should be performed!

Your knee is a joint that is made up of three bones – your femur, your tibia, and your patella (or kneecap). While we typically think of our knee “joint” as the spot where the femur and the tibia come together, there’s actually one more joint in the knee – that’s where the patella and the femur come together.

Believe it or not – this joint where the kneecap sits on top of the femur is one of the most-common sources of knee pain I treat in my physical therapy clinic.

Today I wanted to talk more about this patellar pain – what is it, why you get it, and then share about 8 simple exercises you can do at home to help it feel better….