Finding the right professional or type of treatment for lower back pain can be very confusing. There are so many options and it can be difficult to understand which one will be the best fit for your unique circumstance and body. There are orthopedic doctors, surgeons, pain specialists, chiropractors, trainers, wellness clinics and on and on. And, there is a never ending string of possible stretches and exercises posted on line. How do you know which ones to do? I'm here to ex

When people talk about preventing colorectal cancer, the conversation usually centers on screening tests such as colonoscopies and stool-based tests. These screenings are incredibly important, with current guidelines recommending starting screening at the age 45. Colonoscopies are particularly important as they can detect & remove precancerous polyps before they turn into cancer. But discussions about colorectal cancer prevention should go beyond screening. A fact that everyo

There is more than one way to cook an egg. So goes the same for squats. The squat is a functional and versatile way to strengthen some very important leg muscles. These include the hip extensors (Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings and Adductor Magnus) and knee extensors (Quadriceps). Do your squats so that you can sit down and stand up, go up and down stairs, ski, surf, jump, and get down and up from the floor. And of course, having contoured and strong squat muscles help us feel be

We are about to start our next nutrition challenge at the RiseUp studios, 30 days full of focus on nourishing food and healthy habits. With every one of these challenges, we get excellent nutrition questions from our participants – and this one was no exception!  While protein in every format has been hogging the spotlight for a while now, another player has been getting much more attention recently:  fiber!  Let’s start with the basics.  What is fiber?  Fiber is a type of in

RiseUp Fitness has been training our community for over 7 years now - so we’ve worked out with people from every phase of life. Young people, older people, people who ran 10 miles every day, people who hadn’t worked out in years, people with injuries, people with training goals, people who wanted to lose weight, gain muscle… you name it!  We’ve also talked with a lot of people who were considering trying out RiseUp, but weren’t sure yet. In those conversations, one of the mos

You know, when 2-3pm rolls around, and suddenly you’re stuffing your office snacks, your kids’ snacks, or just whatever was open in the pantry in your mouth? You barely notice it, it doesn’t give you much in the way of nutrition, and the worst part – it doesn’t even satisfy you. 

It sounds so  simple , and I guess it really should be. Something we can do at any time and without having to think about it. How did it happen that running has been deconstructed and analyzed to the minutia? For the competitive athletes out there, the break down might make the difference for a win. For the rest of us, it can make the difference in the ease, enjoyment and longevity of our running careers.  There seems to be nothing more frustrating for a runner than to have s

As a kid, the final ring of a school bell used to symbolize freedom – an open door to a summer full of sunshine, sleeping in, and schedule-free fun!  But, sometimes, as an adult, the change in schedule in the summertime can undermine our carefully curated habits . We might have kids experiencing the aforementioned freedom, travel planned, and barbecues and summer parties galore. Then, inevitably, we trudge back into autumn feeling sluggish and out of sorts.  So how can we ada

How many times have these clickbait headlines (or reels) tried to convince you that you’re doing everything wrong for your nutritional health?

The Hip A with a hip-hop, the hippie to the hippie The hip, hip-hop and you don't stop the rockin' To the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat The hip joint is known as the acetabulofemoral joint as it joins the femur with a part of the pelvis called the acetabulum. The word acetabulum means a cup shaped cavity. This cavity is formed by the fusion of the pelvic bones- the ilium, ischium and pubis. The acetabulum forms the “socket” for

Ever heard of the “Habit Loop?” It may sound like something out of a Tolkien novel, but it’s actually a fairly well-studied system in human psychology that helps us to understand how habits  (both bad and good!) are created, reinforced, and replicated.  What does that mean for you? Harness the power of the Habit Loop - and you have the power to change your life, one habit at a time!  Want to work out more? Eat more nutritious food? Get stronger? Sleep better? Read on! Now, on

A couple of fitness buzzwords are the subject of the day: flexibility and mobility! Let’s dive into what they are, and of course… which is more important?  If you’ve read even a handful of our emails, you’ll know that the answer to most questions is… ding, ding, ding, it depends! 

Vitalitas is Latin for “the vital principle of life”. Many, many years ago it was thought that there was a sort of life spirit held in the knees. It has been said that the knee is the seat of life. And, figuratively, getting weak in the knees in the presence of another is actually a thing. My daughter appreciates her knees because “they have a tickle spot”. My son likes his because “they keep my legs attached.” I personally think they are sort of funny looking. But without th

While there are hundreds of ways to positively move our bodies (everything from yoga to dance to walking to hiking to gardening!), it might be easier to evaluate our fitness routines by considering the differing benefits that those movements provide.  For example, we know that cardiovascular exercise of some kind is vital, because it serves, improves, and protects our circulatory system. That might lead us to ask  – what kind of cardio is best?  That’s where it gets a little

Have you ever heard the phrase: “counting your macros”? Ever wondered what in the world macros are?   In this case,  “macros” is shorthand for macronutrients,   which refers to a category of nutrients that the human body requires in large amounts.  The three macronutrients counted are (1) carbohydrates, (2) fats, and (3) proteins.  In short, your body needs significant amounts of each one of these nutrients each day in order to support essential functions.  So then, what are

If only my hips were flexible enough, I would. The month of October was the month of the feet. Young athletes, older athletes and first time runners with foot, ankle and/or lower leg pain. All eager to learn how to get rid of it.  The mechanics of the foot and ankle are glorious, like our bodies in their entirety are. When we stride forward, landing on our heel, the foot changes shape and unlocks, allowing for shock absorption. Then, as we move forward, up and over the ball o

We kicked off our Simple30 health & wellness challenge, and had an amazing potluck full of delicious, nutritious eats to get our participants excited.  We’re one week in, and we’re already inspired by folks doing extra exercises between classes, contributing to their teams with enthusiasm and encouragement, and of course - swapping recipes!  For weeknight dinners, there is nothing easier than a simple sheet pan bowl. Sheet Pan Dinners - Sweet Potato, Kale, & Mustard Vinaigret

We know that movement is medicine, and working out is good for us – but how often should we be doing it? What is the magic number?  You can probably guess the answer here, because it’s usually the truth:  it depends.   Many people (usually selling you something) would have you believe that they know the magic number; that if you just do X type of workout Y number of times per week, all your troubles will be cured and your dreams will come true.  However, humans are wildly div

Originally developed to help treat diabetes, the popularity and use of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro for weight loss have been skyrocketing in the US in recent years. As of September 2024, over 5% of all prescriptions written (1 in 20) for these drugs have been for weight loss. That’s staggering, considering most insurance companies don’t cover these drugs for weight loss and it can cost $1,000 (or more!) per month.  So the big question is…. should I be

Do you find yourself reaching for a second, third, or fourth cup of coffee in the morning (or afternoon)? Do you want to throw your alarm clock out of the window? And yet… are you staring at the ceiling wishing for sleep every night?  You’re not alone!  In the United States, about one third (yikes!) of people don’t get enough sleep.  Why is sleep so important? It supports a huge range of vital functions in our bodies, including brain health, cardiac health, hormone health, me