Posted on 06 October 2009
There are two problems that are very common and they tend to go hand in hand with each other. The first is that we tend to be overweight and it can be difficult to get that weight off whenever we are carrying it. Therefore, we tend to be overweight for long periods of time and our body suffers as a result. Another problem that we have is back pain and you would probably be surprised with the number of people that experience pain in the backs on a regular basis. The simple fact of the matter is, these two things are connected more often than not.
The reason why carrying around additional weight is bad for your back is because the spine supports your body and if it has to support extra weight, it compensates by bending or compressing. You may also have a problem where your hips shift forward in order to compensate for extra weight that you are carrying around and this can put pressure on the sciatic nerve. Imagine picking up a box that weigh 20 pounds and carrying it around with you all day long. Even though it may seem light at first, eventually it would be too heavy for you handle. Now imagine the extra weight that your body is carrying every day and it is little wonder that your back is sore.
In order for you to overcome this problem you need to take off some of the weight that you have been carrying around. There are a number of different ways for you to do this but you want to make sure that you lose the weight in a way that it is going to be permanent. The easiest way for you to do this is by adding things to your diet, not taking them away. For example, every time you sit down for a meal add a glass of water and some raw fruits and vegetables. This will not replace your meal but it will keep you from eating so much at one sitting.
You should also make sure that you are getting some exercise, paying particular attention to your core muscles as these will help your back in a number of different ways. By combining diet and exercise and adopting a healthy way of life you can overcome back problems once and for all.
Posted on 07 September 2009
Our bodies are amazingly made and from the tops of our heads down to the souls of our feet, it never ceases to amaze people of how wonderfully our body is able to cope with the things we hand it on a day-to-day basis. There may be times, however, whenever we overdo it in some way or another and our body is simply not able to keep up with the abuse that we give to it. This is the case whenever we weigh too much and believe it or not, weight problems can cause other problems in our body that are either mild or extreme. One of the ways that this is most commonly felt is through back pain.
The reason why our backs tend to hurt whenever we are overweight is because we are putting undue pressure on the spinal column. The spine was made in order to hold a specific amount of weight that is proportionate to the size of our body. If we are carrying around an additional 20 or more pounds of body fat, this is going to strain our spinal column and even put it out of alignment. This is one of the main reasons why we experience back pain.
Another reason why we may have pain in our back is because of our sciatic nerve being pinched. As we gain weight, our body tends to compensate by shifting our hips forward and this puts it into an unnatural alignment which pinches this nerve. Sciatica is one of the more painful things that can happen to us and it is unnecessary for us to be feeling this if we are feeling it because we are overweight.
In order for us to overcome these problems and to get rid of the back pain once and for all, we are going to need to get rid of the weight that we are carrying around. For most of us, it is a matter of shedding weight that we may have been carrying for the majority of our lives. If you would like to lose anywhere from 10 to 50 pounds or even more there is really only one way for you to do it. Reduce the amount of calories that you are eating every day and eat healthy foods so that you are at a 500 to 1000 calorie per day deficit. You will lose about 2 pounds per week which will have amazing benefits on the way that your back feels in just a short period of time.