Stop Foot Pain: A Nerd’s Guide to Healthy Feet

This is a guest post from Camp NF Headmaster, Kate Galliett of FitForRealLife.com.

Living with foot pain? Think you’ll be wearing orthotics your whole life? Ack!

You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is to “never get involved in a land war in Asia.” But only slightly less well-known is: “do not believe that you are stuck with weak, flat, bunion’d, or heel-spur’d feet.”

Ok, so Vizzini the Sicilian didn’t say it quite like that.

But this statement is no less true than his original one.

I’ve had the pleasure of helping a lot of people fix their feet up to be super strong, pain-free, orthotic-free, and awesome, and I’m going to teach you what I taught them.

Given that your feet are your base of support, they influence your power output of your hips and glutes, and they carry you off to every adventure you go on – it’s crucial they function well.

Your feet have a lot of working parts: bones, joints, muscles, tendons, connective tissue, and nerves that all need to work together properly. When this anatomy doesn’t get to express itself well, any number of things can go wrong. From developing “flat feet” to the more scary stress fracture, and everything in between.

Sometimes our shoes make this a real challenge. But do not fear! Today I’m going to fix your feet and make sure you can walk all the way to Mordor.

Are shoes the worst?

In short, constrictive “modern” shoes make it difficult for your foot anatomy to express itself well. From moving as it was built to move. 

A healthy foot doesn’t just have one arch shape in it. It has three arch shapes. There is the main ‘arch’ on the inside of the foot, an arch that runs parallel to it on the outside edge of your foot, and an arch running across the metatarsal heads (you may know these as the “balls of your feet”).

Most feet have lost the two less famous arches (or possibly even all three!), and this is in part because the foot muscles have not been able to maintain strength and tone while inside modern shoes.

Yes, shoes do provide support. But, like anywhere else on your body, if an external object is providing support for your body, your body won’t need to to provide that support itself. Like a cast on your arm that supports the bones while they heal, your muscle tissue in that area is not providing that support, and thus it atrophies from disuse (this is the theory behind “fragile vs antifragile“).

Shoes do the same thing for your feet.

But it’s not all bad, the right shoes provide plenty of benefit: for starters, they protect your feet from things on the ground that might impale into your foot if you didn’t have the shoe material between you and the ground. This is less important if you are a Hobbit.

Shoes also provide a dampening effect, making the hard ground easier on your feet, and lessening any thermal energy that would otherwise come up from the hot ground and burn your feet. The same applies for taking your feet out onto a freezing ground.

[Note from Steve: I actually developed Plantar Fasciitis last summer when I moved to New York City from suddenly walking 10+ miles a day on hard concrete in minimal shoes. Too much, too soon, on hard ground = gonna have a bad time.]

Shoes are not meant to replace what your feet should be capable of doing on their own, but rather enhance what your feet can already do and keep them safe.  Many people think if they have sore feet or foot problems that they solution is MORE support, MORE padding, MORE arch support. The reality might be that your feet have been ‘coddled’ and need to be rebuilt and restrengthened so they can support themselves!

Let’s get after it. For starters, shoes should not squeeze or scrunch or limit your feet from expressing their anatomy fully:

So what should you look for in a ‘better’ shoe?

Find a Better Shoe

There are four components to look for in a shoe.

If the shoe doesn’t meet these four criteria, then your foot is going to be compromised.

A good shoe has:

• No heel lift of any kind.
• A wide toe box that allows your foot to spread as it lands on the ground with each step.
• A pliable bottom that allows your toes to bend to a full ninety degrees of flexion as you step.
• Something to attach it to your ankle area.

Let’s look at each in a bit more detail:

1. No heel lift of any kind. When your shoe raises your heel higher than your forefoot (aka heel lift), your ankle and lower leg are being positioned in a slightly shortened position for the duration that you’re wearing the shoes.

When your leg muscles are thrown into a slightly unnatural position, it means your mobility of your ankle will suffer… and this will limit all sorts of things: your squatting ability, interfering with your running gait, etc.

This doesn’t just mean high-heels either! This includes most regular shoes which have a bulky heel and lower toe. In many shoes you’ll see this difference between heel and forefoot referred to as a “drop,” so “zero-drop” shoes are shoes where heel and forefoot are at the same height.

2. A wide toe box that allows your foot to spread as it lands on the ground with each step. With each step you take, your foot actually spreads wider upon landing. This is impossible for your foot to do when it’s in a shoe that is too narrow.

If the toe box is not at least as wide as your foot when you’re standing on your foot, while it’s bearing your weight, that’s a problem for your foot. Know that as your foot becomes more ‘natural’ it’s possible it will widen further, as the muscles and bones reposition themselves.

Feet crammed into a shoe is like putting a leash on Sonic the Hedgehog: they want to be free!

3. A pliable bottom that allows your toes to bend fully as you step. Your great toe is meant to flex to ninety degrees as you move through the gait cycle. See below:

If your shoe does not allow this due to a hard sole, your feet won’t be able to move as well, and the soft tissues of your foot will get weaker from not being used fully. PLUS, when you aren’t flexing your big toe regularly, your body will start to lose the ability to use that joint fully. This can lead to all sorts of problems. Doh!

4. It’s strapped to your foot. If the shoe isn’t strapped around your ankle, your toes are going to grab at the shoe to keep it on with every step you take. This makes some of your foot bones push down and some of your foot bones lift up. That shift means you change the amount of forces on each bone. Over time, this can lead to stress fractures and tissue injuries.

“But Kate, it’s summer! sandals! Is this really a big deal?” Yes, it’s a big deal. If you’re looking for more, check out the below video from movement specialist Kelly Starret.

I understand that it’s now possible you’re very upset with me because I’ve just told you every shoe you own is causing a problem. The answer is not to immediately toss out whatever shoes you’re wearing for something that is fully ‘minimal’ in nature.

Also, this isn’t an “all or nothing” scenario. Similar to your nutrition, do the best you can when you can, and if you occasionally wear heels/flip flops for whatever reason, it’s certainly better than nothing.

There is a healthy and safe progression to take when it comes to moving towards a minimal shoe, and I’ll cover that at the end of the post.

Here’s how you can begin fighting for your feet…

For starters, determine how far you are from the ‘ideal’ shoe that meets all four criteria above. If you’re wearing a very cushion-y and/or very supportive shoe, or you live your life in high heels, know that there will be several iterations of a “better shoe” for you to go through.

And if you’re already wearing something you’d call ‘fairly minimal’, then your journey may be a bit shorter.

It doesn’t matter where begin your foot journey. What matters is that you can see a place you’d like to get to: your feet are more functional, stronger, and better supported, and happier.

Who doesn’t want happy feet?!

FIRST THINGS FIRST, I’m the realest you will want to immediately start improving the mobility and strength of your foot. Having better foot mobility means every tissue and joint can play it’s part in flexing, extending, and stabilizing. Developing foot strength means you start developing your arches back into your foot, and your feet will be better aligned to actually take advantage of all the muscles in your body which holds itself up. The more strength and mobility you have, the less support you’ll need from your shoe. In addition, having proper foot and ankle mobility is crucial in performing a proper (below parallel) bodyweight squat.

Perform the mobility work daily, and start with the strength drills every other day. Work gently, and go slow. For some, the foot hasn’t been well-attended to in decades. Try the following while you’re watching TV, or sitting at your desk, or whenever you can.

Do what you can, when you can:

• Rolling Out The Lower Leg A
• Rolling Out The Lower Leg B
• Toe Stretching Drill
• Seven Drills To Strengthen Your Foot

Transition to a Better Shoe

Since it’s not realistic to be barefoot all day in the modern world, we need a transition strategy.

1) The first and easiest way to start making this footwear change to make is to start wearing your shoes less total time during your day.

The more time your foot gets to be free from the restrictions of shoes, the more your anatomy gets to learn new signals and create new responses. It’s the equivalent of letting your dog run around the dog park regularly instead of having to stay cooped up inside an apartment.

Our feet were born free, and they deserve to be reminded daily what life is like on the outside (of a shoe!).

2) Begin strengthening and stretching. The drills above will get you started on a path to healthier feet. 

3) Start the shoe transition process. Now, while you’re spending a little less time in shoes during your day, start taking a look at what options exist for a better version of the footwear you have currently.

• If you spend your day in flip-flops, take a look at brands like Unshoes, who makes sandals that strap to your ankle.
• If you spend your day in dress shoes, determine what freedom you have at the office to adjust your shoes to something less restrictive but still professional. Can you begin by buying a new dress shoe but one without a slight heel? Or, can you switch to a soft bottom shoe that is still dressy looking on the top of it? (Soft Star Shoes is great for this)
• If you’re wearing athletic shoes all day, what about them can you change? You could try a wider toe box, a more bendy bottom, or a reduced heel (many athletic shoes still have a heel on them, so take a look to see if yours does too). See our favorites below.

As much as I’d like to recommend some specific shoes, every person and every foot is different. For example:

• Steve trains in the Merrel Vapor Glove 2
• NF Rebel Ops Leader Staci rocks the Reebok Nano 6.
• Head NF Trainer Jim prefers to walk around in Daytona sandals.

Remember: no heel lift (aka “Zero drop”), wide toe box, pliable bottom, and strapped to your foot. The perfect shoe for someone may be lacking for one person may be lacking for someone else.

That said, here are some brands that tend to make shoes that jive with these requirements:

• Unshoes
• Otz
• Vivobarefoot
• Vibram
• Xero Shoes
• Sanuk
• New Balance Minimus

Make it a Priority, But Go Slow

What you absolutely do not want to do is jump ahead to straight minimal shoes and go run a marathon – your feet will let you know quickly that they are not happy.

There is a real risk of injuring yourself if you make too big a transition in your footwear too quickly and then do too much. So if you are wearing a heavily supported, cushion-y shoe, you should not immediately begin wearing a Vibram five-finger shoe.

You wouldn’t jump right into a powerlifting meet on your first day ever of weightlifting, right? Don’t do something similar to your feet: slowly build up arch strength, flexibility, and insurance by introducing your feet to a slightly greater challenge regularly.

I took a full year to transition to traditional footwear to minimalist options. For many, the transition will be longer. I started in a basic running shoe that had some support, and slowly started reconditioning my feet to be more mobile, have healthier soft tissue, and to be stronger.

I introduced a new stimulus to my feet every few months by wearing a slightly less supportive pair of shoes. From the classic running shoe, moving down in cushion and support through the Nike Frees, to eventually get to the Vibram five-finger (the shoe of choice for me, but it doesn’t have to be your shoe of choice!).

I now spend as much time barefoot as I can, donning shoes only for the fact that they are required for places of business. If I’m not in a place that requires shoes by law, I prefer to be barefoot. (this doesn’t have to be how far you want to take it, it’s simply what feels best for me and my feet).

But don’t spend too much time stressing about achieving level 50 foot progress. 

In fact, it’s a Rule of the Rebellion: We don’t care where you came from, only where you’re going. Simply make a commitment to give your feet the attention they deserve.

Whether you want to transition to minimal footwear, barefoot living, or simply want to make your feet function better and support your athletic endeavors, make an effort to improve your feet: it’s worth it.

You are not stuck with feet and ankles that hurt or are chronically injured!

Change the signals in and you’ll start to see a change: you’ll get stronger, better, more functional feet.

Do you have a feet horror story to share?

A Foot Redemption story?

Questions for me?

Let me know in the comments below!

-Kate

Kate Galliett brings together body, mind, and movement to help people become pain-free, highly-charged, and ready for anything at her site, Fit For Real Life. She coaches clients in-person, online, and through her foundational strength & mobility program, The Unbreakable Body. She holds a BS in Exercise Science and has worked as a coach for 14 years. She is House Gryffindor.

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Kristina Alexanderson: Lego in Shoe, Jay Galvin: Different Shoes, Reiterlied: Walking Lego, DocChewbacca: Clean Shoe

source https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2016/08/30/stop-foot-pain-a-nerds-guide-to-healthy-feet/

How to Make Chicken Satay

Raise your hand if you’ve ever get inspired to cook (or eat) by a work of fiction.

Maybe you’re revisiting those Redwall books after ten years or more, and you come to a chapter dedicated to a feast. Or maybe you get to book 3 of Harry Potter and it’s not even cold outside, but darn it, you’re pining over a hot mug of Butterbeer. Oh yeah. We’ve all been there.

Recipes on Nerd Fitness are often inspired by travel or favorite foods re-imagined as paleo dishes.

Today’s recipe doesn’t come from a great work of fiction or a chapter in a novel about a feast… it comes from a memory of one line in a ridiculous television show and an old love for a sauce that I just can’t have any more… not because I’m a hard core paleo person, but because I developed a peanut allergy in my 20’s.

This one goes out to all you people who love ridiculous television and also to those of us who cannot eat peanuts. For those of you who don’t give a crap about TV and can eat peanut butter, just consider this a cooking adventure on easy mode.

Now, if you don’t know what Chicken Satay is, it’s a Southeast Asian dish made of marinated pieces of chicken that are skewered, barbecued, and served with a dipping sauce (usually a tasty peanut concoction).

This recipe is about as complex as the Fajitas we made last time. We’re going to cut up some chicken and veggies and then mix a few ingredients together for our tasty sauce. After our chicken marinates, we’ll put our chicken on sticks (if you want), or just toss it in a pan to cook and enjoy!

Sound like something you can manage? Heck yeah it does. Let’s get at it!

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 1 lb (.45Kg) chicken or meat of your choice. I usually prefer chicken breast, but thighs work great too.
• Juice from 1 lime (approx. 2 Tbsp or 30mL)
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 1 tsp (5 mL) curry powder
• 1/4 (1 mL) tsp salt

For the sauce:

• Juice from 1 lime (approx. 2 Tbsp or 30mL)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup (120 mL) coconut milk from a can or box (none of that pretend milk in the dairy aisle)
• 1/2 cup (120 mL) cashew or almond butter (or, for you traditional non-paleo folks, peanut butter)
• 1/2 Tbsp (15 mL) coconut aminos (paleo) or soy sauce (if not paleo)
• 2 tsp (10mL) red curry paste or Sriracha sauce – For the red curry paste, Thai Kitchen is an easy and fairly cheap brand to find. If you’ve made our Thai Pineapple Coconut Curry recently, you might have some left over! It’s the same stuff. If you prefer Sriracha, Michelle over at Nom Nom Paleo has a great recipe for a paleo version of this favorite spicy sauce! As always, if you’re a fan of spicier dishes, you can add both of these or more of them to your sauce to turn up the heat.

For veggie skewers: use your favorite grilling veggies. Mine are…

• 1 zucchini slice into medallions
• 1 yellow squash slice into medallions
• 1/2 red onion cut into large chunks
• 1 bell pepper cut into 8th’s
• 6 whole button mushrooms, halved
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
• 1 tsp (5mL) salt

Equipment:

• tongs
• cutting board
• knife
• 2 mixing bowls
• skewers (if you’re skewering your food)

*Note: If you don’t have skewers or a grill, don’t sweat it! You can still make this recipe in the oven or in a pan on the stove top.

• If you’re making it in the oven, follow the cooking directions from step 2 and 3 here.
• If you’re making it on the stove top, follow the cooking directions from here.

Instructions:

1. Combine lime juice, curry powder, olive oil, and salt in one of your mixing bowls. Mix it up with a fork and set aside.

2. Grab your chicken, knife, and your cutting board. Cut those bits of chicken into one or two bites big in size (about 2in by 2in chunks). You don’t have to be 100% accurate with the measurements here.

3. Place the cut-up chicken in the sauce you made a little earlier, and mix it up to coat the chicken with the sauce. Don’t be shy!

4. Wash the chicken muck off of your hands, and set that bowl in the fridge. Cover it with something to prevent disaster (like a stick of butter falling into it next time you open the fridge).

5. IMPORTANT: Wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water or grab new ones.

Also If you’re using wooden or bamboo skewers, now is a great time to soak those in water so they don’t burn. Grab a shallow dish, pan, or whatever will fit your sticks, put some tap water in it, and place your sticks in the water. Move on with your life.

6. Cut your veggies so that they’re easy to put on skewers. Need a reminder of how to cut something? Kapow!. And more skewering tips here.

• 1 zucchini and yellow squash slice into medallions
• 1/2 red onion cut into large chunks
• 1 bell pepper cut into 8th’s

7. Toss your veggies into another mixing bowl (or a soup pot if you don’t have another big bowl – it is okay to improvise) with olive oil and salt. Mix them around to coat and set aside.

8. Now for the final preparation piece: the sauce! If you haven’t yet, mince your garlic cloves.

9. Grab yet another bowl (a cereal bowl sized one is fine this time) and mix together your coconut milk, cashew butter, lime, minced garlic, coconut amigos, and curry paste or sriracha.

If it all mixes well, great! Mix it up with a fork and set it in the fridge (you should probably cover this one too). If it’s not mixing well (i.e. if your coconut milk is a little cold and therefore won’t incorporate into the sauce), you’ll want to put all your ingredients on the stove and heat them up until they mix together. Then you can transfer it to a bowl and stick it in the fridge.

10. Light your grill, or if you’re not in the grillin’ mood, start heating up your pan or pre-heating your oven.

11. Pull your chicken out of the fridge. It’s time to skewer! Skewer all your chicken together on their own sticks and skewer veggies together on separate sticks.

Five to six pieces of chicken together should be good (depending on the length of your skewers). Or you can alternate chicken and veggies on the sticks. Whatever. Take those beautiful suckas out to the grill and place them on the heat.

If you’re cooking in the oven, check out steps 2 and 3 here.

If you’re cooking on a stovetop, do this.

12. Cook your chicken skewers on the grill with the lid closed for approximately 10 minutes. Crack open a beer, a coconut La Croix (oh yeah, I went there), or pour yourself a glass of ice water with lemon. So fresh!

13. After 10 minutes has passed, it’s time to flip your skewers! Flip them, close the grill, and wait for another 10 minutes. To check if the chicken is done, you can test it with a food thermometer or take one of the skewers off the grill and cut open to make sure it’s no longer pink inside. I know, this isn’t a pretty way to do it, but you gotta do what you gotta do to stay food bourn illness free.

14. When your food is cooked, remove it from the grill. Take your sauce out of the fridge, mix it up, and serve! You can drizzle the sauce on top of the skewers or dip them. Serve along side cauliflower (or regular) rice.

15. Pat yourself on the back because you rock.

Done like dinner!

There you have it. A fairly simple chicken and veggie dish with a tasty sauce that you can make for one or many people. Almost everyone loves kabobs, and they’re easy to make. Chop up your ingredients, let them soak in a marinade for a few minutes, mix together an easy sauce, cook, and dip.

The sauce will keep in the fridge for approximately 2 weeks. Pour it in a jar and stick it in the fridge when you’re done eating. If you’re one of those people who meal preps or thinks ahead, you can make this sauce ahead of time for the week and put it on just about anything you want.

If you choose to make this sauce with peanut butter instead of almond or cashew butter, I won’t judge you. Peanut butter is WAY less expensive than other nut butters (but, not Paleo).

Any fictional feasts you want to recreate?

Have you ever tried to make a food or drink inspired by a story? How did it turn out?

Let us know in the comments!

-Noel

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Scott Smith: Late Night Sweet Tooth, DANNY CHIAM: Satay

source https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2016/08/25/how-to-make-chicken-satay/

A Nerd’s Guide to Anxiety

We all know the feeling…increased heart rate, feeling overwhelmed, can’t think clearly, palms sweaty, knees weak, mom’s spaghetti…sorry, I lost my train of thought.

Anyway, that feeling is called anxiety and we all feel it sometimes. It could be about our medical test results, public speaking or whether the Pokemon GO servers will load today.

Anxiety is a normal human emotion that’s part of everyday life. We evolved anxiety to help us avoid danger or perform at our best. A predator near by, or running out of food? The warning bell of anxiety turns on, and changes our physiology to encourage us to act.  Sounds pretty cool, right? And for most of us, anxiety kicks on and off in our day to day in the modern world without too much trouble.

But for many others, the feelings of anxiety can be much more extreme. It’s like they have it maxed out on their character sheet, and instead of being an helpful, it’s an intense and persistent worry that makes aspects day-to-day life an ongoing battle.

This is surprisingly common, but like a lot of mental health issues, we don’t talk about it much because of a stigma which comes from a lack of education and understanding. So let’s change that today!

We briefly covered anxiety in ‘A Nerd’s Introduction to Mental Health’, today we’re digging a little deeper. The signs, the types, how we can manage it, and maybe even if we can turn it from our enemy to our secret weapon. 

Signs of Anxiety

The signs of anxiety aren’t always that obvious to everyone. Largely because we all experience some anxiety, plus symptoms can develop gradually, so it can be difficult to know how much is “too much.”

One of the most common aspects of anxiety conditions is to think about things a helluva’ lot more than you would normally. We’ve all been there, right? Lying in bed, unable to sleep at a ridiculous hour, replaying social conversations in our head from years ago, over analyzing what we said, how others reacted to it, thinking how stupid we were.

We may know what we’re thinking about is irrational and unhelpful, but it’s still hard to stop these overwhelming and sometimes intense thoughts. This thinking tends to be repetitive and often negative in nature, causing our feelings of anxiety to get worse.

This is just one example of a generalized anxiety, and while we all experience different levels or types of anxiety, the common signs and symptoms can include:

Physical

•     increased heart rate/racing heart
•     shortness of breath
•     nausea, even to the point of vomiting
•     muscle tension and pain (e.g. sore back or jaw)
•     feeling detached from your physical self or surroundings
•     having trouble sleeping
•     sweating, shaking
•     dizzy, lightheaded or faint
•     difficulty concentrating

Psychological

•     overwhelmed
•     fear (particularly when having to face certain objects, situations or events)
•     worry
•     dread (that something bad is going to happen)
•     constantly tense, nervous or on edge
•     finding it hard to stop worrying
•     unwanted or intrusive thoughts
•     uncontrollable or overwhelming panic

Behaviors

•       withdrawing from, avoiding, or enduring with fear objects or situations which cause anxiety
•       urges to perform certain rituals in a bid to relieve anxiety 
•       difficulty making decisions
•       being startled easily

One key step in turning our anxiety in our favor is recognizing our own signs and then managing these. Knowing the ‘If this then ____’ of ourselves can be a great tool to have. Personally, I know if I start getting the strong urge to pull out my beard hairs (a disorder known as Trichotillomania), then my anxiety level is getting quite high and I need to quickly implement some control strategies (more on those later).

Do you do start feeling sick at the thought of a social event? Do start fearing the worst has happened to your partner if they’re ten minutes late? What about having to arrange your desk in a very particular way? Just by identifying these behaviors and catching yourself in the act, you can set yourself on a completely different path.

The Sneaky, Formless AnxiEty

Like Mystique or Gumby, anxiety can take many forms, and these forms have varying impacts.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD): GAD is the broadest type of anxiety and is essentially worrying ‘too much’ about everyday things. But the real question is, how much is “too much”?

Generally (get it?), if you’re having persistent anxious thoughts on most days of the week, for more than six months, and if these thoughts are interfering with your daily life and well-being, this would be classified as GAD.

Panic disorder: Panic attacks are periods of intense fear or extreme anxiety which happen suddenly or when there is no sign of danger. This could happen while going about your everyday work, and suddenly feeling like you’re losing control and going to die. Physical symptoms such as sweating, feeling short of breath, pounding heart, dry mouth, or feeling as though you’re about to collapse, are common in panic attacks.

Social phobia: An intense fear of being criticised or embarrassed, even in everyday situations, such as meeting people, eating in public, work situations, or making small talk.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): The need to check things repeatedly, perform certain routines (or ‘rituals’) over and over again, or having certain repetitive thoughts.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Develops after someone is exposed to a traumatic event (like assault, war, or car accident) which can lead to disturbing thoughts or dreams related to the event.

Specific phobias: Feeling anxious about a particular object or situation, like going near an animal, going to a social event, and going to great lengths to avoid it. Common phobias include animals, heights, the dentist (my #1 phobia), and blood.

High Five Anxiety: A classic nerd anthem by one of my favourite bands.

These are just fancy names for issues that are pretty common. If any of these things sound familiar, you’re not weird, and you’re certainly not alone. We’re all playing characters with the “anxiety” trait, yours just might need a little extra hand holding.

BUT WHY ME? WHY US?

With all the silly, clinical terms combined with our confused past, it’s clear something of a stigma beast has developed around anxiety (and well, the whole field of mental health). This lurking beast continues to thrive on exacerbated media reports, discrimination, and lack of knowledge… Like those fitness myths that just won’t go away. But in this case, this misinformation can delay or impede getting treatment, recovery for something that is often very very treatable!

We all know (and may even fit) the stereotype: Socially anxious and awkward, introverted, quiet and avoiding small talk at all costs. Although it seems us nerds have a higher propensity for this anxiety, I searched high and low for a research and evidence demonstrating this… (Google Scholar, Psychology Journals, Longitudinal Mental Health Studies, Personality Disorder Test Results AND Encarta 95 Student Edition) but I came up empty.

Anxiety issues affect so many people (around 1 in 5), from all walks of life, whether you’re the reclusive WOW player, a pro athlete, or an amazing A-List Celebrity (please let us know if you’re reading, Emma, or Emma).

Anxiety can manifest itself in a number of ways. As nerds we think of shyness or social anxiety, but anxiety can trigger the opposite, too. I’m sure we’ve all heard “I talk when I’m nervous.”

That may not be satisfying, but there are some risk factors that may make you more susceptible to developing an anxiety condition. These include:

• Traumatic life events – Either as a child or adult
• Stress – Be it due to your health, work, study, finances, or anything else
• Other mental health issues – People with other mental health disorders, such as depression, often also have an anxiety disorder
• Genetics –  Anxiety disorders can run in families
• Drugs or alcohol – Abuse or withdrawal can worsen anxiety issues
• Being female – Sorry ladies, but you’re about twice as likely to have an anxiety issue compared to the fellas

This does not mean every overworked female with a family history of mental health issues is going to have an anxiety disorder, it’s just more likely.

I’m often amazed by some I meet who don’t have anxiety issues, they tick all the risk factor boxes, yet remain totally in control of their emotions and behaviors. These are the people who’ve learned how to effectively manage their anxiety, like they’ve picked up the master controller and figured out the Konami code to what’s going on inside their head.

“So Dan, how can I figure out my head’s Konami Code?”

It may not be as simple as “↑↑↓↓←→←→ B A Start” (or just blowing in it), but I’m glad you asked.

identify, battle, level up

So, thinking perhaps you, or someone you know, is having some issues with anxiety? Don’t panic (I know, easy enough to say), because anxiety disorders are highly treatable.

After you’ve recognized your anxiety signs as we talked about above, there are many tools out there for managing your own anxiety. This is not an all inclusive list, but here’s a few ideas to get us started:

Diet and Exercise: Surprise, surprise. It’s very well known that eating well can make a difference to your energy levels, and exercise is a natural anxiety buster. It can be difficult to get started if you’re feeling overwhelmed, but starting small and working towards realistic goals is a step in the right direction. One of the first Nerd Fitness posts I ever read, ‘Getting Back On Track When Life Sucks’, is a huge help for anyone looking to battle their anxiety with exercise.

Challenge your thinking: Ask yourself how realistic your anxiety-causing thoughts really are, by weighing up the evidence for and against. Some find taking notes and journaling their feelings to also be helpful.

Practice Self Love: Accepting your flaws and finding yourself can go a long way in building your mental health. Check out the Deadpool Guide to Self Love by Amy to explore this further.

Time-out: Try to make sure you do at least one productive thing you enjoy each day. Be it walking, playing music, cooking, yoga, or meditation. Just do that one thing. Don’t stress so much about everything else going on or multitasking while you’re doing it. Make that time about you and the thing you’re doing.

Avoid avoidance: And certainly don’t Avoid Avoiding Avoidance, I can’t make this any clearer. By always dodging situations that make you anxious, you never get a chance to see that they might not be that bad. Instead, work up that 20 seconds of courage and let yourself experience these feared situations, just a little bit at a time. You’ll find they’re not as bad as you thought, and you can slowly build up a tolerance to what is making you anxious.

Go easy on alcohol and drugs: I’m not here to kill anyone’s buzz, and we’re all free to make our own decisions, but if you’re using alcohol and drugs to cope, you could actually be making your symptoms (and physical health) worse in the long run.

Talk it out: Talking to a friend or family member is a great for expressing how you feel, and also to get an outsider’s perspective on what’s going on. If you’re having trouble finding someone understanding, seek out a counselor or mental health professional. You would seek out a squat coach when you need to make some tweaks to your form patterns, why wouldn’t you seek out a mental coach when you need to make a tweak to your mental patterns.

Meditation: Learn to be more aware of what’s going on your mind, and give yourself a power up on this quest.

Use Technology: Check out some of the best phone apps for dealing with anxiety through promoting relaxation, mindfulness, and self guided Cognitive Behavior Therapy.

Mastering your own mind and figuring out what works for you is an ongoing quest, but those committed to the mission can recognise the signs, implement strategies that they know work for them, and ultimately start controlling some of their anxiety. An amazing ability to have in high pressure situations.

“There’s more to me than lack of sleep and anxiety”

Again: One in five. One in five of your friends, relatives, colleagues is currently having issues with their mental health, primarily anxiety, and it’s been shown that nearly one in two of us will have a mental health issue at some point in our life.

This isn’t just something that impacts a select few, this affects everybody. Everybody is dealing with anxiety to some degree, but some will be having a tougher time than others.

I need to state this again. ANXIETY ISSUES ARE BOTH COMMON AND HIGHLY TREATABLE, often promptly and without medication, but only about one-third of those having issues seek help. One in three, that’s pretty shocking. Anxiety can be self managed, but only to a certain extent in some cases. 

If you find you’ve been taking care of yourself as best you can (and using some of these strategies) but your anxiety symptoms are still winning the battle, please go see a doctor or mental health professional. With the appropriate treatment and support, the vast majority of people can learn to deal with their symptoms and start pwning life again. It’s no different than going to see our physiotherapist for a sprained ankle or a personal trainer to help work on our squatting technique.

If you still aren’t convinced to see a doctor, do it for yourself: what could start as a small anxiety issue can quickly evolve (unlike my 27 Zubats) into something else, and left untreated, this can be devastating.

If you are dealing with anxiety, know that you’re a bad-ass taking on battles in ‘insane mode’ while other plebs are still fumbling around with the controls. You got this.

I urge you all to talk openly about your experiences with mental health issues, this has been proven to assist in slaying the lurking stigma beast we spoke of earlier, feel free to even start sharing now:

How do you deal with your anxiety?

When do you know it’s getting ‘too much’ for you?

What do you wish more people understood about your anxiety?

Rebels, take care of yourselves, and each other.

– Dan-xiety (Sorry, I had to get in a dad-joke somewhere)

If you, or someone you know, would like further support with mental health, here are some excellent links and services that will get you started in the right direction:

North America – Suicide Prevention Lifeline, List of Mental Health hotlines

Canada – Mental Health Helpline, List of Mental Health services

Great Britain & Ireland – Samaritans, List of services via Mental Health Foundation

Australia – National helplines and websites, Lifeline

New Zealand – Lifeline, Mental Health helplines

India – SNEHA

Worldwide – Worldwide mental health hotlines, Worldwide suicide hotlines,Befrienders Worldwide

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Image sources: Stressed Lego, Shy Batman, Group of Lego Heads

source https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2016/08/22/a-nerds-guide-to-anxiety/

The Biggest Enemy You’ll Ever Face…

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.”

-Richard Feynman, Nobel Laureate in Physics

You are about to enter a battle of wits with the greatest enemy you have ever faced.

Sure, you’ve slayed dragons in World of Warcraft, you’ve crushed tests in school after pulling an all-nighter, and you survived an encounter with your miserable boss that made you want to set the building on fire like Milton from Office Space.

This enemy is different. It knows you better than you know yourself. It’s been studying every move you make since the day you were born. It’s been whispering subversive messages in your ear every minute of every day. It’s like playing chess against a computer that has tracked every move you’ve ever made.

Ruh roh.

Luke Skywalker knows what I’m talking about. He couldn’t defeat Vader and the Emperor until he confronted this very same enemy in the swamps of Dagobah.

It’s hard to even SEE this enemy. Fortunately, there’s usually one place you can look…

Is Your Ego Keeping You From Starting?

Have you ever been afraid of trying something for fear of looking stupid? I DEFINITELY have.

Have you ever been in a gym and been afraid to try an exercise because the person next to you is lifting 3-4x the amount you are going to attempt?

If you’re a guy, would you be comfortable lifting next to Staci as she pulls 425 lbs (193 kilos)?

If you’re overweight, do you worry that everybody is looking at you the whole time as you wheeze while walking on the treadmill?

This is your Ego telling you “I’m too fragile for this. Let’s get out of here and go back to our safe zone.” I know I constantly struggle with feeling inferior around people in the gym, and I’ve been doing this stuff for a decade. It’s not just the gym either. I once sat in a car for 20 minutes fore taking my first Swing Dance lesson because my ego wouldn’t let me get started.

You’re not alone. Our egos are fragile creatures, and their feelings get hurt very easily! And damnit we don’t want to feel like crap when we’re looking to better ourselves. If we’re not careful, this can result in

Your ego says: “We’ll look foolish and this isn’t for us and look at these other people who are stronger and more fit than we are. They’ll probably make fun of us, so don’t even give them the satisfaction of trying.”

In short: “Screw you guys, I’m going home.”

The reality: Everybody started at level 1. The most popular rap song in history is a rags to riches story. Even our Canadian friend Drake started from THE BOTTOM and now he is HERE.

When you play World of Warcraft you need to pay your dues and go through the crappy levels killing spiders before you can slay dragons. You’re new. Be proud to be new. Be proud to be you.

Henry Rollins loves the church of the Iron, because it never lies to you. Your ego is often times full of shit and can make you feel better or worse than you really are, but the iron never lies – it’s the great equalizer.

200 pounds is always 200 pounds.

So go pick it up that bar if you can. If it’s the best you can do, then it’s the best you can do. Let everybody else around you battle themselves for a personal best while you do the same. Headphones in, hardhat on (figuratively, and do work!).

It won’t be easy. You’re entitled ego will expect fast results or tell you to quit when things get tough. Your ego will expect you to be rewarded and advance quickly. You might, you might not.

But you have to step in the arena. You can acknowledge your ego, and then pick up that rusty sword and fight.

Your Ego Keeps You From Stopping Something that isn’t working

Your ego is one stubborn son of a biscuit.

I know. I have been dragged into many arguments because I let my ego get the best of me: in relationships, with family members, with coworkers, and with myself. I let my ego get in the way, stubbornly sticking to a losing battle because I was too afraid to admit something wasn’t working (or wasn’t worth it).

Whether it’s continuing even further down a career path that no longer satisfies you (because it was your college major), joining a team that you’re no longer happy with, or being in a relationship that everybody else loves, your ego keeps you around longer than you should be there.

This manifests itself in a few ways. We get hooked on the accolades and achievements we’ve collected. Our egos tell us that our parents and friends are proud for what we’ve done and changing that up would be weird… and disappoint them.

We throw good money after bad, chasing dead ends because we’re too embarrassed to admit that we were wrong in the first place. When a diet doesn’t work we blame it on our genetics rather than realizing maybe it wasn’t the strategy for us. Because our egos fool us, and we confuse “the strategy didn’t work” for “I’m a failure if this doesn’t work” and we stick with it.

Don’t even get me started on relationships! It might be us, or we might know somebody in a relationship which stopped being healthy 6+ months ago… and yet, they stay in it! Our egos say “If we break it off, our mother will say ‘I told you so.’” Or our egos tell us, “Hey, it’s better than being alone. Only losers are alone!” Which we know isn’t true. No wonder half of all marriages end in divorce – many people don’t want to ruffle any feathers and end up waiting years too long to have the tough conversation.

It works for Nerd Stuff too! We read a whole book or play through a game in its entirety that we don’t actually like because our ego tells us we need to finish everything because we already bought it. Our egos tell us “you bought it, you have to use it or you’re wasting money,” not understanding the concept of a ‘sunk cost’ fallacy: once you bought it, it doesn’t matter!

In fact, you’re worse off if you spend a single minute more on something you don’t enjoy just because you bought it. That’s a minute you could have spent on something else that you’ll never get back!

If something really isn’t for you, STOP DOING IT. If you have a shitty job and a path you’ve always wanted to pursue, QUIT. If you are in a bad relationship, make the hard choice and move on.

Your ego is making this wayyyy more complicated than you need it to be. Your friends will support you, your family will still love you, nobody freaking cares about your job status or financial worth other than people who are trapped by their own egos.

Your ego won’t let you ask for help

There’s a cliche that often felt true in my life: guys don’t like to ask for help. Or directions.

We’re afraid to ask for help in the gym on how to do an exercise because we want to look knowledgeable and strong. We’re afraid to ask for help on a project at work because we want to prove we can do it ourselves.

We’re afraid to ask for directions because we don’t want to admit that we made a wrong turn 20 minutes ago when we should have went left at Albuquerque instead of right.

In probably a far more important example, we see mental challenges like anxiety or depression as a battle we must face alone, because admitting that we are having problems is to admit that we’re broken or weird. And our egos don’t allow that. If this sounds like you, PLEASE read this.

Fun fact: I’ve seen different therapists in the past seven or so years (as I’ve moved around the country), not including the hundreds of hours I’ve talked to my friend Lindsay (you’ve read her articles) who has served as my relationship/life therapist and good friend throughout. I remember first talking to Lindsay about this 8 years ago and she said something that forever changed my thoughts on it:

“Steve, people that are in shape go to the gym to work on things and get better. Talking through things with somebody is the same: you can work on mental things and improve.”

I really struggled with my ego to accept the fact that I needed help on some things that I just couldn’t wrap my brain around, and speaking with a qualified therapist and arming myself with exercises and mental models to work through those struggles was so freaking helpful.

Your ego tells you that asking for help is stupid and to keep doing what you’re doing. To hide your struggles because you need to get over them yourself.

Reality shows us that asking for help is no big deal. Sometimes it’s the fastest way to get results and get back on the right track!

Your fragile ego needs a wake up call

Last month, I had an opportunity to go see best selling author Ryan Holiday speak at Google HQ about his newest book, Ego is the Enemy.

I made it through the book in a single day, and felt compelled to immediately write this post after. It’s also the only time I wrote a review for a book on Amazon, because I felt compelled to spread the word.

It perfectly illustrated how:

• Our egos can keep us from starting something.
• Our egos can keep us from STOPPING something that isn’t working.
• Our egos can keep us from asking for help when we desperately need it.

If we fail to see our egos for what they are, they can consume us and force us against our will to make unhealthy or time-wasting decisions.

Whether people are talking shit about me (hey, it’s the internet), or saying nice things (hey, it’s the internet), my ego seems like it’s got a mind of its own. The worst part is, sometimes I start to believe my ego! It’s quite loud, it’s needy, and it never goes away.

So I have to acknowledge my ego in certain situations, and then act how I would if it wasn’t there. It makes me feel like Westley in The Princess Bride, tasked with defeating Vizzini in a mental battle. By understanding how my ego works, I can beat him at his own game:

I want to hear from you! Leave a comment with how you’re battling your ego and I’ll pick 3 people at random to send them a copy of Ryan’s book, Ego is the Enemy.

-Steve

PS: I have no affiliation with Ryan other than the fact that I liked his book and it inspired me to live differently!

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Photo: Alex Eylar: Lego Mirror, Eduardo il Magnifico: Blue Lego Mirror

source https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2016/08/18/the-biggest-enemy-youll-ever-face/

Create a Free Character Today and Join the Fight!

War is coming…

Okay not really, but like the start of any great epic nerdy movie, we need to set the stage: WAR IS COMING.

There we go!

Every day, our modern world is being dragged further into the darkness. Fast food to keep us fat, technology and entertainment expertly crafted to distract us and make us lazy, forcing us into a life void of direction. This insidious sickness has been wreaking havoc on us unsuspectedly for decades, and only now are we starting to fight back.

Hmmm, that’s a bit dramatic. But I bet I got your attention, right?

Today is a big day for the Nerd Fitness Rebellion. Starting RIGHT NOW, you’ll notice some changes around here, and we’ve just released a fun update that can be the foundation on which you’ll be building your leveled-up life.

You can now create your free Nerd Fitness Character, turning yourself into a video-game character, and start completing a multitude of quests designed to challenge you and help you get stronger, lose weight, and live a healthier life.

We’ve been working on this for years, and today we’re excited to add a fleshed-out questing feature to the mix!

If you’ve been reading NF for a while and you’re already sold, stop reading now and click below to create your free character today!

CREATE YOUR FREE NERD FITNESS CHARACTER NOW.

If you need more convincing, keep reading below about the benefits you get from joining the 20,000 people who have already created a NF character.

Get hooked on leveling up your life

If you’ve ever played a video game before, you know how addicting it can be to watch your character turn from weakling with just a cloth tunic and wooden sword into DRAGON SLAYING BAD-ASS!

Games are successful at this because they actively target certain parts of your brain that love to make progress. When you’re level 1, you know what you need to do to get to level 2, onward to level 3, and so on. Like a carrot dangled in front of a horse, we see that next quest and say “okay fine just one more…”

I’ve dedicated the last decade of my life to studying video game mechanics and how they can benefit my personal health and fitness, and the wellness of my fellow NF rebels.

Starting today, you can level up your life too. After all, what kind of boring game would Life be without quests!?

When you create a NF character, you’ll have access to hundreds of free quests, tied to corresponding experience point values, that help you get started (and stay committed to) your journey to living a healthier life. Whether it’s going for a mile walk, making healthier food choices every day, or even deadlifting twice your bodyweight, you will have tasks to complete that are designed to help you cultivate a healthier, stronger, happier life.

Just like in a game, as you complete these quests your character will level up. That satisfaction of seeing “DING! LEVEL UP!” can become addictive, and you’ll start to wonder what other quests and things you’re capable of.

You’ll always have a quest to work towards, you’ll be motivated to reach the next level, and you’ll have fun with it along the way. These quests are broken down by category depending on how you want to train:

• Interested in heavy strength training? Keep your focus on the Warrior quests and work on getting stronger through their challenges
• Love running, swimming or biking? Work your way through the Scout quests that will help you build endurance and stamina.
• Want to be more flexible and focused? Druid quests are your game! Follow the progressions and work on becoming more bendy.

With each additional quest completed, you’ll get closer to that life you’re fired up about. Life CAN be a game, and it CAN be fun.

Note: outside of the HUNDREDS of free quests, we have some added quest lines that are locked – those are quest lines available to people that have joined the Nerd Fitness Academy, Nerd Fitness Yoga, or Camp Nerd Fitness.

We’re excited to add more free quests as time goes on, along with new quest lines that tie into NF premium courses and events. courses.

Have fun with it!

I want to help you find out what you’re capable of.

I love hearing from people that have really taken this “I’m a character in a big ass game of life” to heart. When you create your character on Nerd Fitness, you’ll be asked what type of character best resonates with you. You can learn all about each of the different classes but here’s a quick breakdown:

Your CLASS is based on your physical training. You can read all about it here:

WARRIOR: You love the idea of getting stronger and more powerful. Every day is an opportunity to move heavy things or test yourself against others in competition and prove your might.

SCOUT: Built for distance and efficiency rather than strength and power, you can outlast any animal on the planet. Your muscles are designed with endurance in mind, and you can cover great distances whenever necessary.

RANGER: A jack-of-all-trades, Rangers are well-equipped for any situation. You’re good at strength training and pretty good at covering distances when required, but neither is a specialty.

ASSASSIN: Every building can be climbed, every gap can be jumped, every obstacle can be conquered. Assassins spend most of their time training with functional body-weight exercises, as that’s usually the only thing they need to lift.

MONK: Monks can kick your ass with their fists and feet, and they can do it before you even know what’s happened. Incredibly agile, lightning fast, and loaded with power, Monks specialize in martial arts to stay in shape and destroy the opposition.

DRUID: Druids spend a majority of their time training in the arts of yoga, tai chi, and other movement-based disciplines. Each movement has a purpose, and that purpose is to further improve the dexterity, agility, and strength of the druid.

ADVENTURER: Adventurers are brave souls who fear nothing and are always curious about what’s over the next hill or across the ocean. They are often found working diligently with their allies to help ensure that every adventure leads down the correct path, exploring and learning for the sake of others.

Think of this like a fun way to differentiate your character and give him/her/it an identity.

You can change your class whenever you want depending on how you’re training or what you’re working on in your life, so have some fun with it!

In addition to that, you are definitely encouraged to craft a badass character name, write an epic origin story, and share your dreams of world domination with friends and fellow Rebels. You’re only limited by your imagination, and you can choose (or not!) to nerd out as much as you’d like with roleplaying your character in this game of life.

In addition to really digging deep into your character’s identity and origin, you can even create your own series of life quests and assign point values to those as well.

If you’ve read my book “Level Up Your Life,” you’ll learn all about how to structure your life quests and make progress on them.

So, you’ll have two different leveling systems: your NF level goes up when you complete the free quests, and your EQ level goes up when you complete the Epic Quest missions you’ve created for yourself.

Be Part of Something Bigger than Yourself

You are not alone.

Nothing makes me happier than getting emails from people who stumble across Nerd Fitness say “I feel like I’ve found my new home.” 20,000+ people have already created characters, and almost 300,000 people from all over the world have joined the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Turns out that even though we may feel weird and alone, we’re not. We’re dispersed throughout the world, but we can level up together right here.

Regardless of where you live, where you’re at on your fitness journey, and what you’re struggling with, here you can be who you want to be, quirks and all.

Join us.

Create your character and start leveling up your life today. Share your character page with your friends and fellow rebels and ask for help. We have a thriving message board community ready, willing, and able to help you join the fight for a better life.

Embrace what makes you unique – and share it proudly. Create a character that speaks to your personality, pick quests that align with your goals.

This is just the beginning… we have some grand plans for our Nerd Fitness character system, so I hope you have grand plans for life.

Let us know and share your character page below. Who are you, and what character are you building?

I’ll start:

I’m Steve Kamb, aka Rebel One, a level 15 Assassin hell-bent on world domination inspiring my fellow rebels to live healthy, happier lives by setting a good example. I want to find out what I’m capable of, and every day I wake up excited to find out what I can do today that I couldn’t do the day before.

Who are you, what is your class, and what do you hope to accomplish?

-Steve

PS: In case you skip to the PS, or you think I’m too long winded (definitely true), just click here and create your character!

source https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2016/08/15/create-a-free-character-today-and-join-the-fight/