Core strengthening – Yes! Dieting – Nope.
Core strengthening isn’t just about “6-pack abs”!
Strengthening the gluteals is part of a strong back. My physical therapist added this one to my repertoire — squats with resistance band above the knees.
I’ve learned the hard way recently, with a back injury, that strengthening my core muscles, including the muscles around my spine is way more important than losing 10-20 pounds. Years of yo-yo dieting and negative body image had me focusing on how my clothes fit or how I looked in the mirror rather than protecting and strengthening so I can keep moving this body for another 50 years!
Anytime I’ve decided to get back into any XYZ fitness routine over the years, it’s been a sneaky plan to lose weight. I’m gonna count my calories in some “fitness” app, cut out these “bad” foods, count Weight Watchers points, or whatever. I’d get super inspired to lose weight and “get fit.” I’d do some exercise videos consistently for a while, start to feel stronger and lose some weight and I feel like a “success.” And then, yet again, the motivation dips, or an emotional trigger hits, I crave the foods that are on my “can’t eat” list, and that’s that. The weight is back on, and I feel depressed and like I’ve “failed.” The eternal yo-yo of dieting. As I’ve written here before, about 97% of dieters gain the weight back, plus some, within 3 years if not sooner. Proof that I’m not the only one!
I look back on all of those exercise programs I tried, and wish I had focused my exercise and movement efforts on strengthening and staying flexible rather than losing weight. Now at 50 years old, my spine is wishing I had paid more attention to her. Better late than never, though! I’ve always been flexible since I grew up doing arabesques and pirouettes in ballet, but the resulting hyper-mobility of my spine (which is also a bit scoliotic) combined with lack of strong core muscles is a combination I’m working on changing. I just wish I didn’t have to suffer an injury in order to learn this lesson, but the Universe has her ways of teaching when we don’t listen.
The major muscles of the back.
Kumar, Neeraj. (2020). Prevalence of Osteoarthrosis.
Most people think of “6-pack abs” when we talk about core strength, but it is not just about strong abdominal muscles. There are numerous muscles supporting our spines and it is important to keep them all strong, especially as we age:
The extensor muscles behind the spine that hold us up, which includes our gluteal (butt) muscles and erector spinae alongside the spine for stability;
the flexor muscles in front of the spine that help us bend forward and lift our legs;
the oblique muscles along our sides, which help us turn and twist, and bend side-to-side.
When any of these muscles are weak, it can lead to fatigue of the other muscles doing extra work to hold us up. When the flexors (the abdominal muscles) are weak, for instance, the extensors get over-worked and we end up with sway-back, or lumbar (lower spine) lordosis, where we’re basically sticking our butts and tummies out. This posture then puts even more strain on our extensors, especially around our lumbar spine, from our waist to lower back. Lumbar lordosis is more common in women, especially during and after pregnancy, but it appears that women’s spines are built this way so that we have more flexibility in our spine to accommodate a growing fetus.
The center of gravity changes throughout pregnancy, which can cause lordosis (sway-back).
Pregnancy was the only time in my life since age 12 that I did not focus on dieting, which was truly liberating. The focus of my body having a purpose — growing and protecting a child — relieved me of my weight obsession. I took prenatal yoga classes and felt really powerful, physically and emotionally. I birthed with midwives both times, who focus very much on nutrition, so I had to keep a daily log of everything I ate! Normally, keeping track of every meal is very triggering for me (as it can be for anyone with dieting and body image struggles or eating disorders) but during pregnancy the sense of purpose gave me some distance from those difficulties. My purpose was to create a healthy human, birth them, and have the energy to take care of them once they were in my arms and at my breast.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if we had that sense of healthy purpose ALL the time with regards to how amazing our bodies are? Wouldn’t it be awesome if we exercised and moved our bodies to take care of ourselves as that strong and healthy human?
I know that some people do, which is awesome. I’ve had friends and coworkers who love working out and never miss a day at the gym. The repetitive movements are uninspiring and no fun to me, and I prefer to dance — but apparently not enough to strengthen my core muscles! Now I have Physical Therapy twice a week due to the work-related injury, and exercises to do every day. The focus is to strengthen abdominals, hip flexors, and gluteal muscles, without adding strain to the already worn out extensors.
Media play such a huge role in how we treat our bodies and prioritize our goals. How many covers of magazines. have we seen telling us how to lose those “pesky last 5 pounds” and praising celebrities who lose weight, but making horrible comments about those who gained weight — even around pregnancy or trauma!
Wouldn’t it be amazing if girls and women were encouraged to be agile, strong and capable rather than thin?
Well, this girl right here who is now 50 years old is finally learning the best lesson — to prioritize strength, longevity, flexibility and endurance.
New fitness goals:
Keep this body going for a long time so I can do all the things I want to do! Walk, dance, move without pain, bend, twist, pick things up, tie my shoelaces, hike, cuddle, and work.
Best wishes and peace to you!
Please check with your care provider before starting any exercise program. My writings here are not intended to be medical advice.