Are you struggling with sciatic nerve pain?
If so, these exercises can provide a lot of relief. Coupled with a comprehensiveexercise program, they can reduce symptoms and help you back towards a pain-free life!
1. Figure 4 stretch. This targets the piriformis, which can become very tight especially when seated for most of the day. This tightness can put pressure on the back, hip, and pinch the sciatic nerve. If this is especially tight, wrap a towel behind your thigh instead of your hands.

2. Nerve mobilizer. Opening up the path the nerve travels through can go a long way towards pain relief. Keep the motion slow and controlled, and once you reach your farthest stretch in your hamstring, rotate your foot to point your toe to the ground. This will increase stretch and glide.

3. Glute bridge. Great for strengthening the glutes and low back, and providing relief as well. Make sure to get high enough so that there is a straight line from your hips to your knees, and keep those muscles...

Hoping to accomplish a goal is the first step, but in order to actually achieve that goal comes with working towards it. Success always comes from hard work. Always work hard towards your goal and you will accomplish anything!

Friday Fish nights are a common Midwest tradition, especially for those that practice Lent. However, most Fish Fridays at restaurants consist of beer-battered fish with plenty of fries on the side. If you're looking to keep this tradition, but still keep it  healthy, this recipe is for you!

Gratitude is a powerful tool you can use to improve mental health and increase consistency in nutrition and exercise. To fully optimize gratitude, here's 3 of the best times to be intentionally grateful and how to do it.

1. When you wake up in the morning. "Your attitude determines your altitude" may seem like a corny saying, but it really is true! How we start our morning is crucial for setting the tone for the entire day. We've all fallen into the trap of waking up angry that we didn't get enough sleep, or our partner hogged all the covers, or looking forward to a long commute into our job. All that does is make our good days less enjoyable, and our bad days nightmares. To combat that, as soon as you wake up in the morning, say (out loud!) something you are grateful for. "I'm grateful I woke up with a roof over my head/had enough to eat last night/etc.". It can be the simplest thing, but it will make a huge impact on the rest of your day.

2. After you've done something hard....

Whether you're 1 month or 3 years into your fitness journey, it never gets easier. The only way progress happens is trough pushing your body out of its comfort zone. With time, however, your body and mind will adapt so that exercising is a normal part of your routine!

There is a lot of information in the fitness world about when or if you should eat soon after you workout, which can be confusing and lead you to keep trying different opinions without reaching a consistent routine. 

When you workout you break down your glycogen stores, so with that being said you need to replace those glycogen stores for your muscles to recover properly. A great way to do this is to eat a meal containing both carbohydrates and protein within two hours of your exercise session. If your goal is to achieve weight loss, it would be best to eat both carbohydrates and protein within the first half hour after you are done exercising.

A few great food options for after your workout would be the following; greek yogurt with berries, protein shake, cottage cheese, protein bar, tuna, banana, eggs, apple and peanut butter, etc. The goal is to consume an adequate amount of protein post exercise to help build and repair the muscles you just worked, so don't forget about...

We want to welcome Kalli Cress to our Northstar Team!

Kalli graduated from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science and a minor in Nutrition.  She was a good fit to our core values, and has a solid background.  She is from Hammond, WI, a small town in Northwest Wisconsin, and she enjoys weight lifting, hunting, fishing, spending time outdoors and on the river, cooking, baking tasty pies with her grandma, and spending quality time with my family and friends.  

We are excited to have her join our team!  Welcome Kalli!

Acting as the body's fast-acting energy source, proper carbohydrate intake can drastically improve your performance in workouts. Any carb intake will help you exercise better, but eating the right kinds at the right time will take you to the next level!

First, how do carbohydrates work? When carbs are digested, they are broken down into glucose. That glucose is used up quickly in the brain, which is why you feel a surge of energy whenever you eat carbs and sugar. Excess glucose is also transported to your muscles and converted to glycogen. Glycogen is the body's main source of fuel during exercise, and the first source that's tapped into.

For best results, start by eating complex carbohydrates 3+ hours before exercise. Complex carbs include breads, noodles, rice, etc. If you've been a part of or know anything about big endurance events like marathons, you know that a heaping spaghetti dinner is usually an athlete's go-to the night before. This is an example of a much higher...