Weight Watchers Points Plus

Weight Watchers have overhauled their points system and come up with a completely new program - called Points Plus (or Pro Points in the UK).

The previous Points formula (started in 1997) took into account Calories, Fiber grams and Fat grams. The PointsPlus formula uses Protein, Carbohydrate, Fiber, and Fat grams.

Weight Watchers have spent a number of years testing the new program (at the Medical University of South Carolina among other places). According to Weight Watchers the trials resulted in "an improvement in behaviors that help people maintain weight loss and a reduction in the desire to eat when there's no physical hunger or need for food." (src).

Critics of the previous Points formula claimed that it did not accurately differentiate between more nutritionally dense foods, and "empty calories". This is due to the heavy weighting of Calories over other nutrient measures.

When we have a 100-calorie apple in one hand and a 100-calorie pack of cookies in the other, and we view them as being "the same" because the calories are the same, it says everything that needs to be said about the limitations of just using calories in guiding food choices.

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Poll: The Fresh Diet Fires Carnie Wilson

It is no secret that singer Carnie Wilson has had a very public struggle with her weight.

She even underwent gastric bypass surgery 1999 but gained some of the weight back.

Earlier this year became spokesperson for The Fresh Diet, but they recently fired her for not losing weight and cheating on the plan by eating cheesecake.

The Fresh Diet is a diet delivery company that delivers a days worth of gourmet, portion controlled meals and snacks to your door fresh daily. A plan for a women averages around 1200 to 1300 Calories per day.

According to The Fresh Diet, Carnie Wilson (as a side business) was making and selling cheesecakes and instead of losing weight on their plan, she actually gained weight. She did lose 19 pounds on The Fresh Diet before starting her cheesecake company but then gained it all back and more.

Do diet companies place too high of expectations on celebrities and set them up for failure? I wonder if The Fresh Diet kicks customers out of their program if they fall off the wagon or if they help them regain their focus?

Maybe The Fresh Diet could have handled this differently? What do you think? Participate in the poll and comments below.

Source: Blogging With the Stars

Was it right for The Fresh Diet to fire Carnie Wilson?

Yes No View results

Celebrities diet delivery Diet Marketing 15 Comments Spectra on 30 Nov 2010

While I do think some of those diet companies are a little bit restrictive (especially all of them that require you to purchase food from them and eat only what they tell you to), if they hire a spokesperson to follow the plan, I think the spokesperson SHOULD be following the plan and not be starting a cheesecake company and gaining the weight back. It portrays the company in a bad light and they don't want that, so I think it's fair for them to hire/fire whoever they want.

Reply jessialba7 on 30 Nov 2010

u r right

Reply O. on 30 Nov 2010

You have a point. Would this company kick a customer out? I read on AOL that a woman wasn't allowed to work for Weight Watchers because of her BMI. It didn't matter that she went from a dress size 24 to 12 on THEIR diet.

I will say that I am a big fan of diet meal delivery companies or companies that can provide most of your food.

Reply Berzerker on 30 Nov 2010

Serves her right; I can't feel sympathy for her when I and so many people I know struggle to find work, and it sounds like everything was perfectly set up for her, yet she threw it all away.

Reply Duane on 1 Dec 2010

I'm not a fan of any of these diets, just money grabs as far as I'm concerned, but she was the face of the company and it was her job to represent them well. She did not so they turfed her. Good for them.

Customers though? No way! Do you really think they care if a regular customer loses weight? What makes them any different from the others? As long as the money keeps rolling in and people are gullible enough to keep paying. Weight loss shouldn't cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Reply Spectra on 1 Dec 2010

Yeah, I'm fairly sure most meal-delivery companies actually RELY on their customers being non-compliant with the diet. That way, they keep getting people's money because the people don't think the diet is failing; they figure THEY are failing because they cheat by eating ice cream or cheesecake that isn't on the plan.

Reply O. on 1 Dec 2010

As someone who has dealt with emotional eating for over a decade....

I started Jenny Craig meal delivery two months before what ended up being the most trying time of my life... my mom's cancer battle...

And I came out of it 28 pounds lighter.

Without good tasting and convenient meal deliver to take care of most of my food for me...given my history... I would have gained 28 pounds this year.

Reply Duane on 2 Dec 2010

Sorry about your mom, I've lost people to cancer too.
Delivered meals or not, it still came down to you. As an emotional eater myself, I know it doesn't matter if you have good foods in your home or delivered to you, you still have to make the choice to eat them and nothing else. Granted, having the meals delivered made it easier for you as far as less preparation goes (I'm sure time was a factor), but you still had to decide to eat them instead of stopping by a fast food place or chowing down on candy bars or chips.
Whether people use a store bought diet or do it themselves, what it comes down to is the person. No diet can make you stick to it. You have to make you stick to it. Glad to hear you had success though! Good stuff!

Reply O. on 2 Dec 2010

Thanks, she is alive and doing ok so far.

I think people are getting "meal replacement" and "meal delivery" mixed up.

Yes I would call meal replacements a gimmick because they have you consuming special shakes or bars all day long instead of real food.

Meal delivery is more like having a combination of your own personal nutritionist and chef.

It is for the most part real food. Some plans do have a shake or a bar as an option. But it is real food specially portioned or engineered for weight loss. The dieter doesn't have to cook or figure out menu plans or measure.

I was in no mood to deal with all that planning and often couldn't as I was running off to hospitals and nursing homes all the time.

When the dieter is on their own thats another story. My advice would be to pay attention to the portions they are giving you because that is what things will look like when you make your own food.

Reply Duane on 3 Dec 2010

No confusion between meal replacement and meal delivery. I think you misunderstood me.

You can have your meals delivered and they're a nice portion size and whatnot, but its up to the person to eat that and only that. That's where its up to the person to make the decision about what they eat. You can eat your delivered meal but who's stopping you from snacking on something else later? Or from stopping by a fast food restaurant?

What I'm saying is that in the end, it comes down to the person themself. They either stick with their store bought diet (Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, etc.) and follow it religiously or they do it themselves. It isn't hard to eat better at home or less for that matter. After all, you have to do it eventually don't you? Whether you originally use a diet plan or created your own, at some point its up to you to maintain your weight loss. I don't see why people would pay hundreds and thousands of dollars on a store bought diet unless they have lots of disposable income and have bought into the illusion of these diet plans, which sadly so many have.

Reply Ann on 1 Dec 2010

Obviously it's ridiculous to compare this to them kicking out a customer who doesn't lose weight. They can't make the customer follow the program, but they were PAYING her to do it, and she didn't. Which means they can stop paying her. I'm sure they would still welcome her as a customer, but they shouldn't have to pay her for a service she isn't performing.

Reply Cate Jones on 1 Dec 2010

When committing to a diet company, you have to commit to the plan for a proper expectation to be set. It makes absolutely no sense for anyone to gain weight on a program that has them publicly representing a weight loss program.

Reply NEMO on 1 Dec 2010

They contracted with her to do a job - the job was to follow the program and lose weight....she failed to do her job, thus was fired. What's the problem?

A paying customer - the company won't kick out of a program for non-compliance, the customer is paying, it's their dime and if they don't follow the program, their loss of their money for not following the program - but as long as they're paying, I don't see why the company would kick them out...you're not comparing apples to apples.

Reply Dennis Blair Fort Collins Personal Trainer on 4 Dec 2010

What? Ugh. Just another "diet" company trying to gain traction in a crowded market.

Reply Mizzj on 7 Dec 2010

Carnie Wilson made a commitment to this company and should have stuck to it. This was a career boost but at the same time she should have took it as an incenative to help her loose and/or maintain her weight.

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7 Surprising Secrets of Successful Weight Loss

Ever wanted to know the techniques and tricks used by those who successfully lost weight, and kept it off?

Thanks to a scintillating survey conducted by popular weight loss site SparkPeople - we've now got some road-tested tips to give you the best chance at managing weight.

As part of an updated paperback version of the bestselling book The Spark, (new edition here), the authors at Sparkpeople undertook a comprehensive survey of over 2,000 members. Why do 50% of people report losing momentum within 2 weeks of starting a diet? And why do 18% fizz out within just 3 days?

The answer is the 'strong start'. These strong starters lost twice as much weight in the first two weeks, and were five times more likely to reach goals than the false starters.

Secrets of the Strong StartTrack Food and Calories
Both strong and false starters ranked "food tracking" as the one action that made the biggest difference in their programs. 82% of strong starters tracked food every day vs. 65% of false starters, and strong starters were twice as likely to track their calories.Don't put certain foods off limits
Strong starters were less likely to label foods "good" or "bad" and forsake certain foods, and were three times more likely to use portion control techniques that supported consumption of unhealthier foods in moderation.Spend LESS time exercising
On average, strong starters exercised for 30 minutes during the first two weeks; false starters for 60 minutes, suggesting that false starters burned themselves out.Focus on both diet and exercise
74 percent of false starters made both fitness and dietary changes from the outset, compared to 50 percent offalse starters.Engage more with others/have a support network
Strong starters were more than twice as likely to communicate with other members online.Weigh yourself weekly, not daily
Most strong starters weighed themselves weekly, while the majority of false starters did so daily.Focus first and foremost on developing healthy habits, not losing weight
Most strong starters viewed their #1 goal as "building a strong foundation of healthy habits." A majority of false starters made losing 3-4 pounds in their first two weeks their #1 goal, which backfired.Note that these methods worked for many people - but we are all individuals and is it important to find out what works for you.

A big thanks to Sparkpeople and the folks and DailySpark for allowing us to publish this. Diets Tips and Tools Weight Loss Tips 19 Comments Spectra on 1 Dec 2010

I was a "strong starter" when I lost weight and I am a "success story", having kept off 90 lbs for almost 10 years now. Some of the habits that I got into were: food tracking (you'd be surprised at how much food you "forget" you ate), weighing every two weeks (sometimes only once a month, actually), not working out a whole lot at the beginning (I started with walking, then I worked my way up from there), and focusing on diet AND exercise. I basically followed the WW plan, but I didn't go to the "weigh ins" and figured that if I followed the program for a month, I'd probably lose weight because I was not eating all the junk I had been eating before. I went a whole month without weighing at the beginning and I lost something like 15 lbs that first month. That was a great motivation to keep going, even though that wasn't my primary goal.

Reply ecardsfun9 on 1 Dec 2010

I like it

Reply Yuji Tai on 1 Dec 2010

Hi

No.4 should be '74 percent of strong starters made both fitness and dietary changes from the outset, compared to 50 percent of false starters.'?

Please erase this comment after it is emended.

Reply O. on 1 Dec 2010

One thing that has helped me stay on track is making things seem as "normal" as possible.

I was never good at tip #1, food journaling, because I wouldn't normally do that in my daily life. I could never even stick to using a daily planner.

So instead, I made a "blueprint" of what a typical day on my diet was supposed to look like. How many calories to eat when, when to add a protein or a dairy product, etc.

Then I stuck it on my fridge. So when it is meal time, instead of taking the time to writing things down at every meal everyday, I glance up at the fridge to make sure I am on track, and that's all the effort it takes!

Reply Andrea on 7 Dec 2010

I really like this approach 0. I was a food diary tracker in the beginning, but I think your approach is really smart!

Reply Kori on 7 Dec 2010

I have to agree-that is an awesome way of looking at it-keeping things normal is good in our minds and good tends to stick

Reply Melanie Thomassian R.D. on 2 Dec 2010

This is excellent. I really like the balanced approach to weight loss that's being highlighted here.

Reply Family Help on 2 Dec 2010

Hi Jim,

Something you said about spending less time exercise really got me. I definitely have to agree with you on that. You just to commit yourself to start a little then eventually move to a higher level. Spending a dramatic time during first days of exercise are just not very effective.

Reply Tom on 2 Dec 2010

Yes, combining exercise with dieting is great advice. However, I think it's wise to first determine the real goal. Are trying to just lose weight, or is your goal a lean, trim, and toned body? Losing weight does not guarantee a fit body, only less weight. True, for some, that might be all that is needed. For others, losing weight means to curb intake while working your body to tone your muscles. So, if you first determine exactly what your goal is, you will likely increase your chances of success.

Reply bijou on 2 Dec 2010

All good points, except I disagree with #3. When I first decided to lose weight, I went to the gym 5-6 times a week, for 2 hours at a time. This helped me tremendously because it made such a difference in how I felt and results were definitely palpable. However, I also had the benefit of being in my last semester of college with a light course load. Now I only go to the gym 3 times a week.

I still track calories religiously and I stay away from weighing myself mainly because any 3-digit number freaks me out and I don't need the mental distress. As long as my clothes fit comfortably, I know I'm doing okay.

Reply Spectra on 2 Dec 2010

3 digit numbers freak you out on the scale? You must be really really small if you're used to weighing less than 100 lbs.

Reply bijou on 3 Dec 2010

I'm not used to it...I just like the idea of maintaining my lowest weight, which I think was 98 lbs. I hover between that and 103.

Reply Jim F. on 2 Dec 2010

12 hours per week at the gym is a large amount of time, and for many of us, many other things in life are far more important than exercise.

I think the study determined that many who started off with great intentions tended to fall off the wagon quickly, rather than those who start with exercise times that were far more likely to be sustainable over the long term.

Reply bijou on 3 Dec 2010

I agree that many times, slow and steady wins the race.

Reply http://claudia12841.eliteweightlosspackage.com on 2 Dec 2010

I like it, I think is great to switch from diets and work out just to have a mentaly positive and work everyday with out thoughts and that always help me to improve my energy level.

Reply Dan on 3 Dec 2010

I really didn't really lose weight that well until I started to ride my bike to work everyday. I was riding sporadically, and maybe losing some weight, but then I would plateau and then gain the weight back. Possibly exercising everyday doesn't work if someone is cutting their caloric intake down too much at the same time. It is probably better just to temper caloric intake and then increase exercise. I lost about twenty additional pounds by exercising without doing a food journal, but once I did both, I lost weight rather quickly, even though I seldom ate fewer than 2000 calories. I also weigh myself everyday and realize that fluctuations can be because of water weight loss. Also, I don't deprive myself of treats, but try to eat these only after I eat all the nutritious foods, as well as budgeting for them within the calorie budget. I also try to eat sweets that have nutritional value, such as Clif bars and dark chocolate. Putting healthy habits first is also important.

Reply Dr. Thomas L Halton on 3 Dec 2010

Great article!
I use a lot of these principles with my weight loss clients.
The one I don't agree with is #3. I have found that daily exercise of 30 minutes or less has not resulted in significant weight loss. My clients shoot for a bit more each day, just around 40 minutes. The rest are pretty much spot on!

Reply Yeast Free Living on 6 Dec 2010

This is a great list. I think number 4 and 7 are the most important. I know so many people that have been on a "diet" forever but don't lose the weight they want to lose because they don't exercise. I have been most successful dropping pounds when I made the goal healthy lifestyle change and not just losing weight.

Reply Doug on 6 Dec 2010

These 7 points are absolutely SPOT-ON.

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Video Exposes Horrible Conditions at Embattled Egg Farm

Earlier this month, Jackson, Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods Inc., recalled 24,000 dozen eggs purchased from Ohio Fresh Eggs LLC, of Croton, Ohio, over possible salmonella contamination.

After routine sampling, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified Cal-Maine that eggs tested positive for salmonella, spurring the immediate recall.

And now, a Humane Society video taken by an undercover investigator working at the Cal-Maine farm in Waelder, Texas, reveals rampant animal abuse and food-safety violations.

The video is very graphic; lots of dead birds, overcrowded cages, eggs covered in blood, poop, and broken eggs, and - as you can see in the screen capture - a dead bird lying on the conveyor belt as eggs roll by.

The Humane Society says Cal-Maine is the biggest egg producer in North America, and is been cited for infractions before. Previously Cal-Maine recalled 288,000 eggs after the FDA found salmonella enteritidis on test samples.

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U.S. Sweet Potatoes All the Rage in Europe

Great Britain gave us Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and John Lennon, so now we're returning the favor... sending the Brits all our sweet potatoes.

While the U.S. dollar sinks deeper into the toilet, American sweet potato exports, between 2005 and 2009, have more than doubled, reaching $51.4 million. Great Britain is the major buyer.

Wow, I can't picture our sophisticated tea-sipping neighbors to the east, cooking up those disgusting sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top. My word!

American sweet potatoes are becoming very popular in Europe. In Ireland - yes, Ireland, the holy land for spuds - sweet potato imports from the United States are up $125,000. Not a lot? It was zero in 2005.

People from the South are going to laugh at this, but for a long time supermarkets in Europe branded sweet potatoes as in "exotic" vegetable. So, why is sweet potato mania now taking Europe by storm? One answer is kind of funny.

Food safety is a big deal in Europe, and size matters. Luckily new equipment has helped American farmers grow more uniform looking sweet potatoes, making them more acceptable by European standards. Just like the Brits, so concerned with keeping up appearances.

The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission - no really, there's actually a potato commission - says increased marketing efforts and promotions in European supermarkets have also increased demand overseas.

I'm happy to see this. I think good trade relations between countries is necessary for global prosperity. Plus, sweet potatoes are so good, they're one of my favorite foods; baked, roasted, French fried, whatever! Just not with marshmallows, that way wreaks of mental illness. Sorry.

Now, if you want to add some class to your holiday meal, and not the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, try Mama Pugliese's sweet potato recipe.

Sweet Potatoes With Maple Syrup

3 to 4 sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch thick slices
1/4 cup natural maple syrup
2 tbsp soy or almond milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice
Sprinkle of salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a shallow baking dish with non-stick spray. Add all of the ingredients on to a baking dish. Toss well to mix and coat potatoes. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover, turn gently, and continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes, or until fork-tender.

Image credit: DisneyLiving

Food potatoes recipes 12 Comments Anya on 4 Dec 2010

Well I can tell you that your neighbours look on the American sweet potatoes with marshmallows with a kind of awed horrer...

We love sweet potato & prawn cakes with a soy dressing and a salad on the side. Not a hint of sweetener in the whole dish. Or plain old mash with a dash of nutmeg. One thing we often do is make a curry dish without meat using sweet potato - a sweet potato rendang is heavenly - cuts the calorie count of the dish and tastes oh so good!! I'm currently trying to grow my own :)

btw its "reeks havoc" not "wreaks havoc" ...

Reply Berzerker on 4 Dec 2010

It's funny, I've always had my sweet potatoes boiled, with a bit of cinnamon - That's it. And about a year ago someone told me people put all of this syrup and marshmallows and crap on them and I thought "Why would you ruin perfectly good food like that?" I've been looking into growing my own, but the Okinawa kind - Much better flavor.

Reply lana on 5 Dec 2010

Same. Cinnamon was something new for me. I always had it baked with the skin on. Never had it with sugar syrups or marshmallows. That just seems gross to me.

Reply Mehitabel on 4 Dec 2010

Uh no, it's "wreaks" havoc, not "reeks".

Reply O. on 4 Dec 2010

My parents are from the South and I never liked sweet potatoes!

All my life I have seen them covet the groceries from back home that they missed. Bringing tons with them back to California after a visit and later being able to find items here.

They grww up eating sugar cane syrup on their pancakes instead of maple or maple flavored syrup. The stuff looks like motor oil and smells gross. Out here they sometimes resort to buying dark corn syrup but won't eat maple unless it is at a restaurant.

Other favorites like grits and cornmeal are easy to find everywhere now. And of course there is the current national obsession with the southern favorite red velvet cake.

It's nice to know that the love for southern food has spread to other countries. They need to watch their waistlines though!.

Reply juliamako3 on 4 Dec 2010

u r right

Reply mehitabel on 4 Dec 2010

Sweet potatoes? Europe can have them.

Reply dwayneyao3 on 5 Dec 2010

is it sweet potate

Reply Alexie on 5 Dec 2010

I live in Germany and I use sweet potatoes a lot - either mashed up with some curry powder, or as a roasted vegetable. It's a really good food.

Never, never, never with marshmallows.

Yech.

Reply Spectra on 5 Dec 2010

I love sweet potatoes! I don't like them with a ton of sugar and other garbage on them; I prefer mine to be just baked with a little salt and pepper and olive oil on them. Mmmm :)

Reply richardb10 on 5 Dec 2010

this is good

Reply bijou on 6 Dec 2010

I love sweet potatoes! I too don't understand why you would sweeten a naturally sweet food. Marshmallows on sweet potatoes (yuck!), sugar on strawberries, etc. The sweetness of sweet potatoes is palpable even when you put salt on them! They're delicious.

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Sesame Street Goes Healthy

The last few years have been a whirlwind for the Cookie Monster. From having to dispel tabloid rumors about his name being changed to the "Vegetable Monster," to his recent run in the limelight, which centered on an aggressive campaign to host Saturday Night Live.

Although the cookie monster will not be changing the name on his birth certificate, the Sesame Street executives are trying to do their part when it comes to promoting healthy eating, with a specific aim to nourish those who don't meet basic nutritional needs.

Jeanette Betancourt, vice president of content design for the education, research and outreach department of Sesame Workshop, said:We found there were really very few resources engaging young children and helping them engage not only in healthy habits but also in knowing that as a family they're not alone in this.

The program provides families with an educational kit, including;

A video featuring four new Muppets, the "Super foods" - Banana, cheese, whole-grain roll and broccoli. Elmo and friends, including real families, as they try new foods, learn about healthy snacks and discover the importance of sharing a meal together.

The superfoods (although not official Sesame Street cast members) sing and dance, encouraging children to try new healthy foods. The 400,000 kits will be distributed to lower income families and segments will air on the show this month (December 2010). You can watch the video segments here.

While this latest campaign is more focal and extensive, Sesame Street and specifically the oft-criticized cookie glutton have actually been promoting healthier eating for a while. To wit, in 1987, the Cookie Monster rapped about healthy food.

More recently, "Hoots" the owl waxed poetic to the Cookie Monster about cookies being a "sometimes food".

The burning question remains, however, will campaigns like this have a noticeable impact on the foods children eat?

Celebrities Teens and Kids cartoons sesame street 5 Comments Camp Shane on 8 Dec 2010

This is definitely a step in the right direction for children. Children start out watching television at such a young age and are so influenced by the media. This is why the advertising of junk-food is so influential on what kids want. A program such as this one will teach children more about proper nutrition and healthy food. At Camp Shane weight loss camp for children (www.campshane.com) and Shane Diet Resorts weight loss program for adults (www.shanedietresorts.com), nutrition is a top priority because we know how effective it can be on the overall healthy lifestyle. The younger you can begin this healthy lifestyle and maintain it, the better!

Reply jack9black on 8 Dec 2010

wow nice

Reply Duane on 8 Dec 2010

This is not going to make one bit of difference. For starters, it comes down to the parents plain and simple. If they don't provide healthy foods and keep the junk out of the home, then its all for not.

Second, junk food and fast food advertising far outweighs the little bit of media attention healthy alternatives get so its a losing battle. Kids can watch a few minutes of healthy Sesame Street characters going on about carrots and broccoli but then will spend the rest of the day being bombarded with ads for McDonalds, Pizza Hut, sugar laden cereals, chips, candy, etc.

Third, many of us grew up watching Sesame Street and I'm sure the Cookie Monster's cookie addiction didn't turn us into cookie craving freaks. Just more hyperbole.

Bottom line, focus on the parents. They're the ones who control the food.

Reply Melanie Thomassian R.D. on 8 Dec 2010

Duane, I have to agree with you! While I'm happy to see healthy eating getting a bit of positive coverage, I also watched Sesame Street as a child, and the Cookie Monster is certainly not to blame for my own love of cookies!!

Reply Laura on 8 Dec 2010

Cheese? A super food? It may be dairy but it's SUPER high in calories! No wonder so many Americans are overweight...

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Stability Ball For The Abs?

1j ingJuly 26, 2010 at 7:17 pm

I really like your website and I find it very useful, I want to add that I use the swiss bal for clients and myself for warmups and sophisticated complex movements to loosen problems from car accidents or surgery where the body is confused or needs its own body weight to organize itself on its own terms, ie self balancing one’s own weight in full range motions of twists and turns. This is more like dance training or gymnastic or contact improve, pilates, style training. This is of course not high end bodybuilding. Instabilty training is more for recruiting groups of muscle as warm ups or warm downs or for people who find yoga too static. Like comparing yoga to bodybuilding, not right or wrong, but very useful for very specific goals. You are very right that instability ball training or balance boards, do not focus force for heavy weight lifting into the peak contraction. I would just the opposite happens, the instability recruits thousands of tiny muscles of the spine, occiput, and rib cage and coordinates them with the standard core muscle groups in sports training. When i have clients with back pain, if they first warm up slowly with short situps and then increase to full range situps over the whole ball , then normal crunches and bodybuilding exercise can happen without back pain.

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