Advent is the liturgical (and traditionally, penitential) season of expectant waiting and preparation for the coming of Jesus at Christmas, but it is easy for the significance of Advent to be lost amidst the chaos surrounding the holidays.

So how can we reclaim this holy season? How can we enter into and allow it to make our hearts a suitable dwelling place for Christ?

Keep reading for some uniquely Catholic suggestions.

Prayer

Advent Wreath

Perhaps the most popular Advent tradition, an Advent Wreath is a beautiful (and easy) way to bring prayer into your home. Light a new candle each Sunday and recite the special prayers for each one with your family. Each candle has a special meaning that can help you prepare spiritually for the birth of Jesus.

Jesse Tree

The Jesse Tree is another traditional Advent activity and one that is particularly good to do with young children. Each day of Advent, you will read about someone on Jesus’s family tree in the Bible and hang an ornament symbolizing the story on your Jesse Tree.

It illustrates the Story of Salvation and shows how God prepared for Jesus to be born through many generations.

Pray the O Antiphons

The antiphons accompanying the Magnificat in Evening Prayer from December 17-23 are commonly referred to as the “O Antiphons.” (You may recognize them as the verses of the popular Advent hymn, O Come, O Come Emmanuel).

These short prayers highlight the names of the Messiah and use ancient biblical imagery to proclaim Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament hopes for a Savior.

Make Room for Silence

With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, silence is not easy to come by. But it is in the silence of our hearts that God speaks to us, so it is extra important to carve out times for interior quiet during Advent.

Maybe wake up a few minutes earlier to spend some time journaling or turn off your phone for an hour a day. Visit Jesus in the adoration chapel or keep the music off in the car while driving to do your Christmas shopping.

Make room for silence in your day to help you more clearly hear the voice of God.

Add a Daily Devotional

There are so many Advent devotionals available that can help you focus your prayers on the holiness of the season. You could add the St. Andrew Christmas Novena to your daily prayer or pick up a spiritual (and seasonally appropriate) book. Pietra Fitness’ Advent Series even offers seasonal meditations, so you can pray with your body, mind, and soul.

Penance

Observe Advent Embertide

Consider observing Ember Days, three days set apart by the Church for fasting and prayer around the changing of the seasons. During Advent, the winter Ember Days fall on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the Feast of St. Lucy (December 13).

Go to Confession

Confession is one of the most powerful sacraments given to us by the Church, especially during Advent. Confession will help you prepare for both of Christ’s comings: the coming at Christmas and at the end of time.

It is an encounter with God’s loving mercy and provides the faithful with graces necessary for holiness.

Give Up Christmas Music

We know it’s been on the radio since the day after Halloween, but consider giving up listening to Christmas music during Advent. Besides, Christmas goes until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord so you’ve got plenty of time to listen to your favorite tunes then.

Instead, listen to traditional Advent hymns like Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, or Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.

Music can really help us more fully enter into each season, and allowing yourself to experience Advent can make for a more joyous Christmas season.

Almsgiving

Giving Tree

Brighten up someone’s Christmas by buying a gift for a local child who may not have received a present otherwise. Many parishes offer a Giving or Angel tree, making it easy for you to donate toys or clothing for families in need.

Organize a Food/Clothing Drive

Love your neighbors who might be going without food or shelter this winter by collecting items that meet a physical need.

Collect canned goods for your community’s food pantry, gather up coats, hats, and toiletries for the homeless in your city, or donate diapers to the crisis pregnancy center.

Make a Monetary Donation to Charity

Or instead of donating physical items, you can choose to support nonprofits that work with and care for others by making a monetary donation. Your donation will allow these organizations to continue to serve others and is a beautiful way to help the poor.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, full of feasting, shopping, gift-giving, party-going, and not a lot of exercise.

With all the hustle and bustle surrounding the holiday season, it’s easy to forget about your fitness goals until the new year rolls around.

Don’t let your workouts become like the Ghost of Christmas Past, instead try these 7 tips to help you keep up with exercise during the holidays.

1. Plan for it

Are you traveling for Thanksgiving? Going to visit family for Christmas? Set yourself up for success in your workout routine by planning ahead.

Book a hotel with an indoor pool or fitness center. Find a park near your parents’ home for daily walks. Make sure you pack your running shoes and workout clothes in your luggage.

Considering how you can incorporate fitness into your vacation plans can give you a headstart on actualizing your desire for consistent exercise.

2. Prioritize your Health

It’s easy to excuse certain (re: unhealthy) behaviors during the holidays, so this time of the year has the potential to be hard on your overall health.

Enjoy relaxing and celebrating with family (and that slice of apple pie after Thanksgiving dinner), but don’t throw out all of the healthy habits you’ve worked to cultivate during the rest of the year.

Get a good night’s sleep. Minimize stress. Eat your veggies. Stay hydrated. Taking care of yourself will help you get the most enjoyment out of the season and your body will thank you.

3. Wake up early

Many people, especially when visiting family for the holidays, find that mornings are the best time of the day to workout. Exercising in the morning eliminates the possibility of getting distracted later in the day (and letting your workout fall to the wayside).

Your morning also sets the tone for the day, so prioritizing fitness and wellness will motivate you to foster healthy habits all day and all season long.

4. Simplify your workout

With travel plans and packed schedules, you might not have time for a full workout every day, and that is okay!

Eliminate the “all or nothing” mindset when it comes to exercising during the craziness of the holiday season. Set reasonable goals for your fitness during this time. Choose one or two exercises that you want to focus on and work to fit those into your day.

5. Get Creative

There’s a lot of ways to fit in exercise without having to go to the gym. Park further from the post office, take an extra lap around the mall or airport terminal, offer to walk your in-laws’ dog, or do squats while waiting for the oven to heat up. Get creative and find natural ways to work exercise into your daily life during this season.

6. Involve the family

You don’t have to sacrifice time with family to keep up with your fitness goals. Find ways to make your workout time quality family time.

Invite a family member to join you at the gym or on a run. Play a game of tag football before Thanksgiving dinner or take a walk before opening gifts on Christmas morning. Who knows? You might even start a new family tradition.

7. Embrace the season

Get into the holiday spirit while staying fit! The upcoming holidays offer a lot of festive opportunities to stay active, like participating in a local (or virtual) Turkey Trot or a Jingle Bell Run.

With Advent just days away, you can also enter into the new liturgical season and get in shape at the same time with Pietra Fitness’s Advent series.

Gratitude, as the philosopher Cicero said is “...the parent of all the [other virtues]” but certainly one of the most difficult to cultivate.

It’s difficult at times to find things to be thankful for or to feel gratefulness rather than dissatisfaction. But Gratitude can not only positively affect our lives (and health) but also deepen our relationship with God and the people around us.

How can we foster the virtue of gratitude in our own lives? Give these suggestions a try!

Cultivate Humility

Gratitude flows from humility. “If souls are humble, they will be moved to give thanks,” St. Teresa of Ávila said.

Humility is knowing who we are before God. It helps us clearly see our faults as well as our strengths, and in doing so, it helps us recognize our need for God and His presence in our life, as well as all the gifts and graces He has poured out on us.

Change your language

Do you find yourself complaining a lot? Changing the way you talk about your life, especially the challenges, can help the seeds of gratitude grow in your heart.

Dan Baker writes in What Happy People Know: “Just as changing your life can change your language, changing your language can change your life. It can alter your perceptions and thought processes.”

By simply changing the way you speak, you can see the world through a more grateful lens.

Keep a Gratitude Journal

Taking a little time every day to write down what you are thankful for is a great practice for cultivating this virtue. It can help you begin to more easily approach your life with a spirit of thankfulness, helping you see everything as a gift.

This small exercise in gratitude also offers some amazing health benefits including better sleep, less stress, and may possibly even lower your risk of heart disease and lessen symptoms of depression.1

Unplug

While social media can be a fabulous tool for connecting with friends and family, the almost unlimited access we have to the [curated] lives of other people can also sow seeds of comparison and discontentment.

If you find yourself scrolling endlessly on your phone and social apps (and find yourself unsatisfied with your own life after doing so), it might be time for a break. Take a few days to unplug from the online world and reconnect to loved ones IRL (in real life).

Write a Thank You Note

Thank someone who has blessed your life in some way, big or small. Write a thank-you note to God, your spouse, your parents, or your best friend. Taking just a few minutes to intentionally show gratitude, either in writing or in person, can not only help you avoid taking the people in your life for granted but might even brighten someone’s day.

Say Grace

“You say grace before meals...But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing, and grace before I dip the pen in the ink,” Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton once said.

Incorporating prayers of thanksgiving, or even a simple “Glory Be” into your activities (including your workout!) is a great way to thank God for the gift of your life, but also can help you approach your daily tasks with a heart of gratitude.

In each of our Pietra Fitness classes, we even take time to show gratitude toward God through prayers of thanksgiving.

Go to Mass

Did you know that the word “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving?” Jesus gave us His whole self in the gift of the Eucharist and the greatest act of gratitude we can do is to receive Him with a loving heart.

Attending Mass regularly gives you a multitude of graces to help you grow in this great virtue of gratitude.

The Liturgical Calendar of the Catholic Church gives shape and meaning to the year, allowing us to order our days more toward God. But the liturgical feasts are just the beginning.

Since the 16th century, the Church has assigned special devotions to each month of the year to help us grow closer to God, His Son, and His Saints. Read on to learn about the devotion and meaning given to each month, and how you can celebrate at home.

January: The Holy Name of Jesus

Major Feast: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3)

We kick off the year by remembering the “...name that is above every name” (Phillipians 2:9). The Holy Name of Jesus contains immense power and majesty.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “The name ‘Jesus’ contains all: God and man and the whole economy of creation and salvation. To pray ‘Jesus’ is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him.”1

How to celebrate: Pray the Jesus prayer, or make reparations to the sins against the Holy Name of Jesus by praying the Divine Praises every day this month.

February: The Holy Family

In February we honor the Holy Family. The Holy Family is the most perfect reflection of the love of the Trinity and sets before us the most perfect model of virtue for all Christian homes.

In the words of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII, "Nothing truly can be more salutary or efficacious for Christian families to meditate upon than the example of this Holy Family, which embraces the perfection and completeness of all domestic virtues."

How to celebrate: Pray with (or for) your family during this month. At the start of each day, ask Jesus, Mary, and Joseph for the grace to follow their example of love and selflessness.

March: St. Joseph

Major Feast: The Feast of St. Joseph (March 19)

Although not much is written in the Scriptures about the earthly father of Jesus and spouse of the Blessed Mother, we know that he was a holy and just man. He humbly accepts his role in salvation history and faithfully followed God’s will for him and his family.

St. Alphonsus Liguori is one of many saints who encouraged devotion to this holy man. He said: “We should, indeed, honor St. Joseph, since the Son of God Himself was graciously pleased to honor him by calling him father...If, then, the King of Kings was pleased to raise Joseph to so high a dignity, it is right and obligatory on our part to endeavor to honor him as much as we can.”

How to celebrate: Pray the Litany of St. Joseph and consider consecrating yourself to his care.

April: The Blessed Sacrament

Major Feast: Holy Thursday (when applicable)

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life; all of our works are oriented toward it. Jesus’ body, blood, soul, and divinity are truly present in a small host. When we receive the Blessed Sacrament we unite ourselves to God and receive the life and healing He longs to give us.

Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta said: “The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth. Each moment that you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make your soul everlastingly more glorious and beautiful in Heaven, and will help bring about everlasting peace on earth.”

How to celebrate: Spend time in Adoration or attend another Mass during the week in addition to your Sunday obligation.

May:The Blessed Virgin Mary

Major Feast: Feast of the Visitation (May 31)

Her “yes” at the Annunciation illustrates the Blessed Virgin Mary’s perfect humility, obedience, and openness to the Holy Spirit that we are called to imitate in our own lives. In becoming the Mother of God, she also became the Mother of the whole Church.

So, in the words of St. Francis de Sales: “Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence.”

How to celebrate: Have a May Crowning; adorn a statue of the Blessed Mother with a crown of flowers or place a vase of flowers near her image.

June: The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Major Feast: Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Friday following Corpus Christi Sunday)

The Sacred Heart is a profound reminder of the humanity of our Lord and of His immense love for us. It is often depicted as a heart, bloodied and broken, but burning with Love. This image beautifully illustrates the great sacrifice that Christ made for you.

As Jesus said to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque: "Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love."

How to celebrate: Pray Padre Pio’s go-to novena to the Sacred Heart before bed or begin the first Friday devotion.

July: The Precious Blood

Major Feast: Feast of the Most Precious Blood (July 1)

The Precious Blood of Christ is what redeemed us from our sin. St. Paul tells us that Jesus reconciled “to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Col. 1:20). It gives us life, cleanses us of our sins, and assures our eternal inheritance.

How to celebrate: Remember the “blood and water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us,” by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet daily at 3 pm.

August: The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Major Feast: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15); Feast of the Queenship of Mary (August 22)

The heart of Mary is full of love for God, and, because she is sinless, hers is the only human heart capable of loving God the way we were meant to. The image of the Immaculate Heart recognizes Mary's extraordinary holiness and the great love she has for her son that we are called to imitate.

How to celebrate: Keep the Immaculate Heart close to you by wearing the Miraculous Medal, which has an image of Our Lady’s Heart on the back.

September: The Seven Sorrows of Mary

Major Feast: The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows (September 15)

Mary’s Immaculate Heart is often depicted as pierced by seven swords, representing the sorrows that she experienced with and alongside her Son. In perfect obedience to God and His will, Mary consented to her Son’s passion and death, entering into his sorrow in a way only a mother can.

How to celebrate: Pray the Seven Sorrows Rosary or meditate with Luke 2:34-35 when Simeon prophesied the sorrows Mary would undergo.

October: The Holy Rosary

Major Feast: Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7)

The Rosary is one of the most powerful forms of prayer that the Church gives to the faithful; popes, saints, even the Blessed Mother herself have spoken on the importance of praying the Rosary. Like Padre Pio who said: “Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.”

It’s a simple but profound way to meditate on the life of Jesus and to grow closer to Mary who will always lead us to her Son.

How to celebrate: Pray the Rosary (or pray a decade of the rosary).

November: The Holy Souls in Purgatory

Major Feast: All Souls’ Day (November 1)

As Catholics, we believe that the Church is made up of the souls here on earth, the saints in heaven, and the souls suffering in Purgatory. The souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves and need our prayers and sacrifices to enter fully into the Beatific Vision. November is a set aside for the faithful to remember and pray for these brothers and sisters of ours.

How to celebrate: Visit the cemetery and pray for the dead. Not only is praying for the dead a spiritual work of mercy, but the Church also offers a plenary indulgence for those who do this during the first week of November.

December: The Immaculate Conception

Major Feast: The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8)

The Blessed Mother was called “full of Grace” by the angel Gabriel because she was first conceived without sin. As the Church prepares for the coming of Christ on Christmas day, meditating on the mystery of Mary’s immaculate conception can remind us of the saving work Jesus came to do through His Incarnation.

How to celebrate: Go to confession. This a great way to prepare for Christmas and give you the grace to imitate Mary’s virtues.

Water is essential for life.

It makes up about 60% of the human person and plays a major role in making sure your body’s systems stay healthy and functioning.

You naturally lose water throughout the day by going to the bathroom or sweating but if you lose more water than you’re taking in, your body can become dehydrated and cause headaches, dizziness, confusion, and mood swings among other health issues.

Follow these five tips to ensure that your body stays happy and hydrated:

1. Start the day off right

Before you reach for your morning coffee, have a glass of water. After not drinking anything for 8 hours, we wake up relatively dehydrated.

Although coffee can help you meet your daily fluid needs, water alone can aid your digestion and metabolism.1 Plus, water can help with overcoming fatigue.

Kicking off your morning by drinking water also builds a healthy habit that can help ensure you get enough water for the rest of the day.

2. Invest in a new water bottle

A reusable water bottle makes it easy and convenient to keep water on hand throughout your day, making it easier to stay hydrated. A reusable water bottle is also cost-effective and can eliminate harmful chemicals (like hormone-disrupting BPA) often found in single-use plastic bottles.2

3. Spice it up

If you don't like the taste of plain water, try adding a slice of lemon or lime to your drink. Not only does it help make water more appetizing, it also offers some amazing health benefits. Both lemons and limes are rich sources of Vitamin C, other antioxidants, and flavonoids which can improve your overall physical and mental health, and reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, and dementia.3

You might also consider using oranges, raspberries, cucumber, basil, or mint to give your water a little bit more interesting flavor.

4. Eat hydrating foods

It’s estimated that 20% of your daily water intake comes from the food you eat. Eating a wide variety of fruits and veggies (and even certain meats) can help you stay hydrated.

Watermelon, strawberries, cucumber, lettuce, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, and others are not only excellent sources of water, but are also full of vitamins and nutrients important to your overall health.

5. Track your hydration

Using a tracker can help significantly with motivation when it comes to the vital (but sometimes boring) task of drinking water. Seeing hydration as a goal and monitoring your progress can help solidify the action into a strong habit.

While a paper and pen works just fine, you may want to opt for a hydration-tracking app on your smartphone which allows you to keep track of what you’re consuming. Many of these apps will also send you reminders throughout the day to help keep you on track.

When it comes to fitness, strengthening hips are probably not high on your agenda. And often enough, the hips aren’t a part of the body that we really think about until they start to bother us.

However, your hips are the largest ball-and-socket joints in your body, and the muscles surrounding it are crucial for supporting your pelvis and core. They are needed to build a strong foundation for bodily movement and function.

However, if these muscles are tight, it weakens the foundation. The body then has to compensate to adjust for the deficit, often causing injury and a host of other problems.

Keep reading to discover the different muscles that contribute to hip health, the benefits of strengthening them, and the exercises and workouts you can do from home that will help you, not only protect this important part of your body but also meet your health and fitness goals.

Hips Don’t Lie

There are over twenty muscles across the hip and pelvis that make movement possible. These hip muscles are broken down into five main groups based on their function:

• Hip Flexors
• Hip Extensors
• Hip Adductor
• Hip Abductor
• Rotators

These muscle groups work together to allow your body to movements and activities vital to your everyday life. Walking, running, jumping, sitting, climbing stairs, bending over, and even just standing all require the strength of these various muscles.

Have you ever noticed the feeling of tightness in your hips or lower back after a prolonged period of inactivity?

The hip muscles need to be extended and stretched regularly to keep them flexible and functioning the way they should. Spending a lot of time sitting in front of a computer or in a car for your daily commute will cause these muscles to get weak and tight, often causing pain or discomfort.

Tight hips can negatively impact your posture and the way you walk can put unnecessary stress on your back and knees, and can cause injury.

Benefits of Hip Exercises

Exercises that stretch and strengthen the hip muscles are important to keeping your body moving and grooving. They specifically:

• Enhance core stability, balance, and posture
• Increase flexibility
• Increase circulation
• Allows you to perform daily and life-giving activities such as walking, running, dancing, jumping, even standing with ease and without pain
• Reduces the risk of other injuries1

The Arthritis Foundation says that exercise is important for keeping your hips functional and free of pain.2

9 Workouts that Focus on Hip Health

Practicing Pietra Fitness is a great way to keep the muscles in your body healthy. Here are nine workouts from Pietra Fitness that specifically target the muscles surrounding your hips helping to relieve discomfort, decrease tightness, and increase mobility.

1. Lent: Hip Strengthener

Focus: Hip Flexor Strengthener

Level: Gentle

Do you have poor posture, tightness or soreness in your lower back or hips, or pain in your neck or glutes? Tight hip flexors may be the source of your discomfort. This 25-minute workout includes exercises that will stretch and strengthen not only your hip flexors but also your back, glutes, and core which are all essential for loosening your muscles, increasing your range of motion, improving your posture, and preventing injuries.

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2. Live! from Home: Delight

Focus: Balanced

Level: Gentle

Set to peaceful music, this 43-minute class incorporates postures and exercises that will lightly stretch and strengthen the muscles in your entire body, including your hip flexors, leaving you feeling relaxed and refreshed.

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3. Sedentary Rx

Focus: Back and Hips Body

Level: Gentle

Sitting at a desk, in front of a computer, or in the car for extended periods of time day after day can cause the muscles and tendons in your back and hips to become tight and sore. Sedentary Rx is a soothing remedy. By targeting these tense areas, this 42-minute workout will not only open up your back, neck, shoulders, chest, hips, and inner thighs but also make them stronger.

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4. Sunrise Stretch

Focus: Morning Stretch Body

Level: Gentle

This short 18-minute class is a quick way to prepare your body, mind, and soul for the day through exercise and prayer. You will begin Sunrise Stretch in a cross-legged seated position, working on your breath and thanking God for the gift of today. Through a series of twists, side bends, arm circles, and more, you will loosen up your neck, shoulders, back, and hips.

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5. Advent: Hip & Healthy

Focus: Hips Body

Level: 1

Release tension in your hips and increase your range of motion with this 29-minute workout. You will flow through three separate series of lunges that will challenge your balance and work your entire body as your move from planks and chest lifts to lunges and other poses—sinking lower into the positions for a deeper hip stretch.

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6. Lent: Hip Top Shape

Focus: Hips Body

Level: 1

The stretching and strengthening exercises in Lent: Hip-Top Shape are one way to restore joint mobility, keep your hips strong, and relieve hip pain. This 33-minute video will help you workout your hip joints, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and inner thighs, allowing you to walk, run, or maybe even skip—into the rest of the day.

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7. TOB: Restorative

Focus: Restorative Body

Level: 1

Because of the natural, everyday wear and tear on our bodies, we can all benefit from restorative workouts like TOB: Restorative. This 27-minute workout includes a series of gentle movements and stretches that will help release tension in your body and increase circulation.

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8. TOB: Angle Pose/Side Body

Focus: Angle Pose/Side Body

Level: 1

Is tightness or pain in your back preventing you from doing everyday activities? Increase your spinal mobility and get your body feeling better with this calming 30-minute class. If you have tight hips and hamstrings, you will really enjoy the exercises that stretch these joints and muscles.

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9. Live! From Home: Hip Hip Hooray

Focus: Hips

Level: 2

Stretch and strengthen your hips and hip flexors with this 42-minute workout. You’ll flow through postures and exercises like hip circles, pike split, low lunge, squats, elevated chest lift on toes, lunges, open arabesque, standing linked backbend, and more that not only target your hips but also work your entire body from head to foot.

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Have you ever struggled with motivation when it comes to your fitness journey? Does the allure of the snooze button or a Netflix binge-session often win out over your daily workout? Have you ever found yourself making excuses as to why you shouldn’t exercise today?

Pursuing health and wellness requires perseverance, discipline, and sacrifice. In short, it requires courage, and courage is not always easy to come by.

Thankfully, the Catholic Church offers us the greatest examples of courage: the saints.

Throughout the history of Christianity, holy men and women have overcome great difficulties for the Kingdom of God, not only with spiritual persistence, but also physical endurance and strength.

Check out these five saints who glorified God through their bodies, minds, and spirits and who can help you do the same (especially at that 5 am wakeup call).

St. Sebastian

St. Sebastian was an early Christian saint and martyr. He was one of the captains of the Praetorian Guards, responsible for protecting Emperor Diocletian, a great persecutor of the Christians.

When he was reported to be a Christian, the Emperor had Sebastian used as target practice. Despite arrows piercing his body, Sebastian survived the first attempt at martyrdom (though he was later killed for his faith). He is considered the patron saint of athletes because of his great physical endurance.

St. Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc was a French peasant girl who turned the tide of the Hundred Years War. When she was 12, Joan had visions of St. Michael the Archangel, St. Catherine of Alexandria, and St. Margaret of Antioch who told her that she was meant to help Charles VII ascend the throne as the rightful king of France.

She joined the army and led French troops against the English, helping them to recapture the cities of Orléans and Troyes. She became known as the patroness of soldiers for her incredible faith, bravery, and strength.

St. Hyacinth

One of the miracles associated with St. Hyacinth, a Polish Dominican priest and missionary, came about from a Mongol attack on Kiev. As his brothers prepared to flee the invaders, Hyacinth went to save the ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament from the monastery chapel, when he heard the Blessed Mother, asking him to take her as well.

Despite the statue weighing more than he could ordinarily hold, Hyacinth lifted the large, stone statue and carried both it and the ciborium to safety. So, you might think of him as the (unofficial) patron of weightlifting.

St. Gianna Molla

St. Gianna Beretta Molla, a 20th-century Italian wife, mother, physician, and saint. During her fourth pregnancy, a tumor was discovered on her uterus but removing it would have killed the child. She refused to terminate the pregnancy and ultimately gave her life for her child.

This brave woman dedicated both her professional and personal life to caring and protecting the life and health of others. She was also a lover of adventure and enjoyed skiing and mountain climbing.

Pope Saint John Paul II

The Polish-born Pope spoke often on the importance of sports on the spiritual development of young people and delivered a series of 129 lectures on the integration of the body and spirit called the Theology of the Body.

He was also an avid skier, hiker, athlete who, during his pontificate, even had a swimming pool installed at his summer residence to help him stay physically fit. He can show you how to turn your physical activity into a prayer.

So next time you are struggling to find the motivation and courage needed to commit to your health and fitness journey, invoke the intercession of these holy men and women (or any of these other great saints).

Every class offered by Pietra Fitness has a unique patron saint who can accompany you as you strive to glorify God with your entire being.

If you’ve ever experienced back pain, you’re not alone. According to the American Chiropractic Association, roughly 80 percent of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives.1 In fact, back pain is the third most common reason for visits to the doctor, and one of the most frequent reasons for missed work.2 Why? Because your back is a complicated structure of muscles, ligaments, joints, and bones, which makes it very susceptible to injury.3

From a persistent dull ache to a sudden sharp pang, back pain can affect people of all ages and result from a variety of causes, including sprains, accidental injuries, disease, arthritis, or being overweight or sedentary.4 Even simply picking up a light object off the ground can cause pain in your back if it isn't functioning properly.5

Back pain can diminish your quality of life, prevent you from doing your job or attending social activities, and keep you from  completing everyday tasks. But taking care of your back now will give you pain relief in the present, lower your chances of experiencing back pain later, and improve your overall well being.

Here is an intro to the structure of your back to help you better understand how it works, thirteen ways to protect your back, and five workouts to keep your back healthy, flexible, and strong.

Structure of Your Back

Your back consists of your spine and spinal cord and several different muscles, ligaments, and nerves. These structures work together to support your body, enable a range of flexible movements, protect vital organs, and send messages from your brain to the rest of your body.6

Let’s take a quick look at a few of those structures.

Your spine

Your spine is composed of thirty-three bones (vertebrae). Facet joints connect these vertebrae together to form your spinal canal, protecting your spinal cord. Fluid supports the free movement of the facet joints, and a disk between each vertebra cushions these bones from any shocks. There are also two main ligaments (tough, flexible bands of fibrous connecting tissue that join two bones or cartilages) that connect and support the spine from the neck to the lower back.

Your spine consists of five sections:

• Cervical spine: Running from your neck to your upper back, the cervical spine is the top part of your spine. It consists of seven vertebrae, protects the nerves that connect to your brain, supports the weight of your head, and permits your head to move freely.
• Thoracic spine: Consisting of twelve vertebrae, the thoracic spine connects the cervical spine (above) and the lumbar spine (below). It is the middle part of your spine and plays a major role in keeping your body stable and upright.
• Lumbar spine: Made up of the five largest vertebrae and supporting most of your body’s weight, the lumbar spine is in the lower part of your back.
• Sacrum: Joining to the hip bones, the sacrum is the bottom part of the spine and  has five vertebrae that are fused together
• Coccyx: Also known as the tailbone, the coccyx is the base of your spine. It consists of just four fused vertebrae and attaches to ligaments and muscles around the pelvis.

Your spinal cord

Running from your neck to your lower back, your spinal cord consists of nerves that carry messages to and from the brain. Believe it or not, your spinal cord not only helps you move but also . . .

• have an awareness of your limbs
• feel hot and cold sensations
• regulate your body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate
• breath
• urinate and have bowel movements7

And, just like your spine has five sections, your spinal cord has five sections of corresponding spinal nerves:

• cervical nerves
• thoracic nerves
• lumbar nerves
• sacral nerves
• coccygeal nerves

Muscles in your back

Your back is made up of three different muscle groups: extrinsic (superficial) muscles, intermediate muscles, and intrinsic muscles.

Your extrinsic back muscles—trapezius, latissimus dorsi, levator scapulae, and rhomboids—make it possible for you to move your limbs. These are probably the muscles that come to mind when you think of back muscles. Your intermediate back muscles—serratus posterior inferior and serratus posterior superior—help you breath and connect to the ribs. Your intrinsic back muscles are the deep muscles that allow you to rotate and bend.

14 Ways to Protect Your Back

Your nervous system (your brain, spinal cord, and nerves) is your body’s master communication system, so keeping your spine properly aligned and your back healthy is incredibly important to your overall wellness.

Here are thirteen effective ways to take care of your back, starting today.

1. Maintain a healthy weight

Carrying extra weight, especially around your middle, can shift your center of gravity, putting strain on—and causing pain in—your lower back. Staying within ten pounds of your ideal weight may help manage back pain.8

2. Eat a balanced diet

Focus on eating a diet rich in nutrient-dense whole foods, including lean protein, veggies, smart carbs (sweet potatoes, squash, brown rice, quinoa, fruit), and healthy fats (extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts). Try to eat less processed foods and drink less alcohol and fewer sweet drinks.

3. Get regular exercise—and make sure you warm up

According to experts, regular physical activity allows the discs in your spine to receive nutrition9 and can help ease inflammation and muscle tension10 in the back. Exercise also stretches, strengthens, and repairs muscles that support your back, such as the abdominal muscles.11 Before you engage in any physical activity, make sure you warm up. This will gradually raise your body temperature, increase the blood flow to your muscles, help reduce muscle soreness, and less your risk of injury.12

4. Stretch

Stretching on a regular basis can help you maintain a good range of motion and normal joint function,13 and staying flexible reduces the risk of injury. While stretching your back is important, stretching other muscles, too, can promote a healthy back. For example, stretching your hamstrings helps relieve stress on your lower back.14

Get in the habit of beginning your day with a few invigorating stretches. Not sure where to start? Try a short Pietra Fitness class, like Sunrise Stretch, or a longer stretch sesh, like Live! from Home: Morning Glory. These Gentle classes will help you not only loosen up your body but also feel more focused. calmer and more relaxed.  

Winding down at the end of the night with light stretching can improve your sleep. Gentle Pietra Fitness classes, such as Night Prayers, will calm your nervous system and help you relieve any tension you may be holding in your body—especially in your shoulders and neck—from the day.

5. Avoid prolonged periods of inactivity or bed rest

Lengthy sedentary periods or staying in one position for too long can cause stiffness and lack of mobility and flexibility in your back. Furthermore, when you don’t move or exercise on a regular basis, the discs in your spine become malnourished and degenerated.15

6. Maintain proper posture

According to MedlinePlus, “the key to good posture is the position of your spine. Your spine has three natural curves—at your neck, mid back, and low back. Correct posture should maintain these curves, but not increase them.”16

To stand in good posture, pretend you’re standing tall against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart and your weight mostly distributed on the balls of your feet.17 Your head should be straight and your ears should be over the middle of your shoulders. Roll your shoulders back so they are over your hips, and let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Pull your navel toward your spine, and don’t let your butt or hips stick out. If you must stand for a prolonged period of time, rest one foot on a stool and switch feet every five to fifteen minutes.18

When seated, sit all the way back in your chair. If your chair doesn’t have a low-back support, place a small, rolled-up towel or lumbar cushion behind you to maintain your spine’s natural curve. Bend your knees and keep them at the same height or a little higher than your hips. (Prop your feet up on footstool if needed.)

7. Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes

High-heeled shoes can shift your center of gravity, placing unnecessary strain on your lower back.19 Either opt for a one-inch heel or bring a pair of low-heeled shoes to change into if you begin to experience any discomfort.  

8. Pay attention to your sleeping position and mattress

If you currently experience back pain, some doctors suggest sleeping on your side with your knees slightly pulled up toward your chest.20 You can also use pillows for support, placing one under your knees and another under your lower back when you sleep on your back. If you get the best night’s rest sleeping on your stomach (which can be very hard on your back), place a pillow under your hips. To minimize any unnatural curve in your spine, stick with a medium-firm mattress.21

9. Lift smart

When lifting an object, do not lift with your back. Instead, bend your knees and squat. Engage your abdominal muscles and hold the object close to your body as you stand up, lifting with your knees. It’s also important not to twist your body when you’re lifting. And, if you have the option, push heavy objects rather than pull them.22

10. Quit smoking

Smoking impairs the flow of blood throughout your body. When nutrient-containing blood can’t get to your spinal tissues, they become deprived of oxygen and nourishment,23 leading to malnutrition, degeneration, and back pain.

11. Ditch the tight clothing

You may be surprised to learn that too-tight clothing can interfere with bending, sitting, or walking,24 which can cause or aggravate back pain.

12. Stay hydrated

The discs in your spine are very vulnerable to loss of hydration. When these discs become dehydrated, they begin to shrink, making  you more susceptible to herniated discs, bulging discs, and other painful disc conditions.25 Drinking enough water is important to maintaining soft tissue elasticity and fluidity in your joints.  

13. See a chiropractor

Chiropractors are experts at diagnosing, treating, and preventing back pain, so it’s no wonder that back pain is one of the most common reasons why people see a chiropractor.26 And with a growing emphasis on quality care and cost-effective and drug-free treatments, chiropractic is receiving increased attention.27 Through non-invasive, hands-on adjustments of your spine (spinal manipulation), a chiropractor can safely relieve your back pain, help your body heal naturally, and improve your overall quality of life—all without the use of drugs.

5 Workouts to Keep Your Back Healthy

Practicing Pietra Fitness is a great way to keep all the muscles in your body strong and flexible. While all Pietra Fitness classes incorporate postures, stretches, and exercises that safely strengthen and release tension in your back, here are five workouts that specifically target your back muscles.

1. Back BeneFIT

Focus: Back

Level: Gentle

When your back muscles are tight and weak, everyday movements can be difficult and painful. Increase your range of motion and safely stretch and strengthen not only your back but also your shoulders with twists, bends, chest openers, forward folds, and other simple movements in this 30-minute Gentle class.

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2. Sedentary Rx

Focus: Back & Hips

Level: Gentle

Sitting—whether at a desk, in front of a computer, or in the car—for extended periods of time day after day can cause the muscles and tendons in your back and hips to become tight and sore. Sedentary Rx is a soothing remedy. By targeting these tense areas, this 42-minute workout will not only open up your back, neck, shoulders, chest, hips, and inner thighs but also make them stronger.

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3. Tone & Twist

Focus: Twists

Level: 1

Twists are great for strengthening the muscles up and down your spine, improving your posture, and increasing your flexibility so you can perform everyday movements with ease. In this 27-minute class, you’ll perform several safe and effective twists that will work and stretch your entire core while engaging other muscles in your body for stability. You will also do pushups and hold postures that stretch your chest, legs, and hips.

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4. TOB: Angle Pose / Side Body

Focus: Angle Pose / Side Body

Level: 1

Increase your spinal mobility and get your body feeling better with this 30-minute workout. As the title suggests, you can expect to find yourself in several angle pose variations, providing safe, feel-good twists for your spine. You will also perform postures that help you release tension in your neck, strengthen your core and upper back, stretch your hips and hamstrings, and activate the muscles in your legs,  arms and shoulders.

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5. TOB: Back

Focus: Back

Level: 1

If you’re looking for a 30-minute back routine that not only stretches and strengthens your back but also works your entire body, this is your ideal class. After a short warm up that immediately activates the muscles in your back and stretches the sides of your body, you will do a unique shoulder series to increase stability in your shoulders and then fire up your legs with squats. Planks, side planks, chest lifts, lat pull-downs, reverse planks, and other exercises will recruit every muscle in your body. Wind down with postures that stretch your chest, inner thighs, hip flexors, and hamstrings to leave you feeling fit, flexible, and fabulous.

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