The new year is coming up...You know what the means!!!

New Year's Resolutions!!!

 

 

Of course, this may be the year that is the same as every other year... The gym's are a crowded mess, everyone is posting there New Year resolution but... after 2 to maybe 3 weeks, everyone suddenly stops and doesn't keep on with their resolutions... Let's Change That! Instead of starting out with something huge as to say " I want to lose 80 lbs in 2 months" why not start small and work your way up? make a simple resolution of 5 lbs in 2 months and once you achieve that... continue on with it! the key to keeping in track with your resolution is to keep motivated. make sure your goal is realistic.

 

Self-improvement, or at least the desire for it, is a shared American hobby. It’s why so many of us—some estimates say more than 40% of Americans—make New Year’s resolutions. (For comparison, about one-third of Americans watch the Super Bowl.)

 

 

The Basic Criteria for making a new year's resolution: Keep it SIMPLE, keep it TANGIBLE, and make one that you can REMEMBER on a day to day basis.

 

 

 

 



Pregnant? Try exercising!!

Worried about gaining weight throughout your pregnancy? try any sort of exercise! Not only is it beneficial to your health but ALSO your babies health. A new recent study has shown that exercise may boost the baby's brain... Exercising can ease back pain, help you sleep better, boost your mood and energy levels, and of course Prevent excessive weight gain!

 

Although I can not speak from personal experience, I know many people who have had birth in which they have exercised and they have told me it seemed that their birth's were much smoother and that is because when you exercise your strengthening your muscles which makes it easier for you to control when giving birth.

 

There are a multitude of exercises you can do while pregnant, brisk walk on the treadmill (or outside) swimming, dance, or even yoga. Remember though: Before doing any sort of exercise it is always great to consult a doctor! :)

According to the NYTime article:
" The women in the exercise group were asked to work out for at least 20 minutes, three times a week, at a moderate intensity, equivalent to about a six or so on a scale of exertion from one to 10. Most of the women walked or jogged.
Every month, for the remainder of each woman’s pregnancy, she would visit the university’s exercise lab, so researchers could monitor her fitness. All of the volunteers, including those in the nonexercise group, also maintained daily activity logs.
After about six months and following the dictates of nature, the women gave birth. All, thankfully, had healthy boys or girls — which the scientists gently requested that the mothers almost immediately bring in for testing.

Within 12 days of birth, in fact, each of the newborns accompanied his or her mother to the lab. There, each baby was fitted with an adorable little cap containing electrodes that monitor electrical activity in the brain, settled in his or her mother’s lap, and soothed to sleep. Researchers then started a sound loop featuring a variety of low, soft sounds that recurred frequently, interspersed occasionally with more jarring, unfamiliar noises, while the baby’s brain activity was recorded. In this case, the relevant brainwave activity soared in response to the novel sounds among the children born to mothers who had remained sedentary during pregnancy. But it was noticeably blunted in the babies whose mothers had exercised. In essence, “their brains were more mature,”

 

 

Multiple Ways to Exercise...

Too cold to run outside? No motivation? Don't worry! you don't HAVE to be outside to get the best exercise possible. There are many things you can do to get in your 15 minutes of daily exercise. Those include: Mall Walking, AB workouts during commercials, playing with your pet, walking, dancing, and even CLEANING.

The Next time you say to yourself " I don't have time for exercise" "I can't afford it" Just remember that is TOTAL B.S yes... BULLSH*T.

Daily exercise is a constant reminder that you are BETTERING YOUR LIFE– that you must continue to make other good choices or you’re practically wasting your time.

Exercise is a bonus.  Exercise helps your heart get stronger, can help build muscle, usually gets you outside the house and absorbing vitamin D, and brings you a litany of other health benefits.

:)

Are treadmills really as effective as running outdoors?

To answer your questions, treadmill running and road running are not quite the same. Running on the treadmill is easier than running outdoors, for a variety of reasons. One reason is that the treadmill belt assists leg turnover, making it easier to run faster. So most runners find that their pace on the treadmill doesn’t correlate to their road pace. Also, some of the soft tissue conditioning or “hardening” that occurs with road running does not occur with treadmill running because the plate or base on the treadmill "gives" more than road surfaces. And, obviously there are no weather conditions to deal with when running indoors.

 

However, the treadmill can be a great training tool. Because treadmill running is easier, use it for speed work. Use the treadmill to help you run faster by speeding up the pace for short intervals and then slow it down for recovery intervals. This is a very convenient way to get in some speed work or tempo runs in a controlled setting.
 

 

Run outdoors two or three days a week, with one day designated as your long run day and one or two other runs of shorter distance. This will provide the mileage, the conditioning, and the weather acclimatization you need for your half-marathon. Include the treadmill one or two days a week for speed work or tempo runs. This gives you three to five days of running. Continue with your cross-training one or two days a week, focusing on muscular strength and endurance.  Add some stretching exercises to promote muscular flexibility and you have a very well-rounded training plan. 

Best running shoes

Why Minimalist?

 

For many runners today, less is definitely more -- at least when it comes to the cushioning in their shoes. Millions have embraced the idea of minimal shoes, which weigh less and encourage a mid foot or forefoot strike rather than a heel-heavy landing. Shoe designers have taken note, engineering a new generation of footwear that lowers the height, or drop, between the heel and forefoot to naturally encourage this running style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But beware: The closer your foot is to the ground,

the more careful you need to be about form. Land

primarily on your mid- or forefoot, with feet under

 hips and body leaning forward slightly. Increase

your mileage slowly to avoid injury, and don't be

surprised if your feet ache a bit at first; it takes a while

to build up strength in their muscles

Best Times of the Day to Exercise...

Could when you work out help you drop pounds, or even boost your overall health?

 

1. Exercise in the Late AfternoonIf you're looking for the sweet spot for exercise, science says to lace up your sneaks between 4 and 5 P.M., when your body temp is at its highest. Studies have shown that boosts your workout—your muscles are more flexible, your strength is at its peak and your perceived exertion is at a low.

2. Exercise in the Morning

Good news for early risers: It has been proven that morning exercisers stick with their routines. Plus,

3. Exercise with a Head Cold

Obviously, you shouldn’t hit the gym if you’re feeling like death. But when plagued only by above-the-neck symptoms—such as a sore throat or runny nose—moderate exercise might help. The mood-boosting chemicals released during exercise make symptoms feel less severe. To avoid prolonging your cold, work out at about half your typical intensity, and consider at-home and outdoor exercises so you don’t spread germs to other gym-goers.

 

When your motivation to work out is not there...

Has your workout become routine and boring?  

 

 

Lack of motivation seems to be one of the biggest barriers for a lot of people who are exercising and eating healthy. Staying motivated just requires a bit of creativity and variety.

 

 

How about dancing your way to fitness with Zumba? Zumba is a Latin-inspired cardio-dance workout that uses music and choreographed steps to form a fitness party atmosphere. One hour in a room with people who are psyched about having a good time, dancing around to high-energy Latin music in a non-intimidating atmosphere can be a absolute blast. Depending on the amount of energy you put into your moves you can burn up to 600 calories and hour!!

Interval training is also an interesting way to stay motivated. 

You’ll strengthen your heart.  It will help burn fat and calories and build endurance.

During a complete workout, you go through five to ten cycles of high and low intensity.

  If walking, walk as fast as you can for one lap, then and easier pace for two laps then repeat.

 If cycling, cycle at high intensity for one minute then follow with a three minute lighter cycle and repeat ten times for a 40-minute workout.

The more you exercise the more motivation you’ll have. That’s how it goes. Like most things in life you’ve got to put something in to get something out. Take the time to creating a clear mental picture of who you want to be and then begin to nurture those characteristics to produce what you want to see.

Remember, the choices you make every day are a manifestation of who you are. We can change; all we need to do is get up and get on with it. I’ll repeat, not easy, but worth it. Good intentions won’t get you to the body you want, but good actions will. You probably know what you have to do, now is the time to get it done.

Body Balance: Benefits of Yoga for Runners

Yoga For Runners...

Balance-

 Many runners know that balance is the key to staying injury free.  All of our muscles should be balanced so that they support each other equally.  However no one’s body is perfectly balanced.  I have tight hips. This causes my hips to turn inward when I run giving me IT band and hip issues.  Another person may step incorrectly, causing a torqueing motion in their muscles resulting on a pull of the muscles in the shin causing shin splints.  Our bodies compensate for our imbalances which causes tight muscles to get tighter and weak muscles get weaker.  The repetitiveness of running further causes problems.  Practicing yoga over time will help to strengthen weak muscles and stretch tight muscles. It will also work to improve your range of motion working your body in a 3D spectrum.  Yoga also works to train the mind to focus internally rather than externally.  All of this combined creates a balanced body and mind and a healthier self.

 

Listen To Your Body-

 How often have you heard this advice? How often have you ignored it? I’ve run through many aches and pains, colds and sickness all because I refused to listen to my internal self that told me to stop.  Yoga teaches the body that each day is different.  How we feel from day-to-day can vary as does our energy levels which can vary hourly. The calmness that can be achieved in yoga allows us to determine what our energy levels are and manage them throughout our workouts and other daily tasks.   The result is that we respect the limitations of our bodies when it comes to workouts rather than pushing through a speed workout or long distance workout when our bodies and minds are too tired.  Relaxation can also be beneficial for runners.  By learning how to relax through our breath we can reduce the tension we experience while running.
We can learn to relax our tense and tight muscles and control our breathing, the result is that we manage our energy more efficiently. We also experience a greater range of motion and freedom which will result in less muscle tightness and pain.  I often use my breath to relax myself during my runs when I feel myself becoming tense or nervous and it does calm my body and allow me to continue without having to stop or dramatically reduce my pace.  I’d encourage you to focus on your breath during your next workout and learn to control it, you’ll likely see some positive results.


Pain Prevention -
This comes back to balance and alignment.  Remember that misstep or uneven distribution of weight as your feet hit the ground and the pain in your shins? Think about all those ab workouts you have done while forgetting about your back.  As we run we drive forward with our abdomen, further strengthening our abs.  And then add in the stress on the hamstrings and now you understand why your low back is tight and sore post run.  Practicing yoga will help to increase the muscle strength in these weak areas, eventually making your post run pain much less. As runners we are diligent to stretch and do our abs post workout.  We ice and we foam roll and be sure to re hydrate.  Consider adding in a few yoga poses and stretches before and after your runs to build strength and lengthen your muscles.  You’ll help balance your body and adjust your alignment by just adding a few more things to your routine. Our bodies prefer to be in a state of perfect balance.  If we recognize we are out of balance and work to repair that our bodies will generally follow.  It is our inherent nature to do so.

Training for a Half Marathon...phew!

This coming February I am training to run my second half marathon...For those of you who do not know what that is...

It's 13.1 miles!

As being a veteran in the 13.1 world, I honestly know how much work it takes to train for a half marathon... From diet and exercise to personal motivation. I know when I first thought about running a half marathon I went straight to the computer and looked up inspiration quotes, watched YouTube videos, and simply just goggled half marathons!

 

 

Here are some tips you should definitely follow...

 

Start Early
The first thing you want to do is register for the half marathon. Pay the registration fee, order the shirt if they offer that option and then let everyone you know in on your decision. I like to blog, so I did throughout all three half marathons. Love it! Begin your training at least 12 – 16 weeks out from the event with walking/running every other day. To run the full marathon, you need to comfortably be able to run 3 miles before beginning a training program. Therefore, if this isn't you, plan on walking with some running. Your goal for the first half marathon, is just to finish. There are many plans available - based on your fitness level. Here is the plan I followed for my first half marathon with some additional improvements.
Prioritize
Be consistent and fight to get your walk/run in according to the training schedule. Your commitment to the training is critical to preventing injury. If you are serious about finishing the race, you must train especially if this is your first. Don't skip your training. Even if traveling, hotels have great gyms anymore and it's a great reason to get up early and get going. I even squeezed a run in while visiting out of town relatives. I'd dress for it and then have my husband drop me off a few miles from our destination.



Practice
When doing the long run, practice with the clothes you will wear and equipment of any kind. If you are going to use an IPod, compression sleeves, headphones, a water belt... USE IT, it will help get your body used to the amount of weight you will be putting on.
Pace
pace is one of the most important steps when it comes to training for a half marathon. Time or pace yourself to hit the pace you want to achieve at the race. If this is the first time, your goal should be just to finish the race. Once the time limit has passed, there is no official documentation that you finished. Be sure to get in under the clock. Know what the deadline is for such.

Now the fun part... The Gear!
Many races encourage the use of costumes and funky gear. Use it to your advantage, make the half marathon fun for yourself. It gives you an excuse to go out and buy new shoes and new running clothes. :)
Shoes
Go to a running store and ask for help to get the best possible shoe for your foot, based on your arch, etc. Be sure to get a size larger than you normally would purchase.
Clothes
Buy some moisture wicking running clothes – Under Armor is one brand, there are several. They have underwear, shirts, shorts etc. This will help body temperature too. A must for your race.
Socks
Get moisture wicking socks – very important. Most athletic stores have them. Compression socks and sleeves work excellent for keeping the heat in your muscles and letting them circulate.
Water
You must stay hydrated. You must drink 8 ounces every 20 minutes so you definitely need a plan on how you're going to get it all in. Don't skimp on the water. Utilize all of the drink stations and if carrying a bottle, refill at station. You will need to take in some salt too. Just have a couple of salt packets with you. Take one or two during race.

 Now most important, if you're having trouble training or thinking of how to train, Google or just go to your local running stores and someone there can give you helpful tips or some great websites that provide good training programs for you!

Paleo Diet

What Is Paleo?

 

          Paleo, the caveman diet, in other words it is the healthiest diet you can eat because it is the ONLY nutritional approach that works with your genetics to help you stay lean, strong and energetic! "Research in biology, biochemistry, Ophthalmology, Dermatology and many other disciplines indicate it is our modern diet, full of refined foods, trans fats and sugar, that is at the root of degenerative diseases such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression and infertility." (as posted by a medical research done by Boston University about Paleo)

 

Health Benefits of Paleo...

 

For most people the fact the Paleo diet delivers the best results is all they need. Improved blood lipids, weight loss, and reduced pain from autoimmunity is proof enough.  Many people however are not satisfied with blindly following any recommendations, be they nutrition or exercise related. Some folks like to know WHY they are doing something. Fortunately, the Paleo diet has stood not only the test of time, but also the rigors of scientific scrutiny. With a very simple shift we not only remove the foods that are at odds with our health (grains, legumes, and dairy) but we also increase our intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Many exercise enthusiasts like Cross Fit athletes, marathon runners, and even Olympic athletes.

 

From my perspective, the Paleo diet is mostly about eating whole foods that provide optimal, nutrient-dense fuel for your body and avoiding processed, refined, nutrient poor factory food.

...This means avoiding grains, beans, refined sugar and pasteurized dairy products. Of Course, having a cheat snack every now and then is PERFECTLY fine too!

 

 

 

This diet is not easy by any means but, if you put your mind to it

you can overcome the hurdles and obstacles when it comes to

starting this diet.

 

Simple Theory: If a caveman couldn't eat it, neither can you!!!

 

 

 

Being on this diet will bring you more energy and the body you've always wanted! 


How my face has changed since being on Paleo...

 

 How I feel trying to get into my clothes after a week of non Paleo food...

Exercise has Emotional Benefits

It is no secret that exercise is beneficial for multiple health reasons. It strengthens your heart, increases energy levels, lowers blood pressure, improves muscle tone and strength, reduces body fat, and builds bone density. 
The benefits are not only physical, but emotional as well. Many studies suggest that individuals who exercise regularly benefit with a positive boost in mood and lower rates of depression.

It is no secret that exercise is beneficial for multiple health reasons. It strengthens your heart, increases energy levels, lowers blood pressure, improves muscle tone and strength, reduces body fat, and builds bone density. 

The benefits are not only physical, but emotional as well. Many studies suggest that individuals who exercise regularly benefit with a positive boost in mood and lower rates of depression.

NATURAL ANTIDEPRESSANT

When a person exercises, endorphins are released in the body. Endorphins are chemicals that interact with brain receptors that reduce a person’s perception of pain. Endorphins encourage a euphoric feeling in the body, similar to morphine. This post-activity feeling has also been called “runner’s high.” Endorphins bind to the same neuron receptors that connect to some pain medications. However, unlike narcotics, the activation of these receptors does not lead to addiction or dependence.

Exercise also reduces immune-system chemicals that can exacerbate depression. Along with this, an increase in core body temperature could have a calming effect on a person. It has also been suggested that sleep can be improved. 
In terms of treatment of clinical depression, research has shown that exercise may be a useful alternative to antidepressant medication.

BOOSTING CONFIDENCE

Emotional benefits could include increases in self-confidence, a decrease in negative thoughts, better coping skills and an improved drive for social interaction.
Accomplishing exercise goals, whether big or small, can boost self-confidence. When someone finishes exercising, they tend to have a more positive self-image. 
Exercise also acts as a distraction from negative thoughts and worries. These thoughts can accumulate and fuel anxiety and depression. 
Participating in exercise is a healthy, proactive means of dealing with depression, as opposed to drinking alcohol or not doing anything at all. 
Many times there is some sort of social interaction in a fitness setting. This social interaction can positively affect a person and help fight depression symptoms.