Guest Post: Some Tips To Consider Before Purchasing A Treadmill

If your in the market for a treadmill machine, but need some tips and advice to take into account before you spend your hard earned cash on a treadmill, then you have come to the right place my friend! Purchasing a piece of fitness equipment such as a treadmill can be a daunting task for some. There are a number of things to consider such as what size running belt you’d like to have, or what type of horsepower you’d like on the motor. Do you want plenty of bells and whistles on the console? What top speed would you enjoy using? Lets talk about some tips I’d like to share with you before you go out and make that investment on a treadmill.

Top Tip # 1 – What Sort Of Motor Do You Want?

The first tip I want to talk about is the motor. I recommend that you go for at least a 2.0 horsepower motor. Where possible, try to look for a motor that offers continous duty power as this is a more accurate way of measuring motor power. It will also deliver better performance over the long haul.  If your planning on running a lot on your treadmill, you’ll need to get a motor that offers power of around 2.5. Lastly, look for a DC motor with a minimum of one year warranty for a quieter workout.

Top Tip # 2 – What Price Will You Pay

The next point I want to mention is the price you are willing to pay for your treadmill. As the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” Buying cheap will deliver a machine that has more of a chance of breaking down, less sturdy and not as safe as say buying a treadmill that is expensive, which offers stability, great components and will last for a long time. If you are planning on using your treadmill most days, I would highly recommend that you invest into an expensive machine as it will deliver the results you want.

Top Tip # 3 – The Walking Surface

When it comes to the running surface of the treadmill, its always important to make sure you get this right. If you dont pick a machine that offers a good running belt, you’ll end up being uncomfortable with the potential of injury also.

If you can, be sure to test out your treadmill by running on it first to see if you feel comfortable and that it offers you plenty of space. Some modern treadmills offer their own unique cushioning system to help protect your joints, so bare that in mind before you make that purchase.

Top Tip # 4 – Choosing Your Inclines

The last tip is knowing how to choose your incline on the treadmill. Try to find an electronic incline that can be adjusted by pushing a button on the console of the treadmill. Some treadmills comes with manual adjusted incline controls, but the problem is that they have to be set before you begin working out. The more expensive treadmills that offer quality have automatic incline controls which offer convenience and you’ll be a lot happier using it. Try to find a machine that has an incline range of between  0 – 10 %. The higher you get the better it will be.

Author: Sean Byrne is the sole founder of a website called ItsAboutTreadmills.com. The site basically reviews products in the treadmill market. This Sole treadmill model and this sole treadmill are very popular right now.

Guest Post: Best Cardio Workout Techniques for Women

Best cardio workout techniques for women

Gone are the days where women had to starve and diet to maintain their health. Women can resort to easy exercising, which they can incorporate in their daily schedule. Read the following with a grain of salt and indulge in heart healthy exercises.

Swimming

Swimming is an excellent workout not only for the heart but for the entire body. The whole body is engaged while swimming and hence helps in toning many areas of the body. Swimming pumps up the heart rate and one can burn more calories when they indulge in swimming. Swimming is a great cardio workout.

Running

One of the most common cardio techniques that women follow is running. This activity does not need any exercise equipment. One can do it at any time either in the early morning on in the late evening. Running proves to be beneficial to build strong bones and prevent women from osteoporosis. Running increases the heart rate and helps to expel loads of calories. To enhance your strength to help you in all these activities, it is advised that you use an ab belt as part of the exercises to lose belly fat and strengthen your ab muscles.

Cycling

This is a great workout for boosting your strength and endurance. It burns calories depending on how much you can pedal on your cycle. The more difficult areas you cycle like hilly areas, the more your heart rate will go up thereby boosting the body metabolism. It proves to be an outstanding cardio workout by giving strength to your legs and joints.

Rope Jump

Whether a person is indoor or outdoor, one can do jumping rope without fail. Jumping using a rope is an excellent calorie burning exercise and pumps up the heart beat. One can spice up the jumping activity by using one foot to jump over the rope or moving the rope like number 8 while jumping.

Walking

Irrespective of age, many people indulge in walking. It is a workout for the whole body and helps greatly in losing weight and maintaining health. If one changes walking to brisk walking, speed walking, walking on hilly roads etc. the benefits can be more. Walking exerts more energy and expels more calories.

Elliptical Trainer

If a runner is not interested to run outdoors, they can fall back on elliptical trainers. Elliptical trainers are also the most used equipment at the gym. You can run using the elliptical trainer without much strain or pain. If you want more resistance to expel more, then you can increase the intensity level in the equipment.  This will help you to push out more calories.

Stair climbing

Not all can afford to get membership at a gym. People can resort to stair climbing, if they want to lose weight and stay in shape. It is also a good cardio workout, as it pumps the heart rate. It proves beneficial for the bums and thighs. Also, this exercise burns more calories than cycling or walking. When a person exerts his/her entire body weight against gravity, more calories are expelled out. One can also run on the stairs and increase the benefits of this cardio workout.

Dancing

The most enjoyable workout among people is dancing. Dancing is fun filled, which elevates ones spirit to workout. As the body is constantly moving, it can improve the overall fitness of the body. One can indulge in various dances like zumba dance, belly dance, aerobic strip tease etc.

Guest Post: How to Stay in Top Shape This Summer

And without further ado:

How to Stay in Top Shape This Summer

Right before the summer comes, many people are obsessed with working out and getting in shape, in order to fit into that perfect bikini. However, once the summer months arrive, it is easy to fall into a routine filled with calorie-laden pina coladas and laying around on the beach all day. However, the following tips will help anyone stay in shape, all the way to Labor day!

Play SportsBeing a beach bum does not have to consist of merely lying on a pile of sand all day long. You can still enjoy the smells, sights and sounds of the ocean's waves crashing into the shoreline without packing on the pounds. Consider joining a summer sport that takes place at the beach. Volleyball, for example, is very popular. There are many casual leagues out there, so you do not have to be a professional to join a team. Even a simple walk up and down the coast every day will do wonders.
Low Calorie DrinksSummer tends to be the season of pina coladas, margaritas and other drinks that are full of unnecessary calories. It is very difficult to entirely give up these tasty tropical paradises for an entire season, so don't! Head to your local liquor store. Products such as Skinny Girl Margarita and Skinny Girl Pina Colada are much lower in calories than the traditional versions, but they still have all of the same amazing flavors. These are not the only brands out there on the market that provide low calorie beverages.  Do not deprive yourself all summer though! After you lose a few pounds and keep them off for awhile, treat yourself to a nice, frozen pina colada on the beach.
Back to the BasicsDo not forget to eat healthy and exercise just, because it is the summer. Even if you are on a mental vacation, that does not mean that health has to fall to the wayside. Sometimes summer creates visions of greasy french fries and sugar filled sodas; however, that does not have to be the case. Think about all of the fresh delicious fish that seaside restaurants serve over the summer, and opt for some grilled seafood options instead. Summer is an excellent time for people without a gym membership to work out. When it is not too humid or hot out, go for a run around the neighborhood. Just make sure to drink plenty of water. 
Vacation PitfallsVacation is one of the toughest times to stay in shape and to keep the weight off. Choose a hotel or resort that has a gym in it, so you can keep up with a daily workout routine, even if it is just for a few minutes per day. Select some tourist attractions that require a lot of walking too. When you get home from vacation, you will probably be a little bummed-just imagine how much more upset you will be if you discover that you gained weight while on your trip!

Take Care of Yourself

When you ARE working out, remember to take care of yourself. It's not winter anymore! Properly hydrate, and wear lots of sunscreen, anytime you're outside. It doesn't matter if you're running or lounging, your skin can only absorb so many UV rays. 
Following simple tips ensures that you will not be tipping the scales come the very first breezes of the September winds. 

Brock Powers writes about fitness, finance & frequenting www.healthinsurancequotes.org.

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Guest Post: Tips for Staying Motivated to Work Out

Hope you enjoy this guest post! Without further ado:

When exercising or working out, choose activities that you enjoy. This cuts down on the tendency to quit or lose motivation. Keep in mind that physical activity doesn’t have to be torture. You can easily get a good workout walking, cleaning the house, gardening or dancing. Choose something that fits your lifestyle and personality, and you’re good to go!

Walk Pedometer-Style
Walk using a pedometer. This device will tell you how many steps you take and how far you walked. You can clip it on your waistband or carry it in a purse. Set a goal and then see if you can achieve it throughout the day. Vary the places you walk, so you will enjoy the different scenery. Walk downtown one day, and then switch to your local park on the weekend.

Weight Training
Weight training can be a great way to strengthen muscles, using machines or free weights. Start with short weight training sessions daily to achieve the best results. Three to four session weekly, for 20 minutes to a half hour, works well to start. Weight training causes your muscles to get stronger, and even if you’re averse to lifting because you don’t want to get all bulky, don’t fear. It takes a LOT of lifting to get that big, and just doing a half or so a few times a week will increase your look, balance, strength and more!

Swimming
Swimming is a great way to exercise with other people. Join a master's swimming group in your area that provides swimming for all levels without competition. This will provide recreational swimming designed to promote fitness. Another option is to take a swimming class at your local recreations center or YMCA, so that you will learn the right way to swim. Even if you already know how to swim, these groups teach both safety AND proper swimming technique, so that you can get more out of the time you spend in the water. Exercising and learning with others is a great way to socialize too. Don’t forget that a heated pool and the aerobic exercise of swimming are great for anyone with arthritis too.

Biking
Riding a bike is another great way to burn calories. It is an especially good exercise for people over 40, since there’s no impact, like there is in running. One of the best ways to burn calories is to ride a bike up hills. Start with small hills though, as this exercise will increase your heart rate pretty quickly and you could easily die out. Check with your doctor before you start biking if you suffer from a serious health problem or are otherwise sedentary. At the very least, even the casual, stress-free bike ride helps you to reduce stress and improve health!

Run
Running is a good exercise for improving both mental and physical health, because it can be a very vigorous exercise, resulting in more health benefits than other forms of activity. You can run outdoors, on an indoor track or on a treadmill. For best results, start out slowly running for ten to fifteen minutes, two or three times a week. I recommend mixing it up. Run outside some (and mix up your route), run inside some and maybe get no a treadmill every now and then. 

Don’t Forget
When beginning any new exercise program, practice moderation. Buy the proper equipment for safety and ALWAYS be safe. Practice proper form and never over-extend yourself. If you suffer from a health problem, check with your doctor before starting a new workout or exercise routine. Then, get goin!

Rhonda Wilkins writes about health, saving money & frequenting www.travelinsurance.org.

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The University of Great Content

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Surefire Silly Putty Removal

Silly Putty (Photo credit: unloveablesteve)

This isn’t a long post, but it delivers.

There are posts all over the internet that claim to have found the surefire fix for this or that if one buys this new product or that solution.  Upon buying a bottle, swab, cloth, etc and trying it out, one generally finds that the claims are a load of bunk. The best fixes are generally the cheapest and easiest, in my experience.

Quick and easy silly putty removal from fabric is now a common need in my household. Introduced in the 50s, it’s been a classic plaything since then. But the stuff can get into, and stuck on, everything. If you don’t know this, take my word for it.

If you get silly putty stuck on, or in, any kind of fabric, there’s a surefire way to get it out and off – even knit fabrics, where the silly putty has gone through the knitting to the other side. The silly putty seems to harden sort of like cement on fabric, which makes it difficult to get out. Freezing it doesn’t work, nor do most expensive fixes.

Rubbing alcohol aka isopropyl alcohol does. It’s super cheap. Get the generic kind, as it all works the same. But hey, if you want to spend more on name brands, go for it. It’ll work for you too.

Take the silly putty’ed fabric item, a common kitchen knife, a paper towel and your bottle of rubbing alcohol over to a sink.

Hold the fabric item in the sink and pour some alcohol directly over the silly putty and surrounding area. Generally I put the fabric to the lip of the bottle and flip it over so that I don’t use waaaay too much, but honestly, again, it’s up to you how much you want to use. Put the bottle down.

Now take the kitchen knife and scrape the silly putty off of the garment. You will notice that the alcohol makes it really gooey. The knife is rigid enough to do a good job of removal. If it’s gone through the fabric, I’ll often flip it inside out and scrape the other side too.  Keep doing it until all the goo is gone.

Wipe the goo onto the paper towel for ease in throwing it away. Also wipe off any left on the knife onto the paper towel. T

Once it’s all gone, I normally rinse off the item and leave it to hang dry; I wash the knife like normal. I’ve never had the process discolor the item.

And that’s it! Easy peasy!

Hope this is as helpful to you as it is in our household!

Guest Post: Tips for Losing Belly Fat

Hope you like this guest post! Without further ado:

Tips for Losing Belly Fat

Belly fat is the biggest problem facing many health-conscious folks today.  It surrounds our body and immobilizes many of us to the point depression. How can we get rid of belly fat without having to join a diet group or run a marathon? Here are a few tips.

Your Last Meal
Don’t fret, I am not saying never eat again. I am just saying that you should make the last meal of the day be an early one. Eat at seven, at the latest. Going to sleep on a full stomach is a terrible thing to do when you’re trying to get rid of fat. On the other hand, when you don’t eat late, your body uses the fat stored around your stomach as a source of energy. Just this one little change can make a huge difference. I am not saying it’s easy. It’s not! This is especially true for the late eater, and most of us at least snack late from time to time.

If you’re apprehensive, simply prepare for the night. Water is ok, and tea is ok too. Be ready when those hunger pangs show up with lots of these at hand. If this is too much, then start small! Try every other night or even start with once a week and move this into a daily habit. Furthermore, if a special event comes up, go ahead enjoy it. Have a drink or two on your birthday, go out a late dinner with friends after a long week.  Simply pick up again the next day. The key is consistence over time. Fitness should NEVER be about immediate results.

The Dreaded Crunch 
Yes, belly fat requires some working out. No one likes sit-ups or crunches, but you need them. Reason being, that strengthening the muscles in your belly, allows them to grow stronger and they in turn eat that fat up. Fat is energy, so muscles like to snack on that fat in order to grow. Then, once the fat’s gone, you’ll have something to show for it! However, remember that if you have fat all over your body, your body will likely burn it at a uniform rate, and your stomach fat may in fact not come off until you’ve evened out elsewhere first.

Fortunately, there are many different ways to work out your stomach muscles. For example, if you are just sitting on a chair watching TV, lift your legs up and down holding your stomach in. It works! Your muscles will feel it and they will start making a change deep inside. When you are in bed, do a crunch. Put your hand behind your neck, hold in your stomach tight and lift your upper body a bit. Do these until you can move to the floor. Little by little! You don’t have to over whelm yourself.

Don’t be a Camel
Drink water - at least six to eight cups a day. Your body needs it. Yes, I mean water! Not soda or energy drinks. Water is what our body really needs. Our organs NEED water. Most people don’t realize it, but a great deal of our physical problems are caused by not drinking enough water. People mistake thirst for hunger too, so before you run to the fridge, listen to your body. Are your lips dry? That’s a sign of thirst. If you don’t drink regularly or don’t like water, introduce it to yourself in small amount. One cup a day is better than no cup a day. Then, work your way up to eight cups. You’ll find yourself less hungry, more active, and your skin will radiate. 

Take the time! Work on these tips. Small beginnings will lead to great endings. You will lose that dreaded belly fat, and feel great about your accomplishments. Before you know it, you will start walking around the block, you’ll have energy, and within a year, you will be slimmer. Just do it!

Jenna Hughes writes about wellness, finances & saving money at www.termlifeinsurance.org.

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More Half Marathon Complete

It was inspiring and empowering. Glad I was able to run the entire length.

Nearly There

Today is my final training run before the More Half Marathon in NYC’s Central Park this coming Sunday – three days from today. It has been a long journey to get to this place.

As long time readers know, I began this journey in December, 2010 as a test not only of myself, but also of the video game world. The initial question was: can someone lose weight and get fit simply by using video games? Over the course of a year, I proved to myself and others that it is not only possible, but probable. I lost approximately 60 pounds by changing nothing but adding exergaming to my life.

Sometime in the second half of last year, I incorporated running into my weekly regimen. While I’ve only lost about five more pounds since then, clothing sizes have continued to drop and my endurance and stamina have continued to rise.

I am constantly amazed at how others balance everything with such aplomb and take on more. Stepping to Star Wars and getting out for runs has helped me stay focused on precisely what needed to happen each particular morning, day, and week.

Over the last two months, training for this half marathon has supplanted my exergaming, which continues, but is more sporadic. Exergaming was definitely the bridge to my getting back into fitness, but I have generally reached the other side and am running to the next goal.

New challenges abound. On a business trip to DC two weeks ago, I became one of the people I used to think were either military or insane – the ones who run around the DC Mall. I did it, thrice, and ran up the steps to the capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial. Yes, I have happily become *that* person.

Along the way, I’ve also made many new friends and deepened existing relationships. It’s wonderful how positive people can be when they come together to conquer their individual goals.

It has been extremely gratifying to me to hear from so many of you, who have privately shared your tragedies and triumphs, and who my meager blog has nudged in the direction of picking up your Wii, turning on your Xbox, getting a Gamercize stepper, or hitting the pavement or trails near your homes.

We are all one instant away from becoming healthier versions of ourselves.

Go for it. You can do it.

10.3 Miles…Just…Wow

Quite honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do this week’s long run.

Bird - Chipping Sparrow (Photo credit: blmiers2)I’d taken the week off of all scheduled exercise, due to my back going out last Sunday – the day after the 9 mile run. E’s back went out then too, so we kind of assumed it was related to the run. For both of us, it was a muscle strain or some such. We were both working it through. E did work out, G-d bless her. Me, I was afraid of harming it more.

Turns out I was just being a wuss. My back is now fine. Whatever the issue was this entire week worked itself out with today’s run. I’m now totally thinking that if I had run earlier in the week, I would have saved myself entire days of discomfort. Oh well, live and learn as they say.

In any case, a pack of us met up today to do our 10.3 out-and-back. It was a glorious day. Mid-forties. Clear. Birds were out and singing. It was a great day for a run.

The others took off like a shot. Their pace was truly impressive. They looked awesome from the back.

Me, I was a wee bit slower. I wasn’t sure how much of the run I’d be able to do. I figured I’d go even slower than normal, which doesn't seem possible but is, and when/if my back started to hurt, I’d start walking back to the cars.

Except that that didn’t happen. I forgot about my back. My mind wandered as I watched squirrels chase each other up trees. It was glorious.

Was it tiring? Sure. Was it intense and difficult? Yeah. Did I fantasize about fluids toward the end? You betcha.  Did I end a half hour after everyone else? Most definitely. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

I finished. My back pain is mostly gone. I feel awesome.

Tomorrow: yoga.

Heaps ‘O Hell

Image via Wikipedia

Saturday’s nine mile run was rightly called Heaps ‘O Hell. This is gonna be a bitch session, Dear Readers.

So…the tale:

E and I started our run missing our other long running partner, T. We saw others on the roads, which was wonderful.

We felt the need for a warm up, which we did in the first couple of miles. The run felt normal, and we were running at my normal pace, with E being the dear that she is, staying slow so that we could chat along the way and make the miles melt away. We caught up on each others’ lives and the various shows, projects and books we’re working through. Although we were feeling a bit exhausted when we hit mile marker 2.5, in general, the time flew by.

Ok…so that was the first five miles.

Skip to mile 5.01.

Holy Shit. This is a looooong run.

Holy Shit. . . . Holy SHIT.

E and I have done long runs before. T, E and I had run 8 miles two weeks prior and felt totally ok. We were tired, which is natural, but we were ok. Looking back to my post on it, I see that we were (then) looking forward with enthusiasm and great anticipation to finishing the half marathon in April.

Not 9.

Nine is a whole new ballgame, my friends. E and I spent two of the remaining four miles discussing what this Holy Shit factor is, as it seems not only psychological, but also physiological, and not just for one of us, but both. Strongly.

So what is this joyful experience? We do not believe it’s the wall that people experience at or around mile twenty in a marathon, where one’s glycogen store is completely depleted. It’s not that dramatic.

Rather, it feels like one’s entire body aches. A lot. It’s a pain based experience, not a winded one. One’s lungs are not what feel bad, so they don’t slow you down. One’s legs ache a lot going up any incline. One’s back radiates pain up and down one’s spine that starts in the small of the back. Basically, it feels like your body is pissed at you for doing this to it and is trying to get you to stop; it’s yelling at you.

From our experience, that’s the worst of it. It doesn’t get worse the farther you go. E actually ran 10 miles; while I did 9 (she is SO amazing!!). She hurt as much as I did, and we both hurt to the end.

Once we stopped, the back pain went away, but our legs felt like jellyfish and were quite tender. We were both exhausted. The next day, we were generally ok. So this does seem to be a running-based immediate issue, rather than one that carries on after the run is over.

We hope that at some point, if one keeps running, the pain abates or goes away entirely. Regardless, we’re planning a ten mile long run this weekend. Smart? Who knows.

Have any of you run nine miles and felt/not felt this? What’s your experience? Does it get easier for the 11, 12 and 13 miles? Is this something that abates the more runs one does nine miles or longer?

Some Inspirational Runners

One small change in one’s life opens a vista of new possibility; but as with most endeavors, one needs inspiration to stay the course.

In addition to exergaming, running has become an integral part of my weekly plan. I actually work around my thrice weekly runs, and make sure appointments, drop offs, pick-ups, and everything else allows for the 1-2 hour set asides. I am self admittedly not fast, but I am consistent and persistent.

Originally all of my running was in solitude. I liked it that way. I still do. It gives me time to zone out, meditate or think projects through depending on the day. Generally I think of it as my time with G-d.

But over the last few months, running has become more of a community for me. There are a lot of people who run around here. You just need to know to listen for folks talking about it. It’s as though one becomes more attuned to certain phrases or notes when one opens up the possibility of a new chord in one’s life.

We all need heroes. Women who run here inspire me. I look forward to hearing their stories, and they make me smile when I see them on the roads. They’re all fabulous moms and ladies. Each of them has their own story. Here is a bit of how these women's relate to mine:

K, like all of these local women, is phenomenal. She balances kids, a household, everything else, and she runs….like the wind. Actually, all of these women are fast, graceful and somewhat like gazelles. She introduced me to my favorite 10K route, K’s 10K. She’s run multiple marathons and talks about it as though we all can…and I’m actually beginning to believe that that is the case. Without her, I definitely would not. I look forward to seeing her on runs, and ask her advice on anything she’s willing to discuss.

D gets us all out there moving our asses. She’s a ring leader and a sweetheart under her knee socked power running exterior. She’s definitely someone I’d want in my zombie combat unit.

H brings grace to everything she does. She’s like a ray of sunshine gliding along the mountain roads.

J was one of my first running heroes, and continues to amaze me. She is a brick 4+ miler plus other workouts wonder woman. I am generally in awe of her stamina and consistency. And she bakes. Well. And she’s a sweetheart.

MG is our sideliner for now. Before having her second child recently, she was winning her age catagory while 7 or 8 months pregnant. Just...wow. Right?!

E is a true anchor woman. She keeps it all together and tells us to shut up or put up to get out on the roads regardless of weather. I could see her strapped to the side of a mountain impasse with wind, snow and ice swirling around her and she’d keep going and convincing the rest of us to do it too.  I love running with her and appreciate it that in order to discuss life, class and the latest episodes of The Real Housewives, she slows waaaay down to keep pace with some of us.

T began running a few months ago with a Couch to 5K app on her cell phone. She’s come a looong way, Baby. She, E and I ran a little more than 8 miles last Sunday. She and I generally pace each other, but I’m admittedly the happy geriatric turtle of the bunch. Last Sunday, she ran ahead for the final 2 miles and I was so impressed as I watched her power up the final hills.

These women are some of the best of us, but we all have it in us to get out there. Whether a gazelle or geriatric turtle, we can all excel.

Who inspires you?

Training

There’s been a tremendous amount going on since my last post. Mostly all excellent.

Regarding training, it continues and I’m seeing quite a bit of progress. With eight and a half weeks until the More Half Marathon in Manhattan, the focus has moved beyond simply staying the course to get there. Being comfortable in the midst of the process allows one to look around and appreciate it a bit more.

I’ve settled into the following weekly routine, which is an amended version of Hal Higdon’s Novice 1 program:

Monday = yoga

Tuesday = run 4 miles

Wednesday = cross train core and upper body

Thursday = run 4 miles

Friday = cross train core and upper body

Saturday = rest

Sunday = long run

Please note that cross training is still done using exergames.

This past Sunday, E, T and I ran a little over eight miles for our long run. That’s right, eight blessed miles. We were pretty amazed. That’s the longest any of us has ever run.

We felt great!

We became aware that, like, wow, we could go more maybe on another day…nine didn’t seem so out of the picture. And if nine isn’t so far out of the picture, then ten is just a little beyond that. And a wee bit farther sits thirteen. Wait; thirteen…that’s a HALF MARATHON!

All of our training thus far has brought us to this point. We are completing the distances, able to recuperate, and go and do it again…and again.

All pretty exciting stuff!

TEDxManhattan

Due to a snow storm, I was unable to attend TEDxManhattan last week. The local viewing party was cancelled due ot the snow as well. Instead, we all had a beautiful, cozy snow day.

Feel free to find out more about the event and watch streaming video of the conference here.

Cross Training

When I was younger, and coaches would have us cross train, we’d all just do it. It was simply what one did, not what one thought about beyond how heavy the weights could be or some other measure of endurance.

When I began working out on my own in my 20s and 30s, I didn’t bother consciously cross training. Different exercise classes were fun, so we’d try those out. Running was something to be endured on the treadmills of the world to try to keep the weight off or train for a 5K. Yoga was new and exciting, as was Pilates. But nothing stuck, per se; cross training always seemed a lark.

I hadn’t truly thought about the implications of mindful cross training until recently, upon signing up to run a half marathon in April. I’ve known and openly discussed with others that my lats begin to ache at around mile 5 whenever I run long distances. Everything else feels fine, it’s pretty much my back that hurts. In reviewing different half marathon training plans, they all suggest (but to not require) cross training, which includes core and upper body work outs, as well as stretching.   I figured, what the heck…I need something to help me and my lats get through the second 10K of the half marathon in order to finish.

So for the past couple of weeks, as discussed here, I’ve been mindfully including yoga, core and upper body workouts, as well as additional cross training through walking. The intention is to get this 40+ year old body in some semblance of shape to be able to finish the 13.2 miles of a half marathon by April 2012. From what all the plans say, it does seem possible if one is mindful about one’s training schedule.

I’m not positive that it’s working, but on my last 10K (6.1 mile) long run, my back ached LESS than it had in the past. I feel that that is some sort of achievement in itself. G-d willing, additional cross training will only improve the outcomes.

Do you routinely cross train? If so, email me and let me know what you do and how it helps your performance!

Toddler Books

Cover via Amazon

As folks who know us know, we read quite a bit in my family: books, scholarly papers, newspapers, magazines, laws, legislation, and blogs, to name a few media. The extent of such reading can be partially grasped by seeing our home, where evidence of such is, quite literally, everywhere.

My daughter has had her own library since birth, and cherishes her books. Sometimes a bit too much, and we need to remind her once in a while that they’re not to be used for teething.

We generally read together a couple of hours per day. We all enjoy the time together, and will also play different games with her using her books as tools, like identifying the different letters in a word in a book and identifying another word for that letter.

Example: GEORGE

G is for Grape

E is for Every

O is for Orange

R is for Rainbow

G is for Grape again

E is for Every again

Her latest fad is choosing one book to take to bed. She doesn’t like “reading” the same book in bed twice in a row.

Recently, some folks have asked for book recommendations, either because their child is looking for something new, or they’re looking for something new for their child. Parents often swap ideas for toys, classes, books and pretty much everything else under the sun. I’m generally flummoxed when asked about books on short notice, because I tend to get lost in the magnitude of possible suggestions.

Here are just a few ideas to check out on Amazon. It’s not meant to be exhaustive, and you may already have these books. If you have other suggestions, please let me know, because we’re constantly buying new material and take out 20 or so books for her from the library every week.

Whenever we’re at the library, we look for more of the books in these ten series. They all have permanent places in our home. This list is not exhaustive. Rather, it’s a sampling to move the conversation forward:

Dr. Seuss – We all know his work. Most of us read the stuff when we were kids. It still works today. We just read The Eye Book before today’s nap.

Maisy – Maisy is a mouse. She and her friends (and teddy bear) get into all sorts of fun adventures with great pictures that allow the books to be used in many additional learning games. She’s snoozing with Maisy’s Big Book right now.

Franklin – He is most definitely a turtle. He’s an only child, but some of his woodland friends have siblings. He’s adorable, and friendly. We read his going to school book before nap as well. We like him a lot.

Biscuit – He’s a very friendly silly puppy. He lives with his girl. We hope Biscuit has new adventures soon, because we’ve memorized all his current books.

Clifford – We’re just starting to read books about this red dog. Fun, with detailed drawings that can be discussed on a lot of levels.

Dinosaurs – We were actually on a waiting list to get the latest (How Do Dinosaurs Go Up & Down?) when it came out before Christmas. We even discovered some stickers for the series (that was SUCH a bonus!)

Knuffle Bunny – This is a very funny, much beloved trilogy about a girl and her bunny.

That’s Not My… – This series has kept us captivated since our daughter was an infant. She now likes to recite the stories and try to locate the words that she know must be there on the page.

Goodnight Moon – We didn’t realize that there were other books in the series until recently; there’s also a matching game. We love all of them.

Curious George – The original book is okay, but not one of ours faves. Rather, we’ve become transfixed by the 12-book phonics set. It’s simply awesome.

These are just some of the books in constant rotation here. It’s be great to hear what your kids love to read. Again, we’re always looking for new suggestions. Email me ideas!

Seven Pound Drop

Over a year ago, when I began the exergaming campaign, one of my primary interests was whether video games could be used to maintain or lose weight. But over the ensuing year, as weight did indeed drop, focus has shifted somewhat to endurance, strength and stamina building aspects of exercise, as well as wonderment at how far one can push one’s body before collapse.

For a long while, perhaps three months or more, my weight has remained relatively stable even as I’ve been adding additional miles on top of my base weekly mileage and exergaming. I haven’t been bothered by it, to be honest, since clothing has been fitting me better and my focus has been set on sheer distance. Over the last month or so, I’ve been fine tuning clothing and regimen in order to make distance runs longer, and added the goal of a half marathon in April.

So it came as somewhat of a surprise to me yesterday, when I stepped onto my garden variety scale for the first time in perhaps a month. Mind you, that month was also filled with yummy holiday events. The surprise was not only that I had dropped seven pounds seemingly overnight (at least since my last weigh in), but that I had been just thinking about fine tuning my eating and exercise even more in an attempt to lose weight, because I was sure I’d added some weight.

Obviously there are many things at play in one’s weight: daily, weekly, monthly fluctuations; muscle versus fat balance within the body; level, frequency and type of exercise; portions, types and balance of food; among other things.

We hear from doctors that a body can change dramatically for a short period of time; but that in its physical memory, it retains a “memory” of its former self before the change was implemented. So, following this theory, it’ll bounce back to its former “normal” state unless change is constant and indefinite. That makes sense. I’ve also wondered for a while that when the body realizes it’s being holistically changed (like shedding 70+ pounds), it’ll hold on at certain stages before allowing itself to move into the next state of transformation.

So, using my weight loss as an example, it was hard to lose the first 60 pounds. It took a lot of concentrated effort regarding exercise and food. Then, for about three months or so, my body seemed to stay the same weight wise, regardless of whether I worked out more or less, or ate more or less, or healthier or less healthy. The number on the scale remained the same. Then, one day, I had a seven pound loss without seemingly changing anything.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens going forward. With a half marathon coming up in 12 weeks 2 days, my training has to increase. It’d be nice to lose some more weight, but my focus is on the distance, not the clothing size. So we’ll see.

Have you found something like this happening with changes you’ve made in your life? If so, please email me and let me know!

Damn It's Cold

Image via WikipediaThe title says it all. While I have gotten out to run once this week, and hope to do so again this afternoon, the icy rain, sub-freezing temps and general holy c40p it's cold type stuff, I am extremely happy that EA Sports Active II allows me to do all of my cross-training at home, in sweats, with heaters blasting.

So, for half marathon training, what does EA Sports Active II offer the lay (or lame) non-athlete like me? Well, it has kick butt work outs. It offers multiple yoga, core, upper body and crunch options. Also, thanks to their "create your own workout" area, you can put together your own favorite routines that can change as often as you want. That includes the length of those workouts and what your avatar wears. Pretty cool.

In between the stretching, sweating and crunching going on in front of one's TV, road work still

requires some attention. This calls for good cold weather running clothing. While I am a novice with this sort of thing, I already know that I'm looking for stuff that wicks my sweat away and - need I say it - keeps me WARM. I'm starting to doubt whether those things are really possible given the amount of sweat I'm producing and the low temperatures outside. My go-to brands right now are LuLuLemon, Under Armour and SportHill. The switch from barefoot running shoes to Nike Vomeros (+6) keeps my feet much toastier during the hard winter months. While sometimes, the temps only require two layers on top, on some runs I'm layering pieces from all of those brands and more.

What do you wear outside during the coldest months? Email me and let me know!

Goals

Targets are generally important in any endeavor. They help us sketch out in our mind’s eye where we are and where we want to go.

Some people like making generalized visions of themselves at a next stage. Examples of this are statements like I’d like to lose five pounds and I’d like to learn the piano.

Others have date related goals they’re meeting. Examples of this are statements like I’d like to lose five pounds by Cindy’s wedding and I’d like to learn the piano before Christmas.

For me to accomplish things, I look at an action, like running a half marathon or doing all the laundry in the house. My generalized vision is being someone who runs a half marathon or has no dirty laundry. Please note that these two goals are probably self exclusive. The date related to such goals are the date of the half marathon or the date I’d like to have the laundry totally done.

I’m relatively compulsive once I’ve fixed on a project. I read the blogs, I peruse the free sites, I sometimes read magazines, I query friends and strangers who know more than me, and I always read far too many books on the topic. Dear Husband still jokes that my pregnancy prep resembled my prep for the bar exam. Honestly, some friends of mine (CBS & ML come to mind) who will probably read as many or EVEN MORE books than me on that topic. They’re compulsive lawyers too. J

So here I am in week one of half marathon training. On the cheap. Recognizing that I am a novice. And I’m loving it.

Today, day three, I worked out with EA Sports Active II. I didn’t use their 21 day or 9 week programs, both of which I love. Oh NO. I went hard core and clicked right to the Crunch & Core workout. Welcome back mountainclimbers! Hello again plank position!

Because here’s a lovely secret about well thought out exergames like EA Sports Active II – they take many different fitness plans into account and offer you options. So I’m able to do my half marathon cross training by using their OTHER fitness workouts, filed away in the “My Workouts” Box on the upper right hand corner of my home screen. Crazy right?!?!?

Well, I’m lovin’ it…and that’s all that matters as I look ahead to tomorrow when I go on a nice 4.1 mile run in the mountains in 40 degree temps….oh, and there might even be rain. Yippee. Bring it ON!

What’s The Plan, Sam?

Image by marichica88 via FlickrSo, I never did a year end wrap up on weight loss and results, nor did I post specifically about this year ahead….until now.

As some of you know, the autumn was a particularly intense season for me personally and professionally, which was so jam packed with goodness that it slipped right through the holidays. In fact, due to freakish global weather patterns that have encouraged all squirrels across the globe to become obese, I have been able to not only continue to exergame, but also to run into January. I even ran today.

Which all brings me to my lack of blogging. I didn’t so much. There was simply way too much stuff going on.

Quick Year End Update:

After exergaming consistently all year, and added barefoot running for the last third of the year, I lost a grand total of 58-61 pounds. Pretty good. Could have been better and could have been worse. It even stayed off last week when I totally fell apart with exhaustion and only worked out once – a four mile jog.

I’ve lost 3-4 dress sizes and generally look better in what I’m wearing. My shoe size has remained the same.

My endurance is generally much better and I can whip off a Zumba workout, an EA Sports Active II hill workout, or a 10K any day of the week without worrying about feeling pain afterward – or even the following day.

What’s Up In 2012:

I’ve committed to, and registered for, running my first half marathon (ever) on April 15^th. I hope to run another in the fall. This means that my present training has to be fine tuned and thrown up a notch. Other than the long distance running piece, exergames, specifically EA Sports Active II, will be my only cross training crutch, at least for the first half marathon.

A lot of people ask me how I keep all the moving parts straight and get things done across platform. I generally find that quite funny. I feel that I barely keep things together and moving cohesively (and keep our family in clean clothing!), so I’ve also decided to express a year of gratitude. One has an awful lot of goodness in one’s life, and one doesn’t always think about it or write it down or acknowledge it as it’s happening. So my plan, which is totally ripping off a friend of mine, is to take a few moments each day and write at least one “I’m thankful for…” statement. I’m keeping them all together, so that at the end of this year, I can look back and see some small pieces of what’s been going on and that keeps me centered. I’ve already looked at the list a couple of times, and it does help centre oneself.

So there we have it campers! How did your 2011 projects turn out? How are your resolutions going?

Related articles

• Exergaming: Can Exercise Games Help You Get Fit? (webmd.com)
• ExerGames & Weight-loss (gamiconnection.wordpress.com)