As the holidays approach, personal schedules become busier and more crowded with parties and events. Temptations arise and soon exercise becomes an after-thought. It’s no surprise, then, that the average woman gains between 4- 8 pounds during the holiday season. Don’t let that be you! Avoid the holiday pitfalls, which may trap your fitness goals, by following these guidelines:
Maintain an exercise schedule but be flexible. If you already have a fitness routine, it is important to stick with it and remain focused. Many routines have 1- 2 days of rest and recovery. Allow yourself to move your rest days based on how busy your schedule is from day to day; or reduce the length of your workouts, but increase the amount of days you exercise. Even if you have to reduce your workout length, you’ll still gain more benefits from those 15-30 minutes. Not exercising at all will allow you to lose your drive, motivation, momentum and your results. The holidays won’t last forever and once your relatives leave, you can go back to longer, more frequent and intense workouts.
Avoid fasting, and control splurging. The worst thing you can do to your body is not eat. By fasting all day for one large meal, your body slows down its’ metabolic rate (the speed at which your body converts digested food into energy) and when exercising, your body slows its’ process of burning fat. The best thing you can do is eat five small meals each day. The key word in that preceding sentence is small. If that isn’t possible, and you attend cocktail parties or office socials where numerous hors d’ourves are served, limit yourself to just a taste of everything you want. Don’t return to simply graze or overindulge. Remember to arrive at these parties after having a light, low-calorie nutritious meal. That way you won’t be hungry and have the temptation to splurge.
Eggnog, spiked drinks and wine, oh my! Drinks are not calorie free. A glass of wine or a “light” beer has at least 100 calories. And that is a 4 ounce glass of wine. Measure 4 ounces in your wine glass. You may be surprised to find that your typical glass of wine is really 2-3 times that amount. Spiked eggnog and some mixed drinks can have almost 700. Not only is alcohol high in calories but it also increases the body’s appetite. If you choose to drink alcohol, do your best to set a limit and supplement your amount with a calorie free and sugar free beverage. Remember, your best choice is water. Water doesn’t have any calories; water increases your metabolism, flushes the toxins from your body and is far more inexpensive. A glass of sparkling water with a lime may be the perfect alternative to that high-caloric mixed drink.
Be realistic but have fun. The holiday season is a great time to focus on your health. It is possible to lose weight during the holidays, and there are fitness programs designed to “maintain and not gain.” If you are trying to avoid all temptations, you might be setting yourself up for failure. Remember, the holidays are about giving and sharing time with those you care about. Healthy socializing is just as important as a healthy diet and proper exercise. Moderation is the key. Enjoy a healthy holiday season.
Tips for a Healthy Holiday
Walk it off. After the meal invite your relatives to see the lights and take a walk as a family.
Try a new version of an old favorite. Decide to make a healthy version of a traditional dish.
Rest. Find time for yourself, if only a few minutes each day.
Stay hydrated. Drink your water!
Breathe deep and relax.
Limit sweets. Enjoy salads and veggies instead or fill up on healthy choices first.
Combine shopping with walking.
Get a good night’s sleep. Take a nap if you need to.
Feed someone who needs it more. Take time out for others as a way to give back to your community. Giving of yourself makes you healthier on the inside!
Set goals! A new year is a great time to focus on what you really want.
You can do it!
Visit us online at: www.StAugustineBootCamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
Monday, November 12, 2007
How much sugar?
These days with so many fad diets and weight loss programs in circulation, people tend to become overwhelmed with nutritional tips and guidelines. One thing that everyone can agree on is that sugar, specifically High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS - an artificial sweetener which is cheaper than sugar) is not healthy. Since our bodies convert all carbohydrates to sugar for fuel to burn (energy), how much sugar should we consume?
First of all, there is one sweetener that should be eliminated from everyone’s diet and that’s HFCS. It is a sweetener that has no nutritional purpose and only spikes a person’s blood sugar level. As for the others, they can be friendly; but they can also be detrimental if you’re not careful.
Simple sugars (better known as simple carbohydrates) include fructose (fruit sugar), sucrose (table sugar), and lactose (milk sugar), as well as several other sugars. Fruits are one of the richest natural sources of simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are also made up of sugars, but the sugar molecules are strung together to form longer, more complex chains. Complex carbohydrates include fiber and starches. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include vegetables, whole grains, peas, and beans.
Carbohydrates are the main source of blood glucose, which is a major fuel for all of the body's cells and the only source of energy for the brain and red blood cells. Except for fiber, which cannot be digested, both simple and complex carbohydrates are converted into glucose. The glucose is then either used directly to provide energy for the body, or stored in the liver for future use. When a person consumes more calories than the body is using, a portion of the carbohydrates consumed may also be stored in the body as fat.
It is recommended that about 60 percent of your total daily calories come from carbohydrates and according to the World Health Organization, no more than 10 percent of calories should come from added sweeteners. This advice is in line with the long-standing recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture food pyramid, called for a maximum of 12 teaspoons of sugar (48 grams) in a 2,200-calorie diet, which translates to roughly 9 percent of daily calories.
With all this factual and scientific information, many people are left wondering what they can really do about sugar and how to find foods that are ok to eat. The best advice I can give people who are interested in bettering their eating habits is to take small steps towards changing habits.
The first step you should take is to examine what you are eating now and find out what the sugar content of your favorites foods is. If you are eating a lot of sugary snacks, try to find healthy replacements and foods that are naturally sweet like fresh vegetables and fruits. Dried fruits can be a very good choice, such as raisins and dried apples.
Replacements for some other common foods people eat, like salad dressings, jarred spaghetti sauces, and even breads are needed too. You may be shocked to find HFCS in many of these items in your pantry. If you are like me, you aren’t going to give up these foods cold turkey, and you shouldn’t have to give them up at all.
By taking the time to find replacements for these favorites, you can continue eating them knowing you are making better choices. If you have no idea where to begin, a good place to start is by shopping on the “green aisle” at your favorite grocery store. You will find the organic products have natural ingredients and that includes natural sugar. You should still watch your total sugar intake and keep the 10% rule in mind. However, getting rid of the HFCS and other unnatural sugars in your diet will go a long way towards a healthier you!
Another small step you can take to make sugar more friendly to your body is to choose products that are not sweetened and flavor them yourself. A great example of this is when choosing your oatmeal. The oatmeal in packets can contain a high amount of sugar. Some of these packets contain as much as 4 teaspoons of sugar. If you were to buy the plain oatmeal and sweeten it yourself you would most likely use much less. Additionally, you can choose to sweeten your oatmeal with fruit like berries or raisins. If that does not appeal to you, try honey. Finally, if you must use sugar to sweeten your cereal, I suggest using the most natural kind you can find.
Stay away from artificial sweeteners when ever possible. I was giving a seminar on proper nutrition and a gentleman raised his hand and asked “Should I put a few raisins in my coffee too?” Well, it’s a good idea to sweeten foods naturally when ever possible, but sometimes a bit of sugar is just the only thing that will work, as in baking. My first suggestion is to gradually decrease the amount of sugar you take in your coffee, thus ultimately eliminating sugar in your coffee altogether. You can do this in about 2-3 weeks depending on how much sugar you take. Try decreasing your sugar in coffee by about ¼ teaspoon each day and see how easy it is to change your sweet tooth!
As far as baking and other “sugar only” needs, Florida Naturals is a nice sugar and now comes in an organic variety. I have also seen pure cane sugar in the stores recently which looks good. As a rule, when eating it is best to find foods that are as close to their natural form. The less foods are processed, the better they are for your body. It is great to keep this in mind and shop for all your foods this way.
Remember, replacements are the key. This keeps you from “binging” on the bad choices or starving yourself from the things like your favorite unhealthy comfort foods. Today, make a commitment to find healthy replacements to the foods you can’t live with out. If you don’t know what is bad for you, the first key is to look at the ingredients. If you can’t pronounce half of it, the food is not going to be good for you. Keep it fresh, keep it natural, keep it healthy.
A few years ago my wife told me about the day she was driving home from the grocery store after she had found replacements for all the foods we used to eat that contained HFCS. She said bringing home the healthier foods and knowing the things she was giving our family to eat were all good choices made her feel wonderful. You can do this too. If you need help finding a specific replacement, email me at getfit@staugustinebootcamp.com.
You can do it!
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
First of all, there is one sweetener that should be eliminated from everyone’s diet and that’s HFCS. It is a sweetener that has no nutritional purpose and only spikes a person’s blood sugar level. As for the others, they can be friendly; but they can also be detrimental if you’re not careful.
Simple sugars (better known as simple carbohydrates) include fructose (fruit sugar), sucrose (table sugar), and lactose (milk sugar), as well as several other sugars. Fruits are one of the richest natural sources of simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are also made up of sugars, but the sugar molecules are strung together to form longer, more complex chains. Complex carbohydrates include fiber and starches. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include vegetables, whole grains, peas, and beans.
Carbohydrates are the main source of blood glucose, which is a major fuel for all of the body's cells and the only source of energy for the brain and red blood cells. Except for fiber, which cannot be digested, both simple and complex carbohydrates are converted into glucose. The glucose is then either used directly to provide energy for the body, or stored in the liver for future use. When a person consumes more calories than the body is using, a portion of the carbohydrates consumed may also be stored in the body as fat.
It is recommended that about 60 percent of your total daily calories come from carbohydrates and according to the World Health Organization, no more than 10 percent of calories should come from added sweeteners. This advice is in line with the long-standing recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture food pyramid, called for a maximum of 12 teaspoons of sugar (48 grams) in a 2,200-calorie diet, which translates to roughly 9 percent of daily calories.
With all this factual and scientific information, many people are left wondering what they can really do about sugar and how to find foods that are ok to eat. The best advice I can give people who are interested in bettering their eating habits is to take small steps towards changing habits.
The first step you should take is to examine what you are eating now and find out what the sugar content of your favorites foods is. If you are eating a lot of sugary snacks, try to find healthy replacements and foods that are naturally sweet like fresh vegetables and fruits. Dried fruits can be a very good choice, such as raisins and dried apples.
Replacements for some other common foods people eat, like salad dressings, jarred spaghetti sauces, and even breads are needed too. You may be shocked to find HFCS in many of these items in your pantry. If you are like me, you aren’t going to give up these foods cold turkey, and you shouldn’t have to give them up at all.
By taking the time to find replacements for these favorites, you can continue eating them knowing you are making better choices. If you have no idea where to begin, a good place to start is by shopping on the “green aisle” at your favorite grocery store. You will find the organic products have natural ingredients and that includes natural sugar. You should still watch your total sugar intake and keep the 10% rule in mind. However, getting rid of the HFCS and other unnatural sugars in your diet will go a long way towards a healthier you!
Another small step you can take to make sugar more friendly to your body is to choose products that are not sweetened and flavor them yourself. A great example of this is when choosing your oatmeal. The oatmeal in packets can contain a high amount of sugar. Some of these packets contain as much as 4 teaspoons of sugar. If you were to buy the plain oatmeal and sweeten it yourself you would most likely use much less. Additionally, you can choose to sweeten your oatmeal with fruit like berries or raisins. If that does not appeal to you, try honey. Finally, if you must use sugar to sweeten your cereal, I suggest using the most natural kind you can find.
Stay away from artificial sweeteners when ever possible. I was giving a seminar on proper nutrition and a gentleman raised his hand and asked “Should I put a few raisins in my coffee too?” Well, it’s a good idea to sweeten foods naturally when ever possible, but sometimes a bit of sugar is just the only thing that will work, as in baking. My first suggestion is to gradually decrease the amount of sugar you take in your coffee, thus ultimately eliminating sugar in your coffee altogether. You can do this in about 2-3 weeks depending on how much sugar you take. Try decreasing your sugar in coffee by about ¼ teaspoon each day and see how easy it is to change your sweet tooth!
As far as baking and other “sugar only” needs, Florida Naturals is a nice sugar and now comes in an organic variety. I have also seen pure cane sugar in the stores recently which looks good. As a rule, when eating it is best to find foods that are as close to their natural form. The less foods are processed, the better they are for your body. It is great to keep this in mind and shop for all your foods this way.
Remember, replacements are the key. This keeps you from “binging” on the bad choices or starving yourself from the things like your favorite unhealthy comfort foods. Today, make a commitment to find healthy replacements to the foods you can’t live with out. If you don’t know what is bad for you, the first key is to look at the ingredients. If you can’t pronounce half of it, the food is not going to be good for you. Keep it fresh, keep it natural, keep it healthy.
A few years ago my wife told me about the day she was driving home from the grocery store after she had found replacements for all the foods we used to eat that contained HFCS. She said bringing home the healthier foods and knowing the things she was giving our family to eat were all good choices made her feel wonderful. You can do this too. If you need help finding a specific replacement, email me at getfit@staugustinebootcamp.com.
You can do it!
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
The power of goal setting
You’ve made a resolution to “get into shape” and “shed some pounds” in 2007. That’s awesome, but what do those resolutions really mean to you and how are you going to measure or obtain those goals?
Think grand. Set a goal that you think only in your wildest dreams you could ever achieve (for example, finishing a marathon in 4 hours or less, swimming a mile in the open ocean, or even climbing Pike’s Peak). Having a long term goal serves as a motivator throughout the next year (or years) when you have a difficult stretch or you reach your shorter term goals.
Be specific. Just as with your grand goal, your shorter term goals should be measurable. In other words, deciding to lose weight isn’t a specific goal. Losing 6 pounds in 4 weeks is specific and measurable. Not only is it concrete, but a timetable has also been set. Better yet, decide what size you want to wear and make that your goal.
Make it personal. Your goals are just that, “yours.” Set milestones or goals that you want to attain for yourself. If it’s “fitting in your skinny jeans” then that’s personal. If you set goals for the right reasons, you are already on the path of success.
Post ‘em. Write down all of your goals from the grandest long terms to your weekly short terms. Once you see them in print you will more likely find time to work towards them. A great place to record your goals is in a journal. There are even online training diaries that organize your exercise routines and help calculate anything from calories to average heart rate.
Plan it out. Every great goal needs a great plan. Take the time to organize yourself and achieve it. For example, if your goal is to be able to “run and breathe at the same time” then figure out what type of routine you’ll need to work on and what time of day you’ll be doing it. Use your “goal journal” to write the plan down and then record your results as you progress.
Get motivated! For added insurance, find a way to motivate yourself. Need to be held accountable? Ask your spouse or co-worker to be your exercise buddy. Start a fitness program with the ability to help you reach your goals. Rewarding yourself can also be a motivator. A new dress when the size you desire is reached will certainly be a great reward!
Reaffirm your exercise goals every day. You should look at your written goals every day and schedule time each day to work towards them. If you do that, one day, you will climb Pike’s Peak.
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
Think grand. Set a goal that you think only in your wildest dreams you could ever achieve (for example, finishing a marathon in 4 hours or less, swimming a mile in the open ocean, or even climbing Pike’s Peak). Having a long term goal serves as a motivator throughout the next year (or years) when you have a difficult stretch or you reach your shorter term goals.
Be specific. Just as with your grand goal, your shorter term goals should be measurable. In other words, deciding to lose weight isn’t a specific goal. Losing 6 pounds in 4 weeks is specific and measurable. Not only is it concrete, but a timetable has also been set. Better yet, decide what size you want to wear and make that your goal.
Make it personal. Your goals are just that, “yours.” Set milestones or goals that you want to attain for yourself. If it’s “fitting in your skinny jeans” then that’s personal. If you set goals for the right reasons, you are already on the path of success.
Post ‘em. Write down all of your goals from the grandest long terms to your weekly short terms. Once you see them in print you will more likely find time to work towards them. A great place to record your goals is in a journal. There are even online training diaries that organize your exercise routines and help calculate anything from calories to average heart rate.
Plan it out. Every great goal needs a great plan. Take the time to organize yourself and achieve it. For example, if your goal is to be able to “run and breathe at the same time” then figure out what type of routine you’ll need to work on and what time of day you’ll be doing it. Use your “goal journal” to write the plan down and then record your results as you progress.
Get motivated! For added insurance, find a way to motivate yourself. Need to be held accountable? Ask your spouse or co-worker to be your exercise buddy. Start a fitness program with the ability to help you reach your goals. Rewarding yourself can also be a motivator. A new dress when the size you desire is reached will certainly be a great reward!
Reaffirm your exercise goals every day. You should look at your written goals every day and schedule time each day to work towards them. If you do that, one day, you will climb Pike’s Peak.
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
Revamping Your Workout
Statistics prove that your body’s strength plateaus every four weeks. To encourage your body to work harder and gain better strength and endurance you should revamp or change your workout routine every four weeks.
One of the simplest and most effective ways to improve strength, stamina and to be able to burn more fat is exercising through interval training. Regardless of your past exercise experience or ability anyone can benefit from changing their intensity level in any workout routine. For example if you are an avid walker and you maintain a moderate pace once a week you should increase your intensity for three minutes and lower the intensity for one minute. The duration of your walking routine should be between half and hour to an hour. By following this routine you are encouraging your body to burn more fat. You should be able to cover between 3-5 miles in 30-60 minutes at a brisk walking pace. A great example of an interval training walk would be 60% intensity level or effort for 1 minute and then 75% effort for three minutes, continuing this pattern for the time you walk.
If you are a runner you can follow a similar routine and increase your strength and speed as well. Exercising on a treadmill is an excellent way to practice interval training. A treadmill allows you to set the pace and monitor your time and distance. Some will even tell you how many calories you have burned. Another useful tool for intervals is a watch that offers interval timing. These are available at local retailers as well as specialty shops.
For those of you who enjoy an aerobics class, you can incorporate interval training into these workouts as well. Push yourself harder for three minutes and continue to exercise for an additional minute at a lower rate than normal.
As you can see, interval training is able to be used for most every form of cardio exercising. The benefits of interval training are that you will get stronger faster. You will increase your metabolism rate thereby burning more fat. You will also have the added benefit of lowering your resting heart rate thereby strengthening your heart, the most important muscle in your body.
If you have not changed your fitness routine recently, it’s time to give interval training a try. Mix up your workout and give your body a boost in strength. Your heart will thank you for the extra effort!
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
One of the simplest and most effective ways to improve strength, stamina and to be able to burn more fat is exercising through interval training. Regardless of your past exercise experience or ability anyone can benefit from changing their intensity level in any workout routine. For example if you are an avid walker and you maintain a moderate pace once a week you should increase your intensity for three minutes and lower the intensity for one minute. The duration of your walking routine should be between half and hour to an hour. By following this routine you are encouraging your body to burn more fat. You should be able to cover between 3-5 miles in 30-60 minutes at a brisk walking pace. A great example of an interval training walk would be 60% intensity level or effort for 1 minute and then 75% effort for three minutes, continuing this pattern for the time you walk.
If you are a runner you can follow a similar routine and increase your strength and speed as well. Exercising on a treadmill is an excellent way to practice interval training. A treadmill allows you to set the pace and monitor your time and distance. Some will even tell you how many calories you have burned. Another useful tool for intervals is a watch that offers interval timing. These are available at local retailers as well as specialty shops.
For those of you who enjoy an aerobics class, you can incorporate interval training into these workouts as well. Push yourself harder for three minutes and continue to exercise for an additional minute at a lower rate than normal.
As you can see, interval training is able to be used for most every form of cardio exercising. The benefits of interval training are that you will get stronger faster. You will increase your metabolism rate thereby burning more fat. You will also have the added benefit of lowering your resting heart rate thereby strengthening your heart, the most important muscle in your body.
If you have not changed your fitness routine recently, it’s time to give interval training a try. Mix up your workout and give your body a boost in strength. Your heart will thank you for the extra effort!
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
Run off 5 Pounds, article from Runner's World
Run Off 5 Pounds
Three no-diet plans for getting a bit thinner, a lot healthier, and fit enough to run a marathon
by Jane Unger Hahn, Runner's World senior editor
Numbers don't lie. That clock hanging above the finish line tells you exactly how your race went. Just like the numbers on your bathroom scale tell you precisely where you stand in the battle of the bulge.
And no matter what those contrived weight-loss infomercials say, losing weight itself is strictly a numbers game. "It's all about calorie deficits," says Jana Klauer, M.D., a weight-loss expert in private practice and research fellow at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York. That is, burn more calories than you consume, and you will lose weight. More specifically, for every 3,500 calories you burn over and above what you take in, you'll lose 1 pound. All the diet gimmicks in the world won't get you around these hard numerical truths.
This is very good news for runners, because running is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories. For every mile you log, you burn about 100 calories. (If you weigh more than 150 pounds, you'll burn a bit more per mile, and if you weigh less, you'll burn slightly less.) Which means it probably takes you less than 10 minutes to run off 100 calories—a rate that leaves most other forms of exercise in the dust.
So if you've been wanting to lose a pound or 2, or even 5, look no further than your running routine. By making some incremental changes—adjusting the mileage here, boosting the intensity there—you can literally run off those extra pounds without changing anything in your diet.
Repeat: No dieting. You just need to keep your calorie intake the same. Which won't be difficult, because research shows that the fitter you become, the healthier your diet naturally becomes. So, as you hold steady with the calories coming in, the following three plans will increase your calorie-burn, creating the deficit you need to melt off the pounds.
And speaking of getting fitter, that's a done deal. Any one of our three weight-loss plans will automatically boost your fitness level. Plan 3 will get you so fit, you might as well run a marathon.
Remember: The fitter you are, the more calories you burn all day long, which leads to bigger calorie deficits and even more weight loss. Call it compound interest, exercise-style. Without a single day of dieting, you'll be transformed into a lean, mean, calorie-burning machine.
The Science Behind the Numbers
To boost your weekly calorie-burn strictly through running, you need to increase your mileage or in-crease your intensity.
Increase mileage. This one is pretty obvious, but it's also the most effective. The more miles you run, the more calories you burn. Mathematically speaking, the relationship between miles run and calories burned remains the same whether you're adding 1 mile (100 calories) to your running plan or 20 (2,000 calories).
Of course, unless you're now logging 200-mile weeks, we wouldn't advise an immediate 20-mile increase. To stay healthy and injury-free, stick to about a 10-percent-per-week increase. This mileage increase may seem small at first, but the extra calorie-burn will accumulate faster than you think.
Increase intensity. Though we've already said that every mile you run is worth about 100 calories, not all miles are created equal in terms of calorie-burn. That's because the pace you run and the terrain you cover can actually boost the number of calories you burn per mile.
"Running uses more calories than walking, so likewise, if you're running at your maximum speed, you're using more calories than when you're jogging," says Dr. Klauer. "This is because sustained high-aerobic activity creates added effort throughout the body."
Just as a faster pace increases your workload, running on an incline boosts the number of calories you burn per mile. This won't come as a surprise to anyone who's rejoiced when finally reaching the top of a hill.
There's actually an equation to compute the exact number of calories burned at varying inclines. But since you need a Ph.D. in mathematics to make sense of it, Dr. Klauer provided an easier method. "Generally, you can count on a 10-percent increase in calories burned for each degree of incline," says Dr. Klauer. "So, running at a 5-percent incline will burn 50 percent more calories than running on a flat surface, and running on a 10-percent incline actually doubles your calorie-burn."
Hills are sounding a little bit better now, aren't they?
The Plans
Okay, ready to lose some weight? Any of the following schedules will boost your calorie-burn and allow you to run off the pounds. All three programs assume that you've been running 20 miles a week, and include manageable increases in mileage. But each plan maxes out at a different weekly mileage depending on how high you want to go. Your options: increase from 20 to 30 miles; 20 to 35 miles; or 20 to 40 miles.
You'll lose 5 pounds on any of our three plans: It'll just take you somewhat longer on Plan 1, since the weekly mileage increases stop after week 5. As for increases in intensity, all three plans include one simple speed workout and one hill workout that you'll do in place of two of your regular runs, which together will boost your weekly calorie-burn by about 300.
Plan 1: 5 pounds in 15 weeks
Mileage: This plan will increase your weekly mileage from 20 to 30 miles. It's ideal for those who want to drop a few pounds but don't have much more time or energy to devote to their running. Following the 10-percent mileage increase rule, begin by adding 2 miles to your weekly running schedule. Simply add 1 mile to two of your easy runs. As you continue to increase your mileage each week, one of your runs should become significantly longer than the others. Most people do this longer run on the weekend, when they have more time. Your mileage increases will stop after week 5.
Intensity: Along with your incremental mileage increases, you'll want to add some intensity to two of your other weekly runs. Remember, you're not adding extra running days. You're just boosting the intensity of two runs you've already been doing.
Workout-Booster A: Add 10 x 60-second pickups in the middle of one of your regular weekly runs. These pickups shouldn't be all-out sprints. Rather, do them at about 90 percent of your maximum effort.
Workout-Booster B: Add hills to one of your regular weekly runs. To burn about 100 extra calories with this workout, do one of your regular runs on a treadmill and adjust the incline. For example, you could replace a flat 4-miler with a 4-mile treadmill workout, in which the middle 2 miles are run at a 5-percent incline. Or run the middle 2.5 miles of that workout at a 4-percent incline. Just remember: For every 1-degree of incline, you get a 10-percent increase in calorie-burn.
And don't worry about pace. You'll definitely need to do the incline sections slower than the flat sections, but you'll still achieve the extra calorie-burn thanks to the increased workload.
If you don't have access to a treadmill, find some hills where you can either do a continuous hilly loop, or some long hill repeats. To get a rough estimate of a hill's incline, try this trick: Ride your bike to the top of the hill in question and face it downhill. At the top, coast freely for 5 seconds and check the speedometer. The speed you hit after 5 seconds of rolling will roughly match the incline in degrees. So, if your speedometer reads 5 mph after the 5-second roll, you're on a 5-percent incline.
Plan 2: 5 pounds in 12 weeks
With this plan, as with Plan 1, add a mile or 2 to two of your runs each week, plus sprinkle in some speed and hillwork.
Mileage: This plan will increase your weekly mileage from 20 to 35 miles. Begin your mileage increases as explained in Plan 1. The only difference is that you continue to increase your mileage through week 6.
Intensity: Along with your incremental mileage increases, increase the intensity of two of your other weekly runs by adding Workout-Booster A and Workout-Booster B (as explained in Plan 1) every week.
Plan 3: 5 pounds in 11 weeks
As with the other two plans, add a mile or 2 to two of your workouts each week, and add some intensity to two other runs.
Mileage: This plan will double your weekly mileage from 20 to 40 miles, and all but register you for a marathon. Begin your mileage increases as explained in Plan 1. The only difference is that you continue to increase your mileage through week 7.
Intensity: Along with your incremental mileage increases, increase the intensity of two of your other weekly runs by adding Workout-Booster A and Workout-Booster B (as explained in Plan 1) every week.
The Best
Shortcut #1: Boost Your Burn
Although running is a killer calorie burner, everything you do burns calories. With the following tweaks to just a few of your daily activities, you can burn an extra 800 calories. If you incorporate each of these changes just once a week, Plan 1 will take 10 weeks instead of 15; Plan 2 will take 9 weeks instead of 12; and Plan 3 will take 8 weeks instead of 11.
Shortcut #2: Nutritional Nudges
We know, we promised no dieting. But you can cut an extra 800 calories per week and shed 5 pounds even faster if you're open to making just a handful of simple food substitutions. Make each of these changes just once a week, and Plan 1 will take 10 weeks instead of 15; Plan 2 will take 9 weeks instead of 12; and Plan 3 will take 8 weeks instead of 11.
Three no-diet plans for getting a bit thinner, a lot healthier, and fit enough to run a marathon
by Jane Unger Hahn, Runner's World senior editor
Numbers don't lie. That clock hanging above the finish line tells you exactly how your race went. Just like the numbers on your bathroom scale tell you precisely where you stand in the battle of the bulge.
And no matter what those contrived weight-loss infomercials say, losing weight itself is strictly a numbers game. "It's all about calorie deficits," says Jana Klauer, M.D., a weight-loss expert in private practice and research fellow at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York. That is, burn more calories than you consume, and you will lose weight. More specifically, for every 3,500 calories you burn over and above what you take in, you'll lose 1 pound. All the diet gimmicks in the world won't get you around these hard numerical truths.
This is very good news for runners, because running is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories. For every mile you log, you burn about 100 calories. (If you weigh more than 150 pounds, you'll burn a bit more per mile, and if you weigh less, you'll burn slightly less.) Which means it probably takes you less than 10 minutes to run off 100 calories—a rate that leaves most other forms of exercise in the dust.
So if you've been wanting to lose a pound or 2, or even 5, look no further than your running routine. By making some incremental changes—adjusting the mileage here, boosting the intensity there—you can literally run off those extra pounds without changing anything in your diet.
Repeat: No dieting. You just need to keep your calorie intake the same. Which won't be difficult, because research shows that the fitter you become, the healthier your diet naturally becomes. So, as you hold steady with the calories coming in, the following three plans will increase your calorie-burn, creating the deficit you need to melt off the pounds.
And speaking of getting fitter, that's a done deal. Any one of our three weight-loss plans will automatically boost your fitness level. Plan 3 will get you so fit, you might as well run a marathon.
Remember: The fitter you are, the more calories you burn all day long, which leads to bigger calorie deficits and even more weight loss. Call it compound interest, exercise-style. Without a single day of dieting, you'll be transformed into a lean, mean, calorie-burning machine.
The Science Behind the Numbers
To boost your weekly calorie-burn strictly through running, you need to increase your mileage or in-crease your intensity.
Increase mileage. This one is pretty obvious, but it's also the most effective. The more miles you run, the more calories you burn. Mathematically speaking, the relationship between miles run and calories burned remains the same whether you're adding 1 mile (100 calories) to your running plan or 20 (2,000 calories).
Of course, unless you're now logging 200-mile weeks, we wouldn't advise an immediate 20-mile increase. To stay healthy and injury-free, stick to about a 10-percent-per-week increase. This mileage increase may seem small at first, but the extra calorie-burn will accumulate faster than you think.
Increase intensity. Though we've already said that every mile you run is worth about 100 calories, not all miles are created equal in terms of calorie-burn. That's because the pace you run and the terrain you cover can actually boost the number of calories you burn per mile.
"Running uses more calories than walking, so likewise, if you're running at your maximum speed, you're using more calories than when you're jogging," says Dr. Klauer. "This is because sustained high-aerobic activity creates added effort throughout the body."
Just as a faster pace increases your workload, running on an incline boosts the number of calories you burn per mile. This won't come as a surprise to anyone who's rejoiced when finally reaching the top of a hill.
There's actually an equation to compute the exact number of calories burned at varying inclines. But since you need a Ph.D. in mathematics to make sense of it, Dr. Klauer provided an easier method. "Generally, you can count on a 10-percent increase in calories burned for each degree of incline," says Dr. Klauer. "So, running at a 5-percent incline will burn 50 percent more calories than running on a flat surface, and running on a 10-percent incline actually doubles your calorie-burn."
Hills are sounding a little bit better now, aren't they?
The Plans
Okay, ready to lose some weight? Any of the following schedules will boost your calorie-burn and allow you to run off the pounds. All three programs assume that you've been running 20 miles a week, and include manageable increases in mileage. But each plan maxes out at a different weekly mileage depending on how high you want to go. Your options: increase from 20 to 30 miles; 20 to 35 miles; or 20 to 40 miles.
You'll lose 5 pounds on any of our three plans: It'll just take you somewhat longer on Plan 1, since the weekly mileage increases stop after week 5. As for increases in intensity, all three plans include one simple speed workout and one hill workout that you'll do in place of two of your regular runs, which together will boost your weekly calorie-burn by about 300.
Plan 1: 5 pounds in 15 weeks
Mileage: This plan will increase your weekly mileage from 20 to 30 miles. It's ideal for those who want to drop a few pounds but don't have much more time or energy to devote to their running. Following the 10-percent mileage increase rule, begin by adding 2 miles to your weekly running schedule. Simply add 1 mile to two of your easy runs. As you continue to increase your mileage each week, one of your runs should become significantly longer than the others. Most people do this longer run on the weekend, when they have more time. Your mileage increases will stop after week 5.
Intensity: Along with your incremental mileage increases, you'll want to add some intensity to two of your other weekly runs. Remember, you're not adding extra running days. You're just boosting the intensity of two runs you've already been doing.
Workout-Booster A: Add 10 x 60-second pickups in the middle of one of your regular weekly runs. These pickups shouldn't be all-out sprints. Rather, do them at about 90 percent of your maximum effort.
Workout-Booster B: Add hills to one of your regular weekly runs. To burn about 100 extra calories with this workout, do one of your regular runs on a treadmill and adjust the incline. For example, you could replace a flat 4-miler with a 4-mile treadmill workout, in which the middle 2 miles are run at a 5-percent incline. Or run the middle 2.5 miles of that workout at a 4-percent incline. Just remember: For every 1-degree of incline, you get a 10-percent increase in calorie-burn.
And don't worry about pace. You'll definitely need to do the incline sections slower than the flat sections, but you'll still achieve the extra calorie-burn thanks to the increased workload.
If you don't have access to a treadmill, find some hills where you can either do a continuous hilly loop, or some long hill repeats. To get a rough estimate of a hill's incline, try this trick: Ride your bike to the top of the hill in question and face it downhill. At the top, coast freely for 5 seconds and check the speedometer. The speed you hit after 5 seconds of rolling will roughly match the incline in degrees. So, if your speedometer reads 5 mph after the 5-second roll, you're on a 5-percent incline.
Plan 2: 5 pounds in 12 weeks
With this plan, as with Plan 1, add a mile or 2 to two of your runs each week, plus sprinkle in some speed and hillwork.
Mileage: This plan will increase your weekly mileage from 20 to 35 miles. Begin your mileage increases as explained in Plan 1. The only difference is that you continue to increase your mileage through week 6.
Intensity: Along with your incremental mileage increases, increase the intensity of two of your other weekly runs by adding Workout-Booster A and Workout-Booster B (as explained in Plan 1) every week.
Plan 3: 5 pounds in 11 weeks
As with the other two plans, add a mile or 2 to two of your workouts each week, and add some intensity to two other runs.
Mileage: This plan will double your weekly mileage from 20 to 40 miles, and all but register you for a marathon. Begin your mileage increases as explained in Plan 1. The only difference is that you continue to increase your mileage through week 7.
Intensity: Along with your incremental mileage increases, increase the intensity of two of your other weekly runs by adding Workout-Booster A and Workout-Booster B (as explained in Plan 1) every week.
The Best
Shortcut #1: Boost Your Burn
Although running is a killer calorie burner, everything you do burns calories. With the following tweaks to just a few of your daily activities, you can burn an extra 800 calories. If you incorporate each of these changes just once a week, Plan 1 will take 10 weeks instead of 15; Plan 2 will take 9 weeks instead of 12; and Plan 3 will take 8 weeks instead of 11.
Shortcut #2: Nutritional Nudges
We know, we promised no dieting. But you can cut an extra 800 calories per week and shed 5 pounds even faster if you're open to making just a handful of simple food substitutions. Make each of these changes just once a week, and Plan 1 will take 10 weeks instead of 15; Plan 2 will take 9 weeks instead of 12; and Plan 3 will take 8 weeks instead of 11.
The perfect start to every day
There are four key elements that are in your control that decide how perfectly healthy you start your day. If you follow this formula, you’ll feel awesome before you even head out the door on your morning commute. The four elements are four simple words: breakfast, sunlight, breathing and water.
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (Autumn 2003) reported that those who miss breakfast are 4 ½ times more likely to be obese than those who eat a morning meal.
In one study, moderately overweight women who regularly skipped breakfast were randomly divided into two groups. One group was asked to eat a low-fat breakfast every morning, while the other group was instructed to continue forgoing the morning meal. After 12 weeks, the breakfast eaters lost significantly more weight than the breakfast skippers.
Along with the fat-burning benefits of eating breakfast everyday are also improved mental alertness, increased energy, more optimism and a better attitude—in short, a better day all around!
A good breakfast, high in protein and fiber, moderate in carbohydrates and low in fat will rev up your fat-burning potential for the whole day. A great example is a protein shake— a combination of milk, low-fat yogurt, whey protein powder, fresh fruit and ice. Yogurt smoothies are also easy and popular as well. To make one serving, layer ½ cup fat-free or low-fat vanilla yogurt and ½ cup fresh or frozen fruit (blueberries, strawberries and bananas—are my favorite and I ran my fastest marathon after drinking one that my wife made) with a tablespoon or two of granola sprinkled on top.
Remember, according to many studies, when you skip breakfast, you not only keep the body’s fat burners in ‘off’ mode, you also turn on the fat-making process. You lose twice!
In addition to having breakfast, you should also get up at the same time each day, and upon arising, turn on the lights. Sleeping in or hitting the snooze on the alarm repeatedly causes an effect that is similar to a jet-lag-like sleep disturbance that leaves you worn out and less alert.
Think of bright sunshine as if it’s a plethora of healing and life-giving energy. Haven’t you felt energized upon pulling the shades clear up and feeling the warmth seep into the room around you?
It’s a fact that: a brightly lit room has about 500 lux of light (1 lux is the scientific equivalent of the light from a single candle) compared with 10,000 lux of light at sunrise, and 100,000 lux of light at noon on a sunny day. To our metabolism, spending a day indoors is virtually the same as spending the day in darkness. It stimulates the inherent physiological processes associated with sleeping and gaining weight.
Good posture encourages good breathing. Even if you don’t slump, chances are you rarely take a good cleansing, belly-distending breath. Think of the productiveness and energy you’re missing out on. Oxygen is the central fuel for metabolism and energy production. When you don’t take in enough oxygen with each breath, your metabolism automatically slows down, your cells are unable to effectively burn off excess body fat or resist turning new calories into stored fat.
Poor posture contributes to oxygen starvation, and something as simple as deep breathing can activate the fat-burning process.
Lastly, drink plenty of water (at least 50- 64 ounces every 24 hours). In fact, a recent medical study showed that sipping 17 oz of ice water can raise metabolism by 30% for 90 straight minutes. Lesson #1: Maximize calorie burning by drinking cold water.
Recent research at the University of Geneva indicates green tea may increase metabolism and fat burning by up to 35%.” Lesson #2: Iced green tea, more power to you.
Most sources recommend drinking four to six 8-12 ounce glasses of water daily. My wife and I carry a 32 oz stainless steel insulated water bottle wherever we go. When you think that you lose up to two cups of water a day by breathing alone, staying hydrated takes on even greater meaning. (And all that deep breathing you’re going to start doing? Drink up!)
Activating your metabolism regularly maximizes your energy levels and burns fat. It’s truly the key to fat loss that lasts. Along with daily exercise, the key to a nutritional diet is eating light meals, healthy snacks, and activating your metabolism every 30 minutes throughout the day.
You can do it!
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (Autumn 2003) reported that those who miss breakfast are 4 ½ times more likely to be obese than those who eat a morning meal.
In one study, moderately overweight women who regularly skipped breakfast were randomly divided into two groups. One group was asked to eat a low-fat breakfast every morning, while the other group was instructed to continue forgoing the morning meal. After 12 weeks, the breakfast eaters lost significantly more weight than the breakfast skippers.
Along with the fat-burning benefits of eating breakfast everyday are also improved mental alertness, increased energy, more optimism and a better attitude—in short, a better day all around!
A good breakfast, high in protein and fiber, moderate in carbohydrates and low in fat will rev up your fat-burning potential for the whole day. A great example is a protein shake— a combination of milk, low-fat yogurt, whey protein powder, fresh fruit and ice. Yogurt smoothies are also easy and popular as well. To make one serving, layer ½ cup fat-free or low-fat vanilla yogurt and ½ cup fresh or frozen fruit (blueberries, strawberries and bananas—are my favorite and I ran my fastest marathon after drinking one that my wife made) with a tablespoon or two of granola sprinkled on top.
Remember, according to many studies, when you skip breakfast, you not only keep the body’s fat burners in ‘off’ mode, you also turn on the fat-making process. You lose twice!
In addition to having breakfast, you should also get up at the same time each day, and upon arising, turn on the lights. Sleeping in or hitting the snooze on the alarm repeatedly causes an effect that is similar to a jet-lag-like sleep disturbance that leaves you worn out and less alert.
Think of bright sunshine as if it’s a plethora of healing and life-giving energy. Haven’t you felt energized upon pulling the shades clear up and feeling the warmth seep into the room around you?
It’s a fact that: a brightly lit room has about 500 lux of light (1 lux is the scientific equivalent of the light from a single candle) compared with 10,000 lux of light at sunrise, and 100,000 lux of light at noon on a sunny day. To our metabolism, spending a day indoors is virtually the same as spending the day in darkness. It stimulates the inherent physiological processes associated with sleeping and gaining weight.
Good posture encourages good breathing. Even if you don’t slump, chances are you rarely take a good cleansing, belly-distending breath. Think of the productiveness and energy you’re missing out on. Oxygen is the central fuel for metabolism and energy production. When you don’t take in enough oxygen with each breath, your metabolism automatically slows down, your cells are unable to effectively burn off excess body fat or resist turning new calories into stored fat.
Poor posture contributes to oxygen starvation, and something as simple as deep breathing can activate the fat-burning process.
Lastly, drink plenty of water (at least 50- 64 ounces every 24 hours). In fact, a recent medical study showed that sipping 17 oz of ice water can raise metabolism by 30% for 90 straight minutes. Lesson #1: Maximize calorie burning by drinking cold water.
Recent research at the University of Geneva indicates green tea may increase metabolism and fat burning by up to 35%.” Lesson #2: Iced green tea, more power to you.
Most sources recommend drinking four to six 8-12 ounce glasses of water daily. My wife and I carry a 32 oz stainless steel insulated water bottle wherever we go. When you think that you lose up to two cups of water a day by breathing alone, staying hydrated takes on even greater meaning. (And all that deep breathing you’re going to start doing? Drink up!)
Activating your metabolism regularly maximizes your energy levels and burns fat. It’s truly the key to fat loss that lasts. Along with daily exercise, the key to a nutritional diet is eating light meals, healthy snacks, and activating your metabolism every 30 minutes throughout the day.
You can do it!
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
The truth about our kids
When we were young it was common that kids came home after school, did their homework, had a snack and then went outside to play in their neighborhoods till dark. If I had to guess, I would say the time spent was close to three hours of bike riding, skateboarding, surfing, tree climbing, trail exploring, fort building, jump roping, roller skating, and game playing a DAY. Three hours of activity a day. How many kids do you know who get that kind of physical activity today?
That was at least 20 years ago. Times have changed, that is certain, but kids still need a great deal of activity to stay healthy. In our fast paced lives of today’s world, finding time for our kids to keep fit can be a challenge. Challenge or not, we must make the commitment to help our kids stay healthy. Today, one of our nation’s leading health threats is childhood obesity, with over 12 million children who are overweight, or at risk of being obese.
According to the American Obesity Association, the percentage of obese children ages 6-11 between 1971 and 1974 was 4.3 for boys and 3.6 for girls. In the years 1999-2000 the percentages of obese children rose dramatically to 16 for boys and 14.5 for girls. Excess weight in childhood and adolescence has been found to predict overweight in adults. Overweight children, aged 10 to 14 with at least one overweight or obese parent were reported to have a 79 percent likelihood of overweight persisting into adulthood.
Now is the time to turn this trend around if we want our children to grow up healthy and happy. The good news? We can do it! In my next article, I will go in detail about commitment and what that means for your overall success. For today, I encourage you to make a commitment. If you have kids, know kids, or work with kids, to take a step towards helping them to be active, eat healthy foods and have fun in the process. If you are a kid, then make the commitment to yourself!
After you make your commitment to healthy kids, there are a few steps you can choose to make a positive difference. First, make time for physical activity every day. Schedule it just like any other event in your life. It’s a necessity, after all. Another step is to provide healthy, fresh snacks such as fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grain, low sugar cereals for your kids. Pack their lunches for meals away from home to ensure your child has healthy food to eat. Avoid soda and sugary drinks. Instead, provide a fun new water bottle (we use SIGGs) and plenty of encouragement to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. The last step is to make it fun. The road to our children’s wellness begins with keeping the ride fun.
As I mentioned above, it’s not likely your child will be interested in spending time running on the treadmill, you need to plan something FUN. Use your imagination or just use your yard. Get the whole family involved and do something like relay races in your yard. Buy an inexpensive pedometer (from $5 and up, and for new moms they make stroller pedometers now too!) and increase your steps each day. Make a family or neighborhood competition of laps around your neighborhood. See who can do the most laps in a week. Kids love counting and keeping track of things. Try this one and see how much they get into it. You will be surprised.
Join a program in your area. There are numerous programs for kids and families in our community. Everything from swimming lessons, to little league, kids activity camps, to the YMCA and beyond offer supervised physical activity for children of all ages. These valuable programs are great choices because they force you to schedule time for staying fit and being healthy.
When in doubt, you can always go to a park. Play baseball, kickball, or just run the bases, toss a Frisbee, even swing on the swings. Another wonderful outdoor activity in our area is the beach. Surfing and body boarding are two great choices for staying in shape. Walking the beach is also a very relaxing way to unwind as a family at the end of a busy day. Take advantage of the warm summer months by spending time at the ocean.
As a parent, I, like you, want the best for our children. The truth about our kids is that a majority of them are in trouble regarding their health. The solution is not only telling them to go outside and do something, but to show them how to live a healthy life. By eating fresh, natural foods, and being active, your kids will be following in your footsteps on a path to wellness.
Our oldest daughter has been running the “fun runs” at local 5K’s since she was two. She just turned five and can now run a mile in 13 minutes. She often asks us to take her for a run and that beaming smile of accomplishment when she finishes is all the reward we need as parents to keep her moving! Let us know how you feel by challenging your kids to do something exciting. Get out there and go for it. Our kids are counting on us!
You can do it!
_______________________________________________________________________
visit http://www.staugustinebootcamp.com/ or http://www.joshromaine.com/
That was at least 20 years ago. Times have changed, that is certain, but kids still need a great deal of activity to stay healthy. In our fast paced lives of today’s world, finding time for our kids to keep fit can be a challenge. Challenge or not, we must make the commitment to help our kids stay healthy. Today, one of our nation’s leading health threats is childhood obesity, with over 12 million children who are overweight, or at risk of being obese.
According to the American Obesity Association, the percentage of obese children ages 6-11 between 1971 and 1974 was 4.3 for boys and 3.6 for girls. In the years 1999-2000 the percentages of obese children rose dramatically to 16 for boys and 14.5 for girls. Excess weight in childhood and adolescence has been found to predict overweight in adults. Overweight children, aged 10 to 14 with at least one overweight or obese parent were reported to have a 79 percent likelihood of overweight persisting into adulthood.
Now is the time to turn this trend around if we want our children to grow up healthy and happy. The good news? We can do it! In my next article, I will go in detail about commitment and what that means for your overall success. For today, I encourage you to make a commitment. If you have kids, know kids, or work with kids, to take a step towards helping them to be active, eat healthy foods and have fun in the process. If you are a kid, then make the commitment to yourself!
After you make your commitment to healthy kids, there are a few steps you can choose to make a positive difference. First, make time for physical activity every day. Schedule it just like any other event in your life. It’s a necessity, after all. Another step is to provide healthy, fresh snacks such as fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grain, low sugar cereals for your kids. Pack their lunches for meals away from home to ensure your child has healthy food to eat. Avoid soda and sugary drinks. Instead, provide a fun new water bottle (we use SIGGs) and plenty of encouragement to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. The last step is to make it fun. The road to our children’s wellness begins with keeping the ride fun.
As I mentioned above, it’s not likely your child will be interested in spending time running on the treadmill, you need to plan something FUN. Use your imagination or just use your yard. Get the whole family involved and do something like relay races in your yard. Buy an inexpensive pedometer (from $5 and up, and for new moms they make stroller pedometers now too!) and increase your steps each day. Make a family or neighborhood competition of laps around your neighborhood. See who can do the most laps in a week. Kids love counting and keeping track of things. Try this one and see how much they get into it. You will be surprised.
Join a program in your area. There are numerous programs for kids and families in our community. Everything from swimming lessons, to little league, kids activity camps, to the YMCA and beyond offer supervised physical activity for children of all ages. These valuable programs are great choices because they force you to schedule time for staying fit and being healthy.
When in doubt, you can always go to a park. Play baseball, kickball, or just run the bases, toss a Frisbee, even swing on the swings. Another wonderful outdoor activity in our area is the beach. Surfing and body boarding are two great choices for staying in shape. Walking the beach is also a very relaxing way to unwind as a family at the end of a busy day. Take advantage of the warm summer months by spending time at the ocean.
As a parent, I, like you, want the best for our children. The truth about our kids is that a majority of them are in trouble regarding their health. The solution is not only telling them to go outside and do something, but to show them how to live a healthy life. By eating fresh, natural foods, and being active, your kids will be following in your footsteps on a path to wellness.
Our oldest daughter has been running the “fun runs” at local 5K’s since she was two. She just turned five and can now run a mile in 13 minutes. She often asks us to take her for a run and that beaming smile of accomplishment when she finishes is all the reward we need as parents to keep her moving! Let us know how you feel by challenging your kids to do something exciting. Get out there and go for it. Our kids are counting on us!
You can do it!
_______________________________________________________________________
visit http://www.staugustinebootcamp.com/ or http://www.joshromaine.com/
Weight-loss myths and facts
Everyday I am asked for advice about fitness and health. One of the most sincere questions was from a 12 year old who asked, “Mr. Romaine, can a person live on just M & M’s?” The question may have sounded silly, but even adults have asked questions simply because they were confused or misinformed in the past. With so many products and weight loss theories out there, it is easy to get confused. The following myths are some of the more common misconceptions with answers and explanations that should help clear up any confusion.
Diet Myths
Myth: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.
Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off.
Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain
foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of these
diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard
to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain any lost
weight. Fad diets may be unhealthy because they may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than 3 pounds a week after the first couple of weeks) may
increase your risk for other health problems. Diets that provide less than 800 calories per day also could result in heart rhythm abnormalities, which can be fatal.
Tip: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making
healthy food choices, eating moderate portions, and building physical
activity into your daily life is the best way to lose weight and keep it
off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may
also lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and
high blood pressure.
Myth: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.
Fact: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low carbohydrate
diet are unknown. But getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables and whole grains which leads to lack of dietary fiber. Following a
high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may also make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak. Eating fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day
can lead to the buildup of ketones (partially broken down
fats) in your blood. A buildup of ketones in your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones.
Ketosis may be especially risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes or kidney disease.
Tip: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are often low in calories because food choices are strictly limited, so they may cause short-term weight loss. But a reduced-calorie eating plan that includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat will also allow you to lose weight. By following a balanced eating plan, you will not have to stop eating whole classes of foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—and miss the key nutrients they contain. You may also find it easier to stick with a diet or eating plan that includes a greater variety of foods.
Myth: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.
Fact: Many foods high in starch, like bread, rice,
pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some vegetables (like
potatoes and yams) are low in fat and calories. They
become high in fat and calories when eaten in large
portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings
like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high
in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an
important source of energy for your body.
Tip: A healthy eating plan is one that:
· Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
· Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
· Is low in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Myth: Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup, can burn fat and make you lose weight.
Fact: No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy, or calories) for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss.
Tip: The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active.
Myth: Natural or herbal weight-loss products are safe and effective.
Fact: A weight-loss product that claims to be “natural” or “herbal” is not necessarily safe. These products are not usually scientifically tested to prove that they are safe or that they work.
Tip: Talk with your health care provider before using any weight-loss product. Some natural or herbal weight-loss products can be harmful.
Meal Myths
Myth: “I can lose weight while eating whatever I want.”
Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of food and choosing foods that are low in calories.
Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods—as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat.
Myth: Low-fat or fat-free means no calories.
Fact: A low-fat or fat-free food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or fat-free foods have just as many calories as the full-fat version of the same food—or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories.
Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts on a food package to find out how many calories are in a serving. Check the serving size too—it may be less than you are used to eating.
Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites.
Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods.
Physical Activity Myths
Myth: I can exercise 30 minutes, three times a week and loose weight.
Fact: Exercise is important every day. To maintain your current weight, moderate exercise 30-45 minutes three times a week is acceptable for most people. To lose weight, 60-90 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise 5-6 days a week is necessary for most people.
Tip: Speak to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Myth: Lifting weights is not good to do if you want to lose weight, because it will make you “bulk up.”
Fact: Lifting weights or doing strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular basis can actually help you maintain or lose weight. These activities can help you build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than body fat. So if you have more muscle, you burn more calories—even sitting still. Doing strengthening activities 2 or 3 days a week will not “bulk you up.” Only intense strength training, combined with a certain genetic background, can build very large muscles.
Tip: In addition to doing at least 30-45 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like walking 3 miles in 45 minutes) on most days of the week, try to do strengthening activities 2 to 3 days a week. You can lift weights, use large rubber bands (resistance bands), do push-ups or sit-ups, or do household or garden tasks that make you lift or dig.
Food Myths
Myth: Nuts are fattening and you should not eat them if you want to lose weight.
Fact: In small amounts, nuts can be part of a healthy weight-loss program. Nuts are high in calories and fat. However, most nuts contain healthy fats that do not clog arteries. Nuts are also good sources of protein, dietary fiber, and minerals including magnesium and copper.
Tip: Enjoy small portions of nuts. One-half ounce cup of nuts has about 270 calories.
Myth: Eating red meat is bad for your health and makes it harder to lose weight.
Fact: Eating lean meat in small amounts can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan. Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish contain some cholesterol and saturated fat (the least healthy kind of fat). They also contain healthy nutrients like protein, iron, and zinc.
Tip: Choose cuts of meat that are lower in fat and trim all visible fat. Lower fat meats include pork tenderloin and beef round steak, tenderloin, sirloin tip, flank steak, and extra lean ground beef. Also, pay attention to portion size. Three ounces of meat or poultry is the size of a deck of cards.
As a general rule, it is important to follow a daily regimen of exercise, eat fresh fruits and vegetables as well as a mix of whole grains and protein, and reduce stress in your life when ever possible. I know these simple steps have made an impact on my life in a positive way. Most of all, keep in mind that weight loss can be hard work, but the rewards are all worth it.
You can do it!
___________________________________________________________________
Visit: http://www.staugustinebootcamp.com/ or www.joshromaine.com
Some myths and facts used with permission from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Diet Myths
Myth: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.
Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off.
Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain
foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of these
diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard
to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain any lost
weight. Fad diets may be unhealthy because they may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than 3 pounds a week after the first couple of weeks) may
increase your risk for other health problems. Diets that provide less than 800 calories per day also could result in heart rhythm abnormalities, which can be fatal.
Tip: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making
healthy food choices, eating moderate portions, and building physical
activity into your daily life is the best way to lose weight and keep it
off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may
also lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and
high blood pressure.
Myth: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.
Fact: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low carbohydrate
diet are unknown. But getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables and whole grains which leads to lack of dietary fiber. Following a
high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may also make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak. Eating fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day
can lead to the buildup of ketones (partially broken down
fats) in your blood. A buildup of ketones in your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones.
Ketosis may be especially risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes or kidney disease.
Tip: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are often low in calories because food choices are strictly limited, so they may cause short-term weight loss. But a reduced-calorie eating plan that includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat will also allow you to lose weight. By following a balanced eating plan, you will not have to stop eating whole classes of foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—and miss the key nutrients they contain. You may also find it easier to stick with a diet or eating plan that includes a greater variety of foods.
Myth: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.
Fact: Many foods high in starch, like bread, rice,
pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some vegetables (like
potatoes and yams) are low in fat and calories. They
become high in fat and calories when eaten in large
portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings
like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high
in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an
important source of energy for your body.
Tip: A healthy eating plan is one that:
· Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
· Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
· Is low in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Myth: Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup, can burn fat and make you lose weight.
Fact: No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy, or calories) for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss.
Tip: The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active.
Myth: Natural or herbal weight-loss products are safe and effective.
Fact: A weight-loss product that claims to be “natural” or “herbal” is not necessarily safe. These products are not usually scientifically tested to prove that they are safe or that they work.
Tip: Talk with your health care provider before using any weight-loss product. Some natural or herbal weight-loss products can be harmful.
Meal Myths
Myth: “I can lose weight while eating whatever I want.”
Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of food and choosing foods that are low in calories.
Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods—as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat.
Myth: Low-fat or fat-free means no calories.
Fact: A low-fat or fat-free food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or fat-free foods have just as many calories as the full-fat version of the same food—or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories.
Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts on a food package to find out how many calories are in a serving. Check the serving size too—it may be less than you are used to eating.
Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites.
Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods.
Physical Activity Myths
Myth: I can exercise 30 minutes, three times a week and loose weight.
Fact: Exercise is important every day. To maintain your current weight, moderate exercise 30-45 minutes three times a week is acceptable for most people. To lose weight, 60-90 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise 5-6 days a week is necessary for most people.
Tip: Speak to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Myth: Lifting weights is not good to do if you want to lose weight, because it will make you “bulk up.”
Fact: Lifting weights or doing strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular basis can actually help you maintain or lose weight. These activities can help you build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than body fat. So if you have more muscle, you burn more calories—even sitting still. Doing strengthening activities 2 or 3 days a week will not “bulk you up.” Only intense strength training, combined with a certain genetic background, can build very large muscles.
Tip: In addition to doing at least 30-45 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like walking 3 miles in 45 minutes) on most days of the week, try to do strengthening activities 2 to 3 days a week. You can lift weights, use large rubber bands (resistance bands), do push-ups or sit-ups, or do household or garden tasks that make you lift or dig.
Food Myths
Myth: Nuts are fattening and you should not eat them if you want to lose weight.
Fact: In small amounts, nuts can be part of a healthy weight-loss program. Nuts are high in calories and fat. However, most nuts contain healthy fats that do not clog arteries. Nuts are also good sources of protein, dietary fiber, and minerals including magnesium and copper.
Tip: Enjoy small portions of nuts. One-half ounce cup of nuts has about 270 calories.
Myth: Eating red meat is bad for your health and makes it harder to lose weight.
Fact: Eating lean meat in small amounts can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan. Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish contain some cholesterol and saturated fat (the least healthy kind of fat). They also contain healthy nutrients like protein, iron, and zinc.
Tip: Choose cuts of meat that are lower in fat and trim all visible fat. Lower fat meats include pork tenderloin and beef round steak, tenderloin, sirloin tip, flank steak, and extra lean ground beef. Also, pay attention to portion size. Three ounces of meat or poultry is the size of a deck of cards.
As a general rule, it is important to follow a daily regimen of exercise, eat fresh fruits and vegetables as well as a mix of whole grains and protein, and reduce stress in your life when ever possible. I know these simple steps have made an impact on my life in a positive way. Most of all, keep in mind that weight loss can be hard work, but the rewards are all worth it.
You can do it!
___________________________________________________________________
Visit: http://www.staugustinebootcamp.com/ or www.joshromaine.com
Some myths and facts used with permission from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Why you need to play (and play nice!)
In June’s issue of OCS, I discussed the importance of encouraging children to exercise and eat well. This issue is all about your passions and the importance of living now. It’s the middle of summer, and now is the prime time for outdoor recreation and play.
Play, as defined by Webster’s dictionary, is activity or exercise performed for amusement (as opposed to work). Yet Mark Twain once commented that play and work are words used to describe the same activity under different circumstances. Playing can be incredibly complex (the strategic move of a hit and run with a full count and 2 outs in a baseball game) or obviously simple (the crooked smile of an infant reacting to the voice of his father).
You can never play too much, but some of us don’t play enough. The exercise you do each day (and I know you exercise each day, right?) should be fun, enjoyable, and virtually playful. But at the same time your playing should be cerebral, inspirational and practically therapeutic. You increase your potential every time you play, just as you increase your potential with every healthy meal and an adequate amount of sleep. I am a firm believer in nap time for adults and children.
Find an activity you enjoy and do it. Set a date for your expedition and begin preparing. The Latin expression, carpe diem (which means seize the day), became incredibly popular after The Dead Poets’ Society, a movie featuring Robin Williams. Make your life extraordinary. You can start by working hard but playing even harder. At the end of everyday, a moment of play or enjoyment should easily come to mind. Playing has incredible attributes to the human psyche, and playing can transform and improve the health of someone quite dramatically. Just as a healthy diet can heal physical ailments, playing can do the same for one’s mental and emotional capacities. Playing nice (fair) can’t be stressed enough
Attunement play, body-play and movement, object play, social play, imaginative and pretend play, story-telling and creative play are the seven types of play. With so many types, there is no reason for any of us not to be able to play everyday.
Go to the park (there are over 50 in St. Johns’ county) with your family, play hide and seek with your children outside (or even indoors). Play dress up or imagine you’re an astronaut in space. When was the last time you played kickball or just threw a Frisbee with a friend?
If you don’t have children, or even if you do and you want time for yourself, go for a bike ride, run around the block, hike through the woods (Moses Creek Wildlife Preserve off of S.R. 206 is beautiful). Some of your most inspiring or cathartic moments can happen while you are playing. The point is to do something fun, and do it today. You owe it to yourself. Seize the day and go out and play.
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
Play, as defined by Webster’s dictionary, is activity or exercise performed for amusement (as opposed to work). Yet Mark Twain once commented that play and work are words used to describe the same activity under different circumstances. Playing can be incredibly complex (the strategic move of a hit and run with a full count and 2 outs in a baseball game) or obviously simple (the crooked smile of an infant reacting to the voice of his father).
You can never play too much, but some of us don’t play enough. The exercise you do each day (and I know you exercise each day, right?) should be fun, enjoyable, and virtually playful. But at the same time your playing should be cerebral, inspirational and practically therapeutic. You increase your potential every time you play, just as you increase your potential with every healthy meal and an adequate amount of sleep. I am a firm believer in nap time for adults and children.
Find an activity you enjoy and do it. Set a date for your expedition and begin preparing. The Latin expression, carpe diem (which means seize the day), became incredibly popular after The Dead Poets’ Society, a movie featuring Robin Williams. Make your life extraordinary. You can start by working hard but playing even harder. At the end of everyday, a moment of play or enjoyment should easily come to mind. Playing has incredible attributes to the human psyche, and playing can transform and improve the health of someone quite dramatically. Just as a healthy diet can heal physical ailments, playing can do the same for one’s mental and emotional capacities. Playing nice (fair) can’t be stressed enough
Attunement play, body-play and movement, object play, social play, imaginative and pretend play, story-telling and creative play are the seven types of play. With so many types, there is no reason for any of us not to be able to play everyday.
Go to the park (there are over 50 in St. Johns’ county) with your family, play hide and seek with your children outside (or even indoors). Play dress up or imagine you’re an astronaut in space. When was the last time you played kickball or just threw a Frisbee with a friend?
If you don’t have children, or even if you do and you want time for yourself, go for a bike ride, run around the block, hike through the woods (Moses Creek Wildlife Preserve off of S.R. 206 is beautiful). Some of your most inspiring or cathartic moments can happen while you are playing. The point is to do something fun, and do it today. You owe it to yourself. Seize the day and go out and play.
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
Work-out not working out?
It’s been a month since you made the commitment to go healthy, get in shape and eat healthy food choices. You’ve mapped out a serious plan. In addition to your weight routine, you’ve been on the treadmill 3 times a week, decided on a banana instead of French fries, skipped the cola for water, stayed away from empty calories and saturated fats, you’ve been working so hard! All this hard work and you haven’t seen any results. Sound familiar? You are not alone. I have heard this complaint before and it can be a very frustrating challenge. A challenge that you can over come with the proper solutions.
To shed a pound of fat you need to create a deficit of 3500 calories. But it must be done gradually and not in one or two days. Keep in mind you can eat 300 calories of apples or 300 calories of cake, but you still need to burn it off the same way. Continue making healthy choices, but watch your caloric intake. If your goal is fat loss, lower your caloric intake by 500 each day to lose a pound a week. Eliminate about 250-300 calories a day and you’ll lose a pound in about 12 days.
To stay on course and out of ruts, vary your exercise routine every 4 weeks. Your body adapts to a physical activity and the same exercise isn’t as challenging as it used to be. Alter your exercise and you’ll continue with a change for the better in your results.
Think cross-training. If you enjoy running, then add a day of cycling to your plan. If you enjoy walking or aerobics, exchange an hour for swimming instead. Consider changing your intensity and duration as well. For example, if you don’t want to give up your time running, change your pace throughout a workout running harder for a few minutes, then return to a recovery pace and repeat 3-5 times.
Keep in mind the amount of time you are devoting to your plan. Generally speaking, 60 minutes a day of moderate physical activity may be needed to prevent weight gain. If you are trying to lose weight, you must devote 60-90 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous activity.
If your work out program has given you a challenge, now is the time to reassess your plan, and get back on the horse, or should I say… bike? You are well on the way to reaching your goals, just look at all your achievements! Keep your chin up and visualize yourself the way you plan to look and feel when you have reached your goals. You can do it!
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
To shed a pound of fat you need to create a deficit of 3500 calories. But it must be done gradually and not in one or two days. Keep in mind you can eat 300 calories of apples or 300 calories of cake, but you still need to burn it off the same way. Continue making healthy choices, but watch your caloric intake. If your goal is fat loss, lower your caloric intake by 500 each day to lose a pound a week. Eliminate about 250-300 calories a day and you’ll lose a pound in about 12 days.
To stay on course and out of ruts, vary your exercise routine every 4 weeks. Your body adapts to a physical activity and the same exercise isn’t as challenging as it used to be. Alter your exercise and you’ll continue with a change for the better in your results.
Think cross-training. If you enjoy running, then add a day of cycling to your plan. If you enjoy walking or aerobics, exchange an hour for swimming instead. Consider changing your intensity and duration as well. For example, if you don’t want to give up your time running, change your pace throughout a workout running harder for a few minutes, then return to a recovery pace and repeat 3-5 times.
Keep in mind the amount of time you are devoting to your plan. Generally speaking, 60 minutes a day of moderate physical activity may be needed to prevent weight gain. If you are trying to lose weight, you must devote 60-90 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous activity.
If your work out program has given you a challenge, now is the time to reassess your plan, and get back on the horse, or should I say… bike? You are well on the way to reaching your goals, just look at all your achievements! Keep your chin up and visualize yourself the way you plan to look and feel when you have reached your goals. You can do it!
visit: www.staugustinebootcamp.com or www.joshromaine.com
Catching up with Running Season
You want to start running. As in more than sprinting after your kids or chasing the dog. You are thinking in terms of miles. Maybe you are no where near that and you don’t even know where or how to start. With the cooler weather coming up and many fun local races in the winter and spring, you are choosing a great time to get started. Often people ask me about this subject, and they wonder, “Do I just start jogging? And for how long? What can I do to get started?”
Learning to be a runner is a great fitness goal. As with any great goal, you need a plan.
Some important things to keep in mind as you start training are:
Remain injury free. There's not a replacement for "mom" or “dad” and those that are not parents, you also need to stay healthy to keep your momentum going once you get started. As your body adjusts to this new level of activity, you will want to pay careful attention to an unusual aches or pains.
Try to have a positive attitude and keep in mind, there are plenty of people who will support you, and give you coaching if you need it.
Next, and possibly most important: You are not a jogger. You are a runner, and sometimes a walker, but not a jogger. Feeling powerful yet? Let’s go over your plan. In order to map out your perfect plan, we will need to first discover what your goals are. Is your goal to run a 5K by October? Run the Gate River Run in March? Being able to run and breathe comfortably at the same time? Maybe you want to run the newest marathon or half marathon in our area, 26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer. Deciding what you want to do will depend on your current physical activity level, and what your reasons for running are. Decide what you want and then focus on a plan to get there. Recently, my wife decided to run the Donna Hicken half marathon. She knew she needed to push herself beyond what she was doing, and didn't have a plan. Within a week, she set up a running schedule for herself. She has mapped out a running plan for 6 months (to the half marathon date.)
But what if you are just getting started?
How do you start? The method that has worked for many of my clients is to start out waking at a brisk pace. You want to go out for a certain amount of time first. For example, go for a 45 minute walk. Walk as fast as you can and swing your arms. When you get home, figure out how far you went. (I use Gmaps Pedometer on Google) you should be covering 3 miles in 45 minutes of "power walking". If you are already doing this, you are ready to run. There are a lot of theories on beginning running. Here is what has worked for us. Start with 15 minutes of power walking (warm-up). Then speed up to 15 mintues of running. Then back to 15 minutes of power walking (cool down). Before long you should be able to do the running portion for 20 minutes and the cool down becomes shorter. A gradual build up of running time with a "well warmed-up body" works great. Others do something called the "Galloway method" which is running with scheduled walking breaks. Some people have great success with this method. You can Google that method if you think it will work for you.
There are a few more very important points that you should be aware of.
Shoes: This is the #1 most important piece of running gear for injury prevention. Bad shoes almost always = pain somewhere. Make sure your shoes are in fact designed for running, not walking or cross training. A good running shoe will not pinch or hurt your foot anywhere. Leave about a thumb’s width of room from your toe to the tip of the shoe. It is also important to have proper support and cushioning. Contact a running shoe expert or use the internet to find out more about shoes. Also, keep in mind, after approximately 300 miles; it’s time for a new pair. Water: Hydrate before and after you run. Remember that you should drink 64 oz of water a day. I like Vitamin Water for an additional hydration boost. It's good to mix in a bottle or half a bottle of this on run days. Try not to over do it. Breathing: Make sure you take deep breaths in and fully exhale while you run and walk. It becomes more natural after some time, but focus here for the first 10 minutes of each run. Stretching: Don't skip it. There are a number of stretches that will help your muscles warm up before running or walking. Ideally, you should stretch 10 to 20 minutes before running.Ice: If at any time you feel pain, use ice quickly after you discover the soreness and frequently till it stops and consult your doctor. Remember this quote "you can never go wrong with ice". As a general rule, you should first consult your physician before beginning any rigorous exercise. Consider finding a 5K or other race in the area that is about 3-4 months away. Then look up a training program online (search: couch to 5K, or beginner's 5K training, etc.) or let me know and i will find something for you. There are different things people do, with many options for you to try. Map out your plan in a special book you create, or somewhere you will keep up with it.
Personally, I plan to run in as many local races as my wife will allow me. I certainly hope to see you out on the course. Good luck and remember…
You can do it!
Learning to be a runner is a great fitness goal. As with any great goal, you need a plan.
Some important things to keep in mind as you start training are:
Remain injury free. There's not a replacement for "mom" or “dad” and those that are not parents, you also need to stay healthy to keep your momentum going once you get started. As your body adjusts to this new level of activity, you will want to pay careful attention to an unusual aches or pains.
Try to have a positive attitude and keep in mind, there are plenty of people who will support you, and give you coaching if you need it.
Next, and possibly most important: You are not a jogger. You are a runner, and sometimes a walker, but not a jogger. Feeling powerful yet? Let’s go over your plan. In order to map out your perfect plan, we will need to first discover what your goals are. Is your goal to run a 5K by October? Run the Gate River Run in March? Being able to run and breathe comfortably at the same time? Maybe you want to run the newest marathon or half marathon in our area, 26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer. Deciding what you want to do will depend on your current physical activity level, and what your reasons for running are. Decide what you want and then focus on a plan to get there. Recently, my wife decided to run the Donna Hicken half marathon. She knew she needed to push herself beyond what she was doing, and didn't have a plan. Within a week, she set up a running schedule for herself. She has mapped out a running plan for 6 months (to the half marathon date.)
But what if you are just getting started?
How do you start? The method that has worked for many of my clients is to start out waking at a brisk pace. You want to go out for a certain amount of time first. For example, go for a 45 minute walk. Walk as fast as you can and swing your arms. When you get home, figure out how far you went. (I use Gmaps Pedometer on Google) you should be covering 3 miles in 45 minutes of "power walking". If you are already doing this, you are ready to run. There are a lot of theories on beginning running. Here is what has worked for us. Start with 15 minutes of power walking (warm-up). Then speed up to 15 mintues of running. Then back to 15 minutes of power walking (cool down). Before long you should be able to do the running portion for 20 minutes and the cool down becomes shorter. A gradual build up of running time with a "well warmed-up body" works great. Others do something called the "Galloway method" which is running with scheduled walking breaks. Some people have great success with this method. You can Google that method if you think it will work for you.
There are a few more very important points that you should be aware of.
Shoes: This is the #1 most important piece of running gear for injury prevention. Bad shoes almost always = pain somewhere. Make sure your shoes are in fact designed for running, not walking or cross training. A good running shoe will not pinch or hurt your foot anywhere. Leave about a thumb’s width of room from your toe to the tip of the shoe. It is also important to have proper support and cushioning. Contact a running shoe expert or use the internet to find out more about shoes. Also, keep in mind, after approximately 300 miles; it’s time for a new pair. Water: Hydrate before and after you run. Remember that you should drink 64 oz of water a day. I like Vitamin Water for an additional hydration boost. It's good to mix in a bottle or half a bottle of this on run days. Try not to over do it. Breathing: Make sure you take deep breaths in and fully exhale while you run and walk. It becomes more natural after some time, but focus here for the first 10 minutes of each run. Stretching: Don't skip it. There are a number of stretches that will help your muscles warm up before running or walking. Ideally, you should stretch 10 to 20 minutes before running.Ice: If at any time you feel pain, use ice quickly after you discover the soreness and frequently till it stops and consult your doctor. Remember this quote "you can never go wrong with ice". As a general rule, you should first consult your physician before beginning any rigorous exercise. Consider finding a 5K or other race in the area that is about 3-4 months away. Then look up a training program online (search: couch to 5K, or beginner's 5K training, etc.) or let me know and i will find something for you. There are different things people do, with many options for you to try. Map out your plan in a special book you create, or somewhere you will keep up with it.
Personally, I plan to run in as many local races as my wife will allow me. I certainly hope to see you out on the course. Good luck and remember…
You can do it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
