Moving is the Best Medicine

This video is so cute. It is true, “Moving is the best medicine.”

Because I’m not a medical person, and more of a techie/foodie/fitness enthusiast, I had no idea that there was such a condition as osteoarthritis, or known as OA – no not “over acting,” as my mom would say if I was being dramatic. Anyway, it’s a condition that affects your joints and the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage. Because cartilage is the part of the joint that cushions the ends of the bones and allows the joint to move easily, when it breaks down, bones rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and even loss of movement. Yikes! So this campaign, FightArthritisPain.org provides resources about this condition through support forums, social media and even a quiz to see if osteoarthritis is in your future, and what you can do to manage it. Just because you have this condition doesn’t mean you can’t move or exercise, but the website gives some great information to help you get moving through stretching exercises and more!

So what will you do to keep moving?

Thanks to Arthritis Foundation and the Ad Council for providing me “Moving is The Best Medicine” package.

Exercise Day 2: Sweating in 20 Minutes!

After work I decided to stop by my parents house. My mom had made some food, and I can’t pass up my mom’s cooking!  I was really starting to feel bad about the fact that I didn’t feel like working out on my way home. When I got home, I actually changed my mind, put on some shorts and put this Exercise TV video on…

Another great workout.  It was 20 minutes and I was sweating. The workout was mostly a cardio workout, with jump ropes, squats, kicks, and free weights. These are actually my favorite types of workouts – where you sweat your butt off and feeling good afterwards.

Anyone have a favorite workout they’d like to share? Why is it your favorite?

Can I Read Your Fitness or Health Blog?

Since I have been pretty out of the fitness and health blogosphere, I’ve lost touch with all the great blogs that are out there. So, if you have a blog that is relevant to fitness or health, please let me know! I want to read your experiences just as you have read mine. Just leave a comment on this post and I will get to it and comment back on your blog. Maybe we can even be friends!   Yay!

An Alternative to Working Out at the Gym: The Internet!

A busy day at work = getting out late = no 15 minute run like I planned.  Top that off with feeling hungry as hell and driving home with a headache.  Yes, it’s truly a Monday.  I was really thinking about the fact I wasn’t going to do my goal, but after a simple dinner and some water in me, I decided to work out.  It wasn’t my 15 minute planned run, but I managed to do this really good 10 minute work out video on Exercise TV.

Honestly, it was a great workout for a person like me, who is getting back into the workout groove.  Sure, you may think 10 minutes doesn’t even get your heart rate up.  But, this one did for me.  Being a Jillian Michaels fan, and a fan of feeling the “sweat” after a workout, I really lucked out in finding such a great 10 minute workout.

Exercise TV has tons of videos online you can watch and even work out to.  Even full videos for free!  It’s pretty awesome for a non cable TV subscriber like me.  I’m pretty excited because I hope to use this site for exercising a lot more.

Check out the video I worked out to, and maybe you can use it too!

How To Approach Exercise After A Long Hiatus

I’ll admit something to you readers out there.  I’m “scurred.”  You probably are wondering what I mean.  Well, after a long hiatus of no exercise, where do you start?  I used to exercise almost daily, down to a couple times a week, and now, ZERO.  The most exercise I do is probably either walking around the mall or dancing to some music for a few minutes.

Why am I doing this? Personally, I’m tired of feeling out of shape and want to be able to feel good in my own skin.  I think the best thing is to go back and think about why you want to exercise – you want to feel good wearing a bathing suit, or fit into your favorite pair of jeans.  Or you think you look fat in your favorite t shirt.  Whatever it is, it is important to remind yourself why you want to  exercise and the benefits that will come with that.

Set some time a week to work out. For me, because I haven’t worked out for a long time, I really don’t want to push myself over the limits, because I know it’s just going to make me quit.  I know this because it’s happened to me so many times.  I know I used to run for 3 miles but because my body has been out of it for so long, I have to go back to basics.  It may sound wimpy, but an attainable goal is better than setting a goal that isn’t going to happen and feel discouraged.

Here are my weekly goals:

• Run for 15 minutes. – Monday and Wednesday
• Do 30 minutes of aerobics – Tuesday and Thursday

Wish me luck!

Choosing Exercises to Fit Your Lifestyle

Recently on Mornings with Kerri-Anne we discussed exercising throughout your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. What are some of the best exercises for different age groups and what should you be focussing on?

Last Minute Preparation for a Marathon, Half Marathon or Fun Run

You’ve done the training. You’re feeling fit. It’s time to think about your strategy for the big day. Factors such as the type of training, food, recovery, and race day strategies can be the difference between a PB and a PF (personal flop!) What can you do in the two weeks leading up to a race and on the day that will deliver your best running effort yet?

Taper your training:

Tapering training will enable your body to be fully recovered from all those long runs you’ve subjected it to. It gives you a chance to build up important stores such as your iron levels, zinc and white blood count. Do you need any more reasons to cut your training back? Most people jump at the opportunity!

Tapering is dependent on the distance of your race. For a marathon I would suggest halving your total distance/time run for the last two weeks. Doing shorter easy runs, mixed with a few sprints will help with speed, but really it’s just about maintaining what you’ve already got.

For a half marathon, the more prepared you are, the more time you have for tapering. Your last long run should be 8 days before, but if you only decided only three weeks before the race to do it, you may very well need that extra bit of time! You won’t make a huge difference to your fitness in the 8 days leading up to the race, but you run the risk of being tired/injured if you smash yourself so close to it.

For any distances less than a half marathon, give yourself four days off running before the race and you should fresh a daisy on the day.

Get stretching:

Admit it, you don’t stretch enough. What is it with most runners and stretching? It’s about as popular as a cold shower in winter (maybe because it can feel just as painful!). Hamstrings, calves (stretch with both a straight leg and bent), glutes, hip flexors, and lower back are the essentials. Click here for a video on some popular runners stretches. You may prefer to join a yoga or body balance class as this will stretch not only your running muscles but others you never even knew you had.

What to eat and drink before the race:

The ‘last supper’ is an important one. Actually what you eat that entire day could make a difference. Eat sensibly all day, rather than stuffing your face at night. Eat the same amount as you normally would, or slightly more, but don’t be a pig. What goes in must come out, and you don’t need that half way around the course! Don’t try a new meal or something you’ve never eaten. Spicy, rich foods are a no-no, so is salt and high salt meals.

You definitely want carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, cous cous etc) to make up about 80% of your evening meal. If you suspect you might be intolerant of wheat, best to stick with brown rice or potatoes the night before, rather than bread or pasta.

I would suggest adding some iron rich food and protein your evening meal as well. It could be spinach and white meat, but I prefer a small piece of red meat. The protein from the meat will also help in your recovery, but save the big, heavy protein meal for the days after the race.

Some people are camels and can run on a completely empty stomach (like me). I would suggest sticking with what you know on race day, but you may want to have a sugary drink prior if you haven’t eaten since dinner.

Those who need to eat before a run, make sure you leave three hours between your meal and the run and keep it light like a banana, porridge, or toast with jam.

Hydration before the race

Pre-hydration the day before, not just re-hydration after the race is a crucial factor. Each day you need 30ml of water for every kilo you weigh. Then between 500ml- 1litre (depending on body size and race intensity ) for every hour you exercise. If you feel you might be dehydrated, you may want to increase that amount the day before. They say that a normally hydrated person will often need to get up once during the night.  So it’s a good sign if you need to get up the night before your race.

If you are well hydrated before the race, you will need less drink stops, which can help with your race time. You also don’t want to be having big gulps while you run as it can lead to stomach cramps. Besides, they say that once you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated so best to tackle that the day before and just sip at your drink stations.

Sleep

Try to get 7-8 hours each night in the week leading up to the race. Have an early night the night before and do what you can to reduce your jitters so you sleep well. If, however you have a restless night, don’t despair. One night out of seven won’t make that much difference, and I can assure you, I’ve done many a fast run on little sleep!

Race day strategy

Everyone has their own little systems that work, but here are some tips for race day that you might want to consider;

• Don’t change anything! No new shoes, outfits, food, drinks, gadgets, that have not been tried and tested in training. Not even your underpants!
• Get there early – however don’t freeze your butts off: There can be a lot of standing around, so bring an old jumper you don’t mind throwing away, or have your pit crew nearby to toss it to right before the gun. By getting there early, you can relax, enjoy the atmosphere, use the bathroom, and most importantly have a proper warm up and stretch.
• Go to the bathroom before the race: But remember the queues can last up to 45 mins in some of the bigger races.
• Know your race plan: Position yourself in the correct start place so you aren’t elbowing the slow pokes to get past, or getting trampled by the keen beans. Have your watch or heart rate monitor set up to all the correct laps and settings so you can pace yourself. Some races have pacers wearing shirts with their estimated pace time. They can be a really good helping hand but pull away if the pace is different to your norm.
• Enjoy the race! You have trained hard for this, and you are quite possibly the fittest you have ever been. Be in the moment throughout your race, and blow away any negative self talk. Yes you will be hurting, but remain positive in your attitude and watch how much more fun you will have. If you can’t enjoy the race, I promise you will enjoy the feeling of accomplishment afterwards.

Good luck and keep me posted on your results!

Should You Weigh Yourself For Weight Loss?

Recently I appeared on mornings with Kerri-Anne  to discuss whether it is necessary to weigh yourself for weight loss. It’s an interesting debate and one that I have very strong views about. Watch the discussion below…

What has your experience with the scales been? How frequently do you weigh yourself?

Expert Answers: Spin Classes and RPM Classes. How Many Calories Will I Burn? And Other Questions.

One of the most popular articles on this site has been Spinning Classes- 5 reasons why you need to learn to love them. I always get lots of questions about Spin and RPM like “will it make my butt look big?” and “how many calories does it burn?” So I have asked James Sutherland,  an experienced RPM instructor and bike riding nut, to answer a few questions for us.

1. James, what, in your mind are the best benefits of spin or RPM classes?
[James Sutherland] Increasing cardiovascular fitness, is the biggest benefit. Of course along with that is weight loss and increasing overall tone of your body, in a single RPM class you can burn from 400 to 900 calories!

2. One of the biggest questions about spin class or RPM class is ‘Will my butt get big?’ or ‘Will my legs or calves get big?’ What’s your view on this?
[James Sutherland] Take one look at the riders in the tour de France. They spend hours riding a bike every day and there are no big buts there, but plenty of toned bodies. RPM will not give you a big butt but what you eat and drink after RPM might, so you should always avoid the fat crave and replenish your body with plently of fluids and proteins.

3. How many spin or RPM classes maximum would you recommend people do per week?

[James Sutherland] I have always felt that 2-3 is the right amount, but if you can only fit in one that is still great!

4. What are a couple of riding tips for getting the most out of your spin classes, especially as your fitness levels increase?
[James Sutherland] Your first challenge is just to finish, but as time goes on look at trying to work harder each time. It might never get easier but your recovery will get faster. Lots of people use heart rate monitors and try to gradually increase their calories burnt

5. What is your preferred handle bar position? What do you recommend for beginners and advanced spinners?
[James Sutherland] Years ago I read that the best handle bar height was 2 – 5cm below your saddle. In the 25 years I have been riding bikes I have always found this to be true. Although if your riding for first time or if you have lower back trouble, equal to or higher than your saddle if fine. Where you feel comforable, will always be the best place.

6. Any tips for preventing a sore butt?
[James Sutherland] Sit your bum right back in the saddle. The saddle is designed so you sit on you sitting bones, so pushing your butt back a little will help releive pressure. Also remember there are millions of different bottoms but not millions of different shaped saddles, so try a gel seat protector if you can’t get comfy.

7. How many calories does a typical class spin or RPM class burn?
[James Sutherland] Research says about 400 to 900 and I have seen evidence of both ranges. To burn over 800 though you will have to ride hard.

8. Compared to other types of exercise, is RPM or spin a good way to lose weight? [James Sutherland] Its the best way to lose weight! Low impact, fun and effective what more could you want!

9. You are known as one of the best spin/rpm instructors around. What, in your mind is the difference between a good instructor and a great one? What should participants look out for?
[James Sutherland] You should look to be challenged and have experience that takes your mind outside of the confines of the 4 walls that the studio is in. Sure it’s going to hurt, but great things don’t come easy. Most of all you should look to have fun! A great instructor will make you forget about your problems and give you an experience that may just change your life (well for a little bit anyway)

10. You are also an avid cyclist. What kind of riding/racing do you do? Do you think spin classes benefit people who race or ride recreationally? Why?
[James Sutherland] I love all sorts of riding, but most of the racing I do is centred around mountain bikes. I race in longer endurance races and sometimes up to 24 hours, but also enjoy the shorter cross country format. I have also done a fair amount of bicycle touring before, and have dragged my wife around Tasmania. I think there are many benefits to RPM, particularly the intense interval format that the class has, this format helps to increase cardiovascular fitness and strength and because you are inside no problems with the weather.

If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment and have your question answered!

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Burning off the Easter Eggs – What does it take?

Recently I appeared on Mornings with Kerry-Anne Kennerly to discuss what it takes to burn off those Easter eggs.  Here’s some examples of what you would have to do to burn off your eggs:

• a small 7g mini Easter egg: 8 minutes of brisk walking (6.5km/hr) or 4minutes of jogging, skipping or boxing
• a medium 25g egg: 30min brisk walking or 14 minutes of jogging, skipping or boxing
• a large 100g egg: 2hr brisk walking, 1hr jogging, skipping or boxing

Some of the Questions Asked

Q. We’ve heard the studies about chocolate and red wine being good for you, so is chocolate really that bad?

• Bad only if you eat too much. 7g or 1 square per day is all you need to take advantage of health benefits
• Chocolate is calorie dense, nutrient poor. High in Sugar and fat, low in nutrients
• Dark chocolate is better as it contains antioxidants from the cocoa beans.

Q. What is chocolate made of?

• Cocoa beans, milk, fat, sugar, often many flavour chemicals

Q. Why is saturated fat worse for our bodies?

• Saturated fat hardens at room temperature, eg animal fat from red meat, butter, chocolate. It raises your LDL (bad cholesterol), has been associated with increase risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Q. How many grams of fat should we be eating a day?

• 45 for women and 60 for men. Preferably from mono unsaturated or poly unsaturated fats. Avoid Trans fats at all costs

Q. And what about carbs per day?

• Average woman 180g, trying to lose weight 100g per day.

The Verdict

Whilst one to two squares of chocolate per day has some health benefits, overdoing it quickly tips the scales. Dark chocolate (70% or higher) has considerably higher health benefits, so stick to dark and use it as a treat, not a daily snack.

What’s your plan of attack for keeping the sugar cravings at bay? Can you stop at just one egg, or once you break the seal is it all over?

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