Month: January 2016

As a fitness professional and running coach, I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to help people cross the bridge from “I wish I were a runner” to “I am a runner” status. Although many of my clients have differing abilities and backgrounds, more often than not much of the beginner running journey is the same.
One thing I constantly see in my new runners is self-doubt: doubt about their capabilities, feelings of inadequacy, or even feeling that they don’t belong in the running world. These thoughts are common. Many experienced and accomplished runners have had these exact same thoughts when they first started.
The good news? You too can get past these mental roadblocks. Here are a few of them.

8. I’m so incredibly out of shape.

Sometimes in a moment of huffing and puffing, this statement comes out as “this sucks.” Yes, sometimes it does. I won’t argue that. There is always a learning curve to something new, but starting a pretty rigorous physical activity like running—especially if you are coming from an inactive or sedentary lifestyle—can be a shock to your body. The good news? With practice you get stronger and running gets easier. It’s hard to believe this statement in the beginning, but I promise it’s true.

7. Everyone is watching me.

I’ve known a few new runners who would purposely run early in the morning or late at night to avoid being seen by their neighbors or even complete strangers. The fear is that the runner looks awkward and out of shape and that the friends/neighbors/strangers are going to point and laugh.
Let me be blunt: No one cares. I know that sounds harsh and mean, but it’s true; 95 percent of the people you pass aren’t going to give a second thought about your running. You are simply another object passing by their window, like someone walking their dog or riding their bike. And if they do stop to contemplate your actions? I can almost guarantee that the thought is “Wow, good for him/her. I wish I had the motivation to run.” So, be proud; don’t be ashamed!

6. I don’t belong here/I’m not a runner.

Let me sum this one up with a quote from author and marathon runner John Bingham: “If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.”

5. I’m not running fast enough.

A huge mistake many new runners make is trying to keep up with other people. Or, simply trying to keep up the pace in their head that they have deemed worthy. When it comes to building endurance, slow and steady always wins the race. Plus, you are far more likely to avoid burnout by not constantly pushing yourself to run faster.
The time to push your boundaries will come soon enough. In the meantime, learn to listen to your body, and more importantly, learn to enjoy the act of running…no matter what your pace may be.

4. These shoes should be fine.

Admit it: You reached into the back of your closet and grabbed the same pair of athletic shoes you’ve had for the last five years, didn’t you? If you sheepishly nodded in agreement, don’t worry, you aren’t alone.
Most beginners don’t realize the importance of not just finding the right type of running shoes (yes, there is more than one!), but the proper fit and the wear and tear on your shoes really do matter. A worn, ill-fitting pair of shoes can not only ruin your running experience in the form of blisters and hot spots but can actually lead to injury.

3. I need all of the fancy gear to be a good runner.

You don’t. You don’t need that $300 GPS watch, nor the elaborate handheld water bottles, nor the latest, trendiest fitness fashions. Are they useful? Sometimes, but they aren’t necessary to become a runner.
All you need is a well-fitting pair of shoes, and some non-cotton, sweat-wicking clothing (which can be found at any big box chain store for a fraction of the price as the name brands). Add in your own motivation, and you are good to go!

2. I’ll never be able to run that far.

When you are a brand new runner, even one mile can seem daunting. A 5k? How on earth will you run that far? A half marathon? That’s crazy talk. No way.
Believe me, almost everyone feels this way at first.
But eventually, you cover a mile. And then you do it again, and again, and suddenly it doesn’t seem so far. Then you finish a 5k. And before you know it you are running five miles at once, wondering why you were ever intimidated by a mere 3.1 miles. Trust in your training and believe that the progression does and will happen.

1. That was fun… I can’t wait to do it again.

Yes, you will say this, mark my words. One day the stars in the running universe will align, your feet will feel light and your breath nearly effortless. You’ll experience a runner’s high and wonder why more people don’t take up this sport. Your run is over before you know it, and you find yourself wondering how soon until you get to do this again.
Congratulations, you’ve caught the running bug.
I know in the beginning this sport can seem overwhelming and sometimes almost impossible. But rest assured that all of us had to start somewhere, and all of us struggled as beginners at one point. Stick with it, remember your motivation, and before you know it, the “beginner” status will be miles behind you!

Weight loss plateaus are boring, frustrating, and often the cause for you throwing up your hands and quitting your weight loss efforts entirely. There’s not much about weight loss that could be called fun, and weight loss plateaus are definitely in the not-fun category. If you are sitting atop a weight loss plateau feeling stuck and unmotivated, here are some practical tips for fighting your way off the plateau and getting your weight loss mojo back.

I once had a client who said she spent more time on a weight loss plateau than actually losing weight. She told me that she was so used to losing a few pounds, staying there for what seemed like forever, and then finally losing a few more that she began to believe she was never going to get to her goal weight.

With some dedicated work, she finally stopped the cycle of spending most of her time on a weight loss plateau and kicked her weight loss into high gear. And you can too.

There are lots of reasons for weight loss plateaus. Here are a few of the most common:

– You are eating more than you realize.

– You’ve reached a balance point between calories and exercise.

– Cheating is happening.

– Exercise is lacking.

– Medications you are on are affecting your weight.

– Hormonal fluctuations are making it hard for you to control snacking and cravings.

The first thing to do when faced with a weight loss plateau is to make sure you really are atop one.

Here’s what a weight loss plateau is not:

It is not a day or two of no weight loss. It’s not a period of stalled weight loss after you’ve deliberately overeaten at a holiday or eaten much more than you need due to stress in your life.

I define stalled weight loss as a true plateau if you have been at the same weight for more than 10 days. Then you need to take a look at what’s going on to figure out how to get your weight loss moving again.

Be Honest About Your Eating

By far the most common problem with stalled weight loss is simply eating too much. It’s vitally important that you are 100 percent honest with yourself when your weight loss stalls. It’s very easy to assume you are eating at a weight loss level when in fact you have bumped up your calorie consumption to the point where you are maintaining rather than losing.

For example, if eating 1,600 calories a day was causing you to lose 1/2 pound a week, eating 2,000 calories a day could lead to weight maintenance. Just a few extra pieces of cheese, a second roll, or two small handfuls of nuts equals about 400 calories.

Look At Exercise Patterns

If you really are eating the right number of calories, ask yourself if you’ve slacked off from exercising. If you have, you are not burning as many calories as before. The lack of calorie burn can cause your weight loss to slow if you do not reduce your calorie intake to balance the lack of exercise.

A solution is to resume your previous exercise routine or reduce your calorie intake.

Talk To Your Doctor About Medications You Are Taking

Some medications–such as certain antidepressants, beta blockers, and steroids–can negatively affect your weight. Call your doctor and ask if medications you are taking could be causing you to have difficulty continuing your weight loss. Ask if there are alternatives you can try.

Weight loss plateaus aren’t fun, but they are a good learning experience. During your analysis of what’s causing you to not lose weight, you can assess your eating, decide whether your exercise program is appropriate, and get advice from your doctor. The only thing you shouldn’t do is give up.

For many people, the perfect vacation involves flying to a tropical destination and sitting on the beach while sipping a fruity drink for a few days. But for an increasing number of travelers the completely relaxing vacation is no longer enough. More and more people are looking for an experience that is both active and meaningful–and more in tune with their healthy lifestyle. For them, there are now some incredible fitness-oriented trips that offer once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to visit amazing places and take part in some unbelievable activities. Here are five such trips that you’ll want to put on your bucket list.

A Yoga Retreat (India)

Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise and fitness around the globe, as it not only provides a good workout but also helps build strength, balance, and flexibility. If you want to expand your commitment and understanding of the deeper principles of yoga, why not do so in India, the country where it originated? There are many yoga retreats in various places across the country, but perhaps the best is the Vana Malsi Estate, located in foothills of the Himalayas. There you’ll be able to take part in daily yoga workouts, access a full-service spa, and be introduced to holistic healing methods. In short, it is an escape for both the mind and body.

Cycle Through Burgundy (France)

Everyone knows that France is mad for cycling, so what better way to explore its idyllic countryside than on the back of a bike? Cycling tours have become incredibly popular in recent years, but few can match up with a visit to that country’s Burgundy region, which is famous for its fine wines, rolling hills, and quaint villages. Spend a week riding on narrow country roads, stopping at storybook inns, and enjoying the local cuisine, and you’ll discover that your bike is not only a good way to get in shape, but it is perfect for exploring the world too.

Mountain Bike The Andes (Peru)

Is there a better place to learn to ride a mountain bike than Peru? You’ll master the finer points of the sport while riding from the snowcapped peaks of the Andes Mountains to the spectacular Amazon rain forest. Along the way, you’ll pass ancient Inca ruins (including the mountain fortress of Machu Picchu), while trained and experienced guides show you how to properly climb and descend hills, navigate a trail, and deftly maneuver a mountain bike. This is a truly active adventure that will expose you to Peruvian culture and history while surrounded by some of the world’s most amazing landscapes.

The Kilimanjaro Stage Run (Tanzania)

Trail runners looking for a unique challenge will want to add the Kilimanjaro Stage Run to their list of things to do. The multi-day trip sends travelers off on a 260 km (161 mile) run around Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in all of Africa. Each day, they’ll travel by the same footpaths that have been used by the local tribesmen for generations, trekking through small villages and past stunning scenery along the way. This is an epic running challenge, but one that is incredibly rewarding as well.

A Multisport Adventure In The Galapagos (Ecuador)

Maybe you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to be confined to a single type of activity for the duration of your vacation. If so, then fear not, there are certainly good travel options for you as well. For instance, you might want to take a multisport adventure to the Galapagos Islands, where you’ll not only get the chance to go kayaking and snorkeling but stand-up paddle boarding too. Located several hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos are home to some of the rarest and most unusual animals on the planet. Visitors who enjoy spending time on the water will get to interact with those creatures while staying very active at the same time.
As you can see from these five trips, there has never been a better time for active travelers. Now more than ever, it is easy to find options that combine physical activity with cultural immersion and exploration. The only questions are: Where do you want to go, and what do you want to do when you get there?
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Are you looking to improve your health in 2016? If so, you might feel overwhelmed trying to figure out where to begin. In the end, different people benefit from a variety of approaches and goals, but I find myself returning to one message over and over.

(And no, it’s not a juice cleanse.)

What is the single most powerful thing nearly everyone can do to improve their health, you ask?*

Eat more fiber.

We love talking about fancy diets and cleanses, paleo and gluten free, barre classes and CrossFit and parkour. These are exciting, and it’s easy to get passionate about them. But who wants to be hardcore into…fiber?

Maybe it’s about time we are.

You see, fiber is a type of carbohydrate found exclusively in plants (fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains) that the human body cannot break down. That means it adds volume to our food without contributing energy (calories), which has benefits from the time we lay eyes on our meal to the time that meal, well, bids us farewell. Ahem.

– Our eyes like fiber because it takes up space on our plates to make them look fuller (and more satisfying) without us serving up extra helpings of other less nutrient-dense foods.

– Fiber also takes up space in our bellies and takes longer to eat, giving our brains more time to catch up with our stomachs and register when we’ve had enough.

– Fiber’s not in a rush to get out of our stomachs either, which helps regulate satiety (so we don’t get munchy between meals) and can be an extremely powerful tool for managing blood sugars.

– Our intestines like fiber because it gives our digestive tracts a bit of a workout. This keeps things running smoothly and can help manage diarrhea, constipation, diverticulosis, irritable bowel, and Crohn’s (between flares).

– Our hearts really like fiber because it can lower cholesterol by grabbing onto this stuff in the colon called bile, which is made using cholesterol. When fiber traps bile, both substances are excreted together; we have to make more of the bile, so we pull cholesterol out of the blood to do it.

A high-fiber diet does more than just help manage disease, though. When we focus on fiber, we’re focusing on whole, minimally processed, plant-based foods that also happen to be jam-packed with other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Emphasizing fiber is a way to sneakily start improving the quality of our diets without getting overwhelmed by too much information.

Oh, and we don’t need to buy expensive pills or choke down sawdust-like powders to do it. We can eat real food. Here are some ideas:

1. Experiment with whole grains: Try old-fashioned or steel-cut oats for breakfast, a quinoa or farro salad for lunch, wild rice or whole wheat pasta for dinner, and white whole wheat or oat flour in the occasional sweet treat.

2. Add chopped nuts to cereals, oatmeal, and yogurt; sprinkle them over salads instead of croutons; or snack on a handful when the meeting runs over or dinner is late. You can even get adventurous and turn them into vegan, higher-fiber alternatives to cheese!

3. Work up to getting at least five servings of vegetables each day. You won’t get there overnight, so start small and focus at first on veggies or dishes you already like. It might mean throwing a handful of greens into a morning smoothie or pureeing some butternut squash into an otherwise very cheesy pasta dish for dinner. Or it could mean turning cauliflower into rice, zucchini into spaghetti, or a big salad into lunch. There are so many possibilities!

4. Add sweetness with fruit. Instead of brown sugar in oatmeal, try berries and cinnamon; instead of jam on a PB&J sandwich, try sliced apples. Make a chopped fruit salsa for white fish or chicken, slice pears or peaches into a salad, or cook down frozen fruit with a little water into a compote for anything from waffles to banana “ice cream.”

5. Work beans into your Meatless Monday. Use them to reduce or replace meat in soups, chilis, and stews; try your hand at a bean-based veggie burger; make hummus your condiment of choice; or roast up some chickpeas for a crunchy salad topper or stand-alone snack.

When it comes to your health this year, keep it simple, be courageous (and patient!), and don’t forget your favorite F word: fiber.

Bring it on, 2016!

*There are certain individuals who, for medical reasons, must be on a low-fiber diet or avoid specific sources of fiber. It’s always important to discuss significant dietary changes with your doctor first and foremost and pay attention to your body’s reaction if and when you do decide to make a change.

Working out with your pet is nothing new. I love to run with my two Great Danes, but I’ve never thought about taking them to the yoga studio. However, that’s exactly what is going on in some studios across the country. Doga (yoga with your dog) takes Downward Facing Dog to a whole new level and is supposed to be one of the top trending workouts for 2016.

Doga was accidentally created by New York yoga instructor Suzi Teitelman, who had a puppy that refused to leave her mat. Since she didn’t want to give him the boot, or leave him at home, she slowly started incorporating her pup into her yoga routine and out came Doga – Yoga Doggie Style.

With the trend of fashionable pocket pets thanks to famous socialites like Paris Hilton, it’s no wonder Doga caught on so quickly. Now, believe it or not, Doga is being taught all over the world and even made ABC’s 4 Workouts to Watch Out For in 2016.

How It Works

Doga is considered to be gentle yoga, with a lot of stretching, massage, and meditation. Certified Doga instructors lead pet lovers through a variety of familiar yoga poses that use their dogs as props and even weights.

I could imagine that holding a wiggling pup in a balance pose would prove to be a lot more challenging than doing it solo. Doga also may incorporate more upper body strength, since many of the moves require you hold your furry friend throughout the pose. While it may seem like a good workout for the human, Doga’s big focus is on reducing stress for both the human and the canine.

Doga is also supposed to be quite a bonding experience. Research shows sustained eye contact between a dog and its owner boosts endorphins. Holding a long gaze with your hound reportedly releases beta-endorphin, oxytocin, and dopamine, neurochemicals associated with positive feelings and bonding. This is a healthy perk for both parties, as many of the poses purposefully have you face to face with your friend.

Because Doga also requires a certain level of doggie obedience, it could do double duty as dog training time too.

Pros And Cons

The mere fact that you can do one more thing with your pet (outside of the dog park or taking an ordinary walk) is a pro in of itself. Pet lovers are always looking for more things to do with Fido. People also love showing off their pets, so it’s another excuse to let your four-legged friend tag along.

If your dog has anxiety issues, Doga could be a method of reducing stress and building trust. Doga would also be a good way to socialize your pet in a low-key environment, which is especially important for nervous or skittish dogs.

Doga gets a few more fitness points because having your dog there could distract you enough to hold poses a little longer. Instead of focusing on your burning thighs while holding Warrior 2, you can concentrate on holding your pooch still and looking into his or her cute little eyes. However, you can have those points quickly taken away if the little mongrel distracts you to the point of missing a pose altogether.

An obvious obstacle for me is that my dogs are so big they would each need their own yoga mat. And, each one of them weighs more than I do, so I won’t be picking them up while doing any warrior poses.

Marley, my Mantle Great Dane, is less than graceful, so I am pretty sure he’d topple me over after two seconds of any balance pose if he had anything to do with it. My Fawn (Miller), on the other hand, is much more graceful and would likely be a better suited Doga partner for me. But I have a feeling he’d want to take a nap after the first 10 minutes of class.

That brings me to the most obvious con for Doga: It requires a cooperative sidekick, so it’s not for everyone. Since Marley’s favorite pastime is sitting on my lap like a Shih Tzu, I’ve never been successful doing any floor exercises without him eventually sitting on top of me and bringing me to the floor. If it were Doggie MMA, we’d crush it because Marley already has the Full Mount and Half Nelson moves down pat.

Another issue for my boys and me is we’d take up a lot more room than if I had a Tea Cup Poodle. While Doga’s creator says you can do yoga with any size dog, I would be nervous about em”barking” on this new workout simply because I’d probably feel like the big pink elephant in the middle of the room. If we make a mistake, everyone will know about it because my dogs don’t do anything quietly.

Since I’m already horrible at yoga and about as flexible as a two by four, the thought of adding a dog to the mix is horrifying for me. Simply hiding in the back corner hoping no one sees me is not going to work.

None of this is an issue where I live because there are no Doga classes that I know of in our area. Unless I get the Doga DVD, I can’t imagine I’ll even get to try it to give you a real Doga review.

Fit Or Flop

This is not one of those one-size-fits-all situations. Since Doga requires you have a dog to begin with, this workout would obviously be a Flop for sure if you are dogless. Then you must have a cooperative pup that will not only behave but also complement your fitness goals.

As long as you aren’t doing Doga for series fitness gains, I would say Doga is a Fit for additional activity–and a great social activity for you and you pet. However, if you really want to get in a good workout, you probably need to leave the dog at home.