Category: Sweat

We’ve all seen photos of the crazy people who participate in a polar bear plunge: typically some sort of charity fundraiser where people don their swimsuits in the middle of winter and jump into a hole cut in the ice of a frozen lake, pond, or river. As insane as it may be, the crazy act of jumping into ice cold water seems justified by the fact that a) it’s done for a good cause, and b) it usually only lasts a few seconds. It’s a bucket list item, something you do once in a lifetime just to say you’ve had the experience.
So it seems even crazier, if not almost sadistic, that so many runners subject themselves to ice baths on a regular basis.
An ice bath, incase you’ve never heard of it, is typically the act of a runner submerging themselves, usually still fully clothed almost immediately post run, into a bathtub full of ice and ice cold water.
Yes, it’s as miserable and as painful as it sounds. The first time I submerged my post long run legs into a bathtub full of water and ice cubes (and rubber duckies and toy boats, such is the life of a running mom), I thought for sure that I had lost my ever loving mind.
But the idea is that the ice bath will help promote recovery in your muscles faster, and prevent or at least subdue the onset of post run muscle soreness. In theory, the extreme cold is thought to constrict blood vessels (acting as light compression), flush waste products, and reduce swelling and tissue breakdown caused by running.
Note that I said “in theory”.
Experts go back and forth about the effectiveness of ice baths. While many tout the benefits of icing, others argue that many non elite athletes (i.e., us average Joes) do not work at high enough levels to warrant an ice bath. And what’s worse, recent studies have concluded that the ice baths may actually delay recovery time.
So what’s a runner to do?
As with many things in the world of running, results may vary by individual. Therefore, if you are interested in seeing if ice baths work for you…give it a try. But keep in mind that while ice baths may or may not be beneficial or even a placebo, they can most definitely be dangerous. So if you are going to try to give your running legs a polar plunge of their own, keep the following tips in mind:
1) Start Slow. This goes for both temperature AND time submerged. Most experts recommend a water temperature of 54 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal ice baths and 6-8 minutes of soaking…BUT that doesn’t mean you need to start there. Work your way up to those recommended numbers with shorter submersion times and warmer temperatures. Keep in mind that temperatures warmer than 60 degrees, but still relatively cool, can still be beneficial.
2) Limit exposure. No one wants frostbite or hypothermia, so listen carefully to your body. Now, in my opinion, nothing is comfortable about an ice bath. But you need to be aware of more than simply discomfort. If things start to go numb, especially extremities like toes, get out of the water. If shivering becomes uncontrollable, or you start to feel unwell, get out of the water. Limit time in the tub to a maximum of 10 minutes.
3) Listen to your body. Everyone has their own tolerance for cold, and yours might not be as low as the recommended 54 to 60 degrees. Further, the ice bath simply might not work for you, so don’t keep subjecting yourself to the painful and daunting ice baths if you don’t notice any benefits, or worse, notice delayed recovery or any other negative side effect.
4) Don’t say I didn’t warn you, there is nothing fun about ice baths. BUT, if they help you recover faster and become a stronger runner, then the 6 to 8 minutes of chilly discomfort might be well worth it.

Our society is completely plugged in these days. From cell phones, to laptops, to tablets, to TV’s…it seems we cannot function for long periods of time without some sort of electronic distraction. One of the big “hot debates” in the running community is whether or not runners should run with ear buds, listening to music as they cover their miles.

Running purists will say that the musical distraction completely takes away from the enjoyment of running.

Runners who really want to enjoy the sport, but secretly still hate it at the same time, will tell you they absolutely need the distraction in order to keep going.

And then there are the rest of us, who are caught somewhere in between. Those of use who love to hear the spring birds chirping or to have a few quite minutes away from the kids/work/life…yet can’t last five minutes on a treadmill without some tunes.

You may be reading this and wondering to yourself “well, what difference does it make anyway? If you want to listen to music, listen to it; if you don’t, then don’t.” And you would be correct, if it weren’t for one huge factor:

Safety.

In fact, safety is such a concern when it comes to running with music, that countless race directors have actually started banning the use of ear buds in their races. They take the safety concern so seriously that often times runners spied wearing ear buds on the course will either be pulled from the race or disqualified.

So what’s the big safety deal?

For starters, the list of things you might not be able to hear while plugged into your tunes is long: traffic, dogs, trains, someone approaching from behind, emergency personnel, bicycles, skateboards, the rumble of an approaching storm, sirens…you get the idea. Being plugged in makes you completely oblivious to your surroundings, which could result in injury to yourself and others. In a race situation, you might not hear someone yelling “on your left” as they try to pass by you, or EMT’s or other officials trying to get through on a bicycle to an emergency. Again, this might not only cause or contribute to injury, but it might really anger some of your fellow runners.

Don’t be that guy (or girl).

Now, on the other hand, there are definitely some compelling arguments as to why music might not be so bad after all.

Tunes can drown out the sound of your own breathing, something many runners will cite as a major distraction when they are trying to push themselves.

Music might help you pass the time while putting in a number of miles on the often boring treadmill.

Motivational lyrics might help you push a little further than you might have thought you were capable of.

So, what is a music loving runner to do?

1) Learn to run WITHOUT your music, even if only for some of your training runs This will teach you to be independent of the music, and allow you to still have the mental fortitude to push through tough miles and finish a race if ear buds are not allowed. Or even if your iPod battery dies.

2) If you INSIST on running with ear buds, practice running with only one bud in, and the music turned to a low-moderate level. Make sure you are able to hear and stay aware of your surroundings.

3) If the race rules say no ear buds, then be respectful of your fellow runners and the race director…and leave the ear buds at home.

Bottom line, safety truly is the most important factor in the “to wear ear buds or not to wear ear buds” argument. Think about the big picture before deciding if ear buds are worth the risk for each particular run or race. I think we can all agree that a boring, quiet run is still better than no run at all.

One of the number one questions that both men and women ask their trainers is, “How can I lose weight fast?”  I love that clients think we have a magic wand like the fairy godparents of fitness who can magically make those stubborn pounds melt away.

Truth be told, it takes effort both in and out of the kitchen and gym to lose those extra pounds that have creeped on.  Like Rome, it didn’t happen overnight, so give yourself some time and patience, and it can happen.  Here are fifteen great ways to start losing the weight.

1.     Get Your Cardio On! Jump into an aerobics style class be Zumba or dance fitness six times over a two week time period.  Active movement burns calories and increases your metabolism.

2.     Make Dinner Light.  Try the no carbohydrate rule after 3p.m., making dinner a light salad or protein filled snack instead.  Dinner has been known to be the more likely meal to turn into fat than they breakfast due to sleep patterns.

3.     Sleep More.  Get a good night’s sleep – at least eight solid hours is suggested. Sleeping well has been shown to increase metabolism and fight obesity.

4.     Reduce Drinking! Yes, I said it. To lose the weight, you have to cut back on the alcohol.  Alcoholic beverages are full of sugar and unwanted calories.

5.     Take The Stairs.  The average person should be walking 10,000 steps a day. Why not take the stairs to your office?  Park farther away from the store. Any way you can, get those steps in.

6.     No Time To Workout.  How about adding in mini-workouts to your day; Take ten minutes at lunch to be active. Walk around the building, then drop and go for a quick Pilates Fab Five abdominal series.

7.     Reduce Eating Out. Start your weeks off planning meals at home.  You’ll know exactly what you are eating and can control your portion size.  Make eating out a treat once a week.

8.     Hydrate. Switch usual drinks out for water.  Don’t like plain water? Add a little lemon to it. On average, we should all have eight glasses of water a day. In hotter months be sure to increase your intake by a few more glasses. Water helps to flush your body of unwanted toxins and fat.

9.     Add Fitness Technology. There are so many new great fitness apps and gadgets.  I never am without my Fitbit. It tracks my steps, my meals, water intake, exercise and more.  Even cooler, I can add friends. We can track each other, poke and encourage one another.

10.  Try Pilates. Pilates reduces stress, increases stamina, increases metabolism, tones and sculpts the body.  Pilates is also a great fat burner!

11.  Give Up Snacking.  Evening and late night snacks are packed with unwanted calories and fat.  Instead, try a glass of warm water with lemon or a distressing tea at night. You’ll stay hydrated while giving your stomach that “I’m full” feeling.

12.  Quit Smoking.  Did you know that smoking prevents proper food digestion and reduces metabolism while potentially increasing body fat?  It’s true.  There’s no time like the present to give yourself the gift of health.

13.  Walk.  It’s that easy. Grab your fitness app, track your steps and get in three miles every day for one week. You will feel better, and see a difference in your body composition.

14.  Decrease Sugars, Carbohydrates and Caffeine. For one week, try to decrease or give up these three all together. Your body will have a sense of an internal cleanse, body fat will decrease, stamina will increase, mental clarity will increase and weight will start to decrease.

15.  Journal. Keeping a diet diary will hold you accountable.  It also gives you an opportunity to see when and how much you really eat and exercise. After one week you will be able to alter your routines and habits for a more positive health regimen.

CrossFit has a cultural and language all its own. It can be a little intimidating walking into that sort of thing. We’re here to help you navigate your new fitness endeavor with a helpful glossary of CrossFit terms. 

AMRAP: As many reps as possible. Basically, you’re doing as much as you can for a certain amount of time or until your body physically can’t do it any more. 

Box: This is a CrossFit gym. It’s usually a large space (think warehouse) that has some very basic equipment you’ll be using for your workout.

BP: Your standard bench press.

BS: Back squat, which is basically your standard squat. You’re putting the barbell across the meaty part of shoulders (not on your neck), squatting, and powering up back to a standing position. 

C&J: The clean and jerk. This lift consists of two motions. The first is lifting a barbell from the floor to a racked position across your chest. The next involves lifting the barbell over your head to a stationary position. 

CLN: And another lift, the clean. Obviously, the clean is the first part of the clean and jerk. 

C2: This is a specific type of rowing machine that’s used by CrossFit.

DL: Your standard deadlift. You’re lifting a barbell from the ground to the hips and back to ground. 

EMOM: Every minute on the minute. You need to do a certain number of reps at the start of each new minute. 

Firebreather: Apparently, a very fit CrossFitter. 

FS: Front squat. This is similar to a the back squat, except you’re resting the barbell across the front of your body on the deltoids. 

The Games: An abbreviation of The CrossFit Games, which is an annual competition to determine the most fit CrossFitters. 

HRPU: Hand release push up. This is a variation on the standard push up that involves taking your hands off the ground and balancing on your chest before returning to the starting position. 

KB: Kettlebell. Otherwise known as the dumbbell looking thing you’ve been too scared to use until now. 

K2E: This is a core exercise called knees to elbows. 

ME: Maximal effort. In other words, go all out without stopping. 

MetCon: A term for metabolic conditioning. It’s a short, high-intensity workout that will help your cardiovascular system.

MP: Military press. The military press can be done standing or seated. You’ll start with the barbell on your shoulders and lift it straight over your head. 

MU: A muscleup, which is a very difficult pushup.

OHS: Overhead squat. This one the most difficult variations of the standard squat. You’re starting with a barbell lifted overhead with locked elbows. Than you’re lowering yourself into a squatting position and powering back up to a standing position. 

PC: No, not politically correct, but power clean. This is pretty much the same as a regular clean, but “power” means that you’ll land in a partial squat as opposed to a full squat.

Pood (PD): First, stop laughing. Alright, pood is a unit of measurement specifically used for kettlebells. One pood equals 35 pounds.

PP: Push press. This lift is similar to the military press, except for a few things. You’re almost always starting from a standing position with the barbell across the front of your shoulders. However, the lift is started with movement from the legs. 

PR: It stands for personal record, which CrossFit encourages you to keep track of. 

PSN: Power snatch (yet another lift). Again, “power” means you’ll land in a partial squat position. 

PU: Pull up or push up. Don’t worry, you’ll be doing a lot of these.  

Rx: This means as prescribed. You don’t have to change weight or reps at all.

SN: Snatch (you guessed it! Another lift!). This is similar to the clean and jerk, except you’re lifting the barbell from the floor to a stationary position over your head in one continuous motion.

SQ: Squat. For all intents and purposes, this is the back squat. 

TGU: Turkish getup, which is a difficult full-body exercise, incorporating a kettlebell. 

T2B: Toes to Bar. This is a pretty intense core exercise, similar to knees to elbows. 

WOD: Last but not least is the workout of the day. Your box’s workout, which can be designed by you coach or be taken daily from crossfit.com. 

The benefits of exercising are too numerous to mention. Improved mood, metabolism, and energy level are just a few. The pros far outweigh the cons, but there are still some lurking cons that may keep you from working out as frequently as you’d like. 

Breakouts. Acne. Blemishes. They’re one in the same. Women are often prone to these dreaded bumps that can spatter across faces, necks, chests, and even backs. Typically when I go on one of my workout binges I have to suck it up and accept that the resulting pimples will inevitably occur. I just hold my breath and cross my fingers that it won’t be quite as bad as the last time. But the absurdity of leaving the health of my skin to chance finally took its toll on me.  

Makeup Mayhem

Whether you’re working out during your lunch break, after your 9-5 job, or on the weekend, chances are you have some type of makeup on. Even if it’s just a dab of blush or light foundation, all of these chemicals can clog your pores. Even the mildest of facial lotions can contribute to the overwhelming number of blemishes that can pop up. Best advice? Wash your face before your workout. This may seem silly, but it’ll considerably reduce your chances of breaking out. Whether you wash your face with soap and water or use something a little more cutting edge like makeup-removing towelettes, you’ll notice a change instantly. Not only will you feel refreshed before your workout, but your face won’t have that sticky feeling. Also, you won’t have to worry about that running concealer either! 

Hair Scare

Luscious locks are coveted by nearly all women. Avoiding the damaging effects of heating tools is a daily challenge. Unfortunately, those hydration masks and leave-in conditioners could actually be playing a part in your breakout blues. Sweat isn’t just localized to your face or chest, it actually starts from the scalp. So as your pores open and sweat is exuded, all of those moisturizing hair care products are slowly dripping down your forehead. A lot of times you may notice an outbreak of pimples along your hairline or closer to the center of your forehead; this is due to all of those moisture-rich products. 

You shouldn’t have to sacrifice hair hydration just because you have an active lifestyle. That’s where the age-old salon rule comes into play: Place conditioner from your ear down. The ends of the hair are what typically become dried out, as natural oils have farther to travel the longer the hair strand. So next time you work out and your scalp begins to sweat it’ll just be natural sweat as opposed to sweat mixed with hair products. 

Sunscreen Shade

Sunscreen is a health product from the gods. “When in doubt, just add sunscreen” is something we’ve all heard from dermatologists. Just because sunscreen may be wildly beneficial doesn’t mean it’s actually healthy for your skin, however. Some sunscreens are oily, while others have a matte finish. When choosing a sunscreen be sure to find one that’s oil free and dermatologist approved. This will be light on your face, moisturizing, and chemical free, so if you go for a beach run you’ll be protected from sun rays and those dreaded blackheads. 

Cool Down

If you’re a gym-goer you know that it’s proper etiquette to wipe machines down after use. However, not all of us are quite so diligent. I’ve been guilty many a time of not wiping down the bike or dumbbells. It’s actually quite disgusting when you stop to think about it. How many times do you touch your face while working out, whether to wipe sweat from your brow or scratch an itch? Now just imagine everyone else doing that while they work out. No wonder our faces feel so gross after a gym session. A way to prevent this inevitable cycle of shared sweat is to not only wipe down your equipment after a workout but before too. That way you are ensuring clear skin safety for yourself. 

Another helpful practice is bringing a fresh sweat towel. I typically wipe my face with the bottom of my shirt, but it’s usually drenched in sweat by that point, creating a cyclical problem of sweat and dirt. Toting around a small towel is a great way to keep your skin fresh. But make sure it’s a clean towel. It may be tempting to use the same one several days in a row, but that would defeat the purpose of using a clean towel. 

Shower Power

Showering is the ultimate bacteria and dirt remover. The quicker you can hop in the shower and soap down the better off your skin will be. Also, the steam from the shower keeps your pores open, so the soap will be able to effectively flush out the areas that typically become clogged. 

Sometimes jumping in the shower immediately after a workout isn’t an option, though. What better way to get fresh than turning to cleansing wipes again? Wiping down your face and other acne-prone areas with baby wipes or another cleanser is a good substitute. It’s not as beneficial as the real deal, but it still makes a huge difference. 

Whether you decide to implement one or all of these tips you can rest assured that you’re doing the best you can for your skin. Personally, I’d rather have a few blemishes and a toned body than smooth skin with no definition.

Comment below with your skin-saving tips for before, during, and after your workout. 

The plane was hot. Finally, after more than an hour waiting on the tarmac, the plane began to taxi toward the runway. Suddenly, an attendant light dinged and quickly thereafter the plane turned back to the airport. As frequent flier Mellanie True Hills suspected, someone in the back of the plane was experiencing heart issues, a situation becoming more and more common on flights.
Frequent fliers often struggle with jet lag, and staying healthy on the road. Did you know air travel can trigger a heart related emergency? It’s true, but it can be simple to prevent, or at least significantly limit the risks.
Road warrior and heart arrhythmia expert Mellanie travels the world racking up as many as 60,000 miles in 60 days isn’t surprised heart rhythms issues and even heart attacks on flights are increasing.
“Tightly packed passengers are less likely to want to inconvenience fellow travelers, so many choose not to drink anything during flights to avoid having to get up to visit the restroom. Dehydration and being sedentary both can trigger heart problems.”
Mellanie’s concerns about air travel are both personal and professional. Diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, the most common abnormal heart rhythm, she is vigilant about staying hydrated and active on flights to protect her heart. Professionally, she is the CEO of StopAfib.org, patient advocacy organization that hosts the number one arrhythmia site and one of the top five heart disease sites worldwide. Mellanie points to three areas of concern for frequent fliers:

• Dehydration during flight can trigger abnormal heart rhythms and Holiday Heart Syndrome
• Long periods sitting can cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Changing air pressure can trigger heart attack

Dehydration and Your Heart

The significantly dry air on a plane wicks moisture out of the body, causing dehydration quickly. Dehydration thickens the blood and depletes the body of essential minerals such as potassium and magnesium. Both of those minerals regulate heart rhythm. Inadequate levels of potassium or magnesiums can trigger abnormal heart rhythms, including atrial fibrillation (Afib).
“If your heart has ever felt like a flopping fish, a bag of wiggly worms, or fluttering butterflies, you may have atrial fibrillation [aka Afib], the most common irregular heartbeat. You can find out more about how to tell at StopAfib.org,” says Mellanie.
For some people, Afib symptoms are fleeting and disappear on their own. However the abnormal rhythm can cause blood to pool in the heart and form a clot. Already thickened blood from dehydration makes this more likely. That clot could then travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Afib is just one of many types of abnormal heart rhythms, including holiday heart syndrome. Named because emergency rooms see an increase of people with heart trouble during holidays such Christmas, New Year’s day, spring break, and Super Bowl Sunday. Overindulgence in food and alcohol causes an abnormal rhythm and chest pain. Business travelers, especially those traveling to conferences, often have the same overindulgence issues. Adding dehydration to the mix can trigger chest pain, which should not be ignored.

What should travelers do?

“Drinking mineral water, or even club soda, not only keeps you hydrated, but also replaces the minerals you are losing. I think jet lag is mostly caused by dehydration, and by drinking mineral water both during the trip and when I arrive, I rarely suffer from it even when traveling internationally.”
Mellanie suggests drinking at least six to twelve ounces per hour of on the plane. Yes, this means you will have to get up and use the restroom. Which in itself is a good way to avoid DVT.

The Risks of Sitting

Sitting in one position puts travelers at risk of DVT, a condition during which blood clots form and block the flow of blood. Coupled with thickened blood due to dehydration, sitting for long periods sets travelers for DVT in the legs. DVT however can form anywhere in the body and are particularly dangerous when formed in the lungs or travel to the brain causing a stroke.

What should travelers do?

In addition to staying hydrated, stand and move around the plane at least once per hour.

Air Pressure and Your Heart

Oxford University studied the affect of lower air pressure when flying on blood pressure. The study found an increase in blood pressure in the lungs, which is concerning. This increase in blood pressure, combined with dehydration and sitting could spell disaster for someone with already elevated risk factors such as high blood pressure. In a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology Dr. Philip Houck, co-chairman of the cardiology division at Scott and White Hospital and the Texas A&M College of Medicine and his team of emergency room doctors noted they saw more patients with heart attacks when thunderstorms caused the air pressure to drop significantly. Commenting on the study, Dr. Houck explained, “My experience taking care of patients over the years told me that the day after a major weather event, like a thunderstorm, we would see a cluster of heart attacks. Our study now shows that a relationship does exist
“The more the pressure falls, the greater the chance someone has of having a heart attack the next day,” The study also indicates the rapid drop in air pressure in an airplane could have the same results.

What should travelers do?

First, understand your personal risk of heart attack and heart disease. If you are on medication for high blood pressure, or any other heart disease risk factor, take it consistently while traveling. If you have symptoms during travel, get help. Never ignore chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or a sudden, intense, or unusual pain anywhere in the head, neck, back, shoulders or torso.

That all sounds scary. Is air travel too risky?

As a frequent flier, Mellanie certainly isn’t too scared to fly, but she also doesn’t take the risks lightly either. “The trick is to stay on top of dehydration. Frequent fliers, do yourself a favor. Pick up a big bottle of mineral water in the gift shop!” Sipping as you travel will protect your heart, and may even ward off jet lag too.

The list of problems that plague runners is long and somewhat trivial. Up there among blisters, an uncharged GPS battery, and thighs chafing, is the very real condition of “FOMO,” or fear of missing out.

It goes a little something like this:

You just started running this past year. You trained hard for your first 5k, and you were so proud of yourself when you finally crossed the finish line (as you should be!) Soon thereafter, you began eyeballing your first 10k, because suddenly a 5k didn’t seem far enough.

But then you see your friend, who started running around the same time you did, has signed up for her first half marathon. You think you should skip the 10k and do the same, because if she can do it, you can do it. The next thing you know you are considering marathons, or even ultra marathons, simply because everyone else is doing it. You are suffering from the fear of missing out.

It’s okay, I’ve fallen prey to the FOMO myself more than once.

But the truth is, jumping from couch-to-ultra marathon is simply a bad idea for most of us, and may result in injuries that will cut your running career short. Gradually progressing from beginner to more experienced running distances takes time, multiple years even, as your body adjusts to the rigors of the increase in training.

Now, I’m sure you are wondering, “well, how DO I know when I’m ready to move on to the next distance?” and the truth is, there is no cut and dry answer. Each person adapts to the increase in distance differently, based on a number of factors, such as fitness levels and recovery times.

But that said, there ARE a few questions you can ask yourself to see if you are truly ready to move on to the next race distance, and aren’t simply suffering from the effects of FOMO.

1) How are you handling your current training schedule?

Are you consistent with your training? Is your body recovering well? Are you struggling to meet your specified distances, or have the workouts been a breeze? Keep in mind that stepping up to the next racing distance is going to only increase the demands of training. Don’t rush to jump ahead if you still aren’t comfortable with your current regimen.

2) Do you have the time?

Because the longer the distance race you are training for, the more time you are going to have to spend training. Half and full marathon training plans will have you running weekly long runs, some (or most, for a marathon) will be upwards of double digit mileage. Toward the end, you will feel like you spend all of your free time running. Are you ready to make that sacrifice?

Which brings me to a sub topic: make sure you have the support of your loved ones. Sure, you can certainly train for longer races with zero support, but trust me when I tell you it’s not easy. If training starts negatively impacting your family life or the lives of loved ones, your training and personal life may go downhill, fast.

3) Are you SURE you want do it?

And you aren’t just saying you want to train for a marathon because all of your friends are? Or because you feel like you should do it? Is the FOMO driving you, or do you truly feel the desire to move onto the next distance race?

I will be the first to admit, sometimes it’s really hard to make that distinction. But training and racing for YOU—and not simply because you think you should—will make all of the difference in the world when it comes to your running experience.

One of the greatest pieces of racing advice I’ve ever received was when someone close to me told me to not stress about jumping up to the next distance race, because that distance race is not going anywhere. Those races will be there when I’m ready to run them, and I will enjoy the race that much more when I am properly physically and mentally prepared to tackle it.

And the same goes for you.

Take your time, enjoy the process as you grow into a stronger runner, and most of all…fight the FOMO!

Just about anyone over the age of 10 can tell you the dangers of being overweight or obese: increased risk of developing arthritis, breathing problems (such as sleep apnea), cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and more. Then then there are the quality of life issues: anxiety, depression, shame, guilt, sexual problems, discrimination (including lower salaries), and others.
Given all that, it’s no surprise that at any given moment, tens of millions of people are on some kind of diet. But diets by themselves don’t work. In fact, they may do more harm than good (more on that below). So if the prospect of a longer, healthier life doesn’t motivate people to lose weight—and keep it off—what does? Two words: Carrots and sticks (we’re talking metaphors here, not food groups).

The Carrot: Money and Stuff

“Portion sizes at U.S. restaurants are often two or three times what they were 20 years ago, which is also distorting how much we eat at home,” says Deborah MacInnis, a professor of marketing at the University of Southern California (USC). “The increase in portion size directly parallels the increase we observe in obesity.” Quite a few studies have shown that it’s possible to incentivize people to skip the super-size portions and eat smaller meals by offering them non-food incentives, such as money or products.
For example, MacInnis and her colleagues at USC and the University of Arizona ran several experiments. In one, the team offered sixth-graders a choice between a 9-inch sandwich and a 4.5-inch sandwich plus a pair of earbuds. Most went for the earbuds. In another, they got adults to cut their portions in half by dangling the possibility of winning a $100 Amazon gift card or 10,000 frequent-flyer miles.
In 2011, the British National Health Service started a program called “Pounds for Pounds,” where they flat out bribed people to lose weight. 400 participants enrolled in the program and chose a weight-loss plan based on their target weight. The financial pounds ranged from £70 to £425 (roughly $108 to $650). Nearly half of the participants (44.8 percent) lost more than 5 percent of their starting body weight, and 23.6 percent lost more than 10 percent. The average weight loss was 8.8 pounds and the average payout about 180 pounds ($277).

The Sticks: Pay Up, Buddy

The biggest objection people have to “we’ll-pay-you-to-lose-weight” programs like Pounds for Pounds is the fear that the weight will come rolling back as soon as the payments stop. That could be true. But most people (estimates range from 90 percent to 98 percent) who lose weight on a diet slap the pounds back on for reasons having nothing to do with money. In fact, many dieters end up actually gaining weight.
Here’s how it works: When dieters shed pounds, they’re losing a mix of both fat and muscle, according to Mark Hyman, MD, bestselling author and director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. But when they start putting those pounds back on, it’s nothing but fat. “And since muscle burns seven times as many calories as fat, their metabolism is slower than when they started the diet,” says Hyman. The result? They gain weight more quickly because they aren’t burning it off.
So while throwing money at the problem might get people to stick to their diets—at least in the short term—adding in penalties for not hitting their weight-loss targets might be the most successful approach.
The Mayo Clinic did a fascinating study that proved that exact point. The researchers followed 100 otherwise-healthy-but-obese employees for a full year. Everyone had a goal of losing four pounds per month, monthly weight-loss counseling, and a gym membership, but half also got a financial incentive.
The participants were all weighed every month. The ones in the financial group would receive $20 at each weigh-in if they met the 4-pounds/month target; if they fell short, they’d have to pay $20 into a pool. At the end of the year, everyone who completed the study would be entered into a lottery to win the pool. Here’s how it went:

• 62 percent of those in the incentive group completed the study compared to only 26 percent of those in the non-incentive group
• Those in the incentive group lost an average of 9 pounds over the year vs. only 2.6 pounds in the non-incentive group
• Those who paid any penalties along the way were especially likely to complete the study

Wanna bet that I can lose more than you?

So far, we’ve been talking about individual incentives and penalties. But what would happen if we added in an element of competition? Researchers from the University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Pennsylvania decided to find out.
They had two groups of clinically obese subjects (those with a BMI of 30 or more). Each one was given a specific weight-loss goal that was based on their BMI. Then they were assigned to one of two groups. In one, individuals would receive $100 for each month in which they met their weight-loss goals. The other group was divided into subgroups of five. Each person in the subgroup could receive $100 for hitting the monthly target.
But the five were also competing against each other to get up to $500 for the month. For example, if everyone in the group met the goal, each would get $100. But if only three did, they would split the $500 three ways. (None of the group-incentive people knew the identities of any of the others they were competing against. Can you imagine how much sabotaging there would have been otherwise?)
Participants in the individual incentive group lost an average of 3.7 pounds over six months. They put half of that weight back on over the next 12 weeks. The group incentive participants lost an average of 10.6 pounds and kept it off for longer.

Group Support vs. Incentivizing Yourself

One of the reasons so many people fail to lose weight on diets is that they’re trying to go it alone, without support. Having someone in there with you can make those goals a lot easier to reach and a lot more likely to stay reached over time.
If you can’t get anyone in your corner, there are a number of apps and online programs that will pay you for reaching goals you set (whether that’s for weight loss or gym workouts) and penalize you when you fall short. Some also incorporate friendly competition. But if necessary, you can do it yourself.
Rather than set a huge goal of losing 100 pounds, set small ones—maybe losing one pound every week. At the same time, reward yourself along the way with things other than chocolate cake, such as seeing a movie or going fishing.

I’m a high-heel addict. Cute styles, mile-long legs. They make you look thinner, cause you to stand a little straighter… what’s not to love? Well, perhaps muscle damage in the foot.

According to a study published this summer in The International Journal of Clinical Practice, researchers conducted a pretty interesting experiment. How do you test the impact of heels on the foot over time? You try to level the playing field, looking at women who must wear them everyday for work in the same context.

Scientists selected students studying to be flight attendants at Hanseo University in South Korea to participate in their research; these women are required to wear heels everyday, in preparation for their eventual careers. With that in mind, they grabbed 10 ladies from each class — freshman, sophomore, junior, senior — measuring ankle strength and balancing abilities on a wobbly board.

Here’s what they found. While sophomores and juniors showed greater ankle strength in some of the muscles when compared to the heel-newbie freshman class, notably on the sides of the joint, seniors started to show a decline in those same muscles after four long years of a stiletto regimen. In addition, the older gals also had weaker muscles along the front and back of the ankle. Ah!

What’s going on? Basically, when you wear heels for a long time, there’s an unnatural, unbalanced amount of strength building sides of the ankles when compared to the front and back. This unevenness leads to unsteady walkin’, as well as increased risk of foot and leg injuries.

And it seems heels are just getting taller and more dangerous, right? They may be cute, but they can be According to a recent report in The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery, ER visits for high-heel-related injuries has doubled since 2002 in the United States. Young adult females in their 20s, who are the target market for those sky-high stilettos, are most at risk.

While I’ve sufficiently freaked out the faction of heel devotees out there, you shouldn’t worry. You don’t have to give up your favorite pair of sassy stilettos. Here are some tips:

Do heel lifts.

According to the researchers from the South Korean flight attendant study, simple heel lifts and heel drops can help strengthen muscles the right way, according to The New York Times. For the lifts: Stand on a flat surface, rise onto your toes, drop to the flat surface, and repeat. For the drops: Stand on the edge of a stair, drop your heels below the edge, bring them back to stair level, and repeat.

Slip heels off at the office.

The researcher also told the NYT that simply sitting in heels, with feet flat on the floor, isn’t the best idea, because it “can alter the resting length of the muscles and tendons around the ankle.” So, when you’re at your desk at work (or anywhere else you can feasibly remove your shoes), kick ’em off.

Choose comfort (when reasonable).

According to my pal Dr. Darria Long Gillespie, an ER physician at Emory University, the official, foot-surgeon-approved recommendation for heel height is two inches. So, keep some of those kitten heels on standby. And whenever you can, if you’re torn between two sexy shoe choices, choose the ones your feet feel best in. Recent research on running shoes showed that, to stay injury-free, the best choice was always the most-comfortable choice — ignoring other factors that scientists have suggested may reduce damage, like lessening impact force and managing ankle rotation. It’s really that simple: If you’re comfortable, your body can intuitively move in a way that’s natural for its makeup.

So, ladies: you don’t have to ditch your heels! In mean, I would never give up those look-better benefits (wink). That said, follow those few tips to reduce the damage your stilettos impart. Your feet deserve it.

It is simply a fact that men and women differ athletically, largely due to genetics and hormones. But what about flexibility? Is our ability to touch our toes sealed by genetic fate, or can we overcome tight hamstrings with enough practice?
I’ve pondered this for quite some time. In the days when I occasionally dropped-in at a yoga class, I’d watch in admiration as the flexible yogi types rolled out their mats and began to do a series of poses that I wouldn’t dare attempt. Me? I can’t come close to touching my toes. I never could … even as a kid when I practiced ballet for years and spent lots of time trying to do splits, backbends, and other contorted poses on my own.
The short answer is this — genetics counts for a large part of determining our flexibility. If your inner nerd is dying to know if you’re among those predisposed for inflexibility, the answer may lie in a SNP (or Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) of DNA on your COL5A1 gene — a gene on the ninth chromosome that instructs your body to make a component of collagen.
Dr. Paul Weitzel, an Orthopedic Surgeon at New England Baptist Hospital told the Boston Globe that we all have a baseline level of tightness and flexibility but with some effort we can improve that level by about 20-25 percent.
Why it might not sound like much improvement for the effort required — an effort excruciatingly well-known to those of us who struggle with a simple back bend or toe-touch — it’s important for a number of reasons.
While research suggests that pre-workout stretches are likely not having much of an effect on risk of injury during your workout and a 2011 study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise showed that increased stiffness may actually make you a *better* runner, the large majority of us are not competitive athletes. What we all are is aging humans, and it is a fact that as we age we are prone to increased risk of injury due to decreased range of motion (among other things).
That’s where signing up for a regular stretching routine comes in handy. You know what they say about an ounce of prevention, right? These simple tips from Mayo Clinic will give you the basics you need to safely get your stretch on:
Don’t stretch cold muscles. Stretching is not a warm up, and stretching cold muscles may lead to an injury. Your best bet is to save the stretch for after you exercise when your muscles have significantly warmed up.
Shoot for balance. Thanks to our genes, we don’t all have yogi-level flexibility … and that’s ok. Rather than reaching for the unattainable, make a goal of becoming flexible on both sides (most of us are a little asymmetrical.) This will keep your body in balance and may decrease the likelihood of future injury.
Hit the big guns. Focus on all of the big muscle groups when designing your stretching routine — hamstrings, hips, back, and shoulders — and remember to spend an equal amount of time on both sides of the body for optimal results.
Don’t bounce. Static stretching, where you hold a particular stretch for several seconds is much more gentle on your muscles than bouncing stretches (also known as ballistic stretching) which can put strain on your muscles and even lead to an injury.
Hold it. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds; I know this sounds brutal to the inflexible, but the longer you can hold a stretch the better the outcome. Don’t forget to breathe while you stretch. Proper breathing drives oxygenated blood to your muscles and helps muscles relax, making it easier to hold and deepen your stretches.
Stop if you feel pain. “No pain, no gain” is NOT an adage to take to heart while stretching. You should feel a little bit of pull or tension when you stretch, but never pain. Pain means you are pushing yourself too far. Back off to a point where the pain goes away and safely hold your stretch.
Keep it up! To maximize benefits, you have to stretch on a regular basis — at least 2-3 times per week. If you don’t stick to it, you’ll most likely lose any benefits you’ve gained. Give yourself a few extra minutes at the end of every workout that you dedicate to stretching. Considering it part of your workout will increase the likelihood that you’ll stick with your program.