Tag: body

Are you concerned that resistance training will bulk you up and you’ll end up looking like a man?  Do the stereotypes of over-sized women bodybuilders scare you out of muscle classes and lifting free-weights?  I am here to tell you, the fact is that it’s not true.  Resistance training and free weights will not turn you into a muscular bodybuilder overnight.  If it did, I assure you, every man you know would be hitting the gym ASAP!

The truth is that the muscular women, and the huge men you are seeing in the gym are often, shall we say, “enhanced”, and are not a good representation of the typical muscle growth patterns of most of us who use resistance training.  In fact, it’s important to add in some kind of weight resistance training in order to tone and shape your body for the results you desire.

Think about it. All of us Pilates and Yoga lovers out there are using resistance training every day – our own body weight.  Now consider your weight, which is literally what you are working with every time you hold a pose or plank. If you’re a Pilates equipment lover like me, you’re now adding spring resistance on top of your own body weight; that’s pretty darn good! It’s all about perception. How about caring that little bundle of joy around all day? How much does he/she weigh? Look at any new mom and check out her toned arms.

Still not convinced?  Well listen up.  Most women who spend the majority of their time only doing cardio actually end up burning muscle rather than building it. When our bodies are overworked with cardio, they literally digest themselves and begin to break down. Resistance training, on the other hand, strengthens our muscles and gives our bodies that toned, sculpted look we are striving for.

Adding resistance training, whether using traditional gym machines, Pilates equipment, Trx, or free weights, will force a change in your lean body mass, toning and sculpting your body, while decreasing your body fat composition. By adding lean muscle mass to our bodies this actually allows us to eat more, and still maintain our ideal body weight. Now there is a win-win.  Don’t get crazy though, it’s important to have a healthy diet combined with a consistent exercise regimen for true lasting results.

Resistance training is especially important as we age. Calling all premenopausal women out there: as we age, we lose bone density, and resilience in both tendons and joints.  This can increase our risk for osteoporosis.  The number one exercise prescribed by doctors out there for women who are looking to tone with weight resistance, safely, and effectively as we age – you guessed it – The Pilates Method.

The benefits of resistance training don’t just end with toning and sculpting;  it’s a great way to change up your usual workouts. The more resistance you train with, the more your heart starts pumping, improving overall heart health. If you’re looking to lose weight, resistance training helps to rev up your metabolism, burning more calories during your workouts. Did you know that after a traditional Pilates or Barre class you will continue to burn calories for the next twenty-four hours?

It’s time to rethink our workouts, mix things up, and enjoy the added health benefits.

Ben Baltz, now 14-years-old, was tragically diagnosed with osteosarcoma at age six. His parents were devastated by the news and even more chagrined when doctors informed them that the only way to effectively treat the cancer was through amputation. A whirlwind quickly ensued, especially since osteosarcoma is such an unpublicized disease, that was ultimately filled with hope and strength. 

The What

Osteosarcoma is a bone cancer that occurs in approximately 3% of children. It’s a fairly aggressive cancer which begins within the bone and then spreads, sometimes even latching onto the lungs. Osteosarcoma develops from the osteoblasts, which are the cells that assist bone growth. Occasionally, there will be a defect within the DNA causing cancer to form and spread. Typically osteosarcoma is seen in children who have recently gone through a growth spurt as the osteoblasts are raging during this time. It’s fairly easy to recognize this disease as your child’s limb will begin to swell or break due to the weakening of the bone. Treatment is fairly aggressive with chemotherapy being the go-to solution followed by a surgery to remove the affected bone, culminating in a final round of chemo. In many cases, the surgery is fairly conservative, but there are times, as seen in Ben’s case, where amputation is the only option (Kids Health).

Burst of Hope

That’s where Ben comes in. At age six, Ben had to undergo a surgery that most of us will never experience or fully understand. Not even knowing what cancer was, six-year-old Ben had his lower right leg amputated. For a very active child, this could have been crippling both mentally and physically. However, Ben found a deep well of strength, and a year later he received the greatest gift of all – a prosthetic. And from that moment forward he has dipped in and out of the spotlight: befriending a three-legged pony, being carried across a finish line when his prosthetic failed, and, most recently, holding his father’s hand as he competed in his tenth triathlon. 

Because of his viral popularity, he has been able to impact countless children and adults across the globe. Not only has he survived his battle with cancer, but he’s thriving and growing in the sports arena. 

“I never thought I would ever get cancer — never had heard of cancer until I got it — and never thought I would be able to keep participating in triathlons,” Ben said. “But all of those came out to be true and here I am — cured of cancer, running, biking, swimming and even surfing. My amputation hasn’t stopped me, or even slowed me down. It only brought me obstacles, all of which I have overcome” (Today). 

If that’s not some inspirational 14-year-old wisdom, then I don’t know what is. Ben’s father, JC, describes his son as being an inspiration not only to disabled athletes but to himself as well. There is nothing more motivating than pushing through a vigorous run and not giving up because you know that someone out there has it worse off than you, yet they are still able to persevere and succeed.

About That Photo

In 2013, Ben and JC were competing in a triathlon when it began pouring down rain. Ben was starting to feel fatigued as he was racing up a hill. In a moment of pure effort and exhaustion, JC grasped his son’s hand to give him the added boost he needed to conquer that slippery slope. That’s when the viral photo of Ben and JC was captured and since then it has resurfaced sparking the conversation of prosthetics. Ben and thousands of other people have been able to live everyday lives, filled with sports and other recreational activities. The necessity of health coverage for these amazing prosthetics has never been more crucial. What better gift could a person receive than the ability to continue living their lives normally? Ben has confronted many obstacles but never once has he given up. Even in this time of spotlight he continues to shy away from the camera, directing the attention to all of the other children and adults who deserve just as much admiration as he himself has received. This boy is one amazing human and gives us amazing hope for our future in both medicine and technology.  

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.