Runner's Forum

A blog party!

2009-07-06T14:04:00.002-05:00

A big blog party! Big blogs, little blogs, red blogs, blue blogs, yellow blogs, green blogs, black blogs, and white blogs are all at a blog party! What a blog party!

Please join us at our new location:

www.wholefit.org

This blog will no longer be in use. But we'd love to have you come join the discussion of EVERY part of our fitness!

Celebration Ashley Yoga

2009-07-03T13:30:00.002-05:00

I felt so honored this morning to be able to lead a pre-wedding bridal party (plus some) yoga session outside by Table Rock Lake. It was so fun to soak in the sun as we sweat our way through the different poses. Through the last few months I have grown to appreciate and even love the discipline of yoga.

Congratulations Ashley. May you relax and enjoy the next 48 hours!

In other news:

The countdown is still on. 3 days and counting. Join us here for the festivities.

The Countdown Begins!

2009-06-29T14:35:00.001-05:00

7 days! Join me next Monday for a Blogging Blowout!

Absense!

2009-06-27T22:04:00.000-05:00

Sooo sorry for the long sabbatical! Please stay tuned! New and exciting things are coming!

We will start the countdown soon!

The results are in!

2009-05-04T22:06:00.002-05:00

Well, it was a fun run. Three lessons learned:

1)My goal times were based on my performance in training. Lesson? Those mile times are a lot easier said (on a treadmill) than done (in real life with 35,000 people weaving around you)!

2)My legs can take a WHOLE lot more than my tummy can. Legs felt phenomenal. Tummy, not so much.

3)NEVER, NEVER get within 5 feet of a port-a-potty on race day. Phew!

So here were my splits. Not what I wanted, but pretty consistent.

1 - 8:30
2-4 - 7:46
5 - 7:52
6 - 7:41
7 - 7:48
8 - 7:23
9 - 7:29
10 - 7:31
11 - 7:21
12 - 7:22
13 - 7:26

And I was 25 seconds off my goal. Oh well.

I think I'm switching to yoga and kickboxing for awhile. I may have to change the name of my blog...

Bummer

2009-04-30T13:30:00.000-05:00

Bad news. Just found out I'm in corral H in the race. That means I'll have about 12,000 people in front of me. Bummer. Forgot how crowded this stinkin' race was.

Indy Mini

2009-04-30T07:22:00.002-05:00

I'm running the Indy Mini this weekend. And suddenly everything on my body is falling apart! Lovely.

My feet, shins, and knees are killing me. Honestly, I should have gotten new shoes about 4 months ago, but we are "living like no one else". Vomit.

But my goal is still 1:39. Yikes. Makes me nervous even saying that out loud.

So my average pace needs to be 7:30. Which means I will shoot for the following breakdown:

Mile 1 & 2: 8:00

Mile 3 & 4: 7:45

Mile 5, 6, 7: 7:30

Mile 8, 9, & 10: 7:15

Mile 11-13: 7:00

And no, I don't have a Garmin. I admit to being a stone age runner. So I will be doing the math in my head. Which I'm really not very good at!

This gives me about a 2 minute leeway to feel sorry for my achy knees.

I don't have my post-baby hormones this year, but at least it's flat!

Treadmill Programs

2009-04-28T14:13:00.003-05:00

Right now I am strictly an in-home trainer. I love it. In the last several years I have learned that there is a huge number of people out there who pay for gym memberships, but never go. I heard a trainer say once that if the gym was more than a mile from a client's home they would not attend. In this fast paced world, we need something that's convenient. We need something that fits into our lifestyle. That's why I love showing up at people's homes at 5:30am as they crawl out of bed. I love providing that for them.

Right now, the equipment that my clients have in their homes ranges from nothing (seriously...nothing. It's amazing how much we can do with just our bodies!) to just a treadmill and some weights, to a fully equipped gym.

But most have at least a treadmill. So I thought I'd share a few cardio/treadmill workouts I've learned to spice up your own treadmill routine.

If you are a walker:
Walk at a brisk pace on the treadmill, grab a pair of 2-5 lb dumbells and perform bicep curls as you walk, raising and lowering your arms with each step. Do 20. Then try military presses. Again, raising and lowering your arms with each step. Do 20. Repeat bicep curls, military presses 20 times each until failure!

If you need some hill work:
Warm up for 7 minutes, then set the treadmill at your approximate marathon pace. (This is an easy jog for most of us.) Elevate the treadmill 1 degree and run for 2 minutes. Then set the incline at 2 degrees and run for 2 minutes. Next return to 1 degree for 2 minutes, but then climb to 3 degrees for 2 minutes.

Continue this way, raising the incline on every other 2-minute repeat until you've reached 7 degrees (the inclination pattern is 1-2-1-3-1-4-1-5-1-6-1-7). This one's tough. It takes some time to build up to 7 degrees.

Finish with a 7 minute cool down.

If you like to watch TV while you run:
Increase your speed so that you're running hard (about 80% of your maximum) during commercial breaks.

If you want to build endurance:
Warm-up. Jog hard for 10 minutes, easy jog/walk 4 minutes. Repeat 3 times.

It feels like it's rained every stinkin' day for the last month here in MO. Here's some good stuff if you don't want to get your shoes wet!

Prenatal Training: Is it safe?

2009-04-17T14:22:00.003-05:00

It's official. I can finally share this out loud. All (well most) of the family know.

I just got my first prenatal client. For you boys out there, that means I have a client who's pregnant. Only about 6 weeks, but pregnant.

And for you friends out there who just freaked out for about a milisecond, no, it's NOT me.

Most women find out their pregnant and do one of two things:

A)STOP all activity and use it as an excuse to sit on their bottom and eat bon-bons.
B)START getting fit.

I'm so proud of Becky. She started training with me about 9 weeks ago and we have made huge progress. She's gone down two pant sizes, lost a total of 10 lbs, has made huge cardiovascular gains. Not to mention her confidence has gone through the roof. She told me she's in this situation because she was "irresponsible" with her husband. I told her she's in this situation because she was "irresistible" to him.

After our talk, we're going to continue training together. So here's the question. Is it safe for a pregnant woman to continue training hard during her pregnancy?

Back in 1985, ACOG created guidelines that suggested the following:

1)Pregnant women should not have a heart rate exceeding 140.
2)Exercise duration should not exceed 15 minutes.
3)Core temperature should not exceed 38 degrees Celsius.

Since 1985, these guidelines have been retracted. Now they are a bit more vague, but go something like this:

1)Pregnant women SHOULD exercise during pregnancy.
2) They should get in at least 30 minutes per day most days of the week.
3)Cardiovascular exercise should be the foundation, but strength training leads to gains in pelvic floor stability (you boys are so freakin' lucky) and improved muscle balance.

Along with so much more.

Not everyone is a doctor or trainer and knows that these things have been updated. Don't let your mother or grandmother tell you to stop at 15 minutes!

With my daughter I was able to run 3 miles 4 days before she was born. I kept up my training and planned a half marathon at 6 months just so I wouldn't allow myself to slack. I had a terrific running group that stayed with me the whole pregnancy.

My labor was great and my daughter still loves to bounce.

So my suggestion is that you don't choose choice a or b from above. Get in shape NOW before you want to have a sweet little parasite zapping your energy and stay healthy throughout.

Way to go Becky and I look forward to doing this journey with you!

No time to workout?

2009-04-05T21:29:00.003-05:00

OK. So I admit it. We moved into our new house yesterday and spent all day today unpacking. So excited about our new house, and my hubby keeps reminding me that this is one of the most stressful things a family can go through. BUT, I've been pooped and haven't even made time for myself and my fitness for a few days. But tomorrow is a new week.

Tonight as I sit here feeling guilty, I read an article that talked about Barack Obama's fitness routine. 6-7 days/week, 90 minutes per day. NINETY! He is probably arguably one of the busiest people in the country. But he obviously sees fitness as a priority. He wants his body to perform at peak performance. Not because he's an athlete, but because he needs his body to keep up with everything he has to do to run this country. He probably understands how important all that extra blood flow to his brain really is.

So I think if our president can find 90 minutes in his day, the rest of us probably can too!

Tomorrow I am FORCING my long run. In my NEW neighborhood. Which I LOVE.

Rachel is....

2009-03-30T20:56:00.002-05:00

*excited about closing on the house tomorrow.
*Stressed about the move on Saturday.
*Tired from the long drive today.
*Frustrated with her 3 year old that keeps disobeying.
*In love with her husband of 8 years.
*Ready for spring.
*Itching to start the garden.
*Achy from not running for 2 days.
*Antsy to get in some good runs/workouts.
*Sorry for the lack of blogging.
*Looking forward to meeting a new client tomorrow. Welcome Kristi.

Are you Addicted?

2009-03-17T13:58:00.003-05:00

I recently came across these questions verifying if you are truly an exercise addict. Just to clarify, the article I read suggested that exercise addiction was an unhealthy thing. Maybe I'm in denial, but our bodies were CREATED for exercise. We were created to move and run and walk and work to get our food. So I encourage exercise addictions, unless it gets in the way of your relationships. Those should always come first.

Here's how I answered the following questions:

1)Have I missed a social event because I felt the need to exercise instead?
NO. I just get up earlier.

2)Do friends and family feel neglected because I am frequently exercising instead of spending time with them?
I don't think so. But my kids LOVE the Y hub.

3)Do I feel guilty when I miss a planned workout? yes.

4)Does missing a workout make me feel irritable and ruin my day? Sometimes.

5)Do I feel anxious when I think something will interfere with scheduled workouts? Not anxious, but I typically form my day around my workouts.

6)Do I feel that my physical condition will be compromised if I don’t exercise for one day? NO.

So how would you respond? Are you an addict?

Truth Be Told

2009-03-17T13:47:00.002-05:00

Right now I am reading Younger Next Year and loving it! It's a book about living healthy and fit into retirement and beyond. Since a majority of my clients are over the age of 40, I thought it would be a good book for me to read. There's a few things I don't totally agree with (I think our God made these amazing bodies), but the author does a great job of explaining the science behind fitness and he puts it in good, understandable terms.

Here's a section of what I read last week:

"For years there was this neat little anomaly in how hard people said they worked out and their mortality. In surveys, there was a clear correlation between how much men said they worked out and how early they died. Agreeably enough, the results went: Work out more, die later. But for Women, there was no correlation at all. Weird. So they did tests to correlate actual fitness, as measured by stress tests, and mortality. This time, there was a near perfect correlation for men and women. How come? Women lied more about how much they worked out."

But of course, you would never lie to your trainer....right?

"Trust the Process"

2009-03-06T13:56:00.001-06:00

There's a quote that shows up every once in awhile on the Biggest Loser.

"Believe in yourself. Trust the process. Change your life." - Bob Harper

It's a weird process, isn't it? Eating every 3 hours. Centering your meals around lean protein. Working out and working HARD 5-6 days/week.

Several times this week I've had clients say to me, "You really think I can do this?" As they face a HUGE hill, a heavy weight, a quick sprint. And every time I absolutely know they can. Our bodies are capable of so much more than we give them credit for.

Also, I've been noticing another little thing in my training. Those who trust me, trust what we're doing, and USE me seem to get the results. Those who call and email and ask questions and listen. They are my clients who are shedding pounds and inches and changing their lives. They are becoming more productive in their jobs. They are experiencing less sickness. They are feeling good and strong and healthy.

So trust in the process (as weird and hard as it may be), believe you can do it (because you can), and make this a real lifelong life change. And you will change your life.

And it's so fun on the other side.

Castlewood Cup

2009-02-28T08:48:00.005-06:00

Cloudy
31°F
Feels Like
20°F

PLUS

Equals - AWESOMENESS.

Here's an excerpt from an email I sent a friend earlier:

"Let me just tell you about my morning. It was AWESOME! I was (and still am really) BONE cold. It was frickin' freezing. But they did this thing well. We ran through water up to our ankles (through a creek), up huge, I mean enormous hills. There were people hurling everywhere. There were people biting the dust. Literally. They would slide through the dirt and eat rocks and mud. There were lots of turned ankles. You were either going up a hill, down a hill, or around a hill the entire run. It was NUTS. But super fun. You should all do it with me next year. I'm serious.

And there were brats & beer at the finish line.

Good day."

That about sums it up. That and pure awesomeness.

YEP

2009-02-26T07:42:00.000-06:00

Used it on my first client this morning. And yep. It kicked his butt.

My new toy!

2009-02-21T13:35:00.003-06:00

Oh yes! This here personal trainer just ordered one. These are the funnest things ever.

I always tell my clients you should never purchase a piece of equipment that has one function. This "toy" has a million functions.

The funny thing is, if you have watched "The Biggest Loser" for awhile now, they have always had a TRX. In their gym even. This is the first time they've highlighted it and everyone acts like it's a new thing.

So watch out clients! Your fun awaits you!

Quote of the Day:

2009-02-16T20:52:00.002-06:00

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing."
— Abraham Lincoln

What do you prefer?

2009-02-15T22:17:00.004-06:00

I'm taking a class right now at my church called Leadership U. In this class we discuss leadership principles, but we also learn a lot about ourselves and how we operate in different roles. After taking a test I learned that I'm a Sanguin. Basically, a people person. Big revelation.

While this was not a huge discovery for me, I have been realizing lately how solitary my sport is. I'm just at the beginning of my "season" of training. It's now that I shift my focus from strength training/overall training to speed and endurance. And today I had my first long run.

I ran about 10 miles. It was great. I found a big field along my usual trail which led me to a small pond and the ever increasing fear that a snake or big bear was going to come out and bite me. I love running in long grass and running with a bit of fear in me.

And today I enjoyed it. But this week leading up to this run, I knew in my mind it was coming, so I tried to do everything social I could. I ran with friends, swam with my daughter, and even took a kickboxing class at the Y. The class was great. Even though I was a stranger to everyone in the room, there was some kind of energy about being in a room of 12 other people all struggling to do the same moves I was.

So it's obvious that although I get a better workout when I'm alone (I can kick my own butt pretty good), I really treasure my workouts with friends.

What do you prefer?

2-day rule

2009-01-31T21:24:00.002-06:00

So I have a 2-day rule when it comes to fitness. One should NEVER under any circumstance rest more than 2 days in a row. 1 day of rest is good. We need it. Our muscles need it to repair themselves, our brains need it, we need it. Sometimes if we've built up to a long distance event or a heavy lifting week, we could use a couple days of rest. But we do not ever need more than 2. And in fact, our fitness level decreases exponentially when we take off that 3rd day. This week I was not able to get into a gym or run for 3 days in a row. It about killed me. The reasoning was snow related, husband out of town related, and kid with ear infection related. The effects have not been fun.

Muscles: I feel weak. In my training of my clients, I feel weak. My legs have a jittery, "you need to get me moving" feeling which stinks. I can't seem to relax and unwind.
Brain: I'm about to go crazy. I'm short tempered with my kids and very irritable right now. `
Sleep: NOT.

So today I got in a good workout, and I have moved the universe so as to get in my long run tomorrow. I know it's sunday and my hubby is still out of town. I know that the Y child care is only open during nap time (12-3). But I WILL get in that long run. My children and returning husband will thank me for it.

Popeye was RIGHT!

2009-01-21T14:19:00.003-06:00

So I've been reading up a bit on nutrition. Seems I don't get enough calories. I burn a TON in my workouts and because exercise is a natural appetite suppressor (after you hit a certain point) I just am not hungry all the time. Not to mention I chase two critters around the house all day and don't really make time to sit down and have a great hearty meal.

So here are 8 "super foods" that we should consume daily:

1. Spinach - Noted muscle builder, omega-3s and folate (prevents osteoporosis ladies).
Bonus? Increases blood flow to the nether regions, helping to protect against age-related sexual issues. Way to go Popeye!

2. Yogurt - Probiotics (boosts immune system and helps protect against cancer)

3. Tomatoes - Lycopene - Decrease risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin & stomach cancer. And decreases risk of coronary artery disease.

4. Carrots - Reduction in wide range of cancers and inflammatory conditions (arthritis, asthma)

5. Blueberries - Stuffed with antioxidants and helps prevent age-related memory changes (brainberries)

6. Black Beans - Improves brain function!

7. Walnuts - Omega-3s, anti-inflammatory, muscle building protein.

8. Oats - Lots of fiber, lots of protein. Oats provide steady, muscle friendly energy. My friend Randall eats these every day. Must be why he's so energetic.

So let us get over our taste buds! I know too many people who don't consume these things because they don't enjoy eating them. Food is fuel. Not enjoyment.

Off Day

2009-01-21T14:06:00.003-06:00

"You can't get too much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good."
- Jerry West

Today, I don't feel good. I'm tired, sluggish, grumpy, and hot. Not to mention, I'm a girl and well, this isn't a very fun week.

But in 45 minutes I will lace up my tennies and do it. Will it be fun? Maybe not. Will I be happy about it tomorrow? Without a doubt.

MLK Day

2009-01-19T21:00:00.002-06:00

"The time is always right to do what is right."
— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Administration

2009-01-19T14:41:00.002-06:00

So today is my day to organize my life. Literally. I am sitting down and making out a list of everything I need to do in my week and then scheduling it accordingly. As I've been working more, my house has gotten dirtier, my kids have gotten dirtier, my refrigerator has gotten emptier, my checkbook has gone unbalanced. Not to mention that it's been ages since I've utilized my membership to the local children's museum or our free zoo. I am expecting myself to do all the things I did as a stay at home mom, even though I am no longer a stay at home mom!

So as I go through this process, I'm learning something about myself. I'm not as disciplined as I'd like to believe. The only thing I'm necessarily disciplined about is my fitness. And honestly, the more I look at that, it's not discipline, it's addiction. I'm on some sort of crack. And I think I've given that crack to a few of my current clients. It's exciting to see them make progress and get healthy, but I think we all need some sort of balance in our lives.

So here's to being healthy physically, emotionally, spiritually and relationally.

And living in a house that's not scattered with cheerios and ground-in cottage cheese.

Let's MOVE...and not move.

2009-01-15T15:45:00.003-06:00

Ok...so I tell my clients that hundreds of years ago it is estimated that our ancestors would walk, climb, jog, MOVE approximately 20 miles per day for food, protection, and shelter. Our bodies were created to move forward. We were created for this type of existence. America's problem? Our survival no longer depends on us working so hard physically (at least most of us).

Also, modern day electricity keeps us up at night.

The more I read about fitness, the more I realize how important sleep is to our health. 7.5-9 hours is recommended to allow your body adequate time to rebuild. And when you are ripping up your muscles daily with hard strength routines, your body begs for that rest. Adequate sleep is good for our muscles and good for our metabolism.

But the main topic of this post is to discuss how we can move more. When clients come to me and they ask for a good weight loss program, I give it to them. Of course, it's different for every individual, but there are some commonalities too. One of my main recommendations is that you begin by strength training every major muscle group 3x per week. As one progresses in their fitness, we can't fit every muscle group into a 1 hour session, so they work that muscle group more intensely but fewer times than 3x per week. However, the recommendation is to strength train (not every muscle group) about 3-4 x per week. And do at least 4 days of cardio. Well, you do the math...4x strength, 4x cardio...THERE ARE NOT 8 DAYS IN A WEEK! And even if there were, we need 1 (sometimes 2) rest days in our week. So the biggest complaint of my normal clients (you know...busy moms, worker bees) is that they don't have time to exercise 8 hours/week.

So let's brain storm ways we can just add movement into our days.
*Evening exercise/play sessions with kids.
*Evening bike ride with family.
*Dance parties (yes, I have toddlers)
*My grocery store is a 2 minute drive away. I easily walk there.

One thing I mourn is that so many times when I "prescribe" exercise to my clients, it takes them away from their family. Let's find ways to add our family into our exercise....and yes, sometimes we have to get up before everyone else does to get some intense work in.

Have a healthy day!

Way to Go!

2009-01-13T14:40:00.002-06:00

So I love my job. Love, love, love it. I get to motivate people and get them excited about their lives. I get to give people the gift of more productivity in their jobs and more confidence in themselves and even in their relationships. I get to give people the gift of health and higher quality of life.

Right now I work independently. So I go into people's homes and teach them to use the things around them in their most convenient environment.

But I also have a membership at the Y. And every once in awhile I will get a free 7-day pass at another local gym just so I can "spy" on their trainers and see what kind of fun things their gym is up to. It keeps me fresh since I don't work in a gym and keeps me excited about my job. I also like to act dumb and get fitness advice. That's my favorite. It's both comical and informative.

On Tuesdays at 9 I have a group of ladies that I run with in summer and swim with in winter and today I was late. I was 40 min. late, actually. So I go in and swim for 40 min. and then head up to the gym to do my strength stuff. When I finished it was after 11am. As I walked up to grab my kiddos, I noticed a lady that I remember from previous weeks as being in the swim class that meets from 9-10 on Tuesdays (something totally different than what we do, but in the same pool). I asked her what she was still doing here and she said, "oh, this is my Tuesday...I swim from 8:30 - 11am." EVERY TUESDAY. And I've seen her in that pool. She doesn't sluff off. She proceded to tell me that on other days of the week she works just as hard in other areas of the Y. She then pointed to her body and said, "I have a lot of catching up to do." So I did it. I gave a total stranger a hug. A side hug, but a hug. "Way to go!" I said. "Good for you!" Not the most eloquent of responses. But I was really shocked that I had just hugged a total stranger. I should have said how excited I was for her. I should have said that I KNEW her hard work would pay off if she would just stick with it.

Well, I never even got this woman's name. But I left the Y smiling and ridiculously proud of a total stranger.

"Way to Go!"

Yuck.

2009-01-07T15:29:00.002-06:00

I'm off to do my hill repeats...ON A TREADMILL. Yuck.

I'd rather be outside, but I should be thankful for the childcare at the Y.

2009

2009-01-07T15:17:00.002-06:00

Welcome to 2009! I'm really excited about this year.

Here are some of the things I look forward to in 2009.

1)Buying a house.

2)My little boy turning 4 (crazy)

3)My little girl turning 2 (even crazier)

4)Potty training (again...didn't we JUST finish with babe #1?)

5)Running the Castlewood State Park 10miler in Feb. It looks like it's going to be hilly and muddy! My two favorite things.

6)Going to Chicago with my family and to do Fitness Fusion.

7)Running a half somewhere in the 1:30's.

8)Increasing my business. I'm really happy with where it is right now, but I do have a few more hours to fill and would love to see where it goes!

Welcome to 2009! May it be a happy and healthy year!

Oh yeah...

2008-12-18T14:23:00.003-06:00

And there's these new hurdle-type things that I would like for my bootcamp next spring. They are funny looking and they do about a million things. But I can't for the life of me find them on the internet. But you're Santa. You're bigger than the internet, right?

Dear Santa...

2008-12-18T13:40:00.002-06:00

Here is a list of the things I would like for Christmas for my PT closet (which happens to be my husbands' jeep right now).

1) Lateral Slide Board. I would like it to be at least 6 feet(although 8 would be nice) and adjustable. Oh...and portable. I'm working in people's homes now. These things are phenomenal. There are tons and tons and tons of things you can do on them other than sliding back and forth. New they run about $350 but I have seen them on ebay as low as $150.

2) Kettle Bells. I would like a 10 lb and a 20 lb. Although boot camp will come back up in the spring so if you want to fill my stocking with several of each that would be okay with me.

3) Power Harness or Bullet Belt. This is a partner (usually me) controlled resistance band attached to a belt that adds resistance to your sprint workout. Really, really cool. I was using a plain resistance band, but mine all snapped last fall in our bootcamp.

4) Versa disc. 2 please!

5)Foam Roller. Really great styrofoam cylinder that helps with muscle relaxation at the end of a workout. You can also do some killer ab work on them.

6)Body bars. 12lbs., 20lbs, 30 lbs.

7)Plyo boxes. These would be fun too.

Where am I going to put all this spacey equipment you ask? I have no idea. Would my husband be dismayed if you shoved all of this down our chimney? Absolutely. Do we have a chimney? I don't think so...I believe our chimney connects with the chimney in the upstairs apartment.

Oh yeah...and one more thing not fitness related. A house would be nice.

Thanks Santa! I know how much you care about getting and staying in shape!

Rachel

Fitness Matters

2008-11-18T13:50:00.005-06:00

I'm sitting here reading my FITNESS MATTERS magazine. This is a monthly publication put out by my certifying agency the American Council on Exercise.

Here are the things I'm learning:

* A study just came out that found that those who keep food diaries DOUBLE the weight loss of ordinary dieters. Perhaps that's why weight watchers is so effective. As a trainer, I am not a dietitian and I typically start every client relationship informing them of this. But for my clients who REALLY want to lose the weight, I always recommend they use a food diary (because diet really is 60% of it). However, of my clients that have started this method, few have been consistent or complete. Maybe I'll push this a little harder.

* In 2007, Americans spent more money on candy, snacks and soft drinks than on fresh produce. Candy, snacks, soft drinks: $69,145,000 Fresh Produce: $66,694,000 I'll bet a lot of that is spent on one night of the year. Blasted Halloween. Caden gets Halloween candy every time he goes poo poo in the potty. I think he'll be 5 before he uses it all up.

* Probiotic foods (Kashi Vive, Dannon's Activia, Attune Wellness Bars) cost 30% more than their non-probiotic counter parts and may be a waste of your money. Every body's need for those bacteria is different but for most of us, we'd have to eat that stuff several times a day, every day to make any difference in our GI's. They're very sneaky with their advertising...don't fall for it. "Much of the research conducted to date has been funded by the very companies poised to profit from the findings." Interesting.

* "Kids who eat meals while watching television consume 228 more calories than those who eat without the television on." Enough said.

*Children should participate in one hour or more of aerobic activity per day.

I took a Yoga class today. I'm feeling very limber!

Have a healthy day!!

Sleep? Workout? Kids? Hubby? Work?

2008-11-15T15:10:00.003-06:00

So here's my current struggle. I have been increasing my clientelle. Literally, I quadrupled it in a matter of 2 weeks. And increased my workload by about 5 times. Which is okay because I still get to stay home with and love on my kiddos a majority of the day.

I'm loving the extra work, BUT, it's totally changed my day.

Our rule at our house used to be: Mommy works out in the morning, Daddy works out in the evening. That has worked really well in our house for the last 6 months. NOW though I am working 6 mornings a week. And I work 5:30 (some days) to 8:30am. Now HOW on God's green earth am I supposed to get up and care for my own body? I have a lot of motivation through my job b/c I kind of need to practice what I preach so I have been able to get in my workouts still. But I have to get up at 4:30ish to get them in. You heard me...4:30ish. Then I chase around two crazy kids all day and still expect myself to be the "good wife" in the evening. Well, lately the "good wife" has gone to pot. I've been the "cranky, sleepy, headache" wife.

So sorry to my sweet, wonderful, patient little hubby for getting my leftovers and loving the heck out of me anyway. Current mission: Find time to get more Zs.

ING New York City Marathon

2008-11-03T20:39:00.004-06:00

It's fall! Tis' the season for road races. Specifically marathons. Marathons are one of those races that lots of people aspire to achieve and few actually do and finish. It's a gutsy run. 26.2 miles.

Yesterday I got to watch the ING New York City Marathon on TV. I didn't really get into watching marathons (they are pretty long) until Lance Armstrong ran his first (the NYC) and did a web cam as he ran. It was pretty cool to see his thoughts along the way.

I honestly think a marathon feels a little bit like childbirth. Especially mile 24.

The winner was Paula Radcliffe, a woman who had won the race for the third time. She was recovering from an injury due to training too hard too soon after child birth (let that be a lesson to all us ladies!). She ran in the olympics and many other major events. She's a pretty well known woman in the running world.

But the woman I was really impressed with was the second place finisher. Ludmila Petrova from Russia was impressive. She hung with Paula through the whole race. Even as Paula had her negative splits and hovered around the 5:18 - 5:12 mile pace. (Holy cow). She fell back during mile 22, but still held on for 2nd place. Here's why I'm so impressed with her. She's 40. And has only won one major marathon, EIGHT YEARS AGO!! So here she is. Hasn't done anything major since she was 32 and comes on the scene to get 2nd place. Totally impressive in my book. Oh yeah. And she set a masters (40+ age group) world record at 2:25. That's about 2 hours faster than my marathon time.

I think the average age of my clients right now is about 40-45 +. Most of the time they come to me frustrated. Things don't "feel" right anymore. Their metabolism is not the same. They can't eat the way they did when they were 20. All very true. But let's get some encouragement from Petrova! We may not go out and win the next Boston, but we can all improve ourselves. Whether we're 20 or 90.

Have a great week! And STL, get out and enjoy this amazing weather. It was 80 degrees today! In NOVEMBER!!!

Bootcamp Fun

2008-10-31T14:03:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the last day of our bootcamp.

We had a blast. Lunges, squats, 7am. Fun with tires. Fun with pumpkins. Fun with hills.

I'm gonna miss my Friday ladies! See you in the spring!

Discipline

2008-10-31T13:56:00.003-05:00

I used to think I was a pretty disciplined person. You have to be to get up at 5am to get your workout in, right? You have to be to spend the months it requires to train for a marathon, right?

I absolutely take back anything I may have thought about me being disciplined. I think I am just addicted to one thing.

I tell myself every Monday. "This is going to be the week that I get in 5 good blog posts!" There will be pictures and links and it will be exciting! And then Friday comes and I realize I've not taken the time to do it. I've not "disciplined" myself to blog. I even have a brother and sister who periodically send me topics!

It's not that there's nothing to write about. At least every other day something comes to mind to write about. Fitness is a huge subject.

I just don't.

So today is Friday.

THIS is going to be the week that I get in 5 good blog posts.

Be excited.

The RACE

2008-10-20T21:02:00.003-05:00

The race was so much fun.

There were lots of my very cool friends there and I ended up running it in 47:20. Not bad. It was ridiculously hilly and windy so I'll take it.

Plus I got to run most of it with my friend Judy. Who is secretly my absolute hero.

Here was my breakdown of times:

Mile 1 - 7:45

Mile 2 - 7:40

Mile 3 - 8:07

Mile 4 - 7:38

Mile 5 - 7:55

Mile 6.2 - 8:20

Yeah. In mile 3 & 6 there was the hill from you know where.

And I had some pretty cute cheerleaders. I think Caden is now a believer in the best sport there is.

Congo Women

2008-10-17T20:42:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I run a 10K to raise money for the women of Congo. If you are a man, you can still run the race and raise money for the women of Congo. It's been a long while since I've run a 10k. College I think. I'm not sure how to go about it mentally. With a 5K I just run hard. With a half marathon I run smart for 6, hard for 4, and hardest for 2.

I'm running at Queeny Park and I guess it's pretty hilly there. Yikes.

My goal is 45min. And as always I want to run negative splits (every mile should be a hair faster than the one before it so that your last mile is faster than your first).

I haven't figured in the hills though.

I've eaten my pasta. I'm going to bed soon. Wish me luck!

Races are so fun!

Here We Go!!

2008-10-09T14:24:00.003-05:00

I love my job. Love, love, love it, in fact. I get to help people get healthy! And I get to move a lot for my job. How much more fun could you have?

For the past 2 years I've been just dabbling in my personal trainer business. Working a few hours a week. Nothing huge. Mainly because I was pregnant and then had a newborn. Just recently my husband and I decided that at our current rate we could possibly be in this apartment another 4 years. That doesn't sound very fun to me.

So now it's time to drum up this business of mine. Some decently creative thoughts have come by me. Some successful, some so-so, some a total flop. My to-do list is growing by the minute...that's kind of exciting. And I have a meeting tomorrow with a pretty successful business man who is going to brainstorm with me and help me get down a "business plan". I love talking to smart people. I think he's excited to help me too.

As we've been emailing back and forth preparing for this meeting he's used a couple words that have stuck out to me: Creative and Courage.

Creative: I wasn't born with a ton of creativity. But lucky for me, I have a lot of wildly creative people in my life.

Here's a really long quote from Henry Ford when he was placed on a stand and asked a bunch of ridiculous questions b/c he was labeled as "ignorant". "If I should really wish to answer the foolish question you have just asked, or any of the others you have been asking, let me remind you that I have a row of electric push-buttons hanging over my desk and by placing my
finger on the right button I could call in men who could give me the correct answer to all the questions you have asked and to many that you have not the intelligence either to ask or answer. Now, will you kindly tell me why I should bother about filling my mind with a lot of useless details in order to answer every fool question that anyone may ask, when I have able men all about me who can supply me with all the facts I want when I call for them?" So here we go...use the people around me.

Courage: I know that I also wasn't born with a ton of courage. But with this business I don't really have anything to lose. If I throw myself at something and fail, it honestly doesn't hurt all that much. A few months ago I threw myself into The Biggest Loser Carriage Place. I made out a plan, had posters made, printed out packets, ALMOST had t-shirts printed, and got ready for some fun competition. No one signed up. Not a one. And honestly, it didn't hurt my feelings. It was prob. the area. Wasn't marketing to the right people. Something like that. Something I can learn from.

So hopefully I go to this meeting tomorrow and come out of it with a lot more excitement, a bunch of creative ideas, and the courage to pick myself up once I fail.

Here we go!

Calories on the Menu

2008-10-08T14:37:00.004-05:00

As a personal trainer, I always tell people up front that I am an exercise specialist. Not a nutritionist. That being said, it is my job to be a motivator and provide accountability to my clients. And sometimes their biggest struggle is with food. We burn a ton of calories in our workouts, but if they're not matching that with a caloric cut-back, they may not get the results they want. Unfortunately eating is 60% of weight loss.

So for my serious clients we do a food log. That's right. They write down EVERYTHING that goes in their mouth and I give them a calorie counting book to find the caloric values of the things they eat. They hate it. But it makes them very aware of what they eat.

The main problem we've had with these food logs is that my "Biggest Loser Complete Calorie Counter" isn't so complete. It doesn't have all foods. Mainly it doesn't have restaurant foods. Or at least not the restaurant foods that these clients are choosing to eat.

But a new law may change all that. At least in California and New York. Old Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a legislation requiring chain restaurants that have more than 15 outlets to post calorie counts for each item on their menus and menu boards.
New York restaurants are required to post a full health disclosure (calories, fat, sodium) on their menus.

It will be interesting to see if this changes consumers' choices. What will we choose when we realize that the Burger King Triple Whopper with cheese, fries, and a coke has 2,200 calories and 115 grams of fat?

Or how about when we notice that a large order of fries and a cheeseburger at McDonald’s has fewer calories than a blueberry muffin and a venti mocha Frappucino at Starbucks. Will we still choose the 1,010 calorie chicken caesar salad at Chili's over the 510 calorie chicken caesar salad at Panera?

Hmmm...what do you think? Would a nationwide law like this change the diets of Americans?

It would certainly make our food logs a little easier.

Cool Website - Not at all fitness related.

2008-10-07T14:04:00.002-05:00

So for those of you who travel a lot. I found a website that will tell you exactly how much moolah you spend to get there.

Cost of Rob to drive 7 miles to work: $1.12.

Cost of Rob to run to work: $0.

Chance that he'll ever take me up on it: 0%.

Triathlons

2008-10-06T21:47:00.002-05:00

So I just learned that there are team triathlons.

This would be ideal for those of us that want to give this type of fitness event a try, but don't want to be overwhelmed by training for 3 separate events. Plus, how much fun would that be to accomplish something like this with a friend or family member?

I can run, wouldn't mind giving biking a try, but there is nothing in me that can swim. I'm terrible. Really.

For those of you interested in PEOPLE, Matt Damon just finished the running portion of the Escape from Miami Triathlon.

If he can do it, you can do it.

Spark People

2008-09-23T21:48:00.002-05:00

So I am helping my brother shed the last few pounds of his goal weight and "get ripped" via long distance! It has been fun to email and hear how his workouts are going. It's hard not being there to kick his butt and physically see and monitor his workouts.

Doing it this way takes a lot of commitment on his part, but I think he has it in him.

When we were initializing this training one of his first questions was, "do you know of any on-line tracking programs". My first thought was..."tracking programs? Isn't that what I do?"

So I asked around, and as it turns out, NONE of my personal training friends knew of any. No one used them and no one recommended them for clients. My guess is because tracking progress and motivating and encouraging is part of what we do. These online programs do this as well.

But I am happy to say, I FOUND ONE! This one is good. And a special plus: It's free! These programs are very rarely free. But this one was created by a man who made a lot of money (selling his online auction company to ebay) and decided what he wanted to do with his millions was set up something to help people around the globe get and stay healthy. He is passionate about this.

The website? sparkpeople.com

If you've always wanted a personal trainer, but couldn't afford one, check this out. If you're at all a person of technology, you'll love this.

By joining sparkpeople you get constant interaction with others, plus recipes, health articles, and exercises sent directly to your email daily if you so choose. Plus it helps you track your exercise and nutrition. All for FREE!

I promise, I don't get anything for making these advertisements for people and companies. But you should check this out!

September is National YOGA Month!!

2008-09-22T14:01:00.002-05:00

And since I am absolutely no yoga expert, we have a guest blogger on the "Runner's Forum", which really, really needs a name change since we barely discuss running. Really we barely much of anything. I admit to being a total loser blogger.

So here is Lynn Caiazza with her thoughts on yoga:

I’m really not sure why I started taking yoga. I think a friend was taking it and I thought, well it can’t hurt, right. If I don’t like it, I’ll just quit. Well after one class I was hooked. I loved my teacher. She was what I considered the essence of yoga. For reasons that are too boring to discuss, I stopped taking classes for a while. I recently joined a new gym where they offer yoga at lunch. I’ve taken a “yoga” class at gyms before, they try to distill 90 minutes of bliss into 30 minutes of stretching. But I decided to give this one a shot. Now I remembered what I missed and love about yoga.

There are many reasons why I love yoga and some may seem to contradict each other, so be patient. It challenges me mentally. It’s really hard for me to stay focused and not let my mind wander to the “to do” list. I use yoga to release the constant tension in my brain. Which is why it also relaxes me. By the end of the class I am able to let go of what’s going on outside the walls of the classroom. I really do leave feeling peaceful.

Yoga also challenges me physically. My balance and flexibility have never been the best, but yoga lets me challenge myself in a way that I feel completely comfortable. It’s so freeing. And when I’m able to complete a pose that I haven’t able to do before, it’s extremely rewarding.

Recently, my 6 year old was exposed to yoga through school. She already knows a couple of poses and really wants me to find her a class. She was never this excited about ballet or tap. I can’t wait for us to practice together.

Thanks Lynn! Good thoughts!

Virus'

2008-09-05T20:32:00.002-05:00

So there may be a long delay in communication. I just found out that my computer has nearly 1500 virus'. I may be shopping for computers in the VERY near future. UGH!!!

One World Running

2008-09-03T13:32:00.003-05:00

I always have a huge problem with getting new shoes every 300-500 miles. Because for me that's just about every 4 months. I'll be honest and say that I never get shoes that often. Mostly because they're expensive and I'm cheap. But also because I am not a waster and I feel like when I get my new shoes my old ones (which are still great shoes) are wasted. When I had a lawn, the old running shoes became lawn mowing shoes. Now I don't have a lawn and they stay in my closet until I eventually Goodwill them.

Well now I have found a solution: One World Running. This is an organization that will take your gently worn sneakers and send them overseas to nations that need them. Not only does this organization donate the sneakers, but they use them to promote the awareness of health, fitness and running across the globe. When they donate the sneakers they host a race. Pretty fun.

You can check them out here.

And you can send your shoes here:

One World Running
958 Cherry Vale Rd.
Boulder, CO 80303

If your shoes are too beat up to send to someone else(which often times mine are), you can send them to Nike to grind up to be used for tracks or playgrounds.

Decision MADE!

2008-08-28T15:15:00.004-05:00

So here's my name!

This comes from the idea that fitness is about our WHOLE body. A truly healthy individual is one that is fit physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I believe all these things are intertwined. When we begin to feel physically healthy, it affects our relationships, our mental status, the way we look at ourselves, the way we hold ourselves, our job, every part of us is involved in becoming a healthier being.

And my beautiful friend Kathee did the amazing artwork. Thanks girl!

Here it is...

2008-08-26T21:15:00.000-05:00

The Johnson & Johnson commercial that made me cry.

I love being mommy!

NAME

2008-08-26T07:27:00.003-05:00

So I'm launching a new program here at my apartment complex. It's going to be super fun. I'll give more details later.

BUT...my marketing folks are asking me to come up with a name for myself. A name?? I guess I need a name for my business. My CPA and bank have asked me for it several times, but I always told them to use my name...Rachel Bergman. Well, I've been informed that that's not a good business name.

So I need to come up with this thing in the next 24 hours. Any suggestions?

Here's the recommendations I've had so far:
1)Bodies by Bergman (no. To me this signifies a body builder. If you've ever seen me, I am NOT a body builder)

2)WHOLE (this was recommended b/c I'm into training the "whole" body. But it just doesn't sound complete to me)

My independent contractor friends use names like: Temple Fitness & Training by Petita

So...what do you think?

The END.

2008-08-24T21:45:00.002-05:00

I am sitting here watching the closing ceremonies of the Olympics and truly mourning. It has been such a fun few weeks.

1)Opening ceremonies were breath taking.
2)Swimming was ridiculous. I got to see every last one of Michael Phelps' races. 4x100 was my favorite. Very cool.
3)Track & Field is always fun. Loved seeing the Jamaican Usain Bolt beat Michael Johnson's World Record in the 200m.
4)BOTH 4x100m Relays for the US DROPPING the baton!! Talk about bad luck!
5)LoLo Jones hitting the hurdle with her foot. Heartbreaking.
4)Gymnastics: Aren't those girls so cute?
5)Diving: I did get a little mad at some of the US divers.

And did you see the Johnson&Johnson commercials? They were great throughout the Olympics, but the newest one is Michael Phelps' mommy. (Couldn't find it on youtube)
It makes me so proud to hold the title of mommy.

The Curse of being Woman

2008-08-11T20:50:00.002-05:00

Before I get into my real post...Did you SEE the men's 4x100 freestyle swim last night? Woohoo! Even if you're not any kind of athlete, THAT has got to get you off your seat excited about competition! Very cool race.

I am taking a distance learning course right now titled, "Sculpting HER Body Perfect". I call it "Female Body Sculpting". I am very excited about the class and very excited about the things I'm learning. But at the same time I'm learning the challenges associated with women's fitness. Challenges that our male counterparts just don't deal with. Here's some of our frustrations:

+Women produce very little testosterone. We make about one-tenth of this hormone as men do. Testosterone is anabolic. That means that it is a muscle builder. The more testosterone you secrete, the more likely you are to "pack on the muscle." And again...muscle burns fat.

+Women tend to store body fat. On average, women carry DOUBLE the amount of fat as men. DOUBLE!! There's a biological reason for this which I won't go into, but basically our fat cells are different than men's. On top of that, estrogen is involved in the storage of body fat.

+We have a menstrual cycle. This makes us want to eat more and exercise less.

+We get pregnant. Need I say more?

+Women are often intimidated by strength training. Again, muscle burns fat. Let's not be intimidated!

So that's the bad news. The good news? Our hard work and consistency with our workouts will pay off. I've seen it happen.

I'm setting my clothes out for my AM workout right now.

Opening Ceremonies

2008-08-08T20:33:00.004-05:00

So I am VERY excited about the Olympics this year. In times past I've watched the Track & Field events and some other random events, but this year I'm really getting into the Olympics as a whole.

We're watching the Opening Ceremonies and are amazed at the production China is putting on.

I can also be excited about the events for a reason this year. When I was running cross-country and track in HS, there was another runner at another school that I was privileged to "compete" with. Yeah. It wasn't really competition. It was more like I watched her get farther and farther away from me and a majority of the other runners. Amy Yoder (now Amy Begley)ran for a school near me and I got to be at many races with her. It was nothing short of a joy to watch her run. When she graduated I watched her run a race for Arkansas live. And this year I get to watch her run the 10K on TV in the OLYMPICS!!! I'm so excited. I have a PERSON to root for this year.

Run Amy, Run!

Favorite Running Store: Big River Running

2008-07-28T19:40:00.002-05:00

Big River Running Company moved into West County St. Louis the same week I moved here. And I LOVE them. They provide their customers with a whole lot more than shoes.

1)Matt & Ben are great guys. I've met them both and they are super friendly and passionate about supporting their local running community.

2)Around Christmas time they send used running shoes to third world countries.

3)They offer opportunities to race, train, and spectate different running events.

4)Their staff is knowledgeable and kid-friendly too!

5)They're at 141 and Manchester for those of you interested.

6)Check them out HERE.

Favorite Treadmill Workout: Tobada

2008-07-25T20:54:00.003-05:00

This is intense. But it's only 4 minutes long.

I hesitate to post exactly what this is, because I'm afraid my 69-year-old father will try it out. (Don't do it dad. I'm serious.)

I mainly use this with my runners who are trying to gain speed and my athletes who always need speed.

1. Incline the treadmill at 15.

2. Choose a speed. For beginners 4.5-5.5 more advanced 6-7ish.

3. 4 minutes. 20 seconds on; 10 second rest.

Add this to the end of your strength workout for some intense cardio!

Favorite Apparel Website

2008-07-19T21:26:00.003-05:00

I just think this website has really witty stuff for runners.

www.onemoremilerunning.com

Favorite Running Partner: Caden

2008-07-18T14:35:00.003-05:00

For those of you who don't know, Caden is my 3 year old son. There are a number of reasons why he is my #1 running partner.

1. He is my EXACT pace. Mostly because I'm pushing him.

2. He loves it. Unlike his sister who currently screams the whole route.

3. He notices every little bunny, dump truck, and other exerciser. Makes for good (and entertaining) conversation.

4. He's encouraging. He always tells me how cute I am (his daddy teaches him well).

5. He lets me know when I'm slowing down. Especially when I was pregnant. He used to do the forward head thrusts to keep me running when I needed a break.

6. He carries my water (gladly...although this can be somewhat of a pain when he wants to drink it for me).

7. He's cute. Isn't that ultimately what you need in a running partner?

I really hope that he remains my running partner for a long, long time.

Favorite Thing #1: Shoes!!

2008-07-17T20:54:00.003-05:00

I'm sure I've posted before that I wear Mizunos. Believe me when I say that every foot is different, every runner is different, every person is different. We don't all need the same shoes! But this is a list of MY favorite things!!

And MY favorite shoe is the Mizuno. I love how light they feel on my feet and how well they form to my feet. I've also run faster/farther in them than I have most other shoes. And I have a streak of superstition in me.

Here's a list of the other possible brands and why they didn't make the cut.

Nike: Too narrow.
Addidas: Too wide.
Asics: Not bad, just a bit heavier for me than my shoe of choice.
Saucony: Like these, ran a lot of races in them in college, like Mizunos better.
New Balance: MY FEET CAN'T BREATHE!!!
Puma: Not really for athletes, sorry puma fans.
Masai Barefoot Technology: Too weird, too expensive.
Brooks: Never even tried them on.

My Favorite Things

2008-07-17T20:53:00.001-05:00

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things...

Ok. Not really.

But be watching the next 7 days for my top 7 favorite (fitness related of course!)things.

Back on the Bus!

2008-07-15T20:13:00.002-05:00

I've been dreading this post. We've had a crazy busy summer and one thing led to another and it's been nearly 6 weeks since my last post. So now it's time to get back on the bus. The blogging bus.

It's so hard to get back into something when we stop for a period of time isn't it? Exercise and a healthy diet are EXACTLY the same way! 1 "cheat/rest" day turns into 1 week turns into 1 month. It's tough.

When I was a junior in college I sprained my ankle (crutches for 3 weeks) the night before the regional meet. Needless to say I was out for the rest of the season. THEN a few months later I was getting married. THEN I had to settle down and figure out this married-people thing. So six months later I realized I'd never been in worse shape! Trying to start running again in the heat of KY summer was grueling. And I had a really encouraging coach.

Here I am getting back on the blogging bus. So after you take your relaxing vacation on the beach/boat/etc. Get back on the bus. And know that it will only get easier!

The Anti-Shoe

2008-06-08T21:22:00.004-05:00

I just ran across a new shoe. It's the MBT shoe.

Masai Barefoot Technology. There is a Swiss company out there that put a lot of research into creating a shoe that imitates what the foot does when it is not wearing a shoe. Interesting.

I'll bet the guys who ran the Go! St. Louis Marathon barefoot would like these shoes.

The website is great, and it does seem like a very functional fitness shoe that has many benefits to nearly every posterior (backside) muscle you have.

There's two problems that I see with the shoe.

#1. The price. They retail at $245. I have a really hard time swallowing the $90 I pay for my shoes 1-2 times per year. I don't know many people who would pay that for shoes.

#2. The attractiveness. When it comes to fitness, I'm really not all that interested in being attractive. Seriously. If you truly want to get a good workout, let's face it. There's no cutsie outfit that makes sweat at all glamorous. But these shoes are just not at all enticing.

So here's my question to you:
Forget the price. If these shoes were affordable and still offered all the benefits they say they do, would you wear them daily? I still haven't made up my mind. What do you think??

RLS and achy knees

2008-06-08T21:07:00.002-05:00

Ahhhh....

So I finally have a doc apt. tomorrow for my achy knees. I've taken a good month off of running, and it hasn't helped. I LIVE on Ibuprofen and it hasn't helped. I put frozen peas on my knees every night and it hasn't helped!

This month has been a good break from my running because it's allowed me to really focus on strength training, but I'm feeling a bit restless.

I know I've said this in previous posts, but I'm sure I have RLS from NOT exercising. Esp. my calf muscles. They itch and move and keep me up at night! It's driving me crazy!

Hopefully she'll give me some good news!

Motivating Quote

2008-06-07T21:30:00.002-05:00

Today I read this quote:

“When I first started running, I was so embarrassed I'd walk when cars passed me. I'd pretend I was looking at the flowers.”
– Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of the 1984 Olympic marathon

It's always exciting to me to hear that accomplished athletes are real people just like me! I think she got over her embarrassment!

Joan's book, Running for Women is about 3rd in my line of books screaming at me to read.

Rats in the Attic

2008-05-22T21:26:00.004-05:00

This post was originally going to be about "Heat Acclimation". But I was told that was lame.

"Rats in the attic. Elephants on the roof."

This is a metaphor I've been using with my clients for years. I just mentioned it to my husband this last week and he loved it. He loves communicating and finding creative ways to do so, so I'm sure this will come up sometime in our MS ministry at our church.

I get a lot of questions from clients like:

"What time of day is the best time of day to work out?" or

"Should I be doing my cardio before or after my strength training?" or

"Which kind of vegetables keep their nutrients the best, frozen, canned, or fresh?"

While these are all good questions and do indeed have answers, that is not the purpose of today's post. These are all examples of rats in the attic. A lot of clients major on these questions.

The questions I emphasize are the elephants on the roof:

"How many days/week are you getting your heart rate up? And how long are these exercise sessions?"

"Are you getting in 3-5 days of cardio and 2-3 days of strength training? Are you strength training all major muscle groups?"

"How many servings of fruits and vegetables are you getting per day?" (I do food diaries with my clients and this always SHOCKS them. A majority of them get 0-1 serving of veggies/day!!

So don't worry about the rats in the attic (small, sometimes unimportant aspects of fitness) if you are neglecting to get the elephants off your roof!! AFTER you remove the elephants, only then can you attack the rats!

Have a great day guys and don't forget to get your body acclimated to the heat before you hit it hard in the 80+ degree weather!!

Race Recovery

2008-05-14T15:29:00.003-05:00

So it's spring.

Tis the season for races. I work at a gym, so everywhere around me people are training for 5Ks, triathlons, marathons, and half-marathons. It's exciting to me. These events turn your average gym-goer into a goal minded, somewhat competitive, thrill seeking athlete (sort of). Plus it takes their mind off losing weight.

About a month ago I completed the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon, and a few weeks ago some good friends of mine completed the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. I have one client currently training for a half and one member training for a triathlon. So I thought we needed to discuss race recovery!!

If you've ever done an event (esp. a marathon or half) then you know it may be hard to walk for about 48 hours afterwards. I'll never forget the struggle to go down the stairs after my first full marathon. Whoa.

Well, there's a few things we can do to optimize our recovery and make it as short as possible.

1) Don't trade your training schedule for "couch-potato days and cheesecake nights".
We need to keep our body moving and our blood flowing to eliminate the lactate (that's the stuff that makes you sore) from our muscles. I always recommend one easy day of light exercise for every two miles run. So if you have just completed a half marathon, you should do 6-7 days of slow jogging/walking before you can hit it hard again. But whatever you do, don't stop completely!!!

2)Make sure you get proper nutrition in the 24 hours after your event! I have to admit. I'm terrible at the nutrition aspect. BUT...Scientists tell us after our event we should consume 1 gram each of protein and carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. You should also rehydrate by consuming sports drinks, good old fashioned water OR.....

3)MILK! It does a body good! This is my surprising fact of the day. A study published last year in the British Journal of Nutrition stated that milk is more effective than water or sports drinks at replacing sodium, potassium, and vital salts lost through sweat. Researchers also said that "the body retains milk's combination of sugar, fat and protein longer than other drinks". So drink up!

Good luck at your events, Judi, Tracy, and Gabby!

Contradicting Thoughts

2008-05-07T22:04:00.002-05:00

Ever since I became a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer in February 2006, I have been learning. I've learned a lot more since becoming certified than I did in the certification process. One thing I notice though as I read and research is that there are a lot of contradicting thoughts out there in the area of health and fitness.

I tend to trust my certification above all other websites, articles, etc. But now I've found one from Bob Harper, the Biggest Loser trainer. A few months ago I was shocked to discover that both him and Jillian have no more credentials than I do. I guess I assumed that because they were on TV, they were all knowing. Well, maybe not.

Here's a contradicting thought that I heard/read today:

Bob says: "There are three major areas that we want to hit while working on our abdominals. Upper abs, lower abs, and obliques."

Cedric X. Bryant, ACE's Chief Science Officer says: "In other words, individuals cannot trigger a contraction in one specific area of the abdominal muscles (either the upper or lower abs). Despite the common misconception among many fitness professionals and exercise enthusiasts, EMG data suggest that the upper and lower rectus abdominis act as a continuous sheath (i.e., one large muscle group)."

You'll have to listen to Bob and read the whole article to get the entire picture, but I'm going to trust ACE on this one. I love to learn new things!

Also, Bob says to train your abdominals only 3x per week to get the tear/repair effect. All the other trainers in my gym say you can train your abdominals every day. Hmmm....I think I'll trust Bob on that one.

I don't really think the first contradiction will change the way I train, just the way I educate. But the second one probably will.

Regardless, don't forget to work those abs! They are the CORE of all we do!

Track

2008-05-06T13:58:00.002-05:00

Today I went to a Jr. High track meet. It was incredible. I was only able to stay for about 20 - 30 min. cause my squirly 2 year old was trying to throw rocks at the runners, BUT it was a great 30 min.

We cheered for the gangly 6th & 7th graders. We watched the 6th grade girls pass up a lot of the boys on the 4 x 800 relay. And I got the itch.

I LOVE track. I have always loved it. When I was in HS the 4 x 800 was my race. Our team held the school record for a whole 2 years (which honestly isn't very long for a record to stand). And now...I have to admit, I would LOVE to coach. I still think about my HS coach fondly and keep in contact with my college coach. Although I love a very lonely sport, remembering my track & CC days reminds me that my sport was not always so lonely. The crazy long runs were done with some of your best friends by your side. So fun.

One more track meet next weekend. This one is 5th grade. That should be a hoot!!

Running

2008-04-28T20:59:00.002-05:00

Finally. Back on topic:

Since my Go! St. Louis Half Marathon, I've decided to switch things up a bit. I'm doing a lot more strength, some speed work (that's where you get strength and power...not from the long slow distance stuff), and some alternate forms of cardio. But I'm missing my early morning runs. I'm missing taking the jogging stroller out. I'm missing leaving my stresses behind and pounding it all out on a nice 6 miler. And then I asked myself...what's wrong with me? So, according to New Balance, I must be in a "Love-Hate relationship with running".

My Job

2008-04-25T07:37:00.002-05:00

It's really an amazing story how I came to be a personal trainer.

Three short years ago I was a third grade teacher and pregnant with my first child. Although I really liked my job, I knew it was not something I could do and also be mommy. I worked an amazing amount of hours.

I now realize that administration has never been a gift of mine (never something that came easily to me) and that's why teaching was so time consuming for me. I am so thankful for my experience as an educator because I really feel God was preparing me to be a different type of educator. A fitness educator! But having a taste of the teaching world has left me with a great respect for the teachers that will eventually instruct my little critters.

So here I am, a new mommy-to-be, bringing in more than half the income for our family and desperately wanting to be home with my wriggling baby boy.

So for months I racked my brain. What could I do at home that would contribute to our family income? I thought about tutoring (which I did in fact do for the first 18 months of Caden's life). I thought about First Steps (an educational program for pre-school children with disabilities). Although this program seemed perfect, I slowly realized after 2 failed tests and listening to F.S. testimonials that I did not have a huge heart for children with disabilities (that sounds awful...but it was true).

While undergoing financial counseling with my husband, our friend/counselor asked the question, "So Rachel, what are you passionate about? What are you gifted in?"
I was floored. No one had ever asked me that before. I had always thought that my career had to be something that "provided income". Just something I could do to help my family out. Dave Ramsey would say I thought I had to have a "J-O-B". When in fact my J-O-B could actually have something to do with who God created me to be??? Weird that it took me 25 years to discover this.

So here I was on a search for me. I had a teacher friend (Kirsten Bays, I love you!) who was amazingly inspiring. She always looked at her job as a hobby. She was amazing at what she did and LOVED doing it. So she inspired me not only as a teacher, but as a person to realize that my job could actually be my hobby.

And my hobby was running, fitness, and a new interest in nutrition as more and more of my friends talked about and tried this new Adkin's Diet. (It was still new at that point)

So suddenly I realized that I would LOVE to help people live a high quality of life. I grew up with several relatives in the morbid obese category. I watched as they struggled to get in and out of their cars. They struggled to climb steps. They had multiple health problems. If Jesus called us to live a "life to the fullest", these people were NOT experiencing the full life that was available to them.

So after a TON of encouragement from my amazing husband, nine months of studying, 3 hands-on classes in Chicago and Detroit, thousands of note cards taped all over our section of Athena's house, I was an ACE certified trainer!

Unfortunately there's not a lot of people in Anderson, IN looking for a trainer. But a few months later I live in a major metropolitan area with 7 amazing clients who are all making key life changes in the area of fitness and nutrition. I'm so proud of them all and will hopefully highlight their progress in future posts.

Later too (this post is getting way too long) I will tell how I got my actual job at Doran Fitness. That's a funny story in and of itself.

Metabolism

2008-04-22T13:43:00.002-05:00

Our metabolism is the rate at which our bodies use the food we ingest. Our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories we burn while laying in bed all day.

Everyone's BMR is different. For instance, I burn roughly 1200 calories while laying in bed all day. My husband, roughly 2000. Find out your BMR HERE.

What do we do with this information? Use the Harris Benedict Equation to discover how many calories you need to eat per day to STAY at your current weight. I always tell clients to LOSE weight we need to subtract about 500 from that number. But NEVER get below 1500 calories in a day. We need the calories to do the hard workouts.

But I've been reading a lot about metabolism lately (I know nerd city) and am shocked at how many things slow down our ability to burn our fat.

1) Genetics: It is true that everyone is born with different metabolic rates. However, we CAN change our metabolic rate.
2) Artificial Sweeteners: Hmmm.....Diet Coke drinkers?
3) Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): Man-made chemical.
4) Lack of Water: I am guilty with this one!! I have heard recently that we should be drinking 1 oz. of water for every 1 lb of our weight. Whoa. I honestly only know one person who drinks that much. She's a personal trainer and carries around a gallon jug of water with her everywhere she goes. She's also kind of a freak. (Just kidding Jill:)
5) Carbonated drinks: Hmmmm...Diet Coke drinkers?
6) Lack of sleep: This means less than seven hours per night. Research show this leads to obesity. In that case I guess children indirectly lead to obesity too.
7) Lack of sun: This, my friends, is why the tanning bed is not ALL bad.
8) Nutritional deficiencies: Bring on the vitamins!
9) Lack of sweating: I know all my clients are not lacking in this area.
10) Low muscle mass: Strength training, strength training, strength training!
11) Air conditioning: I tell people this all the time, but really, no one listens.
12) Breakfast: Eating no breakfast keeps metabolism low.
13) Eating before bed:
14) Genetically modified food: Unfortunately in America most of our fruit, veggies, and dairy products have been modified.
15) Lack of walking: In America the average person walks less than one-tenth of a mile per day. In other countries people walk five miles or more a day. Take the stairs!

These are just a few of the GOBS of things that slow down our metabolism.
But we know that exercise temporarily SPEEDS UP your metabolism.
Let that be your motivation for the day!

*Portions of today's blog were borrowed from The Weight Loss Cure by Kevin Trudeau.

Friends

2008-04-18T09:32:00.004-05:00

One of my clients (who by the way has made amazing transformations in the areas of strength, endurance, and weight) said that as she loses weight and gets her eating under control, she's constantly hearing negative comments from her co-workers and friends. This drives me CRAZY. Why is it that we feel so threatened when we see someone having success? Particularly in the area of health/fitness. People have asked her, "How long is this health kick going to last?" And made statements like, "Oh _______, is too good to go out for pizza with us."

When I met my goal in running my half-marathon under 1:45, most of the people in my life were excited and happy for me. A few, however had some negative comments. I realized that it was the people who were comparing me to themselves that were negative. Ridiculous.

Let's surround ourselves with the people who build us up. Let's be the people who build others up. Let's NOT compare ourselves to others. And let's rejoice with our friends when they succeed.

Running

2008-04-14T13:54:00.003-05:00

Today I return to the world of the running. I've taken a week off and just done the elliptical. It's an okay machine. But I prefer the pavement.

I think I've recovered from my 13 miles last weekend and am ready to plunge again.

Alcohol: Part II

2008-04-13T21:41:00.003-05:00

Bob says it here a little more eloquently than I did.

Name Change

2008-04-12T11:10:00.001-05:00

So should I change the name of my blog? I don't always discuss running issues!

Alcohol

2008-04-12T09:55:00.003-05:00

So I'm not a huge fan of alcohol. Every once in awhile I enjoy an amaretto sour at a restaurant, a sip of my husband's beer, or a fruity fun drink with some friends. Just last night I had a glass of wine with my dinner.

Really I guess I'm just a tight wad and can't bring myself to spend $5 - $7 on a DRINK. A drink that doesn't really hydrate you.

Then last night I got a phone call from client saying she needed to cancel tomorrow's session because she knew she would need to "sleep off" her night the next morning.

This is a client who does NOT understand why she can't lose the weight. Not only is her drink of choice high in calories, it's how her body reacts to the alcohol.

Alcohol can increase your appetite and lower your testosterone levels for up to 24 hours after you finish drinking.

Drinking alcohol messes with our hormones. It makes it nearly impossible to metabolize fat for up to 3 days!!!!

So if you want to lose the beer belly...lay off the booze!

Run Photos

2008-04-11T21:55:00.001-05:00

WHY do they take pics during a race. They're always terrible.

Losing Weight

2008-04-08T21:03:00.003-05:00

So this has nothing to do with running, but I am a personal trainer.

6 of my 7 current clients have very specific weight goals.

At any given time, approximately 40% of women and 25% of men in the U.S. are trying to lose weight.

And I just finished watching "The Biggest Loser." While I LOVE this show, think that it's a great motivator for us and think it's done a TON for my industry (personal training), unfortunately it's a bit unrealistic for those of us in the real world. Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. Many of my clients come to me frustrated after working out with me for 6 weeks and only losing 7 pounds. 7 POUNDS!! That's huge. I'm so proud. But they're frustrated because they see the infomercials and the Biggest Loser.

I always tell clients that the healthy way to lose weight is 1-2 lbs/week.

So I leave you with some tips from the National Weight Control Registry. Remember these are people who have lost more than 30 lbs and kept it off for at least 1 year. Many of them longer.

1) Control Portions: Research suggests that portion control is the GREATEST predictor of successful weight loss. The average pasta restaurant give you 5 times the average serving on a plate. 1 serving is about the size of the palm of your hand.

2)Pay attention to what you eat: I make my clients who are serious keep a food log. They are always shocked at how often they eat. They are also shocked at WHY they eat. Some eat because they are bored, stressed, sad, tired, and sometimes even full from the last meal. Ask yourself why you're heading to the fridge.

3) Exercise regularly: Of course I would remind you of this! As we lose weight (from dieting alone), a portion of each pound comes from lean body mass (muscle). That in turn slows down the metabolism and makes it difficult to keep weight off. When we exercise we are building muscle which speeds up the metabolism and burns MORE calories!

4)Check the scale: Don't be obsessive. Just know where you are.

5)Eat breakfast: Research tells us that breakfast eaters weigh less and suffer from fewer chronic diseases than people who skip breakfast.

You can do this guys! And don't be discouraged if you don't lose 15 lbs this week like Roger.

And finally, a word from Madonna:
"There are no tricks. Tricks don’t work. Discipline does."
—Madonna

Runners are funny

2008-04-06T20:25:00.002-05:00

Today I ran in the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon.

And...I beat my time! I was so excited to get a 1:43.44 Over a minute faster than my goal run. I placed 649 out of about 15,000 and got 30th in my division. It was a fun race, the weather was perfect, and it was a reminder how quirky runners can be.

Here are a few of the funny things I saw today.

1)The competition started before the race. When I was on my way downtown at 5:30am there was an unusual amount of traffic. I knew there would be with 15,000 more people there than usual. But it was funny to see the runners swerving in and out of traffic, competing to get to the start line first, and fighting for the parking spots.

2) When I got to mile 10 I passed a man who had apparently ran the whole race barefoot. I didn't stop and ask him why, but I kept watching out for him. I didn't want him to step on a sharp rock.

3) There was the usual people dressed up. I saw a whole team with bunny ears. And several people with tiger tails. Again...runners are weird.

Competition

2008-04-04T13:28:00.002-05:00

"I'm the first to admit that I am very competitive and that I'll do nearly anything within legal bounds to win. Sometimes, part of making a deal is denigrating your competition." ~Donald Trump

"I'm competitive with myself. I always try to push past my own borders."
~Tyra Banks

This Sunday is the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon. In the past, I've run half marathons for fun. This time I'm running to compete with my previous PR. My fastest half is 1:51. I would LOVE to run a 1:45 (or faster).

Wish me luck!

The double jogger

2008-03-17T20:36:00.003-05:00

Is A LOT more difficult than the single. Luckily I borrowed one from a friend before I bought one. I think I'd rather get up at 5am than push one of these around all summer.

Do you think my kids liked it?

Another Cool Guy

2008-03-12T21:43:00.002-05:00

This guy is my hero.

The Intimidation Factor

2008-03-09T22:12:00.002-05:00

Lately I have been reminded via clients, gym-goers, and articles, how intimidating a gym setting can be.

It's sad. Women (and men) feel that they have to get in shape BEFORE they work out in a gym. They don't like people watching them sweat. I have heard that there is a fear of the equipment, or looking silly as they try to figure it out. I have heard gym-goers called "meat heads" and "barbies".

I hate it that people use the "intimidation factor" to keep them from living a healthy lifestyle.

Let's not compare ourselves to others. We will ALWAYS lose. Even if we are a meat head.

Rest Day

2008-03-08T22:18:00.003-06:00

Took today off. I need to run 1:45 tomorrow. I don't mind running that long, I just wish I had someone to run it with me. I'm somewhat of a social bug. I think around Windsor (my church) they would call me a Sanguine or something...

The Jogger

2008-03-04T14:27:00.004-06:00

On Sunday I took my 7 month old daughter on her first out-of-the-womb run. I've been borrowing a jogging stroller from a friend and had taken my 2 year old several times, but never her. She LOVED it!! She talked to the trees and the dogs and looked around at all the people all while getting her vitamin D and spending time with her mommy!

I love being able to invite my kids into this area of my life.

Hmmm....now I just need to borrow a DOUBLE jogger! And for the snow to melt!

New Shoes

2008-03-03T13:57:00.003-06:00

If you are an avid runner, you are supposed to get new shoes every 300 - 500 miles. I may have waited a little longer than that (okay...a lot longer than that). But today I bought some new shoes. This is the second pair of Mizunos I've bought and LOVE them. Compared to the other brands I've tried, these shoes feel like socks!

I purchase my shoes at Big River Running Company. It's a small running store in Ballwin, MO that happened to "move in" the same week we moved to MO. So I feel a little endeared to them! Beyond that, I love their commitment to the running community and their excitement for the sport.

Something about new shoes makes me excited to break them in!

Speed work tomorrow! I'll let you know how that goes...in my new shoes!

Competition

2008-03-01T13:12:00.006-06:00

I really like competition. I like to race and compete with myself to get a better time. I like to compete with my HS kids that I train and see if I've "still got it in me". I like to compete with my husband to see who has the closest guess on the exact amount of the grocery bill. I like to compete.

I'd never really experienced competition in the workplace until I became a personal trainer. Before I was a trainer I was a teacher. For the most part, school teachers are pretty friendly and most of the time will share a project with you that they spent hours researching and piecing together. Some don't, but a lot do. If you need an idea on how to teach multiplication better, you run down the hall, grab another teacher and she'll give you her 13 ideas. Even providing you with materials and sometimes burning you a copy of her song CD to learn the multiplication rap. Not really competitive.

Then I became a personal trainer. A little over 2 years ago I became certified through the American Council on Exercise. After reading a 500 pg. book, going to a few seminars, and taking a test, I was now free to become the next Jillian Michaels. My only question was...how do you do that? Sure I knew how to take measurements and figure someone's BMI. But I really didn't get the programming part of it. I really didn't know how to organize my time or my client's time. I had a lot to learn. Then I got a job at Doran Fitness and began meeting other trainers. However, every time I asked someone a logistical question about their training, I got half answers and weird responses. No one wanted to share their "secrets" with me. It was as if I was trying to spy on them and eventually steal their clients. Weird.

Then I met Petita. Petita is a trainer at our gym whom I've known for a little over a year, but never really gotten to have a long conversation with. Today was our day to talk. Today she sat me down and explained everything from liability insurance, to workouts, to at home clients. She is emailing me some websites and forms she uses with her clients and seriously passing on her knowledge! I am so excited that I finally found someone who is great at what they do and who isn't afraid to help a rookie. Petita is a phenomenal trainer and I feel so lucky to know her.

Thanks Petita for not being competitive in a competitive business.

Over Training

2008-02-27T14:12:00.000-06:00

Over Training: Constant intense training that does not provide adequate time for recovery.

My blog post today is aimed at one person. You know who you are.

We are now in the season (if you are training for a spring half or full marathon) where runners begin to ramp up their mileage. It's fun, it's exhilarating, you feel like a rock star after running 9-10 miles. If you are following a training schedule, chances are that "trainer" also has you doing speed work.

For injury prevention, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you not do too much.

Here are my "rules" for clients:
1) NEVER exceed 80-85% of your maximum heart rate. There are a few ways to determine your MHR. Some use 220 - your age. Some use 200 - half your age. If you want a THR(target heart rate) range more specified to you, email me.
2) Talk Test - You should be able to carry on a conversation during most of your workout.
3) NEVER increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%.
4) ALWAYS allow 1-2 rest days in your week. Especially with runners, our bones/joints need time to recover.
5) If you skip a week (due to illness, travel, etc.) you may need to start at the same lever or lower level that you were the previous week.
6) NEVER exercise at your max capacity.

Please follow my rules. Most of us aren't 15 anymore. Our bodies need us to take it easy.

And as always: OBEY YOUR TRAINER!

Weight Loss

2008-02-26T20:59:00.001-06:00

There is a group of people who are part of the "American Weight Loss Registry."

These are people who have lost more than 30 lbs and kept it off for more than 1 year. Researchers have done much research on this group of people. Here are some of their findings:

1) They all own a scale and use it frequently. Sometimes daily.

2) They go out to eat less than 1 time per week.

3) They all work out (mainly walking) 60-90 minutes 5-6 days/week.

There's your interesting fact for the day.

Choices

2008-02-24T21:57:00.000-06:00

I have to admit I'm pretty proud of myself today. I had the choice between a long nap or a long run. I chose the long run.

It's hard when your runs become over an hour long. It's hard to push yourself out the door.

But 90 minutes and two sopping wet shoes later, I felt pretty good about myself.

Can't wait for April!

Balance

2008-02-19T13:53:00.000-06:00

I am desperately seeking to figure out some balance in my life. At times in the past I could focus all my attention on meeting that next running goal. Now with two small kids and a part time job, I feel like if I devote too much of my day to my fitness/running, I miss out on my children.

Health and fitness is very important to me, but not at the expense of your family. That's what I found hard when I trained for my first marathon. I felt like I missed out on so much while I was gone on my 3 hour run.

Many clients have been asking me about just this. Especially since so many of them go from doing nothing for themselves physically to spending an hour after work on this business. On another personal trainer's blog that I read he is saying constantly that we should "make time". Hmmmm....I guess that may mean that we should get up earlier. Possibly before the family gets up. Discipline.

Any insights as to how to create this balance?

goals

2008-02-19T13:48:00.000-06:00

Has it really been a whole week since I posted? Wow.

My training lately has really stepped up a notch. I've noticed that I only have about 6 short weeks until the St. Louis Half Marathon

I have a very specific goal this year. I want to run a 1:45. My PR is 1:53, but that was before I had children. Now, two pregnancies later and a little over 3 years later, let's see if I can do it. I'm really sticking to my speed workouts without pushing it too hard for fear of injury.

For the last week and a half, I've been pretty good. Let's see if I can keep it up!

dissociation

2008-02-12T12:59:00.000-06:00

Dissociation: A psychological defense mechanism in which specific, anxiety-provoking thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations are separated from the rest of the psyche.

I just read an article in my ACE Fitness Matters magazine about dissociation. Then today, I tried it. Basically dissociation is putting your mind on something else while you run (or perform some other athletic feat) so as not to think about your fatigue and/or pain.

Bill Morgan of the University of Wisconsin did a research study on this method and discovered that it works! Marathoners will count their strides, breathe to a rhythm, all to keep their mind from reminding them how fatigued their muscles are. The runners who dissociated themselves from their running ran faster and longer than those who did not.

Reading this story reminded me that in HS cross-country, I used to step in time to a song that would run through my head (now we have ipods for this), or I would type a single phrase over and over as though I were on a type writer (I am seriously from the stone age) or computer.

In thinking this over though, how do we feel that we do something to ourselves everyday that may necessitate us to think about something else? We even ENJOY doing this sport! We're odd birds, us runners.

Celebrity

2008-02-11T14:35:00.000-06:00

I am constantly reminded that I work for a celebrity.

I was at the Y this morning and the person in front of me had the last name "Doran". I asked her if she was related to Daryl (my boss) to which she replied, "No, but I get asked that ALL the time." When I told her I worked for him, the guy right beside me just about peed his pants. He went on and on about what an amazing soccer player Daryl was and how he never missed a game that Daryl played in. He knew all the records my boss holds and every team he'd played for. He was very curious to hear what Daryl was doing now and almost wanted to shake my hand because I work for his hero everyday.

I'm pretty lucky to work for the people I do. Not only do I get to work under a great trainer, but him and his wife Barb are so generous with their employees.

I'm pretty lucky to be where I am.

I am pooped

2008-02-11T14:31:00.001-06:00

I just ran a very quick 4 miles on the treadmill at the YMCA (which my son lovingly refers to as the "Robbie Seay A"). So I am pooped.

I haven't been able to get in my long runs on the weekend cause I've been training a ton, but I'm just going to have to start getting up earlier. My Spirit of St. Louis Half Marathon is coming up!! I'm not pregnant this year (was last year and ran 2:04), and it's not my first time running it, so I really have no excuse not to improve my time. My goal is 1:47. We'll see. My PR is 1:54. So that's a 7 min. improvement.

I seriously need to get my butt in gear!

Happy Spring Training!

Fact of the Day

2008-02-08T11:12:00.000-06:00

Just saw this on the Today Show.

50% of morning gym goers arrive at the gym dehydrated!

We lose water in our sleep.

Stay hydrated everybody!

Strength Training

2008-02-08T09:34:00.000-06:00

Until I became a personal trainer I never really understood the importance of strength training. To be honest, until I became a personal trainer, I never even owned a gym membership. I truly thought I could get all the fitness I needed in my outdoor runs.

Whether performed inside or outside the gym strength training has many benefits.

Here's why we should all add 2-3 days of strength training to our regular weekly workouts:

1. The increase in lean mass can improve one's metabolism by up to 15%!!!

2. You burn more calories during your regular cardio workout and even while at rest!

3. You have more energy to perform other activities that will improve balance, coordination, and flexibility.

4. Lifting weights at least twice a week can relieve health conditions like arthritis, heart problems, depression, and diabetes.

5. Strength training reduces falls among older people, improves mood, and induces better sleep.

One more piece of advice regarding strength training: You don't have to spend 45 extra minutes 2-3 times a week. If you choose 8-10 exercises working all major muscle groups, you can cut your strength routine down to about 20 min.

Speed/Agility Ladders

2008-02-07T13:38:00.000-06:00

I train a lot of different people now from a lot of different fitness backgrounds. Most of the stuff I use is pretty applicable to anyone. This one is not. It's very specific to my athletes, runners, and anyone who needs to get more agile. It is however a very fun piece of equipment. I really hope I get to coach track one day. We'll have fun with this.

AM runs

2008-02-06T15:56:00.001-06:00

I am a big morning runner. I LOVE my morning runs. I love to watch the sun come up. I love to watch my breath in the cold air. I love to watch my neighbors walking their dogs and the kids waiting for the bus. Plus, isn't it nice to just have your workout done and get on with your day?

For the last 6 weeks I have been training in the morning. It really worked out for my client because I trained her, she took a shower and went to work. It really did NOT work out for me because I missed my morning time. I missed watching cartoons with my 2 year old. I missed getting my 6 month old out of bed and laughing at her enormous (and disgusting) sweat spot she leaves on the sheets. I missed being woken up by a kid and not by an alarm. I missed my AM runs.

Next Thursday is my last morning with her. I think I'll go for a run Friday morning.

Running Clubs

2008-02-05T14:23:00.001-06:00

I love running clubs.

Many people are hesitant to join them because they don't know how serious the participants are or if they could keep up.

I ran cross-country in HS and college and LOVED the team aspect of the sport. I loved getting to know the other gals and guys. There was something about being shoulder to shoulder with people for an hour a day that made you really grow close.

It wasn't until I graduated college that I realized what a solitary sport I was a part of. Running can be terribly lonely.

A few years ago I trained for my first marathon...alone. I would drive to a park to do my long run (which sometimes could be 2-3 hours) all the while wondering what I was missing at home. My husband even got me an MP3 player. But it wasn't an ipod, so I heard the same 11 songs for 3 hours. I had to switch the environment frequently to keep from getting too bored.

It was during this time that I heard about a running club in our area. I drove to a park, paid $5/week just to run with a bunch of 40 year olds (I was 25 at the time). But it was company, and I loved it.

Then I found a "training group" in Indianapolis. So I drove 40 min. once a week and paid $100 for group camaraderie. It was worth every penny.

Next I moved to St. Louis. Whoa! People here love to exercise. I immediately found a running community for free! I now enjoy every Tuesday with this group of crazy folks. We talk about our lives, we talk about the "Biggest Loser", we talk about one guy's hair. We have a blast...all while taking care of our bodies. And we all come from different abilities, body types, and fitness levels. And we all take care of one another.

I love running clubs.
Please join one! We don't have to love a lonely sport!

BOSU

2008-02-01T15:27:00.001-06:00

I'm feeling a bit better today so I did my workout via video. That's what I do when my hubby is out of town. It's a good thing to do during kiddo nap time.

I just got a new piece of equipment for my in-home training and LOVE it. It's called the BOSU balance trainer and I think it's one of the most versatile pieces of exercise gear you can get. We use these a lot at the gym for our athletic training, but they're good for the stay-at-home-mom too. Maybe you've seen the infomercial with Joey Lawrence, anyway, it's a great tool to make your workouts fun.

Have a great snowy day everyone!

Injured

2008-01-31T13:58:00.001-06:00

So I think I'm injured. Yup. Injured. It stinks. And I didn't do it in some heroic way either. I was sitting on the couch playing with my daughter, moved funny, and felt a terrible pain in my abdomen. So I think I strained an ab muscle. It's still super sore, and the more I exercise, the worse it gets. I hate being injured because it means I have to "take it easy". Which means I'll be behind in my half-marathon training.

I'm starting a new program this year by Hal Higdon. And I was really hoping to not get too behind. Oh well...bummer.

The Treadmill

2008-01-30T14:22:00.001-06:00

This is a machine that I love and hate.

I hate it because I don't have an ipod and i run for at least 30-45 minutes staring straight ahead or trying to read the captions on the tv. I hate it because one of my very favorite things about running is being outdoors breathing deep of the fresh air. I hate it because people fall off of them, overextend their stride, and are injured on them every year.

But I love it because you always know exactly how fast you are going. You can challenge yourself with an incline or faster speed. I always seem to push myself just a tad faster if I know exactly how fast that is. I like it because when I have a crazy day I can take the kids to the child care at the Y and still get in a good run. I like it because they are probably the most non-intimidating piece of equipment a gym can own. And people will use them. I love them when it is ABSOLUTELY way too cold to run outside. And I LOVE tobada (an insane treadmill workout used regularly by the best trainer I know...Daryl Doran).

Treadmills...gotta love 'em...gotta hate 'em.

That's what I did my workout on today.