Unveiling Our New Home Gym!

When we moved into our house last summer, we had several ideas for this small, extra room off of our basement: possibly an office, possibly a music room for Chad's drums and guitars, or perhaps a small gym? A year later, we had still done nothing with the room, but we had a strong inkling that there was mold behind the wall, so at the bare minimum, we had to rip out the drywall and insulation and scrape/clean any mold we found. And boy, did we find mold:

 

After cleaning up the insulation and ridding the room of all mold, this is what it looked like. We left it with all the ceiling tiles and drywall still in the floor, unmotivated to do anything else with the room once we at least knew that it was mold-free.

Then, almost out of the blue, Chad decided to jump on my dream of having a home gym. While I had always wanted some workout equipemnt for the house, I knew the chances of me using it often would be slim--I exercise at work Mon-Fri and I like the save the weekends for runs/walks with Charlie. But, Chad realized that if the equipment was available at home, he would be more likely to use it and workout hard, plus we could cancel his membership at LA Fitness, saving that money. Once he had the idea, we moved quickly. In 2 hours, the room went from the above picture to this one, all cleaned and swept:

Then, thanks to a whole day of devoted work and equipment-purchasing by Chad and our friend Drew, this is what the room became less than 24 hours later!

All I had to do was add my finishing touches to the "ambience" of the room, and it was set! It turned into my perfect idea of creating a small, industrial-looking space into a gym with everything you need for a great workout!

The only con of a home gym is that my husband now thinks it's acceptable to workout in an undershirt, paint-stained shorts, and tall black socks..... :)

I'm Thankful I Work Out Because....

Here's another top 10 list for the holiday season: Reasons why I'm thankful I work out regularly. Sometimes it's good to take a step back and imagine what your life would be like without your exercise. What aches and pains would you have? What weaknesses? Would you feel more sluggish? Would you have problems sleeping well? Would you start to become more depressed and negative emotionally? Once you have the full picture of the "you" that doens't exercise, be thankful that you're NOT that person and that you've successfully made exercise a given part of your day and life!

I'm thankful I work out because...

10. There's no question about whether or not I can do push-ups on my toes.

9. I don't have to think twice about picking up a 45 pound box (I use that as an example, because I just did that today).

8. Even at my most "out of shape" moment, I know I could run a 5K at the drop of a hat....perhaps even a half-marathon (although my time certainly wouldn't be great).

7. Fast metabolism! Let's pray that sticks around beyond my 20's!

6. Things that once made me self-conscious about my body are now non-issues.

5. I've been able to make a great career out of it!

4. I rarely get sick. (In fact, I have to really stretch to find reasons to use my "sick days!")

3. The renewal and stress relief that tells me everything is going to be ok.

2. Accidents aside, I'm set to live a long, happy life with my husband and future children.

1. The positive, accomplished and empowered feelings I get after every single workout. It never gets old.

Happy Thanksgiving! I challenge you to make your own Top 10 list of why you're grateful for exercise!

My Top 5 Healthy Fall Recipes

As we're approaching Thanksgiving, and the fall season will soon be winding down, I wanted to post my list of my favorite healthy fall foods! I did this for summer as well, so I figured it was worth putting a fall list together too.Some of these are tried and true over the past few years; others are new for me this season (thanks Pinterest!).

1. Pumkin Pancakes. A lot of people assume that pancakes aren't healthy, but it really depends on what kind of toppings you use (i.e. a lot of butter and syrup will start tipping the scale to "unhealthy.") Pancakes themselves normally only have a little bit of brown sugar, and I try to sub in ingredients like skim milk, egg beaters and whole wheat flour when I have them available. Since I love both pumpkin and pancakes, it's no surprise these are on the list.

2. Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. Again, surprised? This was a good change of pace for fall from my typical banana or blueberry oatmeal. I used pumpkin pie spice instead of dealing with all of the separate ingredients it calls for (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.). It definitely made me excited to get out of bed and make breakfast!

3. Rachael Ray's Chili for Veg Heads. I've been making this recipe since college.The chili is so rich and tasty that half the people I make it for don't realize it has no meat! Aside from the broth/beer, everything that goes into it is either a vegetable or a bean. I mix in a little bit of light sour cream to complement the southwest flavor.

4. White Chicken Chili. This is what I've been eating for lunch this past week. It wins the award for the easiest recipe on this list--dump it all in a crockpot and come back 8 hours later. This doesn't include any cream-based soups in the ingredients, just cream cheese--and I use the light version.

5. Warm Black Bean and Corn Salsa. I make this often for parties or football games--definitely a favorite among my friends. Here's the recipe:

-2 cans black beans

-2 cans white corn

-1 medium jar of salsa

-1/2 packet of taco seasoning or just a hefty sprinkling of cumin

-1 to1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (optional--I used to always include cheese in the mix, but to be honest, it tastes the same to me either way, so lately, I leave the cheese out to save calories.)

Put everything in a crock-pot and heat on low for 3-4 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I'm thankful for the people who take the time to read the little thoughts I have during the day!

Stop pinning and start DOING!

I admit: I'm a Pinterest addict like the rest of us. But seriously people....stop pinning and start DOING! Do your Pinterest boards look a little like this?

 

Well, don't be ashamed, because these were taken directly off of my own boards. A lot of people say it's ironic that we all pin workout ideas follwed immediately by a recipe for "oreo cookie dough stuffed brownies." I don't....because life is all about moderation. I workout 5-6 days per week, so on occassion, I will make a fantastic dessert and not feel shy about getting seconds.

HOWEVER:

If you are just pinning great workout ideas (or any ideas for that matter....food, crafts, fashion, etc.) and not doing them, it doesn't count! I think Pinterest gives us this reality world where if we've got it on our board, it basically counts as doing it. You can take pride in how many great things you've pinned...but until you've tried at least 25% of what you pin, you're fooling yourself. I can proudly say that out of my boards, I've tried 6 recipes, copied 5 fashion ideas and made 10 crafts--if you don't believe me, come to my house.

Pinterest should be more than just satisfying our visual fixation. I know...it takes time to do any of it. But if everyone spent as much time exercising as they do pinning workout ideas, motivational phrases and pictures of ripped bodies, we would be one healthy group of people. Food for thought.

A Fall of 5K's

I know....it's been awhile. October 13-14 marked the first weekend since July that I wasn't out of town or insanely busy. So, I'm finally finding time to do more enjoyable things...like blogging.

Not many new things have happened in my world of fitness; I ran two 5K's, which I'll talk about more below, but otherwise have been maintaining my normal workout routine. I was asked to be a pace group leader for NIFS' Mini-Marathon training this winter/spring, so at some point I will need to step up my runs before training kicks off. But for now, I'm just enjoying a season off from any kind of long-distance race. On several occassions, I almost signed up for one of the fall half-marathons, but I just had to be "ok" with sitting this one out. I need the mental break more than the physical one-- having free weekends now that aren't taken up with training feels so good. Fall is by FAR my favorite season anyway, so to be able to slow down, enjoy fall walks with Charlie, and try every pumpkin recipe out there has been so refreshing.

Most of you know that Corporate Challenge is my biggest work event of the year. As the team captain for Dow AgroSciences, I spend the entire months of August and September gearing up for it. This year we had a lot of fun, perfect weather and plenty of new people participating. Our team ranked 14 out of 22 in our division, so we definitely have room for improvement, but it's always a fun day nonetheless. This year, I ran the 5K along with one of my personal training clients. Here's a picture of the sun rising over IUPUI's Carroll Stadium that morning and then a shot of me, my co-worker and our intern after a day that went off without a hitch.

And now...my favorite 5K ever: Wine at the Line. This year for my birthday, I told my husband that the only thing I wanted was for him to train for this 5K and run it with me (it fell on October 6th, just two days after my birthday). If you know Chad, you know running is not his thing. Even if he was being chased, I think he would take his chance and stay and fight rather than run. While he did procrastinate a bit (he started an 8-week training program precisely 8 weeks prior to the race), he successfully completed the Couch to 5K program. This meant that even during our Florida vacation over Labor Day weekend, he was running. I couldn't believe it! He finished the race without stopping to walk at all (I captured his finish on video!), but what I was more excited about was seeing how proud he was of himself. Until his traning, he had never run further than the required mile in gym class--so with each run that he completed, 1.5 miles, 2 miles, 2.5 miles, he was so ecstatic and couldn't stop talking to me about all the details of his run after he got home each time. The fact that we could share a hobby for 8 weeks and that he would do something he hated only because it was important to me was more special than anything he could have bought for my birthday.

Here are some pictures from the race. It was by far the most scenic 5K I've ever run....beatiful farmland in Bargersville, IN. Plus you literally get wine and a commemorative wine glass after you cross the finish line.....score.

All for now!

Conclusion of 100 Push-Ups Challenge

Our 100 Push-Ups Challenge at work is DONE! No more having to do push-ups until fatigue (or rather, muscle failure) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week! So, on our final day where everyone showed up to see the results of our training, my grand total was....75 consecutive push-ups (then 25 modified to get to 100). 60-80 seemed to be about the range that most people were getting into. There were two men in class who did get to the full hundred...actually they both did 101, just for bragging rights, probably.

I knew going into today that it probably wasn't physically possible for me to get to 100. When I got to 75, I was almost tempted to try to get to 80, but I'm not sure I could have even done 76 without face-planting, so I stopped with a nice number of 75. On one hand, it's disappointing to not reach the end goal of a training program, but on the other hand, who would have thought that I could have done 75 consecutive push-ups in my life?!

My thoughts on the 100 Push-Ups training program are that it makes significant changes in your upper body strength and makes a regular set of push-ups seem like a total piece of cake. I still don't see how someone can be expected to get to 100 after only have gone up to 60 push-ups in the training program. That seemed to be the consensus of the class participants when I polled them today: that the program was great and hugely enhanced their upper body strength and push-up ability (the attendance in the class alone spoke to that), but they didn't see how in just 8 weeks of training they could be expected to pull off 100 push-ups. I would really be curious to see if someone kept repeating the last few weeks of the program, could they ultimately get to 100?

When I asked participants for their feedback on the program, another big comment I saw was that people were shocked that push-ups alone could tone their arms as much as they do and build up that much strength in a short time period. Yep, that's the beauty and benefit of body weight workouts--they're tough, they're multi-joint exercises, and they get the entire body involved. We know push-ups most obviously work the chest, triceps and shoulders, but whoever says they don't work everything from your back, to your core, to your legs, clearly hasn't done this program!

I recorded everyone's initial push-up test numbers and then everyone's final number today. Here's the breakdown:

Participant average of initial push-ups on 7/11/12: 33
Participant average of final push-ups on 8/29/12: 71

I would say that's a program success!!! Most people doubled their total number of push-ups...which, if you take into consideration that this was only in an 8 week time frame, that's incredible!!

On that note, I'm off to bed....we have to leave our house to catch our flight to Florida in 5 hours...yep 4am. Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone!

100 Push-up Challenge this week!!

(Thanks to my husband for his mad photoshop skills.)

Eight weeks ago, we kicked off the "100 Push-ups Challenge" class at work. Last Friday marked the end of the training program. We did 8 sets of push-ups that day, according to the training program by Steve Speirs: 20-20-22-22-18-18-18-60. Yep. We ended with SIXTY push-ups. After having already done 138. Surprisingly, we all made it through. I have to admit that on those last mega sets, I purposely start out going a little less far down to the floor--it's like with a long training run where you take off slower than normal in order to make it to the end. Trust me though, my muscles will still tell you that it felt like they were going all the way to the floor.

So, this Wednesday is where we all get together one last time to do the actual challenge. The last time we did one set of as many consecutive push-ups as we could was at the very beginning of the 8-week program. There's been no real test since then as to how far we can go for just one set of push-ups. We shall find out on Wednesday!

I said from the beginning that just by looking at the last week's training schedule, if you can make it through that, than surely you could do just one set of 100 push-ups. But I don't know if I feel any more prepared now. At the end of the day, it's all about improving the number that YOU started with. To go from 25 to 50 push-ups would be incredible for someone, so I'm super excited to see the difference between everyone's initial test and their push-ups on Wednesday!

My Top 10 Healthy Summer Recipes

As summer is winding down, here is a list of my top 10 favorite summer recipes--all mostly healthy too! After #1, they are in no particular order. If you have variations of these recipes, feel free to post those! (Click on the food names to be directed to the websites for those that have actual recipes.)

1. Carrot Cake Protein Pancakes These are seriously un-freakin-believable. I love both carrot cake, pancakes and cream cheese, so put it all together in this recipe and WOW! This is a flour-less recipe with plenty of healthy things packed in: oats, low-fat yogurt, whey protein and tons of carrots obviously. It's very low-fat and low-sugar. These are at my #1 spot for a reason!

2. Lemony Fusilli with Chicken, Zuchinni and Pine Nuts The combination of lemon, basil, zuchinni, pine nuts and a dash of crushed red pepper make a real flavor explosion! I use whole grain pasta.

3. Strawberry Salad with Strawberry-Tarragon Dressing I don't make my own salad dressings very often, but this one is super easy and it makes TONS. I didn't use the exact recipe found here, but it's close enough-- the variation I use is from the book "Forks Over Knives". They have pages of oil-free dressings that still taste very flavorful. You can add chicken or shrimp to this salad if you want some added protein. Blueberries, almonds or red onion make nice additions too.

4. Baked Sweet Potato Fries Who doesn't love these? This recipe is one of the best I've found. Make sure you follow her directions of spacing the sweet potato slices on the cookie sheet without touching, rather than in a pile, otherwise they don't crisp up. (My dog also loves these!)

5. Grilled Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple This is one of my favorite dinner meals of all time. My husband is a master griller, so any of these recipes that involve grilling are his specialty. Just douse chicken breast and pineapple with your favorite teriyaki sauce and put on the grill. I also grill red bell peppers with it. Serve with brown rice, or even mix it all together with the rice.

6. Grilled Chicken and Zucchini. I didn't include a link, because there are many ways you could go with this one. Grill some chicken with your favorite sauce or seasonings. Some of my favorites are fat-free Italian dressing; apple cider vinegar with garlic and other seasonings; or Scotty's Brewhouse MoFo Mustard--just be careful with this one because it is a creamy sauce and heavier on the fat content. As for the zucchini, I toss it with parmesan cheese and I Can't Believe it's Not Butter spray, then put it on the grill. My favorite sides to include with this meal are bi-color corn-on-the-cob and watermelon.

7. Blackberry Oatmeal. This is a simple twist to my normal morning oatmeal. I always use plain oats with water and mix in 1 packet of Splenda rather than using packaged oatmeal---WAY better for you without the added sugar and sodium. In fact, once you get used to plain oats, you will be amazed at how sugary and salty the packets taste when you try them again! For this variation, I mix in fresh blackberries (straight from my Grandma's garden!) and slivered almonds. I like my oatmeal pretty thick, so this ends up tasting just like blackberry cobbler! Perfect comfort food for the morning while still using fresh summer produce.

8. Shrimp Spinach Salad. So many variations for this one. I use fresh spinach, shrimp sauteed with olive oil, garlic and basil, any number of other vegetables and balsamic vinaigrette. Some of my favorite summer vegetables to include in salads are bell peppers, cucumbers and black cherry tomatoes--if you've never tried this version, look for some at your local farmer's market!

9. Fajitas. Enough said. Mexican food is my favorite, so I'm a little biased, but fajitas really are such a great summer recipe and these can always be super-healthy. You can put either chicken or lean skirt steak on the grill to make it the healthiest. It's always best with a sprinkle of cilantro and fresh lime. My favorite salsa for the summer is black bean and corn varieties. Margaritas optional (but highly suggested!) :)

10. Italian Grilled Cheese Now this one is also a great comfort food recipe for winter when you need something warm and gooey. But, the fresh basil and tomato always remind me of summer anytime of the year. To make this healthier, you could use whole grain bread, but honestly, it tastes better with crusty French-style bread. This recipe recommends grilling, but keep in mind that if your bread is really thick, you might want to just stick it all in the oven--otherwise the bread will burn before the cheese and tomato get warm.

Bon appetit!

The Most Important Lesson of the 2012 Olympics

What has been your most inspirational moment so far in the 2012 Olympics? We've certainly had some awe-inspiring stories from the American athletes so far: Michael Phelps beating the record for the most overall medals; Rebecca Soni breaking the 2:20 time barrier for the women's 200m breast stroke; and of course Gabby Douglas--love that girl! But, the first Olympic moment to bring tears to my eyes this year was quite the opposite of a gold medal or shattering another world record.

If you haven't heard the story already, Liu Xiang was the Chinese superstar equivalent to Michael Phelps, but in the 100m hurdles. He missed qualifying for the Beijing Olympics completely, so this was his year to rightfully earn his medal--except he didn't. He tripped after the first hurdle due to an old injury and just like that, his Olympic career was over. But this race wasn't finished yet. He picks himself off the ground and hops, single-foot, to the last hurdle where he gives it a symbolic farewell kiss.

That's perhaps the most important lesson from the Olympics this year and for any race or fitness endeavor of yours. Finish what you start. Crawl, hop, claw your way to the finish line. If you're going out, go out admirably.

Recap of the Color Run 5K

After all the "serious" races I've run, it's nice to have a slew of no-pressure 5Ks lined up for this year....like the Color Run 5K this past Saturday. What could be more fun at a 5K than getting splashed with a different color at every K you pass? And in case someone did show up being all "serious" about their finish time, they would have been disappointed to find out that the race wasn't even timed at all (and it certainly showed, because at least 50% of the people there were walking).

We showed up in all white...




















...and left like this!

Congrats to my friend Sarah for running her first ever 5K! She's proof that the Couch to 5K program really works!











While I definitely had a great time, here are my 'critiques' of the run:

1. I'm fine with people walking a 5K--sometimes it's just about being active and allowing all family members to participate--but volunteers should have instructed all walkers to stay to one side of the street. Families and friends were leisurely walking like 5 people wide, so all of us runners had to run on the grass just to get around them. The biggest workout of the day was just weaving in and out of walkers--and again, it's not like I was sprinting, I was just trying to maintain a slow jog, but that was almost impossible at times. Plus, I almost took out a few kids...not safe.
2. The bottleneck at the end made it extremely anti-climactic. We were in the last wave of people to start, so earlier people may not have experienced coming to a complete stop around mile 2.75 like we did. People need to be instructed to move THROUGH the finish line.
3. After all the promises of "There will be PLENTY of color in the race," we were let down. At the first color station, all I got was a speck of orange on my shoulder. Most of the color on us was from our own packets that we threw at the end.
4. The run in between each color station was pretty ho-hum. It was oddly quiet. I know it's only a 5K, so I don't expect to have bands set up at every street corner like the Mini, but would it hurt to have had a little entertainment or cheering throughout the course?

Just some suggestions for next year. I know Indianapolis was thrilled to finally be added to the list of cities that the Color Run visits!

Next 5K on the agenda: Wine at the Line! Sign up with me! (They also have a 5 mile option if anyone is interested.)

Combining Two Loves: Fitness + Crafting

Thanks to the Pinterest craze, everyone has tuned into their crafty side lately. I've always enjoyed crafts and I am definitely frugal (ok, cheap) enough that DIY-ing is one of my favorite hobbies. Now, again thanks to Pinterest, I found a way to combine my cheap/crafty side with my love of exercise: DIY workout tank tops made out of old t-shirts!! If you're like me, your t-shirt drawer will barely close. And half of them I wouldn't wear to workout in (mainly because I don't workout in t-shirts in general). But when I was browsing through the t-shirt collection, I found one perfect for the task at hand: a black/white/gray tie-dye number with weird fitting, wrinkly sleeves. See below for my finished project and directions on how to make your own!

Directions for DIY workout tank-top

100 Push-Ups

I'm sure most of you have heard of the one hundred push ups training program. They have other options too, including 200 squats, 200 sit-ups and 25 pull-ups. Since I'm not in training mode for any kind of upcoming run (the only races I'm signed up for in the near future are three 5K's), I thought now might be a good time to follow the push-up training schedule, so I can focus on that 3 times per week. Then, I thought, why not take it a step further and turn it into a group fitness class here at work?

As it turns out, a member here already had the book that the one hundred push ups program is based off of, "7 Weeks to 100 Push-Ups" by Steve Speirs. Speirs created a 7-week training schedule on M/W/F, doing anywhere from 5-8 sets of push-ups each time. For our "100 Push-Ups Challenge" class, we will be doing the Wednesday training together in class with some added upper body strength/endurance exercises, then participants will be asked to complete the Monday and Friday trainings on their own.

While I'm excited myself and eager to push our members in a different, short-term, specific goal-oriented class, I'm also nervous!! Can I build up to doing 100 push-ups?? Each person has to do their initial test to see how many consecutive push-ups they can currently do, in order to determine what level of the program you should follow (although in our class we're doing Intermediate 1). I did my initial test about a month ago when I first looked into the program-- my number was 44. Almost halfway...but the second half will by far be the hardest. It's not like running where you get this sudden burst of energy in the second half of the race. With push-ups, your muscles slowly fatigue from number one on.

We kick off class on July 11 and it lasts for 8 weeks (we built in one extra week so that everyone can show off their 100 push-ups on the last day!). I'll keep updates on the training schedule each week!

Misconceptions Based on Body Type

Countless studies out there have shown that when someone sees an overweight person, they view this individual as lazy, undiscplined, slob-like and lacking in the self-control department. Research has even gone so far as to prove that interviewers see potential employees as less hard-working and less organized when the interviewee is overweight. It's a subconscious thought--even the nicest, least-judgmental of us has no doubt experienced this sudden assumption of the character of an overweight person.

Personal trainers and other health professionals can fall into this same trap. We can assume that our clients, if overweight, are majorly lacking in discipline and lead ambitionless, disorganized lives. I would pose that perhaps it's not a discipline problem as much as it's a priority problem. Of course other things can be to blame--hormone imbalances, medications, emotional trauma, etc. But at first glance, we look at these overweight clients and say to ourselves, "Surely, if they wanted to lose weight, they would just DO IT already!" Take the recent story about personal trainer, Drew Manning, for example. He was a self-professed judgmental trainer. So, to put himself in his clients shoes, he took it upon himself to gain 70 pounds (see below), by foregoing his workouts and indulging in junk food. He learned that when the weight piles on, lots of mental changes happen too--feelings of insecurity, self-consiousness and lethargy to name a few--forcing him to relate to and understand his clients better. (He quickly lost the 70 pounds and is back to his former ripped self, but talk about a drastic form of professional development!)

Now, all you skinny people out there, don't think that you're not being judged too. A recent article in Glamour magazine, discussed the misconceptions women have based solely on other women's bodies. Again, fat people were viewed as lazy, disorganized, gluttonous, etc., as mentioned above. But the thin women were judged by their peers as being uptight, controlling, snobby, bitchy and self-centered, to name a few. The road goes both ways. Sadly, neither are true.

Do you find yourself judging people this way? In recent years through work, I've met countless overweight people who are also extremely hard-working, who are talented at balancing demanding careers and busy families, and who have climbed to successful positions in their careers due to their discipline and knowledge. On the flip side, I've known thin people who, due to amazing genetics, stay thin and muscular without putting in an ounce of time at the gym.

“Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I'm not perfect -and I don't live to be- but before you start pointing fingers...make sure you hands are clean!” -Bob Marley

Getting Some R&R

A couple weeks ago, we took a vacation to Florida and New Orleans which marked something pretty significant for me: it was the first time I had taken a week off from exercise in exactly 2 years. In May of 2010, I did not workout at all during our week-long Florida trip, but in 2011, due to marathon training, I still ran (although on a limited basis) during both my Myrtle Beach and Florida vacations.

This vacation was perfect timing. We left one week after my half-marathon, and if there's ever a time where I'm the least motivated to run, it's the month after a race--especially when it was one where I completed a big goal. The extent of my working out during the trip was carrying beach chairs and then walking from one restaurant/bar to the next in New Orleans.

The Monday back from vacation was a rude awakening. I tried to run, thinking I would do 3-5 miles. Not only could I not keep up my pre-vacation pace, but I felt miserable. I'm sure I was still dehydrated from an entire week of laying in the sun and a bad diet, but during the 3 mile run, I had to stop to walk twice, because I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest. Not sure what else I was expecting though, after 9 days off!

I really think that a week off here and there is good for the body, especially for those, like me, who are used to a routine of working out at least once per day and who are cosntantly training for something. I always feel tightness in my hips and other leg muscles, and with my job, I'm sometimes overloading muscles due to teaching group fitness and not getting that ideal day off in between strength training sessions. After vacation though, I noticed that every last bit of that tightness was gone. Mentally, it's good for me too, to go a whole week without planning any workouts, not even my own.

Of course I've definitely amped up my workouts and food-tracking since I've been back to make up for the good time we had!

You're not a real runner if....

After working in the world of fitness for 6 years, running races, and people-watching all the time, I've put together a list of funny things that label you as NOT a true runner. I'm sure I'm at the risk of offending some poeple, so if you started out running like this, you've since learned the error of your ways, I'm sure. And again, it's just meant to be funny. :)

You're not a REAL runner if....
1. If you run in Skechers Shape-Ups, Reebok Run Tones or any other "toning" shoes of the sort. I have major beef with these shoes anyway--usually the poeple who try them out are looking for quick fixes and are the culprits of creative marketing--but it's beyond me how poeple can run in these!
2. If you run more than 10 miles in cotton t-shirts, flannel shorts or sweatpants. In other words, anything made of a material that works better sitting on a couch than absorbing sweat.
3. If the treadmill is your BFF. For real runners, the treadmill is always Plan B. Made for days of inclement weather, quick easy workouts--not for serious training.
4. If you wear water-bottle belts, load up on gel packs and stop at every Gatorade station....for a 5K.
5. If the 5K is your best race. Real runners know that we never hit that "feel good" point until somewhere between mile 2-5. We're only getting started at 3.1.
6. If by "running," you mean that you exercised on the elliptical. I have heard countless poeple say, "Yeah, I got a 30-minute run in on the elliptical." Running and elliptical don't belong in the same sentence.
7. And lastly...if any of these are you: Awkward Runners

Feel free to add your own to this list!

"Your Everyday Beach Body" Workout #1

So here it is: the first workout in my new series. But first, some disclaimers and warnings:

-As a certified personal trainer, I have determined that these exercises are safe and effective when done correctly, however strength training should always be taken at your individual level. 
-If any of the exercises below are beyond your current fitness level, work up to them gradually, or ask me for modifications.
-Certain conditions, for example, arthritis, joint problems, sprains/strains, can be made worse with strength training. 
-Insure that you have knowledge of how to properly use a kettlebell. While kettlebells can offer great variety to your workouts, they can be dangerous if the swings are not performed in a controlled manner. 
-My workouts are designed mainly for those hoping to build lean muscle and decrease body fat, increase tone or definition, or otherwise get in a total body workout that keeps the heart rate elevated. These programs are not as beneficial for the person looking to only add muscle size (hypertrophy). I don't very often isolate muscles, but instead, choose combo and/or multi-joint exercises that burn the most calories by using large muscle groups. I like to pack the most benefit into a strength workout as I can, making the most use of your time.

I chose the kettlebell for this first workout. These offer great variety in that you can use them in the same way you would a dumbbell OR a medicine ball. For that reason, I would suggest investing in one of these if you have a limited home gym. Choose a weight that would be heavy enough to offer a challenge to exercises like a shoulder press, but not so heavy that the weight limits the exercises you can do. For women, I would suggest anywhere from an 8-15lb, higher for men, depending on strength level. Mine is a 12-lb, chosen mostly for its color. :)

Directions: Perform 12-15 reps of each exercise, 2-3 times through, depending on time. Circuits are my preferred workout format, because your heart rate will stay up when you eliminate rest breaks and move from one exercise directly to the next.

1. Side Squat with Front Swing (Target Muscles: Quads, Glutes, Shoulders)
Start with the KB in your right hand, down in a squat. Stand and step sideways with your left foot, as you swing the KB up, exchanging it into your left hand. Lower down in a squat. Repeat moving towards the right side.

2. 1-Arm Row (Target Muscle: Back)
Hinge over from your hips, keeping your back flat. Pull the KB straight back, squeezing the shoulder blade and keeping your elbow close beside your ribcage.

3. 1-Leg Deadlift (Target Muscle: Hamstrings. BONUS: Works balance!)
Stand on the leg opposite of whichever hand is holding the KB. Other leg will lift off the ground while you lower the KB down. Body should come parallel to the ground, keeping the hips level. Tighten the hamstring of the standing leg to pull your body back up to the top, like a lever.

4. Up and Over Push-Up (Target Muscle: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Lower into a push-up with one hand on the KB's handle. As you push back up, bring both hands on top of the KB, and move into a push-up on the other side. SAFETY: Be sure that the KB is on a hard, flat surface. Some KB's might not have enough room on top for both hands.

5. Windmill (Target Muscles: Core)
Start by holding the KB straight up overhead. Lower your body ONLY to the side, not the front or back, keeping legs and arms straight. Pull back up to the top keeping the core tight.

6. Snatch (Target Muscles: Quads, Glutes, Shoulders)
Start in the "ready stance" with the KB on the ground. Stand up as you pull the KB straight up and gently flip it over your hand to end in position #2. From there, press overhead. Do the motion in reverse order back to the ground.

7. Jacknife (Target Muscles: Core)
Lie with your hands in the KB handle, behind your head. Crunch up, keeping the arms and legs straight until they meet in the middle. The neck should stay neutral and the low back should be flat on the mat at all times.

8. Boat Pose with Overhead Press (Target Muscles: Core and Shoulders)
Start in a balancing boat pose with feet off the ground, holding the KB by your chest. Press the KB straight up overhead while keeping the rest of the body still. Be careful not to roll back onto your lower spine.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!
-M