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

Geist Half

Does anyone ever go into a race 100% confident of hitting their goal? Out of all the races I've run, I've only had that assurance once: the Mini in 2010 when I was trying to beat my first Mini time of 2:15. From my training, I knew that I had that one in the bag...I didn't know I would beat it by a whole 18 minutes and break the 2 hour mark though, landing me with the 1:57 finish time...

Fast-forward two years to now, the Geist Half. As everyone knows, I wasn't feeling extremely confident about whether or not I could beat that 1:57, which I had originally set out to do. The longest run I had done in the month leading up to this race was a 6-mile. During my runs, I felt that my natural pace had sped up, for instance even when I felt like I was taking it a little bit easier, I was still under 9 min/mile. But my finish times for my runs weren't showing any overall improvement, usually because I had been drastically slowing down in the second half. Friday night before my race, I was doing my best to envision myself beating that old time, but also trying to accept the fact that it just might not happen.

Luckily, it did. I finished at 1:54. THREE whole minutes faster than my previous PR!! The weather cooperated--it was probably the best temperature I've ever had for a race; never hot, never cold. Starting off at a conservative pace really helped me. Any time my Garmin indicated that I was running at an 8:30 pace or faster, I made myself slow down, even though it felt ok at the time. That's the mistake I made at the Ft. Ben Harrison race in fall of 2010--I was running 8:40 miles in the first half of the race, which was fast and new for me at the time, and towards the end I hit a wall. I kept reminding myself of that race, saying even if the faster pace feels good now, how will it feel in 3 more miles? There's that whole second half to think about. The other thing to remember when running both the Ft. Ben Harrison and the Geist is that the hills take a greater toll on your body than you think. At first they're just an annoyance, but soon they become mountains, and your legs start protesting. I just kept saying to myself, what goes up, must come down. Check out the elevation map below:

Another technique I tried this time was finding someone in the crowd and making a point to keep up with them. I found myself behind 2 girls that were consistently running at an 8:45 pace, which was my goal. In my efforts to not let them out of my sight, I'm sure they felt me creeping on their heels the whole time. We parted around mile 8 after the big hill, because they started slipping to over 9 min/miles, and I knew the trap of continuing to follow them at that point. So, from then on, rather than finding pacers, I found people to beat--picking out one conquest at a time.

God has a funny way of keeping me humble... Chad and I were sitting under a tree in the post-race area while I basked in the glory of my 1:54 finish time and drank the free beer that all participants got. I felt a plop on top of my head and instantly thought please don't let that be....yep... bird poop. Of course there were no napkins anywhere to be found, but luckily, someone nearby saw what happened and offered me a Squatti Pottie wipe. Us runners are resourceful, if nothing else. Just goes to show that even when you're feeling on top of the world, you can still get shit on. :)

A picture moments before the airbomb:

Coming soon: Your Everyday Beach Body

I've had an idea brewing for a long time now... I want to create and feature a picture workout every so often on my blog so that readers can follow it for a few weeks at a time, or if nothing else, add to their library of exercise ideas. What I hadn't nailed down until recently is a title or 'brand' for the workout series. But then I was reminded of a recurring theme on my blog I feel passionate about: "Your Everyday Beach Body."

I really hesitated with the words "beach body" in the title, because I don't want to associate this with the Beachbody umbrella of products including P90X, Insanity, etc. Unlike those videos/plans, this isn't a 60-90 day program. Nor is this like all of the magazine features that you see this time of year, such as "Beach Sexy Abs," "Tank Top Arms," "Legs that Look Good in Shorts" etc etc. Additionally, this is not a workout plan similar to those posted on Pinterest that say all you need is 4 minutes a day, a series of 20 jumps squats, burpees, push-ups and squats.

This is real life. Real people. It takes time; a serious commitment; a personal drive. So, my workouts won't be ones that can be done in 15 minutes. If you quite literally had no more than 15 minutes on a particular day to exercise, is 15 minutes better than none? Absolutely. But will 15 minutes a day make you lose 20 pounds, banish cellulite and get ripped? Absolutely NOT! So who are we kidding?

We're talking lifestyle changes here. Habits that, over time, give you a beach body that you can be proud of every day. Not just for vacation. Not just for your wedding. Not just for the entire summer. My hope is that everyone who really gives it their all, will have the confidence and inhibition that come with having this everyday beach body. One that you maintain, yes, even in the dead of winter. And while actually on the beach, your biggest concerns should be not getting bitten/stung by some mystery ocean creature or how to discreetly get rid of the sand in your underpants.

Check back within the week for the first installment of "Your Everyday Beach Body!"


-M

Taper Week

Ahhh...my favorite week of any race training: tapering. With a job like mine, I guess taper week doesn't look much different than any normal week, because I still teach all of my classes. I think it's more just the satisfaction that all of the long runs, the speed workouts, the weekend running commitments are over, and my only job this week is to get in 2 light runs, hydrate and eat more carbs. Don't have to tell me twice!

 Lately, a few people have told me that they don't really understand "carb-loading." I think one misconception is that you're supposed eat a lot MORE food during days leading up to races. That's not true...rather, it's a replacement of what you would normally eat with more breads, pastas, etc. For instance, the night before a race or any long run, I would have a big plate of spaghetti with marinara sauce and maybe a garlic breadstick versus any other meal that is heavy on the meat, veggies or dairy. It's more of a switch in the percentage of carbs that you should eat, so rather than the standard 55-60% of the daily diet that should be carbohydrates, I probably bump it up to more around 80-85%. I found this website which has an exercise/nutrition plan for the 7 days prior to a competition. I haven't had time to see whether or not this is all scientifcally based, but it's interesting! (It also assumes that you don't have a JOB.) http://www.liftedathletics.com/tag/7-day-carbohydrate-loading/

I had my last Saturday training run this past weekend: a 6 mile which re-confirmed that I don't think I'm set up to beat my old time of 1:57. I started the run at around an 8:40 pace, then about halfway in, my body said no, and I had to slow it down even beyond my standard 9 min/mile. Apparently a 9-min pace is where I'm stuck. And I think that's ok with me. There's nothing magical about a 1:56 half-marathon time as opposed to 1:57. After your time is under 2 hours, the next real milestone, in my opinion is 1:45--and realistically, that's not something I could ever do. Oh, and race day temperature is supposed to be a high of 84. Awesome. My plan is just do enjoy this beautiful scenery: