beginner runners

How Beginner Runners Can Build Endurance

by Jenny Sugar                                      

Many newbie runners give up on running because within a mile (or less), their legs are on fire and they're breathing so hard they feel like they're a huff and a puff away from passing out. Don't expect to be able to run five miles right from the get-go — it takes time to build endurance, and here are five ways to do it.

1. Check your form: A broken machine won't run well, and the same goes for your body. Poor running form can cause aches and pains that make you want to stop in your tracks, so check your running form to ensure your body will feel like it can keep going and going.
2. Run more often: As with anything, practice makes perfect. You can't expect to run like a gazelle if you only lace up your sneaks twice a week. Spread out your workouts over the week, running shorter distances more often. Try doing one- or two-mile workouts (choose a distance that works for your level of ability) five times a week. You'll be surprised at how quickly running starts to feel easier.
3. Increase slowly: Once your breath starts to even out and your muscles become less fatigued, you can start increasing your mileage. Don't get ahead of yourself, though. Follow the 10 percent rule: never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent of the previous week. Not only will this help to prevent injury, but it'll also prevent your mind from feeling overwhelmed by doing too much too soon.
4. Intervals: Running faster may be harder, but it'll increase muscle strength and lung capacity, which are key to building your endurance. Start off by adding a few 10-second sprinting intervals every few minutes, and gradually build up to 30-second sprints.
5. Head for the hills: Running up hills is another way to build leg and core strength as well as lung endurance. Increase the incline on the treadmill, or find some natural hills outside and do a shorter version of this hill repeat workout. At first you'll curse the hills, but after a couple weeks, you'll be craving them.

Holiday eating

7 Ways To Eat Healthier Over the Holidays Guidelines to help you stick to your goals by Lauren Jacobsen Monday. 8 December 2014

But that doesn’t mean your diet is headed for a complete meltdown! It is possible to control your diet and stay on track during the holidays with some advanced planning and guidelines to steer your choices. Here are seven ways to stick to healthy eating this holiday season.


1. Have Your Cheat Meals Strategically If you have been following a diet consistently, try to avoid complete diet meltdown during the holidays by planning your cheat meals. If you know you have a holiday get together coming up that will center around food, consider scheduling your bad eating days for those days.

2. Sneak In More Vegetables Instead of reaching for the cheese tray, reach for the veggie tray. Vegetables are full of fiber, which keeps you feeling full and satisfied between meals. In addition to snacking on veggies at holiday parties, fill your plate with at least half veggies before anything else. Make sure the starchy carbs are the last thing you squeeze on there. If you are hosting an event, try making recipes with non-starchy carbohydrate replacements like cauliflower or squash mashes instead of traditional mashed starches.

3. Count Your Calories The If It Fits Your Macros dieters got it right here. If you have never tried this diet craze, consider using it during the holidays. IIFYMs allow you some freedom without going too far off your diet. IIFYM gives you a specific breakdown of macronutrients that are not specified or necessarily limited to only certain foods. Although they do recommend that the majority of your calories come from whole, natural sources, it can provide you with some room for indulgences. You may not want to stick to this diet all the time, but during the holidays, it will help keep you in control of just how many calories you are eating.

4. Between Thanksgiving and the New Year, most of us fall off our regular, healthy eating plans and give into the temptation of sugar cookies, second helpings and eggnog! Don’t Eat Inflammatory Foods If you know certain foods irritate you, don’t start eating them because it’s the holiday. If you know you have gluten or dairy intolerances, now would not be the time to start eating them. Skip out on the bread pudding, ice cream, or any treat or side dish that maybe loaded with hidden gluten or dairy. Although many of those foods can be extremely tasty, you’re really not doing yourself any favors if you have a sensitivity to it. Inflammatory foods, foods that you are sensitive or allergic to, can make you feel bloated, tired and reduce absorption of important nutrients involved in metabolism and mood. An inflammatory response to foods you are sensitive to can trigger cortisol release, which can shut down important metabolic processes including fat burning.

- See more at: http://www.fitnessrxwomen.com/nutrition/healthy-eating-tips/7-ways-to-eat-healthier-over-the-holidays/#sthash.EwrVWoVc.dpuf


5. Avoid Foods You Know You Have A Weakness For If you know there are certain foods that you just can’t put down once you start eating it, don’t make these foods your go-to during holiday parties. Resist the urge and avoid the guilt by skipping that particular food altogether. If you know chocolate, ice cream, warm bread, salty nuts, chips or any other high calorie treat is something you just can’t put down, leave it off the menu for good. Find other treats that are satisfying and won’t leave you wanting to come back for more and more. Eating foods that keep you coming back for more are usually foods that can cause eating addictions – such as processed foods that are higher in carbs, sugar and fat. These types of foods can release pleasure hormones, along with spikes in blood sugar and insulin, which quickly works to clear the blood of sugar. When that happens, blood sugar levels drop, along with your good feeling sugar high and, subsequently, feelings of hunger come back.

6. Back Off the Booze Drinking alcohol is probably one of the worst things you can do when it comes to sabotaging your diet. Alcohol is considered a poison in the body, so when you drink it, the body will switch off all other metabolic processes in the body to metabolize and eliminate it from the body. When this happens the body can actually crave sugar since your body can’t metabolize carbs to feed the body. This can result in eating more than you should to help offset the blood sugar dip you are feeling. If you choose to have a drink or two, make sure they are lower in sugar and calories and drink plenty of water in-between each drink.

7. If You Slip Up, Don’t Give Up No use feeling guilty about your decision to partake in holiday libations and treats, just let it go and get back on your plan. If you are traveling during the holidays, make your best attempt to eat as well as you can. Set a date to re-start your diet commitment when you get back to your regular schedule. Inject some new life into your diet plan by adding in new foods and new recipes you have never tried before. If you need more motivation to get back on diet track, set a fitness goal like getting into your bikini for your next beach vacation. -

Run easier

How to Breathe When Running

by Heather Dale                                      

Ever wonder why some days you feel like you can keep running and running, while on others you have zero stamina? Certainly the amount of sleep you got the night before, stress levels, and diet play a role in how you perform during your runs, but how you regulate your breath during your jogging session also effects your energy levels. Here's how to power your muscles with fresh oxygen on each stride.
Learn to breathe deeply: Your lungs are just a bit smaller than your ribcage, but most people tend to use just the top third of this powerful organ. When you take a deep breath, you are expanding the lungs, pressing down the diaphragm, and causing your abdomen to expand as your lungs fill with air. Learning to breathe this way while running helps you take in lots of oxygen, preventing dizziness and nausea. With a little training and some stretching you can breathe to your full potential and increase your endurance. Cross-training with yoga and Pilates can also help you learn to breathe from your diaphragm.
Match your breathing to your steps: For an easy-paced run, inhale for three or four steps, then exhale for the same amount. Count the steps in your head while you adjust to breathing on tempo. If you are running more intensely, your breathing tempo will increase to support your increased energy output and become faster — a breath in for one to two steps and out for one to two steps. If you can't match your steps to your breathing tempo, then you are trying to run too fast; slow down, and get back into your rhythm.
Breathe differently in cooler temps: It's important to breathe through your nose while running in chillier weather because cold air is dry and breathing through your mouth increases the dryness while decreasing the temperature of the air. Since your lungs do not like dry air, you can experience asthma-like symptoms, like wheezing and coughing, when breathing cold air in through your mouth. Breathing through your nose not only filters out air impurities, but also warms cool air to body temperature, creating less shock for the lungs to decrease those asthma-like symptoms.
Learn to breathe through your nose: If nose breathing is difficult for you, start experimenting with the technique now before the temperature drops drastically. Breathing through the nose helps you breathe more deeply and efficiently, which will ultimately help your running no matter what the temperature is. If you plan to run in cold temps and have yet to master nose breathing, you can try wearing a bandanna (or a shirt that can be pulled up far) over your nose and mouth to help trap the moisture of your breath and humidify in the air before it reaches your lungs.

Crunches and lunges...our favorites???

One of our long time clients sent us this last night...

It is so easy to fall off the Fit n Lean cycle during the holidays. Enjoy your holidays, share times with family and friends. This is a glorious time of year, celebrate but responsibly!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

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Before and After

Before and After: Charlene Discovered Weight Training and Lost 100 Pounds

by Leta Shy 12/01/14          

Our next Before & After success story, Charlene, started her weight-loss journey after an "aha moment" where she realized just how many pounds had crept up on her over the years. Now, not only is she almost 100 pounds lighter, but she's also a fitness force, constantly trying new workouts and motivating her friends to do the same. Read her inspiring story below!

Charlene: Before

POPSUGAR: What made you decide to start?
Charlene Bazarian: My weight gain, like many women experience, had been gradual: a few pounds in college, a few more in law school, and then after I got married, got pregnant, and after I had my first son, I hit an OMG number of 208 pounds. I had treated myself to a day of beauty at the spa before my son's christening and was mortified when I had to return to the desk and ask the receptionist if they had a larger robe, as the one-size-fits-all robe was lying. That was my "aha moment."
PS: What's your favorite way to work out?
CB: I joke that I discovered weight training like some people find religion. Any other time I had tried to work out, I had only tried cardio-based workouts and found weight training was truly the device I needed to make changes to my body. I now mix in weight training daily to some cardio and also some flexibility workouts like yoga and gyrotonics, which have been great to deal with some lower-back issues. I've also been taking Latin and ballroom dance lessons and just love it!

Charlene: Before

PS: What's your weekly exercise schedule?
CB: I try to consider myself an active person. I start each morning with 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of ab/core work, and then 25 minutes of various weight training, hitting different muscles on different days. Later in the day, I will get in some cardio with either a fast walk, bike ride, or some cardio equipment. I made myself a general rule that if I want to watch a favorite TV program, I'll put it in the DVR and then watch it on my exercise bike. Once a week I work out with a personal trainer, as you truly never push yourself as hard as you do with a trainer. In addition, I try to hit 10,000 steps a day and 20 flights of stairs on my Fitbit. I also try to plan social activities that are activity-based, whether it's dancing, a bike ride, or some Sunday mornings a friend and I will jog stadium steps at the local high school.
PS: How do you keep workouts exciting?
CB: I try to mix up my workouts to keep it fresh and interesting. I'll try a Zumba class, gyrotonics, a hot-yoga class, and have an amazing library of home workout DVDs to keep myself interested and my muscles guessing what's coming next. My favorite DVDs are by Cathe Friedrich; I find her workouts rival my sessions with my personal trainer!

Charlene: After

PS: How much weight have you lost?
CB: I lost 96 pounds and have kept it off.
PS: What was the first big difference, other than the number on the scale, that really made you feel proud and excited?
CB: After I lost the weight, a few girl friends messaged me on Facebook asking me how I did it, and I began giving them advice on what worked for me. I began commenting if they'd check in at restaurants, about what they were ordering, or they'd text me and ask me what to order. I would try to encourage them to bust any excuses why they couldn't work out. As they began losing weight, several of their friends started messaging me as well, and I created a Facebook page dedicated to giving diet/fitness tips and sharing healthy recipes and overall fitness inspiration called FBJ Fit. I know my journey has encouraged a lot of people, so I try to live up to it by continuing to make the right choices. I think having been on both sides of the spectrum gives me an appreciation for the struggles of one trying to lose weight and the work and effort put into being a fit person. I think everyone has a vision of where they want to be physically and mentally, but getting there can be a complicated road. Through social media, without any sort of judgment and by using nurturing but firm advice, I try to help others set a strategic plan for achieving their own fitness goals. I feel tremendous joy in coaching others by sharing information and encouragement that I wish I had available to me when I began my own journey. I try to use this persona to be a champion for living out loud. I've learned many lessons the hard way and from repeated failures, but I'm thrilled that I'm no longer on the sidelines of life!

Charlene: After

PS: How do you track your weight loss?
CB: I got an accurate scale and entered my weight every few days on a little spreadsheet I created. I tried to set small minigoals, as it seemed overwhelming to consider such a large number of pounds to lose. I also have a friendly competition with my lifelong best friend; to "keep it honest," we text each other our weight once a week. Now that I'm at my goal range, I give myself three pounds and buckle down when I'm out of range.
PS: What's a typical day of meals and snacks?
CB: Breakfast is almost always a Luna Bar, a cup of coffee, and some cran-water (100-percent cranberry juice diluted with water, lime juice, and a smidgen of Stevia). Other days, I'll choose two scrambled eggs and some sautéed kale for breakfast. Around 10:00 a.m., I have an organic shake. For lunch, it varies; sometimes it's a large bowl of broccoli slaw or salad with some tuna or grilled chicken. Some days, it's a bowl of "fat flush" soup (ground turkey and lots of veggies in a tomato base — one of my favorites!), or some days it's oatmeal with some whey protein and fresh berries. Midafternoon snack can be a brown-rice cake with some peanut butter and banana or some almonds. For dinner, I like to stick to lean proteins (chicken breast, fish, bison), complex carbs (sweet potato, brown rice), green veggies (kale, salads, and broccoli), and healthy fat choices (avocado and salmon).
PS: What's the range of calories you eat per day?
CB: It is probably 1500-1600 calories. Since losing weight, I don't count them as much.
PS: What are the healthy staples that are always in your fridge?
CB: At any time in my fridge, you'll find broccoli slaw, kale, Luna Bars, Muscle Milk Organic Protein Shakes, eggs, a variety of things for salads, and berries. The cabinets usually will almost always have steel-cut oatmeal, a variety of nuts, and quinoa. Some healthy snacks I treat myself to are RiceWorks Sweet Chili Brown Rice Chips (they're like gourmet Doritos! Delicious!) with some guacamole.
PS: How do you strategize for meals out?
CB: I always (always) try to check the menus online before I go out to eat, so I can plan ahead what choices I want to make. It's easy to get caught up in the hubbub of social activity to order something that "sounds good." I also try to choose restaurants that offer overall healthy choices. Seasons 52 and Legal Seafood and sushi restaurants are often my suggestions for dining out. I also send the waitress away with the bread basket and "order like Sally" (from When Harry Met Sally) and ask for light on any oils, double veggies instead of a starchy carb side. I always take good care of the server to show my appreciation!
PS: What advice do you have for anyone starting out on a weight-loss journey?

1. Remind yourself, "You're no busier than a fit person." We're all busy.
2. Make your workouts like brushing your teeth, something you just do without question.
3. Always plan: keep a Luna in your pocketbook for emergencies, check the menus online before heading out to a restaurant, bring a healthy treat you enjoy when attending a party.
4. As a general rule, unless it's cauliflower or a White Chocolate Luna Bar, if it's white, don't eat it.
5. Think of food as a choice and not as a reward or a punishment. You don't "deserve" a decadent dessert, nor are you "depriving" yourself if you don't have it.
6. Don't get comfortable with some success. There's no finish line or touchdown dance. As I was losing weight, and every time I went down a size, I would only buy one pair of jeans, one pair of tan pants, and one pair of black pants. I wouldn't spend a lot, and I would tell myself, "Don't invest in this size, as you're not going to be staying here for long."
7. BLTs count: bites, licks, and tastes add up. And sips do, too (so try your best not to drink your calories!).
8. Recognize the saboteurs. You'll need to be able to resist the "just this once," "just a taste or bite won't hurt you," and even the "you're no fun anymore" from some of the people closest to you.
9. Switch up your routines regularly, and chose something you genuinely enjoy! I love taking Latin and ballroom dance lessons, running stadium steps with my girlfriend on Sunday mornings, going for bike rides with my boys, and taking walks with my 85-year-old neighbor (she's my inspiration, and I can barely keep up with her!).
10. Eat foods in their lowest common denominator: think orange, not orange juice, and shop the outside aisles of the supermarket; it's where the least processed foods are.