The shape of things

It's Halloween today and chances are you have some plans either with a big candy jar at the end of the day or at a party with a big cocktail glass. Today is a great day to remind yourself of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle - in hopes that you'll go easy on the candy and cocktails.

MSNBC put together a list of how to exorcise your fitness demons. It's such a great play on words - and a great article - that I decided I'd share it with you today.

Thought this pic was funny. Adrian Grenier gets rid of his fitness demons by becoming Richard Simmons?? (source)

So what are your demons?

If it's always coming up with excuses not to workout - MSNBC says you should create a detailed schedule for the week including time and type of exercise (i.e. monday- 4:30 p.m. run 30 mintes, tue/thur - 5:30 p.m. pilates). This way it will be harder to make excuses if it's already planned into your schedule in the first place.

If you think you're chained to your desk - MSNBC says it's time you learn to let go of being able to finish everything and leave work at the end of a work day, at a decent time.

If you have a terrible diet - You eat healthy the first couple of days, then go way downhill from there - you need to remember that having small treats is not a bad thing, and in fact, if you don't you'll probably continue to spiral downward every week. (See yesterday's post)

If you drink too much - Remember that those cocktails have lots of calories, so a couple of drinks after work could lead to hundreds of calories. If that's the way you unwind, it may be time to find other ways to relieve stress - maybe yoga, massage, pedicures, warm baths.

Read the article here. Have a Happy Halloween!

I read this column today in the New York Times about one woman's healthy-eating philosophy. Sure we see a lot of these exposes of how people "stay so thin" etc. but something about this column really stuck out to me...

ICE CREAM! This woman keeps a ton of ice cream in her freezer - yet is still able to remain thin. She shares with readers how she does it - no deprivation. She talks about how when she tried for a year to lose weight by depriving herself of her favorite sweet treat, she was miserable and also found herself overindulging guiltfully.

So her approach now is to have her cake and eat it too (well her ice cream, that is).

She buys ice cream that is less than 150 calories per serving but never buys fat free or sugar free. She also bought bowls that can only fit 1/2 cup (which is a serving of ice cream) and she only eats that much a day. She tells herself that if she ever eats more than the 1/2 cup serving she'll throw away all of her ice cream - so she never does it.

I think we too often hear of diets and eating habits that encourage deprivation and labeling bad foods. This woman's philosophy is so much better - and so much more in line with my philosophy. (You know my affinity for ice cream is in line with Reese Witherspoon's)

We aren't just trying to lose ten pounds. We are trying to adopt a lifestyle that will keep us healthy for the rest of our lives. By doing these silly diets and obsessing over calorie counts and carbs, we set ourselves up for failure because we won't be able to do that for the rest of our lives - well we won't WANT TO do that for the rest of our lives.

Read her column and take some of her tips. She's a smart cookie and you can be one too!

Women's Health picked out their list of the nation's top trainers and had each one of them share their secrets and a toning move. The result is awesome. The article features a section on why they were selected as one of the top trainers, and then it shows you how to do one of their "signature moves." I can't wait to try these at the gym.

My favorites on the list are:

1. This move is by trainer Sherri McMillan. It's called the Double Arm Airplane Row and works almost every musle in your body.

2.This move by Mark Verstegen looks like it's totally tough! And I love that. If you've ever done normal pushups on a stability ball you'll know how hard it is - and now imaging doing it with one leg in the air! nice...

3. I can already feel my sore glutes just looking at this Sumo Dead Lift by Paul Chek. Not only does it target major muscle groups - it also will improve your posture!

4. And this one will be the perfect cooldown. This stretch using a foam roller will release tension in your shoulders and lats (which get real tight if you sit at a computer all day). It was developed by Jeremy Cheung.

(Images Source)

Read about the trainers here and try their workout moves today at the gym!

One last favorite is from Tom Holland who will help you release your "inner speed demon" with two cardio workouts.

One cardio workout is the famous tempo run I described in detail last week. And the other is a unique speed interval training workout that I just had to post here for you:

Do It: Warmup jog or walk, 5 minutes. Go hard (a bit faster than your average pace), 5 minutes. Sprint, 30 seconds. Go hard, 1 minute. Sprint, 45 seconds. Recovery jog, 1.5 minutes. Sprint, 1 minute. Recovery jog, 2 minutes. Go hard, 45 seconds. Recovery jog, 2 minutes. Go hard, 30 seconds. Cooldown jog, 10 minutes.

Too often we see these ultra thin celebrities prance around LA shopping, swimming and partying. We never see them working at being thin - except for a shot of them walking out of yoga studio - and we never ever see them eating. gasp.

But that's why I love me some Reese Witherspoon. Not only do we see her eating ice cream a lot - we see her working out even more. And her workouts are good old fashioned jogs, walks and ab work in the park. I love it.



We need to see more pics of celebrtities being real. Or maybe we just need more celebrities who are real. Either way, I'm on the same page as Reese - I LOVE ICE CREAM. So much that I have it probably five times a week - I know! But, I also workout 3-4 times a week and watch what else I eat so I can enjoy my ice cream guilt-free.



This weekend if you want that dessert - have it - just like Reese does. And then take advantage of the beautiful weather and go for a jog or a walk or just do something active. Have fun!

Enjoy Life! :)

The weather is starting to get colder and if you're not lucky - chances are you'll fall prey to the common cold or worse, the flu. If you find yourself with the sniffles you may be wondering whether or not you should exercise. Well, WebMD asked some experts when you can exercise and when you should rest.

First off - if you have a fever you should not exercise. You don't want to raise your body temperature any higher than it may already be. So go home and rest and wait that fever out.

All other illnesses - a good way to decide is to do the neck check. If your syptoms all occur above the neck (sore throat, congestion, sneezing, teary eyes) you're ok to exercise. Everything below the neck (coughing, body aches, fever and fatigue) you need to stay home and rest.

So if you're sick from the neck up and don't have a fever you can go to the gym and do some exercises but take the intensity down a bit. Instead of sprints, do a walk/jog or opt for a yoga class or pilates. Make sure that you don't spread your germs to everyone else at the gym by wiping down every thing you touch and not blowing your nose constantly.

Ultimately - the best way to avoid this problem is to not get sick. Exercise can boost your immune system. Thirty minutes of regular exercise three to four times a week has been shown to raise immunity by raising levels of T cells - one of the body's first defenses against infection. And always wash your hands.

I know. I know. All I've been posting about lately is running! I'm sorry. But I just couldn't keep this great tip from you guys.

Self.com enlisted 2-time Olympic Gold medalist Gail Devers to watch some tape of 5 or so girls running and comment on their stride, posture and give them tips on how to improve their speed.

I watched the video and listened to all the tips yesterday and when I got on the treadmill after work I picked one close to the mirrors so I could critique my form.

If you're new to running or an "old pro" this video will help you out. Maybe you aren't comfortable yet running and you are self concious about the way you run - or maybe you've been running a long time and are getting frustrated becasue you cannot increase your speed.

Here are a few of Gail's tips that helped me out:

1. When you run you want to be leaning just a little bit forward. Most of the women in the video were either too upright or were leaning back, this slows you down and adds drag.

2. You want to land on the balls of your feet when you run, but you don't want to have pointed toes (she calls it the dancer run). Your feet should be flexed when running and should hit the ground toe to heel - not flat footed and not heel first.

3. Your stride should feel like you're riding a bicycle. Your feet should come up quite a bit behind you. I tried this yesterday and was impressed at how much better it felt to move my feet in a circular motion.

Watch the video and go to the gym to critique your form (do like I did and find a spot near a mirror). Some basics you want to remember is to keep your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears.

This is a little bit health and fitness related - and a lot New Orleans related. If you didn't know this, I grew up in the New Orleans area and have lots of family there. This story I read today in the Times Picayune touched my heart.

Chris Rose, a columinust for TP, wrote a column today about a young man who was one of the many Katrina "transplants" that after many cities and months of moving found himself in NYC after the storm. Although he enjoyed New York, he said he always knew he'd go back home to New Orleans.

So this year, on August 29 - the Katrina anniversary - he started a bike ride from New York City to New Orleans. He logged more than 2,000 miles and made it home safely to New Orleans on October 11 (times square to Jackson Square).

Pearce Grieshaber rode his bike and made many stops along the way charging his cell phone and GPS at fast food restaurants, and meeting many people on his journey. He slept in a hammock and anywhere else that people welcomed him in.

He also raised money for the Musicians Clinic along the way by setting up a blog and encouraging people that he met to donate in his honor. He said he figured he could help people along the way - even though he's not even a musician. Now that he's back in New Orleans he no longer is working at restaurants but is training to become a New Orleans firefighter. You can read the column here. Or you can check out his blog here.

This story is encouraging on so many levels. On a local level it is encouraging to hear stories of people who aren't ready to give up on New Orleans and who will leave their lives that have started over since Katrina to come back home and help out. It's encouraging on a health level because this young man could have bought a plane ticket for $150 and been back home in 2 hours but instead decided that his journey home would be a physical and probably spiritual ride home.

"There are times when I question my decision to leave New York. I had a great life there. One that I would be happy to go back to. But my heart is a compass whose needle points South and it is there that I shall go . . . I know what it means to miss New Orleans." - Pearce Grieshaber

Use Pearce's story to encourage yourself to dream big and make goals. Maybe a cross country bike journey isn't in the cards for you - but maybe you've always wanted to sign up with the Leukemia Team in Training to train for a marathon and raise money for Leukemia research - or maybe you've always wanted to take an adventure trip to the Canadian Rockies - maybe you've always wanted to train and compete in a triathlon.... Whatever your goals and dreams use Pearce's story to help you consider how your dreams could help others. Whether it's raising money or just awareness for a worthy cause.

It's 4 p.m. You're starting to watch the clock, counting down the minutes until you can leave work (and go to the gym, right?) :)

Well if you've been sitting at a desk all day, typing and clicking away - chances are you've got a stiff back, tight shoulders, achy forearms and tired legs.

The remedy? Do some stretches at your desk. Here's a list of stretches you can do right here at the office. It'll make your muscles feel great and it may give you that energy boost you need to finish that one last project before you call it a day (and go to the gym, right?) :)

I just did these stretches in my office, and with the exception of one (the inner thigh stretch) they are pretty nonchalant. If you work in a cubicle, it may be a little odd, but try to sneak to a small conference room if you want some privacy, or just let your cube coworkers join in on the stretches - believe me they need it too!

So just click here and enjoy. My favorites were the hip stretch and the spinal twist!

(Source)   (Source)

If you've been reading my cardio routine posts you'll notice that I've been mentioning a "tempo run" for runners to add to their weekly repertoire. I've realized that I have not done a decent job of explaining this type of run - so thanks to the Nov. issue of Runners World, here's an explanation:

Technical things: In order to run your best distance you need to have an excellent "lactate threshold." I'll spare you the details (because frankly I don't really understand it too well) but basically doing a tempo run trains your body to become better at buffering the lactic acid - which comes down to you will be able to run faster and longer.

If you run too slow you won't produce the excess lactic acid that is necessary - if you run too fast you'll build up the lactic acid too quickly and you'll be fatigued before the 15-20 minutes that is necessary to gain the desired effect.

If running faster and longer is appealing to you - read on to find out how to find your tempo pace:

1. Exertion: First way is to use the perceived exertion chart I mentioned in this post. You need to be running at a speed that is comfortably hard - so an 8 out of 10 on that chart. (Which is a difficult pace, being able to maintain a conversation takes a lot of effort)

2. Breathing: A normal easy pace should put you at three strides while breathing in and three strides breathing out. Tempo pace should be two strides in and two strides out.

3. Race Pace: Add 20 to 30 seconds per mile to a recent 5K pace, or 15 to 20 seconds to your 10K pace. So if you ran a 5K in 27 minutes - your tempo pace would be around 9:20 minute mile. (Which translates to 6.4-6.5 mph on the treadmill).

So now you know your tempo pace: here's how you should do this tempo run -

If you're new at tempo runs do a 10 to 15 minute warm up and cool down every time. For WEEK 1 do 3 minutes at your tempo pace, and 60 seconds at a very easy jog. repeat 5 times. Then WEEK 2 do 4 minutes at tempo pace with a 60 second jog after - repeat five times. On WEEK 3 do 5 minutes at temp pace and 90 second recovery jog - repeat 4 times. And finally on WEEK 4 do a 20 minute steady tempo pace.

Not new at tempo runs? Warm up 2-3 miles at an easy pace - do a steady 20 minute tempo run - and cool down for 1-2 miles at an easy pace.

I showed you last week how to do a hills workout which is a great way to get your heart pumping and keep your muscles guessing.

Another great way to vary your cardio is to do sprints or interval training. Basically it helps your body (your heart, specifically) become more efficient because it's working harder at almost maximum intensity for short bursts.

This is a workout I created and did yesterday on the treadmill. I was sweating up a storm after! Try it soon:

• Burns 370 calories (based on a 145 pound woman, self.com)

0-3 minutes: Walk 3.5 mph, 1% incline (keep it at 1% the whole time) (RPE: 3)
3-3:30: Sprint at 7.5 mph (RPE: 9)
3:30-4:30: Recover, jog at 5.0 (RPE: 5-6)
4:30-5:30: Sprint at 7.5 mph
5:30-7:30: Recover, jog at 5.0
7:30-9:00: Sprint at 7.5 mph
9:00-12:00: Recover, jog at 5.0
12:00-14:00: Sprint at 7.5 mph
14:00-18:00: Recover, jog at 5.0
18:00-18:30: Sprint at 7.5 mph
18:30-19:30: Recover, jog at 5.0
19:30-20:30: Sprint at 7.5 mph
20:30-22:30: Recover, jog at 5.0
22:30-24:00: Sprint at 7.5 mph
24:00-27:00: Recover, jog at 5.0
27:00-29:00: Sprint at 7.5 mph
29:00-32:00: Recover, jog at 5.0
32:00-35:00: Cool down, walk at 3.5 mph

If you don't have 35 minutes, split it in half and finish your last sprint/recover at 18:00 minutes and do a 3 minute cool down.

The RPE is rate of perceived exertion: RPE 1 is laying in bed and hitting the snooze button, and RPE 10 is your ultimate maximum exertion (all out can't go any faster sprint). Look at the end of this post for more details.

Obviously if you cannot currently run at a moderate pace for 30 minutes straight, this will be a little too intense for you. A great way to modify it is to either walk during the recovery periods (a brisk walk, though, like 4 mph). And if that's still too much, instead of sprinting at 7.5 mph, maybe do 6 mph.

Like I said before if you're a runner or if you want to start training for a race you really need to keep your runs varied. You'll need to do one set of interval training a week - but make sure you either REST or do a very EASY run the next day.

Here's a typical run schedule: Intervals (1 day), Tempo/Race pace Run (1 day), Easy Run (1-2 days), Long Run (1 day)

RATE OF PERCEIVED EXERTION (RPE)

RPE Intensity Level
3-4 Easy to moderate; you should be able to maintain this level and carry on a conversation with minimal effort.
5-6 Moderate; you can maintain this level and have a conversation with some effort.
7-8 Difficult; maintaining this level and having a conversation requires quite a bit of effort.
8-9 Peak effort; you won't be able to maintain this level for more than 3-4 minutes.
10 No-talking zone.