Author: Laura Kump

I'm on a mission to reclaim my health. Life and a high stress job led me to forming many unhealthy habits, leaving me living in fear for my future self. Using a science based plan, I made small changes that have helped me achieve better health and fitness and put me on the path to meet my goals. As a certified health coach, I make healthy living accessible for all by keeping it simple. Many times health can feel overly complicated, but I've found ways to show people that small targeted changes can empower them to live healthier lifestyles. For instance, traffic light eating can totally change your lives. Knowledge is a super power and I look forward to sharing it with you.

Try Something New

When you find yourself in a rut and can’t seem to snap out of it, try something new.  Step outside your comfort zone and you may be surprised by how it rekindles your workout motivation.  That’s been my mission these past two weeks and I slowly feel myself getting excited again.  This week alone, I tried two new things Galloway running and Orangetheory.  Both were enjoyable and both proved to spark my motivation levels.

Galloway running is based on the premise that continuous use of specific muscles and tendons can lead to exhaustion and injury.  The Galloway run-walk-run method builds recovery into your runs. You should be able to continue a training regimen for a whole season leading up to your goal race without injury and wouldn’t that be a nice change!  I actually joined this running club last year, but never attended a session.  My mindset was one that if I am running, I need to run.  I rarely took any walk breaks over my distances.  During one very hilly 10K distance race last year, I allowed myself to walk up the steep hills and run the downhill and flat sections of the course.  Imagine my shock when I had the fasted 10K time ever that day.  I did think there might be something to this walk/run idea but still didn’t embrace it.

This week, I decided to go out and try it.  A local club member agreed to meet me out at the park and take me through the paces.  It was an enjoyable three mile run for me and I felt refreshed and ready for the full day ahead of me.  We conversed the whole run and I wasn’t worrying about when it would be over, or even about my next breath.  It didn’t matter to me if the run signal came midway up a hill.  I thought I’d hate the stop and start nature of the run, but it felt fluid and natural.  I will most definitely do this type of run again, hopefully next week.

Last night I decided to take a free class at a new local box gym – Orangetheory.  The sales girl has been calling me for over a year, but I’ve never gone.  Since many of my friends have been going and talking about it, I decided to take the plunge and add it to my, Try Something New list.  The group class is conducted wearing a heart rate monitor and your results are projected on a screen for all to see.  I guess they think that’s motivational to the competitive ones in the group.  Me, I couldn’t even see the screen without my glasses so not so much.  My friend was next to me during the 30 minute treadmill segment and she was looking at it and updated me a few times.  The workout is high intensity interval training, keeping yourself in the right heart rate zone throughout the sessions.  It is a 60 minute group class split into cardio and strength training.  I started the class on the treadmill doing what was comparable to the walk/run workout I did in the park.  I alternated between slow jog, push pace and all out running for 30 minutes under the direction of the instructor.  I then moved to a rowing machine segment and strength training.  We rowed for a bit, then did some TRX work, push ups, squats, planks, then back to rowing.  It was a fun, fast paced work out.  For me, I don’t need the competition aspect, seriously who cares what anyone else is doing.  I did like the equipment, music and change of pace though.  I did commit to doing one of these classes per week.  I would have done two, but the price to me is over the top.  Once per week will have to do and I will count this workout as one of my weekly runs.

Overall, doing new things does add spark to your life.  I felt better this week than I have in a long while.  I think it’s the combination of trying new things and being around people.  I am looking forward to this week’s workouts and will continue my climb back from the long winter of broken toes.   What have you done this week to step outside your daily rut?  How has it helped rekindle your motivation?  Be sure to leave your comments below.  I look forward to reading them.

Turmeric

One of the first spices I used in my quest to be healthier was turmeric.  Turmeric’s main active ingredient is curcumin which is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties.  A few years back, I was trying to wean myself off some medications and spoke to a holistic nutritionist who recommended I take a daily dose of turmeric.  This week’s tip is to consider adding turmeric to your diet as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Inflammation has been linked to almost all major diseases and is of great concern to me as a contributor to Alzheimer’s disease.  Alzheimer’s is associated with the build-up of plaques in the brain and I worry about the impact of long term inflammation on my brain.  Curcurmin is thought to fight these plaques so I’ve decided to take it as one of my supplements.  I read that mixing curcumin with fat seems to supercharge absorption rates, so I add turmeric to my superfood morning coffee.  I also take an additional  supplement daily.

While it is not a guarantee, I think turmeric is a worthy addition to my overall plan.  If you decide to take turmeric, try to get one that is coupled with black pepper as it is thought to aid in absorption.

This is the brand I have been using for a few years.

 

 

 

Do you use turmeric?  How has it helped you?  Please share your comments below.

Barefoot Training

After my ankle tendon surgery, I thought I’d never walk barefoot again.  In fact, I thought barefoot walking was bad for me and avoided it at all costs.  I even kept a pair of shoes next to my bed to put on immediately upon waking.  I believe it was said to me at some point that barefoot was not a good idea for me.

When I began reading how to strengthen my feet and ankle tendons, I was surprised to see barefoot walking as one of the recommendations.  I tried to increase the amount of time I walk in the house without any shoes and ended up with three broken toes.  Not a great plan.  Anyway, I’m not giving up on this idea and recently did some more reading about it.  Many runners advocate for shoes that have zero drop, or are closer to replicating barefoot running.   I did buy a pair of zero drop running shoes and tried using them all winter on the treadmill.  Unfortunately, when I transitioned to outside I began having pain in my ankle tendon.  This caused me to rethink my plans.

I plan to strengthen the balancing muscles in my feet and ankles in hopes of improving my running.  I realized I must transition to zero drop shoes a bit more cautiously and if you are a woman who wears heels a lot you will likely need to do the same.  I have tight Achilles tendons and poor ankle mobility, especially in my left ankle.  Running in my minimalist shoes led to overuse pain in my peroneal and achilles tendons.  Thankfully, I listened to my body and stopped immediately.  Taking a step back here is the plan to transition and strengthen my barefoot work.

Starting immediately, I will be doing all my warm up work (Silly Toes) barefoot.  This routine will be done every day, whether I am running or not.  It actually feels so good to stretch the lower legs out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBMWMU29-zc

Barefoot BOSU work will strengthen balance and ankle mobility.  One leg balance routines are extremely helpful in strengthening smaller muscles in the ankles and are fun to perform on the BOSU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79T2-alZAlg

Wearing my minimalist shoes for workouts other than running and even getting a pair for walking should also help strengthen my lower legs and feet.  Finally, I plan on walking barefoot whenever possible in the house but will be sure to avoid metal doors this time!

Are you a runner who uses zero drop, or barefoot shoes?  How did you transition?How has it improved your running form?  Please do share as I am interested in learning.

BOSU Ball

Recipe Swap – Turkey Cutlet

The other day our store had a great sale on organic turkey breast cutlets.  We figured why not give them a try and see how they taste.  We like turkey enough on Thanksgiving and honestly the sale was too good to pass up.  We bought a few packs and froze some, which I’m not a fan of.  I prefer my food fresh, but with the price of organic chicken so high it was worth making an exception.

This weekend, we were in the mood for fried cutlets.  We don’t have them often, but we just really wanted some comfort food.  Of course I used my avocado oil for a healthier frying option (higher smoke point).  The cutlets were breaded and fried up then drained on paper towels to remove some of the oil.  While not the healthiest way to cook, they were juicy and delicious.  If my kids were still home I doubt they would have noticed they weren’t chicken.

Both turkey and chicken cutlets are healthy protein options for your meals.  They are quite similar in nutritional makeup with turkey coming in only slightly lower in calorie count.  The decision to eat one over the other will really come down to your personal taste preference.  For me it was a nice change of pace and I will definitely rotate them into my protein selection.  Here are two popular recipes that call for turkey cutlet that I’m making this week.

Turkey Cutlet Sandwich with Smoked Paprika Mayo and Roasted Peppers

Ingredients

2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 pound turkey cutlets
4 baguettes sliced in half
2 bell peppers sliced and roasted

Directions

  1. Mix mayonnaise and paprika.
  2. Season cutlets with avocado oil, paprika, salt and pepper.
  3. Spread mayo over cut side of toasted bread halves. Top each bottom half with cutlets, then 1/4 of peppers.

Turkey Cutlets with Lemon-Caper Sauce

Ingredients

Flour
1 pound turkey cutlets
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons capers
lemon wedges

Directions

  1. Make sure to trim your cutlets so they are thin.
  2. Combine flour, salt, and pepper; dredge turkey in mixture.
  3. Cook in skillet with avocado oil in batches, 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm.
  4. Add white wine and lemon juice to skillet, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Cook 2 minutes or just until thoroughly heated.
  5. Stir in garlic and capers
  6. Spoon sauce over turkey.

 

I’m looking forward to trying out some other new recipes with my turkey cutlets.  These two are favorites for chicken cutlet, so I’m really just swapping out the meat.  If you have a turkey recipe you’d like to share, please post in the comments below.

 

Finding Your Tribe

Wanted – Running group.  Must be supportive and fun loving.  Willing to run early mornings and drink IPA beers after races.  Interested in exploring new routes and suffer through hot, humid days of summer.  Must be willing to sacrifice pace on occasion if group member needs company.  No runner left behind.

Running is very often a one person sport, especially when training for longer distance races.  During my half marathon training last year, I did 100% of the training runs alone.  Partly this was due to the fact that I don’t like the pressure of trying to run at someone else’s pace. I am a slower runner and when I try to run with others I often start to feel bad about myself because I can’t keep up.  I’ve found solace in music and meditation as I run, but it sure would be nice to run with others.  Definitely would make the miles go by faster.

This year as I get ready to begin training for the marathon, I’ve decided to try again to run with others.  Now, I just need to find my tribe – people who run at a pace similar to mine, or are willing to run with me regardless of pace.  I am a member of an online running club and love how supportive this group is.  When I ran my first half marathon, it was with this club.  We all met in the shadows of the steel stacks in Bethlehem, PA for a weekend of running events at the Runners World Festival.  These people were my phone and computer friends, none of which I had ever met in person prior to that weekend.  I must say it was slightly unnerving to attend an event with strangers, but I just knew it was going to be awesome.

Sub30 is a group of runners who share the goal of running a sub 30 minute 5K race.  But, it is so much more than just that.  It is a club that includes people from all over the country.  They share many goals, the most important of which is positivity.  The heart of the group is the ideal that we lift others up and no subber is ever left behind.  During my weekend at the Runner’s World Festival, this running club’s support was incredible to see and receive.  There were people pacing others, sacrificing any PR goals to support another to their goals.  There were people cheering at every race for anyone in the club, strangers or not.  And, there were people near the finish waiting to run in with members of the club, those last steps.  What a true testament this club is to the running community.  It was something so wonderful to experience in person.

 

With this club experience in mind, I decided this year to try to participate more in my local clubs.  I had joined two last year but never attended any of their group runs or events.  This week I attended my first group meet up with a local running club.  While everyone was friendly enough, I didn’t get the same feel as I did from the Sub30 group.  It just seemed like I went to this event to run alone leaving me wonder if I really needed to drive there to do that.  I will definitely give it another try though.  Perhaps on other evenings there will be others who run at a slightly slower pace.  The whole experience left me wishing my Sub30 crew lived closer and wondering why all clubs don’t embrace the same goals.

I have a second club that I’m a member of which is not quite as local.  It is in Manhattan and they meet up on Saturday mornings.  I get a really good feeling about this running club, but the location makes it more challenging for me to get to.  It’s hard to commit to driving in to Manhattan on Saturday mornings when I generally go to Queens to check in on my parents.  I’m trying to work out the logistics though because I’d love to see how this club operates.

I used to prefer to run solo, but recovering from these last two injuries have left me really struggling to regain my confidence.  I’m afraid of re-injuring myself each time I lace up.  I’m questioning my abilities as I struggle through what used to be so easy for me to do.  I’m wondering when running became so hard and how even though I ran with broken toes all winter I’ve lost so much conditioning.  I know that if I could find a good, supportive tribe I could regain my confidence.  The support of the running community is what I need now to push me through.  Running doesn’t have to be this hard and the energy of others will lift me up.

After struggling to keep up with my training schedule as my injury healed, I have finally decided I cant do this alone anymore.  It’s time I step outside my comfort zone and find a running club, or partner, that I can actually run with on a regular basis.  Going to the local meet up this week was the first step and even though it wasn’t amazing, it won’t be the last.

Do you have a local running club you run with?  How did you find your tribe?  I’d love to hear about how the power of this human connection impacted your journey.  Be sure to leave a comment below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sleep Your Secret Weapon

My sleep struggles are well known to anyone who has received an email or text from me at 3:00 AM.  My midnight musings are well documented and laughed about.  Sometimes I find people during the day and say, “Last night I was thinking..”, followed by my latest idea.  It seems that my mind is very active during the night and some of my best ideas come to me then.  I really was never concerned, or annoyed by it.  I’ve just come to accept the fact that I don’t sleep more than 5 hours a night.

I first wore my Fitbit to track steps, but soon discovered a second benefit to this little gadget.  Fitbit trackers have a sleep cycle option that provides you with data on the quality of your sleep.  While I doubt it’s totally accurate, it sure does open your eyes about how well, or not, you sleep.  The report also shows how restless you are, as well as how many hours you are likely in REM sleep.  All this data got my attention because I noticed I was very restless and not getting much REM, or deep sleep each night.  This was troubling because that is the restorative sleep that is so needed by my body.

After reading and researching issues with sleeping, I came up with the following plans:

Find Out How Much Sleep I Really Need?

I used the data from my Fitbit to establish how much sleep I really do need each night.  While I like to lay in bed and read, I was really only sleeping 5-6 hours a night.  Knowing this made me realize that going to bed at 8:00 PM would always have my body waking at 2:00 – 3:00 AM, making this nothing to stress about.

Establish a Sleep Cycle

Creating a routine has been very helpful to me.  I actually like waking at 3:00 – 4:00 AM.  I find it to be the most peaceful, yet productive time of day for me.  I like to have an hour or so to read and write.  I like to have an hour or so to exercise.  I like to not feeling rushed in the morning.  Knowing that I want to be awake by 4:00 AM the latest helped me establish a bedtime.  I am in bed ready for sleep by 9:00 PM each night, unless of course we have an event.  Thankfully my husband likes the early morning too, as does my dog, so it’s all good.

Establish a Nightly Routine

Unplug your technology, including the phone, prior to bedtime.  I unplug by 7:00 PM each night to allow myself time to unwind.  I open the window to make the room slightly chilly as this can improve your sleep.  In the winter I turn down the thermostat slightly.  I am not a fan of television but do like to read in bed.  This works perfectly for me as it also helps me to fall asleep, unless it’s a thriller!

It is important to sleep in a dark room, so black out the room to improve your sleep.  Research has shown that exposure to blue light greatly affects your sleep cycle.  Blue light, or light that comes from most of our devices, suppresses the production of melatonin more than any other type of light.  This is why it is critical to unplug at night to ensure better sleep.  If you simply must use your devices at night, they sell orange glasses that you can wear to block the blue light.  They are quite funny looking, but who cares if they work.  I keep a pair on my night table for nights I want to catch up on email.

Improving sleep can greatly improve your health.  Getting adequate amounts of sleep each night can help you lose weight and gain strength.  When you are not getting adequate sleep, your body can produce more cortisol causing weight gain.  When you get adequate sleep, your body may have an increase in testosterone causing strength gains.  This sounds like a win-win to me, making it worth the time spent improving my sleep cycle.

How are you sleeping these days?  If you could improve your sleep with a few simple changes, would you?  Please share below.

Avocado Oil

People tout the many health benefits of using coconut oil.  Some even suggest eating it as a super food.   Others say you should swap it for your olive oil when cooking, or on salad.  I tried cooking with coconut oil and noticed it changed the taste of my food.  Coconut oil has a very distinct flavor and using it in my recipes changed the taste of my meal and not always for the better.  Even in my super food coffee, I noticed a different taste when using coconut oil.  This sparked me to start researching oils to see what other options were available to me.

Cold pressed olive oil is still a staple oil in my home, but no longer my first choice.  In my personal opinion, the best choice for a healthy oil is avocado oil which is produced from the avocado fruit.  This oil is made from the pulp surrounding the pit, not the seed.  Avocado oil doesn’t have a strong flavoring that overpowers, or competes with the flavor of foods.  It also has a high smoke point which makes it ideal for cooking.

When choosing an oil for cooking it is extremely important to learn about its smoke point.  This is the temperature at which your oil begins to smoke in the pan.  Healthy oils, like olive oil, can become unhealthy when they reach their smoke point because it begins to break down and nutrients are lost.  Further, dangerous compounds can be created which are detrimental to your health.  I always used olive oil in my cooking and had no idea about this!  I no longer use olive oil for cooking and have replaced it with avocado oil.  Unlike coconut oil, this oil does not overpower my food.

When using any oil for cooking, it is very important to consider the smoke point (the temperature at which the oil starts to be visibly smoking in the pan) of the oil. Even a healthy oil like benefit-rich olive oil becomes unhealthy when it reaches its smoke point. When an oil reaches its smoke point, the structure of the oil begins to break down, nutrients are lost, flavor is changed and most dangerously, compounds can be created that are damaging to your health. Avocado oil’s high smoke point make it a top choice for any frying, browning or sautéing recipes.

I use avocado oil on my salads, as well as cold pressed olive oil.  I find the oil to be very versatile and it has become my go to oil for cooking.  Further, there are said to be many health benefits to using it including improving heart health, lowering cholesterol, arthritis support and skin care.  I buy my avocado oil online, but I have seen it available in Costco.  I don’t like to purchase super large containers of oil as I prefer my oil to be fresh.  I also don’t purchase oils in plastic containers ever!

Spend some time learning about the oils you use.  I think you will be shocked by what you learn.  I never knew there were so many different types of oils, or the dangers of using the wrong oil for cooking.

What type of oil are you using?  Please share your experiences below.

Avocado Oil I Use:

Breathing Easy

Anyone beginner runner knows that breathing can be extremely challenging at times.  With so many other things to think about, like pace and form, breathing shouldn’t be so hard.  This week’s training tip is one that has been helping me catch my breath on runs.

When you breathe through your chest, shallow breathing, you take in less oxygen.  It’s important to learn how to belly breathe, using your diaphragm, to increase intake of oxygen. To practice and learn how to engage in belly breathing, try this simple exercise:

  • Lie down on your back and place both hands on your belly.
  • Keep your upper chest and shoulders still.
  • Focus on raising your belly as you inhale. Feel it with your hands.
  • Lower your belly as you exhale.
  • Inhale and exhale through both your nose and mouth.

Once you feel the difference, practice this breathing standing, walking and then running.    It is hard when you are running, or gasping, so really practice the technique first in non running options.

My running coach told me to try and establish a breathing cadence, or pattern when running.  The easiest way for me to do this was to count my breathes in and out.  At first, I counted 1-2-3-4 on inhalation followed by 1-2-3-4 on exhalation.  I then tried to work my way up to 5 where I am currently.  Eventually I hope to get into a zone and not have to think so much about breathing.

Many people wonder about nose vs. mouth breathing during exercise.  While it would be wonderful to run like the wind and calmly breathe through my nose, that is not reality.  Reality is you get more oxygen when you breathe through your mouth, so why stress it.  Just breathe through your mouth and don’t complicate matters that don’t need complication.

Finally, when you are in the midst of a run, if you are gasping for air your pace is likely too fast.  Slow it down, catch your breath and continue at a comfortable pace.  Your breathing is a measure of your conditioning and it should develop and improve over time.  Continue to vary your workouts, practice your breathing techniques and gradually increase pace over time.

I hope this helps you breathe easy out on your run, or workout this week.  Give it and try and let me know if it helps.  Please share in the comments below.

Recipe Swap – Salad Dressing

What’s your favorite salad dressing?  Do you know what’s in it?  Take a look today at the bottle and see if you can read the ingredients.  Would you be surprised to learn that many salad’s contain as many calories as a Big Mac at McDonalds?  Adding too many toppings can be one danger, like meats, cheese, nuts and croutons.  The other add on that can sidetrack your healthy salad is the dressing you use.  Many store bought dressings are laden with chemicals and additives, many of which I can’t even pronounce.

I never buy salad dressing as I just don’t see the need.  It is super easy to whip up a dressing for your salad with clean ingredients so I don’t see the need.  My personal favorite is really just lemon juice and a touch of garlic infused avocado oil.  Doesn’t get any better than that, clean and healthy.  Next time you make a salad, go easy on the additions to it and consider making some fresh healthy salad dressing to top it.  Here are a few of my personal favorite recipes.

Lemon & Garlic Infused Avocado Oil

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic (I roast the bulb and chop the cloves for later use)
  • Olive Oil – for roasting garlic
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil (if making family size you large serving spoon)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice (more is fine, large serving spoon size for family salad)

Directions

  1. Cut the top off the bulb of garlic
  2. Place in ramekin and fill with olive oil to cover
  3. Roast in oven at 375 for 60 minutes
  4. Push 2 cloves of garlic out of skin and chop finely
  5. Mix avocado oil and lemon juice with garlic
  6. Top salad with mixture, stir and eat

You can make this with lime juice as well.  If you want the dressing creamier, add in 1 tsp of dijon mustard.  The left over roasted garlic can store for a few days in the refrigerator.  I use it in many recipes and my husband loves to use it as a spread.

 

Spicy Hummus Salad Dressing

When I have leftover hummus, I make a spicy hummus dressing which is adds protein to my lunch without adding meat.  It’s pretty delicious, but packs a punch.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup hummus
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 chipotle pepper, sliced
  • 1/4 cup almond milk, plus more if necessary
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Directions

Place all ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth. Add more milk if you’d like a smoother consistency.

Recipe courtesy of Popsugar Fitness

Want to try this one but have no hummus at home, no problem.  Hummus is so easy to whip up if you have chickpeas.  Here’s my recipe for homemade hummus, but you may never have enough leftover for dressing.

 

Hummus with Red Pepper

Ingredients

  • 2 cups drained well-cooked or canned chickpeas, liquid reserved
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground red pepper
  • Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed

Directions

  1. Put everything in a food processor and begin to process
  2. Add the chickpea liquid or water as needed to allow the machine to produce a smooth puree.
  3. Taste and adjust the seasoning

What do you top your salads with?  Please share in the comments below your recipe.  If you try either of these, let me know how you liked them.

Featured Ingredients

 

Weakest Link

A consultant I work with professionally has stated, “As a District, you’re only as good as your weakest school.”  Clearly, his philosophy aligns with mine in that he’s saying we are meant to lift others up, rather than leaving them to struggle.    During my morning run I reflected on this as I thought about my body.  Surely this thinking could also somehow apply to my physical wellness.  Therefore, I began to think about how I am only as strong of a runner as my weakest link.

What are the weakest links in our bodies and how does leaving them to struggle impact our mindset?  I can tell you these weak links can have a huge impact on they physical body and the mindset.  Pain is never welcome in our training plans.  The constant struggle with it invites those negative voices to start yelling inside.  You’re never getting past this, you’ll always get hurt, blah, blah, blah.  Ignoring the problem clearly hasn’t worked for me.  Being proactive and wearing certain shoes has helped somewhat, but not enough to eliminate the struggle.  Warm up and rolling has also helped, but still I’m experiencing some swelling.  This leaves me thinking that it is indeed about strengthening that weak link – lifting it up to join the party.

This connection really helped me focus today as I’ve been experiencing pain and swelling in my ankle near the site of my peroneal tendon.  I’ve been getting super nervous about it too.   Thinking about the weakest link theory, I spent the morning researching ways to strengthen my weakest tendon.  Yes, I’ve been rolling and stretching after runs, but I’ve done little targeted strength training for this tendon.  As I sit her soaking my ankle in Epsom salt post run, I’m excited about the new plans.

I found some cool exercises on Youtube that are perfect for me.  They involve my foam roller, bands and Bosu. These are all tools I have in the house so I was able to get right to work today!  It’s amazing how having a plan has already lifted my spirits.  I’m feeling hopeful that I will get this in control and not reinjure the tendon.  I ran a little faster today and lighter.  Here’s my current plans for my ankles and feet.   If you are suffering with any issues, feel free to join the party.  I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a good one.

Warm-Up

I’ve been doing the Silly Toes warm up for over a year now.  It most definitely helps me stay healthy in my feet and ankles.  It’s super quick and fun.  I never skip the warm-up no matter how late I am getting out.  My new addition is to do this every single day, whether I am running or not.  A quick way to start the day off right.  Here’s my running coach demonstrating it beautifully.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBMWMU29-zc

 

Strength Training

I plan to incorporate strength exercises daily. They are super quick and can be done before bed, or after a run. I can even do them in my office if need be. For the resistance band section, I put both feet in my resistance band (red).

 

Post Run

I’m adding this to my rolling sessions after each run. I already shared my rolling protocols for my feet/ankles, but definitely will be adding this. I already did it today.

 

Stretching

Three times a week, if not more, I can do these stretches. I already tried them today.

 

In addition to all of this, I currently do try to do yoga toes pose after each run.  I can try to up this to days I don’t run as well.  It is quite an intense pose, but one I’ve come to love.  I guess what doesn’t kill me does indeed make me stronger.

 

What’s your weakest link?  Can you create a plan today to strengthen and lift yourself up?Please share below if you’ve already done so, or plan to start.

Resources Used in My Routines