Tag: weight loss

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

 

Foam Rolling

If you love going for a massage then this weeks tip is for you!  Investing in a foam roller can provide you with an affordable alternative to massage therapy.  Those round pieces of foam can deliver so many benefits of a deep tissue massage without the cost.  And, they are so easy to take with you just about anywhere.  I don’t leave home without mine when traveling.

Foam rolling is both dreaded and loved by so many.  It really is something you should add to your bag of tricks.  Foam roller exercises, also called myofascial release, are a form of massage that you can do before exercise to loosen up sore muscles and tight joints, or after a workout, to aid muscle recovery.  Personally, I only do it after I run and couldn’t imagine doing before.  I basically focus on my lower legs as that is the portion of my body I’ve had injuries.  I was not even able to do one roll without terrible discomfort when I first started.  I am up to 10 rolls with full body weight at this point.  It is a process that made me sweat profusely when I started.

My PT recommended learning how to foam roll correctly as it makes all the difference.  I spent time watching many youtube videos after he said that.  I also was sent a video by my running coach that was specifically targeted toward my needs.  I use the foam roller mostly for my lower legs to keep the tendons massaged and aid in recovery after runs.  I think I will continue this protocol long after I stop running, if I ever do.  Basically, I roll the front of my shins (that’s the part that took great effort to do) by putting my body weight on the roller just under my knee.  Sitting on the roller I roll forward and back 10 times.  When I started I couldn’t put my weight on it and I remember distinctly calling my coach and saying I could NOT do this as it hurt way too much.  She informed me that that showed just how much I NEED to do this.  I also focus on the spot on the back of my lower leg where my Achilles and Perineal tendons connect.  There is a spot where all the tendons intersect and I focus on that spot.   I also will roll and tight spots I feel on my body and there have been many.  My absolute favorite is to lay with the roller just under my neck.  You know that tight spot where your tension lives.  Such relief!

If you use a foam roller, please share your experience.  Please leave comments below.

Foam Roller I Use

TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller with Free Online Instructional Videos, Original (13-inch), Black

My Coach’s Video

Further Reading

https://www.masterofmuscle.com/us/top-7-benefits-of-foam-rolling-every-day/

 

 

Recipe Swap – Pulled Chicken Sliders

Recently I tried pulled pork sliders while out for dinner.  I’m not a fan of pork or barbecue sauce, but will admit to loving that slider appetizer.  I’ve been thinking of it since and decided to spend some time trying to recreate it.  I also wanted to update it to try and make it slightly healthier.

My first swap was the meat.  While I enjoyed it out I prefer chicken to pork, so I decided to use pulled chicken.  We happened to have a half of a roasted chicken from Sunday, so I began shredding the white meat for sliders.  I also made some spicy coleslaw to top the sliders, as they did at the restaurant.  You can eat the meat without the buns if you are gluten free, or use romaine lettuce for your bun.

With use of left over chicken, this became a super easy, quick weeknight dinner.   And it was delicious!

Pulled Chicken Sliders

Ingredients

1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar (I used coconut sugar)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (this is a fabulous spice)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless chicken breast (organic hormone free rotisserie or slow roast is best)
8 sliders mini buns

Directions

  1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add chicken to ketchup mixture; stir to combine.
  3. Cook 2 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated.
  4. Spoon onto slider buns
  5. Top with spicy coleslaw

Recipe Swap – Creamy, Spicy Coleslaw

Recipe adapted from MyRecipes.com

If you want a little more heat, feel free to add a dash of hot sauce to your mix.  I was happy with the heat from the coleslaw.

Let me know how you like it if you make it!  If you have a pulled pork or chicken sandwich recipe to share, please leave comments below.

Sunlight for Healthy Training

I am an early riser by choice.  It’s just a habit I’ve formed over the years and I’ve actually never set an alarm clock in my life.  My body just has a sleep cycle that’s developed over time.  I was super excited to read and learn that many experts are now highly recommending early morning, outdoor exercise for important health benefits. My early morning workout time is peaceful and now linked to improved health, how exciting is that. Just look at my morning view, this alone can improve my mood and make me so grateful to be alive.

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Many people are now being found to be Vitamin D deficient, myself included.  I was pretty surprised when my doctor told me just how depleted my levels of Vitamin D were in lab testing.  She explained to me at the time that Vitamin D is critical for correct hormone function and brain health. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to many types of cancers including breast cancer.  I remember wondering if this deficiency had been a contributing factor of my mom’s Alzheimers disease.

When my doctor diagnosed this deficiency, I remember telling her that I really don’t spend a lot of time in the sun by choice.  While she told me the benefits of exposure to natural light, she explained that it would be nearly impossible for me to get all the needed amounts of vitamin D just from exposure to sunlight.  We talked about foods high in D (fatty fish, cheese, eggs) and supplementation plans.  It took me several front loading doses of vitamin D3 to get my levels into acceptable level ranges.  I have been on a maintenance dosage for two years now and continue to monitor levels through lab testing (blood tests).

When reading about Vitamin D, I came upon some interesting links between lack of natural sunlight exposure and wellness.  I learned that exposure to sunlight during the day can actually help you sleep better, improve hormone function and increase endorphin production.  Light sends a signal to your body and brain to wake up and also helps regulate your body’s circadian clock.   It has been found that your circadian rhythm could impact your metabolism as well.   This coupled with eating foods known to be rich with Vitamin D and proper supplementation can improve overall health.

It is said that one of the best times to be exposed to natural sunlight is between 6:00 – 8:00 AM.   You only need about 20 to 30 minutes of morning sunlight to reap the benefits.  Getting at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day boosts serotonin levels, which will help improve melatonin levels at night and could improve sleep cycles. I remember sharing this information with my dad as a means to help my mom with sundowning, a common occurrence in Alzheimer’s patients, caused by sleep disturbance. It was recommended that she be exposed to this early morning light as a means to reset her circadian clock.  Recently, I read that it’s also linked to increased benefits during exercise through improved metabolism and vitamin D levels.

This week’s training tip is to move your early morning workout sessions outside, increasing exposure to natural light, for maximum health benefits.  Even in the winter anyone can go for a short walk, perhaps not at 6:00 AM as it will be dark, but certainly before noon.  Make this your new health habit for some important lasting benefits.  Lace up those sneakers and go for a walk, or jog each morning.  Your body will thank you! I’m heading out right now myself.

Are you already a believer in early morning exposure to natural light?  Please share what you have learned on this topic in the section below.  I look forward to learning more about this topic in my quest to improve my health.

Supplementation

My doctor put me on Vitamin D3, but after several front loading doses, my levels didn’t improve.  We paired K2 and D3 and my levels finally tested in the correct range.  There is some research that demonstrates a link between the body’s ability to absorb D3 when taken with K2.  After years of taking them separate, I came across this product that has combined both into one pill.

Vitamin K2 (MK7) with D3 Supplement – Vitamin D & K Complex for Strong Bones and a Healthy Heart – 5000 IU of Vitamin D3 & 90 mcg of Vitamin K2 MK-7 – 60 Small & Easy to Swallow Vegetable Capsules

Further Reading

http://www.medicaldaily.com/sun-exposure-vitamin-d-and-other-health-benefits-sunlight-246487

Necessary Revisions

What’s getting in the way of your fitness growth?  Is it the bullshit stories you tell yourself?  Is your actual training plan causing you to lose motivation?  Lately, for me, it’s been a little of both, with a sprinkle of injury mixed in.

Running is often a solitary activity which challenges you on so many levels.  I’ve personally pounded thousands of miles these past two years alone.  This gives me a lot of time to think and get in touch with myself, but it also can be lonely.  While I don’t truly mind a nice long run with my music, there’s nothing like a nice long run with your running friends.  Time goes by so fast when you’re chatting it up and as an added bonus it takes your mind off the other stuff that comes up when running alone.

The problem I’ve had this past year, aside from injury, is that I was doing heart rate training.  This training really forced me to avoid group runs as I’ve had to slow my pace to a crawl to keep my heart rate in the right zone.  Worse still, it’s taken some of the fun and joy out of running for me.  I thought it was the training itself and slow pace of it that bothered me lately, but realize now it’s the connection to people I’m missing most.  Like everything else in life, human connection sparks excitement and motivation.  I’m missing my running tribe.

I’ve decided to rethink some of my training because I’m feeling like I’m in a running slump.  I’m losing motivation because I’m not feeling like I’m part of anything beyond solitary miles of running.  I miss running on the boardwalk with my running friends and running without constantly checking my HR watch to see if I’m in the right zone.  I’ve made running have way too many rules and somehow lost its joy in the process.  It’s time to take back control over how I train and find some balance in my plan.

First, I need to connect to people during some of my runs and move away from worrying that doing that would violate some HR rules.  On these runs, I plan to leave my HR chest strap home and concentrate on the beautiful scenery and conversation.  I also have some running clubs that I joined last year and  while I participated in online conversation, I never went to one run because I was worried about the plan I was doing and the targets I had to hit.  This year I plan to attend the group runs and not care if I’m at the back of the pack and again the chest strap can just stay home.  I will certainly run at a comfortable effort and not overdo it, but I don’t need that darn watching beeping constantly.  There are so many great people in both of my groups who are on a similar journey to mine.  I can’t wait to go, share the journey and connect on my first run tomorrow morning!

Next, I need to balance my training.  I’m not giving up on heart rate training because I know the research shows it is right for me.  Instead of doing only heart rate based runs, I plan to do a mix of different types of runs.  This should increase my motivation and rekindle excitement about running.  I plan to reread Matt Fitzgerald’s 80/20 book and work out a training plan that works for me.  The premise of the plan is to balance your training for growth, including tempo, easy and long runs.  I used to love running pick ups after each miles they really made it more interesting and spread the speed work across miles, helping me improve my pace without overtaxing my body.

I’m also really looking forward to doing some local fun runs this year.  I had stopped doing them in favor of doing larger races.  Since NYC marathon is my goal race this year, my focus is solely on that race.  I am not planning to do a lot of other races, just local races that I can enjoy.  There are so many wonderful races right here on Staten Island that I truly enjoyed in the past.  No stress with traffic or parking, just convenient fun workouts.  The first of these races is rapidly approaching and I’m super excited to do it with my team – Little Red Runners.  This will be our third year running this Memorial Day race and this year they’ve improved the after party.  Here’s our beautiful team at last year’s run:

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Finally, I’m coming to accept that I am a slow runner, always have been – even in my twenties.  It’s truly fine because an eight minute mile and a thirteen minute mile are truly the same thing – a mile.  It really doesn’t matter how long it takes, it matters that I’m doing it. I can put to rest this quest to run an eight minute mile because for now it’s just not going to happen.  I can’t make pace my priority anymore as it only serves to make me feel bad about myself.  Anything that removes enjoyment from my run is no longer welcome.  This journey is about being healthy and I’m not winning any race anytime soon.  My goal has always been to finish the race and stay healthy.  I have to go back to reminding myself of that.  I’ve even washed my favorite shirt and will likely wear it to the Memorial Day race in a few weeks.

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What’s holding you back from fitness growth?  Is it the bullshit stories you’re telling yourself?  Please share below and let’s get back on track together.

Book mentioned in article:

80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster By Training Slower

Recipe Swap – Chicken Pad Thai

I’ve been branching out and trying new recipes that I’ve never cooked before.  I’ve heard so many good things about Thai food, but have yet to try it.  I saw an easy recipe that I thought might be something I’d enjoy.  I decided against purchasing a ready made Thai sauce as I was unable to pronounce many of the ingredients listed on the label.  I used a recipe for homemade Thai sauce found below.  I did not include noodles, but I’m sure you could.  The recipe was super easy to follow and quick!  The whole process took about 30 minutes.  It will be perfect for a work night stir fry and no I don’t have a fancy wok – yet.  The taste of this was delicious, but it was a bit hot which I love.  I’m thinking the heat came from the serrano pepper and not the sauce, so go easy on that if you prefer it milder.

Pad Thai Sauce:

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp coconut yogurt
  • 3 tbsp. ketchup
  • 1 tbsp. coconut aminos (healthier alternative to soy sauce)
  • 1 tbsp. raw honey
  • 1 tsp. organic hoisin sauce
  • 1⁄4 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1⁄2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp. organic ginger (I used minced ginger in jar)
  • 1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1⁄2 tsp. organic cilantro
  • 1⁄2 tsp.  no-salt seasoning

Directions:

1. In a bowl combine all ingredients and set aside until needed for your stir fry.   Copyright © 2016 Danette May and Mindful Health, LLC

Chicken Stir-Fry:

Ingredients:

  • 4-6 oz. chicken, cubed
  • 1 small serrano pepper, minced
  • 2 tbsp. Pad Thai sauce
  • 1 cubed organic zucchini
  • 1 chopped organic red bell pepper

Directions:

  1. In pan, add 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, zucchini, red bell pepper, chicken and minced Serrano pepper. Cook until chicken browns and is fully cooked. (I actually had leftover grilled chicken that I cubed so it was done real fast.  I cooked the vegetables for a bit first, then added the cooked, cubed chicken to warm.)
  2. Add pad thai sauce.
  3. Stir and warm.

Copyright © 2016 Danette May and Mindful Health, LLC

This was a meal by itself, no sides required but you could make a nice garden salad with it.  Be sure you have something to put out the fire in your mouth.  I drank ginger kombucha.

If you try this recipe, please let me know how you liked it.  It was part of a 30 day meal program I participated in recently with Danette May.

Some ingredients needed:

Nutrifera Organic Coconut Coconut Aminos 12.7 fl oz (375 ml)

Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce, 20 oz

 

NoSalt Original Sodium-Free Salt Alternative 11 Ounce (Pack of 2)

 

 

Tracking Fitness

During a conversation with my nutritionist, I came to realize that I needed to track more than just my nutrition.  I was telling her how much I work out and felt I wasn’t making enough gains.  I went over my workout schedule for the week and explained how hard I was working each day.  She looked at me and asked, “What about the rest of the day?  How active are you?”  I remember thinking, why does that matter if I work out each day for at least sixty minutes I should be good to go.  That simple conversation was a turning point for me.  I realized that despite running for an hour I didn’t get to sit and be a couch potato the rest of the day.  Clearly I had the wrong mindset.  I was seeing exercise as something I needed to do, rather than a lifestyle change.

I left the nutritionist’s office that day with a simple plan.  I was going to see just how active I really was by tracking my steps in a day.  She said the goal was 10,000 steps per day.  I ordered a simple step counter, set the target and tracked.  On days I ran, I had no issue hitting the 10,000 step target, however I noticed all my step activity was from the morning run.  On days I didn’t run, I was way under that target.  I quickly started adding more steps to my day by taking short walks several times a day, parking my car farther away from the store door and yes, even circling my bedroom before bed to reach the target.  I just love when the watch signals meeting the goal.  Such a simple addition to my day that increased my activity immensely.

Today’s tip is to get a step tracker and log your daily movement.  You will think 10,000 is easy and it very well may be.  But, like me, you may find you are thinking of exercise as something to check of your to do list.  On a day I didn’t run my step count was as low as 4K.  That was truly eye opening for me.  I guarantee with this simple addition to your fitness routine, you will increase your daily activity.  My husband got a Fitbit for his birthday and I am seeing him go through the same process.  He’s always checking his steps and now consistently hits 14K a day.  My dog is super happy for this fitness tip and should really get his own Fitbit because he gets so many walks now.

Are you tracking your steps?  What’s your daily goal?  Please leave a comment in the section below, I’d love to hear about your goals.

Fitbit Trackers

Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker, Silver/Black, Small

Not ready to commit to an expensive tracker, try this inexpensive entry level Fitbit:

Fitness Tracker, MoreFit Slim Touch Screen Activity Health Tracker Wearable Pedometer Smart Wristband, Silver/Green

Revise the Plan When You Must

Since I broke my three toes on Christmas, I’ve been struggling to get back into a running rhythm.  Anyone who has broken toes can tell you just how painful this injury can be.  I thought I had it under control as I pushed through on the elliptical in my boot and running on the treadmill with super wide shoes.  I laughed in the face of this injury and anxiously awaited warmer weather to get back outside.  Sometimes though, life has other plans.

Following my first outdoor runs, I quickly realized this wasn’t going to be so easy.  I felt like the months of easy treadmill runs did little to maintain my conditioning.  I felt like my foot and ankle were in a constant state of pain.  I felt like it was two steps forward, three steps back.  I felt like my head was spinning with the bullshit stories I tell myself.  Finally, I felt like I had to pull up my bootstraps and get this fixed.  My plans were in need of a major revision.

First, I needed to address the pain in my ankle because that is super scary to me.  I do not ever want to have that surgery again.  I think I knew the trigger for the ankle pain.  Over the winter, I was trying to switch over to zero drop shoes and believe this was putting unnecessary pressure on my peroneal tendon.  The shoes seemed to work fine on the slow runs on the treadmill, but outside training was just not the same.  I’m now back in my trusted Hoka shoes and hoping I didn’t do any damage to the tendon.

Next, my toes are still causing some pain in my foot.  This concerns me greatly and I’m hoping there’s no nerve damage.  I’m trying to incorporate the yoga toes pose back into my cool down protocols, as well as foam rolling religiously and hoping this will help.  If not, I definitely need to get an MRI in the coming weeks.

Finally, I definitely needed to revise my pre training plan to build up my strength for running.  I’ve been trying to get off some extra pounds gained during the long winter break.  Not too bad, just need to get about 10-15 off for my optimum running weight.  This week I’m down 5 pounds using the Weight Watchers app to track my eating.  Again, not a fan of plans but chose this one because I can eat real food that I cook.  I don’t agree with the severe limiting of healthy fats, but I’m incorporating what I know is right for my body with the plan and so far it’s keeping me honest about my food choices.

I’m using the Couch to 5K app to warm up my body and am on week 2 of the plan.  The pain in my ankle is still there at night, but I do feel like it’s subsiding.  As I do the couch to 5K plan (similar to the one I just finished, Run for Weight Loss, but less intense) I reflect on the walk/run strategy.  For now, I think this may be just the perfect revision to my running training.

Run/walk programs are an effective training method that can help increase fitness.  The stigma attached to it is that it’s not “real running”.  This stigma overlooks the fact that when alternating running with walking, you decrease the amount of impact on your body and potentially decrease risk of injury.  Further, using this strategy you recover quicker from your workouts as your body has built in recovery breaks.  It is also a form of interval training and can increase caloric burn during your workouts.

Running as we know is a high impact sport.  The continuous use of any muscle used the same way (running long in my case), increases muscle fatigue more rapidly. Continuing to run with fatigued muscles, will greatly increase the chance of injury.  Knowing this it makes total sense to me to use a run/walk program to build my fitness for the marathon.  During the walk portion of run/walk, your body has a chance to recover – both heart rate and muscular recovery.   Walking using different muscle groups than running and allows for some muscular recovery during these sessions.

Run/walk interval training is easy to implement.  Basically you run for a designated portion of time, followed by walk period, then repeat the cycle a certain amount of times.  The free couch to 5K app tells you when to run or walk.  I find myself looking forward to those beeps during my runs now.  I was worried I’d have trouble running after a walk period, but it’s actually quite the opposite.  I look forward to the run beep knowing it’s only for a short period of time.  Mentally this method is motivating and the time flies by.  My pace is even slightly faster over the long runs as when fatigued my pace tends to slow down to a crawl, often slower than a walk pace.

I’m excited to see if this method helps me get back on track without pain, or injury.  Are there any run/walk converts out there that want to share their story?  I’d love to feature your story here in an upcoming blog.  Let me know and please feel free to leave a comment below.  Looking forward to hearing your stories.

Great read to learn more about this method of training:

The Run Walk Run Method·

 

Thursday Tips & Tricks – Morning Elixir

It seems that everything I read about prevention of disease comes back to nutrition.  One easy addition to my life has been a morning elixir.  If you want a new way to start your day in a healthy way, this recipe is for you.  This week’s tip is for a super easy to make morning elixir to help start your day on the right foot.  I drink one every single morning without fail.

Digestive health appears to be more important than anyone may think.  Getting our digestive system straightened out can reap huge rewards and even help in weight loss.  Combining three simple ingredients in a morning shot will aid your body in many ways, including improving your digestive health.

My morning elixir is made of three ingredients, each have been said to improve digestion and provide detoxing assistance to the body.  Bragg’s apple cider vinegar can help balance your body’s PH.  It also contains enzymes that can act as probiotics and can aid in helping your liver detox.   Combining this with lemon juice can help boost your metabolism.  Lemon juice has a high mineral count and of course contains vitamin C which can also help balance your PH. Top this off with a spring of cayenne pepper and your have a great natural fat burning and anti-inflammatory morning drink.

If you absolutely can’t stand the taste, but I promise you will get used to it, you can substitute the apple cider vinegar with coconut vinegar.  Coconut vinegar has many of the same properties and a slightly better taste.   I recommend you drink it quickly and give it a few days your taste buds will adjust.

I drink this upon waking each morning, prior to eating or drinking anything else.  I imagine it cleaning out my pipes.  If you want you can add a second one to your day before bed.  Give it a try, I think you will like the improvement in your digestive health.

Morning Elixir

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • dash of cayenne pepper
  • 8 oz water (room temperature, or warm)

Directions

Combine all ingredients, stir and drink.  (When I first started, I just downed it like doing shots at the bar.  Now, I can sip it and take my vitamins with it.)  It is important to use the best quality ingredients.  Bragg’s is always my top choice.  Here the the two vinegars I use:

Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, 16 Ounce – 1 Pack

Coconut Secret – Raw Coconut Vinegar – 12.7 oz

 

Let me know if you already are drinking this drink each morning.  If not, give it a shot and let me know what you think.