Did You Run Today? A Hearty Question!

I ask that question a lot! I know it and I know it bugs some people and yet...

If you aren't daily active in your life, you can't even begin to imagine what you're missing.

And I know... you're tired already and how could you possibly find any more time to fit exercise into your completely packed schedule and you have aches and pains and every other excuse (or reason if you prefer) as to why you don't exercise.

Let me ask you one simple question; "What if exercising could give you back more time and productivity into your schedule?"

I recently took a train ride across this great country. Its a topic for a different blog post on a different blog yet what it did point out to me is how much I need exercise in my life.

The train from Los Angeles to Holland Michigan is just under 48 hours. That's two full days of sitting. Yes, you can move about the train, but without annoying the other passengers you can't really work up much of a sweat.

When I arrived in Holland I was exhausted and cranky. What did I do? First I slept. Then before anything else I went for a 13 mile run! Later in the day I added a 4 mile walk and another 3 mile run.

Net result: I felt rejuvenated!

I shouldn't have been surprised and honestly I wasn't. I've learned over thee years that the biggest key to overall health, happiness, mental crispness and just plain well-being is to get out and move.

Now I know I'm a little (OK maybe a lot) nuts and you may not be interested in running at least 20 mile a day and yet if you just walked two miles... 30 minutes a day, you would be amazed at the improvement in your overall health.

Tell me you can't find 30 minutes a day and I'll say I've found someone who isn't interested in truly enjoying life. Get up a half hour earlier. Stay up a half hour later. Instead of stuffing your face at lunch time, go for a walk or run or bike ride.

You can do this!

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise (a fast walk) 5 days a week can yield a significant improvement in cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular health is the key not only to making you physically stronger but also mentally sharper.

Think about it...

Literally every body function from movement to thought requires the delivery of nutrients and oxygen and the removal of waste products in the cells to happen. Don't believe me? Stop pumping oxygen rich blood to your brain and see what happens. Or try stopping the delivery of the right nutrients and fluids to your joints and see how well they work. Or how about stopping the flow of blood to your liver or kidneys?

We need oxygen and nutrient rich blood throughout our bodies to live and the number one way to ensure that is to take care of your cardiovascular system.

And... how do we do that? Move!

So the next time you hear or see me asking: "Did you run today?" Hopefully you'll understand, its not just because I want you to run. Its because I want you to live!

Now go get active!

It's Not That Complicated

The Beginning of Week 5 and a Different Direction!

Wow! It hardly seems possible that it's been 5 weeks of run-commuting already. Well... actually four are complete.

That being said it is time for a change up from running to walking for possibly as much as a month. One thing I know is that when I am actually out there doing my first ultramarathon, there will be a fair amount of walking. From what I have learned, certainly at least the uphills will require walking... maybe more.

What will my focus be? How about changing my walking form for starters. As strange as this may sound, it is actually easier for me to run for any distance than it is for me to walk. That has got to change! And... it will. There is a science to walking form just as there is to running form. If more of us would pay attention to how we move, less of us would have long term injuries related to running and walking.

I'll keep you posted here over the next month as to my progress and how I feel as I make some changes.

The next step will be integrating the running and the walking for greater distances. That should be fun!

It's All Good!

Sometimes... well, a lot of the time, life throws out curveballs. It happens to all of us if we're truly honest.

Sometimes... we just don't feel like doing something and once we get into it, we soar and we're glad we did it!

The last week has been one of those weeks for me, I won't go into the details, its not that important. And so this morning when it came time to go train my group of walkers, I thought seriously about blowing it off. I didn't, in fact I ended up getting up early, heading down to the ocean and scoping out places where we could do some simple strength training moves.

And so, my day started with a run to the ocean, about an hour of just plain ocean watching (very therapuetic), a workout at the original "Muscle Beach" just south of the Santa Monica Pier, a great walk with a good group of people who were full of questions and appreciation for my help and then a run home.

Not a bad way to spend the first few hours of any day!

Followed this all up with a return visit to the beach and a dip in the Pacific and a little quality sun time!

Probably go for a short recovery run tonight!

I guess when it all comes down to it, as they say; "No matter what life throws at you, if you decide it is... It's All Good!"

A Good Break Taken!

I generally train seven days a week. It just feels right and it works for me! I don't recommend it to most of my clients because of the fear of over-training injuries and just plain old recovery time.

I do however, listen to my body and that being said, when its time for a break... its time for a break. I don't often have a week where I have more rest days than training days and so it felt a little awkward to have that be the case this last week. My week looked like this:

Monday - 11.5 run, Tuesday - 11.5 walk, Wednesday - rest - 5 mile walk (I consider most of my walks under 10 miles active recovery), Thursday - rest, Friday - rest, Saturday - rest - 8 mile walk, Sunday - 5k run.

Very light week for me! Turns out it was just what I needed! I just came back from a quick 5k run and it was quick... for me. The pace was almost a full minute per mile faster than I usually run and I honestly could have maintained it for another 5k and still felt great afterwards.

Turns out listening to my body can be a pretty good thing!

If you have those times where you are doing a lot of training and you feel a little flat, it may be time to back off for a week. You may just be pleasantly surprised with the results!

Give it a shot.

Now go get active!

Two Disgusting Words!

Can't

But

As I work with clients these are perhaps the most frustrating words I can hear coming out of their mouths. Its not because I don't understand. Believe me I've used those words many times myself in the past and yet, my life didn't change until I stopped using them and neither will yours!

It goes kind of like this:

I just can't get myself to stop eating...

I can't seem to get up in the morning...

I can't find the energy after work...

I want to workout, but...

Tony Robbins once said; "The person who uses the word but all of the time usually has a big one!"

That may be a little harsh and yet it is the truth. There is a country music song playing lately and the line that sticks out to me is: "Sounds like life to me."

We all have things that get in the way of some of the things we want to do. Life will continue to happen all around you every single day for as long as you grace this world with your presence. Its inevitable! The only question then is; What are you going to give your focus to?

I constantly hear people say they would love to work out but they have kids and they just can't find the time. That one sentence has both of those disgusting words in it! In fairness, I don't have any children, in fact I'm not even married or dating at the moment and so yes, my time is my time and yet...

I work 14 to 16 hours a day almost everyday and still find the time to go for a run. And I realize, fitness is my business and so it would seem to most people that it should be easier to workout right? Wrong! Most of my time is spent in front of a computer, writing, typing, blogging, emailing, designing training programs.

And before I got into endurance fitness training, I worked 7 days a week 12 to 14 hours a day running a car dealership and that is definitely not conducive to a healthy lifestyle!

So how do I find 2 or 3 hours to train each day?

Its all about how important my health is to me. 

If you constantly find yourself saying, I want to but... your health is just not that important to you no matter what kind of lip service you give it. If its really important to you then you will wake up an hour earlier or stay up an hour later or find a way to get someone else to watch the kids for a short period of time. If its really important, you will make the time.

I know you're tired! And, if you will just get with the program you will little by little find that you have more energy and vitality. You'll find that the time you spend with your kids or your spouse or doing whatever else you have to do in life will be so much better because you made your health a priority.

I hear over and over again; my kids are my priority! I completely, one hundred percent, unequivocally agree that they should be! And consider this...

If you don't take care of yourself... who's going to take care of your kids when you can no longer do so because of your health. You have to make the time. Period! You have got to make your health an absolute must. If you are the type of person who thinks its selfish to take time for yourself then don't think of it that way. Think of it as taking time to make yourself a better parent or spouse or lover for those other people in your life. If you fear not being there for them to give them what they need... it should be pretty easy to imagine what it would be like if you weren't around and I doubt you want that!

If you have found a way to get yourself to the gym or on the treadmill or out the door there's still one more thing we need to address.

Are you going through the motions or are you really working on improving?

When you first start out exercising, we take great care to make certain that at least for the first four weeks or so you don't push yourself too hard as your body gets used to its new demands. Where the problem comes in is most people never get out of that initial conditioning phase. In other words, they start going through the motions and as the same workload becomes easier they start to see diminishing returns and don't understand why.

As you're aerobic conditioning improves you have got to continue to challenge yourself. How much?

I'm glad you asked...

With runners, as we begin to increase mileage we use a rule of thumb of no more than 10% increase in mileage per week. If a runners long run is 4 miles one week, the next week we would increase it by 10% or basically a half mile and so their long run would then be 4.5 miles.

On a treadmill you should be using the same sort of principle for speed or time or both. If you are walking at 3.5 mph for 40 minutes, the next week I would suggest 45 minutes at the same speed of 3.5. The next week I would suggest 45 minutes at 3.9 mph (10% increase in speed). 

This is where can't and but come into play. It is going to be a little uncomfortable if you are pushing yourself. I expect my clients to experience mild discomfort when they are training. I'm referring to a low threshold soreness. I am not talking about sharp jabbing pain. You should be able to increase the speed on your treadmill by .1 or .2 or .3 mph in a week without extreme and sharp pains up to a certain speed. If you can not then we need to address your form because something in the way you're moving is causing a problem.

My point is... you will have some soreness, I would be lying if I told you otherwise. You never get more out than the effort you put in!

This is usually where I hear a whole bunch of I can'ts! I just can't go any longer or I just can't go any faster than 2.3mph...

And...

When you say you can't, guess what... you're absolutely right! As long as you tell yourself you can't, you will never ever as long as you live be able to. That applies to everything in life and you can absolutely take that to the bank!

When you stop saying I can't or but and start saying I can and I will things will start to change. When you start to push yourself to go farther or a little bit faster or maybe to jog a little or even run... that's when the magic will begin to really happen!

Every day will not be perfect! Guaranteed! And yet more of them will be pretty darn good. There will be times when you do everything right and get what is seemingly zero results. If you were here with me and we took you to the lab and did all of the latest testing and then trained together everyday, there would still be weeks where you didn't feel like you made any progress. Part of that is simply your body responding quickly to its new challenges and part of it is the fact that everything you do does not result in an immediate weight loss. You are improving your cardiovascular strength and endurance, you are building muscle. Never forget that your overall body composition is changing. You may not experience weight loss all of the time as you gain muscle and lose fat and yet I'll bet you clothes will fit better!

And now I'll get off my soapbox and just repeat.

Start saying I CAN and I WILL!

Now go get active!

More Than Just A Lifestyle Change

As I work with individuals looking to regain health or maybe go to a new level of fitness, the conversation often goes to "lifestyle changes".

I am a big believer in changing lifestyles for lifetime maintenance of health and vitality.  As Zig Ziglar says... "You wouldn't keep a million dollar race horse out all night, drinking and smoking!"  Its critical to long term success to look at life in a different way, find the things you enjoy because those are the things you'll do consistenly that will keep you healthy and quite frankly to place a higher value on your personal health annd well-being.  If you can manage to make these mental changes, you will have success in changing your life and setting up a life of great health.

However... all that being said, there comes a time when if you want to get results (make changes), you are going to have to put in some good old-fashioned supreme effort!  While it is true that once you reach your desired level of fitness and weight you can maintain it doing things you enjoy including anything from bike riding to walking to gardening and even housework, when it comes to getting to your desired goal you are going to have to put in some work... OK... a lot of work.

You don't drop 20,40,60,100 lbs or even more over the course of a year by simply going out and mowing the lawn every other week.

You may hate walking or jogging or running or riding an exercise bike or lifting weights, but if you want to drop the weight and get back into a state of excellent health... well quite frankly you can't avoid them.  And, although you may be able to maintain your health with  a 3 mile run three times a week at a leisurely pace, that's not going to cut the mustard while you are dropping the weight initially.

I'm sorry if I'm the first one to say this to you but... you didn't gain the extra weight overnight and totally by accident.  You didn't just wake up one morning and find you were overweight.  I did not simply go to  my closet one day and find that the only pants I had to wear that I could fit into were size 42!  And quite frankly, I did not just wake up yesterday and suddenly realize I could wear size 32 jeans.

On the contrary, over the last year I  have worked my butt off! (literally)  I have logged thousands of miles both walking and running.  I have done more crunches in the last year than I had done in the previous 45 years of my life.  I've donne more pushups and curls and presses in this last year than in any other year off my life including those years when I was bodybuilding in my late teens and early twenties.

I have weeks when I am in a constant state of soreness.  I have ignored pain that in the past would have had me avoiding workouts for days or even weeks.  And most importantly, this time around, I have done it all for me.

As I was out on a run today, I caught myself doing what most of us do at some point... comparing myself to the other runners I saw on the street.  I know I'm not the only person who does this.  For me it usually happens when I'm on a long run and someone goes whizzing past me.  Now quite honestly, I really don't need to compare myself to anyone else and quite frankly because I'm running  over 10 miles on most of my runs I can pretty easily explain why someone running a couple miles is moving faster than me, but still I can't help it.  The problem is, when I do this I either spped up which only throws me out of my rhythm or I just get distracted and end up slowing down.  Either way the result is not productive.

Today, when I found myself doing this comparison thing, I finally smacked myself and said; "This is not about anyone else!  This is only about you!"  It worked!  And it was true.  This last year of training has not been about impressing anyone else, its been about taking back my life and creating a lifestyle I enjoy and that I can maintain for the rest of my life.

If I have my way, I'll still be running when I'm 100 and loving the freedom it gives me.  I happen to love running.  Maybe you love tennis or walking or yardwork.  Whatever you enjoy that keeps you active, I hope you enjoy it well into your later years in life.  But if you are out of shape now, you are going to have do some work, some of it not  so enjoyable to get back into shape.

I think a lot of people get frustrated with a training routine because they don't enjoy it and quite truthfully, I don't blame them.  I'm not a big "gym" guy any more.  I really don't enjoy weight training and yet, I know that to regain the health of a lifetime, that is the short term price I'm going to have to pay.

I'm here to tell you that there will be pain.  There will be days when it hurts just to run a mile.  There will be days when you will feel like throwing up after a particularly tough strength training session.  You and I made our choices in life up to this point and now if we want to get back to health, we are going to have to put in the effort.

The upside...

One of the best parts of working out is the way you feel when you finish!

The way you will feel when you reach your goal weight or run your PR in a race or finish your first marathon or whatever else it is you're seeking, is absolutely incredible!

Your whole life WILL work better if you have great health and an active lifestyle, its a proven fact!

You will be extremely proud of yourself when you finish a workout that a few months ago you wouldn't even have considered doing!

When you finally throw away your "fat" clothes for the last time, knowing you'll never need them again, it will be one of the best days of your life to that point!

The day will come when you look forward to being active every day!

Here's a bonus thought from today's run.  If you are self conscious about working out in the gym because you think everyone is watching and judging you... forget it.  No one is evaluating you if you are overweight but are working out and trying to improve.  If any one is having thoughts about you at all it is generally thoughts of encouragement.

People do however notice you if you are overweight carrying the double bag of McD's or the two for one pizza deal!  That you should be self conscious about!

Its time to stop making excuses.  Get ready  for a little (who am I kidding.. a lot of) worthwhile soreness!  And look forward to the day when you can do whatever activity you want to maintain your new healthier you!

Why Virtual Coaching?

Finding a coach who understands what your needs are and how to meet them is not always the easiest of tasks.

Go to one of the mega-gyms and you may end up with a young kid who isn't really certified and doesn't understand the needs of a variety of individuals.  Oh sure, he or she may have gone through the gym's trainer program but that's not the same as a real certification where the trainer actually committed a fairly substantial amount of time and energy in studying their skill set.

Not only that but at most of the bigger gyms, the personal trainers get paid to sell you more sessions at $50 to $200 per, and to sell you other peripheral items like supplements and gear.  Someone focused on up selling you is likely not as focused on getting you real results.

Find a local personal trainer who is actually certified and you've got to be ready to spend a fair amount of money.  Honestly, if you've got the extra money, hiring a trainer or coach who can work with you on a regular basis is definitely a worth-while investment, in most cases.  Just make sure you don't take 10 session to find out you're not a match for this particular trainer's style.

Yes, personal trainers and coaches just like all other human beings, have their own way of doing things.  If you find a trainer that is knowledgeable and yet your personalities don't match you may find yourself being discouraged and in some cases you might even find yourself thinking about giving up on fitness and that is the last thing we want.

The other alternative and one which is just starting to gain traction, is virtual coaching.  With virtual coaching you don't have to be limited to the trainers or coaches strictly within your neighborhood.  In fact , you could literally work with a coach from Italy if you wanted to.  Its more about being able to find the right one.

That seems to be easier than the traditional method.  In spite of the fact that you lack the face to face evaluation you get from in-person training, you are likely to get better attention from your virtual coach.  It just takes more thought to design a training program and then motivate someone to do it when they're not right there in front of you.

How does it work?

There are varying degrees of virtual programs.  Some very basic programs are nothing more than telling a trainer your desires for your health and them sending you a training program to follow.

Some of the programs involve a training program designed for you and limited email access to you coach during the training period (say 3 mos.)

A program like mine begins a little differently.  Once you sign up with me, you receive an assessment to fill out.  This is designed to give me a good idea of who I am working with by providing information such as current level of physical activity,  potential health risks, current lifestyle, and your personal fitness goals as you see them at this point.

After the assessment is complete, you'll receive your initial training schedule based on everything you told me about what you like and don't like and what kind of schedule you have available for exercise.  From that point forward you'll receive daily emails regarding your training and have unlimited access to email the coach with questions regarding form or nutrition or anything else that comes up during your exercise.

Its kind of like having a daily conversation with a friend only with a serious focus on moving you towards your desired outcome!

Its affordable!

With no overhead so to speak, a virtual coach is really only charging for the program design and then the daily interaction via email or occasionally via the phone.  That's a huge advantage versus a "bricks and mortar" gym because it doesn't require a huge facility to get the job done.  Bottom-line: It usually doesn't cost as much.

I have seen some of the trainers who focus primarily on just designing a program charge $200 for a three month program design and no other trainer interaction.

In my case as it is a monthly investment in your future, I charge $29.99 per month plus an initial $25 for the start up assessment.  Since it is monthly you can drop out at any time or once you feel comfortable with your training although most people do not.  Worst case scenario, if you only stayed on board for the initial month, you'd have a completed assessment of your health and current fitness levels (something many of us never really do), you'd have a customized training program designed just for you and you would have benefited from a month of unlimited email access to your trainer.  All of that for less than one typical session with a trainer in a gym.

You can begin to see why a virtual coach might be a great alternative to an in person trainer.

Which ever way you choose to go take the time to find out what you can about the trainer.  Find out who they're certified with and what their life experience is with fitness.  Your trainers experiences can come in pretty handy down the road when you find yourself stuck in a training plateau or with an injury and you trainer has already been through it.

With a trainer, without, whichever way you choose just do!  You'll be glad you did, trust me I can say that from personal experience!

Should you run/walk?

Training for an ultra marathon brings in a whole new level of training.  I love running and its mostly that love and the pure joy I get from it that keeps me going on the long runs.

But my long runs aren't 10 miles any more.  They're substantially farther.

The more I study and learn about ultra-running the more I hear the topic of run/walk method.

For some runners, its a simple matter of run until you can't and then walk for a while until you can run again.  For others its a much more methodical approach where walk breaks are integrated into the run right from the start

While I'm much more familiar with the first approach (most of us have been there at some point), I'm more interested in the latter method.

There is lots of information out there about the run/walk method.  Perhaps Jeff Galloway's marathon training program is the best known.  After a fair amount of research, I've begun experimenting with my own version of the run/walk, beginning fairly early in the run and continuing all the way to the end and I have to say that I have noticed an improvement.

I am not a speed demon and yet I find my self constantly improving with time.  As a big, relatively slow runner, I am doing my short runs of 5 to 6 miles in the 8 to 9 minute per mile range.  Once I would get beyond 10 miles my times would drop into the 11:30 to 12 minute per mile pace.

Today, I did a 11.5 mile run using a simple run 20 minutes, walk 5 minutes method and my pace improved to 10:26 per mile overall.  That's a significant improvement especially considering the fact it was hot, I was out of fuel and I was out of water (never a good combination).

I'm going to keep experimenting and reporting the results because I believe there can be some significant benefits for everyone from the beginner to the experienced.

I definitely think the planned intervals of run/walk are much better than the run until you can't method and today's results certainly point in that direction.  The other concern I have with the unplanned walking is that if you really run until you can't before you walk, it is all together possible that you may not be able to start up a consistent run again.

We shall see!

Flexibility Training

One of the major components of optimal health and probably the most overlooked is flexibility.

Flexibility training or stretching as it is more commonly referred to, takes on several different forms.  For our purposes here we are going to focus on Static Stretching.  The most beneficial form of stretching to increase elasticity in the muscles, tendons and ligaments is static stretching. 

This form of stretching involves slowly moving to a specific position and holding the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.

Static stretching is best performed after a workout when the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments) are properly warmed up and are less susceptible to damage or tearing.  There are dozens of static stretches and variations on each one and yet I'm the" keep it simple guy" so here are a few that hit most of the major muscle groups involved with walking or jogging or running. 

Remember it doesn't have to be complicated to be effective!

1. Calve Stretch

Begin by standing about two shoe lengths away from a chair or wall and leaning your body forward.  Move your pelvis toward the chair or wall while keeping your knee on the back leg locked.  Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds and then repeat for the other leg.

2. Achilles Tendon Stretch

Notice that the position is very similar to that for the calve stretch.  The exception is that we allow the knee of the back leg to bend forward.  You will distinctly feel a difference in where the leg is being stretched with the tension moving from the upper part of the lower leg to the lower half of the lower leg (from your heel up to just below your calve muscles).

Often when running or walking we experience pain on the front part of our lower legs.  These pains are commonly clumped under the name "Shin Splints" as they surround the shin area of our legs.

The most common caused of "Shin Splints" is actually tightness in our calves and Achilles tendon. Bottom line... loose lower legs = less pain!

3. Hip Flexor Stretch

One of the areas which most often becomes sore or tender as a result of beginning a new exercise program is the hips.  Specifically the muscles known commonly as the hip flexors.  Positioned at approximately the point where your pelvis and upper leg come together they are activated every time you raise your leg to take a step.

Put one foot on top of something that is hip height and move your pelvis toward the heel that is raised.  Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.  The hip flexor that is being stretched is the one at the top of the leg on the ground.  You will likely feel some tension at the top of that leg right at the hip.  Keep your upper body and trunk as vertical as possible.  Switch legs and repeat.

4. Hamstring Stretch

Put the toes of your front leg against the back of a chair or against the wall.  Lean forward toward the chair or wall keeping your front knee locked.  Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.  Switch legs and repeat.  This will help loosen the large muscle on the back of your leg which is responsible for pulling your leg through each stride.

5. Quadriceps Stretch

With one foot on the ground, hold the ankle of the opposite foot and pull up on your heel.  Make sure to keep your knees close together and pull your heel as close as possible to your buns.  Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds.  Switch legs and repeat.  At first it may be very difficult to get your heel to your butt.  Give it time and the flexibility will increase.  

You are stretching the largest muscle group associated with walking or running with this exercise and so it is natural for it to be stiff in the beginning.

6. Adductor Stretch

Sit on the floor with your legs spread as far apart as possible and your knees straight.  Keeping your back as straight as possible from the waist up, bend forward to the center and hold for 15 to 30 seconds.  Then bend toward one leg and hold and then the other.

You are stretching your inner thigh muscles which are crucial for stability as you walk or run.

7. Latissimus Dorsi (Lat) Stretch

Stand upright, with your feet just over hip width apart.  With one arm reach up over your head and then grab the wrist of that arm with the other hand.  Pull downward on the overhead arm and hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

This is stretching the large muscle group in your back below the shoulder blades as well as your shoulder muscles.

I recommend repeating each of the stretches twice.

Many folks undertaking a regular walking or running program for the first time in years may experience a lot of minor aches and pains as they exercise.  Much of this soreness or pain is the direct result of muscles which are very tight.

Flexibility training offers a way to minimize many of those initial symptoms of inactivity.  It also offers many additional benefits including; increased blood flow to the soft tissues which results in greater availability of oxygen, and a greater capacity to deliver nutrients to the joints and surrounding tissues as well as to remove toxins and waste products generated by the body through energy production.

Of the three main components of optimal health; cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and flexibility.  It is very possible that flexibility ranks number 1 or at least a close second as the most essential for creating a lifetime of optimal health.

Open up almost any Internet browser and somewhere amongst the sea of information you'll find an ad that uses the term "Easy".

Why?

Well, quite honestly in this ever busier world that we live in people want the quickest and easiest solution to whatever their problem is. And quite frankly, marketers know this. They know that when they use that magical little word, they're going to get your attention.

I mean, think about it... if you were going to write an ad for a new abdominal workout video would you say:

Easy Abs!

or

Fairly Simple abs!

Most of us if we're honest want "Easy"! The unfortunate truth is - anything that is worth having requires some effort, in other words, its not easy.

The Good News is, although it may require some effort on your part being and living a healthy life is relatively simple. An example would be Weight Watchers. The program is simple by nature and although it may require you to make changes in your life that are not easy, its not complicated and hard to understand.

I've done a lot of research on why it is that most people either never get involved in fitness activities or don't stick to them. I'm the guy who if told most people don't stick to a program because its too hard, asks the question; What's too hard about it? I want to know what specifically is it that's keeping you from doing what you know is good for you?

The answers to those questions may surprise you as they did me at first. What I have found is that its not really the actual effort involved in the exercise that discourages people, its that they don't know how. A good steady training program is not going to be so difficult that you can't physically or mentally handle it, but that's not normally the problem is it.

You may have been in this situation. You decide to do something about your health. Everywhere you turn you see ads for "Easy" this or "Easy" that and maybe you even invested in some of those programs. When they arrived in the mail and you tried them out they were so complicated and hard to understand that after one or maybe two sessions you just gave up.

Let's be honest here; How many of us have an "Ab Roller" stuffed under our bed or jammed in the back of a closet somewhere?

Or...

Maybe you thought about joining a gym but just the thought of all of that unfamiliar equipment left you defeated without even trying. Maybe you joined a gym and the 19 year old trainer who obviously got hired for looks not brains, and who thinks that everyone can be motivated with a simple "Come On, You Can Do", got you so confused with exercises you'll never be able to remember that you said; "To heck with it" and never went back!

So here's the truth about being active...

1. It is not always easy! There are days for me when the last thing I want to do is go for a run or do strength training or quite frankly, anything that resembles activity. We all experience that feeling from time to time. And still I say; "The only bad run, is the one that never begins!"

2. You more than likely will experience some soreness when you first start to get active. I experience soreness on a regular basis as I continue to push myself farther and farther with my training.

3. Soreness and Pain are not the same thing! A little soreness is your body's way of saying it is in the process of rebuilding itself. Pain is your body's way of saying: "Hey dummy, something's wrong here!" A little soreness can simply mean you need to back off or take a rest and recovery day. Pain means you should get it checked out because something may very well be wrong.

4. Being active is simple. It doesn't require that you have a degree or certification in exercise physiology to get started. Yes, just like anything else, there are lots of new things to learn about the more involved in fitness you become, but you don't need to know them to go for a walk.

5. Being active can and should be enjoyable. A walk is refreshing, rejuvenating, invigorating and a great way to clear your mind. Walking with family and/or friends can be a great way to reconnect.

The more I get involved in "Virtual Coaching", the more I realize that simple is best. If the people I work with in person or online want "Easy" they got the wrong guy. If they want simple to follow instruction that slowly builds as they become progressively more fit and healthy, with an understanding that one-size does not fit all, then I'm their guy!

As the virtual coaching site launches over the next few days, that's what you can expect. Simple, fun and effective.

Remember that being active is a lifestyle choice, something you can enjoy for years to come. It's not always easy, but it really is simple!

How Totally Cool!

This Saturday morning I will have the opportunity to meet for the first time a group of individuals who are taking action to change their lives for the better. I have to say I am excited!

Who are these individuals? They are members of local Weight Watchers groups who are taking part in the Momentum Walk-It Challenge sponsored by Weight Watchers. They are people from all walks of life who already know the value of making a lifestyle change through their association with Weight Watchers and now their kicking it up a notch by training to complete a 5k.

I am fortunate enough to be involved as a Team Trainer for this program and I am already in awe of these folks and our training hasn't even begun! It is my responsibility to provide motivation, inspiration, tips, techniques and advice on how to achieve this goal.

I have a strong feeling that I will be receiving far more motivation and inspiration than I am giving. Just a hunch!

I'll try to keep you up to date on our progress and of course I'll give you an update when we've done the race June 21st.

I can't wait for Saturday morning!

Stretch before or after?

While there is no disagreement that you should stretch, there are still two schools of thought on when. Is it best to stretch before or after your run or walk?

The advice from this trainer? If you already have a routine of stretching that works for you... don't change it! If aren't currently in the habit of stretching I recommend doing it immediately after your workout session.

Doing flexibility training after you regular workout can reduce the risk of damaging muscles that is associated with stretching cold muscles before a workout.

That being said, its important to warm up your muscles before doing your training and a slow five to ten minute walk will allow you to get the blood flowing and reduce the risk of injury.

So why stretch at all?

Flexibility training (stretching) gives you a couple of benefits. First, it allows for a greater range of motion about a joint. A greater range of motion means less chance of injury to the joint. When the connecting muscles, tendons and ligaments are too tight, the joint is not free to move in its optimal motion and thus often causes grinding of bone on bone as the joint is pulled out or causes tearing of the tissues surrounding the joint.

The second benefit of stretching is the increased blood-flow to the exercising tissues. Any aerobic exercise requires great amounts of oxygen. The better your body is at delivering blood to your muscles and the connective tissues around your joints, the more oxygen is capable of being delivered and the more efficient the body becomes at utilizing its available energy stores which require oxygen to burn.

All of that put together simply means... stretch! If you're set in your ways and stretching before you run, keep it up. If you haven't been stretching, get a good warm up beforehand and stretch afterwards.

Stretch! You'll be glad you did.

Uh... Duh!

Everywhere you turn these days there is another article about overweight and obesity rates in the United States and in fact now globally as it seems the world has taken on our not so great eating habits.

This is fast becoming a global epidemic. There is no question that cardiovascular diseases kill more people each year in the US than all other diseases combined and while overweight and obesity are not the only causes, they are major contributing factors.

So... when do we finally get it?

When do we stop analyzing the data and start taking action?

I love digg.com. Its a great place to find info on just about anything. Type in "obesity" and three of the top four stories are as follows:

#1 - "Parents Blamed for Childhood Obesity"

#2 - "Desk jobs making more people obese,study finds."

#4 - "Kids Who Lack Self-Control Prone To Obesity Later"

Uh... Duh!!!

I'm not attacking the authors. The articles are all very good and they report valid current issues which are analyzed by studies. But just look at the titles alone without reading any further.

"Parents blamed for childhood obesity." Ya think? Who else is responsible? Aren't they the adults? Aren't they the role models?

"Desk jobs making more people obese, study finds." Really? Who would have ever thought that? Would you have ever guessed that sitting on your butt all day long might have something to do with why its getting so big?

And the last article, just kind of goes without saying.

If you're a parent, let me ask you a question: Where do your young children learn their beliefs, values, habits etc.?

Do we really need another study to tell us that what you do affects what your children do? If you eat junk... your kids eat junk. If you sit on the couch and watch countless hours of mind-numbing television... so do your kids.

If you think a good workout is running to the fridge during the commercial break...

I hope you get the point.

I would love to believe that the day will come when we will all appreciate the value of an active and healthy lifestyle and yet I'm not holding my breath. So, if you won't do it for yourself, how about doing it for your kids?

Everybody says they don't have enough time and still they manage to get in 4 or 5 hours of TV time after work.

I'm not asking you to give up all of your television entertainment but how about a little?

Why not:

Spend a half hour preparing a healthy meal instead of fast food? Healthy doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, I can make a great healthy meal for as little as $2 or $3 per person. You can't eat at the golden arches for that!

After your healthy dinner and before you sit down to veg in front of the tube, take the family out for a 30 minute walk. Did you know that 30 minutes 5 days a week can result in a weight loss of 13 pounds over the course of a year without changing your diet?

Like it or not, good or bad, your kids are learning the habits they'll carry into adulthood from you right now. What do you want them to learn?

Isn't it time once and for all that we finally start to do something instead of just talking about it or writing about it?

We have a choice. Five years from now we can be reading headlines that say: "New study shows more families making healthy choices in the kitchen." or "Obesity rates finally decline as more parents take active role in modeling good habits"

Or

We can have more headlines like the ones I mentioned earlier that just kind of make us all go;

Uh... Duh!!!

The More You Run...

I have to admit, I've been puttering around with runs of 3,4 or 5 miles lately. Just enough to get the blood flowing and yet not real solid training for me.

Today however, I had to go to Culver City (5 miles one way) and so I decided to strap on the backpack and run!

It's a few hours later and I am still flying high! Mentally, emotionally and physically, I'm on a cloud 9 ride.

Sometimes as a runner we get caught up in everything else and forget just why we run in the first place. Yes, there are obvious health benefits and that is something I can truly appreciate (heart attack May '08). At the same time its so much more than just that.

Running relieves stress, increases your metabolism, helps your body create endorphins (I like to call them the "happy" chemicals) which in turn stimulates overall good feelings. I find myself much more powerful, enthusiastic, outrageous (in a good way) and empowering when I am running longer distances regularly.

If you are a new runner just getting started, I know that it can seem a daunting task to consider even running three miles and yet maybe that's just because the "carrot" you're after isn't compelling enough.

At some point in our lives we have got to commit to something even if at first it seems like we're climbing a mountain. We all start somewhere. I remember, five days after my heart attack I was chomping at the bit to get out and go for a run. I had a mission and I was going to achieve it no matter what!

That first run was a whopping 1.57 miles and took almost 30 minutes to complete and yet I did it! Having run marathons, it would have been easy to get discouraged. I mean here I was celebrating completing 1/20th of a marathon like I'd just done the whole thing!

It took weeks and even months to get my distance up over 10 miles again and yet through perseverance, I made it. But it was more than just commitment that kept me going. After every run, the feeling of health and vitality and the bump in endorphins had me looking forward to the next run.

And then there was that other "Carrot". On January 11th of 2009, I retraced the route I was on when I had my heart attack and "Conquered My Demons!"

It was the longest single run I had done since March of 2008's LA Marathon. And it sent me soaring!

I guess what I'm saying with all of this is running (or walking) gives us so much more than just the perceived health benefits. That's not down playing the cardiovascular and weight management benefits. If those alone aren't getting you through the tough walks or runs then find a better carrot because they will take you to places you've never experienced before.

The pure joy that comes from running is inspiring, contagious, empowering and incomparable in its power!

What ever level of walking or running you're at, I encourage you to get out there and be consistent. Put in the extra effort when you feel like giving up or backing off. The rewards will be worth it!

A New "Sub-blog"

We run, bike, swim, walk, lift weights and all other forms of exercise and yet...

We treat our bodies like they're a $200 beater car ready for the junk-yard!

What did you eat today? Do you even know? How many carbs, fats and protein? How often did you eat today? Once? Twice? Three times? Four? Five?

Why do we have more excuses for not eating right than for just about anything else in our lives?


Get the info you need to get it right on my new page

Welcome to Big Bad Runners

When I first started writing this blog, I think my outlook on running was in a little different place than it is today.

I was tired of lining up for a race and being twice as big as most of the runners who were expecting to be competitive in that particular event. I was tired of lining up at the back because I wasn't an elite runner and feeling in someway that I didn't even belong there.

Let me just say... it was all in my head. Oh sure, there are runners who would take a look at me today and figure there is no way I'm running this race! It just that those people are the "few and far between", not the norm.

Generally, the running community is incredibly warm, friendly and supportive to runners of all shapes and sizes. Go to a group of runners and ask a question about a running problem you're having and most of the time they will share openly and genuinely try to help.

I've spent a fair amount of time in discussion rooms on sites like Active.com (a great resource) reading the concerns, questions and general thoughts of new runners or folks trying to get back into running after long lay-offs from activity.

The underlying theme of most of the posts is that people are just looking for advice and sometimes good old-fashioned encouragement.

With that in mind, this blog has become a place for just that. I try to keep it entertaining and yet mostly, I hope that it truly is informative and encouraging.

If you are someone looking to get into running or walking, whether it be for the first time ever or the first time in many years, this blog is here to empower you to take those first steps and to learn how to make health and fitness a lifestyle not just an occasional distraction.

Any and all honest and sincere feedback is always welcome.

If you have questions or write on the discussion board, I will try to tailor the blogs to the topics of interest.

Don't get me wrong... I still enjoy lining up at the back of the pack in races and seeing the looks on peoples' faces when the big guy passes them, its just not the overall theme of this blog! :-)

Thanks for checking out this blog!

I Remember When... Use It or Lose It!

If you're just getting started in a fitness routine, you probably have a memory in your mind of a time when you were fit and active. Maybe it was high school or college and as you remember it, you were the Energizer Bunny.

Today however... five, ten, fifteen or maybe more years later you are kind of wondering whatever happened to all of that health and energy.

Where did the flexibility go and when did a 5 pound weight get so heavy and who on earth moved the mailbox so far from the front door that you have to stop half way there to catch your breath?

Fear not, you are not alone. Many have gone before you! Even some of those folks you think are fitness buffs have had their moments. Anyone who has had an on again, off again relationship with fitness has experienced this incredible disappearing act of their athletic prowess.

Welcome to atrophy! The actual definition... a decrease in cross-sectional size of a muscle resulting from inactivity or immobilization. It affects not just your limbs but your cardiovascular system as well. We see it most commonly in someone who has had an injury where they are immobilized for a period of time. In those cases atrophy can begin to set in as quickly as two to three days.

In our case, where we have been sedentary, it is a slower and more gradual process and yet over time the effects are the same.

Now that I've depressed you, the good news is that it can be reversed and does so at a much quicker rate than it occured.

Muscular strength can be maintained with as little as two moderate weight training sessions per week and cardiovascular fitness can be improved depending on your current level of fitness with as little as 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking,jogging,cycling, etc) two to three times per week.

Research has shown that cardiovascular fitness in folks who have been inactive will improve with an effort in the range of 45-55% of Maximum Heart Rate, and that... is a slow walk!

Remember when, because it will give you something to aspire to! Actually... forget that because we can never go back. Create a new picture of the you that's in your future and go for it!

All you have to do is use it!

Sometimes a lousy run...

Ever have one of those runs?

You know the one where maybe you didn't feel like it or maybe you got going and just felt like garbage?

Maybe after only a mile or even less, you found yourself with an urge to walk or even turn around and just head back home?

I just had one of those runs. About half way through, I just wasn't feeling it and I started to walk. At first I was frustrated by my inability to motivate my performance and then I began to think about how I would feel when I finished. Knowing full well that even if I just walked the rest of the way, I had gone out and trained.

I thought about how great I always feel after I get done training. It hit me that even if this wasn't the most stellar performance of my life, it was still movement and that is key.

I am a student of human behavior and I have learned most of the ways to get the most out of yourself and surely if I'd dug deep enough I could have found a way to keep myself running instead of slowing to a walk and yet sometimes that's not the point at all.

Sometimes it is just moving. If you exercise; walk, jog, run, weight train, yoga, Pilate's, whatever it is you do; you are doing something for your health that not a huge percentage of Americans do at least not on a regular basis. To have great health doesn't require huge blocks of training, it requires consistency. It requires movement!

It doesn't always have to require great effort in order for it to be a great workout.

Just a thought!

Easy As 1-2-3!

Imagine you're watching one of those TV infomercials. You know the ones. They talk about how you can have anything you want. The perfect body, the perfect life, the dream relationship.

And it's all as easy as 1-2-3!

Let's be frank here. It doesn't work that way!

If you're like most of us, you have probably even tried some of those things and now you have a collection of DVDs and strange contraptions piling up under your bed or in a closet out of sight.

I am a positive person but, the truth is anything worth having in life takes some effort. Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably looking to sell you something!

I mean think about it... "5 minute abs", "3 steps to financial freedom", "start earning huge $$ in 24 hours", "get fit in 10 minutes a day". These aren't actual product names, so if you offer these things don't get offended.

However, if we look at all of these things I listed above, they do actually carry a redeeming quality that is hidden behind the misleading headline.

"5 minutes abs" is designed to reel you in and take action. Gosh, you mean I can have abs in just 5 minutes of my time? Well, not exactly but, if you think about it; anything that gets you moving instead of sitting on the couch watching infomercials is going to have some impact on your health. And... the reality is no one is going to actually spend only 5 minutes doing exercises once they get started.

Therein lies the redeeming quality.

No matter where you are in life. No matter how high or how low, if you want to change your life you have got to get your self to do something.

Think about it. If you're at point "A" and you want to get to point "B", what's the best way to get there? Isn't to start moving in that direction? Isn't it to get off your butt and take action?

It's great to have all kinds of ideas and plans in life, but they are absolutely worthless without action! Without taking action all you have is a great list of dreams. Your first steps don't have to be fancy or earth-shattering but, they do have to be forward and in the direction you want to go.

We all get caught up in the idea that if the first step we take isn't perfect and doesn't get us instantaneous results then it's either the wrong one or just not worth it. Nothing could be further from the truth!

If you're struggling in life right now, simply completing one simple step can be one of the most rewarding and empowering experiences you'll ever have. There is power in knowing that in spite of it all, you are taking control of your life to make a positive change! Believe me I know. Even if you take one step forward and end up sliding three steps back, when you took the first step, you were now finally facing in the right direction!

If you can see where it is you want to go at least you have one thing most people don't: a clear vision of what you want. And that, my friend will give you tremendous power. There is incredible strength in knowing no matter how difficult the journey may be, you have begun!

There will be setbacks along the road. That you can count on, but the power you gain from taking action will help you get through those times and keep you focused on the outcome.

I've been on the bench of life, not taking action and it doesn't feel real good. I've let one day turn into ten years and it happens so fast it seems like all you did was blink. I am happy to say that I am now moving in the direction I want to go and it is incredible! Every day is not perfect and there have already been setbacks and disappointments and still, I am moving forward.

As easy as 1-2-3?

Not a chance!

Worth it?

Absolutely!

See you along the road moving forward!