So I want a pair. My running shoes are huge, heavy, and stiff and make running difficult for me. I really want to go to the Color Run in SF on March 2 so I’d like to start running to prep for it.
But looking at the Nike website there are so many different kinds. I definitely want Frees because I’d rather have a more barefoot kind of run. I need arch support because I have super high arches, but other than that I don’t have any foot issues. I also have inserts for that anyways.
Any recommendations? What’re your favorite type of Nikes?
Anyone else have this problem? I haven’t hit my arm or leg on anything but I have two big bruises on them and I didn’t even work them yesterday. This always happens to me after weight lifting for some reason…
Do any of you know where I can get yoga leggings? I love the ones Cassey from Blogilates sells (they’re exactly what I want) but I’m not a fan of having “Blogilates” on my butt (sorry Cassey, I love you, but I don’t buy Pink for a reason too). This is what they look like:
I love that they’re a long legging with a foldover. I have searched everywhere and I can’t find one like this.
Suggestions?
When people want to tighten their midsection, they typically hit the floor to do endless crunches. What they don’t know is that unless you are already fairly trim, crunches may be a waste of time. It is a common misconception that the burn you get in your midsection from doing crunches would help reduce belly fat and create a flat tummy. Many of the most respected fitness organizations in the country, such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), have confirmed that this method of what is called “spot reduction” is a myth: specific fat deposits cannot be targeted with specific exercises. So what does work?
If you desire not only a strong core, but also a firm-looking tummy, you must first reduce the fat on top of the muscle. Sadly, crunches do not use enough energy to accomplish this goal. I believe that exercise alone is not enough to accomplish this goal. In order to reduce the belly fat that is keeping your abdominals hidden, you must take Dr. Oz’s advice and cut out the refined sugar.
By reducing your refined sugar consumption, you allow levels of the fat-storing hormone insulin to drop and levels of your fat-unlocking hormone glucagon to rise. This essential strategy for reducing fat around the abdomen not only reduces your risk for some of our most fatal illnesses, but also ensures that your ab exercises aren’t going to waste underneath a blanket of belly fat.
Once your tummy-toning strategy includes a nutritional component that restricts or eliminates refined sugar, you can move on to the strengthening aspects that will result in better overall tone and firmness. Time for endless crunches, right? Wrong. As I mentioned earlier, crunches don’t really use that much energy. The key is strengthening the legs and butt, because this is where your body has its largest muscles and its biggest powerhouses. For this reason, I always recommend my clients do a lower body exercise in conjunction with an ab exercise. This ensures that your workouts are simultaneously strengthening the core muscles while also diminishing the layer of fat that hides those same muscles.
If you truly want the most accelerated fitness results, there is a third and final piece to this puzzle: cardio. But hold on just a minute, I’m not talking about the same old cardio that would have you chained to a treadmill or elliptical for an hour or more. When you time your cardio precisely, you really only need about 20 minutes a day to get slim more quickly. As confirmed by a recent article in The New York Times, the best time to do cardio is in the morning before eating breakfast. The best part is that it doesn’t even need to be intense cardio; a brisk walk around the neighborhood or even marching in place will do the trick. Exercising in the morning before breakfast primes the body to pull energy from stored body fat as opposed to a meal you’ve recently eaten. My only cautionary recommendation regarding this highly effective method is to not splurge at breakfast to “treat” yourself for your work, as this is the most common way that the benefits of exercise are erased.
Combining these 3 methods, either in the same workout or throughout your week, is the simplest and most time efficient way to ensure that as the weather gets warmer, your waist gets smaller. Before your next round of abdominal exercises, make sure you also have a strategy for strengthening your lower body as well as reducing your body fat.
everyone needs to see this :p
Cucumber
Get Killer Abs
(via activeangela)
Asparagus
Walnuts
(Walnuts are the best nut a person can eat… and I’m allergic to them… What luck!)
- Oatmeal: Your morning snack attack is caused by a dip in blood sugar levels. Fiber-rich oatmeal stays in your stomach for hours, staving off a doughnut run.
Watch out: Steer clear of the sugary flavored varieties. Choose the plain stuff, and sweeten it with berries.
- Almonds and Other Nuts: They slim your tummy by keeping it full. A Purdue University study showed that people who ate nuts felt full longer than those who ate rice cakes. Stick to 24 almonds a day to satisfy your hunger pangs without overloading on calories.
Watch out: Skip salted nuts; too much sodium raises blood pressure.
- Protein Powder: Protein powder contains amino acids that burn fat and build muscle. Add two teaspoons to a smoothie for a fat-busting drink. Find it at health food stores.
Watch out: Make that smoothie with fruit, yogurt, and low-fat milk — adding protein powder to a chocolate shake doesn’t make it health food (we wish). - Olive Oil: Everyone needs a little fat — it controls hunger. Go for monounsaturated fats like olive or canola oil. They will help keep your cholesterol under control and satisfy cravings.
Watch out: Steer clear of hydrogenated vegetable oils; they’re loaded with unhealthy trans fat. - Berries: Berries stuff a lot of filling fiber into a tiny package: Just one cup of raspberries has six grams.
Watch out: Jelly is the junk food of the fruit world. It has almost no fiber and contains added sugar. - Eggs: Eggs contain vitamin B12, which your body needs to metabolize fat. In fact, researchers at Louisiana State University found that people who ate eggs for breakfast every day lost more weight than those who ate bagels.
Watch out: Talk to your doc first if your cholesterol is high. - Beans and Legumes: Beans are low-cal and packed with protein and fiber, which help you tone up and lose weight. Make a bean-heavy dish, such as burritos, instead of meat once a week. You’ll cut a lot of saturated fat and replace it with fiber.
Watch out: Refried beans are high in saturated fat. Choose plain black, pinto, or other varieties instead. - Lean Meats and Fish: Your body burns more calories digesting protein than carbs or fat. Want the leanest meat out there? Opt for turkey, but to cut down even more on saturated fat, choose fish. Go for tuna and salmon; they are full of omega-3s, which help prevent stress chemicals that promote fat abs.
Watch out: Cured meats and sausage have a lot of saturated fat. - Whole Grains: The right kinds of carbs are actually good for you. Choose whole grains — their fiber keeps you from getting hungry.
Watch out: Sometimes bread labeled “wheat” has been stripped of all of its fiber and nutrients. Look for “whole grain” or “100 percent whole wheat.” - Peanut Butter: Who would have guessed that a kid-friendly food could be waist-friendly, too? PB is packed with niacin, which keeps the digestive system on track and prevents belly bloat. Just keep an eye on portion size: Peanut butter does have a lot of fat, so limit yourself to no more than two tablespoons a day.
Watch out: Pick all-natural PB, which doesn’t contain added sugar. - Green Veggies: If their vitamins and minerals don’t persuade you, maybe their waist-whittling powers will do the trick. Veggies like spinach and broccoli are loaded with fiber and very few calories. Have a salad before a meal and you’ll be satisfied with smaller portions later.
Watch out: Iceberg lettuce has almost no fiber. Fill your bowl with romaine, arugula, or spinach instead. - Dairy: There’s a reason the woman in the yogurt commercial fits into her bikini: Calcium helps break down fat and may even prevent it from forming!
Watch out: Always pick low-fat or fat-free dairy over the full-fat versions. - Avocados: In addition to containing lots of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, avocados are a terrific source of filling fiber (11 to 17 grams per avocado!), making them a great food for staving off hunger, says Bowden.
- Tea: According to Swiss researchers, tea-drinking subjects burn a whopping 266 more calories per day than those who abstain.
For consummate calorie-torching, skip bottled teas — processing has depleted them of slimming nutrients. Instead, steep a tea bag in one cup of hot water for two minutes, then cool with ice cubes. Enjoy four cups daily. - Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese: This low-cal, calcium-rich treat activates the body’s fat-burning hormones, say University of Wisconsin researchers. “Plus, because of its high protein content — it contains more than any other dairy product — you’ll stay full longer,” notes Dr. La Puma.
His slimming Rx: “Grate one ounce on soups or salads daily.”
(source)
Green Tea
My biggest problem is woofing down my food without even tasting it. I can be done with a bowl of pasta in two minutes flat and be ready for seconds. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good thing when dieting. The faster you eat, the more you’ll want to eat.
I’ve learned to pace myself by taking smaller bites, chewing more, and have a gulp of water between bites. But then there’s that problem of eating out of boredom…
A good solution for eating too quickly/out of habit is to eat foods that take you longer to eat.
For me, the perfect food is String Cheese. Target Brand has some that are light, so they’re only 60 calories. The perfect caloric amount for a small snack. As long as you make sure you’re actually peeling the cheese, and not eating it in bites, it should take at least five minutes to eat it. For me it takes anywhere from 15-20 minutes because I’m so focused on peeling the cheese in even amounts!
Another good way to make you eat slower is to cut foods up smaller. Get an apple and cut it into small cubes rather than slices. Have a sip of water between each little cube.
Oranges are another great slow food. Instead of cutting it in slices, take you time peeling it. I don’t know about you, but I hate the taste of the white stuff on oranges. So I spend foreeeever picking off every bit of the white before eating my little orange section. Oranges, when peeled, not sliced, take me about 15 minutes to eat.
Popcorn is a great, low calorie snack. If you make yourself eat one kernel at a time (rather than a handful) and take a drink of water between every few kernels, then you’ll be full in no time!
So, with this I hope it gave you some ideas on how to take snacks and pace out your eating more. It will help you cope with boredom eating and you’ll be able to wait longer between meals!
Good luck!
Plums
A big question that gets asked is, “Will _____ burn calories?” More than likely the answer is yes. Breathing burns calories, people!
So here are a list of not typical exercises that are fun and will still burn calories:
- Wii Fit
- Just Dance (the video game)
- Hula Hooping
- Jump Rope
- Walking at the mall
- Playing a friendly game of soccer or basketball with friends
- Swimming (excellent exercise and fun during the summer!)
- Playing with your dog
- Walking up and down the stairs
- Ice Skating
- Hop Scotch
- Lasertag
- Paintball
- Ping Pong
- Trampoline
- Bowling
Anything that gets your off your butt and gets you moving will burn calories! The more time you spend moving and the less time you spend sitting will really help with your weight loss journey!
