Preparing for a 5K Race

If walking has been your number-one workout, this 8-week program will take you to the next level.

By Gabrielle Studenmund

Training

More and more amateurs (like you and me) are toeing up to the starting line all over the country. Here’s a quick prep course from Mindy Solkin, running coach and owner of The Running Center in New York City on getting ready to run or walk a 5K race.

Pick your event and start training 2 to 3 months before race day.
Scout out a place to walk or run. A local park, track, or path near your home is perfect. Just make sure it’s safe (choose a place that’s well lit) and convenient.

Get the right shoes: Shop for your running shoes at a specialty store where a knowledgeable salesperson can help determine what style is best for your stride.

If you’re planning to run, adopt this training program: Start with a simple run-walk program. Go out every other day for a total of 15 minutes, alternating three minutes of walking with one minute of running. As you gain endurance (by about the third week), switch to equal amounts of running and walking. By week five or six, try running more than walking (alternate three-minute runs with one-minute walks). Slowly build on your 15-minute routine by gradually adding minutes to your total exercise time. By a week before the race, you should be up to 30 minutes.

If you’re planning to walk, start with 20 minutes three days a week. Each week, add 10 minutes to one of your walks until you build up to a 60-minute walk.

What to wear: If the temperature is above 40 to 50 degrees, shorts and a T-shirt are your best bet. If it’s below 50 degrees, bring gloves. If it’s below 40 degrees, wear running tights and long sleeves. Pick breathable fabrics that wick sweat away from your skin. Avoid cotton because it gets wet and stays wet.

Race Day

Gearing up on race day: Your clothes and shoes shouldn’t be brand spanking new on the day of the event. Be sure to give them a whirl before heading to the starting line. This will help you avoid painful blisters.

Stay hydrated: Get water at each station. As you approach the station, slow down to a walk so you can get enough fluids. Also, don’t forget to up your fluid intake in the days preceding the race so you’re fully hydrated come race day.
Line up: For your first race, head to the middle or back of the pack to avoid getting trampled by the speedsters at the start. Take in the race atmosphere — and get excited. Before you know it, the finish line will be in sight.

Ladies Home Journal Jan. 2010

Back In The Saddle Again

After 2 exhilarating and exhausting weeks in Egypt, we (Alan, Kim, Gretchen and myself) decided to take one more week off from our exercise regimen, because we were all so jet-lagged, still fighting a bit of what Alan called “Nile-rhea”, plus they all had to go to job fairs in Bangkok.  So once everyone was back in town (last week) we started slowly to get psyched back up for our workouts.  I was out sick on Thursday last week due to a miserable headache, and one day Alan had to go to the European school, so we only got 2 days in.  The plan is to do cardio intervals on Monday and Thursday, and do core exercises and weight training every day Monday through Thursday. 

Alan, Gretchen, Kim at the Great Pyramid

This week, I’ve worked out all four days, although it’s been tough!  One problem has been a persistent stabbing pain on the right side of my spine about midway between my waist and hip.  I have no idea what I’ve done to hurt myself, but it’s really slowing me down, so I ordered some videos that may help, but they probably won’t get here for weeks and weeks.

I seem to have become rather accident-prone lately, so a new goal for me is to become more fit so that I stop hurting myself!  The very first morning we were in Egypt, we were crossing a major highway to get to their equivalent of a “7-11″ store, and I didn’t realize the curbs were excessively high, and tried to jump over the curb onto the median, which resulted in me tripping and taking a high-speed nose-dive into the ground, which was unfortunately not soft and grassy, but rather gritty and rocky. 

I toughed it out, but once we got into the store, I bought wet wipes to clean myself up.  I had a huge gash across my left shin, and my right palm was bleeding from open wounds, and full of small bits of gravel.  Yuck.  Gretchen had neosporin and bandaids, so I was able to use them plus good old soap and water to really clean up the mess once we got back to our hotel.  I also had bruises across my knees and my legs, one about 6″ across.  Alan and Kim seemed to think I would probably have been hurt much worse if I had not been doing all this strength-training.

Later during our trip, we were on a “first class” overnight train, and somehow the hinge between the two seats cut my elbow open.  So I had a scabby elbow for two weeks after that, but truly, I was just thankful I didn’t get lockjaw or hoof and mouth disease or something, because that train was so unbelievably filthy.

Then earlier this week, I was reading some paperwork as I turned away from the copy machine, and I walked right into an open cabinet door.  The bottom of the door conked me very hard right in the forehead.  OUCH.  I seriously saw stars, and thought I was going to pass out.  I can’t believe that I literally walked into a door!!!  So yeah, I need to become less accident-prone. 

I’ve been getting some very kind feedback from my friends about how they can see the results of all my hard work, but I still can’t see it.  Plus I gained 2 pounds over the holidays. All the more reason that I need to step up the pace, and whatever happens, I WON’T GIVE UP.

Falling for Egypt

The good news is, I’ve arrived in Egypt! Our flights went okay, typical claustrophobia between Taipei and Bangkok because it was a full flight, but then on the flight between Bangkok and Doha, we were able to take over empty rows, stretch out, and sleep the whole time until we landed in Qatar. 

This picture is the skyline of Doha, which is in the country of Qatar.  After we took off for Cairo, I was able to see the Persian Gulf, which gleamed like a brilliant teal crystal. 

In Qatar, I observed quite a few “firsts”:

• First Qatar flag
• Hairiest man on Earth (ew!)
• First minaret
• Women in full burqahs
• First spray-instead-of-wipe toilet.  Very messy.  Thank God I had Kleenex!

Our flight into Egypt was about 3 hours, and then as we began to descend from the clouds, we could see nothing but miles and miles of desert in every direction. It was completely bleak, just brown with the occasional streak of gray or black where the wind had carved it until it looked like a vast clay ocean. I kept looking for signs of civilization, and finally I saw a double highway far below. There were no buildings for a long time, then slowly flat, mud-colored square dwellings started to take form in small settlements. Still no pyramids, though! After a while, the city appeared with its diverse shapes, all hidden beneath a film of smog. This image (below) is a painting of Cairo by Jean-Leon Gerome, 1824-1904, so you can see it in a lovely non-polluted setting.

Upon landing, we changed our US dollars into Egypt pounds, and bought an Egyptian visa for $15 USD. As soon as we walked out of the customs/immigration area, we were surrounded by men trying to get us a taxi ride, all smoking cigarettes, and as we filed out, all the local men openly stared. Our ride to the hotel was quite long, because the Sheraton where we are staying is outside the city in an area called “6th of October City”. This date commemorates Egypt’s success at the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. We saw many military reliefs along the way here, which were usually a mixture of Egyptian mythology and modern weaponry. I don’t know if we will have an opportunity to take pictures of them later, but it was getting dark and we were zipping past in a crowded van, so all we could do was look around.

One thing that was very memorable about our first evening in Cairo was a massive flock of swallows that was dive-bombing in the twilight, apparently capturing bugs that come out at that time of the evening. Below the superhighway, I could see the narrow streets, many lined with night-market vendors, their booths hung with bright shirts and dresses. As it grew darker, it became more obvious how many minarets there are in Egypt, for all are lit up in green; however, I did see 3 or 4 churches, with brightly lit crosses. One church had a scene like this one on the front of it, all lit up so it was visible from the highway:

This morning Gretchen and I had breakfast downstairs, and since we were on flights yesterday for so many hours, we were quite famished. I never can choke down that airline food. Fortunately, there was a lovely breakfast feast waiting for us. I had a chicken-cheese omelet with bell peppers, pineapple yogurt, fresh apricot and honeydew melon, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes with olives, pomegranate juice, several white-chocolate-topped Danish, and English breakfast tea. It cost about $30 but it was so worth it. Needless to say, I won’t be doing that every meal!!!

Afterward, Alan, Kim, Gretchen and I walked over to a minute market so we could stock the refrigerators in our hotel rooms (which were empty) with cold drinks. We got our first glimpse of the pyramids, which was quite exciting. As we were crossing the highway, I miscalculated the height of the curb and went flying into the dirt. I tore up the palm of my right hand, and majorly jammed my finger on my left hand, and also have a big scrape and bruise across the front of my left shin. Sheesh. Fortunately I come from hardy stock!

So that’s about it for now. Today is a lazy day, and tomorrow we will be touring like mad. I’ll write again in a few days, since I have to pay for internet access, and it’s not cheap. Hope everyone is gearing up for a very merry Christmas!

Fourteen Weeks of Winning!

Alan really pushed me to the limit this week.  Monday and Thursday we did cardio intervals for around 25 minutes, plus 40 minutes of hardcore weight training.  I was sore.  Tuesday and Wednesday we did core exercises for around 25 minutes, plus 40 minutes of heavy-duty weight training.  Ouch.  He is mixing up the weight training, for instance on Monday and Wednesday we did shoulders, back, triceps plus butt, hamstrings and calves, which is basically all my back-side muscles.  On Tuesday and Thursday we did chest, biceps, abs, and the muscles down the front of my legs (whatever they are called).  I’m working with weights from 5 to 40 pounds, depending on the exercise and whether I’m using both arms or legs to move the weight, or just one. 

Strong women rock!

The core exercises he has me doing now include:

• 30 crunches and hold the last one for 30 seconds
• “Bridge” where you lay on your back, get your shoulders under you with feet flat on the floor, and push your pelvis up as high as you can for 30 seconds; lift the right leg up for 15 seconds; keep it up as you dip your hips down to the floor and back up 15 times, for an additional 15 seconds; switch sides to raise left leg up for 15 seconds; keep it up as you dip your hips down to the floor and back up 15 times for another 15 seconds.  Relax and feel the burn.
• Side plank for 20 seconds, then 15 side dips; turn over and repeat.
• Get on hands and knees; hold right leg up straight behind you for 20 seconds; then raise knee to chest and then straighten leg and bring it up as high as you can.  Repeat this tuck-kick motion 20 times.  Repeat with the opposite side.
• Now repeat the whole routine again.

Alan thinks maybe my meds could be slowing down my metabolism.  Gotta see about that.  In the meantime, I’m still maintaining a very positive attitude and working to further improve my eating habits as well as the frequency of cardio workouts on my “off” days.

The Flat Belly Drink

Finally got my “Flat Belly Diet Pocket Guide”, with the complete recipe for SASSY WATER.  Before beginning the Flat Belly Diet, you need to do a four-day “jumpstart”, during which you drink one complete recipe of Sassy Water (recipe follows) each day.  Here’s what the book has to say about it:  “The ingredients in Sassy Water aren’t just for flavor:  The ginger helps calm and soothe your GI tract.  Even more important, the simple act of making this Sassy Water every day will serve as a reminder during the jumpstart that life is a little bit different and things are going to change.”

SASSY WATER

• 2 liters of water (about 8-1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
• 12 small spearmint leaves

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and let the flavors blend overnight.  Drink the entire pitcher by the end of each day.

Thirteen Weeks = a Quarter-Year!

This week was a short week due to the Thanksgiving holiday, so I worked out with Alan 3 times this week instead of the usual four. Enjoyed two fabulous turkey dinners, one for lunch and one for dinner with different sets of friends; and both were really fun and muy delicioso. I abstained from any pie but nibbled on the olives. I’ve still only lost 14.5 pounds, so I ordered some goodies off Amazon to give me some extra help… more on that later.

It seems everyone assumes that I must be eating like a horse since I’m being completely faithful to my workouts yet not losing weight, but in fact, I’m eating healthier than ever and in very reasonable portions. For instance, a yogurt for breakfast; a salad with hard-boiled egg for protein for lunch and no dressing; a bowl of homemade chili for dinner; yogurt for a before-bed snack; and water, water, water, water. That can’t be more than 1200 calories, surely. All I know is to stick with it, and my contrary metabolism has got to cave sooner or later. I did splurge and have one beer on Wednesday evening at the school festivities, but all I got for that was a horrible headache. Me + beer = Le Miserable!

Twelve Weeks of My New Story

This week Alan and I did upper body workouts on two alternate days, and lower body on the other two alternate days, (total of four days) along with our usual core exercises and stretching. My ankle was doing better but then Friday I was leaving school, going down the stairs slowly because my hips and butt were a little sore, and I was beat! when suddenly my right knee made a funny popping noise. I didn’t think anything about it until I got up Saturday morning and my knee was completely swollen. I couldn’t put any weight directly on it, like to climb into bed, so I iced it off and on Saturday. By Sunday, it seemed fine so I went to breakfast with Ange as per usual, which is a walk of about two city blocks away.

I was fine till we got to the stairs at the grocery store. Took them slow and held the rail all the way; then I got myself some yummy healthy veggies plus chicken and lean ground beef, and my fave yogurt, Fruchtegut in raspberry, peach, and mixed berry flavors. And a bag of fresh apples. Inched my way back down the stairs, with Ange holding one bag of my groceries so I could hang onto the rail. By the time we got back to our building, I was really worried and my knee was swollen up again. I took it very easy the rest of the day and iced it off and on. By Monday, it was a bit better, and I was able to do most of my usual workouts (no squats though).

Eleven Weeks: Hangin’ In and Workin’ Out

Even though I’ve not been feeling the greatest, I worked out last week on Monday and Wednesday doing upper body training plus core exercises, and on Tuesday and Saturday doing lower body training plus core exercises.  I didn’t have the energy to do any cardio, unfortunately. 

My routines are becoming ever more challenging, but I am seeing results in my strength and endurance.  During core exercises today I was able to do 30 sit-ups with no effort whatsoever, and then held it at the end for 10 additional seconds.  The bridge position that was so difficult for me at the beginning of our Boot Camp sessions is a breeze now, but Alan has added lifting each leg for 10 seconds and then doing “dips” where I lower my hips down and back up 10 times, then switch legs and do the whole thing again.  This is followed by side planks held for 10 seconds then 10 dips, repeat on the opposite side.  Last of all, I get down on all fours, and hold my right leg straight out for 20 seconds; then tuck it in and kick it back and high 10 times; repeat on the opposite side.  THEN I repeat the whole routine again.  By this time I’m very sweaty!

My trainer, Alan, has increased the intensity of my weight training too, as well as increasing the weights.  Although I am gaining muscle, and hopefully losing fat, my weight is not changing much at all.  I’ve tried to encourage myself by thinking that perhaps if the weight is coming off slower, my body will be healthier in the long run, and my changes will be long term.  I’ve heard it’s easier to gain it back if you lose it too quickly.   All I know to do is to keep on keeping on!

Planning for Success

I haven’t been satisfied with my current eating plan.  Although I’ve tried to make wise choices, it lacks structure and accountability.  Most importantly, I’m not getting the results I want.  For those reasons, I visited the Body for Life (BFL) website and checked out their best tips to ensure success:

Tip 1: Eat six meals a day:   It is important to eat frequently (about every three hours) to accelerate your metabolism and maintain steady energy levels throughout the day.

Tip 2: Combine carbohydrates and protein at every meal:   Our bodies work better with a balance of carbohydrates and protein. Not only is protein essential for building healthy muscle and maintaining a strong immune system, it stabilizes insulin levels, which leads to steady energy throughout the day. One more benefit: eating protein has been shown to reduce your appetite. So avoid high-carbohydrate nutrition plans and instead balance your protein and carbohydrate intake.

Tip 3: Choose “appropriate” portion sizes:  USDA statistics show that because of increased portion sizes, the average total daily calorie intake has risen from 1,854 calories to 2,002 calories over the last 20 years. That increase—148 calories per day—theoretically works out to an extra 15 lbs. every year. Portion size is important to weight management. Employ a common sense approach, such as using the palm of your hand or your clenched fist for gauging the portion sizes of food.

Tip 4: Plan meals ahead of time:  It’s important to shop at least once a week. If you forget, you’ll run out of good food and be tempted to cheat on your diet. Once you have all your supplies on hand, cook and freeze a number of meals at one time.

Tip 5: Get containers to store your food:  Purchase plastic storage containers, sports bottles, a water jug and a cooler to store and carry your food. Having nutritious meals within reach during a hectic day can keep you on track.

Tip 6: Drink 10 glasses of water every day:  It’s especially important to stay well hydrated when following a comprehensive training, nutrition, and supplementation program. Drink at least one glass of water with each of your six meals, and four more throughout the day. If you have an occasional diet soda, coffee or tea, you’ll need to drink an additional glass to compensate for the diuretic effect of these beverages.

Tip 7: Consume Myoplex® within 30 minutes of exercise:  Your muscles are primed for nutrients immediately after an intense workout, but within two hours, your body’s ability to refuel decreases.Taken within 30 minutes of your workout, the high-quality protein in Myoplex® helps you refuel and build muscle.

Tip 8: Use high-quality supplements:  Supplements can help make up for any nutritional deficiencies and enhance performance. When purchasing supplements, look for companies that invest heavily in research to maximize the effectiveness of their products.

Tip 9: Find your “emotional reason” for staying on track:  Researchers at George Washington University discovered that people who successfully transform their bodies are set in action by some sort of “emotional trigger” that helps to clarify their reasons for deciding to make change. In the study, researchers found that any event which elicited strong emotions such as alarm, embarrassment, shame and/or fear actually inspired people to transform their bodies for the better. Take a moment to consider your “emotional trigger” and use it to stay committed to your nutrition program.

Tip 10: Strive for consistency, not perfection:  You can be sure there will be the occasional meal or snack that’s not on the recommended food list. When you get off track in this way, don’t allow it to slow you down. Enjoy the divergence, recommit to your goal, and get back on track with your next meal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mini-Meals: 

• Homemade pita chips with hummus
• Tuna or chicken salad with brown rice crackers
• Raw nuts with fresh fruit
• Fresh crudites with yogurt
• Protein shake
• Soup

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the complete BFL Food List, click HERE.

How to build a BFL meal:

1. One portion of lean protein
2. One portion of carbohydrates
3. One portion of vegetables added to at least 2 meals/day
4. One Tbsp. unsaturated oil daily, OR 3 servings salmon/week
5. Ten glasses of water per day.

Note:  One portion = size of deck of playing cards.  Liquid portion = 1 cup (8 oz.) 

My favorite items:

Proteins:

• Chicken breast
• Turkey breast
• Orange roughy
• Haddock
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Top round steak
• Top sirloin steak
• Lean ground beef
• Lean ham
• Egg whites

Carbohydrates:

• Baked potato
• Sweet potato
• Squash
• Steamed brown rice
• Steamed wild rice
• Pasta
• Beans
• Kidney beans
• Corn
• Strawberries
• Melon
• Apple
• Orange
• Fat-free yogurt
• Whole-wheat bread
• High-fiber cereal
• Whole-wheat Tortilla
• Whole grains

Vegetables:

• Broccoli
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Green beans
• Green peppers
• Spinach
• Tomato
• Peas
• Cabbage
• Celery
• Cucumber
• Onion

Fats:

• Natural peanut butter
• Low-sodium nuts
• Olives and olive oil
• Safflower oil
• Canola oil
• Sunflower oil
• Flax seed oil

Helpful products from EAS:

• CLA
• Betagen
• Thermo DynamX

Cardio Intervals:  at least 3 alternate days/week

• Min. 1-2:  Warm up  [3.0] > level 5
• Minute 3:  [3.0] to [3.2] > level 6
• Minute 4:  [3.2] to [3.7] > level 8
• Minute 5:  Maintain [4.0] > level 9
• Minute 6:  [3.2] to [3.3] > start level 6
• Minute 7:  [3.4] to [3.5] > level 7
• Minute 8:  [3.6] to [3.7] > level 8
• Minute 9:  [3.8] to [4.0] > level 9
• Minute 10:  Maintain [4.0] > level 9
• Minute 11:  [3.2] to [3.3] > start level 6
• Minute 12:  [3.4] to [3.5] > level 7
• Minute 13:  [3.6] to [3.7] > level 8
• Minute 14:  Maintain [4.0] > level 9
• Minute 15:  [3.2] to [3.3] > start level 6
• Minute 16:  [3.4] to [3.5] > level 7
• Minute 17:  [3.6] to [3.7] > level 8
• Minute 18:  [3.8] to [4.0] > level 9
• Minute 19:  Maintain [4.2] > level 10
• Minute 20:  Cool down [3.0] > level 5

Ten Weeks – Trials and Tribulations!

This was the hardest week for me due to a rash of unfortunate events, which left me cranky and depressed.  I wasn’t sleeping well, and I wasn’t eating very wisely either.  My enthusiasm, energy, and endurance seemed to have abandoned me too.  But all’s well that ends well, and I’m still in the game.

Monday I did cardio intervals on the treadmill for 30 minutes.  Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday I got together with Alan, my personal trainer for weight training and core exercises.  He was kind enough to take it easy on me Thursday and Friday since I was not in top form.  I woke up Friday night with such a headache — but then woke up Saturday feeling so much better that I had all my housework finished by 10am!  My sore ankle was feeling better too. 

Since we aren’t doing boot camp anymore, I’ve arranged with Alan for 4 days of weight training + core exercises starting next week.  I will also work harder to fit in cardio intervals at least 3x/week.  If and when I get my dvd player hooked up, I have some good videos I can try as well. 

Nine Weeks Of Living Well

Again this past week, my routines became more challenging.  My friend and personal trainer, Alan, explained to me that when people do the same routine time and again, their body becomes accustomed to that workout, and so the muscles are not stimulated to improve, and there are no gains in strength or endurance. 

On Monday and Wednesday, I did cardio intervals on the treadmill after work, and I also got in on Saturday.  I’m keeping a log of my progress, which I will post monthly.  The goal is to decrease my recovery times and increase my running time.  Betcha can’t wait to see how I progress! 

Tuesday Alan helped me with my lower body workout, but then on Thursday I forgot to bring my workout clothes, because I was so focused on getting ready for Parent/Teacher conferences.  Alan and I met today instead to do upper body. 

Overall, my intensity has increased because of adding the cardio intervals; because Alan showed me some new, more difficult core moves on Tuesday to add to my workouts; because I decided to add a third weight-training day each week; and because today we did what he called “super-sets”. 

The super-sets involved sets of 3 exercises for each muscle group.  For instance, for my chest muscles, I did presses, lifting the weights from my shoulder area straight above my chest.  This was immediately followed by flys, where with outstretched arms, I lifted the weights from each side to a position straight overhead.  Last was the overhead reaches, where I placed both hands on the side of one heavy weight and allow it to go back over my head, and then lift it back up so it’s over my chest.  After repeating each exercise 12 times, I rested 30 seconds  This was repeated again, then followed by 30 seconds of rest.  I then repeated the whole routine again, doing 12 more of each exercise with no rest between them.  Three repetitions of this routine is a super-set.  Alan adjusted the weights as he saw fit, and frankly, I was too busy lifting to notice a pattern.  

We worked for a full hour as usual, so I was exhausted.  But I was also so encouraged, because Alan felt I was ready for a new level of training!!!

This week, I ate eggs, homemade chili, raw veggies, chili, more raw veggies, chili, cantaloupe, chili, some channa masala with yellow rice, lots more raw veggies, and finished up the week with pita bread and hummus, Iranian chicken breast, fries, and a tomato/cucumber/pickle/onion salad.  YUM.  Needless to say, I’m not weighing after eating that big dinner!

That’s it for this week.  Remember, don’t quit!

Eight Weeks and Still Enthusiastic!

The great news this week is that I’ve lost 13.5 pounds now. Yay me!

We met on Monday and Wednesday for Boot Camp at 5:15 in the morning, but Wednesday I felt really awful, so we just walked briskly around the track for 45 minutes or so. Since I’m the only person who is faithfully showing up for Boot Camp, Alan has decided to incorporate it into our personal training, so we will be doing 30 minutes more on those days rather than getting up before the sun.

Monday after school I used the treadmill on the “hill” setting for 45 minutes, and then did 30 minutes on Tuesday after I finished my lower body workout. My left ankle has been bothering me a little bit, and the ball of my right foot is tender, but I’m trying to hang in there. Since I was sick Wednesday and Thursday I slept most of both days and ate very little.

How To Lose Belly Fat

I received an email from Jorge Cruise.  Did you know that for only $1200 (yes, that is TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS), you can get 12 months of personalized information on how to lose belly fat? 

Wow.  That is some very expensive information.  I wondered, Can’t I just buy the book for $12.95?   Nope, ‘fraid not.   So I decided to see what others are saying about losing belly fat.

According to the info at the WebMD site, if you want to get rid of belly fat, you need to eat whole grains (not low-fat, low-carb, or any other artificially processed bread, cookies, etc.) along with 5 servings of fruits/vegetables, 3 servings of low-fat dairy, and 2 servings of lean protein each day, PLUS a daily regimen of high-intensity exercise for 60 minutes.  And THAT information was FREE!  But let’s see what else we can find…

Seven Weeks of Getting Stronger

Last week, we had Boot Camp as always on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  There was a local guy, Sam, who was watching us work out, and finally came up  and began chatting with us in English.  The upshot was that Alan invited him to join us, and he showed up on Friday.  He was huffing, puffing, moaning and groaning.  He remarked that our exercises were a lot harder than they looked!  HA.   As Alan and Kim and I were walking out of the park, Alan mentioned that I should feel great because I’ve gotten so much stronger over the last 7 weeks, especially in comparison to Sam.  When we first started, I had to walk around the tennis court (rather than run) because my poor legs and lungs just couldn’t handle it.  Friday I ran around it four times!  That’s progress!!!

The Best for Your Chest

The sports bra you select should be based on:

• Your unique physical needs
• Your athletic routines
• Your taste in fashion

Some of the features that you may find in different sports bras:

• Extra support for large-breasted women
• Fabric content:  nylon, cotton, spandex, polyester, coolmax, polyamide, elastane, lycra, and/or sensil microfiber
• No interior seams
• Racerback construction
• Lightweight
• Moisture wicking capability
• Chafe-free
• Underwire
• Lined or molded cups
• Separation (no “uni-boob”)
• Stabilized and/or adjustable straps
• Hook closure
• Effectiveness for high-impact sports

The websites I’ve listed have something for absolutely everybody, but these are my personal favorites.

6 Weeks… Time to Step it UP!

Rain on Monday and Wednesday washed out our Boot Camp, so I went to the weight room after school and did a 30-minute cardio circuit on the treadmill each of those days. That half-hour spent walking on an incline, for me, burns 330 calories! This morning was so pretty, I walked in the sports park for 30 minutes; however, my BC team forgot to show!

Tuesday and Thursday I met with Alan to work on my weight-training. Each time he adds a bit more challenge to the routine, and as usual on a Friday, my arms and shoulders were a little achy but I felt stronger than ever. I like how he has me doing reps and weights that I never dreamed I could handle. Even though it’s difficult at the time, it is actually a big encouragement!

Five Weeks (dancing) Oh Yeah!

Um, yeah, I’m that awkward chick hip-hopping around the school today, because I’ve got 5 weeks under my belt now.  I’m feeling sore and tired after my workouts this week, but not in a bad way; more in a Wow-I’ve-been-really-productive! kind of way.  It feels good inside to know you worked your hardest and did a good job.  And my muscles feel like they want to move and stretch and be even more active. 

I’ve been sleeping A LOT.  Which is okay with me.  And I find when I wake up, I have a burst of creative ideas, which usually only happens on vacation.  That is always exciting!

Four Weeks and Still Going!

Four weeks and I’m still going strong. In addition to Boot Camp and my weight-training days, I found some great websites that helped me to improve my recipes so that they are nutritionally superb! Insider information on a very intriguing new diet plan is also part of today’s post.

Last week, I made it to Boot Camp on all three days, and I am so happy to report that we actually had a little bit of a cool breeze at 5AM in Tien Mou! My weight-training days with Alan were also definitely productive. He is increasing the weights, and gives me support as needed so I am able to maintain my stability (and not hurt myself).

Sunrise Over Taipei

Thai Chicken with Noodles

Sawatdee Kaa!  You may think you are back in Bangkok when you taste these hearty vegetables paired with the subtly delicious combined flavors of peanuts, lime, garlic, and ginger with fresh roasted chicken.  

Servings:  4

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 8 oz. uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
• 4  Tablespoons  peanut butter (smooth, lowfat)
• 4 Tablespoons lime juice
• 4  cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 cups frozen or fresh edamame, shelled
• 8 cups fresh vegetables: your choice — [note: nutritional data is based on one cup of each]

1. onion, slivered
2. carrot, cut into 2″  julienne strips
3. celery, cut into strips no wider than 3/4″, then sliced on diagonal
4. snow peas, cut into thin strips on the diagonal
5. bell peppers, cut into 2″ thin strips
6. cauliflower, thinly sliced
7. broccoli, cut into 1″  flowerets
8. Enoki mushrooms

•  4 Tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Three Weeks of Success!

Last week, Alan turned up the heat at our Boot Camp, putting exercises that work the same muscle groups back-to-back. I was able to run around the tennis court twice as a warm-up instead of walking, so that was encouraging. Alan showed me two ways to do forward lunges. The walking lunge is for stretching, so you have to take large alternating steps and get low to the ground to feel the stretch.

The second technique is to strengthen core muscles, so it’s a stationary lunge. At the start of the lunge, Alan told me to place my foot just a little bit at an angle rather than straight ahead, which gives me a better base and improves balance. Also, I don’t step out so far, because I want to make my core do the work. I focus on good form and control. This type of lunge is done with all the reps on one side, then switch and do all the reps on the opposite side.