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Thanksgiving is Right Around The Corner…Enjoy the Day, And The Food But In Moderation
Everyone looks forward to sitting down with family and friends for a Thanksgiving meal. But for those of us who are working towards a healthier you in 2016 you may have some reservations about really enjoying the meal plan. The key to still enjoying your favorite holiday fare and still keep true to your fitness goals is “MODERATION” and keeping to your exercise routines.
Now you may think that, hey, it’s only one day of the year and it really is. But it seems like Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday eating campaigns that take place everywhere around the United States. That’s why we say moderation is the key to you NOT putting on an extra 5 lb. or more during these two months of festive parties and get-togethers. Remember, having that stuffed feeling after the fact is only good if you’re the turkey!
One of the best things you can do to avoid packing on the pounds this holiday season is to increase your activity / exercise, a bit more during this time of year. Now, this may not seem as bad to you at first but, remember, at this time of year, people, you included are going to be spending more time shopping for gifts for family and friends. Now is a good time to use your walking shoes instead of taking the car or the bus to your favorite stores. Now, we hope you're going to visit our on-line store at http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com to purchase a fitness item to help you or your family and friends stay on top of your progress. But besides the convenience of shopping on-line, you can still go to the mall this time of year, even if the weather does not corporate, and stretch those leg muscles. The mall is an excellent place to walk. Walking is probably one of the best low-cost fitness exercises you can do. And you can take the opportunity to window-shop as you walk briskly in front of all those stores located within the mall.
Along with walking through the mall for exercise, you can also get some fresh air as it is usually a tradition for a lot of people, after the Thanksgiving meal is over, instead of vegging out on the couch, maybe watching a football game, why not get out, and take everyone with you for a group search for that perfect Christmas tree. And we don’t mean driving down to the local Christmas tree lot to do your searching. There is nothing better than to drive out to a local tree farm, getting everyone out of the car and tramping up and down the fields trying to locate that perfect tree. Now we are not saying that you should go far and wide with the hopes of seeing the sun’s ray shinning down on your tree like the Griswald’s in that holiday favorite movie ‘Christmas Vacation” but just getting out and walking around in the clean, crisp air while your looking for the right tree will help you in losing a few calories from that big meal you just packed on.
Now those are just two ideas, but the focus is to ramp up your activity a little more during this time of year so you won’t feel bad about eating that fancy Christmas cookie your favorite aunt baked just for you.
And if you do partake in regular exercise, make sure you are tracking your daily progress so you can make sure you're increasing your activity levels between now and New Year’s Day. You may want to try an activity monitor like the Fitbit Charge 2 Activity Tracker. This one even has a heart rate monitor so you can see just how well you are doing and how well you're taxing your heart as you do so.
Remember, even though we say you should increase your activity to help you avoid the strain of gaining some holiday poundage, even exercising more does not give you a free license to just eat and eat and eat. That’s why we said earlier that moderation is the key. Yep, it’s Thanksgiving and it does only come around once a year so go ahead, take a helping of that stuffing that grandma made and finish off that dinner with a slice of pumpkin or my favorite pecan pie. But ask for a small slice and stop at just one slice, not seconds.
If you keep moderation in mind this holiday season, you won’t need to make that same New Year’s resolution again this year about losing weight and getting fit, because you are already on that right path to healthy!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, from our family here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.Com.
Read more
Everyone looks forward to sitting down with family and friends for a Thanksgiving meal. But for those of us who are working towards a healthier you in 2016 you may have some reservations about really enjoying the meal plan. The key to still enjoying your favorite holiday fare and still keep true to your fitness goals is “MODERATION” and keeping to your exercise routines.
Now you may think that, hey, it’s only one day of the year and it really is. But it seems like Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday eating campaigns that take place everywhere around the United States. That’s why we say moderation is the key to you NOT putting on an extra 5 lb. or more during these two months of festive parties and get-togethers. Remember, having that stuffed feeling after the fact is only good if you’re the turkey!
One of the best things you can do to avoid packing on the pounds this holiday season is to increase your activity / exercise, a bit more during this time of year. Now, this may not seem as bad to you at first but, remember, at this time of year, people, you included are going to be spending more time shopping for gifts for family and friends. Now is a good time to use your walking shoes instead of taking the car or the bus to your favorite stores. Now, we hope you're going to visit our on-line store at http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com to purchase a fitness item to help you or your family and friends stay on top of your progress. But besides the convenience of shopping on-line, you can still go to the mall this time of year, even if the weather does not corporate, and stretch those leg muscles. The mall is an excellent place to walk. Walking is probably one of the best low-cost fitness exercises you can do. And you can take the opportunity to window-shop as you walk briskly in front of all those stores located within the mall.
Along with walking through the mall for exercise, you can also get some fresh air as it is usually a tradition for a lot of people, after the Thanksgiving meal is over, instead of vegging out on the couch, maybe watching a football game, why not get out, and take everyone with you for a group search for that perfect Christmas tree. And we don’t mean driving down to the local Christmas tree lot to do your searching. There is nothing better than to drive out to a local tree farm, getting everyone out of the car and tramping up and down the fields trying to locate that perfect tree. Now we are not saying that you should go far and wide with the hopes of seeing the sun’s ray shinning down on your tree like the Griswald’s in that holiday favorite movie ‘Christmas Vacation” but just getting out and walking around in the clean, crisp air while your looking for the right tree will help you in losing a few calories from that big meal you just packed on.
Now those are just two ideas, but the focus is to ramp up your activity a little more during this time of year so you won’t feel bad about eating that fancy Christmas cookie your favorite aunt baked just for you.
And if you do partake in regular exercise, make sure you are tracking your daily progress so you can make sure you're increasing your activity levels between now and New Year’s Day. You may want to try an activity monitor like the Fitbit Charge 2 Activity Tracker. This one even has a heart rate monitor so you can see just how well you are doing and how well you're taxing your heart as you do so.
Remember, even though we say you should increase your activity to help you avoid the strain of gaining some holiday poundage, even exercising more does not give you a free license to just eat and eat and eat. That’s why we said earlier that moderation is the key. Yep, it’s Thanksgiving and it does only come around once a year so go ahead, take a helping of that stuffing that grandma made and finish off that dinner with a slice of pumpkin or my favorite pecan pie. But ask for a small slice and stop at just one slice, not seconds.
If you keep moderation in mind this holiday season, you won’t need to make that same New Year’s resolution again this year about losing weight and getting fit, because you are already on that right path to healthy!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, from our family here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.Com.
Read more
The New York Marathon November, 2016
Well, the New York Marathon is in the books, did you even think about participating this year? If not, why not make it the new goal for 2017. Think about it, a goal like that beats your usual New Year’s resolutions that you make each year while eating an appetizer and drinking your favorite brew at the New Year’s Eve party you go to each year, right?
There really is no reason why you can’t be one of the participants in next year’s race. After all, being a part of something so grand and big is a milestone event for anyone. Being a part of the over 50,000 finishers, it’s come a long way from the 55 original finishers who ran around Central Park in New York, 45 years ago!
If you commit, you’re going to need to prep and for any marathon, especially this one you need to build up your endurance to tackle that 26.2-mile course. We made a list of some key points you need to tackle to make sure your body and also your mind are in shape for this kind of trial.
Know why you want to run a marathon. Keep it personal and reminding yourself of the reason your training so hard each day, week and month will help keep you committed to reaching your goal of crossing that finish line.
Know what kind of shape You’re In! The 26.2 miles in a marathon put you at a significantly higher risk for injury than your daily neighborhood jogs. Consult with your physician before embarking on any training program. Make sure everything is in working order and your good to go.
Start early: We don’t mean start early in the morning!!! We mean that to train right, you need to train often and most aspiring marathoners run consistent base mileage for at least a year before embarking on a marathon training program. So you see, making that resolution at your New Year’s Eve party might just get you in under the wire, physically wise, but you need to commit!
One of the most common causes of injury is building weekly mileage too soon, too fast—so don't underestimate the importance of consistently running at least 20–30 miles a week regularly before committing to training for a marathon. This is important! You need to build your stamina so that your body has the conditioning it needs to tackle that distance. If you currently just jog occasionally, you need to ramp things up. Set yourself up with a schedule for each day in the week, but make sure after two days, you give yourself an easy pace day to help your body adjust.
Start small: Running a few shorter races—5Ks, 10Ks, or even a half marathon—is an excellent way to prepare physically and mentally for a first marathon.
There really is no reason why you can’t be one of the participants in next year’s race. After all, being a part of something so grand and big is a milestone event for anyone. Being a part of the over 50,000 finishers, it’s come a long way from the 55 original finishers who ran around Central Park in New York, 45 years ago!
If you commit, you’re going to need to prep and for any marathon, especially this one you need to build up your endurance to tackle that 26.2-mile course. We made a list of some key points you need to tackle to make sure your body and also your mind are in shape for this kind of trial.
Know why you want to run a marathon. Keep it personal and reminding yourself of the reason your training so hard each day, week and month will help keep you committed to reaching your goal of crossing that finish line.
Know what kind of shape You’re In! The 26.2 miles in a marathon put you at a significantly higher risk for injury than your daily neighborhood jogs. Consult with your physician before embarking on any training program. Make sure everything is in working order and your good to go.
Start early: We don’t mean start early in the morning!!! We mean that to train right, you need to train often and most aspiring marathoners run consistent base mileage for at least a year before embarking on a marathon training program. So you see, making that resolution at your New Year’s Eve party might just get you in under the wire, physically wise, but you need to commit!
One of the most common causes of injury is building weekly mileage too soon, too fast—so don't underestimate the importance of consistently running at least 20–30 miles a week regularly before committing to training for a marathon. This is important! You need to build your stamina so that your body has the conditioning it needs to tackle that distance. If you currently just jog occasionally, you need to ramp things up. Set yourself up with a schedule for each day in the week, but make sure after two days, you give yourself an easy pace day to help your body adjust.
Start small: Running a few shorter races—5Ks, 10Ks, or even a half marathon—is an excellent way to prepare physically and mentally for a first marathon.
Choosing a First Marathon
Marathons range from quiet, low-key races on backcountry roads to spectator-lined urban races with tens of thousands of runners. To help you get used to the race vibe and identify your preference, run a few shorter races, cheer on a friend or volunteer at marathons.
Choosing a marathon close to home may offer a "home field advantage" with the opportunity to run on familiar roads; on the other hand, choosing a "destination" race can really stoke your motivation fire in the months leading up to race day.
The primary elements of marathon training are:
Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
The long run. Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
Speed work. Practice intervals and tempo runs to increase your cardio capacity.
Rest and recovery. Adequate rest helps prevent injuries and mental burnout.
Base Mileage: Most marathon training plans range from 12 to 20 weeks. Beginning marathoners should aim to build their weekly mileage up to 50 miles over the four months leading up to race day. Three-to-five runs per week is sufficient. The vast majority of these runs should be done at a relaxed pace. You should run at an easy enough pace to be able to carry on a conversation.
When building base mileage, never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent from week to week.
The Long Run: Your next step is to build up to a weekly long run. This should be done once every 7–10 days, extending the long run by a mile or two each week. Every 3 weeks, scale it back by a few miles so as not to overtax your body and risk injury. For example, you might run 12 miles one weekend, 13 miles the next, then 14 miles, and then 12 again before moving on to 15 on the fifth weekend.
Doing these runs at a substantially slower pace than usual builds confidence, lets your body adjust to longer distances, and teaches you to burn fat for fuel.
Max distance: Most marathon training plans usually peak at a long run of 20 miles. So where do those last 6 miles come from on race day? With proper training, your body will take advantage of the peak shape your body will be in, the rest you offer it during a tapering period, and the adrenaline and crowd support of race day.
Speed Work: Speed work is an optional element to incorporate into your training program. It can increase your aerobic capacity and make your easy runs feel… well, easy! Intervals and tempo runs are the most popular forms of speed work.
Intervals are a set of repetitions of a specific, short distance, run at a substantially faster pace than usual, with recovery jogs in between. For example, you might run 4 X 1-mile repeats at a hard pace, with 5 minutes of slow jogging or even walking between the mile repeats.
Tempo Runs are longer than an interval—generally in the range of 4–10 miles, depending on where you are in your training—run at a challenging, but sustainable, pace. This kind of workout teaches your body, as well as your brain, to sustain challenging work over a longer period of time. Always allow your body to warm up and cool down with a few easy miles at the beginning and end of any speed workout.
Rest and Recovery
Rest days mean no running. They let your muscles recover from taxing workouts and help prevent mental burnout. The greatest enemy of any aspiring marathoners is injury, and the best protection against injury is rest.
If you are itching to do something active on your rest days, doing some cross-training is a great option. Cross-training can include walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, lifting weights, or any other active pursuit that isn't as high-impact as running.
Tapering: In the two or three weeks leading up to your marathon, scale back significantly on overall mileage and difficulty of your runs to let your body rest up for race day.
Hydration
Nearly all marathons include water and aid stations along the way.
If you plan to carry some of your own water on race day, buy a hydration pack or belt long in advance and get accustomed to running with it. Never try something new on race day.
While training, of course, you will be doing plenty of long runs without the benefit of aid stations. Several tried-and-true techniques to consider:
Carry your own water using a hydration pack or belt, or with handheld bottles
Do long runs on a short loop course, so you can stash water in one spot along the way.
Plot your long run route to pass water fountains (but during colder months, make sure that they're turned on).
Fueling
You've probably heard about the phenomenon many marathoners experience right around the 20-mile mark, commonly called "hitting the wall" or "bonking."
Your body can only store so much glycogen—its primary source of energy during the marathon. As this level gets depleted over the course of your marathon, your muscles will begin to tire and feel heavy. While no amount of fuel consumption during the race can entirely replace your depleted glycogen, consuming small amounts of carbohydrates can help prevent you from hitting the dreaded wall. Energy gels or chews are the easiest to carry and often easiest to digest—but a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar can also do the trick. For any run over 2 hours, aim to take in about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
As with everything, make sure to test out various types of fuel on your training runs to see what your stomach tolerates best, so you can fuel confidently on race day.
Race Day Tips
Don't try anything new on race day—no new shoes, new shorts or a new shirt. Don't guzzle 3 cups of coffee if you usually have one. Your long training runs are when you should be fine-tuning your clothing, gear and fueling strategies.
Before the Race: Hydrate well for several days leading up to your marathon. Drink a big glass of water before you go to bed the night before race day. Drink another one first thing in the morning.
Eat a simple, high-carbohydrate breakfast several hours before the start of the race. Bagels, oatmeal, bars and fruit all work well.
Lather up with a little Vaseline or BodyGlide in any areas vulnerable to chafing (you probably learned where during training runs).
Get to the starting line early, and if needed, get in the port-a-potty line 30–40 minutes before the official start time. The lines may be long.
The temperature is apt to rise over the course of the race, so don't overdress. If you're really cold at the start, wear an oversize trash bag over your clothing to keep warm until the starting gun goes off.
If you plan to run with music, check ahead of time whether headphones are allowed on the course; not all marathons permit them. Running with headphones can be dangerous if you can't hear what's happening around you, particularly if you're not on a closed course. Finally, there's something to be said for not tuning out the sounds of the spectator crowds and your fellow runners.
During the Race
Start slowly. It's easy to get caught up in race-day adrenaline, but starting too fast is a big rookie mistake. There will be plenty of miles over which to pick up your pace if you're feeling great.
Don't blaze by every aid station or try to drink from a cup while running full blast. Either practice drinking while running before race day or just pull over for a few seconds to drink.
Bathroom lines are longest at the first few aid stations. If you can wait another couple miles without discomfort, it may save you time.
If you have a friend coming to cheer you on, plan ahead at which spots along the course he or she will meet you. A friend along the way can be a huge boost.
Enjoy the energy of the spectators. However, ignore the guy with the box of chocolate donuts. He's trying to be nice, but chocolate-glazed donuts at mile 18 are not a good idea.
Race day: In the immediate moments after your finish, drink several cups of water or sports drink to nourish your tired muscles. Walk a little, if you can, to let those muscles cool down. Do gentle stretching. Eat some simple carbohydrates, whether you feel like it or not.
After race day: Take at least a week off before resuming any kind of regular running schedule, and even then take your time easing back into distance and frequency.
Get plenty of sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Take care of any injuries or ailments you may have developed during the race. Nourish your immune system, which will be more vulnerable immediately after the marathon.
When all is said and done, and you’re putting away your number and medal, you know, the one you get for finishing the marathon of all marathon’s, you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished. So, what’s next? Maybe in 2018 you can tackle the Boston Marathon as well?
Marathons range from quiet, low-key races on backcountry roads to spectator-lined urban races with tens of thousands of runners. To help you get used to the race vibe and identify your preference, run a few shorter races, cheer on a friend or volunteer at marathons.
Choosing a marathon close to home may offer a "home field advantage" with the opportunity to run on familiar roads; on the other hand, choosing a "destination" race can really stoke your motivation fire in the months leading up to race day.
The primary elements of marathon training are:
Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
The long run. Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
Speed work. Practice intervals and tempo runs to increase your cardio capacity.
Rest and recovery. Adequate rest helps prevent injuries and mental burnout.
Base Mileage: Most marathon training plans range from 12 to 20 weeks. Beginning marathoners should aim to build their weekly mileage up to 50 miles over the four months leading up to race day. Three-to-five runs per week is sufficient. The vast majority of these runs should be done at a relaxed pace. You should run at an easy enough pace to be able to carry on a conversation.
When building base mileage, never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent from week to week.
The Long Run: Your next step is to build up to a weekly long run. This should be done once every 7–10 days, extending the long run by a mile or two each week. Every 3 weeks, scale it back by a few miles so as not to overtax your body and risk injury. For example, you might run 12 miles one weekend, 13 miles the next, then 14 miles, and then 12 again before moving on to 15 on the fifth weekend.
Doing these runs at a substantially slower pace than usual builds confidence, lets your body adjust to longer distances, and teaches you to burn fat for fuel.
Max distance: Most marathon training plans usually peak at a long run of 20 miles. So where do those last 6 miles come from on race day? With proper training, your body will take advantage of the peak shape your body will be in, the rest you offer it during a tapering period, and the adrenaline and crowd support of race day.
Speed Work: Speed work is an optional element to incorporate into your training program. It can increase your aerobic capacity and make your easy runs feel… well, easy! Intervals and tempo runs are the most popular forms of speed work.
Intervals are a set of repetitions of a specific, short distance, run at a substantially faster pace than usual, with recovery jogs in between. For example, you might run 4 X 1-mile repeats at a hard pace, with 5 minutes of slow jogging or even walking between the mile repeats.
Tempo Runs are longer than an interval—generally in the range of 4–10 miles, depending on where you are in your training—run at a challenging, but sustainable, pace. This kind of workout teaches your body, as well as your brain, to sustain challenging work over a longer period of time. Always allow your body to warm up and cool down with a few easy miles at the beginning and end of any speed workout.
Rest and Recovery
Rest days mean no running. They let your muscles recover from taxing workouts and help prevent mental burnout. The greatest enemy of any aspiring marathoners is injury, and the best protection against injury is rest.
If you are itching to do something active on your rest days, doing some cross-training is a great option. Cross-training can include walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, lifting weights, or any other active pursuit that isn't as high-impact as running.
Tapering: In the two or three weeks leading up to your marathon, scale back significantly on overall mileage and difficulty of your runs to let your body rest up for race day.
Hydration
Nearly all marathons include water and aid stations along the way.
If you plan to carry some of your own water on race day, buy a hydration pack or belt long in advance and get accustomed to running with it. Never try something new on race day.
While training, of course, you will be doing plenty of long runs without the benefit of aid stations. Several tried-and-true techniques to consider:
Carry your own water using a hydration pack or belt, or with handheld bottles
Do long runs on a short loop course, so you can stash water in one spot along the way.
Plot your long run route to pass water fountains (but during colder months, make sure that they're turned on).
Fueling
You've probably heard about the phenomenon many marathoners experience right around the 20-mile mark, commonly called "hitting the wall" or "bonking."
Your body can only store so much glycogen—its primary source of energy during the marathon. As this level gets depleted over the course of your marathon, your muscles will begin to tire and feel heavy. While no amount of fuel consumption during the race can entirely replace your depleted glycogen, consuming small amounts of carbohydrates can help prevent you from hitting the dreaded wall. Energy gels or chews are the easiest to carry and often easiest to digest—but a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar can also do the trick. For any run over 2 hours, aim to take in about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
As with everything, make sure to test out various types of fuel on your training runs to see what your stomach tolerates best, so you can fuel confidently on race day.
Race Day Tips
Don't try anything new on race day—no new shoes, new shorts or a new shirt. Don't guzzle 3 cups of coffee if you usually have one. Your long training runs are when you should be fine-tuning your clothing, gear and fueling strategies.
Before the Race: Hydrate well for several days leading up to your marathon. Drink a big glass of water before you go to bed the night before race day. Drink another one first thing in the morning.
Eat a simple, high-carbohydrate breakfast several hours before the start of the race. Bagels, oatmeal, bars and fruit all work well.
Lather up with a little Vaseline or BodyGlide in any areas vulnerable to chafing (you probably learned where during training runs).
Get to the starting line early, and if needed, get in the port-a-potty line 30–40 minutes before the official start time. The lines may be long.
The temperature is apt to rise over the course of the race, so don't overdress. If you're really cold at the start, wear an oversize trash bag over your clothing to keep warm until the starting gun goes off.
If you plan to run with music, check ahead of time whether headphones are allowed on the course; not all marathons permit them. Running with headphones can be dangerous if you can't hear what's happening around you, particularly if you're not on a closed course. Finally, there's something to be said for not tuning out the sounds of the spectator crowds and your fellow runners.
During the Race
Start slowly. It's easy to get caught up in race-day adrenaline, but starting too fast is a big rookie mistake. There will be plenty of miles over which to pick up your pace if you're feeling great.
Don't blaze by every aid station or try to drink from a cup while running full blast. Either practice drinking while running before race day or just pull over for a few seconds to drink.
Bathroom lines are longest at the first few aid stations. If you can wait another couple miles without discomfort, it may save you time.
If you have a friend coming to cheer you on, plan ahead at which spots along the course he or she will meet you. A friend along the way can be a huge boost.
Enjoy the energy of the spectators. However, ignore the guy with the box of chocolate donuts. He's trying to be nice, but chocolate-glazed donuts at mile 18 are not a good idea.
Race day: In the immediate moments after your finish, drink several cups of water or sports drink to nourish your tired muscles. Walk a little, if you can, to let those muscles cool down. Do gentle stretching. Eat some simple carbohydrates, whether you feel like it or not.
After race day: Take at least a week off before resuming any kind of regular running schedule, and even then take your time easing back into distance and frequency.
Get plenty of sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Take care of any injuries or ailments you may have developed during the race. Nourish your immune system, which will be more vulnerable immediately after the marathon.
When all is said and done, and you’re putting away your number and medal, you know, the one you get for finishing the marathon of all marathon’s, you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished. So, what’s next? Maybe in 2018 you can tackle the Boston Marathon as well?
Read more
Well, the New York Marathon is in the books, did you even think about participating this year? If not, why not make it the new goal for 2017. Think about it, a goal like that beats your usual New Year’s resolutions that you make each year while eating an appetizer and drinking your favorite brew at the New Year’s Eve party you go to each year, right?
There really is no reason why you can’t be one of the participants in next year’s race. After all, being a part of something so grand and big is a milestone event for anyone. Being a part of the over 50,000 finishers, it’s come a long way from the 55 original finishers who ran around Central Park in New York, 45 years ago!
If you commit, you’re going to need to prep and for any marathon, especially this one you need to build up your endurance to tackle that 26.2-mile course. We made a list of some key points you need to tackle to make sure your body and also your mind are in shape for this kind of trial.
Know why you want to run a marathon. Keep it personal and reminding yourself of the reason your training so hard each day, week and month will help keep you committed to reaching your goal of crossing that finish line.
Know what kind of shape You’re In! The 26.2 miles in a marathon put you at a significantly higher risk for injury than your daily neighborhood jogs. Consult with your physician before embarking on any training program. Make sure everything is in working order and your good to go.
Start early: We don’t mean start early in the morning!!! We mean that to train right, you need to train often and most aspiring marathoners run consistent base mileage for at least a year before embarking on a marathon training program. So you see, making that resolution at your New Year’s Eve party might just get you in under the wire, physically wise, but you need to commit!
One of the most common causes of injury is building weekly mileage too soon, too fast—so don't underestimate the importance of consistently running at least 20–30 miles a week regularly before committing to training for a marathon. This is important! You need to build your stamina so that your body has the conditioning it needs to tackle that distance. If you currently just jog occasionally, you need to ramp things up. Set yourself up with a schedule for each day in the week, but make sure after two days, you give yourself an easy pace day to help your body adjust.
Start small: Running a few shorter races—5Ks, 10Ks, or even a half marathon—is an excellent way to prepare physically and mentally for a first marathon.
There really is no reason why you can’t be one of the participants in next year’s race. After all, being a part of something so grand and big is a milestone event for anyone. Being a part of the over 50,000 finishers, it’s come a long way from the 55 original finishers who ran around Central Park in New York, 45 years ago!
If you commit, you’re going to need to prep and for any marathon, especially this one you need to build up your endurance to tackle that 26.2-mile course. We made a list of some key points you need to tackle to make sure your body and also your mind are in shape for this kind of trial.
Know why you want to run a marathon. Keep it personal and reminding yourself of the reason your training so hard each day, week and month will help keep you committed to reaching your goal of crossing that finish line.
Know what kind of shape You’re In! The 26.2 miles in a marathon put you at a significantly higher risk for injury than your daily neighborhood jogs. Consult with your physician before embarking on any training program. Make sure everything is in working order and your good to go.
Start early: We don’t mean start early in the morning!!! We mean that to train right, you need to train often and most aspiring marathoners run consistent base mileage for at least a year before embarking on a marathon training program. So you see, making that resolution at your New Year’s Eve party might just get you in under the wire, physically wise, but you need to commit!
One of the most common causes of injury is building weekly mileage too soon, too fast—so don't underestimate the importance of consistently running at least 20–30 miles a week regularly before committing to training for a marathon. This is important! You need to build your stamina so that your body has the conditioning it needs to tackle that distance. If you currently just jog occasionally, you need to ramp things up. Set yourself up with a schedule for each day in the week, but make sure after two days, you give yourself an easy pace day to help your body adjust.
Start small: Running a few shorter races—5Ks, 10Ks, or even a half marathon—is an excellent way to prepare physically and mentally for a first marathon.
Choosing a First Marathon
Marathons range from quiet, low-key races on backcountry roads to spectator-lined urban races with tens of thousands of runners. To help you get used to the race vibe and identify your preference, run a few shorter races, cheer on a friend or volunteer at marathons.
Choosing a marathon close to home may offer a "home field advantage" with the opportunity to run on familiar roads; on the other hand, choosing a "destination" race can really stoke your motivation fire in the months leading up to race day.
The primary elements of marathon training are:
Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
The long run. Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
Speed work. Practice intervals and tempo runs to increase your cardio capacity.
Rest and recovery. Adequate rest helps prevent injuries and mental burnout.
Base Mileage: Most marathon training plans range from 12 to 20 weeks. Beginning marathoners should aim to build their weekly mileage up to 50 miles over the four months leading up to race day. Three-to-five runs per week is sufficient. The vast majority of these runs should be done at a relaxed pace. You should run at an easy enough pace to be able to carry on a conversation.
When building base mileage, never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent from week to week.
The Long Run: Your next step is to build up to a weekly long run. This should be done once every 7–10 days, extending the long run by a mile or two each week. Every 3 weeks, scale it back by a few miles so as not to overtax your body and risk injury. For example, you might run 12 miles one weekend, 13 miles the next, then 14 miles, and then 12 again before moving on to 15 on the fifth weekend.
Doing these runs at a substantially slower pace than usual builds confidence, lets your body adjust to longer distances, and teaches you to burn fat for fuel.
Max distance: Most marathon training plans usually peak at a long run of 20 miles. So where do those last 6 miles come from on race day? With proper training, your body will take advantage of the peak shape your body will be in, the rest you offer it during a tapering period, and the adrenaline and crowd support of race day.
Speed Work: Speed work is an optional element to incorporate into your training program. It can increase your aerobic capacity and make your easy runs feel… well, easy! Intervals and tempo runs are the most popular forms of speed work.
Intervals are a set of repetitions of a specific, short distance, run at a substantially faster pace than usual, with recovery jogs in between. For example, you might run 4 X 1-mile repeats at a hard pace, with 5 minutes of slow jogging or even walking between the mile repeats.
Tempo Runs are longer than an interval—generally in the range of 4–10 miles, depending on where you are in your training—run at a challenging, but sustainable, pace. This kind of workout teaches your body, as well as your brain, to sustain challenging work over a longer period of time. Always allow your body to warm up and cool down with a few easy miles at the beginning and end of any speed workout.
Rest and Recovery
Rest days mean no running. They let your muscles recover from taxing workouts and help prevent mental burnout. The greatest enemy of any aspiring marathoners is injury, and the best protection against injury is rest.
If you are itching to do something active on your rest days, doing some cross-training is a great option. Cross-training can include walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, lifting weights, or any other active pursuit that isn't as high-impact as running.
Tapering: In the two or three weeks leading up to your marathon, scale back significantly on overall mileage and difficulty of your runs to let your body rest up for race day.
Hydration
Nearly all marathons include water and aid stations along the way.
If you plan to carry some of your own water on race day, buy a hydration pack or belt long in advance and get accustomed to running with it. Never try something new on race day.
While training, of course, you will be doing plenty of long runs without the benefit of aid stations. Several tried-and-true techniques to consider:
Carry your own water using a hydration pack or belt, or with handheld bottles
Do long runs on a short loop course, so you can stash water in one spot along the way.
Plot your long run route to pass water fountains (but during colder months, make sure that they're turned on).
Fueling
You've probably heard about the phenomenon many marathoners experience right around the 20-mile mark, commonly called "hitting the wall" or "bonking."
Your body can only store so much glycogen—its primary source of energy during the marathon. As this level gets depleted over the course of your marathon, your muscles will begin to tire and feel heavy. While no amount of fuel consumption during the race can entirely replace your depleted glycogen, consuming small amounts of carbohydrates can help prevent you from hitting the dreaded wall. Energy gels or chews are the easiest to carry and often easiest to digest—but a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar can also do the trick. For any run over 2 hours, aim to take in about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
As with everything, make sure to test out various types of fuel on your training runs to see what your stomach tolerates best, so you can fuel confidently on race day.
Race Day Tips
Don't try anything new on race day—no new shoes, new shorts or a new shirt. Don't guzzle 3 cups of coffee if you usually have one. Your long training runs are when you should be fine-tuning your clothing, gear and fueling strategies.
Before the Race: Hydrate well for several days leading up to your marathon. Drink a big glass of water before you go to bed the night before race day. Drink another one first thing in the morning.
Eat a simple, high-carbohydrate breakfast several hours before the start of the race. Bagels, oatmeal, bars and fruit all work well.
Lather up with a little Vaseline or BodyGlide in any areas vulnerable to chafing (you probably learned where during training runs).
Get to the starting line early, and if needed, get in the port-a-potty line 30–40 minutes before the official start time. The lines may be long.
The temperature is apt to rise over the course of the race, so don't overdress. If you're really cold at the start, wear an oversize trash bag over your clothing to keep warm until the starting gun goes off.
If you plan to run with music, check ahead of time whether headphones are allowed on the course; not all marathons permit them. Running with headphones can be dangerous if you can't hear what's happening around you, particularly if you're not on a closed course. Finally, there's something to be said for not tuning out the sounds of the spectator crowds and your fellow runners.
During the Race
Start slowly. It's easy to get caught up in race-day adrenaline, but starting too fast is a big rookie mistake. There will be plenty of miles over which to pick up your pace if you're feeling great.
Don't blaze by every aid station or try to drink from a cup while running full blast. Either practice drinking while running before race day or just pull over for a few seconds to drink.
Bathroom lines are longest at the first few aid stations. If you can wait another couple miles without discomfort, it may save you time.
If you have a friend coming to cheer you on, plan ahead at which spots along the course he or she will meet you. A friend along the way can be a huge boost.
Enjoy the energy of the spectators. However, ignore the guy with the box of chocolate donuts. He's trying to be nice, but chocolate-glazed donuts at mile 18 are not a good idea.
Race day: In the immediate moments after your finish, drink several cups of water or sports drink to nourish your tired muscles. Walk a little, if you can, to let those muscles cool down. Do gentle stretching. Eat some simple carbohydrates, whether you feel like it or not.
After race day: Take at least a week off before resuming any kind of regular running schedule, and even then take your time easing back into distance and frequency.
Get plenty of sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Take care of any injuries or ailments you may have developed during the race. Nourish your immune system, which will be more vulnerable immediately after the marathon.
When all is said and done, and you’re putting away your number and medal, you know, the one you get for finishing the marathon of all marathon’s, you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished. So, what’s next? Maybe in 2018 you can tackle the Boston Marathon as well?
Marathons range from quiet, low-key races on backcountry roads to spectator-lined urban races with tens of thousands of runners. To help you get used to the race vibe and identify your preference, run a few shorter races, cheer on a friend or volunteer at marathons.
Choosing a marathon close to home may offer a "home field advantage" with the opportunity to run on familiar roads; on the other hand, choosing a "destination" race can really stoke your motivation fire in the months leading up to race day.
The primary elements of marathon training are:
Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
The long run. Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
Speed work. Practice intervals and tempo runs to increase your cardio capacity.
Rest and recovery. Adequate rest helps prevent injuries and mental burnout.
Base Mileage: Most marathon training plans range from 12 to 20 weeks. Beginning marathoners should aim to build their weekly mileage up to 50 miles over the four months leading up to race day. Three-to-five runs per week is sufficient. The vast majority of these runs should be done at a relaxed pace. You should run at an easy enough pace to be able to carry on a conversation.
When building base mileage, never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent from week to week.
The Long Run: Your next step is to build up to a weekly long run. This should be done once every 7–10 days, extending the long run by a mile or two each week. Every 3 weeks, scale it back by a few miles so as not to overtax your body and risk injury. For example, you might run 12 miles one weekend, 13 miles the next, then 14 miles, and then 12 again before moving on to 15 on the fifth weekend.
Doing these runs at a substantially slower pace than usual builds confidence, lets your body adjust to longer distances, and teaches you to burn fat for fuel.
Max distance: Most marathon training plans usually peak at a long run of 20 miles. So where do those last 6 miles come from on race day? With proper training, your body will take advantage of the peak shape your body will be in, the rest you offer it during a tapering period, and the adrenaline and crowd support of race day.
Speed Work: Speed work is an optional element to incorporate into your training program. It can increase your aerobic capacity and make your easy runs feel… well, easy! Intervals and tempo runs are the most popular forms of speed work.
Intervals are a set of repetitions of a specific, short distance, run at a substantially faster pace than usual, with recovery jogs in between. For example, you might run 4 X 1-mile repeats at a hard pace, with 5 minutes of slow jogging or even walking between the mile repeats.
Tempo Runs are longer than an interval—generally in the range of 4–10 miles, depending on where you are in your training—run at a challenging, but sustainable, pace. This kind of workout teaches your body, as well as your brain, to sustain challenging work over a longer period of time. Always allow your body to warm up and cool down with a few easy miles at the beginning and end of any speed workout.
Rest and Recovery
Rest days mean no running. They let your muscles recover from taxing workouts and help prevent mental burnout. The greatest enemy of any aspiring marathoners is injury, and the best protection against injury is rest.
If you are itching to do something active on your rest days, doing some cross-training is a great option. Cross-training can include walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, lifting weights, or any other active pursuit that isn't as high-impact as running.
Tapering: In the two or three weeks leading up to your marathon, scale back significantly on overall mileage and difficulty of your runs to let your body rest up for race day.
Hydration
Nearly all marathons include water and aid stations along the way.
If you plan to carry some of your own water on race day, buy a hydration pack or belt long in advance and get accustomed to running with it. Never try something new on race day.
While training, of course, you will be doing plenty of long runs without the benefit of aid stations. Several tried-and-true techniques to consider:
Carry your own water using a hydration pack or belt, or with handheld bottles
Do long runs on a short loop course, so you can stash water in one spot along the way.
Plot your long run route to pass water fountains (but during colder months, make sure that they're turned on).
Fueling
You've probably heard about the phenomenon many marathoners experience right around the 20-mile mark, commonly called "hitting the wall" or "bonking."
Your body can only store so much glycogen—its primary source of energy during the marathon. As this level gets depleted over the course of your marathon, your muscles will begin to tire and feel heavy. While no amount of fuel consumption during the race can entirely replace your depleted glycogen, consuming small amounts of carbohydrates can help prevent you from hitting the dreaded wall. Energy gels or chews are the easiest to carry and often easiest to digest—but a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar can also do the trick. For any run over 2 hours, aim to take in about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
As with everything, make sure to test out various types of fuel on your training runs to see what your stomach tolerates best, so you can fuel confidently on race day.
Race Day Tips
Don't try anything new on race day—no new shoes, new shorts or a new shirt. Don't guzzle 3 cups of coffee if you usually have one. Your long training runs are when you should be fine-tuning your clothing, gear and fueling strategies.
Before the Race: Hydrate well for several days leading up to your marathon. Drink a big glass of water before you go to bed the night before race day. Drink another one first thing in the morning.
Eat a simple, high-carbohydrate breakfast several hours before the start of the race. Bagels, oatmeal, bars and fruit all work well.
Lather up with a little Vaseline or BodyGlide in any areas vulnerable to chafing (you probably learned where during training runs).
Get to the starting line early, and if needed, get in the port-a-potty line 30–40 minutes before the official start time. The lines may be long.
The temperature is apt to rise over the course of the race, so don't overdress. If you're really cold at the start, wear an oversize trash bag over your clothing to keep warm until the starting gun goes off.
If you plan to run with music, check ahead of time whether headphones are allowed on the course; not all marathons permit them. Running with headphones can be dangerous if you can't hear what's happening around you, particularly if you're not on a closed course. Finally, there's something to be said for not tuning out the sounds of the spectator crowds and your fellow runners.
During the Race
Start slowly. It's easy to get caught up in race-day adrenaline, but starting too fast is a big rookie mistake. There will be plenty of miles over which to pick up your pace if you're feeling great.
Don't blaze by every aid station or try to drink from a cup while running full blast. Either practice drinking while running before race day or just pull over for a few seconds to drink.
Bathroom lines are longest at the first few aid stations. If you can wait another couple miles without discomfort, it may save you time.
If you have a friend coming to cheer you on, plan ahead at which spots along the course he or she will meet you. A friend along the way can be a huge boost.
Enjoy the energy of the spectators. However, ignore the guy with the box of chocolate donuts. He's trying to be nice, but chocolate-glazed donuts at mile 18 are not a good idea.
Race day: In the immediate moments after your finish, drink several cups of water or sports drink to nourish your tired muscles. Walk a little, if you can, to let those muscles cool down. Do gentle stretching. Eat some simple carbohydrates, whether you feel like it or not.
After race day: Take at least a week off before resuming any kind of regular running schedule, and even then take your time easing back into distance and frequency.
Get plenty of sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Take care of any injuries or ailments you may have developed during the race. Nourish your immune system, which will be more vulnerable immediately after the marathon.
When all is said and done, and you’re putting away your number and medal, you know, the one you get for finishing the marathon of all marathon’s, you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished. So, what’s next? Maybe in 2018 you can tackle the Boston Marathon as well?
Read more
It’s Just About Halloween !
It’s Just About Halloween, Look and See What You Need to Do to Equalize That Candy Your Snacking On!
Well, we all have a sweet tooth and usually, we get a little satisfaction from an autumn night full of midget size ghouls and goblins, and maybe a witch, ghost or Frankenstein monster or two.
We all have fun either going out with the kids as they travel the neighborhood, knocking on doors and singing out “Trick or Treat” Smell……well you know how it goes. Then there are the people that hold the fort down to answer the doorbell and let the little trick-or-treaters in to do their thing and hopefully get some healthy snacks or if you want to make them happy, a handful of candy. If you’re like me, you’ll have a large amount of that sugary substance on hand to appease those scary visitors. But you and I both know, while you’re busy waiting for that doorbell to ring, you will find that your hand is in that bowl full of goodies and popping one piece, then another into your own mouth. Well, what’s the harm anyway?? It’s not like it’s a full-size candy bar right? It’s only the “bite-size” kind of sweet. Below are a few facts on just how much exercise you will have to do in order to negate the giving into your weaknesses and having more than just one piece.
I don’t know about you but Reese’s peanut butter cup is my number one weakness. Well, 5 miniature pieces are 220 calories and contain 13 grams of fat. To make it a wash, you would have to run at a good pace for 17minutes.
How about a Kit Kat? Well, two miniature bars contain 210 calories and 11 grams of fat. And you're looking at 16 minutes on the treadmill. Makes you wonder why you unfolded the wrapper.
Sour Patch Kids, Just a 1 fun-size pack contains 210 calories but the good thing is no fat. Still, to negate those calories you’re looking at spending 16 minutes on that treadmill. Get where this is going? The more you eat the more you’re going to be calling your treadmill your new best friend.
Ok, you can’t go too far wrong with a Hershey Kiss, right? Well I know I like them more than I should and the reason is, eating just 9 (who can eat just one?) pieces will put 200 calories into your pocket along with 12 grams of fat and tighten up your sneaks as you run off 16 minutes of time to make up for eating that sweet confection.
Like the crunch of a Butterfinger? Me too, but just two fun-size bars equate to 170 calories and it will take 13 minutes to do away with the oh-sweet damage.
My wife is a big, I mean big Snickers fan, she loves them, lucky for me she also believes in moderation, because just two fun-size bars will add 160 calories to your daily intake along with 8 grams of fat and you’re looking at 12 minutes of running around the yard.
Like chocolate and nuts? How about an Almond Joy bar, just two fun-size bars will add 160 calories to your waistline along with 9 grams of fat and will take 11 minutes of hard running to make it a thing of the past.
Well, you can see where we are going with this. Now, we are NOT saying you shouldn’t have any candy after Halloween only comes around once every year. Go ahead and treat yourself, but just don’t TRICK YOURSELF into thinking those small pieces won’t cause any damage. Take it all in stride and have a few but keep it all within moderation.
Well, we all have a sweet tooth and usually, we get a little satisfaction from an autumn night full of midget size ghouls and goblins, and maybe a witch, ghost or Frankenstein monster or two.
We all have fun either going out with the kids as they travel the neighborhood, knocking on doors and singing out “Trick or Treat” Smell……well you know how it goes. Then there are the people that hold the fort down to answer the doorbell and let the little trick-or-treaters in to do their thing and hopefully get some healthy snacks or if you want to make them happy, a handful of candy. If you’re like me, you’ll have a large amount of that sugary substance on hand to appease those scary visitors. But you and I both know, while you’re busy waiting for that doorbell to ring, you will find that your hand is in that bowl full of goodies and popping one piece, then another into your own mouth. Well, what’s the harm anyway?? It’s not like it’s a full-size candy bar right? It’s only the “bite-size” kind of sweet. Below are a few facts on just how much exercise you will have to do in order to negate the giving into your weaknesses and having more than just one piece.
I don’t know about you but Reese’s peanut butter cup is my number one weakness. Well, 5 miniature pieces are 220 calories and contain 13 grams of fat. To make it a wash, you would have to run at a good pace for 17minutes.
How about a Kit Kat? Well, two miniature bars contain 210 calories and 11 grams of fat. And you're looking at 16 minutes on the treadmill. Makes you wonder why you unfolded the wrapper.
Sour Patch Kids, Just a 1 fun-size pack contains 210 calories but the good thing is no fat. Still, to negate those calories you’re looking at spending 16 minutes on that treadmill. Get where this is going? The more you eat the more you’re going to be calling your treadmill your new best friend.
Ok, you can’t go too far wrong with a Hershey Kiss, right? Well I know I like them more than I should and the reason is, eating just 9 (who can eat just one?) pieces will put 200 calories into your pocket along with 12 grams of fat and tighten up your sneaks as you run off 16 minutes of time to make up for eating that sweet confection.
Like the crunch of a Butterfinger? Me too, but just two fun-size bars equate to 170 calories and it will take 13 minutes to do away with the oh-sweet damage.
My wife is a big, I mean big Snickers fan, she loves them, lucky for me she also believes in moderation, because just two fun-size bars will add 160 calories to your daily intake along with 8 grams of fat and you’re looking at 12 minutes of running around the yard.
Like chocolate and nuts? How about an Almond Joy bar, just two fun-size bars will add 160 calories to your waistline along with 9 grams of fat and will take 11 minutes of hard running to make it a thing of the past.
Well, you can see where we are going with this. Now, we are NOT saying you shouldn’t have any candy after Halloween only comes around once every year. Go ahead and treat yourself, but just don’t TRICK YOURSELF into thinking those small pieces won’t cause any damage. Take it all in stride and have a few but keep it all within moderation.
Remember, the more you chomp down, the longer your going to be in that gym or out on the road pounding the pavements to work off all of those sweet little Halloween treats
Have fun, be safe and please keep an eye open so that all the neighborhood kids will also be safe and have a great time this Halloween evening. Be Spooking You……
Read more
It’s Just About Halloween, Look and See What You Need to Do to Equalize That Candy Your Snacking On!
Well, we all have a sweet tooth and usually, we get a little satisfaction from an autumn night full of midget size ghouls and goblins, and maybe a witch, ghost or Frankenstein monster or two.
We all have fun either going out with the kids as they travel the neighborhood, knocking on doors and singing out “Trick or Treat” Smell……well you know how it goes. Then there are the people that hold the fort down to answer the doorbell and let the little trick-or-treaters in to do their thing and hopefully get some healthy snacks or if you want to make them happy, a handful of candy. If you’re like me, you’ll have a large amount of that sugary substance on hand to appease those scary visitors. But you and I both know, while you’re busy waiting for that doorbell to ring, you will find that your hand is in that bowl full of goodies and popping one piece, then another into your own mouth. Well, what’s the harm anyway?? It’s not like it’s a full-size candy bar right? It’s only the “bite-size” kind of sweet. Below are a few facts on just how much exercise you will have to do in order to negate the giving into your weaknesses and having more than just one piece.
I don’t know about you but Reese’s peanut butter cup is my number one weakness. Well, 5 miniature pieces are 220 calories and contain 13 grams of fat. To make it a wash, you would have to run at a good pace for 17minutes.
How about a Kit Kat? Well, two miniature bars contain 210 calories and 11 grams of fat. And you're looking at 16 minutes on the treadmill. Makes you wonder why you unfolded the wrapper.
Sour Patch Kids, Just a 1 fun-size pack contains 210 calories but the good thing is no fat. Still, to negate those calories you’re looking at spending 16 minutes on that treadmill. Get where this is going? The more you eat the more you’re going to be calling your treadmill your new best friend.
Ok, you can’t go too far wrong with a Hershey Kiss, right? Well I know I like them more than I should and the reason is, eating just 9 (who can eat just one?) pieces will put 200 calories into your pocket along with 12 grams of fat and tighten up your sneaks as you run off 16 minutes of time to make up for eating that sweet confection.
Like the crunch of a Butterfinger? Me too, but just two fun-size bars equate to 170 calories and it will take 13 minutes to do away with the oh-sweet damage.
My wife is a big, I mean big Snickers fan, she loves them, lucky for me she also believes in moderation, because just two fun-size bars will add 160 calories to your daily intake along with 8 grams of fat and you’re looking at 12 minutes of running around the yard.
Like chocolate and nuts? How about an Almond Joy bar, just two fun-size bars will add 160 calories to your waistline along with 9 grams of fat and will take 11 minutes of hard running to make it a thing of the past.
Well, you can see where we are going with this. Now, we are NOT saying you shouldn’t have any candy after Halloween only comes around once every year. Go ahead and treat yourself, but just don’t TRICK YOURSELF into thinking those small pieces won’t cause any damage. Take it all in stride and have a few but keep it all within moderation.
Well, we all have a sweet tooth and usually, we get a little satisfaction from an autumn night full of midget size ghouls and goblins, and maybe a witch, ghost or Frankenstein monster or two.
We all have fun either going out with the kids as they travel the neighborhood, knocking on doors and singing out “Trick or Treat” Smell……well you know how it goes. Then there are the people that hold the fort down to answer the doorbell and let the little trick-or-treaters in to do their thing and hopefully get some healthy snacks or if you want to make them happy, a handful of candy. If you’re like me, you’ll have a large amount of that sugary substance on hand to appease those scary visitors. But you and I both know, while you’re busy waiting for that doorbell to ring, you will find that your hand is in that bowl full of goodies and popping one piece, then another into your own mouth. Well, what’s the harm anyway?? It’s not like it’s a full-size candy bar right? It’s only the “bite-size” kind of sweet. Below are a few facts on just how much exercise you will have to do in order to negate the giving into your weaknesses and having more than just one piece.
I don’t know about you but Reese’s peanut butter cup is my number one weakness. Well, 5 miniature pieces are 220 calories and contain 13 grams of fat. To make it a wash, you would have to run at a good pace for 17minutes.
How about a Kit Kat? Well, two miniature bars contain 210 calories and 11 grams of fat. And you're looking at 16 minutes on the treadmill. Makes you wonder why you unfolded the wrapper.
Sour Patch Kids, Just a 1 fun-size pack contains 210 calories but the good thing is no fat. Still, to negate those calories you’re looking at spending 16 minutes on that treadmill. Get where this is going? The more you eat the more you’re going to be calling your treadmill your new best friend.
Ok, you can’t go too far wrong with a Hershey Kiss, right? Well I know I like them more than I should and the reason is, eating just 9 (who can eat just one?) pieces will put 200 calories into your pocket along with 12 grams of fat and tighten up your sneaks as you run off 16 minutes of time to make up for eating that sweet confection.
Like the crunch of a Butterfinger? Me too, but just two fun-size bars equate to 170 calories and it will take 13 minutes to do away with the oh-sweet damage.
My wife is a big, I mean big Snickers fan, she loves them, lucky for me she also believes in moderation, because just two fun-size bars will add 160 calories to your daily intake along with 8 grams of fat and you’re looking at 12 minutes of running around the yard.
Like chocolate and nuts? How about an Almond Joy bar, just two fun-size bars will add 160 calories to your waistline along with 9 grams of fat and will take 11 minutes of hard running to make it a thing of the past.
Well, you can see where we are going with this. Now, we are NOT saying you shouldn’t have any candy after Halloween only comes around once every year. Go ahead and treat yourself, but just don’t TRICK YOURSELF into thinking those small pieces won’t cause any damage. Take it all in stride and have a few but keep it all within moderation.
Remember, the more you chomp down, the longer your going to be in that gym or out on the road pounding the pavements to work off all of those sweet little Halloween treats
Have fun, be safe and please keep an eye open so that all the neighborhood kids will also be safe and have a great time this Halloween evening. Be Spooking You……
Read more
Celebrate Good Nutrition Month
November is Good Nutrition Month and you know what that means: it’s time to kick it up a notch on your current diet plan. Whether you’re looking to lose weight or just nourish your body properly, eating healthy can often lead to a wealth of benefits. Better overall health, reduced risk for certain diseases, clearer […]
Read more
November is Good Nutrition Month and you know what that means: it’s time to kick it up a notch on your current diet plan. Whether you’re looking to lose weight or just nourish your body properly, eating healthy can often lead to a wealth of benefits. Better overall health, reduced risk for certain diseases, clearer […]