My Farthest Run Yet!!

Hey all,
I just want to share something I'm pretty proud of: I just ran roughly 10 miles!! I never thought I'd ever be able to run a half-marathon but now that I'm just 3 miles short of doing it, I've got a new goal for myself! Anyhoo, I'm really happy right now (and exhausted!! : )

Get Flat, Sexy Abs in 5 Moves

Tired of pinching an inch (or two)? Target your abs in a whole new way to get your leanest, firmest torso ever! A whittled-down waistline plays harder-to-get with age because, even if you don’t gain more weight, more fat is stored in your middle compared to elsewhere in your body. But you can't fight the flab sitting down. Flattening your abs takes a two-pronged approach: You need to firm up weak muscles and reduce the fat that surrounds them. Check out these five core exercises that will tighten your torso. Click HERE for the moves!

QuoD: What's YOUR favorite ab exercise?

Learning to Recharge

How you plan the activities of your day can either break you down and wear you out or build you up and encourage renewal and repair. Being in constant motion and driven to meet all obligations (even those that are joyous), you may unwisely forgo rest and relaxation. If you're not careful, this can lead to imbalance, particularly if you are ignoring signals communicated by the body--such as dry skin, indigestion, constipation, headaches, depression, insomnia, anxiety, nervousness and increased susceptibility to illnesses. The mind has to learn to respect the signals the body is giving in terms of rest, balanced activity, diet and daily routines. Click HERE to learn more about the importance of recharging.

QuoD: Are YOU guilty of failing to listen to your body and not taking time to recharge?

Benefits of a work-out partner

After at least a month of no working out due to lack of motivation, a two week sinus infection, submitting postdoctoral applications, and the ever present dissertation I finally went to the gym yesterday. I think I worked out much too hard as I felt nauseated after working out, but I did notice something...my thighs no longer were rubbing together and I am now about 10 pounds from the healthy weight I would like to maintain. So, I am now starting to see benefits of my workout from 2007 and the significant change in my eating habits (e.g. eating only when I am hungry)....

But, on to the topic of this post. A special THANK YOU goes out to pam for encouraging me to workout yesterday. I was bogged down in dissertation data analysis and I walked over to pam's office to take a break from the data crunch. I mentioned to pam that i was considering working out but i had missed the "off-peak" time that allows me to workout in the gym in my office building (as this was not my "home" gym)...pam did not take this as an excuse as I had not missed the "off-peak" time and I could indeed work out. Pam was also considering not working out...but then as we both said our reasons out loud they no longer had much power. I tell this story to illustrate how important it is to get the "i don't feel like working out/I don't have time to work out" voice out of your head and challenged by a work-out partner. Thanks pam...

Garmin Forerunner 405 Sports Watch

Ok fellow technogeeks! Check out the world's coolest watch! This thing wirelessly connects to your computer to upload fitness data, it has gps, it can connect to other devices such as a heartrate monitor, and much more:

Check out MSN's "Fit Zone"

Here's an excellent resource to keep handy and bookmark for future reference. It allows you target the specific body part or muscle group you want to work on and gives you step-by-step instructions and graphics to show you the exercises you need to do to achieve your goal. Click HERE to go to the site.

QuoD: What part of YOUR body do you wish you could wave a magic wand over and instantly tighten/tone/beef it up?

Your Best Butt Ever!

Redo your "rear-view" with this cardio-sculpting routine! Are you read to get your best butt ever? Click HERE to get the full story and click HERE and to get the workout moves!

QuoD: What do YOU look at first when you see someone at the beach or gym who is in great shape/very fit? What are some of the thoughts that run through your mind when you see someone who is physically fit (as YOU define it)?

9 health foods that aren't

This is an interesting piece on different foods that are perceived as healthy but are actually high in calories and loaded with fat and/or sugar. I must admit, I LOVE all 9 of them and always thought of myself as "eating right" when I ate them. Of course, everything in moderation...but come on, a bran muffin? What harm could a scrumptious, moist, keeps-ya-regular bran muffin do? I've created hyperlinks for each of the food items below so all you have to do is click on them to find out what's "bad" about them and what they recommend as a substitute or click HERE for the full story:

1. Bran muffin
2. Chicken Caesar salad
3. Tuna melt
4. Chicken wrap
5. Turkey burger
6. Fruit smoothies
7. Granola bar
8. Pasta salad
9. Yogurt with fruit on the bottom

QuoD: What are YOUR thoughts on eating right and what's considered "good" or "bad" for you?

Shoes for You: Fashion or Function First?

Ok, think about all the running/tennis/workout/gym shoes you've purchased over the course of your lifetime and ask yourself: "Is it more important that my shoes LOOK good/cool/trendy or that they fit and feel comfortable and/or they are the best shoe for what you want to do in them (e.g., run)?" I have to be honest, the shoes HAVE to look good or I won't buy them. Period. They could fit like a glove and be the most comfortable shoe I've ever put on my feet, but if they are butt-ugly or look therapeutic I know I would never wear them and would not waste my money buying them! Sometimes I luck out and get the best of both worlds: a cool-looking shoe that fits great and feels great when I run. This happened when I discovered the Nike 360's, which are the BEST running shoe I've ever worn. So this got me to thinking: am I the only shallow fitness-buff in the world or are there others like me out there? To that end, here's today's question:

QuoD: Are YOU a "Fashion First!" kinda guy/gal when it comes to fitness shoes? or... Are you a "Practical & Prudent" shopper who buys shoes no matter WHAT they look like as long as they fit and feel good?

The Fastest Body-Shaping Workout Ever

Crunched for time? Don't skip strength-training — downsize it. By doing exercises that simultaneously target the muscle groups in your abs, rear, legs, back, and chest, you can spend less time sweating and still get the firming benefits of a full-length workout. For the complete story plus workout routine, click HERE

Are Short Workouts a Waste of Time?

In short: NO!

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that people in shape burn 300 to 400 calories per day from physical activity and/or exercise. (A beginning exerciser is advised to aim for 150 calories per day or more, and work up.) To achieve this calorie burn, or energy expenditure, people should accumulate 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity throughout the day. Check out this quick read by clicking HERE.

QuoD: How long do YOU usually spend working out? Do you do cardio AND weights when you work out at the gym (or at home)?

250k: Check. Next stop: 500k!

I feel like a kid again whenever I receive a new certificate from Nike+ for reaching new milestones! This latest one is actually not reflective of my actual mileage, which was finally updated today on the Nike+ site (long story). Now I'm about 4 kilometers shy of 300k.

QuoD: Do certificates (medals, trophies...) motivate you? If not, what types of rewards work for YOU??

2008 goals (not resolutions)!

hey y'all --
i usually don't buy into the whole resolution thing -- especially the one to "get in shape!" it's a little unrealistic to think you can just up and decide to get in shape one day, and then magically just do it. what is real is that you can decide to begin a journey to get into better shape and make a resolution not to quit, recognizing that you will have ups and downs, successes and failures, gains and losses, and over time -- a LONG time, maybe even years -- you will eventually establish sound eating habits and a consistent exercise regimen, and your body will get stronger, more flexible, and leaner.

clearly that's a resolution that you can make, and should make, every and/or any day -- not just january 1st! anyway -- i think we all made that resolution a while ago.

so then, nevermind resolutions -- what are your fitness GOALS for 2008 (and beyond)? are you training for something specific -- a race, a challenge, a specific number of reps using a heavier weight? are you planning to research and include new exercises into your routine? take up a new sport? change your focus from strength to flexibility or vice-versa? emphasize speed over distance, or distance over speed? here's your chance to publicly document your plans!

my current fitness goals:
1. improve my yoga practice! by (a) learning correct form (books, dvds) and (b)supplementing my two classes a week by twice weekly practicing on my own.
2. continue my 4-5 times per week 30-40 minutes of cardio followed by 45 minutes of weight training
3. strengthen my core by not skipping ab work! :-)

happy new year, my fabulous fitness friends! may we all end 2008 in even better shape than we begin it!