Intended audience: Runners

Essay Map: Educating yourself about the facts of running barefoot (if that’s your goal), will allow you to safely transition from thicker soled running shoes.

I’m back with part 2 of Foot Fetish. In the first post, we went over the a few perceptions on barefoot running like how it leads to stress fractures, and how if you have flat feet, you’ll need support. In part 2 we will look at weight, and knee issues.

Once again, you’ll be reading direct quotes from Nicholas A. Campitelli, DPM, FACFAS. I will place my views, and opinions in underlined italics with my initials AH.

“Barefoot running, minimalist running and natural running are all terms that describe running in a manner that allows our foot to function the way it was designed (or has evolved). This happens through the use of little or no shoe at all. Many runners suffering from chronic injuries are adopting this way of running and are experiencing relief of symptoms to find themselves running with enjoyment and a more relaxing form.”

The key word is many not all. AH

I too have been cured of a running injury, which I suffered from for over eight years after transitioning my gait to that of a “barefoot” runner. Without further ado, here are the 10 myths of barefoot running.”

Cured is a provocative word to use, as it might lead readers to assume barefoot running will cure them as it did the author. As a DPM I’ll guess that he might have started some sort of regimen to help in his ”curing” i.e. flexibility, mobility, and/or strengthening exercises He also could have added a warm up ”movement prep” and “cool down” to his routine. AH

“I weigh too much. While this is a common excuse to not run, being overweight is not reason enough not to run barefoot or in a minimalist shoe. In 2010, Leiberman and co-workers were able to demonstrate that habitually unshod runners were able to generate smaller collision forces than shod heel strikers.⁶ In other words, by forefoot striking, we decrease the force that transmits through the lower extremity, thereby reducing torque forces to the ankle, knee and hip joints.⁷ Clearly, we can see that if people weigh 250 lbs., they would be placing more force through their joints by heel striking then by landing on their forefoot”.

I agree that you can decrease the force transmitted through the body by changing your strike, however I believe the writer is overlooking a critical component. If someone is overweight, odds are they have not been exercising regularly, could be sedentary, but most importantly not conditioned to start a running program. When I say unconditioned, that could mean that the individual might not have the cardiovascular endurance of more importantly the muscles, and connective tissues of the body lack the strength and endurance to handle any type of force transmitted through the body. AH.

Would Bad Knees Inhibit Barefoot Running?

“I have bad knees. Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common concern among many runners, especially older individuals who have run the majority of their lives. There are many theories as to why running is bad or even good for your knees. So many in fact that elliptical machines were invented to be used as a form of exercise similar to running without causing excess pressure to the joints.⁸ However, these elliptical machines do not reproduce anatomical motions and an in vivo force analysis reveals there is less force with walking than with an elliptical trainer”.^9-11

You can’t out run time, age will eventual catch us all, and osteoarthritis is an age related condition. I have not read the study on elliptical machines versus walking, however from personal experience, both are less stressful to my body than running and the elliptical machine can get me to train all my cardio zones better than walking. What I would suggest though is that you may want to talk with your doctor in regards to supplementation like joint support. As a personal trainer what I would recommend if you haven’t yet, is to start a mobility/flexibility and strength program. I would emphasize the ankles and hips, because allowing full ROM in those respective areas could take some of the workload (force transmission) away from the knee, and transmit it throughout the rest of the body like we are designed to do. AH.

“As I noted previously, we know that ground reactive forces are greater with heel strike in comparison to unshod or barefoot runners who adapt a more forefoot strike pattern.⁶ Numerous studies have demonstrated higher ground reactive forces and mechanical stresses to the knee while running in traditional running shoes as opposed to barefoot.^12-13 A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine looked at patients with knee osteoarthritis over 12 months and found no difference between wearing a lateral wedge orthotic versus a control flat insert.¹⁴ Similarly, a systematic review of literature demonstrates that external knee adduction moment and pain associated with knee osteoarthritis is higher in individuals wearing sneakers in comparison to those who do barefoot walking”.¹⁵

When I complete the 10 Myths of barefoot Running, I will post all of Nicholas’s bibliography for referencing.

Reference:

Campitelli A. Nicholas (2012 January) Tackling the 10 Myths of Barefoot Running. Podiatry Today Volume 25 Issue1.

He relayed his feeling of frustration about the constant inundation the media portrays of ‘quick fix’ diets and workout plans.  I mean, can we really get in shape in just 10 minutes a day?  Berardi, despite his angst, decided to take a whole new look at these quick fixes, and while applying fundamental principles made the complex simple for one client.

By instilling small, attainable goals for his ‘tester’ client he was able to help her achieve a larger goal of ‘maintained weight loss.’  His simple program looked like this:

Monday – 6 minutes of sprint intervals on the treadmill
Tuesday – 10 minutes of bodyweight circuit training
Thursday – 6 minutes of sprint intervals on the treadmill
Friday – 10 minutes of bodyweight circuit training
[That’s right, only 32 minutes of exercise per week.]
Her dietary strategies were equally simple:
Weeks 1 and 2 – eat normally, however eat each meal slowly and eat about 4 total meals each day
Weeks 3 and 4 – with each meal, eat protein, legumes, and veggies (while avoiding white carbs)
Weeks 5 and 6 – one day per week, eat whatever you want
Weeks 7 and 8 – if still included, skip fruit and calorie-containing drinks

Simple right?  That’s what I thought!

Which made me wonder if I have been overwhelming my own clients with too many to do’s in their workout programs. If not, then I say to you “maintain the course.”  If yes, then I apologize, and may I encourage you to instead look for “Moments of Movement.”

Let’s keep it simple.  Look for moments during your day to move. Move in your own way, and for as long as you have time to in each moment you choose.  Break up your moments, and allow the body to do what it likes to do.  These moments, collectively by the end of every week can help you get to your goal. 

For example, my client Mary spoke of one of her memorable moments of movement.  On a long car ride, across several states, and accompanied by two aunts who loved to move, found themselves playing “Auto Aerobics.”  This moment of movement was a game in which all the passengers in the car took turns coming up with an exercise/movement they could do with their arms.  After much laughter, many silly movements, and almost an hour of passed time, they found a moment of movement that they will never forget.

As with Mary’s example, let’s keep the complex simple, and just move!  And to all of my clients… I want you to worry about having fun and moving when, where, and how much you want… I’ll take care of the rest when I see you.

Until then… MOVE MORE!
Hayley Hollander

To see John Berardi’s article in full click the link:
Exploring Fitness Minimalism

Everyone wants to not only live an active and healthy lifestyle but they want to be able to eat the right foods in order to compliment their hard work. Thus, being healthy from the inside out.

The lie: “Food that is good for you tastes horrible and I don’t have time to cook.”
The truth: “I am too lazy to cook the food that is good for me.”
Fact: There are simple recipes that take minimal time to create a meal full of all the greatness our bodies need.

Lets help you out. Here are just a few recipes that take less than 30 minutes in the kitchen to create and you can make enough to last a few days. OOHH YEA!

Turkey Breast Patties
Ingredients:

1 package ground turkey breast
½ c. spaghetti sauce
2 egg whites
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. parsley flakes
1Tbs. olive oil
Dash of black pepper
1 package fat free croutons crushed

Instructions:

Mix all but croutons together. Form into patties coat with crushed croutons and place in pan coated with PAM. Cover and cook over medium heat until done. About three minutes per side. Serve with a side of spaghetti sauce. Can also top with parmesan cheese. They are also great cold the next day!

CHICKEN CHILI
Ingredients:

2 large cans of chicken breast
1 can fat-free chicken broth
1 can chopped tomatoes with jalepenos or
Green chiles
1 can crisp corn
1 can chili beans
1 can white or other bean
1 tsp. chopped garlic/1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder/1T. chopped dried onion

Instructions:

Saute the garlic until brown in olive oil. Start adding all cans ( drain the corn and beans first). Add chili powder and onion (can use fresh). Cook over low-medium heat about 25 minutes until it is simmering… IT’S READY!

To add a KICK- add ½ cup of your favorite salsa to the mix!

Enjoy friends! Stay tuned for more next week!

Be healthy and keep moving,

Casey

Intended audience: Runners,

Thesis: To help runners sort through the facts and fictions of barefoot running.

Essay Map: With the proper education you can enjoy barefoot running (if that is your choice). This article will help better prepare you for the road ahead.

I stumbled across an article on Facebook, posted by Rodney Corn from Podiatry Today. The article was called “tackling the 10 myths of barefoot running”. Written by Nicholas A. Campitelli DPM, FACFAS. In the upcoming blogs, I will post sections of the article so we can digest this information a little bit at a time. This will give us time to fully digest some of the concerns that can come about from barefoot running.  I will have some input of my own which will be underlined with my initials AH.

“Barefoot running, minimalist running and natural running are all terms that describe running in a manner that allows our foot to function the way it was designed (or has evolved). This happens through the use of little or no shoe at all. Many runners suffering from chronic injuries are adopting this way of running and are experiencing relief of symptoms to find themselves running with enjoyment and a more relaxing form.”

The key word is many not all. AH

I too have been cured of a running injury, which I suffered from for over eight years after transitioning my gait to that of a “barefoot” runner. Without further ado, here are the 10 myths of barefoot running.”

Cured is a provocative word to use, as it might lead readers to assume barefoot running will cure them as it did the author. As a DPM I’ll guess that he might have started some sort of regimen to help in his ”curing” i.e. flexibility, mobility, and/or strengthening exercises He also could have added a warm up ”movement prep” and “cool down” to his routine. AH

“Barefoot running leads to stress fractures. Without a doubt, the most common concern with barefoot or minimalist running is the development of a stress fracture. While there have been documented cases of this in the literature, stress fractures occur as a result of a change in activity without gradual adaptation and are not directly related to the shoe gear or lack thereof.¹ We actually should see a decrease in the likelihood of stress fracture given the change in stride and cadence that one acquires while running barefoot.^”

  I bold faced this sentence, because I felt was an important statement. AH

Stress fractures occur secondary to overuse without the body having adapted adequately as proven by Wolff’s Law.³ In fact, if we adhere to Wolff’s law in theory, we should see weaker bone trabecular patterns on those wearing cushioned running shoes due to decreased intrinsic muscle strength, resulting in a proportional decrease in the force acting on the respective bone.”

Trabecular patterns: an irregular meshwork of stress and stress-related struts within a cancellous bone.

“I have flat feet and I need support. Lees and Klemerman have demonstrated that there is no correlation between foot type and running injuries, specifically with a pes planus deformity.⁵ During barefoot running, we avoid heel striking and land more on our forefoot or midfoot. Once the forefoot strikes the ground, pronation of the entire foot begins (not isolated pronation of the subtalar joint) and continues until the point where the heel touches the ground. Arch height becomes irrelevant, as does the commonly described concept of pronation with the heel striking the ground first. With a forefoot/midfoot strike, pronation is very beneficial and helps to absorb shock.”

On top of that studies shows and research articles state that flexibility, mobility, and strength exercises can reverse flat feet as one of the causes associated with flat feet is weakened muscles and other connective tissues. AH

Reference:

Campitelli A. Nicholas (2012 January) Tackling the 10 Myths of Barefoot Running. Podiatry Today Volume 25 Issue 1.

The story spoke of a woman (we will call her Sarah), who was trying to overcome compulsive overeating. She described a daily routine in which she would come home after a long day of work, have dinner, and plop on the couch to read a book and unwind.  Only to have a thought bubble up in her head, containing an image of the ice cream sitting in the freezer.  She would manage to push it to the back of her mind, but only to be presented with it a few minutes later.  She would continue to push it away, only to have it more insistently come back to her, until she would finally give in and grab a spoon.  Sarah would find herself standing at the kitchen counter, staring in somewhat of a trance while spooning out the ice cream.  And before she knew it, the spoon would reach the bottom of the container. Feeling disappointed, guilty, and extremely bloated she would make her way back to the couch vowing to never do that again.

Sound Familiar?

The book, The One Thing Holding You Back, Unleashing the Power of Emotional Connection, presents the idea that emotional disconnection is why we fail to reach many of our goals.

The human brain is wired to avoid painful/unpleasant things and seek out pleasureable/happy things (Maslow Motivational Theory).  Regardless of whether or not the stimulus that is being presented to your brain is external (like a hot stove), or internal (like low blood sugar), your brain will interpret the stimulus and try to provide the body with a way to react… One in which we avoid pain and experience pleasure.  With an external stimulus of a hot stove our brains would tell us to avoid it because… well, that would be down right painful.  And an internal stimulus of low blood sugar, would prompt us to eat something so that we don’t get a headache or feel hunger pains.  Here’s where emotions come into play…

Emotions are physical responses to internal/external stimulus.  An external input, like an insult for example, will convey an emotional response of hurt.  An internal input, like missing a friend, will convey an emotional response of sadness.  These emotions cause us to FEEL!  Sometimes, because we are wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain, we will avoid certain emotions because they are unpleasureable to us.  When we avoid emotions, analyze emotions, assess emotions, bargain with emotions, and even judge emotions we avoid feeling.

My point is… emotions are meant to be felt! When we avoid emotions we are teaching ourselves that they aren’t pleasureable. When situations arise where those emotions come to the surface the brain recognizes them as negative, causing us to instill a behavior (like eating mindlessly) that overwhelms us, confuses us, and downright stalls us in our pursuit.  Emotions provide us with information that thoughts alone can’t.

We must embrace our emotions to succeed!  We must actually experience what the emotion is telling us, move through it, and recognize that its okay to feel it.

So bringing it back to frustrated Sarah; after working to experience her emotions, she discovered that in her nagging thought process of eating ice cream, came a feeling in her stomach reminding her of being a young girl jumping up and down.  That young girl loved ice cream, and anxiously wanted to get into the freezer. In her emotional thought process Sarah, felt the anxiousness of the little girl, reminding her of the attention she wanted to so badly as a child.  And the anxiousness quickly turned to sadness… Sadness that she would typically avoid feeling, by giving in and eating the ice cream.  The sadness stemmed from the divorce of her parents at a young age, and the lack of attention that came after it.  With Sarah’s new resolve to experience the sadness, to process it, and to allow her body to no longer feel threatened by the ‘sadness’, she was able to finally put down the spoon and begin to lose the weight.

Whether your compulsive eating is ice cream or chips, candy or pizza… before you go blaming your eating habits on a lack of willpower.  Brave an emotional gut check, you might be surprised at what you find. Emotions are our friends, feel them, and you will prosper.

Move More!
Hayley Hollander

To learn more about emotional connection, and the 2×2 process behind connecting emotionally, check out the book.
Cushnir, R (2008) The One Thing Holding You Back, Unleashing the Power of Emotional Connection, Harper Collins, New York, NY

First, lets get down to the specifics. The specifics of your goal are important so that you are not overwhelmed with too many goals. Too many people make generalizations about their goal like, “I want to lose weight” or “I want to be thin.” These are not very specific. Think about how much weight do you want to lose or how about what does being ‘thin’ really mean? Lean muscle? All of these are great points to consider when narrowing your goal down to a specific one.

Next lets talk about the time frame of your goal and the realistic value attached to the goal. Many people set unrealistic goals that in turn, set them up for failure and disappointment. Making smart decisions about your goals and an attainable time frame is very important and key to success. Saying things like “I want to lose 50lbs in 4 wks” is not realistic. A goal like “I want to have a 30 inch waist in 3 months” is more attainable if you are closer to that measurement. Setting yourself up for success from the beginning is key to success in the end.

The last key value to think about is “Is the goal I set attainable?” If you have to think about it, more then likely it isn’t. Making smart choices to make small steps towards the bigger picture will keep you on the pathway to your health and fitness success. Making sure you don’t put yourself on a short time frame to achieve your goal helps as well because then you alleviate the sense of emergency to get your goal accomplished.

Lets start the New Year off with a brand new YOU! Advanced Training Performance has the trainer’s to help you set and reach any goal you have. Lets take your dreams off the shelf and make them a reality. Your success is our success!

Cheers my friends,

Casey Arnold

What are some lifestyle changes a person can make to help to improve overall health?  List at least 3 and describe the benefits of each.

In my opinion, the 3 very important factors for a positive lifestyle change in an individual to improve overall health is, weight loss, coronary artery disease, and stress. What you will probably notice is that the three components actually overlap with one another in some capacity to help in the overall health improvement in the individual suffering from one, two, or all three of these symptoms.

First we’ll discuss weight loss.  One of the most important things one can do to achieve long-term weight loss and management is to set realistic goals. “It may seem obvious to set realistic weight-loss goals. But do you really know what’s realistic? Over the long term, it’s best to aim for losing 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week, although initially you might lose weight more quickly than that if you make significant changes — just be sure the changes are health supporting. To lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day, through a lower calorie diet and regular exercise. When you’re setting goals, think about both process and outcome goals. “Exercise regularly” is an example of a process goal, while “Lose 30 pounds” is an example of an outcome goal. It isn’t essential that you have an outcome goal, but you should set process goals because changing your processes — your habits — is a key to weight loss. Also make sure that your goals are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-limited. An example of a SMART goal is aiming to walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week for the next three months, and logging your results” (Mayo clinic staff 2010).

Some of the health benefits that come with reducing one’s weight are increased energy levels, lower cholesterol levels (LDL, VLDL), improved breathing, improved mobility, reduced aches and pains in joints, improve sleep, decreased risk of  “coronary artery disease”, reduce or eliminate diabetes, reduce “stress” physically, emotionally, and mentally. This can be achieved by following two simple guidelines, eating healthier foods, getting and staying active.

“Adopting a new eating style that promotes weight loss must include lowering your total calorie intake. But decreasing calories need not mean giving up taste, satisfaction or even ease of meal preparation. One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without giving up taste or nutrition.

In particular, get your weight loss started by eating a healthy breakfast every day; eating at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits daily; and using healthy fats, such as olive oil, vegetable oils and nut butters. In addition, cut back on sugar, choose low-fat dairy products and keep meat consumption to a 3-ounce portion (about the size of a deck of cards).

While you can lose weight without exercise, exercise plus calorie restriction can help give you the weight-loss edge. Exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can’t cut through diet alone. Exercise also offers numerous health benefits, including boosting your mood, strengthening your cardiovascular system and reducing your blood pressure. Exercise can also help in maintaining weight loss. Studies show that people who maintain their weight loss over the long term get regular physical activity” (Mayo clinic staff 2010).

Second we have coronary artery disease (CAD). The thing with CAD as with weight management is that we as individuals make the choices that affect our lives in either a positive or negative way. By making a conscious decision to make a positive change, all you ‘ll need to do to succeed is to implement it. With CAD, there are some things that we are either born with or just develop with time. We can’t choose to change it, but we can manage them i.e. age, sex, and family history. Some of the changes that we can make are sometimes the things we’re already doing to cause them such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, high stress, and lack of sleep. With the exception of smoking and sleeping, everything else can be controlled and managed to some extent by following the guidelines from the weight loss section. Annual check ups with your physician is all a choice you can implement to monitor your heart’s health.

“Lifestyle changes can help you prevent or slow the progression of coronary artery disease.

•                     Stop smoking. Smoking is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease. Nicotine constricts blood vessels and forces your heart to work harder, and carbon monoxide reduces oxygen in your blood and damages the lining of your blood vessels. If you smoke, quitting is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of a heart attack.
•                     Control your blood pressure. Ask your doctor for a blood pressure measurement at least every two years. He or she may recommend more frequent measurements if your blood pressure is higher than normal or you have a history of heart disease. The ideal blood pressure is below 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, as measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
•                     Check your cholesterol. Ask your doctor for a baseline cholesterol test when you’re in your 20s and then at least every five years. If your test results aren’t within desirable ranges, your doctor may recommend more frequent measurements. Most people should aim for an LDL level below 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 3.4 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). If you have other risk factors for heart disease, your target LDL may be below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L).
•                     Keep diabetes under control. If you have diabetes, tight blood sugar control can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
•                     Get moving. Exercise helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight and control diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure — all risk factors for coronary artery disease. With your doctor’s OK, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity most or all days of the week.
•                     Eat healthy foods. A heart-healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains — and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium — can help you control your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. Eating one or two servings of fish a week also is beneficial.
•                     Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your risk of coronary artery disease. Weight loss is especially important for people who have large waist measurements — more than 40 inches (102 centimeters) for men and more than 35 inches (89 centimeters) for women — because people with this body shape are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease.
•                     Manage stress. Reduce stress as much as possible. Practice healthy techniques for managing stress, such as muscle relaxation and deep breathing.

In addition to healthy lifestyle changes, remember the importance of regular medical checkups. Some of the main risk factors for coronary artery disease — high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes — have no symptoms in the early stages. Early detection and treatment can set the stage for a lifetime of better heart health” (Mayo clinic staff 2010).

Last but not least we have stress management. I look as stress as a major component and precursor to a lot diseases and conditions we contract in our lives. If you click on this link: http://www.stress.org/topic-effects.htm, you’ll see the effects of stress on the human body both physically and emotionally. “There are numerous emotional and physical disorders that have been linked to stress including depression, anxiety, heart attacks, stroke, hypertension, immune system disturbances that increase susceptibility to infections, a host of viral linked disorders ranging from the common cold and herpes to AIDS and certain cancers, as well as autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. In addition stress can have direct effects on the skin (rashes, hives, atopic dermatitis, the gastrointestinal system (GERD, peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis) and can contribute to insomnia and degenerative neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease. In fact, it’s hard to think of any disease in which stress cannot play an aggravating role or any part of the body that is not affected (see stress effects on the body stress diagram) or. This list will undoubtedly grow as the extensive ramifications of stress are increasingly being appreciated” (AIS 2009).

There are many ways to reduce stress, weight management and exercise can help reduce and control stress levels. Those are but only two, and I mentioned them specifically because like my intro, I stated that “What you will probably notice is that the three components actually overlap with one another in some capacity to help in the overall health improvement in the individual suffering from one, two, or all three of these symptoms” (Hsu 2011).

There are also what I consider active and passive treatments to stress. Active is physically doing something to reduce stress levels, while passive is having an external component aiding in the reduction of stress. One is not necessarily better, it’s just options that suits the individual best. “Just as stress is different for each of us there is no stress reduction strategy that is a panacea. Jogging and other aerobic exercises, different types of meditation, prayer, yoga and tai chi are great for many people but when arbitrarily imposed on others, prove dull, boring and stressful. There is certainly no shortage of stress relievers and in addition to the above, various progressive muscular relaxation exercises, autogenic training, deep breathing, massage therapies, visual imagery and self hypnosis practices are popular. There are also acupuncture, acupressure, biofeedback, Alexander, Reiki, Feldenkrais and other bodywork and postural techniques. Some people find that listening to music, hobbies, volunteer work, keeping a daily journal of events and how they feel, laughter, playing with pets, taking short breaks or shopping help them to relax. Others find relief for their stress related symptoms from aromatherapy, nutritional supplements like chamomile, spearmint, kava kava, adaptogens and St. John’s wort or even sitting under a pyramid. There are also prescription tranquilizers, sedatives, hypnotics, antidepressants and beta-blockers for specific complaints. In addition, a variety of cranioelectromagnetic stimulation devices have been found to be effective and safe for anxiety, insomnia and drug resistant depression. Strong emotional support from group therapy, family or friends is a powerful stress buster” (AIS 2009).

Reference:

Mayo Clinic staff. (2010 December, 18) Weight Loss: 6 strategies for success. Mayo Clinic.                                                  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/HQ01625

Mayo Clinic staff. (2010 July, 2) Coronary Artery Disease. Mayo Clinic.                                                                               http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/coronary-artery-disease/DS00064/DSECTION=lifestyle%2Dand%2Dhome%2Dremedies

The American Institute of Stress. (2009) Effects of Stress. AIS.                                                                                                                                     http://www.stress.org/topic-effects.htm

The American Institute of Stress. (2009) Stress reduction, Stress relievers. AIS.                                                                                                        http://www.stress.org/topic-reduction.htm

We just want to send a big thank you to all those that participated in the Great Las Vegas Santa Run this year.  The event was a success and WE BROKE THE RECORD this year!  So, we will make it into the Guiness Book of World Records.

We’ve put together a fun video of the event below, and posted the pictures to our facebook page “Advanced Training Performance” so be sure to check them out.

Happy Holidays,
Hayley

It is this time of year, this wonderful blissful time of year, when all the goodies, parties, social gatherings; begin to pull us away from keeping our health in check.  We forego the gym one night because we need to stop at the store instead, then we neglect to wake up to our early alarm because its just to cozy in our bed.  We find ourselves eating more than we normally would, and even eating a lot of sweets too, only causing us to want to take a nap in our ever so rare moment of free time. 

Aw yes, you know this is you!  I’ll even admit its me too… but I’m not going to give you the cliche advice and tell you to work out whenever you can.  Go for a walk, offer to do more chores and help out (although all of these things would be a HUGE benefit), what I am going to tell you this holiday season is to find a buddy to keep yourself accountable.

That’s right… a BUDDY!  Just like ‘Buddy the Elf’ would never allow any of his loved ones to have a bad day… you must do the same.  Whether your buddy is a friend, family member, co-worker, or neighbor, find a buddy that will help you push through this hectic month.  A buddy that will workout with you, helping you stay on a regular schedule.  A buddy that will check in with you, and ask you what you are eating for dinner.  A buddy that will encourage you, and help you find solutions to the roadblocks that are getting in your way of your toned little holiday butt!

When we have someone to help keep ourselves accountable we are more likely to stick to our programs.   When we have a friend that encourages us, those things that we would justify in our head, aren’t so justifiable to your buddy.  Your buddy will give you the look:  The “Are you serious? That sounds ridiculous!” look.  Having someone to keep us accountable not only gives us that extra ‘umph’ to stay on track, but also can give us meaning, purpose, and comfort in what we are trying to do.

Knowing that your friend is waiting outside in the freezing cold for you to do your morning run, can sometimes be that little wake up call that will get your warm body out of bed.  We can find relief in a buddy as they are struggling to fight those same battles we are.  Buddies offer us empathy.  They have the same goals in mind, and are overcoming the same obstacles we are to stay in shape.

So, before you give up on staying in shape this holiday season… Don’t forget there is someone else out there in need of a buddy!  You can help them and they can help you  

Get your ‘Buddy Plan’ started off right… come and participate in the Great Las Vegas Santa Run on Saturday December 3rd, 2011 at 10am at Town Square with Team ATP.  Your registration includes your santa suit, and we will be having a costume contest with prizes for the best ‘decked’ out santa suit.  Please let us know you will be joining us so we can forward you the meeting instructions for the morning of the race.  The link to sign up is below.

http://www.opportunityvillage.org/santa_run.php

Hope to see you there!

Stay Healthy,
Hayley Hollander (P.S.- Anyone want to be my buddy?)

1. WATER. Make sure you are always drinking water regularly. It is much easier to get dehydrated in colder weather than it is in warmer weather. If you have to adjust your drinking water temperature so that it is easier for you to consume your H2O.

2. PLAN AHEAD. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail. With colder temperatures in the air plan your workouts accordingly by packing your gym bag the night before and planning your meals for the week.

3. PROPER CLOTHING. When training in cold temperatures it is easy to over-dress which makes you sweat more and thus makes your clothes wet and body cold. Try to wear clothing that will wick moisture away and keep you warm and dry during your workouts rather than cotton, which will make your body cold when wet.

4. HATS. Make sure when you are training outside in cold weather you are keeping as much heat in your body. Heat escapes fast from your head so wearing a hat and keeping the heat in helps to avoid any illness.

5. KEEP YOUR FEET HAPPY. Even though the colder weather makes you want to layer socks on your feet don’t do it! Too many layers can cause your feet to sweat, which then leads to cold feet. Wearing a single pair of wicking socks will do the trick!

Now get out there and train and keep up the hard work.

Stay Healthy,

Casey Arnold