Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
So last week my ankle started to bother me. Somehow I was able to fix myself by not running and doing low impact activity like biking and rowing. I'm not really sure what I did to fix it but I was happy because it meant I could run again. I did Turbo Fire again yesterday and now I realize what caused my injury. Maybe I just land funny, I'm not sure. Regardless, I'm hurting again and I've got to ice my ankle.
I'm sure you've run into this problem. You hurt something and you need to ice it but your darn ice pack is rock solid and you can't bend it. Well, my intern Maddy lent me an awesome solution: Flex-I-Cold! It's an ice pack that stays flexible even when it's cold. I am happy as a clam. Dick's Sporting Goods carries them if you don't want to buy a box of 12 :)
Happy healing!
In health,
Lauren
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
321/365 Farmers Markets
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
I'm sort of realizing that we talk a lot about food here. I don't think this is a bad thing, just kind of funny since I always address you as "friends and fitness enthusiasts." Really though, we've all got to eat! Moving on ...
Another reason to love Spring and Summer is Farmers Markets! If you use your Google skills, I am pretty positive that you will be able to find a Farmers Market near you. If you've never been, it feels like the right way to buy groceries. They have a lot of the same produce (obviously they'll have what is in season) and I don't know, it just feels amazing to buy food outside where it was grown and harvested. The food looks prettier too, more vibrant. There are also usually vendors who sell other homemade goods like soaps and preserves. By the way, I love homemade preserves or at least preserves that don't use artificial or ultra-sweet sweeteners; Bonne Maman is a favorite of mine in the grocery stores.
I like Farmers Markets because you can get to know the people who are feeding you and you can clearly see that nothing was done to it during shipping. If you are concerned about how the food was grown, the experts are right there. You are also supporting local people which is always a plus to me.
Sadly, I have yet to go to a Farmers Market here in New England but I am determined to before I move back to DC/NOVA. I'll let you know how it goes.
In health,
Lauren
I'm sort of realizing that we talk a lot about food here. I don't think this is a bad thing, just kind of funny since I always address you as "friends and fitness enthusiasts." Really though, we've all got to eat! Moving on ...
Another reason to love Spring and Summer is Farmers Markets! If you use your Google skills, I am pretty positive that you will be able to find a Farmers Market near you. If you've never been, it feels like the right way to buy groceries. They have a lot of the same produce (obviously they'll have what is in season) and I don't know, it just feels amazing to buy food outside where it was grown and harvested. The food looks prettier too, more vibrant. There are also usually vendors who sell other homemade goods like soaps and preserves. By the way, I love homemade preserves or at least preserves that don't use artificial or ultra-sweet sweeteners; Bonne Maman is a favorite of mine in the grocery stores.
I like Farmers Markets because you can get to know the people who are feeding you and you can clearly see that nothing was done to it during shipping. If you are concerned about how the food was grown, the experts are right there. You are also supporting local people which is always a plus to me.
Sadly, I have yet to go to a Farmers Market here in New England but I am determined to before I move back to DC/NOVA. I'll let you know how it goes.
In health,
Lauren
Sunday, June 5, 2011
320/365 To All the Dancers out There...
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
The other day, I watched my younger cousin's ballet production. It was neat because they had these young pre-Pointe ballet dancers performing alongside professional dancers. Ballet, and really dance in general, is amazing because they do really tough moves but make it look so graceful. From my seat I was able to see all their muscles and the immense control they had over their bodies. Kelby and I also just watched Black Swan and it put Natalie Portman's performance in perspective.
So this is my post giving props to all you dancers out there. You spend so much time in the studio killing your bodies to perfect every move you make on the stage. It's incredible. In school, I took a Kinesiology class where you learn about the different actions of each muscle in the body. As I was watching the performance, I just kept thinking about everything involved for every spin, jump, leap, etc. Not only are they strong, they are flexible! They also have great anaerobic endurance to do bursts of movement again and again while making it look effortless. Also, I can't not mention that they have to memorize lots of choreography on top of all that.
Kudos to you dancers! I think dance is a sport :)
In health,
Lauren
The other day, I watched my younger cousin's ballet production. It was neat because they had these young pre-Pointe ballet dancers performing alongside professional dancers. Ballet, and really dance in general, is amazing because they do really tough moves but make it look so graceful. From my seat I was able to see all their muscles and the immense control they had over their bodies. Kelby and I also just watched Black Swan and it put Natalie Portman's performance in perspective.
So this is my post giving props to all you dancers out there. You spend so much time in the studio killing your bodies to perfect every move you make on the stage. It's incredible. In school, I took a Kinesiology class where you learn about the different actions of each muscle in the body. As I was watching the performance, I just kept thinking about everything involved for every spin, jump, leap, etc. Not only are they strong, they are flexible! They also have great anaerobic endurance to do bursts of movement again and again while making it look effortless. Also, I can't not mention that they have to memorize lots of choreography on top of all that.
Kudos to you dancers! I think dance is a sport :)
In health,
Lauren
Saturday, June 4, 2011
319/365 Recreation on the Water
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
This past Saturday, a beautiful day in New England was made better by canoeing. This is about 75% true; paddling upstream and then downstream against the wind gets tiring. Still, canoeing is a great way to work your core and upper body and just enjoy the outdoors. Canoeing is as difficult at you make it. You can float and fish, paddle around a lake, paddle down a stream, whatever you want. I'd get out there now though before the bugs and summer heat set in.
If you'd like something a little faster paced with less dependance on others, try kayaking. And of course you can go tubing down a lazy river.
Of course, always remember to wear a life vest, sunscreen, a hat, and clothes that can get wet.
In health,
Lauren
This past Saturday, a beautiful day in New England was made better by canoeing. This is about 75% true; paddling upstream and then downstream against the wind gets tiring. Still, canoeing is a great way to work your core and upper body and just enjoy the outdoors. Canoeing is as difficult at you make it. You can float and fish, paddle around a lake, paddle down a stream, whatever you want. I'd get out there now though before the bugs and summer heat set in.
If you'd like something a little faster paced with less dependance on others, try kayaking. And of course you can go tubing down a lazy river.
Of course, always remember to wear a life vest, sunscreen, a hat, and clothes that can get wet.
In health,
Lauren
Friday, June 3, 2011
318/365 Online Calorie Counting Calculator
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
My coworker Libby and our intern Maddy have the same Polar FT7 watch/heart rate monitor/calorie counter which they were persuading me to buy. The only difference between theirs and my Polar heart rate monitor is that theirs has a built in calorie counter. I thought to myself, certainly it's just using some formula based on heart rate and age since it can't sense the heat you emit, the steps you take, and how fast you move like a bodybugg does. So I used my googling powers and found this website. By typing in your gender, age, weight, avg heart rate during exercise, and the duration of your exercise, the site figures out how many calories you burned. We tested this against what their watches said when they exercised and there was a margin of error of about 50 which is a lot I know but it's helpful when you're doing a group ex class, running outside, spinning, etc.
In health,
Lauren
My coworker Libby and our intern Maddy have the same Polar FT7 watch/heart rate monitor/calorie counter which they were persuading me to buy. The only difference between theirs and my Polar heart rate monitor is that theirs has a built in calorie counter. I thought to myself, certainly it's just using some formula based on heart rate and age since it can't sense the heat you emit, the steps you take, and how fast you move like a bodybugg does. So I used my googling powers and found this website. By typing in your gender, age, weight, avg heart rate during exercise, and the duration of your exercise, the site figures out how many calories you burned. We tested this against what their watches said when they exercised and there was a margin of error of about 50 which is a lot I know but it's helpful when you're doing a group ex class, running outside, spinning, etc.
In health,
Lauren
Thursday, June 2, 2011
317/365 Goodbye Pyramid, Hello MyPlate
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
The USDA has entered the digital age with the help of Michelle Obama. Instead of the outdated pyramid or even the updated pyramid, we've got MyPlate. It's a handy dandy icon that is easy to digest (pun intended!) to clarify what exactly you should be eating. If you go back to the post I wrote awhile back, you'll see that it looks about the same, yay.
If you want to read the article from CNN, click here.
In health,
Lauren
The USDA has entered the digital age with the help of Michelle Obama. Instead of the outdated pyramid or even the updated pyramid, we've got MyPlate. It's a handy dandy icon that is easy to digest (pun intended!) to clarify what exactly you should be eating. If you go back to the post I wrote awhile back, you'll see that it looks about the same, yay.
If you want to read the article from CNN, click here.
In health,
Lauren
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
316/365 June is Skin Cancer Awareness Month
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Summer is here and it's time to get out there and enjoy the weather. Two super important things to do before getting out there is drinking water and putting on sunscreen! Here are the basics of what you need to know about sun safety:
- Sunscreen blocks UVA and UVB rays where sunblock only blocks UVB
- Check out this site for the ultimate Sunscreeen guide; the Environmental Working Group has researched major sunscreen brands have picked out the most effective and least toxic ones for your skin
- SPF means Sun Protection Factor. Each unit of SPF equals 10 minutes of protection. Ex: SPF 30 = 300 minutes of protection. Apparently sunscreens max out at SPF 15 though the American Academy of Dermatology recommends SPF 30. You don't need to spend your money on crazy high SPF
- The sun is hottest between 10a-4p. If you can avoid going out during these times, that'd be great! Otherwise, be especially vigilant about putting on sunblock
- Clothing also provides protection from the sun. Consider purchasing a hat or getting wicking clothing
- Keep an eye on your moles! No one is completely safe from skin cancer. Last summer I had a mutant mole on my back that my mom caught. We had it removed just in case; it was benign. Still, I learned my lesson. Even me, your Pacific Island friend, is not immune.
In health,
Lauren
Summer is here and it's time to get out there and enjoy the weather. Two super important things to do before getting out there is drinking water and putting on sunscreen! Here are the basics of what you need to know about sun safety:
- Sunscreen blocks UVA and UVB rays where sunblock only blocks UVB
- Check out this site for the ultimate Sunscreeen guide; the Environmental Working Group has researched major sunscreen brands have picked out the most effective and least toxic ones for your skin
- SPF means Sun Protection Factor. Each unit of SPF equals 10 minutes of protection. Ex: SPF 30 = 300 minutes of protection. Apparently sunscreens max out at SPF 15 though the American Academy of Dermatology recommends SPF 30. You don't need to spend your money on crazy high SPF
- The sun is hottest between 10a-4p. If you can avoid going out during these times, that'd be great! Otherwise, be especially vigilant about putting on sunblock
- Clothing also provides protection from the sun. Consider purchasing a hat or getting wicking clothing
- Keep an eye on your moles! No one is completely safe from skin cancer. Last summer I had a mutant mole on my back that my mom caught. We had it removed just in case; it was benign. Still, I learned my lesson. Even me, your Pacific Island friend, is not immune.
In health,
Lauren
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