On the Run: fitness made simple

Hi! I hope applying to grad schools is going well. You probably have made your decision already. I’m sure you’ll get into one of your top choices with all the activities you are doing. I agree that keeping a regular exercise regimen helps productivity and staying on schedule.

I eat vegan about 95% of the time, and I find it a very balanced nutrition plan! As for gaining weight, definitely make sure you are eating enough. Do you have time for meals? Do not deprive yourself even if you are busy. You deserve time to eat and to relax! Make sure you have a protein source at every meal. For example, I drink soy milk as part of breakfast, beans as a main part of lunch, and lentils as a dinner entree. Try and do 2-3 strength workouts a week in place of cardio. Some people are naturally underweight…have you always been thin and are your family members generally thin? Being underweight is big concern if it’s from recent weight loss.

Hi! What a GREAT time to start exercising! For a healthy person, having no medical complications, here are some ways to increase your running stamina.

1) Drink water before, and after 10 minutes of running. This will help with feeling dizzy and lightheaded.

2) Take a walking break after 10 minutes, and then do one more round.

3) Stretch briefly before, and for 7-10 minutes after exercising. (Something I need to work on too.

4) Strengthen major muscles by doing: calf raises, squats, and lunges.

5) Keep it up!

Hi! Coffee has more caffeine than tea which I do not need. Tea also has more antioxidants than coffee. Tea stains your teeth less! Coffee is not “super unhealthy,” especially if you are drinking regular coffee with just some milk/milk alternative. It gets bad like during the holiday season when Starbucks has all these specialty drinks full of whip cream, sugar, syrup, and empty calories. It’s a little worrying that you aren’t getting enough sleep as a freshman in college. My roommate and I sleep 7-8 hours a night in med school. I drink tea, but she doesn’t drink any caffeinated drinks! Figure out why you’re so pressed for time. Did you over-commit this semester? Are you balancing school and play well? Are you productive during the daytime? Is your class schedule messed up with lots of small time gaps? I would say a reliance on caffeine is a negative habit to have, and it’s not a necessary component of productivity. Nor is it the secret to academic success. You’re going to do great!

New Year’s Resolution? Getting enough sleep =) 

For me, I drink tea daily. I’ll reuse one teabag for 2-3 refills. I like herbal teas to squash sugar cravings. Tea helps me from snacking and eating late at night. I drink coffee when I need to stay-up late to go out with friends…lol I drink coffee when I need to have fun, not when I need to study! 

Do you find that you NEED caffeine? 

-Geraldine 

Great New Year’s Resolution! 

So it’s not unpractical to go from NO running to completing a half marathon. I would aim for 13.1 miles first before you tackle the full marathon. You have to decide if you even like running first!

Tips to get you started:

• Find a training schedule online. There are ones for first-timers! I used one from http://www.runnersworld.com/training-plans/half-marathon-training-plans 
• Sign up for a half-marathon.
• Read about proper running form. 
• Commit to running/working out at certain times throughout the week. 
• Prepare for a change in appetite. If more running, some people find that their appetite decreases, so you should take note if you are eating enough. Others (like myself) tend to get hungrier and overeat! It helps me to track my food and calories when I’m training for a race to help me not overeat. It is good to eat more  when you’re running a lot though. I’d say eat back 75% of the calories you burn.
• Educate yourself about running routes in your neighborhood. 
• Stretch and warm-up to avoid injury. Shin splints are common in new runners, but they can be mended through calf stretching and changing running terrain.
• Eat Breakfast! 
• Have fun and enjoy the time you have to think, to daydream, and to do something entirely for yourself!

What are some tips everyone else has?

Happy New Year! 

-Geraldine

Too bad “radiant” most likely leads to tan and wrinkly in the (hopefully not-so-near) future =_=…I definitely pamper my hair! Some treatments I do include: 

• Leave-in-conditioner after showering. I use Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine. It’s only $2.99 at Target! Works well at night because it’s thick.
• Another leave-in-conditioner I like, Aussie Hair Insurance. This is good for daytime because it’s misty and light. 
• For more intense treatment, I use a tablespoon of hair oil like Weleda Rosemary Oil, and massage it through my hair. I make sure to moisturize ends thoroughly. Then, I tie my hair in a loose bun and sleep with it overnight!
• I hardly ever use a blow dryer or straightener. My hair stylist uses them on me once every 3-4 months.
• I only use curling irons or hot curlers once or twice a year for very special occasions…(I’m really lazy about my hair when I go out..wooo little braid or poofy half-bun).
• When conditioning your hair in the shower, leave the product in for 2-3 minutes before rinsing. Take care of other stuff in the meantime!
• I eat a lot of omega-3s and Vitamin E! :D  

I only have experience with straight, albeit rather dry, hair! I have no clue how to manage curly hair. 

Thank you, you’re so kind. I splurge on shampoo and conditioner…I use Matrix Biolage Color Care. I don’t dye or highlight my hair, but this version was on sale lol. I want to try their Hydratherapie Shampoo & Conditioner. I was using Nexxus Therappe Shampoo and Conditioner, but the moisturizing effect does not last as long. Matrix Biolage is amazing! Especially if you have coarse hair…it makes it feel instantly sleeker and look shinier…And it STAYS that way. Also, my mom swears that Nexxus made her hair sleek…but it made more it fall out! Matrix has slowed down the hair-loss problem for her lol.

Matrix Biolage is expensive in stores and salons, but I buy it from Amazon for discounted prices (albeit large portions…I get the 1 Liter shampoo and conditioning set!). I think Shampoo and Conditioner is worth a splurge, especially if you have thick hair. The bottles last a long time. Good quality products make your hair more manageable, enjoyable, and just overall prettier! 

You should aim to do your best! Work your butt off and go for the A’s! The average GPA for accepted students around the US in 2011 was 3.66 so maybe you can use that as a long-term goal. Medical schools like to see that you’ve gained some experience in the field and have worked on a project (volunteer, research, study groups) to a significant degree. They also like to learn how you are unique and what you are passionate about! 

Hi, I worked full-time doing research after graduation for 6 months. I also had to finish some applications and interviews. Since then, I’ve been traveling, taking classes that have always interested me, pursuing artistic and musical projects, and spending time with my family. If you plan to have at least a year before med school/grad school/work/etc., my best advice is to not waste the amazing opportunity to do something productive, meaningful to you, and fun! It’s a time to really round out your life and to focus on some areas that have been neglected or yearn for development. 

Thanks for reading my health blog and have a great summer! :D!!! Hope you aren’t taking summer session like I did the summer before 2nd year…

About once a week. I’m not a devotee to any particular grocery store and my preferences change depending on where I’m living. Currently, I live in the suburbs and find the following to have the freshest produce: 

• New Leaf Community Markets, but they are only in California.
• Nob Hill (Raley’s or Bel Air depending on where you live). Clean store, vegetables and fruit are consistently fresh. Cereal and milk is expensive here though. 
• Local Farmer’s market (but not everything there is organic so pay attention) 
• Whole Foods is great for vegetables, sauces, bulk dry food, and hot foods. The fruit is pretty overpriced, and the store has a lot of crazy holistic products that are a joke.
• Henry’s Market is owned by Whole Foods! It’s a lot like it, but much cheaper with less junk :D College student fave. 
• Costco is really trying to cater to the more health conscious crowd. 
• I also like Asian markets, but I only go when my mom does. Will never buy Chayote Squash anywhere but an Asian market.

 I’ll be living in an urban environment soon, so I’ll be frequently smaller, family owned stores in the city!

Hi there, it is very helpful that you noticed the warning signs of your sister’s progressing health issues. I’ve only ever approached one of my friends about her dieting problem and she responded openly (although I don’t think I changed her habits or ways of thinking…). I tried to do the following: 

• Be tactful, gentle, but persistent: Try telling her that you’re worried about her health and how she’s putting herself under so much stress. Mention how you don’t want to see her get injured while working out and that it hurts you to see her in irritated moods. Emphasize how people can eat healthy, fresh foods, and be happy and confident. 
• Do not bring up weight or eating habits: People, healthy or plagued by eating disorders, get annoyed when others criticize their diet. They think that people telling them otherwise have no idea what they are talking about. They may even mistake your concerns as jealousy for their weight loss and retaliate with sharp comments. You can just open a conversation about how she’s doing in general, what’s good or bad in her life, anything bothering her, etc. 
• stay strong: Your sister may not listen, and she may even get mad at you. Try and understand that she may be feeling insecure about herself and is acting out upon it. People won’t acknowledge their mistakes readily and may need time to realize their problems. 
• seek support: Ask your mom and dad for their advice, and what they think your sister needs. 
• have fun: Please let this be a time when you and your sister can grow closer to one another instead of bringing about a great rift. Try and spend some quality time together this summer, take a day trip, go out at night, hiking, explore, do things that make you laugh together! 

Hope this helps and that your sister is getting better. I greatly apologize for taking ages to reply to this question. It’s just that everytime I started it, I never knew what to say. It’s a hard issue, and I personally know what it feels like on both ends of the story. 

How have you approached someone you suspect is in trouble? How have you responded to people who are worried about you? 

~xxox Geri 

What I usually do is buy 1 lb (16 oz) of fish and then divide them into 4 servings. That way I’m eating just about 4 oz each time. Depending on how thick the slice is, 4 oz can be the same size or a little longer than an 3x4 index card.

And please don’t be obsessed! Let precision and accuracy be your best friends, but no need to stress out more than necessary. 

Yes, too much protein can indeed hurt. 

A general rule I learned in Nutrition is that the max intake of protein for any person is 2g of protein per kg (2g/kg). For example if you weigh 50 kg,  your max intake would be 100 g of protein.

Eating too much of protein pours more stress on your kidneys. Nitrogen is a main component of proteins, but our bodies do not use much of it. Therefore, our kidneys have to filter out the excess nitrogen as urea (pee). A build up of nitrogen in the body would have toxic effects. 

Also, if you are getting a lot of your protein from mammalian red meat, you could be increasing your risk of cancer. Glycans are carbohydrates from red meat and milk that get incorporated into human glycoproteins stimulating inflammation and raising the risk of carcinomas. 

Oh no, not at all! I’m a little nervous, spazzy/overly eager, not sure if I’m preparing enough during this summer, and bummed/stressed about how expensive housing will be around my school…Part of the reason I’m not scared is because I befriended a lot of medical students during college, and one of my close friends is a 3rd year (albeit at a different school). I can really ask him anything that I’m curious about! I guess I’m still really happy that I got in, so maybe I’m still in a honeymoon phase haha. I’m so excited to finally start formally learning medicine and everything I’ve been WAITING to study. 

Don’t be scared! Find someone you trust so you can just vent to, or email a 2nd year the questions you have. Hope you’re having a great summer! We’ll be FINE. Yay Class of 2016! 

I don’t follow or do any “cleanses.” Eating healthy with more vegetables is rejuvenating in itself! If you want to do something, I suggest a  green smoothie for breakfast and 2-3 liters of water everyday.

Resisting cravings: My personal way is to find nutritious swaps for things I’m craving. For example, we have 2 cheesecakes right now, and I’ll have a slice sometime this week…but not today. I made myself a Greek yogurt parfait with fresh blueberries and Honey Nut Cheerios. It’s thick, sweet, and the cereal is similar to the graham crust (haha I know it’s kind of a stretch), but I’m good!  

During 2010 to mid 2011, I wasn’t exercising a lot, only about 30-45 minutes of moderate cardio and/or weight machines 5 days a week. So eating more or less 1200 calories a day was doable, not that enjoyable, yet effective.  Weight loss occurred quite consistently, like .5-1 lb each week. From my own experience, dieting is easier on the body and mind if you exercise a little bit, ya know for stress relief, fun, and to get the heart rate up a bit, and focus on cutting back on calories. 1200 is kind of a magic number…I don’t know anyone who’s not lost weight by eating this amount of calories. 

I DO NOT and would not eat only 1200 calories now that I’m running and exercising a lot more. Athletes shouldn’t if they are training for a long distance race, or play competitive sports because if you do not replenish your carbohydrates, protein, and nutrients, you run the risk of getting injured (e.g stress fractures, muscle tears).

One of my favorite main dishes, Curried Tilapia!