On the Run: fitness made simple
Follow me for:
~Simple and healthy recipes
~Running Tips
~Strength Training Ideas
~Yoga Workouts
~Productivity Advice
~Motivation & Inspiration
A better world starts with a better YOU.
jaxx2themax Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
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.
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
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!
sweetchris-hellamelissa Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
male fitness blogs & bloggers like this post so people like Chris and Melissa can follow you!
haha yes, I can see how that may get tiresome for your brother. That is SO awesome that you guys are doing this together!!! Good luck, and I’m here for you guys :D I always try to post topics relevant to guys too.
impassivities Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
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
Yayy! so cool that my undergrad college has a popular tumblr! Follow this blog for some proven health-related information!
Update your Nike Training App! There’s new bonus workouts and rewards!
FINALLY, it’s about time they released some new workouts. This one features USA’s women’s soccer celebrity, Alex Morgan (fyeahalexmorgan tumblr). It’s only 15 minutes, but it’s fast and intense! You’ll need a kettlebell (or dumbell), step, and medicine ball (optional). It’s a circuit of 3 sets. Each set is 5 minutes with 5 moves. No resting breaks, but pause the workout if you need a breather (we did!). My roommate, Jo, and I did this workout + 15 minutes on the elliptical after class.
The moves:
- Kettlebell single leg clean and press: works you arms, legs, and balance
- Quick feet on step: gets your heart rate up like your are sprinting
- 2 shuffles into 10 split jumps: awesome combination that works your inner thighs and butt
- Burpee with 2 feet lateral hops over step: If you go at a pace that’s challenging, you’ll feel the burn in your quads when you jump onto the step. At this point, my muscles are fatigued.
- Crunch with alternating kickdowns: always need an abdominal exercise to round out the workout! You’re fully extending your arms and legs so your core really needs to work.
- Repeat 2 more times!
Take at look at what’s new on NTC and let me know what you think! I’d love to hear from you…miss my tumblr readers!
~Geraldine
Hellooo everyone! I just started school again and one of the first things I did was upgrade from student to student premier gym membership (and a locker for my workout clothes and accessories)! It’s totally worth the extra 20 bucks since I’ve already taken 3 new classes my first week! I plan on taking 2-3 classes a week. I’m most interested in strengthening and yoga classes, but I’m also intrigued by spinning! Okay so, my roommates, who also got the upgrade, are motivated to stay in shape and workout throughout our medical school studies. They plan to workout about 4 times a week to get stronger, relieve stress, and tone up. The classes I took were:
BodyPump (55 min): This was super fun!!! It’s all high repetition with lower weights lifting, so it’s challenging, but you don’t sweat a lot. We did a variety of squats, lunges, arm curls, tricep exercises, shoulders, and abs. We use a mini bar bell to which you add as much weight as you can handle. It’s a popular class because its intense and it works! The music used is upbeat and gets you into the groove. We loved our energetic instructor too =) My roommate and I were a little embarrassed at first to start out with lower weights, but we focused on form and we’re ready to pump it up next time! If you don’t want to do weights in the gym by yourself or don’t know of a good routine, I suggest signing up for a class like BodyPump.
Integrated Yoga (1 hour): Okay so this was kind of boring…It was very basic so we didn’t even get to do many poses. And there was no music. This class is supposed to incorporate a lot of techniques from different branches of yoga, but all we really did was back stretches and triangle…The teacher was cool though. She went around to help and correct our alignment. She’s also like 65, skinny, fit, and bohemian-styled. It’s kind of weird to see senior citizens demonstrate how to tuck your tailbone…but whatever, I know I’m going to be one of those ladies one day! However, I love doing yoga after a confusing day at school or work. It helps me focus on something singular, straight forward, and just about my physical well-being.
Athletic Conditioning (1 hour): This was the most intense class I’ve ever taken. It was way harder than the NTC workouts I’ve done. We exhausted all our muscle groups, did nonstop cardio blasts, and had super short shake-out breaks. For legs, we did squats like there was no tomorrow. What killed me were squats-on-toe-raises..UGH. My legs were shaking uncontrollable it was crazy!!! We did this simple quad lift and extension which started to burn after about reps. Me and another student from across the room made eye contact and started laughing because we were both in so much pain. The props used were: a light-weight ball, full bosu ball, step, and sets of light and heavy weights. It was crazy I thought I was going to die multiple times. The teacher was awesome and I’m sad that she’s just about to leave…I will probably try the class again although I’m pretty scared. You can work your triceps pretty well by just kicking back several times, and then pulsing!
Other ways I stayed active this week include: walking to and from school (my roomies and I do this together!), long walks with hills and stairs on rest days, and lots of stretching. ALSO, a great way to strengthen your back AND stay awake in lecture is to sit up incredibly straight!
Oh and yesterday was my White Coat Ceremony =)! I told a lot of my classmates and even some of my instructors about you guys and my blog! Everyone’s really supportive and I’m looking forward to bringing fresh ideas to your dashboard!
Summary of “Racing in the Heat”
Competitor Magazine, August 2012
By: Krista Austin, Ph.D, sports nutritionist, exercise physiologist, and consultant to US Olympic runners
1. Replace lost fluids: Rough commendations include taking in 4-6 oz. (1-1.5 cups) of carbohydrate/electrolyte liquid every 20 minutes. Those with a high sweat rate need to replace electrolytes more often than carbohydrates. It’s useful to determine sweat rate. Fluids taken in before and during a race help transport heat from the body.
2. Acclimate to the heat: During the weeks before your race, try to gently expose yourself to high temperatures. Go into a sauna or warm room before training runs. Or, wear additional layers during a few easy, long, and pace runs. During the final month of training, start running in a long sleeve or light jacket.
3. Start hydrating early: 3 days before your race, drink water at meals and electrolyte drinks at other times. You should not feel thirsty and your urine should not even have a moderate yellow color.
4. Hyperload sodium: This is helpful if you have a high sweat rate. Eat high-salt snacks the day before the race. The extra sodium will prompt you to drink more before and during the race keeping your electrolyte levels high.
5. Eat a cool pre-race breakfast: Enjoy a cold smoothie, low-fiber cereal, overnight oats, or chilled fruit!
6. Reduce your warm-up: Because it’s so hot, you don’t have to do that much before your race. Focus on activating your muscles by stretching. Minimize the amount of time you are in the heat and sun.
7. Start Slower: You are bound to run slower in hotter temperatures. Adding 20 seconds to your per-mile pace gives you a good chance at finishing and running a competitive second half.
8. Lower your core temperature: Keep a bag of crushed ice on your body before a race, similar to an ice vest. You can also just hold something cold in your hands.
9. Drink early and often: Drink at every aid station! Take in electrolytes with every 8-12 oz. of fluids during a race.
Geraldine’s input: Sport drinks and electrolyte drinks are for training and not for regular consumption. They are great for a race and long workouts, but keep in mind their caloric and sugar contents which are not beneficial to everyday exercise and weight loss attempts. They also are bad for your teeth! I drank electrolytes during the SF marathon starting at mile 10, but did not use them during training. I plan to use them during my long runs (15+) so my body gets use to digesting more carbs while running. I believe they did help me stay energized during the marathon!
Hope this helps anyone planning on a late summer race!
~Geraldine
I used to be really confused whenever I had an instructor or instructions which told me: “Take your belly button to your back!” or “Belly in!” or “Engage your core!” I asked my yoga and dance teachers to explain to me what “engaging your core” really is and how it differs from sucking in and flexing.
Sucking in: This action is too drastic. Your whole abdominal region collapses inwards causing your back to round. Also, your shoulders tense and creep towards your ears.
Engaging your core: Imagine that you are zipping up a pair of jeans. You are standing up tall, tailbone is tucked in and not sticking out, and you have a little tension in your abdominal muscles. You are staying flexible in this position.
Flexing your abs: This move is too static. Your breathing is hindered. You are stiff and rigid limiting your ability to perform many poses and exercises.
Engaging your core without overdoing it allows you to develop both balance and strength. This is a silly picture, but I wanted to illustrate to you the differences! Hope it helps >.<
~Geraldine
Whenever I start feeling signs of exhaustion or frustration, I perform these techniques. Actually, on today’s 20 mile run, I did all of these, multiple times. These little tricks carried me all the way without any injuries! Even on short runs, I’m always asking myself:
- Is my jaw relaxed?
- Are my shoulders riding up towards my ears?
- How do my feet and arches feel? (I have a bunion and am prone to flares of plantar fascia pain =/)
Why these simple things work wonders:
- Try it people! Shaking out your fingers and arms feels awesome when you’re tired. You feel all rejuvenated and flexible again!
- Do you tend to tighten your jaw under stress? Give it a good wiggle and relax those muscles (even when you’re weight training). Always, always relax your jaw.
- I carry water everywhere (out running, to the mall, in the car, etc.). Water allows a good workout. Staying hydrating keeps you energized, refreshed, and happy until the end of your workout. Carrying a water bottle isn’t that bad either (you get used to it and it’s way better to have water than not).
- Plies and quad stretches feel great because it relieves the pressure on your knees.
- And when don’t we need a good neck roll?! Do that and relax your shoulders and you’ll be golden for miles to come!
Don’t stress, just stretch =)
P.S. Oh and this was at the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun! Aren’t the cabanas just dreamy <3 I was just walking by on the beach. I actually stayed at the the JW Marriot (same owner, just not as luxurious as the Ritz) which had an incredible infinity pool.
I love this because:
- tangy, refreshing, and sweet
- 2 servings of vegetables
- 2 1/2 servings of fruit
- +200% DRV Vitamin C
- makes 1 massive 24 oz smoothie for ~170 calories
:)
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
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!
Great guide for green smoothies! This is useful if you want to free-style your smoothies and use whatever that’s on hand. The proportions really help with the consistency and taste.
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
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
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
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.
