Saturday, April 14, 2007
Beautiful Spring Run
Even though it was 34 degrees when we started it felt like Tom, Holly, Mike and I had a wonderful spring run. Sunny, no wind - perfect. A good 12 miles! We "ran" into the marathoners at the start, they were looking good and in a good mood to be running in nice weather for once!
Friday, April 13, 2007
Love that Forerunner!
Today was one of those days that I love my Garmin Forerunner. I felt like I was really struggling on my 5.6 mile run with Jenny. It was supposed to be a pace run, but I didn't have the energy to push it any harder. At the end my trusty Forerunner told me I was running an 8:24 average pace. No wonder I was struggling!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Top 10 lists
On this morning's run Mike was talking about a Top Ten list he recently heard at a Men's Health Expo. Tonight I happened upon this Top Ten Nutritional Myths list. (maybe Christy will disagree with it) Note #2 - drink Chocolate milk after a long run! Yeah!
These top ten nutrition myths appeared in a recent report from Medical News Today. So without further ado, here they are:
10. Eating carbohydrates makes you fat. Cutting carbs from your diet may have short-term weight loss benefits due to water loss from a decrease in carbohydrate stores, but eating carbs in moderation does not directly lead to weight gain. The body uses carbs for energy, and going too long without them can cause lethargy.
9. Drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day. You should replace water lost through breathing, excrement and sweating each day - but that doesn't necessarily total 64 ounces of water. It's hard to measure the exact amount of water you have consumed daily in food and drink, but if your urine is pale yellow, you're doing a good job. If it's a darker yellow, drink more H2O.
8. Brown grain products are whole grain products. Brown dyes and additives can give foods the deceiving appearance of whole grain. Read labels to be sure a food is whole grain, and try to get three-ounce equivalents of whole grains per day to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
7. Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol. This myth began because egg yolks have the most concentrated amount of cholesterol of any food. However, there's not enough cholesterol there to pose health risks if eggs are eaten in moderation. Studies suggest that eating one egg per day will not raise cholesterol levels and that eggs are actually a great source of nutrients.
6. All alcohol is bad for you. Again, moderation is key. Six ounces of wine and 12 ounces of beer are considered moderate amounts, and should not pose any adverse health effects to the average healthy adult. All alcohol is an anticoagulant and red wine also contains antioxidants, so drinking a small amount daily can be beneficial.
Want to know the top five myths? Then,
5. Vitamin supplements are necessary for everyone. If you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with moderate amounts of a variety of low-fat dairy and protein and the right quantity of calories, you don't need to supplement. Most Americans do not, so a multi-vitamin might be good. Special vitamin supplements are also recommended for people who are pregnant or have nutritional disorders.
4. Consuming extra protein is necessary to build muscle mass. Contrary to claims of some protein supplement companies, consuming extra protein does nothing to bulk up muscle unless you are also doing significant weight training at the same time. Even then the increased requirement can easily come from food. A potential problem with supplements is the body has to work overtime to get rid of excess protein, and can become distressed as a result.
3. Eating fiber causes problems if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber can cause problems in IBS sufferers; soluble fiber, however, is more easily absorbed by the body and helps prevent constipation for those with IBS. Soluble fiber is found in most grains.
2. Eating immediately after a workout will improve recovery. Endurance athletes need to take in carbohydrates immediately after a workout to replace glycogen stores, and a small amount of protein with the drink enhances the effect. Drinking low-fat chocolate milk or a carbohydrate drink, like Gatorade, is better for the body, as they replace glycogen stores lost during exercise. Protein is not going to help build muscle, so strength athletes do not need to eat immediately following their workout.
1. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by eating foods low on the glycemic index. High levels of glucose are not what "cause" diabetes; the disease is caused by the body's resistance to insulin. Foods high on the glycemic index can cause glucose levels to spike, but this is just an indicator of the presence of diabetes, not the root cause.
These top ten nutrition myths appeared in a recent report from Medical News Today. So without further ado, here they are:
10. Eating carbohydrates makes you fat. Cutting carbs from your diet may have short-term weight loss benefits due to water loss from a decrease in carbohydrate stores, but eating carbs in moderation does not directly lead to weight gain. The body uses carbs for energy, and going too long without them can cause lethargy.
9. Drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day. You should replace water lost through breathing, excrement and sweating each day - but that doesn't necessarily total 64 ounces of water. It's hard to measure the exact amount of water you have consumed daily in food and drink, but if your urine is pale yellow, you're doing a good job. If it's a darker yellow, drink more H2O.
8. Brown grain products are whole grain products. Brown dyes and additives can give foods the deceiving appearance of whole grain. Read labels to be sure a food is whole grain, and try to get three-ounce equivalents of whole grains per day to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
7. Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol. This myth began because egg yolks have the most concentrated amount of cholesterol of any food. However, there's not enough cholesterol there to pose health risks if eggs are eaten in moderation. Studies suggest that eating one egg per day will not raise cholesterol levels and that eggs are actually a great source of nutrients.
6. All alcohol is bad for you. Again, moderation is key. Six ounces of wine and 12 ounces of beer are considered moderate amounts, and should not pose any adverse health effects to the average healthy adult. All alcohol is an anticoagulant and red wine also contains antioxidants, so drinking a small amount daily can be beneficial.
Want to know the top five myths? Then,
5. Vitamin supplements are necessary for everyone. If you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with moderate amounts of a variety of low-fat dairy and protein and the right quantity of calories, you don't need to supplement. Most Americans do not, so a multi-vitamin might be good. Special vitamin supplements are also recommended for people who are pregnant or have nutritional disorders.
4. Consuming extra protein is necessary to build muscle mass. Contrary to claims of some protein supplement companies, consuming extra protein does nothing to bulk up muscle unless you are also doing significant weight training at the same time. Even then the increased requirement can easily come from food. A potential problem with supplements is the body has to work overtime to get rid of excess protein, and can become distressed as a result.
3. Eating fiber causes problems if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber can cause problems in IBS sufferers; soluble fiber, however, is more easily absorbed by the body and helps prevent constipation for those with IBS. Soluble fiber is found in most grains.
2. Eating immediately after a workout will improve recovery. Endurance athletes need to take in carbohydrates immediately after a workout to replace glycogen stores, and a small amount of protein with the drink enhances the effect. Drinking low-fat chocolate milk or a carbohydrate drink, like Gatorade, is better for the body, as they replace glycogen stores lost during exercise. Protein is not going to help build muscle, so strength athletes do not need to eat immediately following their workout.
1. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by eating foods low on the glycemic index. High levels of glucose are not what "cause" diabetes; the disease is caused by the body's resistance to insulin. Foods high on the glycemic index can cause glucose levels to spike, but this is just an indicator of the presence of diabetes, not the root cause.
It's not April Fools day!
Yes, we ran in snow today - April 12th for Gosh Sakes! It gave me good excuse not to run a pace run and enjoy a slower run although enjoy might be pushing it. I was suffering from the usual end of week dragging.
The good news is that the weather forecast for the weekend is looking up! A hear a collective sigh of relief from the marathoners!
The good news is that the weather forecast for the weekend is looking up! A hear a collective sigh of relief from the marathoners!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Time for some WARM Inspiration!
Given the forecast of 6-12 inches for tonight and tomorrow, I thought it was time to share this video.
Soon we will feel the SUN too!
Soon we will feel the SUN too!
7 miler
Everyone showed up with energy today b/c we decided to do a 7 miler or else they were guilty about yesterday. Big group... Mike, Sandy, Christy and Jill. It was a bit chilly, but no wind.
Monday, April 9, 2007
I am back
After almost a week of being sick, I finally ran today. I almost didn't since the kids don't have school and I took the day of work (aka - I could sleep late). But when I realized it would be a week without running, I decided to set my alarm and decide in the morning. I am glad I ran. It felt better then I thought it would.
Everyone must have had too much Easter Ham yesterday since 3 of the five who said they were going to run didn't show up (You know who you are!). Everyone must have been counting on everyone else to show up and run with Christy. Or maybe everyone was afraid we were going to do hills again!
Everyone must have had too much Easter Ham yesterday since 3 of the five who said they were going to run didn't show up (You know who you are!). Everyone must have been counting on everyone else to show up and run with Christy. Or maybe everyone was afraid we were going to do hills again!
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