Why Runners Should Strength Train

For most runners, time spent on the road is very rarely in pursuit of big guns or a killer 6 pack! If you like to run and have been struggling to increase your mile pace or need a boost in short sprint speed for the final kick, strength training is the answer.

Strength training builds lean muscle mass, so the more you run the more you’re breaking down muscle fibers. With that being said, runners need to strength train in order to build those muscles back up.

If you’re already strength training and not seeing results, it may be because you’re not doing the right kind of training—that is, there may be something wrong with your protocol such that you’re not triggering adaptations.

If you’re running to lose weight, strength training is a must. You’ll see results much faster. Strength training will boost your metabolism and improve your insulin health and blood sugar levels in addition to supporting hormone response for fat burning.

Don’t be scared by the idea of heavy lifting. If you are an elite runner and you do not want to increase body weight by gaining lean mass, don’t worry.

Recreational runners probably won’t increase body weight from training either, assuming you do a decent volume of running. With the right weight lifting program, you will lose fat. If you want to gain muscle mass, and “get big,” endurance running is probably not a good choice.

Older individuals also benefit just as much as young runners from strength training. Lifting weights has been shown to lessen the gap between young and old in terms of strength and speed endurance.

Increasing lean muscle and decreasing body fat also allows the body to burn more calories, making it easier to maintain your weight. Strength training can also help to prevent injury. 70% of ALL runners become injured each year, which include runners knee, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and iliotibial band syndrome. The great news for anyone who is a runner, injury prevention through strength training can fortify all of these weak areas.

You can start with Pilates, working the body from the inside out and then progress to weights. Or if you aren’t quite comfortable in a gym lifting weights, try a boot camp class at a private studio with a certified trainer/coach. It’s a great way to get a total body strength-training workout and learn proper form and technique for all exercises.

It’s highly motivating and boot camps offer variety too! After a couple classes, you can later use the exercises you learned in class and do the on your own at home or at the gym.

Edge Fitness offers a great total body strength training boot camp classes multiple times during the week. Get on the upper Edge and become a faster and stronger runner NOW! Come try a boot camp class at Edge Fitness FREE on us. Contact us at [email protected] to get started.

A personal trainer should meet certain qualifications. The title of “personal trainer” does not tell you if the person has the necessary background; unfortunately selecting a trainer is truly a “buyer beware” situation because there are no mandated standards on what qualifications are needed to be a personal trainer. It is important to ask some specific questions to determine if the person has the appropriate qualifications. When meeting a potential trainer, cover this list of questions below, and look for a different trainer if you find many of the answers to be no.

1. Does the trainer have a college degree in the health and fitness field?

(Look for degree names such as exercise science, physical education, or kinesiology.) These days anyone can go online, pay a      fee, take an online test and title themselves a “personal trainer.” Those who have a college degree and some experience in the field, tend to be better qualified in more ways than one.

2. Does the trainer hold a nationally recognized certification from a not-for-profit organization?  Again, you want to make sure that the trainer you are working with is certified by an accredited organization.

3. Is the trainer involved in continuing education opportunities in order to keep their personal training certification current? Don’t be afraid to ask for proof that their current certification is up to date. Why put yourself  or your body at risk by working with a trainer who may not be up to date in current training practices or education?

4. Is the trainer certified in CPR, First Aid, and AED? With your health in their hands, it is important to know you are in the hands of a skilled personal trainer who has been trained in life-saving measures in case anything should ever arise involving you.

5. Does the trainer have liability insurance? Every trainer should have liability insurance to cover themselves and their clients. If an incident/accident should occur and it happens to be at the fault of your trainer or while working with them, you need to make sure that you will not be liable for the expenses that come from this occurrence.

6. Does the trainer have sufficient experience working with clients other than you? Many franchise gyms allow new personal training staff to train  members while working towards their certifications needed. So, if you have any special needs that need to be considered in your training program, watch out…..you may be working with an inexperienced and/or uncertified trainer who has zero or minimal client experience.

7. Does the trainer use preativity screenings and fitness assessments? Your trainer should have a client questionnaire for you to complete prior to beginning active training sessions and/or should evaluate your fitness capabilities in the first session before moving forward and customizing your full fitness program and putting you through it.

8. Did the trainer ask you about medications or your health history? If you trainer does not know the entire picture about you , they cannot provide a safe personal training for you. Make they ask you for this information and make sure your doctor approves of any program they may suggest.

9. Will the sessions include cardiorespiratory, muscular, and flexibility training? These are the three most important areas that should be included in a well-rounded customized personal training program.

10. Are the session length and cost reasonable? If the answer to many of the questions listed above is no, yet the cost of the sessions in comparison to the length seems high, you may need to re-evaluate your program and choice of personal trainer.

Selecting a qualified personal trainer will require you to interview the person. This list of questions is a great starting point. You should  also consider whether your personality matches that of the trainer. Do you feel at ease with person? Do you feel the trainer really listens to you and understands your goals? Hiring a trainer is not a necessity, but if can truly make a difference in transforming your  body and reaching your health and fitness goals. If you make the investment, be sure to find out his or her educational background and certifications.

If you’re always slathered up with sunblock, live in the geographic north….or are a vampire, then you need to rely on your food supply and supplements for Vitamin-D. This is important because many studies report that most people, especially athletes, are vitamin D deficient. Beyond common health consequences, even a slight vitamin D deficiency limits strength and performance.D-3 (or cholecalciferol) is the form that is best used by the body, so here is how much you’d need to eat make sure you’re getting significant amounts:

We all want to eat well and choose the healthiest eating plans, but separating nutrition fact from fiction can be tricky. Here are some persistent nutrition myths I often hear from friends, family and even the media, along with the facts to clear the air.

1. Raw Foods are Always Healthier than Cooked Foods

While raw foods are full of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that promote good health, some nutrients are more bioavailable when cooked. Lycopene, the carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red color, is absorbed three to four times better when cooked. Tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato soup and even tomato ketchup deliver more lycopene to the body than raw tomatoes. Kale is a rich source of beta-carotene and fat-soluble vitamins A and K, and all of these nutrients are more available to the body in cooked kale compared with raw kale. And the lutein in carrots, the compound that promotes healthy eyes and vision, is better absorbed in cooked carrots.

Cooking also makes proteins in meat and fish more easily digested, and let’s face it, meat or fish smells and tastes a lot better when cooked than it does in the raw state. Lastly, cooking helps destroy harmful bacteria that may lurk in foods. So, enjoy raw foods as part of a healthy eating plan, but remember that cooked foods have their merits.

2. All Processed Foods are Bad

If you think all processed foods are bad, put down your morning cup of coffee, tea or almond milk, as all of these morning favorites are processed foods. When talking about processed foods, most people think of foods that contain excessive added sugars, fats and sodium while contributing few healthful nutrients. Those types of packaged foods are not healthy, but processed foods aren’t all bad.

Baby carrots are processed, as are the kid-friendly apple slices sold in the produce section. And while bagged salads are more expensive, who hasn’t enjoyed the convenience of bagged produce when time is tight? Recent research from the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that new methods of processing to enhance the absorption of the good stuff in plant foods could be used to fight some cancers. So, instead of painting all processed foods as “bad,” differentiate between the processed foods that supply healthful nutrients versus those that contain too much sugar, fat and sodium.

3. Natural Foods are Always Healthier

The word “natural” conjures visions of fresh-picked blueberries or juice from freshly squeezed oranges. Too bad “natural” is a marketing buzzword that is not defined by the Food and Drug Administration. Some manufacturers use the word natural to make you believe a food is more healthful when in fact it is high in calories, fat or sugar.

For example, some candy is sold as natural because it contains agave nectar or honey, but to the body sugar is sugar no matter the source, so that doesn’t make “natural” candy more healthful. Snack foods are also being touted as natural. Potato chips with the peel left on the potato before being fried into a chip are not more healthful than other chips. So, save your money on packaged foods touting to be “natural” and instead snack on truly natural foods like fruits, veggies and nuts.

4. All Sugar Should be Eliminated.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently recommended that we cut our sugar intake from 10% of calories to 5% of calories. That equates to about 6 teaspoons of sugar or 25 grams per day. Sugar that occurs naturally, like in milk or fruit, is packaged with many other nutrients, so focus on reducing added sugars but don’t worry about the few grams of sugar in milk or fresh fruit.
(Source: IDEA)

So, you think you’ve hit a “plateau”? I’ll come back to that word, but first of all, do not get discouraged. Having a stretch where your weight loss slows to nothing is a natural phenomenon. You’re consuming fewer calories than you used to, so your metabolism has slowed down to conserve them. Keep in mind that, as long as you stick with your workouts and healthy eating, you’ll typically start losing weight again after about three weeks. It’s also important to remember that while you may not be losing weight, you should be experiencing positive changes to your body like a smaller waist, more toned stomach, stronger arms and more. If you don’t want to wait for the plateau to end on its own, there are things you need to ask yourself if you want to jump start your losing streak.

Question #1: Are You Keeping Track of Your Daily Calories?

Truth be told, I mostly think of plateaus as a myth. My philosophy on weight-loss plateaus is that someone claiming to have hit one isn’t paying enough attention to detail. When you first start a diet and fitness program, you make drastic changes — maybe you gave up soda, started counting points, whatever — your body responded to that and you lost weight fast. To continue to lose weight, you’ll need to create a consistent calorie deficit, which means you’ll need to start paying attention to what really matters — how many calories you’re consuming and how many you’re burning. The only way to track this accurately is to count calories at every single meal. I know that it can be time-consuming and tedious, but this has been proven again and again by researchers. A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that the more regularly a dieter kept a food log, the more weight they lost. That’s another reason why I don’t want to hear that you’ve plateaued if you aren’t keeping detailed logs. Try using a BodyMedia Armband or another kind of personal body monitors that can help you track how many calories you’re burning in a day — plus some of these monitors have apps that will help you log and track all of the calories you’re consuming in a day. It will help you realize how many calories you burn on a day-to-day basis.

Question #2: Are You Trying to Lose Vanity Pounds?

If you’re only trying to lose five, 10, or 15 pounds, you’re in a different place than someone who wants to drop triple digits. You’re not obese, you just want to look better — and this is what I refer to as vanity pounds. The human body doesn’t want to be carrying around excess weight, so it will respond to diet and exercise. When you have a smaller amount of weight to lose, your body is already healthy, which makes it tougher to lose weight. What people in this situation often do is cut more calories or increase their time at the gym, but this method will not work. All that does is slow your metabolism down and send your body into starvation mode. The best quick fix is to give your body a little more food so it feels secure. Varying your calorie intake is my best advice for keeping your body from plateauing. For the next three days, vary your calorie intake between 1,800 and 2,400 calories. I know this may sound crazy, but trust me — I know what I’m doing. After three days, drop back down to your usual calorie allowance. Remember, never allow your daily calorie allowance to fall below 1,200 if you are a woman and 1,500 if you are a man. Falling below these daily allowances can do real damage to your metabolism and result in excessive loss of lean muscle tissue.

Question #3: Do You Need to Change Up Your Workout?

If you’re overweight (not trying to lose vanity pounds), tracking calories in and out every day, and still not shedding any weight, here’s what you need to do: Switch up your workout. You might not realize this, but your body will adapt to any type of exercise. The first time you go run a mile, it is probably going to be rough. But by the 40th time you run a mile, it’s a lot easier, right? As you get used to a type of exercise, it becomes less challenging and, as a result, less effective. That’s why it’s so important to mix it up. Alternate the amount of weight you lift — go heavy one week with fewer reps and lighter the next with more reps. Change the type of exercise you do for each muscle. One week, do push-ups, then chest flies, then chest presses. They all work the same part of your body, but in very different ways.

Question #4: Do You Have a Hormone Imbalance?

If you’ve followed my advice up until now and nothing still has worked, there’s one last thing that might be causing your plateau: a hormone imbalance. A thyroid disorder, insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome — they could all be making your body hold onto pounds. Don’t immediately assume this is the problem, but if you have truly tried everything else, it might be worth going to an endocrinologist and exploring this issue with a medical professional who can evaluate you personally.

Separating Trends from Fads – Food Matters.

While “flavor of the month” fads ignite our imaginations before they flame out, genuine trends reflect changes in our eating patterns that can influence just about every facet of a healthy and fitness program. So lets discuss some of the biggest issues for American food, nutrition, and diets.

Plant-Based Diets (Vegetarian, Flexitarian, Vegan Eating)

Books, studies, media, and campaigns such as “meatless Mondays” have greatly influenced a move toward plant-based eating. A whole-food, plant-based diet is the most healthy-promoting diet and it may take a while for the general American population to start seeing the benefit of it, but people who weren’t eating kale five years ago are now eating kale.

There is a lot of controversy about animal-focused diets and a lot of research that supports animal-focused diets being the leading culprit to degenerative diseases. Our body doesn’t absorb excess protein, so we burden our internal organs by consuming too much. There will always be people who consume animal protein, but there is a growing change between the ratios of animal protein to vegetables on the plate. People are now willing to shift things around a little bit more. In addition, the growing demands for those people who do choose to consume animal protein are seeking out grass-fed and organic options.

Lastly, there is a myth that plant foods don’t contain all of the proteins that our bodies need for daily productivity. They all are complete proteins; they just contain the essential amino acid in lesser amounts.

Gluten-Free is Still Going Strong

We’re past “fad” and well into trend. Is this just great marketing, or are the throngs of people who feel they are gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant really benefiting from this style of eating? The gluten-free food craze out there is not necessary. It’s kind of like “organic.” Just because something is under the umbrella of “organic” doesn’t necessarily make it a healthy food. Gluten-free foods, the processed ones, they are exactly that, and what do we know about processed foods? They’re not the routes to take. Now Celiac disease and gluten intolerance are very legitimate. But we have to be mindful of the options out there, because not everything deemed gluten-free is good for you.

You can be gluten-free and have a very health-promoting diet, or you can be gluten-free and be eating cookies, crackers, and chips all day long. Our wheat today is a lot higher in gluten than it ever was because we have seen so many modifications to our wheat. In addition, wheat products often appear in some form- cereal, muffins, bread, pasta, baked good, at most, if not all, of our meals. This excess consumption increases our risk of developing intolerance or allergy. If something happens to be gluten-free naturally, then that’s great, but there are a lot of gluten-free products that, like gluten-free breads or things of that nature, are actually higher in calories. Just because something is gluten-free, there’s a health halo around it, and we encourage you to beware and do your research.

Probiotics/Prebiotics (Fermented Foods, Supplements)

Gut health seems to be getting more attention, as do products and food prep that support it. From a culinary perspective, fermented foods are incredibly trendy. Kombucha, miso, some of our fermented soy products- for those who can consume them- can help promote healthy gut bacteria. There is something to be said about probiotics. They can help your digestive tract!

Again, our food is so processed and our growing processes are incredibly different as well. We will probably start hearing more about soil-based organisms as well. Years ago, when you had a garden it wasn’t quite as stripped of is full spectrum of minerals as our gardens tend to be today. When we add fertilization to our gardens, we are typically adding four or five nutrients, as opposed to our full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. If you’re composting and putting nutrients back into your soil, the food that grows in it has naturally occurring bacteria.

Today we sterilize everything. We have such germ phobia that we have created a need for healthy bacteria because we’re constantly kiting it in our own bodies. We absolutely need probiotics.

The Protein Craze

Like the fat-free, sugar-free and gluten-free marketing crazes we’ve seen for many years, food manufacturers have now caught on that putting the word “protein” on food labels offers a health halo effect that sells product. Protein is being advertised mainly as a fat burner/weight loss bullet.

As mentioned earlier, we definitely eat more protein than our bodies can handle, as a society. The ramifications are that we tax our organs, livers and kidneys. Today, we’re seeing breakfast bars or other things markets as being high protein, and then people are making the assumption that they’re healthier for them. You don’t have an insulin response to protein, so people can eat a protein meal and not necessarily have that issue an hour later where they might feel jittery or whatever the case may be.

Mixing your nutrients, having some fats with some greens, is better in terms of absorbing your vitamins, but mixing your nutrients can also be good for slowing your digestion, which will keep your blood sugar levels a bit more stable. Many people think they should get their protein in their diet in the form of lean meats, and that’s great! The craze is really focused on processed foods, like breakfast bars or the functional foods that people are going for, believing that these are going to be healthier for them than something else. If they are having more protein and let’s say fewer carbs, then they might be having less fiber, and that might affect their GI as well, which some people forget to factor in as well. “High in protein” is the new “low-fat.”

GMOS, OH MY GOSH!

If you’re not sure what GMO is and how it impacts our health, there is a video called Genetic Roulette. It will help you understand the impact of everything from the neurological disorders to the health conditions and agricultural impact of GMO foods. CenterForFoodSaftey.org has a really great GMO informational booklet that explains all the different GMO foods from baby formula, fresh produce and meat products, plus protein powders that have been genetically modified or contain GMO ingredients.

The GMO project is for verification of GMOs in conventional foods that are grown with traditional fertilizers and pesticides. There is movement of people working with meat suppliers and chicken farmers to make sure all of our animal products are (from animals) fed non–GMO feed, which is a huge undertaking. A lot of suppliers are getting really excited about it though. The non-GMO project also has a website where you can verify foods. They’re broken down by category of food, by product name and by brand. The site is www.nongmoproject.org.

Out with the New and in with the Old

The natural structure of food is magical, whether it’s the natural fat and protein in eggs, beans or seeds; the fiber and cars in fruits and veggies; or the amount of antioxidants in a fruit versus a powder of extracted antioxidants. Our bodies just seem to perform better when we consume whole foods, rather than pieces, parts or processed products. Whole food is going to be the next big thing and it’s already becoming a new trend in our country. Nutrition education is just one of many that needs to follow.

The message is out there. Irrespective of your socioeconomic background, most people who say, “healthy food” knows that it’s fruits and veggies. But what do they do with these fruits and veggies when they get them home? We need to utilize the kids. Working with children we find that they are very educated and most of them come from very good families, and they have no idea how to actually make food. The passing down of culinary traditions kind of died on the vine with previous generations because we are now eating out more or we are buying things that are semi prepared for us. The paradox is that the food deserts are in places where people know how to cook and the whole foods are more available in places where people don’t know how to cook.

So the challenge is not only how do you teach people to take care of their bodies through exercise, but then how are they going to make this food for themselves? What are their cooking abilities? What do their kitchens look like? And how much time do they have, and how do you make all of that work?

With all of these fads and trends in mind, you must really find an importance in being in the kitchen and preparing your food yourselves. Become interested in the authenticity of food. This can really link people back to getting in the kitchen and making whole foods and recipes from scratch. So you want to learn how to cook Thai food? Okay great, let’s do it! You love Thai food? Okay, let’s cook it together. We think this is a great way to get a hold of your diet, forget about trends and fads, and get back to our roots. Get back to the kitchen and throw yourselves into a more healthful lifestyle.

Can Life Coaching Improve Your Health?

Do you ever say, “I know what I should be doing, but can’t seem to follow through? Do you know the right things to say to yourself to motivate yourself to follow through? These are common questions that are being assessed and more trainers and coaches are integrating life coaching with fitness training to improve clients’ results and answer these questions. There is a large difference between life coaches and health coaches though.

Life coaching is a method based on client’s needs, values and priorities with a focus on the person’s whole life and on wellness, rather than disease. The purpose of life coaching is to achieve sustained cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes by understanding distortions in thinking: Once clients perceive their own mental barriers, they can generate individual strategies to make the daily choices required to realize specific goals. In contrast, traditional health coaching is a practice of health education and health promotion within a coaching context that focuses on specific health or disease related goals.

People who need support to improve self-efficacy and self-empowerment may benefit more from life coaching than those who already possess self-confidence. Life coaching uses tools such as positive affirmation, visualization, and goal setting to assist in maximizing your personal development around health and fitness. It can help eliminate beliefs that are holding you back to reaching your goals faster and more effectively.

One thing is certain, once you make the choice to become healthier, challenges will show up in your life. It is how you view, process and take action upon these challenges that will determine your quality of life. Life coaching is a very valuable tool in learning how to focus energy on developing yourself, how to tailor valuable information to meet your specific need, and how to take action with the knowledge you have acquired to attain your goals. Once you combine knowledge with action, you secure life-lasting results.

Coconut 101

The first thing you need to know about coconuts is that they’re not in fact nuts. Fresh coconut meat contains some protein, carbohydrates and fiber but is predominantly made up of fat, and it’s that fat that’s responsible for giving coconuts their bad reputation.

One of the major controversies that erupts when discussing coconut is the involvement of saturated fat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture still recommends keeping saturated fat intake to less than 7% of total calories to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. But what the USDA will not tell you is that a growing body of research suggests that it may not be saturated fat that’s detrimental. A more likely culprit is all the other junk that hitches a ride with saturated fat. For example, we are highly unlikely to benefit from eating a diet high in saturated fat sourced from frozen pizza and Oreo’s. We are also less likely to improve our health by consuming lots of saturated fat in addition to unnecessary amounts of processed carbohydrates and sugars. However, a diet full of quality, grass-fed meats and coconut fats can work wonders for your health.

At this point, it should come as no surprise that the fat in coconuts is saturated. In fact, pure, virgin coconut oil contains more than 90% saturated fat. Don’t be alarmed! It’s actually the unique composition of fats that sets coconut oil apart from other harmful sources of saturated fats, like those Oreos. Interestingly, it’s the saturated fats in coconut that have been recognized for making it healthy. Healthy fats get processed in your body in different ways and it’s because coconuts don’t get metabolized the same way that they are considered the one of the healthiest fats. Coconut can increase energy expenditure, promote satiety and support healthy weight control because they are a great source of quick energy and a poor source of stored fat. This doesn’t mean that you should start eating coconut oil straight from the jar everyday, but it does mean that researchers have recognized it’s potential as a weight control tool compared to other forms of fat.

Coconut Flakes/Coconut Chips/Shredded Coconut-This is dried, unsweetened coconut meat, and it’s a great addition to any trail mix. Bring some with you when you travel or use it in your next baking recipe. But make sure to buy the natural, unsweetened kind rather than the sweetened kind rather than the sweetened stuff that tends to sneak into the baking aisles of local grocery stores.

Coconut Milk- Among the most common coconut products, coconut milk is a hearty, satiating source of good fats. The canned stuff can be found in the ethnic section of most stores and makes a great addition to smoothies and sauces. If you’re looking for a healthy addition to your morning cup o’ Joe or you’re sick of drinking black coffee, add a little coconut milk as a healthy alternative.

Coconut Butter/Coconut Concentrate/Coconut Manna- Coconut butter is just ground up coconut meat, and the stuff is delicious! Use it in place of nut butters or for baking.

Coconut Oil- This is 100% fat extracted from coconut meat. The high saturated fat content of coconut oil make the substance solid at room temp. But don’t be alarmed-saturated fats are stable fats. This means that, in the context of heat or cooking, coconut oil is a better choice compared to less stable unsaturated fats like olive oil. If you’re looking for a quick, delicious source of healthy energy, try blending coconut oil into your morning coffee.

Coconut Water-Available almost everywhere, it has become nearly impossible to keep up with all the different brands and flavors of coconut water that has popped up in the last couple of years. Although coconut water is predominantly sugar and should be consumed in moderation, it can be a great choice in the right context. Coconut water contains more potassium than a banana, so if you find yourself dehydrated, sick or in need of replenishing after a tough workout, it’s a good choice. Fun Fact- doctors used coconut water in place of IV solutions during World War II and during the Vietnam War when availability of IV solution was limited.

Coconut Flour- After the oil is extracted, coconut meat can be ground up to make flour. Coconut flout is a gluten-free and relatively nutrient-dense alternative to flour. Coconut flour can be found in most stores and can be used in a variety of different foods. Next time you decide to make protein pancakes grab yourself a bag of coconut flour instead of those terrible Bisquick pancakes.