Calories In. Calories Out.

I loved this article from Runner's World today.  It was so simple.  In order to lose weight, look great and stay trim you need to burn more calories than you intake.  Done.  No gimmicky pills, no funky diets, no quick answers.  It's called hard work and eating right.  I love it.

I'm going for a run.

Hydrate Naturally

These look sooooo yummy! From Runner's World.

Iced Green Tea
When: Pre- or postrun and on easy runs less than an hour

Why: Green tea is a stellar source of catechins, antioxidants that fight heart disease and cancer. According to research, catechins can reduce muscle damage caused by exercise, and also speed recovery. A recent study found that people who had the equivalent of five cups of green tea daily for three months and exercised lost more belly fat than those who only exercised. Iced green tea is a tasty alternative to water on easy, short runs, says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the Pittsburgh Medical Center. Plus, tea contains caffeine, which boosts speed and endurance. If you drink iced green tea often, go with unsweetened, says Kimball, to avoid taking in excess calories.

Sipping Points: Steep tea bags for at least three minutes to release more catechins. If you buy bottled, choose brands with fewer than 15 grams of sugar per eight ounces.

Coconut Water
When: Pre- or postrun or on runs of about 60 minutes

Why: Coconut water, the clear liquid found inside the fruit, contains none of the fat found in coconut milk and has a tangy, light almond flavor. Eleven ounces contain 14 grams of sugar and 670 milligrams of potassium—way more than sports drinks. "Potassium works closely with sodium to maintain water balance and helps trigger muscles to contract and relax optimally," says Suzanne Girard Eberle, R.D., author of Endurance Sports Nutrition. Coconut water has enough carbohydrates for an hour-long run but not enough sodium for longer efforts.

Sipping Points: Coconut water, which is fat-free, comes plain or flavored with mango, orange peel, or passion fruit.

Chocolate Milk
When: Postrun

Why: The drink you loved as a kid has the ideal amount of carbohydrates and protein that tired muscles need for recovery, says Joel Stager, Ph.D., director of the department of kinesiology at Indiana University. According to a study Stager led, drinking chocolate milk postexercise speeds up recovery and increases the time it takes to reach exhaustion during a subsequent exercise session better than sports drinks. And a 2007 British study found that regular milk is better than water or a sports drink at restoring fluid levels following a bout of exercise in the heat. Plus, milk contains bone-strengthening vitamin D and calcium.

Sipping Points: Single-serving containers are handy for tossing into a cooler for a postrun treat and for portion control.

Cherry Juice
When: After a hard run

Why: If George Washington was more of an athlete, he never would have felled his dad's cherry tree. A study done in 2008 by British researchers found that runners who drank 16 ounces of tart cherry juice in the days before, the day of, and two days after a marathon decreased inflammation, oxidative stress, and muscle damage. "Cherry juice is very useful for postexercise recovery," says Declan Connolly, Ph.D., professor of physical education and exercise science at the University of Vermont. Cherries are higher in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties than many other types of fruit. Try drinking a cup of tart cherry juice after exercise—particularly during heavy training. But don't guzzle it like it's tap water: One cup has about 30 grams of natural sugar and 130 calories.

Sipping Points: If cherry juice is too tart for you, try a sweeter blend with cherries and other 100 percent fruit juices.

Vegetable Juice
When: Postrun

Why: Chock-full of a variety of nutrients in a concentrated package, 100 percent vegetable juice is a tasty way to get a serving or two of veggies. Those made mostly with tomatoes have lots of lycopene, an antioxidant that a British Journal of Nutrition study found protects muscles from oxidative stress caused by exercise. Many brands have three to five times the amount of sodium and 13 to 17 times the amount of potassium in sports drinks, "which makes vegetable juice an ideal part of a postrun snack or meal that includes carbs and protein," says Kimball.

Sipping Points: Sodium levels can range from 140 to 620 milligrams in regular (non—low sodium) brands. Choose higher levels if you crave salt postrun.

Mmmm, I love junk food.

I've said it once, I've said it 1,000 times. I love food that is not good for me. I'll be honest and say that I do indulge more than I should, but I will also say that I am not a glutton. :)

So, marathon time, right? The week's training has gone pretty well and I'm heading out on my first 10 miler in some sweltering North Carolina heat tomorrow.

I've really contemplated going on a junk food fast for the marathon. Hrm. Contemplated would be the word I would use. I've done it twice in the past few years and the benefits have been amazing but I'm not sure I'm willing to take the plunge, well, because I love junk food. So then I think I'll strike a balance and say treats only on Saturdays after runs, but then Saturdays turn into Sunday and I've got a tummy full of ice cream on my Monday morning run. Then it goes down hill from there.

So my question to you is this: how do you find your balance? Not necessarily just in running and exercising, but just in life? I'm really an all or nothin' kinda girl and I'd like to move towards balance in my life.

Have a great weekend everyone. Go for a run and you Cali girls, enjoy that cool morning weather for me, ok?

** Disclosure. I am not happy about this heat and running in it. Just in case you couldn't infer from my previous complaints in this post and others. Just sayin'. I'll be a big girl though. I can do it. Right? Right. Right.

Road Trip Replacements

It's summer and that means road trips, and lots of times road trips mean junk food. Not this year though! Here are some alternatives from RunnersWorld.com to help curb those junk food cravings while on the road.

• Sports Drink: One Gatorade Thirst Quencher powder pack mixes up to 17 ounces.
• Energy Bars: Clif Bars and Kashi TLC Bars supply both carbs and protein.
• Instant Oatmeal: Heat water in the hotel coffeemaker.
• Granola: Top your yogurt with Bear Naked Snack-Packs.
• Honey: Snag single-serving packets at any fast-food joint.
• Crackers: Kashi TLC crackers are 130 calories a bag.
• Fruit: Apples, oranges, and bananas hold up well.
• String Cheese: A good source of low-fat protein.
• Hard-Boiled Eggs: Be sure to peel before you leave.
• Hummus: Try squeeze-tubes of Wild Garden hummus.
• Carrots: Mini snack bags pair perfectly with hummus.
• Chocolate: Portion control with individual squares.

Sports Drinks

Another great article from Runner's World that I thought I would pass along. I'd love to know your thoughts on this. Personally, I only drink the full on Gatorade (nothing else) when I've got more than 8 miles to crank out. Otherwise I'm drinking water or my new favorite, G2.

Sports Beverages: Help, Harm, or Hype?

The market is inundated with beverage choices advertised to athletes: caffeinated, with amino acids, taurine, vitamins, minerals, etc. Necessary or not? Let's examine more closely.
What are the benefits of a sports drink and why choose one?

1) They provide fluid. And as a runner, you lose fluid through sweat, and being inadequately hydrated will decrease strength, speed, and stamina, as well as increase the perceived effort of exertion.

2) They provide carbohydrates to exercising muscles during activity, and also help fluid to empty more rapidly from the stomach.

3) They provide sodium, which can help to maintain fluid balance within and between cells.
But manufacturers have been adding lots of other bells and whistles, which can introduce complications. For instance...

Protein, which can delay gastric emptying. (Even though some studies show that the branched chain amino acids may delay central fatigue, the protein added to beverages may have a longer gastric emptying time and may cause digestive distress in some people.)

Caffeine, which may have an ergogenic (performance-enhancing effect) by increasing mental focus and expediting use of free fatty acids as a fuel source earlier in exercise, therefore sparing muscle glycogen -- but this is most likely to be benefical before, not during, runs. And for those who are caffeine-sensitive, the stimulant effect may not enhance performance.

Vitamins and minerals. Most drinks that contain micronutrients have only select vitamins or minerals, not all of them, so these products are not a substitute for a daily supplement. And vitamins and minerals are not a source of energy; therefore you really won't notice any difference in performance while running, although your wallet will be lighter because these products aren't cheap.

So what should you do?

Look for a product with 14-15 grams of carbohydrate per 8 ounces. More is too concentrated and will take too long to leave your stomach. If you are calorie conscious, there are some that have 7 grams of carbohydrate per 8 ounces.

Look for a product with about 110 milligrams of sodium per 8 ounces. Less is not enough. And sodium is the bigger factor here, as the body loses more sodium than potassium during exercise.

Don't worry so much about the caffeine, amino acids, or vitamins and minerals.

Have your latte or cup of joe, eat a turkey or veggie burger to get the amino acids, and if you are worried about your micronutrients, take a daily multivitamin-mineral supplement. In the long run, it will cost you less and you'll be better nourished!

Leslie

Calorie Counting

Yep, that's right. I'm back on the bandwagon. Counting the calories and ready to drop a few pounds. I'm using an application on my new *iPhone* (YAAAYYY!) that will automatically calculate calories for the day depending on what I eat and how much I exercise. It also will take my BMI (weight and height) and calculate how many calories I can eat to lose the weight I want.

Simply enough, it's calories in/calories out for weight loss and fitness. Have you calorie counted before? Did you have much success?

Nutrition Tips

Ya, I don't know about that gummy candy (Maren, Molly ... back me up on this) but this is an awesome video from Runner's World. But really, I could probably cut back on the gummy bears. Seriously. :)

Now only if my tummy looked like this ... v

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid416421194/bctid5986191001

hydration

i am super curious ... what do you drink for the following runs?

• 1-4 miles?
• 5-6 miles?
• 7-10 miles?
• 10+ miles?

options might include nothing, water, fuel belt flask of propel.

my hydration needs have changed so much since moving to a warmer climate. i think i've almost doubled my fluid intake.

my answers to the questions?

• 1-4 miles: one fuel belt flask of FROZEN water
• 5-6 miles: one or two fuel belt flask of FROZEN propel
• 7-10 miles: three + fuel belt flasks of gatorade (rain is my fave)
• 10+ miles: four + fuel belt flasks of gatorade

i think each fuel belt flask is around 7 oz. is that about right? anyways, i'd love to know what you're drinkin'. :)

wellternatives

the website that featured us* on their wellmix 360 half marathon page has a new alternative to finding out what you're eating while you're eating out. wellternatives offers nutrition information at your fingertips online. and while you're on the go, a simple text message can give you instant nutrition information, as well as a possible better food alternative at the restaurant. just found out that my favorite burrito at chipotle has 30 grams of fat, 889 calories, and 100 grams of carbs. phew! that's half my food intake for the day!


*not a paid endorsement! just love the site!

a true sugar addict: a nutrition discussion

hello, my name is julia, and i am a sugar addict. for the past 90 days (with a few exceptions) i have abstained from refined sugars for my upcoming half marathon. i'm not gonna lie, it sucks. i am waiting for april 19th anxiously, when i can sink my teeth (with little to no guilt) into pf chang's great wall of chocolate, ooooh, or a bag of skittles, or gail's chocolate chip cookies. i would top it off maybe with a milk shake or my all time favorite candy, the BIG strawberry flavored laffy taffy. i am getting sick just thinking about it. :)

but given the subject of food, i get asked all the time if i can eat whatever i want because i run. my real and honest answer: no. twinkies and diet coke on a friday night do not equal a great run on saturday morning. being a runner naturally pushes you to eat healthier because your body, as a runner, demands it. what i'd like to discuss is what i eat regularly, the night before a run, right before a run, during a run, and then after. i am not a nutritionist (though i'd like to be someday), and do not profess to be an expert. but what i do works for me, and that's what i'll share. i'd love to hear the same from you.

what i eat regularly: now that i've moved to the east coast i've had a little more time to prepare meals. it's refreshing after six years of wendy's, chipotle, and cereal. jonathan and i will sit down every sunday together and plan our meals for the week and go grocery shopping together the next day. true story. our favorite meals include trader joe's mahi, mahi; kaylynn's famous spinach, bell pepper chicken salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar; black bean chili; whole wheat blueberry pancakes; and well - chipotle. what we try to gravitate towards is fresh (sometimes organic) ingredients that have nutritional value. we make sure each dinner has a vegetable, a simple carbohydrate, and protein. nothing is ever processed or refined - if possible. breakfasts usually include kashi or nature's path with skim milk with simply orange to wash down a multi-vitamin. costco carries all of our breakfast products, so we can get it relatively inexpensively in bulk.

the night before a race: this is where the traditional carb load comes in. my carb of choice is spaghetti - whole wheat if i can get it. because whole wheat is a simple carbohydrate it is more easily absorbed in your body for energy storage (sugar = glucose) and is ready for the next day's events. i like to eat some sort of spinach or vegetable for that extra psychological vitamin boost and TONS OF WATER. drink all day long. staying hydrated for me is crucial for a race. the more i drink, the better. on that note: i have the hardest time drinking water - my body either craves it or hates it. yes, these are the symptoms of dehydration. so, i don't practice every day what i preach, but at least the day before a race, i'm drinking h2o like it's going out of style.

race day: everyone has their own ritual, that's for sure. mine includes waking up at the last possible moment (kaylynn, rebecca, maren, lindsey - any of you could attest to this right?) and eating a peanut butter and jam sandwich. (whole wheat bread, natural peanut butter, and just yummy jam) mmmmmmm. what this equates to me is again a carbohydrate (bread, jam) and a protein (peanut butter). i drink a bit of gatorade and water, but not too much to give me fishbowl stomach, and out the door i go. the experts will tell you to wake up at least two hours before you run and eat a 300 calorie meal before you run. personally, i just can't get my butt out of bed that early. :) i also make sure to down a few pepto bismol tablets to make sure i don't hit the porta potties too often, or at all. yes, runners - you know what i am talking about.

during the race: GUUUUUU. i load up my fuel belt with my choice of gatorade (3 flasks) and water (1 flask) and pack in my GU and iPod and i'm ready to roll. for a half marathon i like to take a GU at mile 5 and 10 (gives me something to look forward to) and at a marathon every 5 miles and then another 1/2 GU around mile 23 for a psychological boost. all these little suckers are, are 100 calories of pure sugar gel. yum. i make sure to take each GU with water to help digestion. (keep in mind that after gatorade, GU, and your PB&J before, you've ingested around 700+ calories for a long run). experts tell us to drink six fluid ounces of sports drink every 20 minutes or so - my needs are much less. what i tell people is drink when you feel like you need to drink - but before you become dehydrated - because once you've gone there, your body won't recover and you can kiss that PR goodbye.

after the race: YAY!!! celebration time. this is where my sugar comes in. wait - i've done all that work and now i eat whatever i want?! it sounds awful, but true. the body's metabolism is sooo high at this point your body will accept anything to replace all the calories you've burned. (ps, did you know it takes 3,500 calories burned to lose 1 pound?) ideally it should again be whole foods, full of vitamins and protein and good carbs, but what's the fun in that?! yes, i am awful. generally jona and i head to chipotle after a really long run - and walgreen's for our hit of sugar and candy. yum.

i hope this stuff makes sense and is somewhat helpful. sports nutrition (and general nutrition for that matter) is a really interesting subject. i hope to become an expert someday!

lesson learned

on a brief side note: 63 ounces of diet coke the night before a run means DEHYDRATION the next day for 14 miles. phew! can we say di-u-re-tic?? :) (and yes, i knew ... but c'mon! a girl needs to indulge every once in awhile, right?)

sugar cravings, a funny story and a good run

today was a i-love-to-run day. well, let me back up. last night jona was out at a hockey game with some coworkers, and i was at home playing with my new dog, maggie. (we love her!) i had finished dinner around 6 and by 6:30 i was CRAVING junk food ... i needed some sugar, sugar, sugar. so i ate a fruit bar and a yogurt hoping it would subside the craving, which it did. but oh, how i wanted to sink my teeth into a yummy cookie, gummy anything (yes, molly - i have the love too) or anything yucky bad for you - but OH, so yummy.


so today i headed out for my tempo run.

Basic definition: sustained run at faster than usual training pace.

it consisted of a ten minute warm up, twenty minutes of hard running, and ten minute cool down. right at my turn around there was a group of girls running back and forth together racing. i said hello as i turned around and eyed a little girl ahead of me. she looked at me and i yelled "race ya!" and she took off like a bat out of hell ... stranger danger!! she was sooooo freaked out. she ran to the group she was playing with and just stared at me like i was going to kidnap her or something. shoot ... ! didn't mean to scare her. but thanks for the push. :)

tempo runs are an important part of training. they increase your lactate threshold and increase leg turnover. translation: you are able to run longer, harder. (for a good article on the lactate threshold, click here).

so, today was a i-love-to-run day. i was outside, enjoying the sunset, breathing in the cool air, and my tempo run went soooo well. i think it may just have something to do with not eating that cookie (or many cookies) last night. ;)