NEW GYM OPENED!!

I have been working the past month to help open a new Anytime Fitness frachise in Northwest Austin.  I am the gym's Personal Training Manager.  What a fun experience!  It has been great to help buy equipment, establish protocol and meet each new member as they join!

The gym is located a Burnet and Anderson in the Northcross Mall.  Check out the link for more details! http://www.anytimefitness.com/en-us/clubs/2584/Austin-TX-health-club

STARTING OVER

It has been a while since I last posted.  I have been very busy making some huge changes in my life.  Last month I moved from Utah and settled  in Austin, Texas. This has taken me on a whole new life adventure that I hope to share with you.

Surprisingly, this vibrant city is turning out to offer a large array of outdoor activities.  I have been here since August.  To date I have enjoyed running on the Town Lake Trail, mountain biking the Greenbelt,  indoor rock climbing  at the Austin Rock gym , kayaking and waterskiing on Lake LBJ and Paddleboarding at a local quarry. 

Over time I will elaborate on these and many more wonderful places to explore (while getting and/or staying fit!) in this beautiful area!

 

Red Rock Canyon

Chuck and I visited Red Rock Canyon while in Las Vegas this week.  It felt great to get off the strip and do something outdoors.  The temperature was still reasonable, mid-80's, and the desert flowers were in bloom.  We chose a 6 mile loop that was described as difficult but we found to be very reasonable.  We were rewarded at the end of the trail with cheese, a whole grain baguette and fresh fruit which we had picked up from Whole Foods on the way out of town.  Yum :-)  Information about the canyon can be found here,  http://www.lasvegastourism.com/red_rock.htm

The next day we paid  for a  pass to the Aria Hotel spa, http://www.arialasvegas.com/.  We enjoyed the fitness center, wet areas, "Ganbanyoku" heated-stone bed, "Shio" salt room, and outdoor therapy pool.  This was a great way to relax after a few days in the hustle and bustle of sin city.

Weekly Workout Plan - April 26

I completed the Red Moutain 30K on Saturday. I'm not sure but I think the older I get the more sore I am after these long races.  Today my calves feel like they could seize up at any moment.  I was shooting for 10 minute miles and I averaged just over this.  I could have/should have trained more on hills and completed a few more tempo runs (running about 3 miles at a 9.5 minute mile pace).  It seems these last few years I have avoided any training that caused me to step out of my comfort zone.  Now my race times are reflecting this lack of effort. 

I will ease back into my workout schedule this week:

Monday:  Bike on trainer.  5 minute warm-up.  30 sec. all out/90 sec. at 50% - 10X.  10 minute cool-down.
               Teach Pilates/Yoga class

Tuesday:  Lift Chest/Back
               30 Minute Eliptical with High Intensity Intervals

Wednesday:  Teach Yoga class
                     Teach Boot Camp (stay low-impact)
                     Teach Pilates/Yoga class

Thursday:  Lift Bis/Tris/Delts
                30 Minutes Bike on Trainer with Intervals

Friday:  Run 4 Miles Easy
            Teach Yoga class

Saturday:  Something fun, maybe a hike

Sunday:  Run 4 Miles Easy

I will enjoy a few weeks without a strict training plan, but after that I will pick another race challenge and start ramping up the training once again. 

MONDAY INSPIRATION

photo credit:  www.flickr.com/photos/natashap/449204753/

"There is new life in the soil. There is healing in the trees for tired minds and for our overburdened spirits, there is great strength in the hills, if only we will lift up our eyes. Remember that nature is your great restorer.” –Calvin Coolidge

WEEKLY WORKOUT SCHEDULE 4/18

Monday:  Track Workout - 2 x 800 at 5k pace
                                           1 x 1600 at 1/2 Marathon Pace
                                           Warm-up/Cool-down 2 Miles Total (4 Miles Overall)
                                        -  Yoga

Tuesday:  Lift chest/back

Wednesday:  Run - 1 mile tempo (start and end with a two-mile jog)
                            - Boot Camp
                           -  Pilates/Yoga

Thursday:  Lift tris/bis/shoulders

Friday:  Bike 45 minutes, easy
            Yoga

Saturday:  RACE - 18 Miles!

Sunday:  Rest Day

This is a taper week.  I won't be doing any plyometrics or legs work.  My goal is to go into the race with fresh legs!

Choices for A Healthy Lunch and Dinner!

I have listed some choices that can be combined to create a healthy lunch or dinner.  Choose a protein, starchy carb and complex carb.

Protein (Approx. 200 to 300 calories- about the size of a card deck):

3 to 4 oz. chicken breast
3 to 4 oz. fish
3 oz. lean beef/turkey/pork

Starchy Carb (Approx. 150 to 200 calories):

Baked potato or sweet potato (may add a teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper)
1 cup brown rice
1 cup of corn
1 or 2 pieces of whole wheat bread/pita/tortilla
1 cup of beans
1 cup of whole wheat pasta

Complex Carb (Approx. 100 calories):

Choose 1 to 2 cups of vegetables (steamed or quick stir fry)
Green Salad with 1 T. dressing (may include 1/2 avocado)

TUESDAY MEDITATION

The Kundalini Yoga meditation that I describe below is designed to help you maintain calmness in the face of stress.  This meditation resolves many inner conflicts.  This is especially true when the conflicts arise from the competition between different levels of your functioning, i.e. spiritual vs. physical or survival needs.

Tattva Balance Beyond Stress & Duality

Sit in easy pose (on the floor, using a pillow or blanket for cushion, with legs folded easily over one another.  If this is difficult you may sit in a chair with feet flat on the floor).

Raise the arms with the elbows bent until the hands meet at the level of the heart in front of the chest.   The forearms make a straight line parallel to the ground.  Spread the fingers of both hands.  Touch the finger tips and thumb tips of the opposite hands together.  Create enough pressure to join the first segments of the fingers together.  The thumbs are stretched back and point toward the torso.  The palms are separated.

Fix the eyes at the tip of the nose.

Inhale smoothly and deeply through the nose.

Exhale through the rounded lips in 8 equal emphatic strokes.  On the exhale, pull the Naval Point in sharply.

Continue this breath for 3 minutes.  This practice may be built to last 11 minutes.

To end, inhale deeply, hold for 10 to 30 seconds and exhale.  Inhale again and shake the hands. Relax.

MONDAY INSPIRATION

The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do, well.

                                                                         Henry W. Longfellow

WEEKLY WORKOUT SCHEDULE

photo credit:  fulcrumsurfstudio.com

 

Monday:  Run 3 X 1 Mile Long Hill Repeats

                            Teach Yoga/Pilates Fusion Class

Tuesday:  Boot Camp Workout

               Lift Chest/Back/Legs

Wednesday:  Teach Yoga

                     Run 6 Miles

                     Teach Boot Camp Class

                     Teach Yoga/Pilates Fusion Class

Thursday:  Boot Camp Workout

                Lift Tris/Bis/Delts/Legs

Friday:  Bike on Trainer - Speed Intervals

       

Saturday:  Run 12 Miles

Sunday:  Rest Day

I am training for the Red Mountain 30K (18 miles) to be run on April 24.  I have already done my longest run in preparation for the race which was 16 miles this past Saturday.  It has been great to have something to train for.  There is no way I would put in these long miles without a race on the calendar.  Great way to get motivated!

Great Snack Food Choices!

photo credit: www.chron.com

Here is a list of great snack food choices (approx 200 -250 calories):

1/4 cup whole milk yogurt/1/2 cup low sugar granola
Apple/1 T. nut butter (with no added oil)
Celery or carrots/1 T nut butter
1/4 cup raw nuts/1 T dried fruit (with no added sugar)
3 cups popcorn (recipe below)/1/4 cup nuts/1 T dried fruit
2 rice cakes/1 T nut butter/1 T dried fruit and/or 1 apple sliced
1 slice whole wheat toast/1 T nut butter/ 1 t honey
5 whole grain crackers/2 T hummus

photo credit: http://www.momgoesgreen.com/

Microwave popcorn is very quick and easy but it is loaded with unhealthy oils and salt.  My family has found it almost as easy (and a lot more nutritious and thrifty) to add 1/3 cup popcorn kernels (we buy organic) to a paper lunch bag, fold it over a couple of times at top and micowave the bag for about 2 minutes.  We had to play with the time.  We actually put it in for 1 min. 50 sec.  My daughters can't forgo the butter so we melt about a tablespoon in the microwave and stir it into the popped corn, adding a bit of high quality salt (not table salt).

Great Breakfast Food Choices!

photo courtesty of: www.thefoodguys.com

Here is a list of very healthy breakfast food choices:

Breakfast:

Protein (approx. 100 cal):
  Eggs (you can combine 1 whole egg and 2 to 3 eggs whites)
  Whole Milk, Live Cultured Yogurt (1/2 cup)
  Whole Milk (1/2 cup)
  Raw nuts or natural nut butter (no added oil) (1 T)

Carbs (approx 100-150 cal):
  Slice of whole wheat toast
  Oatmeal (1/2 cup before cooking)
  Whole Grain Cereal (1 cup)
  Whole Wheat Pancake (2 @ 75 cal each) - see recipe below

Fruit (approx 100 cal):
  1 piece whole fruit or 8 oz. juice

photo courtesy of: www.getitbacksystem.com

Pancake Recipe

1 cup flour (I use organic whole wheat pastry flour)
1 cup milk
1 t baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3 T butter or oil (I use coconut oil)
1 egg -(slightly beaten)

Mix the dry ingredients and then add the moist ingredients.  Stir until just mixed. 
This recipe makes about 12 pancakes.  You can also add frozen or fresh fruit to the batter.  I like to blend blueberries with a little water and use this as syrup.  If you use mapel syrup, make sure it is the real stuff!





 
 


                                  

Great Links To Nutritional Blogs and Websites

Here are a few links to great blogs and websites which are very informative regarding healthy whole food nutrition:

http://www.westonaprice.org/

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

http://www.nourishingdays.com/

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/

I hope you enjoy!

5 Tips to Help You Set Your Goals For The New Year

The new year offers you a fresh start. A chance to really get focused and accomplish those things you've had on your mind for a while. Listed below are five tips that will help you create your goals in a way that makes them realistic and very achievable. But before I explain the details let me emphasize how important it is to WRITE THE GOALS down.

1. Specific - The goals must specifically tell what is to be accomplished.

Example: Lose weight.

2. Measurable - The goals must be measurable so that you know when to cross them off the list.

Example: Lose 10 pounds. Weigh once a week to determine progress.

3. Attainable - The goals must not be to easy or to difficult.

Example: Lose 1 to 2 pounds per week.

4. Relevant - The goals must be driven by inner desire not external pressures.

Example: Lose weight in order to have more energy.

5. Time-bound - The goals must have a specific deadline for completion.

Example: Lose 10 pounds by February 28, 2010.

Lets put it all together.

Goal:

Lose 10 pounds by February 28, 2010. Losing 1 to 2 pounds a week.

Now create the action steps necessary to make the goal more than merely a dream.

Action steps:

Weigh once a week

Go to the gym 3 times a week for 45 minutes (25 mins cardio/20 mins. weights).

Now you are on your way to accomplishing the goals you set for 2010!