Gear

Because I'm attempting my first triathlon this coming year, I asked for a bike trainer for Christmas.  I figured with the Chicago winters I would want something I could do inside to get ready while I waited for the snow to melt.  I am so far very happy with the trainer my boyfriend got for me.  He got me the Blackburn Tech Mag 6 trainer.  It was fairly easy to put together and isn't too loud.  It has 6 resistance levels with the controller mounted to your handle bars and that piece works very well.  It is steel and is made for stability, and also was featured in the top trainers of 2012.

Blackburn Tech Mag 6 Bike Trainer

Tunes

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a very merry Christmas! I got a lot of workout clothes and a bike trainer so I am one happy camper right now!  I apologize again for being MIA but I had to do some traveling for the holidays.  I found out my dog loves the snow and that shoveling it and running through it burns a lot of calories!!  I did my best to drink a lot of water this holiday season, as well as eat my normal meals so I didn't overeat during the actual holiday dinner.

One of my favorite bands, who I've seen twice in concert, is Rise Against.  They are wonderful in concert and produce some great workout music.  One of my favorite songs and a very good running song is The Dirt Whispered.

RISE AGAINST - THE DIRT WHISPERED

Workout

Sorry it's been a few days! I have been running around trying to get everything ready for Christmas.  I think I am almost done now, just a few loose ends to tie up.  So it's currently 48 degrees outside and pouring rain in Chicago!  My family up in Wisconsin however has gotten a ton of snow so far with more to come! I can't wait to go see it all next week! But anyways, because it is pouring rain, I really didn't feel like going out to the gym today.  So I cleared my space and did a workout at home!  I do each set of 4 exercises 2 times through and then move on to the next 4 exercises.  I either decide on a number of repetitions to do for each, get out my timer and choose 30 seconds, 60 seconds, etc for each, or do each exercise until exhaustion.  It's up to you which one you choose to do.  Here it is!

1. Jump Squats
    Swings with Kettle bell
    Lateral Jump Squats
    Swing Kicks

2. Push Ups
    Squat Press
    Band Curls (use a resistance band)
    Tricep Kick Backs

3. Burpees
    Band Shoulder Press
    Dead Lift Curl
    Tricep Dips

4. Split Squat Jumps
    Sumo Squat Shoulder Raise
    Bent Over Reverse Fly's
    Hammer Curls

5.  Plank with Knee to Elbow
    One Legged Squats
    Upright Row
    Supermans

6. Plank Row to Rotation
    Chest Press
    Hip Raises
    Standing Bent Over Row

Abs for 3-4 minutes

Gear

It's that time of year in Chicago.  Cold!  It actually hasn't been too bad yet, with our first chance of accumulating any snow this coming Thursday.  However, if you wait for the perfect conditions to go run outside, you could be waiting forever.  A lot of running clothes are pricey, especially the clothes for cold weather.  I just recently bought a few pairs of running pants/tights.  One pair was from TJ Maxx (I have gotten a lot of my workout gear here) and one pair was from Target!!! The Target pair is pictured below.  I bought them in black and they also come in neon pink!  They keep you warm, are moisture wicking and stay up pretty well.  I only had to yank them up a few times during my 6 mile run. And they are only $24.99.  You can easily drop $50-$70 on pants like this at other sporting good stores.  My favorite thing to run or work out in is fitted capri pants, but during Chicago winters, unless you also throw on some leg warmers, that won't work.

Target Running Tights

Food and Nutrition

Unfortunately for me, I love sweets.  Cakes, cookies, ice cream, you name it.  I don't deprive myself although I do try to keep it under control (dark chocolate is a good thing to have around for those sweetness cravings, but just have a little bit.....)  Unless I'm baking or cooking for company, I try to modify recipes to make them healthier.  I try to cut down the sugar, the calories, and the fat if I can.  And most of the time, everything still tastes pretty good.  Mayo Clinic has a good list of substitutions you can try to make your dishes better for you.  The one I use most often is the applesauce or greek yogurt for the oil in baked goods.  Sometimes I will use sugar substitute as well, or do half and half.  I also try to use wheat flour instead of white flour.  This site also gives substitutions for cream, butter, etc, so check it out!!

Mayo Clinic Healthy Recipe Substitutions

Tunes

The Gaslight Anthem is a spectacular band.  I just saw them at Riot Fest this year for the first time.  They are great in concert as well.  A lot of their songs are on my playlists.

The Gaslight Anthem - Great Expectations

Food and Nutrition

Macronutrients consist of fats, carbs and proteins.  And we need all of them!! Fad diets are bad.  Bad, bad, bad.  I aim to eat about 1-1.5 grams of protein a day per pound of body weight, and then I try to split the rest between carbs and fats.  Good carbs and good fats. Unless I'm training for a running race, then I up the carbs, usually a few days before the race or a long training run.  One way to help determine the better carbs to eat (mostly complex carbs) is by looking at a glycemic index.  The glycemic index indicates how quickly your blood sugar or blood glucose will rise after you consume a food.  Glucose has a glycemic index of 100 and this is what all foods are compared to. A carb that has a low glycemic index will absorb slowly and is better for you; a carb that has a high glycemic index will absorb rapidly, cause a spike in blood sugar and a spike in insulin, and is bad.  Foods below 55 are considered low glycemic index foods, between 55 and 70 are mid glycemic foods, and over 70 are high glycemic foods.

Glycemic Index - Food List

Workout

I am a big fan of the kettlebell.  I have a few at home. Most gyms carry them now as well.  If you don't have any you can use regular dumbbells.  This workout I do in a pyramid scheme.  I start out with 10 reps of all of the different exercises in a row without stopping, then i'll take a 60 second break, then do all of them in a row again but 9 reps of each, then 8, then 7 etc etc, until you get to 1 of each, then you're done!  It usually takes around 45 - 50 minutes to get through.  Good luck!

Burpees
Clean press (each arm) - I use my KB for this
Push ups
Split squat jumps
Sumo squat with lateral raise
Russian Twists
Plank Row (each arm)
Tricep pushups on stability ball

Also, I signed up for the Institute of Integrative Nutrition's Health Coach Program today.  Classes start January 14th! I'm very excited!!

How to clean and press with a kettlebell

Tunes

I'm more an alternative/rock type of person when it comes to music.  I like some pop, but you won't see me recommend any Justin Bieber or Katy Perry or Taylor Swift on here, or probably ever.  Sorry guys. Most of these songs are coming from my half marathon playlists that get me pumped up!  Without music I wouldn't make it 5 minutes!!

Paramore - Misery Business

Food and Nutrition

We all know we should eat healthy (easier said than done sometimes, especially this time of the year.....).  One thing everyone should make sure they are getting enough of is food with antioxidants.  Antioxidants protect against free radicals which damage cells and play a role in heart disease, cancer and macular degeneration (loss of central vision).  Antioxidants include:

Vitamin A - milk, eggs
Vitamin C - fruits and veggies including papaya, strawberries, oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, kale
Vitamin E - nuts and seeds, green leafy veggies like spinach and kale
Beta Carotene - colorful fruits and veggies like carrots, peas, apricots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash
Lutein - green leafy veggies like spinach and kale
Lycopene - pink and red fruits and veggies
Selenium - cereals, nuts and legumes, animal products, pastas, breads
(American Academy of Family Physicians)

Check out Dr. Oz's antioxidant checklist.  There is a chart you can print as well:
Dr. Oz's Antioxidant Checklist

Here's a recipe that I love which includes a lot of these things.  It's vegetarian but I added ground turkey last time I made it to bump up the protein even more, but I think turkey sausage would be even better!!

Kale and White Bean Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup onion, chopped

2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 large handfuls of kale, stems removed, torn into small pieces

3 cups veggie stock (I use chicken stock)

3 cups water

1 tsp dried rosemary

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan to grate on top

In large heated pot, add olive oil, then onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft. Add the rest of the ingredients minus the parm and bring to boil.  Simmer until kale has softened.  Top with parm.  I used ground turkey in this soup as well, but a turkey sausage would probably be yummy in it as well!

Gear

Today's workout was similar to yesterdays - a lot of jump squats, dead lift curls, sumo squat with lateral raise, one legged squats, etc.

 I've run a lot of road races, mainly half marathons (PR 1:48:29), with a few shorter races including the Soldier Field 10 mile run (PR 1:20:38) and some St. Patty's day races.  I plan on running my first marathon this year! I'm excited and nervous already.  It's taken me a while to find that perfect running shoe for myself, and I highly recommend this shoe as long as you don't overpronate too much and you have a fairly neutral arch to your foot - the Saucony Kinvara.  They are on the kinvara 3, and I have owned 2 pairs of the kinvara, 2 pairs of the kinvara 2 and 1 pair of the kinvara 3.  I think it is a spectacular running shoe.  The total weight for women is 6.7 oz and for men is 7.7 oz, so it is a minimalist shoe.  If you need more support and stability this shoe is not for you.  It's nylon lined for moisture wicking so your feet stay dry.  The upper part of the shoe, while has many cool color combos, has a flex film material that is lightweight, yet strong.  The midsole has EVA which serves as a shock absorber and also has memory foam around the heels for comfort and to provide good fit.  The outsole, or bottom of the shoe, has been upgraded to premium carbon rubber, which increases durability and traction.  Overall, and outstanding shoe in my opinion.  I usually get them off of Kelly's Running Warehouse or Amazon.  They are usually a little less expensive on a website.

Today's Workout

So, I am a big fan of plyometrics and circuit training.  It gets your heart rate up and tones your muscles at the same time.  I recently fell off my bike and had an elbow injury, so some of the exercises I've had to tweak, but here is what I did today.  You need a stopwatch or the timer on your phone, and weights, between 8-15 lbs.  If you don't have a timer I would just decide how many reps before hand that you will do, between 10-15. I spend a few nights a week in a hotel room for work, so these exercises work well even in a smaller space.  You don't need a gym and a ton of equipment to get fit.

Warm up 5 - 6 minutes: this can include ski jumps, high knees, jumping jacks, jumping rope, but kicks, etc.  Today I did high knees, butt kicks, and a side shuffle.

Alternating side lunge - 2 minutes
Push ups - 1 minute
Dead lift with hammer curl - 2 minutes
Squat press - 2 minutes
Squat Jumps - 1 minute
Plank - 1 minute
Bicycles - 1 minute
Ski jump with a cross back lunge - 2 minutes
Burpees - 1 minute
Squat with lateral raise - 2 minutes (No weights here, or very light weights)
Plank - 1 minute
Alternating step back lunge - 1 minute
Walking lunges - 2 minutes
Bicycles - 1 minute
Single leg dead lift with curl - 2 minutes, 1 minute on each side
Crunches - 1 minute
Alternating step back lunges - 2 minutes
Split Squat Jumps - 30 seconds
Tuck Jumps - 30 seconds
Plank row - 1 minute
Squat press - 2 minutes
Side plank - 1 minute each side
Bicycles - 1 minute

Stretch it out - 5 minutes

My favorite exercise in this workout? The push up.  Not only does it work your deltoids (shoulders), triceps and pectoral muscles, many other muscles that are stabilizing the exercise are getting used, such as abs, glutes, quads, etc.

Hi everyone! So this is my first attempt at blogging, so bear with me as I figure this out! I grew up involved in athletics, specifically gymnastics, softball and volleyball, taught swimming lessons and gymnastics during high school and college, and began running during college as well.  I am an Optometrist, and in my spare time I work out, attempt to eat healthy (most of the time) and just got my CFT through ISSA and plan to start a year long program through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition beginning in January to become a health coach.  I have a passion for health and fitness and thought this was a good way to help share it! My favorite part about my job as an Optometrist is to educate people on their eye health and health in general.  I like to run races and plan to do my first triathlon this year as well.  I hope to share nutrition tips, workouts, recipes, clothing faves and my playlists as well as other things with you all!!  Thanks for reading!

Megan