Half Marathon Training

So I'm training for my first half marathon with one of my clients, Jessica. The race is Sunday, October 17th. Anyone have any good tips for the training process?

Love/hate relationship

Sometimes the most hated exercises are the most effective ones. Here are a few that I swear by and use with my clients quite often. You can do these at home without any weights!

LUNGES
Why you hate them: The afterburn is strong. You wake up the next day and have trouble walking up and down those stairs. Squatting onto the toilet even hurts
Why you love them: They are a wonderful leg shaper. This exercise works the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.

PUSH-UPS
Why you hate them: Most people struggle with upper-body strength, especially women.
Why you love them: Works multiple muscle groups, including pectoral muscles, triceps, shoulders, and even abs!

BURPEES
Why you hate them: It incorporates squat, push up, and vertical leap activity, often leaving you breathless after only a few repetitions
Why you love them: This exercise works multiple muscle groups so it's an overall good strength move and also a great cardiovascular exercise.

Try doing these exercises tonight in front of the T.V. During every commercial shoot for a set of lunges (10/leg), push-ups (build up to 10), and 30 seconds of burpees. You will thank yourself when you're done.

The Obesity Epidemic?

Recently, since beginning my job, I have gained an even stronger sense and realization for the obesity epidemic that has been occurring over the last several decades. I am surrounded by it every day when I walk into work, my main goal being to help my clients lose that stubborn fat they've been carrying around for years. I recently went grocery shopping with my mother while home a few weeks back. At the checkout line, I pointed out to her that almost all but maybe 5 people around us were either obese or at least overweight. It still shocks me thinking about it, yet at the same time I'm not surprised to have noticed that. I always subconsciously sneak a peek in other customers' grocery carts. It always confirms why the obesity epidemic is occurring. Potato chips, white bread, and 24 packs of Mountain Dew and Pepsi make up the majority of the cart. If only people knew what they were putting into their body...

According to the World Health Organization, 1 billion people are overweight and 300 million of them are obese. This statistic has increased 3-fold since 1980 and isn't slowing down. Not only are these unhealthy eating habits causing obesity, but they are also a direct cause to the increase in high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancers, CVD, and insulin resistance, which is the main indicator of Type 2 Diabetes.

What is the best way to ensure that you won't fall into this trap of declining health? Eating right and exercising. As little as 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity exercise will increase health greatly. Also, read labels. The ingredients list on food packages go in order from most to least, so if sugar and hydrogenated oils are some of the first listed on that label, nix it. Replace breads that are labeled as having enriched wheat flour with breads that are labeled 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat. Make sure to eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Fresh and frozen are 10x better than canned. Making small changes in your health can lead to big differences in your life. What are you going to do today to make your life better?