Get your SPRING on!!! Here in the Midwest, winter is losing its grip and spring is just around the corner. For many, runners and non-runners alike, the roads and trails are calling out loudly to come and play. Everyone wants to get out and enjoy the sunshine. Whether you ran on the treadmill all winter or are just getting back into an exercise routine, spring is a great time to plan your running and race schedule for the year. As you decide which fast-approaching events you want to participate in, you are extra motivated to jumpstart your training. It is also an easy time to get injured. If you do too much, too quickly, you risk getting injured, potentially knocking yourself out of the competition before you even start. Your body is designed to adapt but it cannot do so too quickly. Here are some tips for getting your season off to a good start. Set reasonable running goals: Avoid adding more than 10% to your total mileage each week. Work on flexibility: Whether you stretch after a run or engage in yoga on your non-running days, flexibility can help prevent injuries. Build your strength: If your upper body and core are stronger, your runs will be more comfortable and less taxing. Here is something you can start doing now to effectively add time, strength training and additional cardio as you work to increase your mileage. Finish your weekly long run at the bottom of a steep hill and power walk up the hill as quickly as you can, driving with your legs and using your arms to help propel you. Alternatively, use a treadmill at its maximum incline setting — ideally 12-15%. Power walk for a set time or distance (not to exceed 10% of the run). This exercise will build strength in your running muscles and add to your total cardiovascular load, but without the pounding. If you would like assistance setting goals or increasing your strength and flexibility, contact certified personal trainer, Jeff Miller, of I M Fitness Training, Inc. Submitted by: I M Fitness Training, Inc., www.IMFitnessTraining.com Jeff Miller, 507-369-6699, Jeff@IMFitnessTraining.com
5 years ago today (January 31, 2006) I was sitting in the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital with family and our pastor while Amy went through over 7.5 hours of surgery to do everything possible to rid her body of breast cancer. I still thank GOD for every day he gives us together. I love you, Amy Wasson!
As I sat looking at photos from that time and recalling what we experienced 5 years ago, what strikes me is how strong God made us when we were going through something that I would not wish on anyone.
You're given strength that you have never known, brave and at the same time terrified, strong but broken, confident but unsure, loved and surrounded but feel so alone.
Do yourself one favor and pray that you never find out how strong you are, fighting cancer (whether it is you or someone you wish you could fight it for) will show you just how weak and how strong you are, for you can't know how strong you are until you are broken.
I don't know why some are cured and some are not, why some have recurrence and others don't. It has nothing to do with who deserves it because when you get down to it, either we all deserve it or none of us does - “for all have fallen short”.
Amy Wasson, you continue to inspire me with your strength, courage, and love.
God, I thank you for Amy Wasson.
My response is to a inquiry about a specific supplement but, as you will read, it is pretty much my position regarding supplements in general. Thanks for the great question, Kari.
I am not much of a fan of supplements especially any that are man-made. I am a strong proponent of whole foods with no or as little processing as possible.
I must admit that I do not know much at all about “C4 Extreme” and have never used it. Based on its use of Creatine and then “fusing” that to Nitrate, in my opinion you are simply throwing things in that do not have positive long-term benefits.
Everyone should keep in mind that the supplement industry is void of almost any level of regulation and as such it should NEVER be assumed that any particular supplement is safe or does what it claims. Read the disclaimers: that is how they stay in business and out of prison.
And even when they are able to do what they claim, they are regularly processed in facilities that also process many other products and there is no regulation to ensure that there is no contamination.
A good diet and good rest will provide you with what you need to get in a great workout without putting undue stress on your body. There is no magic bullet to a great workout. In fact, some supplements may tax your body because of inappropriate levels of nutrients that need to be cleared out.
Most of the people that take these supplements would actually get the same or better benefits by simply drinking 1 oz of water (please, not all from plastic water bottles) for every 2 pounds of body weight and avoiding caffeine. This amount of water is, for most people, enough to keep their bodies clear of build-ups that cause muscle pain and soreness. Proper hydration also allows you to workout more consistently with higher intensity.
According to a recent survey, approximately 30% of overweight people think they are normal size and 70% of obese people feel they are just overweight. This is not just a personal problem, this is a financial and health problem, not only for each individual but as a nation since this excess weight costs our nation $93 billion in medical bills.
Today, 65% of Americans are overweight or obese. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development predicts that by the year 2020, almost 75% of Americans will be overweight or obese! That means that by the end of this decade, more than 50% of Americans will be pre-diabetic or suffering from type 2 diabetes.
We have all made the excuses or, at the very least, heard them from someone that we care about; thyroid, hormones, medication, poor upbringing, stress, depression, no one ever told me, it cost too much, not enough time . . . . the list goes on and on. For adults, no matter when or why a weight problem starts, it ends in the same place...on us!
There are ways to turn it around and they do not involve surgery or pharmaceuticals. We each must have the focus and willpower to make good choices in order to make a change!
We are a culture addicted to food . . . . and most of it is junk. No one force-feeds you. No one prevents you from buying fruits, vegetables and lean protein. No one ties you to the lazy-boy or couch in front of the television. No one keeps you from going for a walk, bike ride or to the gym. There is no one to blame but the person looking back at you in the mirror. Friends, we are a nation perpetuating an epidemic of bad choices and it needs to change.
Today, we have more information available to us about what good choices are and we have more opportunities to make those good choices. Yet, even so, the number of occurrences of diseases directly associated with these poor lifestyle choices is on the rise at an insane rate. Our belts continue to lengthen and our health continues to decline. We each need to own this!
I want you to take control of your health! Make good choices and live a more enjoyable life with fewer medical expenses and more healthy experiences.
Fitness is a Journey, not a Destination!
I M Fitness Training are you?
Today is the only yesterday that you can change, and tomorrow never arrives.
There are no magic pills or exercises that can make you healthy or fit. No doctor or trainer can make you healthy or fit. There are no shortcuts that will make it easier.
The answer to achieving better health and fitness is the same – ACTION.
YOU have to take action to change your health and fitness.
If you don't take action;
* Your fitness will decline
* Your health will decline
The actions required for improved health, fitness or performance will vary depending on the individual and her or his specific physical make-up and experience. We are all different in innumerable ways: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Every difference has an effect on each individual’s health and performance.
However, there are general guidelines that are nearly universal to attaining health and fitness.
* Good Nutrition
* Physical Activity
* Safe and Healthy Environment
* Self Esteem
I don't have all the answers to these needs but I would like to help you better understand Physical Activity & Good Nutrition. Keep in mind, however, just having the knowledge is not enough; it is ACTION based on that knowledge that allows improvement to occur.
If you take action today, tomorrow you can say, “yesterday I started.” Until you start, you will only have thought about it and thinking about it will not improve your health or performance. Let me help you start today!
Fitness is a Journey, not a Destination!
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