1:31:19 PM EDT
Feeling Happy

 

Ask anyone who knows me, and they'll tell you that I'm a happy and energetic person about 97% of the time (give or take).  I've also been a long-distance runner for over 15 years.  Mere coincidence? Maybe...but maybe not.

Needless to say, I was excited when I came across an impressive article (Be A Happy Runner: Every run can bring you pleasure--if you train your brain to think that way.) that makes correlations between between both positive thinking and physical activity.

The article focuses on a philosophy adopted by Christopher Bergland, Guinness World Record Holder for the most distance covered on a treadmill in 24 hours and winner of three triple Ironman competitions.

 

"Bergland's philosophy is that by having a positive, determined, and resilient attitude toward exercise, you can wire your brain to enter a state of euphoria, or bliss, while running and racing. The payoff: You'll want to hit the road more, which will help you achieve your goal, be it to finish a marathon, race a faster 10-K, or get in a daily three-miler. He credits his ability to enjoy exercise and appreciate its by-products - - increased energy, stress reduction, sense of purpose, kinship - - as the secret to his success."

 

Though published in a magazine targeted towards runners, this theory - - which is backed by science - - is applicable to every facet of life, even to those who aren't borderline obsessive, exercise addicts much like myself.

 

The premise is simple.  In short, positive energy produces positive outcomes, much like the theories from books such as 'The Secret,' etc. that are all the rage now.

 

But taken a step further, this isn't just a mental game.

According to this article by Kelly Pate Dwyer, "'Runner's high,' once believed to be caused by endorphins, more recently has been attributed to endocannabinoids--substances released with exercise that produce an effect similar to a marijuana high. Also contributing to this state of euphoria is epinephrine (adrenaline)--the surge that comes with getting excited for a race, which also has the power to boost confidence and kill pain. Add to that serotonin and dopamine, two other feel-good brain chemicals, and you've got a physiological cocktail that can transform a workout into happy hour."

 

Everyone has these 'magic chemicals' running through our bodies - -  But it's what we choose to do with them that makes all  the difference.  Develop techniques to tap into them and use them on demand and you're sitting on a gold mine.

 

So how do we do this? A possible answer lies in a function called neuroplasticity, which is "the brain's ability to change its structure and function by expanding or strengthening certain neural circuits while shrinking or weakening others."

 

"Neurotransmitters released during exercise can contribute to neuroplasticity," says neuroscientist Ronald Duman, Ph.D., a professor at Yale University's School of Medicine. "Neuroplasticity within the brain's motivation and reward pathways may play a role in the perception of experiences, including exercise."

So what's the moral of the story? Be happy. Start to habitually associate anything, whether it is running 5 miles, practicing an instrument or tackling a new skill at work, to positive thoughts. Tap into your body's ability to literally change your outlook on life and what you can accomplish. Avoid the negative thoughts - - SMILE. 

 

When I first started racing competitively back in high-school, I was constantly nervous and scared while on the starting line, waiting for that gun to go off.  I soon learned that if I forced myself tosmile, I was practically instantaneously calmed and happy.  Even though I looked slightly crazy while standing there smiling at nothing, the chemical response that is produced by the mere act of smiling helped me settle down. 

 

But there's also a What Came First: The Chicken or the Egg type battle about whether certain people are simply born with more of these chemicals and thus pre-disposed to a greater capacity for happiness.  And if you're more inclined to be happy, those neural circuits will certainly be that much stronger than your perpetually gloomy neighbor's.

 

I, for one, believe that both answers are valid.   I believe that I'm blessed and lucky to have been born with so many 'happy chemicals', but at the same time, I work my my butt off - - and not just for killer legs, good abs or a faster P.R...for my mental health and happiness and positive energy as well.

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12:03:28 PM EDT

  I just took an amazing vacation to the Dominican Republic with my best friend. On our way back to the airport, our taxi broke down in the middle of nowhere. It all ended well, but my friend and I had some scary moments. After we calmed ourselves and were safely on our way again, we talked about how we could have done things differently to be that much safer. For example, my cell phone wasn't working properly since I was out of the country but I just ignored it. Big mistake. I also had no emergency contact information on me.

What does this have to do with diet and fitness? The whole incident made me think about other aspects of my life when I don't take safety as seriously as I should, such as when I'm working out. For example, when I go running or Rollerblading in the park I never take my cell phone and rarely have identification on me. I usually don't tell anyone where I'm going either. What am I thinking? I'm not. I recently gave up running with my iPod because I realized I really couldn't hear anything with them in and while I'm pretty vigilant about running against traffic and being visible in the dark, I'm missing some essentials.

As spring and summer approach and many of us will be taking our workouts outside, I've vowed to make some serious changes regarding my safety and I encourage you to do the same. Here's some starting points:

1-- Carry a cell phone and put emergency contact information in it.

2-- Avoid overgrown, unpopulated trails.

3-- Pay attention to what's going on around you, which may mean leaving your iPod at home.

4-- Carry ID or write your name and phone number and any other crucial medical information on a card that you keep on your or you can even write it on the inside of the sole of your shoe.

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11:06:11 AM EST
Hearing Mickey Avalon

This article, 'For Weight Loss Success, Women Should Get Off Their Cardio Machines', recently caught my eye, as I’ve been a huge advocate for strength training for the past several years. 

Like most women, I used to be undereducated and thus convinced that lifting heavy weights would make me bulky.  Consequently, I rarely lifted at all, sticking to the ‘low weight, high reps’ method when I did.   My weight-loss and strength plateaued, and it wasn’t until I started training for marathons post-college that I discovered the many benefits of weight-training.

 

At the advice of a close friend and former professional tri-athlete, I started putting in two sessions of intense weight-training weekly.  I performed my usual exercises, but instead of using weight that I could easily complete 15-20 repetitions with, I upped the weight until I could do no more than eight repetitions.  Admittedly, I was pretty sore for the first few sessions, but this was because I was actually challenging my muscles!  Within a few weeks, I was already seeing results.  My muscles were more defined, I felt stronger and I actually lost a few inches.

 

Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, meaning that the lower your body fat percentage (and the higher your percentage of lean muscle), the more calories your body is burning just by you simply being alive! Weight-lifting has also been shown to preserve bone mass and lower blood pressure, two more benefits that can help lengthen and improve the quality of your life.

 

So if you’ve been skittish about hitting the weights, for whatever reasons, it’s time to squash your fears and start lifting - - you might just get that bikini body of your dreams sooner than you thought.

 

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11:06:57 AM EST

  I recently read an article about how people with desk jobs tend to gain weight because they get so little physical activity during the day. And that’s not to mention the office vending machines loaded with sugary crap conveniently located down the hall that make it even easier to pack on the pounds with little effort.

I used to have a strict rule that I must leave the office and go for a walk for 20 minutes a day. A midday walk isn’t just a great way to keep active, it’s also a huge stress reliever. And if you stare at a computer all day like I do, you have a chance to give your eyes a rest. For a while there, I would even go to the gym during lunch and cram in a quick run. I’d return to the office refreshed, energized, and much more focused all afternoon. However, since the weather turned colder and I’ve been busier, I’ve let my rule slide a bit -- often not leaving the building once from the time I set foot inside in the morning until I leave to go home at night, and I’ve noticed a difference. Not only have I gained a little weight but I’m also crankier and more tired and stressed.

As a friend once pointed out to me, if you worked in a fast-food restaurant, you’d be required to take a break by law. So I’ve decided that it’s time to reinstate the rule. No matter how busy I am and unless it’s just Arctic outside, there’s always time for a short break. My body and mind will thank me for it. And maybe I’ll call it a 10-Minute Rule until spring rolls around.

Also you can consider exercising on the job. Try our at-work workout.

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2:05:23 PM EST

Today, I'm taking a break from writing about the woes of my recovery.  Instead, I want to bring up a common angst for many women, especially visibile when they look into a mirror.

"What the #&%* happened to my thighs?!" Hence, the battle with cellulite begins.     

Like many before her, my best friend is on a crucial mission to get rid of her cellulite. In her case, it's an unfortunate hereditary trait that she's quite unhappy about it.  Leslie is lean and exercises; but no matter how much she kickboxes and works out to mirror Jessica Biel's bum, her sweat and effort seem wasted. (Yes, Natalie is not the only woman obsessed with Jessica Biel.)  She still sees cottage cheese on her thighs. 

She's tried almost every non-invasive approach -- from changing her diet, stepping up her cardio, researching articles to cursing her genes. And in her desperate attempt, she's decided to shell out the money to try endermologie.

Endermologie is a non-invasive treatment which requires sessions of being massaged by a therapist with a special hand-held roller. The process claims to pull the fat away from the muscles to loosen and break down the cellulite.  Basically, you're being kneaded like dough.

The treatment requires a few sessions before you see results ... but my best friend hasn't seen any change so far.

However obsessed you are -- in every attempt to burn more calories, run a marathon, layer on some cream or contemplate lipo -- perhaps you should take it down a few notches.

Unfortunately, cellulite doesn't go away. There are several approaches to reduce the appearance of cellulite but there's no magical cure. 

Be reasonable (and save some money) by sticking to a healthy diet and regular toning exercises to reduce those dimples. 

And Natalie, our fitness guru, weighs in with this tip: try lifting weights to increase muscle mass and tighten up those thighs.

More: Basic thigh exercises

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5:28:42 PM EST

Happy Valentine's Day! We've got a few diet tricks and healthy tips for you to share with your beloved.

1. Diet-Friendly Chocolate Treats
We've reviewed the most popular diet-friendly chocolates so that you and your sweetie can have all of the pleasure without all of the guilt.

2. Couples who diet together...
New research shows that couples diet better together and benefit from constant support to help each other lose weight.

3. Better Sex Diet
Oysters and chocolate may enhance your mood for love but they're also good for your health. Our gallery has a few other foods that will heighten your senses. 

4. Dieting Without Divorce
Your partner's health is important to you but we have a few tips for a tactful approach to helping your spouse lose weight.

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12:37:43 PM EST
Feeling Loopy
Hearing Jeff Buckley

Remember when you were growing up, and you used to beg your parents to let you run around outside for just 10 more minutes?  When you hated the rain because it meant you had to play inside? When you used to bike, swim or rollerblade for hours? 

I used to be so excessively energetic (which, to my horror, my parents have proof of on hundreds of hours worth of home videos), that they practically had to force me to calm down for long enough to watch a few hours of television. 

Those days appear to be long gone.  Largely due to poor diets and lack of exercise, adolescents are the heaviest and unhealthiest that they've been in decades.  According to this Reuters article, "most adolescents do not get enough exercise each day or maintain a healthy diet, according to researchers who analyzed the diet and exercise behaviors of 878, adolescents, 11 to 15 years old, and found that nearly 80 percent had multiple physical activity and dietary risk behaviors."

I’ve blogged about this issue previously, and I believe that not only are we disadvantaging our youth, but by predisposing them to preventable and even life-threatening diseases and conditions, we are abusing them.

Will this dangerous cycle ever end?  Understandably, most homes have both parents working full-time.  Kids are in day-care or with sitters.  Time and money are luxuries - - making hours worth of television and fast-food meals not only commonplace but ‘necessary.’

But in the meantime, our children are suffering from things they won’t even understand for 10 or 20 years down the road.  They’re shunning exercise and learning eating habits that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.  Trips to McDonalds, ice cream for dessert or video games aren’t “treats” anymore - - they’re the norm. Can we blame our children for not wanting to eat healthy foods or play outside when they are constantly doing otherwise?

This situation has reached critical proportions, as America’s overweight now outnumber the under-fed.  The much publicized trans-fat ban is the tip of the iceberg.  If the childhood obesity crisis is truly a priority, why do elementary school physical education programs typically suffer from the largest lack of resources? Why are high-fat, sugar and sodium laden packaged foods marketed with cartoons and images that specifically appeal to children younger than 10 years old? And more importantly, what are parents doing to assure that their own children do not face a lifetime of hurdles?

Education obviously isn’t working.  Is it just me, or do Americans need an intervention?

 

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11:29:32 AM EST

 Having just run a marathon in November, I know I have fitness motivation in me somewhere. But this past month or so I've found that eating pizza and watching 24 is so much more fun than running in the cold. So why not join a gym you ask? Yeah, I belong to one. It's getting there that doesn't seem to happen. It's hard to go to the gym after work when it's dark out, it's so cold, and my sofa is calling. What is it about winter that makes me want to hibernate and eat (large quantities) of high fat food? As I'm starting to outgrow my jeans I decided it's time to find some winter workout motivation. So here's what I'm thinking:

Be realistic. I'm not going to run in sub-30 degree weather, and the gym bores me to tears so I can't expect to work out as much as I would when it's sunny and warm outside. But 3 days a week seems a good goal.

Get a partner. The past couple of weekends I've made workout dates with a friend. This forces me to get up early and follow through at least one day a week -- and we usually go out for coffee after and catch up.

Try something new: I'm a dedicated runner but I'm making this winter about trying all those scary-sounding classes at the gym like Brazilian Butt. I don't know what that is, but I want one!

Get cute workout clothes: As a fitness/diet/health editor I must have written this tip a million times over the years. "Invest in cute workout wear you'll want to show off...blah blah." But let me tell you, when a friend recently gave me a pair of adorable bell bottom turquoise yoga pants, the next day I dragged my tired booty to a 9:30 am yoga class on a Saturday. Now that's inspiration.

Get creative: A former co-worker used to do this trick and I'm not sure I'm that dedicated enough to try it but I thought I'd share. She would go to the gym before work, put her workout clothes AND HOUSE KEYS in a locker, then go to work. This way she was forced to go the gym after work if she wanted to be able to get in her house.

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2:43:17 PM EST
Feeling Happy
Hearing Daft Punk 'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger'

I was out for a run on Saturday evening when my Mini iPod starting pulling some Exorcist-esque antics on me - - randomly turning on and off, repeating songs, and just generally being a pain in the a*s.  I’ve had him (yes, I refer to my iPod as a person) for over a year and a half now, but he just hasn’t been right since May's unfortunate garbage chute incident (don’t ask).  I was getting really annoyed, and somehow my thoughts started wandering to the progression of the portable music player over the past 10 years.  

Since running is such a huge part of my  life (and my sanity), I strongly associate it with major events -- along with the music that I happened to be listening to during those times.  I started thinking about my first 'heartbreak.'  I believe it was the summer after I turned 17, and I was already wise to the emotional and mental releases that running gave me.  Still so innocent, I'll never forget running laps around my neighborhood with my Walkman blaring Live, Stone Temple Pilots and Blues Traveler to help me get over 'what's his name'. 

 

Several more breakups followed during my college and post-collegiate years - - the emotional wounds cutting deeper the older I got, thus increasing my time spent on the roads.  I remember running along the Ponte Vecchio in Florence with my Walkman...the beaches at the Jersey Shore with my new Sony CD player...golf courses in my parent's neighborhood with a MiniDisc Player...The situations hadn't changed.  I was still running with music to recover; the technology (and my taste in music) was simply growing more sophisticated.

 

Fast forward to 2007, and we're still not happy with our devices.  They're either not small enough, don't hold enough music, run out of battery too quickly, etc.  It's amazing to think that I used to happily run with a portable CD player that must have weighed at least a pound.  My father always joked about waiting for the day that we'll all have devices implanted in our brains, and eerily, it isn't that far off.  Now I have a Mini iPod (however temperamental) that is tiny enough to slip into my sports bra.  Luckily, I have a backup for when he finally decides to call it a day. 

 

My most recent ex gave me a Nano when we first started dating...and looking back, that is probably the greatest thing I got from that relationship.  Thank you!!!

 

Happy Running!

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4:56:34 PM EST
Feeling Loopy
Hearing RJD2 'Ghostwriter'

I recently went on a blind date and was delighted when he casually dumped four packets of Splenda into his tiny cup of coffee.  I’ve been a Splenda fan for years - - adding it to everything from Greek yogurt and smoothies to Cheerios and coffee - - and am always thrilled to find a fellow enthusiast.    The fact that said date is also a doctor made his obsession even more intriguing, as the debate over the safety of artificial sweeteners is hot and heavy.

 

So which is worse - - the chemicals or the calories? The war is on.  And with obesity at an all-time high, it’s hard to tell if these sweeteners are hurting or helping our waistlines. 

 

Though it’s used as a calorie substitute, artificial sweeteners have ironically been linked to increased weight gain by “tricking” the body into thinking that it needs more nutrients and thus stimulating the appetite.   Scarier even than increased appetite are potential side-effects such as skin-rashes, stomach cramping and dizziness, which have been seen to occur in extra sensitive individuals.

 

Admittedly, vanity always wins for me.  I’ll happily take the potential side-effects over extra inches on my waistline (I can’t afford to go up a size in my super-tight, super-overpriced designer jeans).  But then again, my grandmother has been eating cake for breakfast and adding upwards of 4 heaping tablespoons of  REAL (gasp!) sugar to her coffee for the past twenty years and still has a body that most thirty-somethings would be envious of…good genetics or lack of chemicals?

 

I also have a tendency to be excessive in pretty much all areas of my life, so maybe the typical Splenda fan doesn’t use up to 10 packets a day like myself…

 

But websites like this  - - Splenda Exposed - - scare me…for a second.  Maybe I’ll put two packets of Splenda into my yogurt tomorrow instead of the usual five.  I suppose the bigger issues is how willing we are to deal with the potential health consequences of chemical sugar substitutes to avoid weight gain - - because I can’t speak for anyone else, but there’s no way that I’m going to give up my sweet tooth.

 

 

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