Category Archives: Health
Allergies & Exercise
This is the time of year Mother Nature smiles down upon us with warmer temps and spring breezes. That makes it the perfect time to move your indoor fitness routine outside. If you’re just getting started on a workout program, adding some outdoor activity to your daily routine can be a great way to ease into a routine.
Unfortunately, if you’re like me and the thousands of other allergy sufferers around the country, the outdoor activity can trigger more than an endorphin rush. Instead, you can find yourself sneezing, coughing or wheezing and trying to find relief for those itchy eyes.
I don’t have to hear the numbers on the news to know the tree pollen count is off the charts. Since everything isn’t concrete and steel here in the Big Apple, the lovely breezes are doing a great job spreading pollen around from the trees in my neighborhood and nearby Central Park. I’ve continued my daily 30-block morning walk to the office, but I usually arrive with swollen, red eyes and the sensation that there is cotton stuck in my throat. So, I thought it was a good time to offer some of my allergy-season survival tips that help keep me in motion.
- Take note of the time: Pollen counts tend to be highest between 5 am and 10 am. Unfortunately, that’s when many people enjoy their get-the-day-started jog, bike ride or walk. If you can move the activity to a time that’s not so pollen-heavy, great. If not, hopefully some of the following tips will help.
- Wear sunglasses: You can create at least a minimal barrier for your eyes by wearing sunglasses (or even goggles) if you plan to exercise outdoors for a long period of time. Using eye drops before you head outside can help, too.
- Don’t forget your meds: I got allergy shots for several years when I was a kid. They helped make my acute reactions less severe over time, but I still battle through hay fever season every year. Today there are so many over-the-counter and prescription allergy medicines that can offer relief. (Important note: I don’t like to take a lot of medicine, but as far as I’m concerned, I’d rather take something for a few months that will keep me from scratching my eyes out!) Talk to your doctor about what treatments might work best to alleviate your symptoms. To prevent the onset of those symptoms, it helps to take your medication an hour before your outdoor workout. If you get out of bed and head outdoors immediately, ask your doctor if you can take your medication before bed so it’s in your system when you head outside.
- Clean up: Get out of those sweaty and pollen-infused clothes, take a shower and wash your hair as soon as possible following an outdoor workout. The longer that pollen lingers, the more severe your reaction can be. (You also don’t want to spread the pollen around your home by sitting on the couch or lying on your bed.)
Probably the best advice I can offer is this: listen to your body. If you’re trying to get your heart rate up outdoors but all you’re feeling is misery, be smart. Stop. Head indoors, shower and re-group. Maybe that’s the day you turn to an air-conditioned group exercise class or pop in a Zumba DVD in at home to help you have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Play Ball!
Spring Has Sprung!
This is one of my favorite days of the year. It’s the day my beloved New York Yankees play their home opener in the Bronx.
This day makes me feel like spring has officially sprung. That means it’s the perfect time for me to encourage anyone looking to be more active to use the season to your advantage. No more excuses – Mother Nature is giving you the ideal backdrop to get out and get moving!
I know I’m a gym rat. I also know there are people who just don’t like to go to the gym. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get some exercise and feel great!
We’re supposed to enjoy near 70-degree temps here in New York over the weekend. So, there’s no excuse not do any or all of the following:
- Take a hike: I mean that in the nicest way possible.
- Take a walk: You can do double-duty and make up for some overdue catch-up time with a friend by taking him or her along for a brisk jaunt around your neighborhood.
- Hit the park: You don’t need a gym to do squats, lunges or even burpees. Use a bench for box jumps. Heck, go climb a tree!
- Hit the beach: If you’re a beach bunny like me, it’s never too early to get near the water! Wear or bring an extra layer of clothing to keep the spring-breezes at bay and hit the boardwalk. For an extra challenge on an uneven surface, take your feet to the sand.
- Hit the playground: Be a kid again! Swing on the monkey bars or use them for pull-ups.
- Play some pick-up: Get active and make new friends by shooting some hoops.
- Try a new racquet: Do you have a tennis racquet collecting dust in a closet? Dust it off and hit the court.
- Turn fantasy into reality: Forget make-believe baseball – get some friends and get on the field!
Wherever you live and whatever your pleasure, I hope Mother Nature smiles on you this weekend so you can find some new opportunities to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Why Laura Loves the Foam Roller
Welcome to yet another Workout Wednesday!
The last few weeks, I’ve been focusing on some pretty intense exercises that get my heart racing courtesy of my small group training class. For today, I decided to shift gears to address what should be a key component in everyone’s exercise regimen regardless of his or her fitness level: flexibility training. Click here for a reminder on why we all need to make more time to incorporate stretching into our daily routines.
Every stage of flexibility training – corrective, active or functional – incorporates one common denominator: self-myofascial release, or SMR. My NASM textbook defines this stretching technique as one that focuses on the neural system and fascial system in the body. Here’s a video where I demonstrate how SMR works on one of the most common problem areas – those aching calves!
Many thanks to director/producer Larry Saperstein and the crew at C & C Studios for their help with this production and to editor extraordinaire Rob Romas for putting it together. (Check out Rob’s new business Sports Media Recruit which provides video resumes for student athletes.)
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: if I could go back in time and change one thing about my life-long love affair with fitness, it would be to incorporate much more flexibility training into my routine. It’s truly one of the best things we can do for ourselves in order to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Happy Easter Monday!
Whatever holiday you celebrated over the weekend, I hope it was happy!
I was all set to write about my first mammogram for today’s post. Unfortunately, due to a scheduling snafu by the imaging center, my Saturday appointment was postponed for a couple of weeks. Stay tuned. So, I decided to improvise with a short and sweet ode to chocolate.
The beginning of chocolate overload
I’ve been giving up sweets for Lent for as long as I can remember. While there’s obviously much more significance to Easter Sunday than breaking my fast, I won’t deny that one of the things I look forward to on this holiday is overloading on the treats I’ve missed for a little more than 40 days. It starts with Cocoa Puffs for breakfast (good to know there’s whole grains in that cereal now!) and continues with Italian cheesecake, rainbow cookies and at least one Creme Egg for dessert following a big, pasta and other carb-filled lunch with my family.
So, along with the moderation-is-key “rule,” another part of my lifestyle mantra is this: Sometimes you’ve got to be a little bad to get back to the good. That means today I’ll push my body extra hard at small group training (I’ll even welcome burpees if our instructor Roberto includes them in workout) and eat my normal healthy fruits and veggies and drink lots of water to get my body back on track. I can’t promise I won’t sneak in a leftover piece of milk chocolate or a peanut butter filled chocolate egg…but again, it’s all about finding a balance that works for you.
I’ll wrap up sharing a recent story on Foxnews.com that made me feel a little better about my guilty pleasure. Click here to learn about a study about chocolate and body fat.
Sometimes giving in to temptation (at least when chocolate is involved) is what you need to do so you can get it out of your system, and re-focus on the course to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Fast Food Friday
I thought I’d wrap up the work week with a post about something I haven’t written about in awhile: food.
If this isn’t your first time visiting LauraLovesFitness, you know I’m a big believer in the everything-in-moderation rule. As far as I’m concerned, life’s too short to deny yourself something you enjoy. For me, that includes red wine, chocolate and the occasional bacon cheeseburger. (However, I should point out I’m typing this post while enjoying a quick lunch break featuring a turkey sandwich on Weight Watchers rye bread, celery sticks, orange pepper strips and an iced green tea.) Since I do my best to strike a balance between eating healthy and enjoying the occasional treat, it’s an extra bonus when I find a place that lets me do both at the same time!
Cajun chicken wrap, baked fries & zero-calorie fruit punch
I’m not sure why it took me so long, but I recently discovered an “Energy Kitchen” in my neighborhood. Everything on the menu is either baked, steamed or grilled and everything is under 500 calories. It’s become my favorite place to get something when I’m on the go. They have everything from salads to varieties of bison burgers on whole wheat buns to chicken and veggie whole wheat or multi-grain wraps. Then there’s my favorite “treat” on the menu: the baked fries. They’re the best “healthy” fries I’ve had! (Maybe the fact that they come in at only 151 calories and 2 grams of fat makes them taste even better!) Right now you can only enjoy the fries and other non-fried treats if you live in New York, New Jersey or Florida, but something tells me you’ll soon find Energy Kitchens in other parts of the country, too.
Of course, the kicker for this yummy and better-for-you food is that it’s a bit pricier than some of the other “traditional” fast options out there. This seems to be a general problem with healthier food alternatives. When you compare the cost of a meal combo at one of the big greasy fast-food chains to the cost of buying fish or chicken, fresh produce and whole grains to prepare your own healthy meal at home, it’s no wonder many people choose the less expensive but unhealthy option.
There’s no doubt we’re all working harder than ever to be cost-conscious about every expense in our daily lives. But if you’ve made a commitment to take better care of yourself by exercising, remember this: you need the right fuel to keep your body moving so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Tabata Training
This week marks the start of round two of the “Ultimate Fitness Experience” small group training class. For the next four weeks, Roberto Murichi will continue to push us to perform kick-butt exercises including burpees, kettlebell swings and push-ups. While I’ve been writing about my experiences in the class, I’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to describing a key component: the Tabata Method.
= 1 Tabata
4 Minutes of Rings
The idea behind the Tabata is this: you perform four minutes of work at high intensity. That breaks down to doing as many reps as you can for 20 seconds straight and resting for 10 seconds. You repeat the cycle eight times.
Sounds simple, right? Well, after a couple of cycles of pushing out as many push-ups, squats or sledgehammer swings as you can, no doubt you’ll feel your heart racing and the sweat starting to pour.
Tabata training gives you lots of mix-and-match options. You can perform a single exercise for one 4-minute Tabata, followed by another exercise and another four-minute Tabata. Or you could try four cycles of squats followed by four cycles of push-ups. Last week, Roberto set up five stations of five different exercises and we had to get through one Tabata at each station. The scenario offered 20 minutes of hard work:
- Rings
- Sledgehammer swings
- Squats
- Sit-ups
- Ropes
There’s lots of debate surrounding whether Tabatas and other types of high-interval training are okay for the fitness beginner. Based on my personal experience, I can tell you my strength and endurance gains took a serious hit last year thanks to a foot injury that put me on the sidelines for several months. When I started working back up to my normal routine, I had a hard time getting through Tabatas. So, for all you fitness newbies, click here for an article I found featuring some suggestions about Tabatas for beginners.
Like any other activity, mixing things up in your workout is a great way to stay motivated to keep moving. Whether it’s Tabata Training, a new group exercise class or a new path for your next run, adding some variety to your exercise routine is a surefire way to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Best Health Move of the Week
Last Monday marked the start of a banner week. I returned from vacation ready to tackle new projects, deadlines and training sessions with new gusto. I brought my workout routine to a new level with the completion of a killer four-week small group training class. However, the best thing I did for myself all week had nothing to do with sweating through 100 squat thrusts or getting back on track with my healthy eating habits. It had everything to do with the 10-minute phone call I made to schedule my first mammogram.
It was only a few weeks ago during a routine check-up when my gynecologist told me it was time for me to get my first mammogram under my belt. Since I just turned 38 in February, I thought I had a couple more years to go. However, since my mom is a breast cancer survivor and since I’ve been taking birth control pills for more than 15 years, he wants to set a baseline now. My internist agreed and offered a recommendation for an imaging center in my area. So, being a person who doesn’t like to let any item sit on a to-do list for too long, I confirmed that my insurance company would cover the routine screening and booked the appointment for April 7th.
Now that the appointment is on my calendar, I find myself dealing with a mixed bag of emotions: disbelief that I’m old enough to add this test to my healthcare check list; confidence that my results will be 100% normal; and finally, fear that they won’t. But when I find my mind racing ten steps ahead, I take a breath and remember something very important: knowledge is power. When it comes to your health, staying on top of screenings is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your overall well-being.
If you scour the Internet long enough, you’ll find plenty of contradicting information about when a woman should get her first mammogram. You’ll also find articles and studies that talk about potential harms associated with mammograms. Speaking with your doctor to assess your own risk factors can help clear up the confusion. Also, when it comes to breast cancer – as with many other diseases – early detection is key.
So at the age of 38, I realize I have more scars – physical and emotional – than I did ten years ago. However, I also can’t remember feeling stronger or healthier in my life. While I know I could do a better job when it comes to getting more sleep (who couldn’t?), I’m eating better and working out smarter than ever before. So, I look at getting my first mammogram as the next step in a path toward a better me.
If you’re reading my blog, you’ve already made the commitment to take better care of yourself by exercising and eating well. Just don’t forget to keep your overall health in check. If you’ve been putting off a screening, there’s no time like the present to pick up the phone and schedule it now. Whether it’s finding time for a workout or a check-up, each of us has the ultimate power to make the important choices that can help us have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Back to Reality
Happy Spring everyone!
When I last wrote, I was excited to be leaving for my Montego Bay escape to celebrate Elisa’s 40th birthday. Today, I’m happy to report the trip was everything I hoped it would be: five days of rest and relaxation fueled by tropical breezes, turquoise water and Jamaican rum. I feel refreshed and ready to tackle reality again. (I’m pretty sure the birthday girl feels the same way!)
Another great thing about this vacation was how it allowed me to mix up my exercise routine. While I hit the fitness center every morning for 60 minutes of cardio and strength training, the hotel offered some super fun alternative calorie-burning activities you simply can’t find here in New York City.
Sylvester ran a fun 45-minute aerobics class on the beach every morning while the entertainment staff offered daily Reggae lessons by the pool. There were also water polo games which got pretty intense for some of my vacationing teammates! At night, the cardio could continue in the hotel’s nightclub and on our last night, the dance party moved to the beach where we enjoyed more good music (and more rum punch) under the stars.
While I did my best to keep my body in motion, I made sure my brain did the least amount of work possible. The most stressful decisions Elisa and I had to make everyday dealt with whether we wanted to sit at the beach or by the pool and what we wanted to drink. I bought “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” by Stieg Larson at the JetBlue terminal before we boarded the plane. I think I made it through 90 pages. (I did, however, read two People magazines from cover to cover.) I often lost track of time simply looking at the water, listening to the breezes rustling through the palm trees and enjoying the Reggae music playing from the pool bar’s speakers.
Sure, I came home greeted by a flood of emails and texts. One by one, I read them and responded as needed. The back-to-reality errands like stocking the fridge and doing the laundry got done. Now, I face the week ahead with new energy for work and to get back into my “serious” exercise routine.
I’m especially looking forward to getting back into my UFX small group training class Monday night to work off the vacation pounds I know I put on thanks to all those fruity drinks along with plates of jerk chicken with rice and beans.
So while I realize a Caribbean getaway isn’t something we can indulge in every month, I can’t stress enough how important it is to find a way to decompress and re-boot your body, mind and spirit from time to time to make the daily grind a little less taxing. It’s a surefire way to embrace the attitude that nothing is going to stop you from pursuing your quest to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
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