Tip #1: Pack for the Plane

So, the airlines say to arrive two hours ahead of time for your flight. Although, I always end up with about an hour and a half time to kill; like my mother always says, it’s better to be safe than sorry. There aren’t many options of things to do while waiting for your flight or while in the air, which leaves many of us reading, listening to music, or people watching to pass the time.  It seems like, as I look around, everyone is also eating, myself included! While the airport has come a long way with variety and options, let’s face it…everything is overpriced and the truly healthy options are limited. You may not be able to get your liquids through security, however, feel free to pack as many snacks as you like. For my ten hours in the air from Philly to Hawaii, I was sure to pack a good number of mini meals/snacks in order to avoid eating somewhere like Sbarro or committing the ultimate sin…PLANE FOOD! Try some of these awesome ideas to keep you satisfied

1. Emerald 100 calorie pack almonds: With varieties like dry roasted, cinnamon and sugar, dark chocolate cocoa, these snack packs are already portion controlled and portable.  Each pack is an excellent source of Vitamin E, sodium-free and contains fiber and protein to help keep you satisfied.

2. Just add water- protein powder and instant oatmeal: If you want a quick mini meal without a mess, just ask the flight attendant or the nearest Starbucks for a cup of either hot or cold water.  Stir one scoop of protein powder in with cold water or shake into a bottle of spring water to help satisfy you and strengthen your willpower for other high calorie snacks.  To warm your bones on a cool flight, add one cup of hot water to instant oatmeal for a low-calorie nosh in a variety of flavors.  The thought of putting on my bikini in January was enough to help me grab for my oatmeal while they were passing out the warm chocolate chip cookies on my flight! Try this mental image travel tip when you get a craving!

3. Apple: Your mother might say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” but my motto is “an apple a day keeps your hunger at bay.” Enough said,  keep a few apples in your carry one to fight off hunger.  They contain a ton of nutrients, fiber, and are one of the easiest fruits to travel with since they aren’t messy, don’t bruise easily, and keep well.

Bring Your Gear

Most hotels these days have pretty decent fitness facilities, but if you don’t pack your sneakers, how are you going to break a sweat!?  Make packing your gear a priority and don’t forget about your other gym essentials.  Mine include my ipod and hair ties, but maybe yours is a knee brace or Under Armour.  Whatever it is, don’t give yourself an excuse not be active, or most likely, you’ll use it!

If your hotel or the place you are staying doesn’t provide access to a gym, think ahead.  Easily portable workout equipment include resistance bands or a workout DVD.  Take advantage of the great outdoors and take a walk, jog, or swim.   Utilize the website walkjogrun.net to create a mapped out route no matter what part of the country you’re in.

Start the Day with a Good Breakfast

Watching your intake 100% is hard for anyone, and frankly, I don’t recommend it.  Not giving yourself a little leeway, can often set you up for an all or nothing mentality  Practice moderation and make sure you are active.  Starting the day with a good, healthy, and satisfying breakfast can help you stay on track with good choices and moderation throughout the day.  Packing extra protein powder, fruit and instant oatmeal is a good idea for easy foods you can make in your room, but another good option could actually be the hotel continental breakfast.  Loading up on muffins and danishes isn’t your best bet, but opting for hard-boiled eggs/egg whites, a whole-grain cereal mixed with low-fat yogurt or fruit with cottage cheese can help you stay energized and satisfied throughout the morning and are all fairly common continental breakfast choices.

Find a Grocery Store

Whenever possible, when I reach my location I like to find a grocery store and stock up on some healthy foods for my hotel room.  Some of the items you could find in my mini-fridge/drawers right now include apples, bananas, low-fat Greek yogurt, green pepper slices, Kashi Banana Chocolate Chip Soft n’ Chewy bars (you MUST try these, so good! And contain 1/2 serving fruit & 1/2 serving vegetable each!), and Bumble-bee Lemon & Pepper tuna medley with crackers. Like I said earlier, I’m not a saint when it comes to avoiding all sweet and sinful foods, but at least being prepared with healthy and tasty snacks help me find a happy median.

Use these tips next time you travel and have a happy and healthy vacation!

Performance Benefits

Caffeine’s greatest exercise benefit is on your body’s aerobic endurance, or your ability to maintain a certain exercise intensity for a greater length of time. Numerous studies have demonstrated that caffeine intake prior to, and during, exercise results in greater exercise duration, reduced fatigue, and greater time to exhaustion. Similar effects have been shown for short-duration exercise intervals as well.

Some research suggests that caffeine can improve sprint and power events, but the findings are somewhat equivocal. Furthermore, the number of studies examining caffeine’s role in these types of events (e.g., weightlifting, 100m dash, etc…) are scarce.

How it Works

Caffeine is believed to improve aerobic endurance performance by increasing the body’s ability to use its fat stores during exercise. It is well understood in exercise science research that the greater use of fat for energy prevents the depletion of glycogen — the stored form of glucose that we receive from consuming carbohydrates. The more glycogen we are able to conserve in our muscles, the more energy we will have later on in an event.

Dose

Research has demonstrated that the most effective caffeine dose prior to exercise is about 1.5 to 3 mg per 1 lb. of body weight. Keep in mind that a cup of drip coffee contains about 150 to 200 mg of caffeine, while a cup of tea contains about 50 mg.

Consuming more than 4.5 mg of caffeine per 1 lb. of body weight may cause adverse symptoms, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). The NCAA penalizes athletes who have more than 15 micrograms of caffeine per 1 mL in urine samples, and consumption of more than 10 g is believed to be fatal for most humans. You’d need to consume about 8 cups of coffee to exceed the IOC’s caffeine limit.

Source

Caffeine appears to be more effective when consumed in tablet form than from food sources such as coffee. Consider purchasing pure caffeine tablets for the most optimal effects. If coffee, vitamin water, or energy drinks are your preferred caffeine modality, you’ll just have to consume more. According to Graham and colleagues (1998), coffee may contain a compound that limits caffeine’s chemical response in the body.

Warnings

Not all people react to caffeine the same way. Some individuals may experience heightened nervousness, irritability, and anxiety after consuming high amounts of caffeine. Some sources of caffeine, such as coffee, can cause stomach problems, such as gas, bloating, and cramps. In severe cases, caffeine can lead to heart problems.

Caffeine is also a diuretic, and increases the risk of dehydration and heat-related conditions in hot temperatures.

1. Keep it Simple

When if comes to lifting weights, you don’t need to overcomplicate matters — at least, not at first. Once you become an advanced lifter, you can focus on more difficult lifts and rep/set schemes, but for now, simplicity is your goal. Focus on lifts that target your major muscle groups first, such as your chest, back, and legs. You can then narrow your program down to smaller, stabilizer muscles. Here are some easy lifts for each major area of the body:

Chest: Bench press, incline press, decline press, pushups

Back: Seated row, bench pull, cable row, lat pulldowns

Legs: Leg press, squats, knee extensions, hamstring curls, calf raises

Arms: Biceps curls, triceps pushdowns, shoulder raises, dips

Abs/Core: situps, weighted crunches, Russian twists, back extensions

2. Aim for Balance

Hit each of these areas of the body every time you go to the gym to promote balance. When you get some experience, you’ll want to focus on one are of the body during one session and then allow one to two days of rest while your focus on other areas. But for now, pick one or two exercises for each major area each session. If you focus only on your chest muscles, for example, it’s easy to develop a hunched posture that places excessive pressure on the thoracic spine.

3. Warm Up and Cool Down

Always start your workout with at least 10 minutes of cardio before you lift to get your heart rate and body temperature up. Mix up the cardio as well. Jog one day, bike another, and row on the third. I can’t tell you how many people I see in the gym who don’t warm up before working out, only to complain of nagging tweaks and aches in their bodies later on. You know you’re sufficiently warmed up if there is sweat dripping down your forehead.

Also, cool down following a lifting session by stretching. This helps initiate the recovery process and can improve the elasticity of your muscles. Perform about two to three separate static (holding the position in one place) stretches for each major body area. Hold stretches for a minimum of 10 seconds and repeat.

4. Use Machines

I never recommend machines to anyone except absolute beginners, but for safety and learning purposes, start out only using these helpful pieces of equipment. Machines typically have pictures of the muscle groups they target, making exercise selection fairly simple, and they come with a significantly lower risk of injury. If you want serious results, you’ll have to forget about machines later on, however.

5. Progress Slowly

There’s no need to rush it. Focus on the quality of your lifts versus how much you are lifting or how fast you are progressing. Start out by performing two, nonconsecutive weightlifting sessions each week. For the first month, focus on very light weights and don’t worry about increasing the load. Just perform each lift slowly and with an even tempo, making sure to use a full range of motion.

First Week Program

Here’s a sample program to get you started for your first week:

Session 1

10 minute jog on treadmill

5 minutes of dynamic stretching (arm circles, leg swings, windmills, toe touches, torso rotations)

3 sets of 10 reps of: bench press, lat pulldowns, leg press, dips

10 minutes of static stretching

Notes: allow 2 minutes of rest between sets, 3-5 minutes between exercises. Use about 50-60 percent of your maximal load for each lift.

Session 2

15 minute elliptical

5 minutes of dynamic stretching

3 X 10: Incline press, seated row, squats, decline press, calf raises, weighted crunches

10 minutes of static stretching

Notes: allow 2 minutes of rest between sets, 3-5 minutes between exercises. Use about 50-60 percent of your maximal load for each lift.

There is no magic weight-loss pill… no substitute for hard work, physical activity and a balanced, healthy diet within your calorie-range. However, the most important part of all of this is that you make it a lifestyle, meaning that physical activity and diet are a consistent and harmonious part of each and every week of the year. It’s not too late to change last year’s bad habits of dieting, slacking off, and then playing catch up. Use some of the tips below to help you stay motivated all year ’round:

Schedule in Work-outs

In the beginning of each week, take a look at your calender and jot in work outs that realistically fit into your schedule.  I find that fitting in workouts in the mornings help me stay consistent, because by the latter part of the day, other things like a shopping trip or happy hour may stray me away from my commitment.  On the flip side, some of my clients who have problems with late-night eating find that an evening workout helps them fight eating out of boredom during the 7-10pm hours.   If you get an hour lunch break, consider a forty minute mid-day session with a quick protein shake or bar for lunch.  Find out what time of day will work for you, and put it on your calendar.  Towards the end of the week, set aside a time for a “make-up” workout, in case life throws you a curve-ball.

Join a class or running group

Including other people into your work out will help hold you accountable.  Look into if your gym or community center offers group exercise classes like spinning, Zumba, or Pilates.  A lot of areas are beginning running clubs like  http://www.westchesterrunningclub.com/. Not only will this help you regularize your weekly schedule for work outs, but it will also make working out a social part of your day.  Becoming a “regular” in a class or running club will have others asking you where you were if you decide to skip out on a workout.

Reward Yourself for a Job Well Done

Nothing motivates people more than rewards!! Sure, you may say that your fresh-n-fly hot body is the best reward you could ask for…but realistically,in this day and age people like instant gratification.  Since we already know that it takes consistency for weight loss, I want you to alter your instant gratification mindset into a short-term/long-term reward mindset.  Set yourself one to three weekly short-term goals that will help you on your way to your long-term goal.  Good examples of some starter weekly goals could be including four hours of exercise, logging a food journal daily, or packing lunch for work instead of eating out.  If you comply to your weekly goals, reward yourself!! The key to good rewards is making them something that will motivate you to continue with your good habits for the next week.  For example, if you made it to the gym for four hours, buy yourself a few new songs on i-tunes or a magazine that you can only listen to/read while working out.  Maybe you will treat yourself to buying new spices/herbs to encourage more in-home cooking,  Long-term goal rewards should be larger, but with the same general concept.  Maybe one full month of on-track work outs could mean a new pair of running shoes or buying a wok to make new home-made cuisine.

Graur Razvan Ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There is much confusion in fitness centres regarding what the best methods are for reducing body fat. So many people are using terrible training and nutritional protocols that I cringe every time I step foot in a gym! This article aims to help abolish some of the common misconceptions people have regarding fat loss, as well as offer some appropriate guidelines to achieving a more toned physique.

If I eat less and less, I will weigh less and less!

This is NOT the ideal method towards achieving fat loss! By starving yourself, you allow anabolic hormone production that is responsible for metabolism to go down. While it may be true that you will lose some weight initially, your metabolism controls the total amount of calories you burn on a day to day basis. Allowing your metabolism to slow down will actually make it more difficult to burn fat! There are several studies which examine this phenomenon. For example, one study held by the American Society of Clinical Nutrition measured the resting metabolic rate to lean body mass ratio in 6 six women over 3 weeks on a very low calorie diet. The study found that resting metabolic rate to lean body mass ratio decreased to an average of 82% of the original values within just 3 weeks! Assuming you had a basal metabolic rate of 2000 calories a day (the amount calories your body burns in a day), at 82% of that you would only be burning 1640 calories per day! So assuming you were to starve yourself, you may be able to lose weight at the beginning, but your metabolic rate would slow down and cause you to easily put the weight back on.

Graur Razvan Ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If I do Strength Training I will get Hyuuuuge!

Your body composition will change according to the amount of calories you put into it. People who are looking to burn fat are usually on a light to moderate daily caloric restriction and restricting calories is not conducive to muscle growth. For instance, you can strength train all you want, but you will not gain inches on your biceps if you are eating salads all day. However, strength training does have its usefulness in a fat loss program in that it can help to increase metabolism, and maintain fat free mass (lean muscle).

Aerobics are the Only Exercise I Need to Lose Weight!

Aerobics are an effective weight loss tool, but only when used in conjunction with strength training. Excessive aerobic exercise will cause you to lose muscle mass which is responsible for giving your body a healthy and defined look. So in other words, while you may be able to lose weight doing exclusively aerobic exercise, your body fat percentage will remain high because you will lose muscle mass as well. Strength training must be used in conjunction with cardio in order to attain a lean physique. Furthermore, the higher the intensity of the exercise protocol, the greater the effect on exercise post-oxygen consumption (EPOC). Your metabolism increases as your oxygen consumption increases, so what you ideally want is a large in increase in EPOC after exercise. Therefore, if you want to optimize your cardio, the best way to go about it is using high intensity exercise methods. I have my clients include interval training as cardio in conjunction with weight training. Aerobics alone are not as effective!

Guidelines for Effective Fat Loss

• DO NOT starve yourself! Your body needs calories in order to maintain a healthy metabolism and hormone production.
• DO perform strength training. A full body program which utilizes compound movements (exercises which work several muscle groups) will increase metabolism as well as maintain fat free mass.
• When performing cardio it is best to use high intensity interval training for fat loss. This method elicits a greater oxygen consumption response within the body which will in turn burn fat.

References

Effects of strength or aerobic training on body composition, resting metabolic rate, and peak oxygen consumption in obese dieting subjects

http://www.ajcn.org/content/66/3/557.short

Energy-metabolism adaptation in obese adults on a very-low-calorie diet

http://www.ajcn.org/content/53/4/826.short

Strength training increases resting metabolic rate and norepinephrine levels in healthy 50- to 65-yr-old men http://jap.physiology.org/content/76/1/133.short

The effects of intensity of exercise on excess postexercise oxygen consumption and energy expenditure in moderately trained men and women http://www.springerlink.com/content/rgk7421182182pjm/

Remember that core stability training is not the same as performing crunches or other traditional abdominal exercises. While these exercises are effective for improving abdominal strength, they do not improve stability in the lumbopelvic region of the body to the extent of specific ore stability exercises.

Free Weight Core Stability Training

This form of core stability training is performed on stable surfaces with the intention of increasing core strength and power. These exercises are simple and can be performed by just about anyone.

Examples of classic core stability exercises include the plank, side plank, bridge, and superman. Another great core stability exercise is the overhead press, as the muscles of the rectus abdominus must remain activities to maintain posture while the weight is supported overhead.

Perform these classic exercises unilaterally (using only one side of your body) to further improve the core stability effects. For example, perform a one-hand overhead press while standing on one foot.

Unstable Surface Core Stability Training

These exercises are performed on balance boards or air discs. Research has demonstrated higher core muscle activity when performing core exercises on unstable surfaces, as motor units within the smaller, stabilizer muscles must engage to not only lift weight, but maintain posture.

You can turn just about any traditional free weight exercise into a core stability exercise by using an unstable surface. For example, perform biceps curls or shoulder extensions on air discs to engage the core region. The BOSU balance trainer is also a highly effective device for improving core stability. Perform the plank with your feet and hands on air discs to increase the physical demand and core requirements of this exercise.

Swiss Ball Exercises

The Swiss ball is another too that forces the core muscles to activate at a higher rate to maintain spinal posture throughout any exercise. According to Cosio-Lima and colleagues (2003), using a Swiss ball to perform classic free weight exercises results in significantly greater activation of the core musculature.

As with air discs and the BOSU balance trainer, perform the plank, side plank, or overhead press on a Swiss ball. Try maintaining balance on the Swiss ball with your feet off the ground, and then perform shoulder presses, curls, and chest presses to promote core stability.

Medicine Ball Passes

A lesser-used strategy for enhancing core stability is to perform medicine ball throws. You will need a partner to perform many of these exercises, but you can also throw the ball against the wall.

Try the classic medicine ball twist exercise by sitting on the floor with your feet crossed and slightly off the ground. Holding the medicine ball, twist from side to side so you feel a workout in your abdominal muscles. For increased activation of the core musculature, perform this exercise on a Swiss ball (make sure to have your partner help balance the ball). Additional medicine ball exercises include kneeling passes and one leg twist passes, which can be performed on a Swiss ball or suing balance discs as well.

I think I'll stay at home, thank you.

Gyms are great. I love putting on gym clothes, walking to my car, driving 20 minutes, finding a parking sport, doing 30 minutes of cardio, performing a weightlifting circuit, and then heading back out in the cold to drive home again (it’s really cold where I live right now). Since I have so much time to kill in my life, I try to take a one hour workout and turn it into two.

Okay, I’m being a bit tongue-and-cheek. Gyms offer a lot that you can’t find other places. However, if you don’t have time to kill, can’t make it to the gym, or want to avoid paying membership fees, you can get the same — or better — workout by replicating some common exercises at home. Read below to find out how you can substitute some simple body weight exercises for many of the lifts and routines you perform in the gym.

Cardio

This is an easy one. Instead of the exercise bike, you can ride a real bike (gasp!). Or you can go for a jog instead of using a treadmill. The one thing you’ll likely want is some biofeedback, however. I find it motivating to be able to see the distance I’ve covered, my heart rate, and even my power output when working out. You can find a variety of toys that provide this data, but I’ve always really liked Garmin’s products. They’re a bit pricey, but there’s no substitute for a really good GPS system. If you have a smartphone, you can also find a number of apps that will provide this data for you as well.

Resistance Training Exercises

Bench Press

Pushups. These are almost identical to the bench press in both muscles used and plane of motion. When you perform a pushup, you’re supporting about 50 to 70 percent of your body weight. If you weigh 200 lbs., a pushup is the equivalent of benching about 100 to 140 lbs. You can increase the weight of this exercise by wearing a backpack loaded with books. You’ll probably never be able to perfectly replicate the bench if you can lift more than 300 lbs. or so, but you can come close.

Rows

Body pulls. Just like the bench, body pulls are almost identical to rows in the muscles they recruit. However, body pulls work muscles in a different plane of motion. Unless you’re a rower, you probably won’t care much, so go ahead and substitute these exercises for traditional seated and one-arm rows.

You’ll need to find a table or bench about three feet off the ground. Lie on your back and grab the edge of the table or bench. Keeping your body erect, pull yourself up to the top until your arms are completely flexed, then return to the starting position. Similar to the bench, you’re supporting about half your body weight with this exercise, and you can increase the load by wearing a weighted backpack.

Leg Press

Body weight squats. Most people can lift a lot more with their legs than they can with their upper body, so it will be somewhat difficult to load this exercise to replicate what you can do in a gym. To get an effect from this exercise, you’ll want to find a way to squat at least your own body weight (and preferably 1.5 times your body weight). A squat supports about half your body weight, and you can wear a weighted backpack to increase the load. If you weigh 200 lbs., however, you’ll need the pack to weigh at least 100 lbs. to get the same effect as you would with a leg press machine.

Perform a body weight squat by starting with your feet just wider than shoulder width apart. Keeping your back straight, bend at the hips and waist until your thighs are about parallel to the ground. Extend your hips and knees to return to the starting position.

Plyometrics

This is another easy one. Plyometrics are the classic body weight exercise and you can do them just about anywhere. This exercise modality, which capitalizes on the body’s natural stretch-shortening cycle, is highly effective for increasing explosive power. Research is continuing to reveal the effects of these exercises in a variety of sports, and this form of exercise is also a really fun way to burn calories and lose weight.

Plyometrics include workouts such as repeated jumps in one place, multiple forward leaps in straight or diagonal patterns, clap pushups, box jumps and depth jumps. You don’t need any fancy equipment to perform these, and if you’re looking for a fun way to mix up your workout program, I highly recommend them. Aim to perform four to six of these exercises per workout, with about 100 contacts (repetitions) per session.

Olympic Lifts

If you’re an athlete, or are just really into performing more hardcore lifts, Olympic lifts (i.e., snatches and cleans) are for you. These highly complex maneuvers help increase power, and require a great deal of flexibility and coordination. To move the weight you need to compete in major sports, you simply cannot replicate these without being in a gym. But if you’re looking for a fun way to increase power, as well as muscle coordination and speed, consider trying them.

Deadlifts

Though not an actual Olympic lift itself, the deadlift provides the foundation for all Olympic lifts. Start with these, and instead of using a weighted bar, you can easily perform dumbbell deadlifts using paint cans or buckets. Place them on the ground in front of you, with each handle about four to six inches wider than your shoulders. Perform the deadlift as normal, bending at the waist and squatting with the lower body to grasp the handles. Extend your knees and hips fully and then extend your back until it is erect to complete the lift.

Snatches

Because you don’t need much weight to achieve maximum power outputs in Olympic lifts, replicating these maneuvers is simply a matter of finding a convenient weight to grab. Again, paint cans or buckets will do the trick. Perform a snatch in the same manner you’d start a deadlift. Because of the complexity of the movement, only use one arm at a time. Grasp the handle, and as you lift, explosively drive with the legs, hips, and gluteals until the weight is off the ground. Extend your body once the weight reaches the pelvis area. This extension will create enough force that the weight should continue to propel upwards overhead. Your arm should be an extended position overhead when the lift is completed, and your knees should flex to absorb the weight as it returns downwards.

Cleans

Just like snatches, perform these with just one arm using paint cans or a bucket. Begin in the same position you would a deadlift or snatch. Drive the legs, hips, and gluteals to get the weight off the ground. Once the weight reaches the mid-thigh, extend the body, which will propel the weight upwards. As the weight is moving upwards, lower yourself underneath the weight and flip your wrists so your arms are about parallel to the ground. The weight should be resting against the clavicle when the lift is completed, and your knees should be slightly flexed to absorb the weight as it returns to the ground.

So what makes chocolate milk such a great post-workout recovery beverage? It seems unlikely that people would spend so much money on expensive supplements and powders when they can get similar results from this simple drink you can buy in any supermarket. However, it’s true. In many ways, chocolate milk is just as good as expensive commercial carbohydrate-protein beverages. Here are five reasons why:

1. Protein

It’s no secret that your body needs protein following workouts, especially resistance training. The protein turnover cycle, or the rate at which protein is depleted versus synthesized, occurs at a higher rate after exercise. You need to consume protein to help balance this turnover rate, and allow sufficient nutrition to restore and grow new muscle tissue. Chocolate milk is packed with natural, high-quality protein. In fact, the protein you find in commercial protein powders is often derived from milk powder.

2. Carbohydrates

Your body uses glycogen, or the metabolized version of glucose, as its main source of energy for exercise. Glycogen is stored primarily in the muscles, and when the body runs out of glycogen it becomes fatigued. Following exercise, you need to consume carbohydrates to restore depleted glycogen. Simple carbohydrates (sugars) are effective immediately following exercise because they are digested quickly and have a rapid effect on restoring glycogen. Milk contains the natural sugar lactose, a simple carbohydrate that can help restore glycogen, while chocolate milk contains additional sugars.

3. Carbohydrate-Protein Ratio

Also important to your post-workout beverage is the ratio of carbohydrates to protein. About 30 to 60 minutes following exercise, your body is at its greatest need for protein and carbohydrates. Research has shown that the ideal ratio of carbohydrates to protein is between 3:1 and 4:1. Greater amounts of protein can prevent hydration and glycogen restoration. Chocolate milk contains about 25 g of carbohydrates and 8 g of protein, or a ratio just greater than 3:1.

4. Price

Chocolate milk is cheap and you can find it anywhere. Commercial post-workout supplements are expensive and you can often only find them at special nutritional supplement stores. With supplements, you may also be consuming additional ingredients that you don’t want, or that your body doesn’t need. For example, many commercial powders contain vitamins, which can be toxic when consumed in excess.

5. Taste

While some are fine, commercial powders sometimes have a bitter, chemically taste. Unless you’re one of those rare people who doesn’t like chocolate, you’ll probably agree that chocolate milk tastes great.

Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Running requires endurance and flexibility, but strength also plays a significant role in running performance — especially for women. Because women carry the majority of their weight in their hips and lower body, strength in these areas can enhance their running stride and efficiency, while minimizing fatigue and injury.

You can improve both muscular strength and endurance in the gym through resistance training. To improve endurance, however, you first need to increase the cross-sectional area of the muscular fibers — a goal referred to as hypertrophy. Also, running is primarily a lower body sport and much of your time in the gym should be spent strengthening the muscles in your legs, but a strong gluteus maximus, abdomen and back can also improve your running ability. A well-rounded strength training program for runners should include exercises that target these areas as well.

Here’s a sample 2-month strength training program for women that first emphasizes muscular strength and hypertrophy, and then focuses on increasing muscular endurance.

Weeks 1-4: Strength and Hypertrophy (increase load by 5% and decrease repetitions by 2 each week)

Day 1

Squats, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Vertical chest press, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Lunge with dumbbells, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Abdominal crunch, 3 sets of 10 @ 70 % 1RM

Leg curls, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Machine back extension, 3 sets of 10 @ 70 % 1RM

Day 2

Leg press, 3 sets of 10 @ 70 % 1RM

Bench press, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Toe-raises, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Incline sit-ups with plate, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Hamstring curls, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

One-armed dumbbell row, 3 sets of 10 each arm @ 70 % 1RM

Day 3

Straight-leg deadlift, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Decline press, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Reverse walking lunges with dumbbells @ 70% 1RM

Oblique twists with dumbbell or plate, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Lat pulldowns, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Lateral shoulder raise, 3 sets of 10 @ 70% 1RM

Week 5

Rest

Weeks 6-9: Endurance (increase repetitions by 2 and decrease load by 5% each week)

Day 1

Walking lunge with dumbbells, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

Pushups, body weight, 1 set for max reps, 2 sets @ 80 % max reps

Abdominal crunches, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

One-legged squats, body weight, 3 sets of max reps (use a partner for assistance)

Leg press, 3 sets @ 65% 1RM

Machine back extensions, 3 sets @ 65% 1RM

Day 2

Overhead squat, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

Pullups, 3 sets of max reps

Incline sit-ups without plate, 1 set of max reps, 2 sets of 80% max reps

Toe raises, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

Lateral shoulder raises, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

Plank, 3 sets of 1 minute

Day 3

Straight-leg deadlift, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

Oblique twists, 3 sets of 1 minute as many reps as you can

Dumbbell chest flies, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

Seated row, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

Hamstring curls, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

Reverse walking lunge with dumbbells, 3 sets of 12 @ 65% 1RM

Additional Tips

• Women runners who are completely new to the gym should only perform two well-spaced resistance training sessions per week.
• Women runners with a lot of experience in the gym can perform four sessions per week.
• Warm up for 10 to 15 minutes before beginning lifting weights, and make sure to walk through a series of dynamic (moving) stretches that replicate movements you will be performing in the gym.
• Increase the amount of weight you lift when you can successfully perform two repetitions beyond your target number for two consecutive sets of an exercise.
• Once you gain sufficient strength, hypertrophy, and endurance you can focus on more advanced training goals in the gym such as power and speed, as well as more intense circuit training routines to improve endurance.
• The amount you rest between sets counts. Rest about 2-3 minutes between sets to promote strength and hypertrophy, and 30 seconds to 1 minute between sets to increase muscular endurance.
• There are many strength training programs out there. Pick one, complete it in its entirety, then decided if you want to switch programs. Contrary to the recently marketing hype. Your muscles do not need to be constantly “confused” to gain performance.

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We’ve all likely heard of the concept of periodization with respect to planning our exercise programs. For those who haven’t, periodization is the systematic variation in volume and intensity of exercise in order to reach a high level of performance at the right time of the year. Originally developed by Dr. Tudor Bompa to allow rowers to “peak” during the most important competition of the year, the common exerciser can utilize the tenets of periodization to reach better gains in muscle size, endurance and weight-loss.

Periodization can apply not just to physical training, but nutrition as well, according to Bob Seebohar, a registered dietitian and certified strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. As training should vary throughout the year, so should your eating habits, asserts Seebohar. Here’s how it works:

Pre-Season

Pre-season training is generally characterized by high volume and low intensity. Athletes tend to use the pre-season to develop foundational skills, such as maximal strength, muscular and cardiovascular endurance and technique. The common exerciser can view the pre-season as the first few weeks or months of beginning a new exercise program.

Carbohydrate intake should be high during this phase to meet the high energy demands of exercise. Common exercisers should consume about 3 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of body weight, while athletes should aim to consume closer to 7 g per 1 kg of body weight.

Protein is also crucial to restore damaged muscular tissue and build new tissue. Athletes should aim to consume about 2.5 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight, while common exercisers should opt for about 1.2 g per 1 kg. A higher intake of protein can assist with weight-loss because of its ability to promote a feeling of fullness, as well as its higher thermic effect on the body, there boosting metabolism.

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Fat is an important component of the diet, but should always be fairly low. Athletes should aim for 1.3 g of fat per 1 kg of body weight, while the common exerciser should consume about 0.8 g per 1 kg. Always consume the majority of your fat from unsaturated sources, such as fish, nuts and legumes, rather than the saturated fats found in red meat and dairy products.

In-Season

During the season, intensity is high while volume takes a back seat. Training is designed to replicate competition, with plenty of rest in between sessions. For common exercisers, you can view in-season training as any period in which you are significantly attempting to increase the amount you lift, distance you run or any other attempt to raise the intensity of your program.

Carbohydrate intake should increase even beyond that of the pre-season. Athletes should consume about 10 to 12 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of body weight, while common exercisers should consume about 5 to 7 g per 1 kg.

Because of the higher carbohydrate intake, a balanced diet necessitates a lower need for protein. However, protein stabilizes blood sugar levels, promotes satiety, and still plays an essential role in building and restoring tissue. Athletes should consume about 2 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight, while common exercisers should aim for about 1.4 g per 1 kg.

Fat intake should remain fairly constant during this phase, amounting to about the same as that of the pre-season.

Off-Season

During the off-season, the nutrition plan should more closely resemble a traditional balanced diet. The emphasis of the off-season is rest and recovery. For common exercisers, view the off-season as any period in which you plan at least two weeks or more off from your exercise program.

Carbohydrate intake doesn’t need to be as high during this phase because of the significantly lower volume of training. Athletes should consume about 4 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of body weight, while common exercisers should aim for 3 g per 1 kg.

Protein intake should be higher to promote recovery, amounting to 2.3 g per 1 kg of body weight for athletes and 1.5 g per 1 kg for common exercisers.

Fat intake may decrease slightly to account for the increased need for protein. Athletes should aim for 1.2 g of fat per 1 kg of body weight, while common exercisers can shoot for about 1 g per 1 kg.

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