Spring is here - stay healthy with shakes

The ladies from the Freihofer's Training Challenge are looking for healthy morning shakes that will fuel them for the day - here are great ideas for quick and healthy shakes.

These shakes are all super easy to make.  Just put the ingredients in the blender and turn on!  Once you start making more shakes you will come up with new and delicious concoctions.  Remember your calories as you put whole fruit into the blender.  Many of the recipes call for honey, but try it without.  Usually the fruit is sweet enough.

Banana Pineapple Blueberry Yum
1 Banana, large
1/2 cup Pineapple
1 3/4 cups Light Plain yogurt
1/2 cup Blueberries
4 scoops - 100% Whey Protein Powder Vanilla

Tropical Tango Smoothie via Oxygen Magazine
If you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain you’ll LOVE this healthier rendition.
1/2 cup mango, sliced
1/2 cup pineapple chunks

1 cup non-fat vanilla soy milk
1 tablespoon honey

2 ice cubes
Optional – Top this smoothie with 2 teaspoons almonds, sliced.

Cake-like Vanilla Blackberry Smoothie via the Clean Eating Club Online

Who doesn’t cake? Celebrate your hard workout at the gym this morning with this as your afternoon treat!
1 cup Light Silk Soymilk

1 scoop vanilla flavored protein powder

1/4 c. frozen blackberries (sub any frozen fruit you prefer)
1 tbs. wheat germ

1 tbs. ground flax seed

The Purple Protein Shake
from the Feb 2011 Issue of Oxygen Magazine

If you want to ward off the flu or dodge that cold which has been floating around your office – this shake is definitely for you. Mangoes are a real boost to your immune system with a superior blend of vitamins A, C and E!
1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 cup frozen mango pieces
1/4 cup frozen cherries
1/2 cup sugar free & fat free yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1 tsp honey

1 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder

1 tsp flaxseed oil

Chocolate Berry Bliss
8 oz low-fat chocolate milk

1 scoop (30 g) of whey protein (vanilla or chocolate)
1 cup frozen raspberries or blueberries

Green tea breakfast shake  
1 cup brewed green tea, cooled

2 cups mixed berries, frozen or fresh

1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup quick oats

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp milled flaxseed

1 tbsp wheat germ

1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Ice cubes

Chai Tea Recharger Protein Shake
1 1/2 cups chilled, brewed chai tea
1/2 cup almond milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 small banana
1 tsp honey
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon
Ice cubes

Green Tea fruit smoothie
3 tbsp brewed green tea, strong
2 tsp honey
1 1/2 C frozen blueberries
1/2 med banana
3/4 C calcium fortified light vanilla soy milk

Berry Smoothie
1 banana, cut into chunks
1/2 cup fat-free milk (cold in the summer, warm in the winter)
1/4 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries
1/4 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 teaspoon peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon honey


Kiwi Banana
1 1/4 cups cold apple juice
1 ripe banana, sliced
1 kiwifruit, sliced
5 frozen strawberries
1 1/2 teaspoons honey

Blueberry banana soy
1 1/4 cups light soy milk
1/2 cup frozen loose-pack blueberries
1/2 frozen banana, sliced
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Berry
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
1 cup (8 ounces) vanilla yogurt
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup cran-blueberry juice

How are you celebrating earth day?

Sad that there is a strong focus on the earth only one day of the year.  We should be thinking about how to preserve our planet every day.  What change can you make in your daily life that will have a positive impact on the environment?  We really focus on recycling all the paper, plastic, etc. each week.  The boys use reusable containers for lunch and bring real spoons for yogurt.  We keep the heat down in the winter and do the energy efficient tips.  We switched over to compact fluorescent light bulbs.  But there is so much more that we can do.  This spring we are going to start composting.  All those food scraps will create a beautiful yard and more productive garden.  What are you doing to make a change and celebrate Earth Day on a daily basis?

Bad run to great workout

A few people have told me recently that they have had bad runs.  They just felt lousy and were really hoping the feeling would go away.  I was supposed to do a 33 mile ride today, but hail and crazy winds lead me to trade it in for a run instead.  My training is way behind, so I can really use any additional mileage.  As I headed out into the hail and wind with 2 coats, mittens and a hat on I felt a little tight.  Since I am a big advocate of dynamic warm ups I now do one myself!  Woo hoo actually doing what I preach.  If only I could live by the nutritional advice I give.  I should have done a few minutes longer; but started my run.  I ran by some friends already headed back - bummer they were almost done and I was just getting started.  I headed into a neighborhood to get out of the wind.

As I got going I could feel the protein shake I had recently finished in anticipation of a bike ride jostling in my stomach.  A couple miles in a little stitch crept up my side and then my knee started to bug me.  Now I was hot, why did I put on so many layers?  Man - why am I having a crappy run?  It sucks being out by yourself and questioning why and how long and other monumental issues!  I started to think about the motivation note I wrote yesterday and about the athletes I coach and the ladies from the Freihofer's Training Challenge.  What would I say to them?

Easy - change your attitude.  Look for the good in your run.  Feel positive about what you are doing like 'I nice forward lean'.  Smile at something - little endorphin rush.  I put the ipod on Empire State of Mind and starting singing along with Alicia Keyes.  I decided that I wasn't running fast enough to cause digestive distress, so stitch be gone, jostling be gone.  I adjusted my stride and the knee felt better.  I adjusted my attitude and decided to add a little extra loop.  My playlist was not all that exciting after Alicia, so I stopped and found a couple of strong run songs - - that lead me to add another loop on and I finished ahead of my normal pace to Preparations for the Last TV Fake (a great song the really builds to a strong finish).  What started as a bad run finished as a great workout.  How are you going to finish on a positive note?

Staying motivated can be tough

But you CAN do it!  The weather this spring (at least that is what the calendar says) has been working against people getting outside and active.  We should be thinking about working outside in the yard, training for a 5K, or playing ball with the kids.  However the chilly temps and regular rain has put a damper on that, so how can we get motivated??

About 400 women signed up for the free Freihofer's Training Challenge.  The Challenge is a couch to 5K program to get women ready for the June 4th 5K.  So many women wrote on their registration forms that they have trouble sticking with a program and now our numbers have dwindled.  Fewer women are showing up for the workouts.  We need to get back on track.  How - motivation.

Hislop take on Motivation
M - make it doable - give yourself a goal you can make.  Do 3 workouts this week with no excuses
O - overcome your fears - we are always tentative starting something new - as Nike says 'just do it'
T - try - you never know what you can do until you try.  Get that workout in and push a little harder
I - inspire - you are inspiring those around you.  When you decide not to do a workout choose to inspire instead
V - victory - remember how you will feel when you have achieved your targets and goals
A - achieve - think how great you will feel when you achieve your goal
T - tough - life is tough you need to be tougher
I - internal - it is all about you, you take the steps and make the changes = positive attitude
O - opportunity - this is your chance to make a difference in your life and the lives of those around you
N - new -"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." Albert Einstein

Regular exercise can become a way of life, so much so that when people don't exercise they feel tired, crabby, sluggish, etc.  In the same way starting an exercise program can make you tired, achy, and doubting your ability.  The challenge is to push through and stick with it.  After just a few weeks you will sleep better, feel stronger, have more energy and even miss your workouts!  Changing behavior is NOT easy.  I wrote about change in an examiner article related to dieting.  It really is not all that different when starting an exercise program.  Many people hover in the contemplation stage - thinking about start to work out or thinking about tackling a 5K.  Preparation can be the biggest hurdle - that is taking the first step.  By making a commitment you can move to action.  Almost 400 women made it to the action phase by signing up for the Training Challenge and then attending the first workout.  Sad to say many people don't always succeed on the first try.  If you took action, but have fallen back to the preparation stage where you still have intention to act then here is your chance.  Give it another go.

The name of this blog is Do. Believe. Achieve.  Taking that first step to actually do is incredibly hard.  And then on top of that you have to believe you can do it; that you can stick with it.  For some of you you must believe that you are worth it.  Do and Believe and the Achieve gets much easier!

Yes the weather has been working against us, but don't use that as an excuse.  Get out there and do for you.  If you already workout on a regular basis take your next workout to a new level - feel the pure power of your own body.  Marvel at what you are able to do, not what you think you should be able to do.  Look at yourself as probably others already do - a strong and competent athlete!  Now get out there and tackle spring.

Youth Sports - how much is too much?

When I start working with an athlete I want to know their history - history of exercise and history of injuries.  I test them for muscular imbalances.  I look at core strength.  I look at overall health and daily nutrition.  How often do we do this with our own kids as they start new sports programs.  Have you ever had a youth coach test your child for muscular imbalances?  Have they asked about what your kids eat before or after a game?  Do you know how many practices/games a week your child should be attending/playing at their age?

Too often we get caught up in the ‘keeping up with the Jones” mentality of all the other kids are doings 2 clinics a week and practicing 3 days with a game on a 4th, so my child needs to do the same or they will get left behind.  We are lead to believe that if our kids don’t commit to a sport when they are 10, they will not develop skills and not have an opportunity to play later on.  High School coaches sometimes start grooming athletes in certain programs in middle school.  I bet if you polled Dads there would be many in one of two camps:

• I want my child to have the sports career I never had
• I want my child to play in college, so I am getting them started early

On April 5, 2011 the New York Times ran an article, ‘A Warning on Overuse Injuries for Youths’.  It starts off by talking about overuse injuries in youth like Osgood-Schlatter disease (a painful inflammation below the knee); Sever’s disease (an injury to the heel’s growth plate); shoulder and elbow injuries (common in baseball and softball) and stress fractures.  It is critical to remember that children are growing and as such their bodies can change on a daily basis.  What might seem like an insignificant pain in an adult could compromise a child’s growth and/or ability to excel later on.  The article states that the “American Academy of Pediatrics has said the goal of youth participation in sports “should be to promote lifelong physical activity, recreation and skills of healthy competition” — not the hopes of obtaining a college scholarship, or making an Olympic or professional team.”

Because of the increased incidence of overuse injuries the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) issued a paper in March 2011.  This paper should be read by parents of children (through high school age) across America.  Since most people are not going to read the paper you will get the Cliff Notes here!  A lot of the paper refers to and gives examples from baseball/softball - appropriate enough since that season is here.

The NATA says there are five ways parents, coaches and athletes can help to reduce the number of repetitive stress injuries in children and adolescents.
1. Proper education and supervision.

• Athletes, parents and coaches should be aware of the signs of overuse injuries - for example arm pain, fatigue and decreased throwing performance should be recognized as a potential issue in a young thrower.
• Coaches should be trained in safety, sport specific training techniques and skills, psychosocial aspects of childhood and adolescence, child development and common health and medical concerns.
• Organized youth and interscholastic sports should be led by adults with knowledge of and training in monitoring for overuse injuries.

2. Pre-participation physical exams (PPEs).  Student athletes should undergo a PPE before beginning a new sport (or prior to the start of a new sports season) to screen for potential risk factors, including:

•  injury history, stature, maturity, joint stability, strength, and flexibility, which may be important for preventing recurrent injuries.
• Athletes with deficits should be referred to specialists

3. Guidelines and rule modifications. The biggest predictor of overuse injury is the sheer volume of sports activity (can measure throws or quantity of time playing/participating). The NATA recommendations:

• Youth athletes should play no more than 16 to 20 hours of sports a week.
• Youth athletes should take at least 1 to 2 days off per week from competitive practices, competitions, and sport-specific training. Breaks should be worked into the training schedule.
• Youth athletes should participate on only 1 team of the same sport per season when participating on 2 or more teams in the same sport (e.g. high school and club) would involve practices or games (or both) more than 5 days per week.  Younger than high school should have a lighter schedule.
• Rules should be modified:  *these are detailed in the report
• shorter quarters or halves
• bases closer together
• less frequent games or practices
• age-related limits on number and type of pitches for baseball pitchers
• gear-ratio limits for cyclists
• age-related distance limits for runners (e.g. 5 km at age 12, 10 km at age 14 etc.),
• limits on number of practices and length for swimmers at various levels of competitive age-groups swimming)

4. Training and conditioning programs. Proper training and conditioning, both before and during the season, may prevent overuse injuries.  In the old days kids ran the neighborhood, rode bikes everywhere and got a lot of cardiovascular exercise.  USA Triathlon encourages coaches to educate youth on the need for more cardiovascular exercise in the form of fun games and outdoor activities.

• Kids today do not have aerobic conditioning.  This should be built before throwing them into high intensity workouts.
• Youth athletes should work on general conditioning 2 months before a sport season starts.  This should include flexibility and mobility.
• As with adults, young athletes should begin to gradually increase training loads following the 10% rule, which allows for no more than 10% increase in the amount of training time, distance, repetitions, or load per week.
• Coaches should be encouraged to follow dynamic warm ups including balance, neuromuscular exercises and strengthening work.  Exercises knee hugs, high knees, hamstring kicks, frankenstein walks, side shuttle, grapevine, backward jog, walking lunges, leg swings, arm swings,  hops (lateral, fore/back, single leg), and core work (planks) are all great.
• Coaches should have an injury prevention mentality.

5. Delayed sports specialization.  There is little research that shows that year round same sport participation has negative consequences on physical growth, bit more experts in the medical and physical fitness field are calling for diversity in participation and delayed specialization.

• Participation in 1 sport may increase the chance of repetitive micro-trauma and overuse as well as muscular imbalances.  Youth athletes who participate in 2 sports that emphasize the same muscle groups are at more risk that those utilizing different muscle groups and joints.
• There is a concern that specialization in one sport leads to more burnout.

• Young athletes who participate in a variety of sports tend to have fewer injuries and play longer, thereby maintaining a higher level of physical activity than those who specialize before puberty.
• The focus for youth athletes should be to enhance general fitness and aid in motor development by participating in a number of different sports.
• Youth athletes should take time off between sports seasons and take two to three non-consecutive months away from a specific sport, if they participate in a single sport year-round.
• Athletes who participate in simultaneous (e.g. involvement in high school and club sports at the same time) or consecutive seasons of the same sport should follow the recommended guidelines with respect to the cumulative amount of time or pitches over the year.

So what can parents do?  

1. Encourage your kids to play outside - run around, ride bikes and play games like tag
2. Teach them to talk about how their muscles feel and know the difference between muscle pain and other pain.  
3. Make sure your child does a dynamic warm up before any sporting practice or game.  It is as simple as arm swings (small to large forward and backward), hips rolls (like with a hula hoop) in both directions, walking knee hugs, high knees (lifting knees up as they jog), hamstring kicks (jog and pull feet up under the butt - not kicking themselves in the back), exaggerated skips and frankenstein walks (legs kick straight out with opposite arm reaching to toes).
4. Make sure you child hydrates before, during and after activity.  Kids body temperature will ride more quickly than an adult and their sweat rates are very different.
5. Stretch after activity.
6. Make sure your pediatrician knows what sports and activities your child participates in and the weekly volume.   
7. Have a trained professional look at your child for muscular imbalances, mobility issues and flexibility issues.
8. Keep the lines of communication open with your children so if they are in pain they know it is OK to tell you.  Never force your child to play through pain - no game is worth your child’s health.

Here is to a healthy sports environment for our children.  Go team go!

Jillian Michaels must be reading this blog!

On the Today show Jillian talked about her new book and her simple steps of imagine, believe, achieve.  So maybe she did not want to plagiarize!  I still think just get on it and do.  To do you will have to imagine to get an idea into your head that you can act on.  Action first.  Just like the 330 ladies who signed up for the Freihofer Training Challenge.  They did.  We are now working to help them really believe they can do the race (of course they can).  The achieve part will happen on June 4th.  The best part will be the journey getting there.  Bobby McGee, a famous run coach, likes to create goals and targets.  Finishing the race is specific time is a target.  Finishing the race and feeling strong is a goal.  We should all be creating goals along the way - feel strong, feel proud, enjoy the lousy weather on a training day, smiling at everyone you see.  The goals are things you can control.  You can make these happen and then the chance of making your target increases as you focus less on just the time or the distance.

Back to Jillian - she is leaving the Biggest Loser and the call has gone out for a replacement.  USAT coaches got an email encouraging applications.  Unfortunately yours truly is too old - what???  BUT - Tyler Stewart, pro triathlete and LUNA pro is in the running!!  This is really exciting as she is an awesome person.  She is funny and a super athlete.  Once I get her video submission I will post and we need to start a campaign to get her on the show!  Tyler is on the far left in the picture.  Tyler has won Ironman Cour D'Alene, has the fastest Ironman bike split, and was 2nd at Ironman Cozumel last fall!! Marla Streb - former World Mountain Bike champion, US National Champion for a few years in a row and LUNA pro and current LUNA Sport head honcho is on the far right.  The others are all LUNA Chix from the Albany Triathlon team.

Making your exercise count

This is a really cool idea.  It just means taking a little time out of your day to log your activities. 

Hey ladies - have you signed up for one of the Freihofer Challenge Teams?  Join a team headed by Jenn Gish (Times Union), Kelly Lynch (103.1), or Ann Hughes (Fox23) and get ready for the Freihofer's 5K on June 4, 2011.  NO EXPERIENCE needed!  You just have to want to get moving, have fun and walk, walk/run or run the 5 K on June 4.  Sign up for the race and then choose a team.  You'll get a training shirt, VIP treatment on race day, Freihofer's products, and time with some great women.  I'll be coaching you on Mondays and Saturdays.  I have heard we might get some guest coaches in - - runners in the area are really excited about this program :-)