Somehow my friends convinced me to compete in a triathlon this weekend. I competed in a couple triathlons when I was a kid, but it's something that I've been afraid to do ever since. My first excuse was that I wasn't a runner, and I couldn't run a 5k. That excuse really doesn't work anymore. And anyway, I've been wanting to compete in a tri for a long time. It's actually the reason I began running. I was just afraid. There are so many little details that go into race day... and there is so much money that goes into getting all the equipment! Either way, I figured this is a GREAT first triathlon.
I'm competing in the St. Anthony's Meek and Mighty Triathlon, which is shorter than a sprint distance. It's a 200 yard swim, 5.4 mile bike, and a 1 mile run. Sounds simple, right? Well, that's what I thought until I started training. And by training, I mean, I swam a couple times. Really, I've been nursing a stress fracture in both my feet, so I haven't run in a month. I ran for the first time this week. And it hurt! Also, for the first time this week, I decided to actually try out a real bike (as opposed to a stationary bike). I was shocked at how much the wind affects your riding. Yet another first for this week, I tried biking and running back to back. Now, I've heard that when you switch from biking to running, your legs feel like jello. That's no joke! I felt ridiculous. I could barely run! I think it took me 15 minutes to run a mile.
Needless to say, I'm questioning why I decided to do this. But, I have some good friends who are in it with me, so I'm sure it will be fun. And I love a challenge.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Great Article about Fatty Foods
I thought this article was interesting and worth sharing!http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/28/fatty.foods.brain/index.html
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Deceivingly Unhealthy Foods
Ever since I was a kid, I've always had an interest in health and nutrition. It's something that I read about all the time, and it's something that I know a lot about. For as long as I can remember, I've just simply known about nutrition. I always thought that this was something that everyone knew. Recently, I've noticed that alot of my family, friends, and colleagues have been trying to become healthier, and after talking to them and watching them, I've realized that most people know absolutely nothing about health or nutrition. So, I thought I would use this blog as an opportunity to share what I know. I'm starting with some general info and my list of deceivingly unhealthy foods.
First of all, if you don't eat healthily, it does not matter that you're working out. It's all about having the right balance. If you're someone who's looking to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. It takes approximately 3500 calories to gain a pound. Likewise, you have to burn 3500 calories more than you consume to lose a pound. Obviously, it can be almost impossible to determine exactly how many calories you burn during a day. However, if you know anything about nutrition, you can control determine how many calories you consume. Now, this can be alot more complicated, and this is just a general rule. I'll explain that more in my later postings.
So, just to get you started, here's a list of foods that alot of people consider "healthy" that really just are not healthy.
1. fruit juice - fruit juice is great and "healthy" in that you can get alot of vitamins and antioxidants that your body need. However, it's really important that you drink fruit juice in moderation. It has alot of calories and alot of sugar in each glass. Think about it this way.... a glass of fruit juice takes several servings of a fruit to make a full glass. For example, when you would normally only eat one orange, it would take maybe five or six oranges to make up a single glass of juice. So, in drinking the juice, you are really taking in five or six servings.
2. smoothies - Smoothies can be incredibly healthy if you know what goes into them. However, alot of restaurant chains make smoothies which are high calorie and have high sugar content. Opt for a smoothie that has no added sugar. You can make a great smoothie just by using fresh fruit and ice. If you're looking for something a little more substantial, you can always add protein powder.
3. yogurt - Again, yogurt has alot of sugar, so just be careful with it. You should buy plain yogurt and add fresh fruit to it to save on the sugar and calories.
4. salads - These can be unhealthy for several reasons (also can be really good for you). Salad dressings are high fat and high calorie. Try using just vinegar (no oil or just a little bit of oil that you add yourself). If you don't like vinegar, get your dressing on the side. Dip your fork into the dressing before each bite as opposed to pouring the dressing on the salad. Also, avoid using fat free dressings (or eating any thing that is unnaturally fat free) because alot of sugar is added to make up for the lack of fat. Finally, if you order a salad out, remember that alot of gourmet salads add alot of high fat items... ex: bacon, eggs, cheese, croutons, tortilla strips, FRIED chicken, etc.
5. milk - While the calcium and vitamin d are good for you, milk is also high in sugar and fat. If you get fat free milk, it's still high in sugar...
Basically, the key is to eat everything in moderation and know what you're eating. There are alot of times when I don't choose the healthier item simply because I want something unhealthy. But at least I recognize that I'm eating something unhealthy, and I'm not shocked when I didn't lose weight, or more likely, that I gained weight.
One final piece of advice on the subject, if you eat out, it is most likely unhealthy, no matter how careful you are. The portion sizes are out of control. For example, did you know that a burrito from Chipotle (or even a burrito bowl or salad) has almost a days worth of calories. The burrito can have about 1200 calories and 75 grams of fat... Just think about how much one of those burritos weighs. Do you need to eat that much? Are you that hungry (if you're a grown male and an athlete, then probably....but if you're woman with a slow metabolism like me, then you definitely don't need it). And there are many restaurants that are much worse than Chipotle. Don't get me wrong. I eat out ALOT because I enjoy it. The most important thing is to just know what you eat. I know alot of people who would "rather not know" the nutritional value of their food. I disagree. If you don't know, you can't watch what you eat. You can always choose to ignore what you know. It's okay to splurge occasionally. Just keep that in mind next time you decide to eat out.
First of all, if you don't eat healthily, it does not matter that you're working out. It's all about having the right balance. If you're someone who's looking to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. It takes approximately 3500 calories to gain a pound. Likewise, you have to burn 3500 calories more than you consume to lose a pound. Obviously, it can be almost impossible to determine exactly how many calories you burn during a day. However, if you know anything about nutrition, you can control determine how many calories you consume. Now, this can be alot more complicated, and this is just a general rule. I'll explain that more in my later postings.
So, just to get you started, here's a list of foods that alot of people consider "healthy" that really just are not healthy.
1. fruit juice - fruit juice is great and "healthy" in that you can get alot of vitamins and antioxidants that your body need. However, it's really important that you drink fruit juice in moderation. It has alot of calories and alot of sugar in each glass. Think about it this way.... a glass of fruit juice takes several servings of a fruit to make a full glass. For example, when you would normally only eat one orange, it would take maybe five or six oranges to make up a single glass of juice. So, in drinking the juice, you are really taking in five or six servings.
2. smoothies - Smoothies can be incredibly healthy if you know what goes into them. However, alot of restaurant chains make smoothies which are high calorie and have high sugar content. Opt for a smoothie that has no added sugar. You can make a great smoothie just by using fresh fruit and ice. If you're looking for something a little more substantial, you can always add protein powder.
3. yogurt - Again, yogurt has alot of sugar, so just be careful with it. You should buy plain yogurt and add fresh fruit to it to save on the sugar and calories.
4. salads - These can be unhealthy for several reasons (also can be really good for you). Salad dressings are high fat and high calorie. Try using just vinegar (no oil or just a little bit of oil that you add yourself). If you don't like vinegar, get your dressing on the side. Dip your fork into the dressing before each bite as opposed to pouring the dressing on the salad. Also, avoid using fat free dressings (or eating any thing that is unnaturally fat free) because alot of sugar is added to make up for the lack of fat. Finally, if you order a salad out, remember that alot of gourmet salads add alot of high fat items... ex: bacon, eggs, cheese, croutons, tortilla strips, FRIED chicken, etc.
5. milk - While the calcium and vitamin d are good for you, milk is also high in sugar and fat. If you get fat free milk, it's still high in sugar...
Basically, the key is to eat everything in moderation and know what you're eating. There are alot of times when I don't choose the healthier item simply because I want something unhealthy. But at least I recognize that I'm eating something unhealthy, and I'm not shocked when I didn't lose weight, or more likely, that I gained weight.
One final piece of advice on the subject, if you eat out, it is most likely unhealthy, no matter how careful you are. The portion sizes are out of control. For example, did you know that a burrito from Chipotle (or even a burrito bowl or salad) has almost a days worth of calories. The burrito can have about 1200 calories and 75 grams of fat... Just think about how much one of those burritos weighs. Do you need to eat that much? Are you that hungry (if you're a grown male and an athlete, then probably....but if you're woman with a slow metabolism like me, then you definitely don't need it). And there are many restaurants that are much worse than Chipotle. Don't get me wrong. I eat out ALOT because I enjoy it. The most important thing is to just know what you eat. I know alot of people who would "rather not know" the nutritional value of their food. I disagree. If you don't know, you can't watch what you eat. You can always choose to ignore what you know. It's okay to splurge occasionally. Just keep that in mind next time you decide to eat out.
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