TheDailyRunner.com

Ask the Trainers: Should I exercise before or after dinner?

From the DesMoinesRegister.com

QUESTION: I am a 31-year-old single mom who has been working out since about January, and have lost 20 pounds so far. My question is, do I eat dinner before or after I work out? Being a single mom, we run a tight schedule. I usually work out as soon as I get home from work, and we don't eat dinner until after 7 p.m. I can't decide if I should work out on a full stomach after dinner, or when I get home before we eat, to get the best results. My workouts usually consist or walking, jogging or biking.

MANNI SAYS: Considering your busy schedule, I would stick with working out before dinner. First of all, if you get your workout in right after work, you are less likely to skip it, since you're getting it done before you are home for the evening. Second, I find it to be uncomfortable to try and work out with a full stomach. I would have a small snack before your workout. I find that I can work out longer, and generally perform better, if I have a little something to eat before I work out.

KJ SAYS: There really has been no documented advantages to either eating before or after a workout that I'm aware of. The total calorie deficit from exercise is not affected by the time of day, or by when you eat your meals. When deciding on what time is best for your daily workout, you want to take into consideration when you have the time and energy to exercise. Consistency and convenience are a big part of a successful fitness regimen.

Foam rollers - a runner's friend

Found this article and thought you guys might like to read it.

When I was training for the Vermont City marathon in 2004 I developed this nagging anterior knee pain. At that point I was finishing graduate school and starting to work as a personal trainer in Albuquerque for Wellbridge. I turned to an experienced trainer in the knee injury department. He proceeded to show me how to foam roll my IT bands. I couldn’t believe how excruciatingly painful this was. Since I was determined to still run this marathon I continued to use the foam roller on my IT bands, quads, calves and hamstrings. What is so magical about my beloved foam roller might you ask?
 

Runners who put in a lot of mileage often develop knots in their IT bands, quadriceps and hamstrings. Regular stretching is good for healthy muscles, but it doesn’t attack those nasty knots. If you’ve ever had a really good massage therapist you know that the direct pressure releases these knots. You can use a foam roller to apply this direct pressure using your own body weight. 

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Getting running legs back isn’t easy, especially at 30 below

It’s an hour past high noon on New Years Day, and my butt is getting kicked by a group of five 50-plus-year-old runners as we make our way to the top of Ester Dome.

If anything, “butt kicked” is an understatement. The five of them — Steve Bainbridge (who turns 60 this year), Ed Debevec, Andy Holland, Jane Lanford and Wayde Leder — are nowhere in sight as I neared the Henderson Road cutoff. My fear at this point was that I would see them — heading toward me as they made their descent, leaving me to slog solo to the summit, my only companion being my breath which was freezing in the air in the 30 below temperatures.

The good news is that they didn’t pass me. The bad news is the reason they didn’t pass me is because they added on more distance past our turnaround point at the chute, and, upon returning to the turnaround point, they waited for me, jogging in place to stay warm.

“Way to go Scott!” they exclaimed, as I breathlessly approached them.

“You do realize you are the youngest of us by quite a bit?” one of them offered up. And before I could come up with a decent smart-aleck reply (which I was unable to do because I clearly left my brain at home that day), they were cheerfully and energetically off and running back down the hill, en route to the finish line at Ann’s Greenhouse.

Sighing, I took after them. Four miles down, four more to go.

Happy flippin’ new year.

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Deconstructing your running form

Now that you've made the commitment to start the year off right, it's time to take a look at the factors that can help you reach your running goals this year. Whether you're new to running or a seasoned expert, any runner can benefit from a look at their running form.

Proper running form is the key to running success.  Your running form is related to your pace, the likelihood of developing a running-related injury, and ultimately your performance. For instance, leaning too far forward when you run may strain your lower-back, tire your neck and shoulders, and may cause those awful cramps in your stomach known as side-stitches.

Let's go from head to toe:

Head: The way you hold your head dictates what the rest of your body does.  Look ahead naturally, not down at your feet, and keep your eyes on an object ahead of you such as another runner. This will help keep your neck and back straight. Be careful your chin doesn't jut out, which will strain your neck.

Shoulders: We all hold tension in our shoulders.  And this tension plays an important role in how we run.  Tension in your shoulders can affect how your whole upper body feels during your run.  If your shoulders are tense, your upper body will be tense and your posture will be affected.  Your shoulders should be low and loose, not high and tight. There should be as much space between your ears and your shoulders as possible. If your shoulders feel tight, shake them out to release the tension. Your shoulders should remain level and shouldn't move from side to side as your feet hit the ground.

Arms: Your arms aren't just there for the heck of it; even though, as runners, we focus primarily on our legs, how we hold our arms and hands make a difference in how we run. Your hands affect the tension in your upper body, while your arm swing helps to move you forward. Try and keep your hands loose at the wrist (not floppy but not rigid) and don't clench your fingers into a fist. Your arms should swing mostly forward and back, not across your body like Popeye, between waist and lower-chest level. Your elbows should be bent at about a 90-degree angle and try to keep them close to your body. Don't keep them so close that your shoulders tense, but close enough so your inner Popeye is kept quiet!  When you feel tension creeping in, drop your arms to your sides and shake them out for a few seconds to loosen up.

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Pick the Right Sports Drink

Here's a good video from Runner's World that shows you how to pick the right sports drink

THE PERFECT FALL TRAINING GUIDE

Runner's World has posted the "The Perfect Fall Training Guide.  The article is from last year, but has some great information.

Here's the link to check it out....

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--12198-0,00.html

It's all in the jog

This story is from KDHNEWS.com

I will preface this column by saying that A: I am not a fitness guru and B: you can replace the word "walk" for every time you read "jog."

Now before I get really off subject, let me tell you a little story.

While I am no fitness guru, I was amazed at the level of response our community showed when I wrote about my weight loss months ago.

Here's the recap for those who didn't read that story. I'm a 30-year-old former beauty queen turned single mom with two kids, a demanding job and a whole lot of baggage.

Long story short, after a divorce and expanding waist line, I took control of my life, my mouth and my psyche – and I lost about 30 pounds. (OK, I really don't know how much I lost because I never weigh myself – It's all in the dress sizes for me.) I went from a size 14 to size 5-6 or 7-8, depending on the day and the name brand.

I digress.

Though I am no expert on fitness, I can say that having trained for swimsuit competitions at 20 and now losing and keeping off pounds after a huge knock to my metabolism at 30 has qualified me to at least share my stories and discoveries.

Yes, it's all in the jog.

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Running Scared

Blog:  Here's a blog post by someone getting ready for a triathlon.  Their training is done and they're wondering if it was enough?  Has this happened to you?

Here's the post...

A little more than a week to go until Ironman Wisconsin means I'm in the middle of my tapper. After months of long bike rides, long runs, short bike rides, mid-distance swims, short runs and multiple bricks (running after a long bike ride), I'm now in the tapper.

While the new found time to do things I've been passing on is nice – dinners, house work, watching movies (without falling asleep) and staying awake at work – but the tapper is killing me. Have I done enough training to 1) allow me to finish the race, 2) finish in a respectable time, and 3) enjoy it?

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There Really Is Not One Right Way to Run

Blog:  Here's an interesting article that talks about the different ways there are to run.  It's worth reading.

Click here

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Bodies-in-Balance...How to Eat Smart and Exercise Right

Blog:  Here's a really good article from a guy who's been training for a marathon.  If you're a runner, you'll definitely relate to this.

Click here to read it

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