The Barefoot Tiger Blog

Giving The Gift Of Fitness

Not sure what to get for your friend, co-worker, or loved one for the holidays? How about giving the gift of fitness?

Here are some great ideas of what to get people for the holidays from those just getting started with fitness to those who are at the gym 7 days a week:

Magazine Subscription. There are so many magazines for the fitness enthusiast from Self and Shape to ones for specific sports such as Runner's World and Bicycling.

Exercise Equipment. Kettle bells are in this year and make a great gift for an at home workout as do dyna bands, exercise tubes, and exercise balls. Performbetter.com has a wide variety of at home workout equipment.

DVD's. Zumba, yoga, pilates, strength training, and cardio workouts are all available on DVD's. Check out Gaiam.com for a large assortment of DVDs.

Personal Training Sessions. For those new to fitness the gym can be very overwhelming so personal fitness sessions are a great gift. Check out Barefoot Tiger's page for at home personal training sessions.

Heart Rate Monitor. Polar and Garmon have a wide assortment of monitors for those looking for just the basics to those who are looking to improve fitness.

Yoga Mat/Props. Yoga mats and props make great gifts that can be used at home or during yoga classes. Manduka and Jade have high quality yoga mats.

Massage. A massage is a great gift for any athlete! Sports massages or deep tissue massages are great for those tight muscles.

What fitness gifts would you like to receive this year?

 

Staying Fit Over The Holidays

The holiday season is full of fun, joy, and parties, but that is no reason your fitness routine should get derailed.

I know it's hard. It gets dark out early. It's cold. And the pressure of having to attend so many different events that may cause you to skip your workouts, or eat more than you should, is all around.

Make the commitment to yourself that you are going to make you a priority and keep up with your workouts and eating right this holiday season. Here are some tips from WebMD.com and Livestrong to help you with that commitment:

• Set a goal of just maintaining your weight this holiday season. If you lose that's a bonus, but those who end up gaining almost never take it off.

• Never go to a party hungry. Have a snack that includes lean protein (suc as low fat cheese or turkey) and something high in fiber (such as fruit or whole grain crackers). This will keep hunger at bay so you don't over indulge in high fat foods.

• Don't deprive yourself of dessert, but make sure to f  ill up first on broth based soups, veggies and low-fat dips, salads, lean proteins and whole grains. You will feel satisfied and not needs as much sweets at the end of your meal.

• Schedule in exercise. If your normal routine is to workout in the evenings, but you have an evening event, then schedule your workout in the morning before work or fit in a brisk walk at lunch.

• Mix up your workout routine. Add in some new classes or activities. Take that dance class that you've been wanting to try or maybe a new yoga class. Prevent boredom to keep up your motivation.

• Book a warm-weather vacation. You'll want to keep in shape to have a beach-body so you will be less likely to miss your workouts.

• Remember, the confidence you will have for feeling good, and not gaining weight, over the holidays will show in the new year - and that will taste better than any piece of chocolate cake!

How do you stay fit over the holidays?

Looking to increase your metabolism...here are some tips

If you are looking for ways to speed up your metabolism try incorporating some of these tips into your daily routine:

Eat breakfast every day. Make sure it is a good breakfast including lean protein, complex carbohydrates and good fats.

Enjoy a morning cup of joe. A study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that the average metabolic rate of people who drank caffeinated coffee increased 16 percent over that of those who drank decaf.

Drink cold water. Your body will burn a few calories to bring that cold water to body temperature and after a year those calories can add up!

Eat protein at all meals. Protein helps with muscle rebuilding and muscle burns more calories than fat.

Sip some green tea.  Studies who that people who consumed the equivalent of three to five cups a day for 12 weeks decreased their body weight by 4.6 percent. Let the tea steep for at least 3 minutes and make sure to drink it while it is still hot.

Go organic. The chemicals found in pesticides have been show to stall peoples metabolisms so when you can go organic.

Add some spice. Capsaicin, the compound in chili peppers that give them their heat, can also fire up your metabolism. According to a study in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology eating about 1 tablespoon of chopped chillies (either red or green) produces heat and activates your body's flight or fight response system resulting in a temporary metabolism spike.

Adequate iron. Iron carries oxygen to your muscles and if they don't get enough oxygen they slow down. So fill up on beans, dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, bok choy) and make sure your cereals are fortified with iron.

Incorporate intervals. Interval training will increase intensity and create a bigger burn. This burn will kick your metabolism into high gear.

Slow lifting. Lifting weights slowly, instead of rushing and using momentum, will help break down your muscle tissue. The good news is is that the repairing of the muscle will speed up your metabolism.

Don't forget to share some of your great breakfast ideas, interval workouts, or how you incorporate some of these metabolism boosting tips into your daily routine.

 

Marathon Training

Marathon training has begun for the fall season. For those that are seasoned marathoners you may already know what works for you. You know how to train; what foods to eat before, during, and after your run that work for your body; and how to mentally prepare for the big day.

If you are new to the marathon there is a lot to think about - and learn about. Running a marathon is not easy but getting to race day prepared and feeling good will help you reach your goal of getting to the finish line.

Here are some great reads to help you with your training - both physical and mental:

Runner's World has 26 great tips to help you with your training during the last month of training. Read them over and take the ones that work for you - or modify them to fit your training. 

Jeff Galloway's Marathon: You Can Do It

Nancy Clark's Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions

Jean Couche's The Runner's Yoga Book: A Balanced Approach to Fitness

Brendan Brazier's Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life

What are some of your marathon training tips?

Eating and Exercising on Vacation

As you get ready to go on your summer trip (or save these for another time) use some or all of these tips to help you enjoy your travels while keeping up with your exercise and still eating well.

Plan your exercise. You don't have to stick to your normal exercise routine, but you do want to get in some exercise while you are away.

• Most hotels have gyms so you can plan a workout there.
• Ask at the hotel desk if there are running or bike paths, local gyms or yoga studios near by.
• Swimming is also a great workout so if there is a pool - dive in!
• If you have your lap-top computer bring some exercise DVDs to workout in your hotel room.
• You can also use your hotel room as a work out and do lunges, squats, push-ups, and run the stairs
• Pack your sneakers to do lots of walking and exploring!

Plan ahead with snacks. Bring snacks or find a local supermarket to get yourself healthy snacks - don't dive into the junk at the rest-stop or vending machine. Here are some snack ideas:

• Nut butter with fruit
• Wholegrain graham crackers, or pretzels
• Single-serving size containers of nondairy milk and juice
  
• Fruit and applesauce cups
  
• Hummus with crackers or baked corn chips
• Granola, trail mix, and dried fruit
• Food bars.
• Vegetables in single serving pop-top cans

Dining out. Trying new restaurants in new places is a lot of fun. Enjoy a few appetizers instead of a large meal or remember that you don't have to eat everything on your plate - especially if you are going to enjoy dessert.

• Use the web to find vegetarian or veg-friendly restaurants at your travel destination.
• Ethnic restaurants often have a wide range of vegetarian options - enjoy bean burritos and guacamole at a Mexican restaurant, a vegetable or tofu stir-fry at a Chinese restaurant, yummy curries at an Indian restaurants, or vegetarian sushi at a sushi bar.
  
• Look for all-you-can-eat buffets and salad bars. Normally I'd say stay away from a buffet, but a good buffet can offer a wide range of nutritious options like salads, cooked vegetables, baked potatoes, build-your-own tacos with refried beans, and fresh fruit.
• You don't always have to dine out. You can pick up healthy food and snacks at the local grocery store, health food store, or farmer's market and pack a fun picnic lunch or dinner.
  

Remember that is is vacation so relax and have fun!! If you do overindulge that's ok - once you get back into your normal diet and exercise routine at home everything will balance out.

What are some of your travel exercise and eating tips?

Blog post by Dana Lilienthal, MS, RD

Breakfast Before Exercise - Yay or Nay?

Do you workout in the morning? I do. I'm a morning runner. I try to start my run anywhere from 5:30-6:30am. And I have to confess that I NEVER eat breakfast before I go for a a run. It's too early and I'd for sure cramp up.

You always hear mixed messages about eating before a workout. Some experts say you should so you have the energy to get through the workout. Others experts say don't because you will burn more fat.

You can bet I was glad when I read an article in USA Today about a study done on London that said you do burn more body fat if you workout on an empty stomach, but that it is best when it is before breakfast. The reason to do this before breakfast is because once you start eating any carbohydrates you consume will get in the way of fat metabolism.

There were those who were skeptical of this and said that it could lead to eating more after the workout and that could definitely be a problem if you are working to lose weight. Others said that you may burn fat, but you may never get really good at the activity that you are doing.

If you eat breakfast before you workout do a little experiment and try going without breakfast. See how you feel and see if over time there are results that you haven't before. Don't forget to tell us how it goes!

- Posted by Dana Lilienthal, MS, RD