Do you smell something???

Since both my hobbies and my career are very active, I often find myself sweaty several times a day. Too many times to actually grab a shower--I'd be averaging 6 or 7 showers a day! That's not good for the skin or the environment!

But, I don't want to be all gross and stinky around my clients and friends (although my canine clients don't seem to care). So, I've developed my own, natural body wipes. I can scent them myself--because sometimes you just don't want to smell like a baby's bottom! Plus, I know exactly what's in these (those who have read my previous blogs know I go all natural whenever possible).

I keep these in the car so that I have them whenever I need. They are also great for those outback camping trips that have no plumbing.

I use the gallon-sized freezer storage bags (If I could think of an alternative to plastic that wouldn't leak, I'd use it. I'm open to suggestions if anybody has one). You can fit quite a few paper towels in them.

I put about a 1/2 cup of water in the bag, and a table spoon of white vinegar (enough to kill germs and bacteria, but not enough to make you smell like sauerkraut all day). I add just a drop or two of tea tree oil (not only does it have a strong smell, but you don't want to put it directly on the skin undiluted--unless maybe right on a pimple!). Why tea tree oil? Like the vinegar it kills bacteria (which is what makes us stinky), it's also good to combat allergens, cuts, scrapes, bites, etc. Then I add a few drops of my favorite essential oil for scent. I usually go with lavender because it's also good for the skin and anti-bacterial. Sometimes I add a little eucalyptus because I love the smell and it perks me up a bit. There are some great essential oil blends out there. Be careful with citrus oils. They can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight. And be careful with the minty oils if you'll be cleaning the girlie parts!

Once my bag is ready, I just add high quality paper towels (the cheap ones will fall apart). As many as you want to put in there. Before I use the paper-towel,  I will wring it out so it's not all drippy. If I'm just using it to quickly wipe off my face and neck, I'll put it back in the bag when I'm finished. With the antibacterials in there, it will be fine. If I'm using it on other parts (arm-pits and more personal areas) I will throw it out.

It's nice to be able to freshen up between classes and clients. Or, after a race when there are festivities to attend.

An Instructor's Roll: Why Aren't YOU Doing This?

I'm feeling the need to address a comment I received while teaching class this morning. I don't mean for this to be a rant (even though I am a little irritated), it's meant more as an explanation.

This morning I was subbing a TRX class for another instructor. It's always a little awkward when you sub for somebody else because people get accustomed to certain instructors and tend to not like change. And all instructors teach a little differently. Even in choreographed classes like Body Pump or Zumba, each instructor's personality is bound to come out.

Class was going fine, and then after one particular move a patron (in a very snippy way) says, "Could you show me that move again? I'm not use to an instructor who does a few reps then quits!" I smiled, and showed her the move again. I then explained that at 12 classes in a week, it is not really possible for me to do every class with the patrons.

What I didn't explain is that that is not my job. My job is to show you how to do the exercise properly and safely, and then watch your form to make sure you are getting a good, injury-free workout. It's emphasized over and over again when we take continuing education classes--you are not in the class to get your workout in--you are in the class to help the patrons get their workout in.

The fact that this career is a physical one rather than a sedentary desk job is a bonus (Usually. Over-exercise and cortisone levels are a topic for a completely different blog). But I'm not there to workout with you--anymore than an English teacher is there to write the paper he/she assigned to the student. I'm glad that I burn calories while I work, but I then schedule my own workouts--that are geared towards my goals (i.e. running speed, endurance adventure races, upper body strength, etc.).

Sometimes I do jump in, for instance, in a boot camp class when we're doing partner drills and there are an uneven number of people. I'm happy to do so. But if I did every class I teach, not only would I not be able to pay attention to your form, I would be far too tired to do my own workout and reach my own goals (sometimes it's still a slippery slope).


So when my patrons ask me, "Why aren't you doing this?" when I'm teaching a boot camp. Or, "What gear are you riding in?" when I'm teaching cycling, I try to just laugh it off and change the subject--because I'm probably not working as hard as you. I'm watching your form, timing intervals, and trying to keep you engaged in your workout. I'll do my workout later.

India: The Finale

We’re headed into our last day in India. We’ll have the entire day tomorrow, and then leave in the wee hours of the morning for the airport—travelling back in time to the U.S. (at some time during flight, it will become a day earlier)!

I must admit as we end our retreat, I’m feeling calm and relaxed. I’m sleeping well. Other than one brief start of a migraine a few days ago—no headaches. And my complexion looks very nice.  I had my final consult with my Ayurvedic doctor this afternoon. She agreed I was pretty darn healthy (I saw a bit of her humor for the first time today—she’s not as stern as I originally thought). I leave with just one medicinal herb that is supposed to help with hormone balance (a non-ending struggle over the last four years or so). I actually lost a kilo (I think that’s about two pounds). I wasn’t attempting to diet or anything. In fact, I only had her re-check my weight because I’ve been enjoying the food so much here. 

I have gone ten days without alcohol or television—and both were hardly missed (doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy both in moderation when I return, but it’s nice to know they weren’t needed).  I’ve learned a lot about  Ayurvedic philosophies on body types and how to balance your own body type (Dosha). In doing that, I’ve learned that I could probably stand to slow down a bit—add a little yoga into my life—focus a bit more on what my body tells me it wants and needs. 

I’ve spent 11 days straight with my mother—first on an airplane and then in a small cabin—and we’ve gotten along really well. We typically do get along fairly well, but I’ll admit there was some apprehension about sharing a small cabin for that amount of time. I am simply a person who likes a fair amount of space and alone time. 

I’ve spotted two resort cats. I find cats everywhere I go—ask my husband. Sadly, they were not tame kitties, so I did not get my kitty fix while I was here. I did enjoy watching these tiny squirrels that are all around here scamper around the restaurant (open air restaurant) trying to find treasures to eat.

The people in our group (I believe 22 people in all) have been wonderful to meet—each adding a unique prospective to this experience. 

We’ve been immersed in a culture totally unlike our own, and it’s been an amazing awakening. I love to see and learn about other cultures. It makes me on one hand, appreciate my own a bit more, but on the other hand, yearn for something a bit different (which is one reason Mark and I are exploring retiring to another country at some point).  It can also be a little unnerving. You are a foreigner who does not know the language, who is unfamiliar with the religion, dress and culture. So if you’re a control freak (I do have some control freak tendencies) it puts you a bit out of your comfort zone. In fact, I deduced that that’s what made me so uncomfortable with the treatments here—the lack of control I felt. 

The part of the country we are staying in is primarily Hindu and Christian. We actually took a class on Hinduism and visited a Hindu temple during a holy ceremony. I am someone who has struggled with religious beliefs pretty much my entire life—and typically shy away from anything to do with religion. But here, religion seemed a much more beautiful thing. In the U.S. I associate religion with people telling you what the bible says is wrong (i.e. homosexuality, abortion etc.). Here religion seems to more about being loving, nurturing, accepting and thankful for everything the Earth has given you. It’s just a part of people here. It’s peaceful (well, until they get in a car—then it’s just insanity). 

So would I come back and do this again? (My Mom asked me this the other day). I’m so glad I did it, but probably not.  There are just too many other countries I want to explore and experience. And parts are sad—it’s over-crowded and so much poverty.  I do not enjoy bartering and pressure. And every shop you walk into here there is bartering and pressure. We visited one department store—no bartering there—but staff everywhere. When you started browsing through the clothing, they would stand right next to you picking things out and handing them to you. You literally could not just be by yourself and browse. That’s just too much for me. 

If I were having some chronic health problems I would definitely consider it. I do have strong belief in the way they heal here—using what nature gives us to create medicines/cures as opposed to the chemicals pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. try to put in us. I truly believe I am much less toxic than I was when I arrived (although compared to many, I lead a fairly toxin-free life in the U.S. I will continue to keep as many harmful things out of my body as possible).

And while I think yoga is a valuable practice—and can certainly be incorporated into my lifestyle—I still crave adventure and adrenaline. Yogis believe too much stimulation and excitement is harmful to our Doshas—that it causes imbalance. I believe it is part of what makes life worth living. That’s one I’m not willing to budge on.  How can something that makes me feel so alive be harmful? 

(I guess the fitness instructor in me has trouble believing that high intensity intervals can be bad for you, when they’ve done such good things for me!)

I miss my husband (this is the longest we’ve been apart since we met), and my furry kids, but I am not looking forward to the 20+ hour journey home. I dread it. But it will be nice to land in Columbus and see Mark. 

I will work on posting all my photos on The Fit Life, LLC facebook page. It may take me awhile to caption everything.  For now, I am signing off and preparing for departure.

So I went for a run...

I was angry, so I went for a run. And things got better.
I was confused, so I went for a run. And things got better.
I was exhausted, so I went for a run. And things got better.
I was lost, unsure, empty, afraid. Certain that whatever was left of my sanity had snapped, had come untethered and floated away, to a place so high and remote that I would never see it again, and that even if I did, I wouldn't recognize it.
So I went for a run. And things got better.
I felt like things could not possibly get worse, so I went for a run. And things got better.
(Another time, I felt like things could not get much better. I went for a run. Things got much better.)
After enough miles, over enough runs and enough years, I realized: No matter what, no matter when, or where, or why, I can find my shoes and go for a run and things will get better.
And that realization? Just knowing that?
It made things better.

Mark Remy, Runners World



I woke up feeling out of sorts today. I thought, "I need to go for a run."
My heart was sad about the loss of a friend/client yesterday.
My body was tired from a few fitful night's of sleep...and disturbing dreams.
And my brain was reeling with the things that always plague it...I need more business to keep this career going. I need to contribute more financially to my family. Maybe I should go back to a full-time desk job. Maybe I'm not working to my potential?

"I really need to go for a run," I thought.

I was up before daylight to work with clients. When I returned home I thought, "I'm not myself. I really need
a release. I need to run."

But it's raining...and if I don't run, I have a few hours to sit with a cup of coffee...relax.

"No. You need this. You don't have to run hard or far, but you need to run."

So I put my running clothes on. I looked at the couch and the cozy blanket that called my name.

"Just get to the trail," I told myself. "Put yourself in the woods. At least do that much."

So I did. I ran the half mile to the woods. And then I kept going.

As I ran I grieved the loss of my friend. I thought about how unfair it was that her life was so short. She was only a few years older than me.

I thought about my business, and what I could do to make it better.

I ran harder. I shed my layers so I could feel the cool morning air hitting my skin. No Garmin, no music--not even a water bottle. Just me in the woods. I smiled at the few others on the trail. Even though they were strangers, I knew they were kindred spirits.

After I had run a few miles, I started thinking about what an amazing woman my friend was. No matter what horrible things happened in her life, she was filled with positive energy. And, oh my gosh, was she a fighter. And because of a transplant a few years back, she was able to meet and spend time with all of her grandchildren. She was an awesome mom who loved her kids so much. She knew that her life might be cut short, but she didn't let that stop her from living.

Then as I continued to run, the tears stopped.  I thought about what a lucky person I am. I'm 43 years old, and I have no health problems. I'm out here running. Sure, I've had some injuries this year, but both times I was back on that trail within a month. Running the runs she will never get to do.

I have a loving husband who supports me so much. Because of him, I've been able to choose this career. I have the choice to keep trying to make it work (or not, if that's my choice). And I live in a beautiful house that's a half mile from this trail. This trail that makes living in a town...in a state--where I don't feel like I quite belong--home.

As I made it to my favorite part of the trail by the stream, I stopped thinking so much. I noticed how beautiful it was outside--the colorful leaves, the sound of the water in the stream, the fog--even the mud puddles. I kept running, feeling my spirit lift--knowing this was my higher power. My medicine.

When I left the woods, I allowed myself to walk the half mile home. Spent. Purged. But refreshed.

I woke up this morning feeling not like myself, so I went for a run.

It didn't bring back my friend. It didn't solve my problems. But it made me look at the world in a new light--at least until the next run.

Sign-up now!

Burpeethon 2013

Because Burpees make falling down and getting back up look cool!

 

I am so very pleased to announce the first annual (we hope) Burpeethon!

The idea of this event came through a Facebook discussion with two of my Rec. Center friends--Tracy Gearon and Kevin Crisler. There are tons of 5ks out there, but how many Burpeethons have you seen?

The 2013 Burpeethon will take place on October 5th at 10am outside the shuffleboard court at Kettering Recreation Center. The event will benefit Tina Mazzotta--a young lady who is facing a rare form of cervical cancer. Please take a minute to read a little about her here.

Some of you would probably like me to explain exactly what a Burpeethon is. First thing's first: what's a Burpee? If you type this question into Youtube.com you can see many demonstration. We are not requiring the push-up for our event, so here's a link to one video that provides a good example.

The Burpeethon will last exactly one half hour. Participants will see how many Burpees they can do in that time frame--resting as often as they need to. They will be responsible for keeping track of their Burpees. Since we are giving awards to the top three "Burpee-ers," volunteers will be circulating to make sure people are keeping it honest (and to prevent injuries if someone's form is way off).

Participants will seek sponsorships for their Burpees. Sponsors can just give a flat donation or sponsor per Burpee. All sponsorship money will go to Tina's No Worries Fund. You can download a sponsorship form here.

So what do you get out of all this? Well, you get a half an hour of some awesome exercise! You burn MAJOR calories. You will also get a cool t-shirt with the saying above (title). And, you will be helping a fantastic, young lady through a really difficult time. Oh, and we'll have some munchies afterward so you can re-fuel.

So, are you ready to sign-up? Here is a link to the registration form. You can fill it out and mail it in with a check. The address is on the registration form. Or, you can fill it out electronically, email it to jj@thefitlife.us, and then pay for your registration here. Just select "Burpeethon" in the drop-down menu. Pre-registration is $15. Registration the day of will be $20 (cash or check only). If you register prior to Sept. 20th, you are guaranteed a t-shirt (for later registrations it will be while supplies last).

Seriously...can you think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning?

Kicking It Into Gear: Day One

If you follow my Fit Life facebook page, you know that yesterday (my birthday) I made some declarations. I have a tough adventure race coming up (The Iron Warrior). And I have a New Year's Resolution I haven't accomplished yet (a sub 8-minute mile 5k). So I decided as I enter this new year of life, I need to kick it into gear a little harder,reduce the body fat to the "athlete" range, and refine my diet a little more (cut the dairy and wheat, cut back on the coffee and wine). And since I've been such a bad blogger, I thought I'd blog about it (not daily, but periodically)

It's not so much a matter of being intimidated by the Iron Warrior. We've already done the Tough Mudder, Spartan, Mud Ninja and numerous other obstacle races. It's more that I want to do really well. I'd like to place in my age group. So I need to be able to keep a decent run pace, and have excellent upper body strength. And as for my running pace goal, I think it comes down to losing some more body fat. I think I'm as fast as I can be at this weight.


Day One
Weight: 124.2
Body Fat: I don't know. I will have to order or borrow some Calipurs
Goal: 10 miles, 50 push-ups (stopping every mile of my run and doing 5 push-ups)

Breakfast: Smoothie (made in my new Vitamix!!!) with mango, banana, chia seeds, flax seeds,t hemp protein and some unsweetened almond milk.
Snack: When we came home from our run we put some frozen mango and a little unsweetened almond milk in the Vitamix for mango ice cream. It was delicious. We've decided this will be our "ice cream" from now on.









Today reminded me of why I quit doing distance on pavement. I hate it. It's boring, and it makes my body hurt. (It doesn't help that 10 miles was a huge jump in mileage for me). I like to run trails. They occupy my mind and are easier on my body. Other than a 5k race on the pavement, I run pretty much exclusively on trails or doing sprint workouts on a track. So the pavement for 10 miles was painful. The only reason I chose to do pavement was because I have a half marathon next weekend on the pavement. (And the only reason I signed up for that was to force myself to build distance before the Iron Warrior with is 15+ miles). So I need to get myself through some long runs.

I purposely made myself run at a very slow pace (4 -5 minutes slower than my 5k pace), because I haven't been doing distance. But the slow run (along with my boredom) brought on a lot of negative thought while I was running. I had to keep pushing it out of my head.

It has also been a week of indulgences--far too much sugar, wheat, dairy and alcohol. And I feel that when I run. It makes my body feel slow and tired. So I'm hoping by the simple fact that I'll run next week's half after a week of very clean eating it will go far more smoothly. Another bonus to a toxic run like this, is that it makes me look forward to changing my diet/life around a bit. My body craves something better.

The five push-ups every mile were a breeze. I probably should have pushed that up to 8 or 10. I actually looked forward to the push-ups so I could quit running for a few seconds. 

So goal accomplished, but it was not pretty. But the first day of a new practice is always a little tough.

It's Time To Take Charge of Your Life (Or, Rants of a Frustrated Trainer)

First let me state that this blog is the product of a frustrating day, so if it offends, I apologize in advance. That is not its purpose.

For just over a year now, I have been back in the fitness business full-time. I did it once before, but gave it up because I needed health insurance and the ability to pay my bills. This time around I am blessed to have the support of my wonderful husband--and his good job. Believe me, without both, I would not be able to pursue this career. And perhaps you're asking why I do this--I have a master's degree in journalism for goodness sakes--and plenty of work experience. I could be making quite a bit more money if I just took another public relations job. I do it because it's the one career thus far in my life that I feel passion for. Some people become doctors or firemen or police officers so that they can help people. I want to help people live healthier lives. And, I want to save my own sanity by having a job where I'm active every day. Each time I go back to a desk job, I feel I'm slowly killing myself--mentally, emotionally, and physically.

But helping is where the frustration lies, because you can't help people who do not want to be helped.

I'm an Ohioan born and raised; however, I spent over ten years living in the Washington, D.C. area and two years living in California (about 65 miles north of L.A.). Maybe it's regional angst I'm dealing with right now (and I welcome your comments and opinions on this). Because Ohio is the first place I've lived where one seems to be condemned for trying to live a healthy life...where I am actually insulted--probably on a weekly basis--for living a healthy, holistic vegetarian (plus fish) lifestyle. Yet I hear it constantly--and most often from those who claim to love me. It's beyond comprehension to me--how people actually encourage you to be unhealthy here. Restaurant billboards proudly boast that this week's special is "Deep Fried Battered Bacon," and that they specialize in "down home country cooking".

Okay, I understand tradition. I understand that people like to eat food that tastes good. What frustrates me is that these same people complain (to me, on Facebook, to their friends) that they are overweight, in bad health, fatigued, on too many meds....the list goes on. On one night they post about their delicious dinner of fried chicken, mayonnaise-laden salad, cake and beer. The next day they post about their lack of weight loss or cholesterol problems. Or they post about how they lack the time to workout or get to the gym, and then later update us on their favorite T.V. show.

People, it is time to take control of your lives! If you are not happy with the way you feel or look, do something about it. I'm not talking about drastic changes. Start small. Eat red meat one less time a week. Eat vegetarian or fish one more time a week. Cut out some processed foods. Bake instead of fry. Cut out a soda a day. Cut out a cigarette a day (it's a start!). Schedule fifteen minutes a day of exercise (it's better than no exercise). Use that fifteen minutes and walk around the block. Take the kids! Please don't tell me you don't have fifteen spare minutes in your day (if you do, I'll bet you I can find that fifteen minutes for you).

Today I offered (through a local rec. center) a very reasonably priced bootcamp at 6am (much cheaper than the ones you see in the big cities). The early time is meant to offer people an exercise option before heading to work--before the day gets busy. Not one single person attended.

At lunchtime I provided a wellness seminar to a local corporation. While I was paid for providing it, it was offered free of charge to employees. Again, not one person showed up. I have given away personal training as door prizes, offered free sessions to introduce myself to a new gym, and held drawings so people can win free sessions--and people have not taken advantage of any of these things. I can't seem to give away fitness for free! Again, it seems to be regional because I never had this experience in D.C. or California. When you offered free sessions at the gym, they were snatched up within seconds. Being vegetarian in either place was commonplace. Recently, when we visited Asheville, NC (one of my favorite places) we ate at a different vegetarian restaurant each night.

Ohio, this is a call to action to you. In 2010 you were named the 13th most obese state in the U.S. Change your mindset. Don't condemn a healthy lifestyle, embrace it. Retrain your mind about what food tastes good. You might be surprised at how much you like pure, unprocessed, fresh food that's not fried. Make time to exercise--even if it's only fifteen minutes to start. Once you start feeling better, you'll make more time for it. Involve your children in a healthy lifestyle now. Don't let them repeat the unhealthy habits you grew up with. Now is the time.

This is not a blog about vanity...about losing weight so you look good. It's a blog about saving your life. It's a blog about feeling healthy, energetic and strong. You are the only one who has the power to make the changes. If you don't care about yourself, then care about the people who love you and want you alive--your partner, your children, your friends--your pets!

It's natural to wallow in pity a bit when you feel bad, but there comes a point when you need to suck it up, get up and make some changes.

Schedule it!

You keep meaning to get a workout in, but suddenly it's 9pm and you are way too tired. Or, you spend so much time debating whether you should go for a run or lift, that you end up not doing either. There are so many excuses not to exercise! But at some point you have to JUST DO IT!

For me, the easiest way to stick to an exercise plan is to schedule it out. You schedule your meetings, you schedule your doctor's appointments, your grocery shopping...why not your exercise? So I not only schedule my exercise, I schedule exactly what exercises I'll be doing (on most days at least). Better yet, at least two days a week I schedule workouts with my husband, so there's more motivation to do them. If you know by canceling you'll disappoint someone else, you are much more likely to do it!

For example, my exercise time is early in the morning. Mornings are when I have the most energy, and the air seems so much cleaner.

My schedule looks like this (keep in mind, fitness is what I do this for a living and I'm my own boss, so I allow myself time off for exercise):

Monday: Bike sprints and strength train
Tuesday: Early morning trail run with my husband
Wednesday: Distance bike ride and strength train
Thursday: Track Run (sprints and bleachers) with my husband
Friday: Trail run (the trail runs are simply because I find it more enjoyable than running on the road and the hills are good training) and strength train
Saturday: Just make sure we do active activities together--a walk, canoe/kayak, laser tag/etc.)
Sunday: Distance run (building up to a half marathon)

By knowing my assignment for each day, I'm able to do it. It brings out the former student in me. Plus, I see improvements (in performance and body composition) each week--which provides further motivation to keep going.

Your schedule doesn't have to look like the one above. Maybe running and biking aren't your cup of tea. Find the activities you enjoy doing, and schedule them into your weekly agenda.

Isn't your health important enough to deserve a meeting on your calendar?

Beat the Heat While Staying Fit

(This is an article I wrote a few years back, but on a day like today, I felt it deserved a re-post)!

You’ve been waiting all winter to get outside—enjoy the sun and warmth. And now…well…you’ve got it—plenty of heat! The mere thought of spending the day outside in the humidity exhausts you. The urge is to turn on the air conditioning, pick up the remote, a pint of ice cream, and relax.

Despite the urge to chill, there are ways to beat the heat and stay fit all summer long. The most obvious would be to get your cardio (biking, running, roller-blading, etc.) in during the morning or evening hours when heat is not at its peak. Save those prime hours for water sports. Swimming is a fantastic cardio-vascular workout! Just don’t forget your sunscreen. Other “cool” options are renting a kayak or canoe for a day. A hike in the woods will be cooler than a walk in town on the concrete (especially if there’s a nice stream to soak your feet in). And while biking can still be a chore on a hot day, you get a nice breeze!

To all the runners out there…if you’re anything like me, you’ve been waiting months to get off the treadmill and back outside. Now the heat is forcing you back to the machine. If you long for the outdoor run, your best bet, of course, is to run early in the morning or in the evening once the sun has gone down. However, if the only chance you have to catch a run is your lunch hour, you can acclimate yourself to the heat. I still don’t suggest heading out for a hardcore run in the heat of a code red ozone day. But by gradually building up resistance to the heat (and staying hydrated), your body can become somewhat acclimated.

Start out slow and short—ten minutes of running at a slower than normal pace. The next day add another five minutes. After eight or nine days your body should have adjusted enough to tolerate the heat at your normal pace.

No matter what the activity, hydration is key during these hot summer months—not just during activity, but also on a daily basis. And if you are outside building up a sweat, you will want a sports drink to replace all the electrolytes you’re losing.

Light clothing that wicks away moisture is another key to staying cool, along with keeping equipment to a minimum. If you have asthma, skip the runs on bad ozone days and retreat to the air conditioned gym. And always carry your inhaler during outdoor exercise.

When the heat really starts to get you down, just think back to cold, dreary February—when all you could think of were the golden days of summer! So blow-up those water wings and head out to the pool!




Heat-Related Illness

Heat Cramps
Heat cramps are caused by muscle contractions in both the calf or hamstring area. It feels like a severe muscle pull. The cramps are caused by dehydration, high temperatures and lack of physical conditioning. While heat cramps are painful, they are not life threatening. However, ignoring heat cramps can lead to some of the more serious heat related illnesses. Heat cramps can be treated with rest, water and cool air.

Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is severe exhaustion caused by extreme body heat. Excessive heat and dehydration can cause the body to overreact—raising your body well over 98.6. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include nausea, extreme fatigue, paleness, vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting and cool, clammy skin. Heat Exhaustion is more serious the heat cramps and should be addressed immediately. Cool, shady environments, liquids, cool compresses placed on the body and sports drinks are used to treat heat exhaustion. If the body temperature remains elevated after treatment, you should seek medical treatment.

Heat Stroke
Heat Stroke is the most severe of the heat-related illnesses, and needs immediate medical attention! High temperatures, lack of body fluids and overexposure to the elements can all bring about Heat Stroke. Children and elderly people are especially susceptible to the hazards of this heat related illness. The first symptom of heat stroke is red, flushed skin. With heat stroke, a person doesn’t sweat, so medical attention is needed to bring down their body temperature (which can get extremely high). Other symptoms include: seizures, headache, rapid pulse, and unconsciousness.

It Looks Like I'm Here, But I'm Really Over There!

I don't really have a blog post for today. It's a busy day! My brother is getting married, and I'm in the wedding party. But, I am being featured in somebody else's blog. So I thought I would guide you over there. Check out Dietsinreview.com. I go over a workout you can do on travel--even when there's no gym in sight!

Contest: Let's See Those Feet!

I have friends who love their feet. They go for pedicures, and get fancy French manicures for their toes. My feet? Not so much. Once a friend coerced me into getting a pedicure. The whole time all I could think about is that they were going to file away all my calluses--and my next run would be very painful.

I'm sure many of you can relate. Runners, bikers, soccer players, rock climbers--our feet take a beating! So just for fun, I'm having an ugly feet contest. It's time to celebrate those hard-working feet--the feet a pedicure just can't help.

The Contest:
1. Email a picture of your feet at their finest to jj@thefitlife.us by June 4th, 2011. You can use any camera angle/view that shows just how ugly your feet are.
2. I will do a post showing all of the entries (labelled by first name and last initial).
3. People will have two weeks to vote for the ugliest feet.
4. I will announce the winner on this blog and post a picture of their glorious feet.

The winner will receiver a Fit Life t-shirt and a Ped Egg Pedicure Foot File.

Let the contest begin!

A Woman and Her Shoes

Everyone knows the stereo-type about women and their shoes. I personally know many women who have a shoe addiction. They have a different pair of shoes for every outfit. They have shoes in their closet, under the bed, and in special bins they keep for the sole purpose of storing their shoes.

But I have to say, I never thought it would happen to me. But when I examine my shoe rack, I have to admit, I might have a problem. It's just a little different than most shoe addictions.



I love my shoes, and I like to think I have all my bases covered.


First, and probably most important, are my "go to" running shoes. They are the shoes I currently do all my distance and pavement running in. I went out on a limb a bit with the color this time, but they are suppose to have really good heel support. So far, so good.








Then there are the running shoes from days gone by. They were once the "go to" shoe, but now they are worn, but not forgotten. They are used for muddy trail runs, yard work, gardening and will become the "go to" shoe for a few adventure races (involving mud pits) this summer. After the mud pits, they will be retired.








Now these...these are my Merrell multi-terrain, adventure shoes. They are made for both ground and water. They worked wonderfully for a caving trip in Puerto Rico last year. I also love to wear them for kayaking, stream playing, rafting and on shorter trail runs and hikes. What makes them a really spectacular shoe, is that they were free! I won them in a drawing at the Muddy Buddy Adventure race in Chicago. They are a tad muddy because I took them on a very muddy trail run Saturday.




The Vibram Five Fingers were an anniversary present from my wonderful husband. I was really excited to try running in them. The theory is that they teach you to run the proper way with the ball of your foot striking first, rather than the heel. Unfortunately, because of a foot surgery I had about seven years ago, I just can't run that way. I have too much nerve damage in my foot to strike with the ball. But I still love my Vibrams. It's another pair that can be wet or dry. So I use them for kayaking, rock climbing, hiking (if it's not to rocky) and just hanging out in the summer. It's like being barefoot (which I'm typically not able to do anymore) with some protection on the bottom of your foot.






These are my New Balance trail runners. They are pretty much my hiking shoes. I don't like them for running the trails because they don't have enough flexibility in them; however, they are great for hiking. And, I prefer them to wearing hiking boots.








And, of course, you can't be a road biker without a good pair of biking shoes. Once you ride clipped into your bike, you'll never go back. It allows you to power up hills by both pushing with the quads and pulling with the hamstrings.





Finally, there are some shoes I tried out as running shoes, but they just didn't make the cut. They are nice and clean, so I wear them when I'm with clients. And everyone needs a selection of comfy sports sandals that can also get wet. You can throw them on with shorts or capris. They are nice and cool for summer.


So there you have it--my shoe addiction. I'm always on the lookout for a shoe that will add some fun and excitement to my life.

What's your favorite shoe?

Do Couples Who Play Together, Stay Together?

In honor of Valentine's day, I'm re-posting an article I wrote a few years back. I'd love to hear your stories. Do you and your partner "play" together when it comes to fitness/sports? Does it help or hurt your relationship? Would you like to do more activities with your partner?

Do Couples Who Play Together, Stay Together?

Since February is the month of romance and love, is seems appropriate to examine how fitness fits into all of this mushy stuff. How do couples balance exercise and romance? What if one part of the couple is active and

the other is not? What if you’re both really active, but enjoy different activities? If you are single, do you seek out mates that are active and enjoy the same activities you do? Do couples need to play together to stay together?

For me activity level is absolutely an important part of a relationship. I’m a very active person, and what I like to spend my free time doing is hiking, biking, kayaking, running, camping, etc. So ending up with a couch potato would make for a difficult relationship. My career is based on fitness, so finding someone who lives a fitness-focused life was kind of critical. I'm lucky, because at 38 I married a man who was very like-minded. We love to go camping and enjoy many outdoor activities together. Most of our vacations are built around the adventures we can have while on them. Although our run paces are different, we still sign up for many of the same races. And we'll head out on the same run, we just don't run together very often. Sometimes we'll run the opposite way on a loop so we can pass each other--kind of check-in--during our runs. (Okay, okay, I'll admit deep down I have this goal of training, training, training--secretly--until I can beat his pace--and then just pulverizing him in a race...but I digress). Personally, I just can't imagine ending up with someone who doesn't enjoy many of the same activities.


How do other couples fit exercise in with love and romance?

Dawn of Virginia:
My husband and I take yoga

classes together on a regular basis, at least 2 to 3 times a week, and we begin our morning routine with a meditation together. I would say that we're on equal ground when it comes to fitness levels. Since I teach yoga on a daily basis, I have the luxury of getting exercise in daily. My significant other makes time during his lunch hour or after work (while I'm away teaching class!). We place exercise and fitness high on our priority list. Some of our "dates" have included taking yoga classes together. Incorporating fitness activities into our relationship has definitely made the relationship stronger. I would have a hard time staying in a relationship with someone who was not physically active.

Debbie and Steve of Maryland:
Steve and I had gotten out of the habit of exercising due to our busy schedules and severe migraines on my part. We both wanted to get back in shape and find something that we could do together and to support each other. That is when I learned of the Train To End Stroke marathon program.

Steve went to the info session and when he got home he was very excited. I asked him if he signed up and he informed me he had signed us both up. I was shocked and almost speechless and decided to give it a try.

There have been times during the training where one of us had to miss a run due to illness or work and we have encouraged the other to go on the planned day or have made arrangements to go the following day together. We work at being flexible with each other so we can train together as much as possible.

Steve's athleticism has been a positive influence on me, he has taught me how to roller blade, how to ski and gave me his old mountain bike when he got a new one. We have been out on the milder trails with them and look forward to doing more biking on the trails when the weather gets nice again.

I think the fitness activities are a positive impact on our relationship. We agree most of the time and when we don't we can discuss and see the others point... sometimes it may take a bit of convincing! We learn from each other and our performance improves with the encouragement that we give each other.


Laurie of Maryland:
My husband is less active than I am—and sometimes we don’t do a very good job of balancing fitness and our relationship. I don't feel that fitness hurts the relationship, but I do feel that the potential is there to strengthen the relationship. My husband and I have a very independent relationship, and he respects and admires my running adventures. I am currently trying to recruit him to run/walk a half marathon and he is working on it. For us at least, competition also plays a part - he wants to be able to beat me - so if he can't he would rather stay on the couch!

Dan of Maryland:

We don't exercise together but pursue recreation time together. i.e. a long slow bike ride on the bike path is a common evening together. We swim together at least once a week. But gym time is separate. We train differently for different goals. We play softball for the same league on different divisions for different teams.

I am more structured about training. I try to hit the gym before work or during lunch to avoid taking up our time with my activities. A couch potato will never be an option for me again—it’s too contagious.

It strengthens it in someway and weakens it in others. We spend some great quality time together as a result of our active lifestyle. My s.o., however, does not understand the importance that races play in my life. For example, when traveling to a city for a race he doesn't understand the need for avoiding alcohol, sleep, etc.

Deborah of California
Since I value physical fitness as an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, physical activity is an important factor in determining my compatibility with prospective dates. Foremost, fitness is an important factor because it indicates the stamina, strength and appearance, which are a part of any woman’s basic attraction to the male gender. Secondly, since exercise encompasses a wide-range of enjoyable pastimes, it is necessary that dates are able to participate in a wide-range of physical activities. Sports such as gun shooting, kayaking, backpacking and paint-balling require a lot of flexibility, cardio and muscular endurance which must be invested in before the event. Although my mate/date does not need to be a “Schwarzenegger” of masculine fitness, a man who is strong enough to be confident of his physical prowess, capable of being competitive and who’s health is mentally and physically boosted by activity is ideal to date. Whether I’m having fun or in a serious relationship, my dates must be physically fit in order for me to appreciate the quality of time we spend together pursuing pastimes or pleasures.

So whether or not you and your spouse “play together,” a healthy body is key to having a healthy mind. Maybe your fitness time is YOUR time and not together time. Experts do say that exercise leads to a much

better sex life. If that's not encouragement to be active, I don't know what is! Regardless, you and your partner will enjoy each others company much longer if you both make time to play at the physical activities you love.