There are many 5K and 10K run/walks, and biathlons and triathlons in the upcoming weeks.  The tips listed below are for race day.  They are not geared toward helping you train to compete in the race.

1. Proper shoes.  They shouldn't be brand-spanking new but instead slightly worn.
2. Proper clothes.  Loose-fitting, comfortable, wick-away material.
3. Confirm you are registered for the race.
4. Bring extra safety pins for the bib if you are picking it up at the event.
5. Do you need sunglasses?  Have you been training with them on?  Don't start changing your routine the day of the race.
6. Hat or visor?  Again, have you been practicing while wearing one?
7. Waterproof (sweatproof) sunscreen.
8. Lip balm with SPF.
9. Petroleum jelly to prevent chafing?
10. Car/house key if someone isn't meeting you at the finish line.
11. Water bottle?  Or will there be water stations along the race path?
12. Sports watch to time yourself.
13. Heart rate monitor?
14. Goo, gel, or sports drink?  This may depend on the length of the race.
15. Bandaids in your car?
16. Towels in your car?
17. Extra clothes?

Now, let me know how you do in your next race!

If you are going to drink protein shakes or bake with protein powder, you should choose the right type so you don't waste your money.  And yes, I bake with protein powder.  Don't knock it until you try it!  You can look at some recipes here.

What qualities are important when picking a protein powder?

1.  Absorption.  Whey is fast-acting and casein is slow, so you should take whey pre- or post-workout, and opt for casein before bed.

2.  Mixability.  If you are making a shake, you don't want clumps.  Are you using a shaker bottle or a blender?  If you are baking with it, you can use a hand mixer to blend it so clumps aren't an issue.

3.  Usability.  Casein or a casein blend is much better for baking.  Whey can be used but it creates a denser bar, cookie, or bread.  Either can effectively be used in shakes.

4.  Ingredients.  Does the manufacturer use products from reputable sources?

5.  Quality of product.  Is the concentration of protein a good value?  For instance, if you are trying to get 20 grams of protein, do you need to take one scoop or three?  How many calories, and grams of carbohydrates and sugar come along with the protein?

6.  Overall price.  If you order online like I do, be sure to factor in any applicable shipping costs.  Are there any discount codes?

7.  Moneyback guarantee?  This is important when trying a new product.  To get the best bang for your buck, you might want to buy a 4 lb. tub of powder.  However, if you try and don't like it, then you are stuck with a 4 lb. tub!

8.  Last but definitely not least, taste.  Does the product taste good?  Is it chalky?  Have you tried more than one flavor?  Just because you don't like one particular flavor, you shouldn't discount their entire product line.

How do you find the answers to these questions?

• ask people you know what they use, how they chose it, and what they like about it
• ask if you could taste it before you buy your own
• ask what they've tried and didn't like, and why
• read reviews online or in print publications

Have a specific question?  Leave it as a comment or email me!

Grapefruits, cookies, cabbage soup, and lemonade.  What do these have in common?

They are fad diets.  By definition, a diet is "a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight."  Fad diets lure you in by making promises that you will lose weight.  While any of these diets, and so many others, may help you to lose weight for the short-term, their many drawbacks outweigh (pun intended) the temporary benefit.

• they don't help you to maintain your new weight when you get "off" the diet
• they don't prevent your weight from yo-yo-ing when you get "off" the diet
• they don't provide proper nutrition
• they don't permit you to eat enough calories to think clearly
• they don't permit you to eat enough calories to perform daily activities without feeling sluggish, and
• most importantly, they don't teach you how to change your eating choices so it becomes a lifestyle which then prevents you from having to go on a diet and "eat and drink sparingly".

The act of dieting often works against you.  When you drastically reduce your calories to 800 - 1200 per day, your body doesn't know when it will be fed again so it stores what you have fed it as fat.  This lowers or stalls your metabolism which in turn reduces the calories you burn and basically sabotages your weight loss goals.  So unless you are prepared to follow the guidelines of the grapefruit or cookie diet, or drink "lemonade" for the rest of your life, why waste your time, money, and effort?

Instead, slowly make lifestyle changes.  Start with cutting back on sugar or salt.  You know who you are.  Some people have a sweet tooth, while others prefer salty foods.  Reduce the sodas and beers.  Don't eat hamburgers and fries every day.  These are just some simple ways to start.  Take small steps and you'll be more likely to succeed.

Notice I didn't say "never have sweets, salty foods, soda, or beer."  I mean come on, let's be realistic.

Ask yourself:  Do you want to be the person who says they have lost 20 pounds 3 times because each time you lost it, you quickly regained it and often more weight?  Or do you want to be the person who says they have lost 20 pounds and kept it off?  It's your choice!

Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a gym rat.  I do however try to stay active throughout the day even though working in an office makes it a little more challenging.  Adding some exercise is easy to do.  Here are some suggestions:

• Take the stairs in your office building, parking garage, or at the mall
• When going to a nearby store, walk instead of driving
  
• Get outside and walk at lunchtime (keep a pair of tennis shoes and socks at your desk)
  
• Instead of emailing or texting, walk to your co-worker's desk and talk face-to-face
• Choose a parking space that is not closest to the door
• Walk through the entire mall to get to the store you want to shop in
  
• Mow the grass
• Garden
• Go for a bike ride (wear a helmet)
  
• After school or work, go for a walk with your spouse and kids; take the dog too
• While watching tv, do push ups, wall sits, squats, crunches, or more realistically, fold laundry
• Fidget.  Really.  Studies have shown that people who fidget are generally in better health than those who don't
• Play with your kids and pets
  
• Plan activities as a part of your vacations, such as hiking, biking, or walking around and being a tourist
  

What are you waiting for?  Get moving!

In the wellness industry, there has been a lot of discussion regarding Consumer Reports' recent story on the dangers of protein powder.  In a nutshell, it basically says that each of the 15 protein powders they chose, tested high for metals.

I don't doubt the validity of the facts of the report because Consumer Reports has become well-respected and lasted as long as they have for good reason - they are an unbiased third party who tells it like they see it.  For example, in last month's issue, they rated the Lexus GX 460 as a "Don't Buy: Safety Risk."  Lexus' parent company, Toyota, immediately made changes, issued a recall, and Consumer Reports shared this without bias and lifted their rating.

Back to the protein story.  Let me offer three observations:

1.  Consumer Reports openly states that "shellfish and organ meats such as liver can be high in cadmium, and ... potatoes, rice, sunflower seeds, spinach, and other leafy greens can also take in significant amounts of the metal from the environment, due in large part to the use of cadmium-containing phosphate fertilizers."  This shows that protein powder is not the only food product that has measurable amounts of metal in it.

2.  The amount of protein that they tested was 3 servings that were to be taken daily.

3.  Only a handful of protein powders were tested.  As it happens, none of the ones that I drink or use to bake with were included.

Like most food and drink, moderation is the key.  Remember the 2007 story of a woman in Las Vegas who drank 2 gallons of water and subsequently died from water intoxication while participating in a radio station contest?  It was called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii".

Similarly, why do think the FDA sets upper limits for their RDAs of vitamins and minerals?  Too much of any one can be detrimental to the body.  For instance, too much Vitamin B could result in nerve cell damage to the arms and legs.  Too much iron can lead to headache, constipation, weight loss, fatigue, zinc and copper deficiencies and damage to the heart, liver and pancreas.  Even too much fiber can result in a lot of discomfort.  Does this mean you should stop taking Vitamin B, iron, or fiber?  No.  My point is that more is not necessarily better.

Can you drink 3 servings of protein powder and not have any ill effects?  Yes.  Should you do it every day, day after day?  Probably not.

I was talking with a friend the other day about a local news story about nudists.  It reminded me of Fitworld, a co-ed Dutch gym.

While I realize that nudity is much more widely accepted in Europe than it is here in the United States, this story still sort of creeps me out.

A couple of years of ago Fitworld started "Naked Sunday".  Yes, this means on Sundays, men and women are using nautilus equipment, cardio equipment, and free weights in the nude.  I'll give you a moment to visualize this.........

Ok, yuck.

The gym employees were permitted to wear a type of apron with images of nude bodies.  The gym members were instructed to cover machines with towels or disposable seat covers, and also to use a disinfectant on the equipment when they were finished with it.  Now we all know how often that happens in the gyms here.....

What do you think about this?

Researchers have just published an article in the American College of Sports Medicine journal about something that many of us know to be true:  exercising in the morning without eating first burns more fat than if you were to eat first.  No kidding!!!  Granted there are professionals who disagree with this, but in my opinion this is right on the money.

Does that mean everyone should do this?  NO!  And this is why one of the first questions I ask every potential client is:  What is your goal?

If it is to LOSE WEIGHT, I strongly encourage you to get out of bed, and immediately walk, run, cycle, row, or get on an elliptical machine.  Although the lack of energy some cite as a result from not eating beforehand may affect your ability to walk, run, cycle, row, or stride a little further, you will burn more calories.  Be smart though.  If you get dizzy, stop.  This is your body's way of telling you that you need to eat first.  Listen to it.  Have a banana and water about 20 - 30 minutes prior to your workout and you should feel fine.

If your goal is to INCREASE MUSCLE MASS and you have a strength training session, you should absolutely eat a combination of protein and carbs before you exercise.  You need to take in calories to build muscle.

These are general statements.  If you have questions about your situation, contact me and ask!