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Friday, December 31, 2010

New Stamps For 2011

This in from Chris...

Send a Hello

Send a Hello stamp

Since 1986, Pixar films have stretched the boundaries of our imagination with stories about unlikely heroes who explore the bonds of friendship and family. Now some of those heroes are the subjects of colorful new Send a Hello stamps that encourage people to connect with loved ones through the mail.

The Send a Hello stamps, which go on sale Aug. 19, are a natural outgrowth of the Art of Disney stamp series issued between 2004 and 2008. Originally intended as a series of three annual issuances depicting friendship, celebration, and romance, the Art of Disney stamps proved so popular that the Postal Service expanded the series to include issuances in 2007 and 2008 to celebrate imagination and magic.

Based on that success, the Postal Service was eager to work with the Walt Disney Company again, choosing to explore the Disney*Pixar films, which offer exciting, contemporary characters and strong themes involving family and friends.

This pane of 20 stamps includes five different designs featuring Pixar characters: Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars (2006); Remy the rat and Linguini from Ratatouille (2007); Buzz Lightyear and two of the green, three-eyed aliens from Toy Story (1995); Carl Fredricksen and Dug from Up (2009); and the robot WALL*E from WALL*E (2008).

Since the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature was introduced in 2001, all seven Pixar films released since that time have been nominated and five of the seven have won, including Ratatouille, WALL*E and Up.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Team Voice Radio Episode Three


Greetings Team Voice,

Episode three of the Team Radio is now available for download. Itunes is currently reviewing our show and hopefully it will be added to their search engine in the near future.

This time out Mike and I are joined on Skype by Chris and Justin for a round table discussion on Disney running events and training. Thanks to Amanda and Jonathan for returning answers to Chris’s question. The way the show when we read one answer from each of you and Mike and I plan to cover the other questions post Marathon weekend. Perhaps when we do we can also figure out a time that each of you could join us to discuss these yourselves.

You’ll notice that some of the audio quality is a little lacking. All the audio was pulled from my sound card due to some technical issues with Mike Audacity. Also I had forgotten to mention that recordings sound best if everyone involved is recording their own end. This way all the files can be sent to Mike or myself for a cleaner sounding edit. Sound issues aside, we had a fun discussion that we hope you’ll enjoy.

Looking forward to your feedback and to seeing many of you next week.

Jeff.

Oh and hey I figured out the embedding thing!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Team Voice Radio Episode 2


Greetings everyone! I'm happy to announce that Mike has posted a new podcast episode. Be sure to update your itunes or simply click the link below to be directed to our production page over at introguys.podmatic.com
How the weather in your area? Tundra weather has finally arrived here in the midwest.

Episode 2

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Team Voice Member Of The Month..

HI All!! Here is our last Team Voice Member of the Month for 2010. I am having trouble posting the photo. So when I can It will be added. Enjoy reading I sure did!! Richard Tramm take it away!!


In the last few days of being 40 back in late 2006, I felt I was at a “now or never” point where I was running out of time to try to regain my health and maybe even to be able to pursue a long dormant dream of running a marathon (specifically the Marine Corps Marathon). My weight was around 254/255 lb, and had been in the 230 – 270 lb range for most of the years since I left the Marine Corps (15 years earlier). The tolls of raising a family, finishing college and pursuing a career were rewarding in their own ways, but somehow not paying attention to myself allowed me to balloon upward in weight and stay there. I tried to stay active in many ways—and even lost 66 lbs at one point (making it ever so briefly to 199.5 lbs!!); though only to put it back on in the year or two following. I wasn’t suffering any specific symptoms of ill health due to my weight, but I could tell that my doctor thought that was only a matter of time.

I first latched onto John Bingham’s book, Marathoning for Mortals, and began to plan. I set out on a plan that would lead me to run my first half marathon in a few months. I started by utilizing a walk-run plan where I walked 4 minutes to each minute run (i.e. 4w:1r as I logged in my notes), in a few weeks that became 3w:1r, then in a few more weeks that became 3w:2r, then in a few weeks 2w:2r, until that day where I set out on a successful 1w:3r run. This was where I really thought that I could do this! As all this was going on, I was slowly building my distances, and even ran a few local races. In the span of a few months I completed my first 5K (38:45), 10K (1:16:45) and half marathon 2:57:59. Half marathon race day came with several unique challenges. First there was a major wreck that shut down the highway heading to the race site when a gas tanker truck rolled over. You could see runners in all the cars, some of whom got out and ran the 2 or so miles to the race site. Eventually the traffic cleared and I got to the race site about 25 minutes late. Although they had shut off the timing mats, I (and a few others) asked people which way they went, and we headed out. The first water station was actually almost cleaned up by the time I got there, and I kept going. Several runners would pass me by as they also started late, but every once in a rare while I actually caught somebody. As the day went on I felt good and had a good run, but nothing compared to that feeling of crossing that finish line, officially 3:24:01 while 2:57:59 on my watch (the discrepancy due to the late start)! I was elated at having completed my goal, and I set my sites on the future as the summer period came along where I maintained my new training program.

After that first running year, I was undoubtedly healthier although I had made the classic mistake of thinking I could eat whatever I wanted and gained about 10 lbs. Weighing in at 263lb now, I reevaluated my program and made changes. To this day I can only lose weight if I exercise and eat perfectly, so I have settled for slower weight loss as my diet intermittently poses setbacks. However, as I now weigh in around 205 lbs. now I see myself as a success and a work in progress, as I still want to “live a little” from time to time.

In 2008, I began to look at triathlons and started to train for one. Unfortunately, a few weeks before it I was rear-ended in an auto wreck and was sidelined for a few months of recovery and physical therapy, but I was able to run my fall goal races later that year. It was at a 30K race later in the year that I happened upon another runner that I was near all day who wore the shirt from a triathlon that was a long-term goal race for me. We talked and got to know each other a bit over the last 6-8 miles or so of the race and today Heather is one of my best friends and is also a valuable advisor (and as I write this she is on the back half on the run portion of her first Ironman race in Cozumel!). In fact, running and triathlons opened the door to many friendships as I got to know people through many groups Woodlands Fit and The Woodlands Running Clubs are local groups through which I know many, the WISH Racing Team and Team Voice have each been valuable online contact points, and my newest membership is through my coached triathlon group OutRival Racing.

In 2009 I decided it was time to go for the lofty goals of pursuing triathlons and eventually the marathon. I registered early for the Goofy Challenge—knowing that I could pair my longtime love of Disney with my love of running and I would train for this by continuing my half iron tri training through the week leading up to the Disney races. In October 2009, I took on the Longhorn Half Ironman, after completing several shorter triathlon races earlier in the year, it was a long day with a number of issues, but in the end I persevered and finished in 7:58:38, just making the 8 hour cutoff. A few weeks later I ran the San Antonio Rock n Roll half race and completed a rough day in which I discovered that A) my body really was not recovered and B) that I could finish 26.2 miles as I was now a marathoner in a time of 6:11:36, even if I did walk most of the last 6-7 miles.

Finally January 2010 rolls around and I make it out to Disney. I get to meet some of my online friends and find out that they are real people. Most of all I have a complete blast doing the half and full marathons in conditions that I can only laugh about now. Extreme cold, sleet, wind, ice….all came on these days, but I still made the most of them. My favorite memory comes from getting the opportunity to ride Expedition Everest in the midst of the marathon—when will I ever be able to top that! It might cost me a new marathon PR as I finished in 6:17:45, though I have no complaints from this day.

2010 really became my personal triathlon year as I worked more on those races, completing 6 during the year. I took on my second half iron race in April and was determined to do well. It was a tough day, and I was disappointed in several ways. I did set a new PR of 7:52:07, and Heather (who had also raced today) reminded me that it was not a PR type of day, but I was left feeling more disappointed than satisfied. My problem, as I would only much later figure out, was that I was training to finish race, not to accomplish specific goals within the race. So, in a way, I was only doing what I had trained for. I sought professional help (coaching not therapy!) and I learned new training techniques as I improved. I saw my race time improve, but mostly I could just tell that I was getting better. A knee injury pushed me back from repeating the Longhorn Half Ironman and I instead did a local race, Iron Star that was a few weeks later. Iron Star is a local half iron distance race that has a popular following and I learned why. It is well organized and very well supported.

Race day brought a 40 degree morning and I brought a new training plan, a new nutrition plan and determination that this was the day I would not just finish--today I planned to put out my best effort by following a plan. However, the day did not quite go according to plan. The race starts with a 1.2 mile swim, I had not yet gotten below the 50 minute range on a half iron swim and today I planned to do just that. I exited the water in 39:55; stunned that I had gotten out that fast and thinking I may have inadvertently hit the lap button earlier in the swim (it was the correct swim time). I took my time in transition and set out on the bike. The first 1/3 of the bike was a good solid effort through the national forest areas northwest of the lake and I held a good speed. The bike second third of the bike was a bit slower but still within my plan. It was in the last third that I had some real issues…the steeper and taller hills, as well as the headwind slowed me down a good bit and I was losing most of the time I had gained on my PR goal. Several times I looked at my watch and considered pushing harder, but would remember that I had committed to a heart rate-based plan and then each time I would stay on plan. I finished with a bike time PR of around 3 minutes, but was thinking that was much slower than I had hoped for. However, it was during the run that the wisdom of my race plan came to shine through. Each of the previous half iron races had seen the run degrade into the type of “death-march” like walk with short spurts of running as I tried to finish. Today each of the first 2 miles rolled off at 12:02, and I kept running… I had planned a few walk breaks, mostly at aids stations and at heart rate spikes (which only came around 3 times). As the miles went by, I maintained pace (continuing running in the 12 something range with an occasional 1 minute walk). By the end I finished the 13.1 mile run in 2:48:49, nearly a half hour improvement in the run from my previous half iron race. As it turned out, it was a tough bike day for many, so staying on plan was a wise choice as my race time for the day was 7:07:43, which was a 45 minute PR!!

I’m currently just getting back into training with a new long term goal in mind. This will be the first year that I settle down and do fewer races as I focus on a narrow, single-minded goal. That goal is to take on the 140.6 mile course of the inaugural Ironman Texas race, which is actually in my neighborhood with the start line being about 2.5 miles form my house. I predict a long winter and a tough spring for me training-wise, but at 7:00 a.m.on May 21, 2011, I will be there ready to go with the support of my many friends keeping me going.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Announcing Team Voice Radio

Greetings!

Team Voice now has a Podcast. Click the link in the right side column to download from Itunes.


Still working on getting an embedded player.

Please leave feed back.

Jeff

Peppermint Bark


Peppermint Bark

peppermint bark

Why pay outrageous prices for peppermint bark in the store when it is so easy to make this holiday treat at home? Packaged in a cute tin, it makes a wonderful gift as well. Kids love to help spread the melted chocolate and smash the candy canes for the topping.

Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour, plus cooling time
Yield: 2 pounds of candy

Ingredients
1 package of good-quality white chocolate chips
1 package of good-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons of peppermint extract
4 regular sized candy canes

Directions

  1. Place candy canes in a freezer-strength ziplock bag and wrap with a dish towel. Using a heavy pan or a rolling pin, smash candy canes to little bits on a sturdy, non-dentable surface (like the driveway, patio or garage floor…my kids love this part). Or you can chop them up in your food processor. Set aside.
  2. Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a large microwaveable bowl. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir. Heat again for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir until smooth and completely melted and almost room temperature. Alternately, you can melt the chocolate over a double boiler and remove to cool bowl and stir until chocolate is barely warm. Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract and spread chocolate on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper to about a 13 x 17 inch rectangle. Place tray in the freezer to set chocolate.
  3. Meanwhile, melt white chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir. Heat for another 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth and cooled to room temperature. Stir in 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Remove semi-sweet chocolate from the freezer. Spread white chocolate over the top of the semi-sweet chocolate, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with chopped candy cane bits and press them in slightly to make sure they stick. Return the pan to the freezer for about 15-30 minutes, or until chocolate is set. Snap candy into large shards and package as desired.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

11/21-12/5 Giveaway

11/21-12/5 Giveaway

Her is the first give away for my Avon shop. This give away is Foot Works. I t will run from now till 12/6/10. All new customers will get a chance to win these products. Order must be over $15.00′s and I have your e-mail address and phone number.

This is the foot scrub. It is lightly coconut scented. It is a sand scrub. When we tried some ,it is very nice not oily, or to dry. E my Hunny like it. He said the scent is nice. He liked how the scrub worked on his feet.

This the the Foot Works lotion . It is coconut lightly scented. The lotion is not oily. Does not leave your feet feeling oily or greasy. And after a day of use E said he can tell the difference in the softness of his feet.

This is the Foot Works lightly scented cooling spray. Again it does not make the feet feel oily or greasy. It is refreshing. Again E also like this product.

This is ideal for walkers/runners,people who are on their feet all day, or just looking to do a home spa day for the feet.

These products will be gifted wrapped. Again thank you for choosing me.

If your are wanting to be apart of the raffle, but don’t want to be an Avon customer, you can go over to the Team Voice Event Page and donate $5.00 dollars, you will be entered in the giveaway. The donations will go to charity of Team Voice board members choice.Please note If you donate, make sure you list your Email address.

This is what you get when you win the give away!!!

gift basket set: $ 15.00, Foot Works scrub:% 5.00, Foot Works Cooling Spray:$ 5.00, All in One Foot file:$6.00, Foot Works Lotion $5.00. Retails @ $41.00

Good Luck to all!!

Magic Paint

Friday, November 19, 2010

Disney Stocks Closed Today At...


Nov 19 2010 4:00PM (Delayed 20 minutes)


LAST CHANGE VOLUME
37.01 -0.57 13,691,759
INTRADAY HIGH INTRADAY LOW PREVIOUS CLOSE OPEN
37.33 36.75 37.58 37.10
52-WEEK HIGH 52-WEEK LOW MARKET CAP 1 SHARES OUTSTANDING 2
38.00 28.71 75,548,760,523 2,041,306,688
1 Market cap is calculated by multiplying the last share price by the shares outstanding.
2 Shares of common stock outstanding as of May 4, 2005.


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Replication or redistribution of EDGAR Online, Inc. content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of EDGAR Online, Inc. EDGAR Online, Inc. shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.


Disney's Epic Mickey



Disney Sports Enthusiast News

Disney's Wide World of Sports DWWS Home
A NEW CHALLENGE AWAITS at Disney's Animal Kingdom® Park
Register if you dare

Disney Sports Attractions is proud to offer our dedicated Sports Enthusiasts the chance to participate in a special event!

IT’S FUN !!

IT’S FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY !!

IT’S FREE !!

Lights! Camera! Action!

The cameras are ready to roll on the

“Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade”

television show at Magic Kingdom

and you are invited to be part of the magic on

Friday, December 3,

or

Saturday, December 4, 2010.

Space is limited so register now to watch your

favorite Disney characters and guest stars perform on

Main Street U.S.A. and on Cinderella’s Castle Stage

in the Magic Kingdom.

Click HERE to learn more

and register now!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Athletes

Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Athletes

By: Christopher D. Jensen, PhD, MPH, RD
Nutrition & Epidemiology Researcher
Training for and competing in an Ironman Triathlon is an enormous physical challenge. Imagine if that challenge were made even more formidable by having to endure vexing symptoms such as lack of endurance, persistent fatigue, a higher heart rate during exercise, irritability, and a noticeable reduction in your motivation to train.

Faced with these symptoms, your first instinct might be to assign blame to overtraining or perhaps not enough carbohydrates to meet the muscle fueling demands of your workouts. So you make the necessary adjustments to your recovery and you eat more carbs. But those same debilitating symptoms persist.

What could be the culprit?
One possibility is low iron, resulting in iron deficiency anemia. This preventable condition can develop over time and rob you of your ability to work out and compete at your best. This article explains iron deficiency anemia, how it develops, who is most at risk and why — and, most importantly, simple steps you can take to prevent it.

Ironman athletes need iron
As a triathlete, you push your body virtually every single day. It’s your muscles that power you as you train in the water, on the bike, and on your feet. Your muscles depend on a constant supply of energy and oxygen. The mineral iron turns out to play a key role in both energy production and the delivery of oxygen throughout the body.

Cells, including muscle cells, require energy in order to function. Without this energy, your muscles would simply shut down. The energy powerhouses found in cells are called mitochondria, and iron is a critical player in allowing these energy-producing biological structures to produce the metabolic energy needed for the muscle contractions that enable you to exercise. Your hard-working muscles also require oxygen. Here again it is iron, this time in partnership with red blood cells in the bloodstream, that participates in getting much-needed oxygen to muscle tissues. Red blood cells get the credit for making these all-important oxygen deliveries, but it’s a protein bound to iron and found in red blood cells — called hemoglobin — that is responsible for binding to oxygen in your lungs and then releasing it to tissues, such as your muscles, that require it.

Iron Deficiency Anemia Deconstructed

Iron is an essential nutrient. That means your body can’t make it and you have to get it from your diet. But if you don’t consume enough iron to meet your needs, over time, iron deficiency anemia can develop. Anemia is a condition where the blood’s ability to transport oxygen is reduced. While there are many types of anemia, and just as many causes, a common type is iron deficiency anemia; when it occurs in athletes, it has debilitating effects on athletic performance.

Iron deficiency anemia doesn’t develop overnight. Instead, depletion of iron occurs in stages. It starts when an individual consumes too little iron to meet their daily needs. When this happens, the body is forced to rely on its reserves, and gradually stores of iron in the body become depleted. In the absence of adequate iron stores, red blood cells continue to form, but they are small in size and contain less-than-normal amounts of hemoglobin. Red blood cells have a lifespan of about 120 days. So gradually over time the new less-than-optimal red blood cells that are smaller than normal and low in hemoglobin replace more and more of the older, normal versions. Unfortunately, the ability of these newly formed cells to carry oxygen is impaired. As a result, during exercise your heart has to beat faster to try to keep up with the metabolic demand for oxygen. But it’s a losing battle. With suboptimal oxygen delivery, neither your brain nor your muscles can function at their best. The end result is lagging motivation to exercise, feelings of irritability, persistent fatigue, and overall poor endurance. Needless to say, Ironman Triathlons and iron deficiency anemia do not make for a good combination.

Problematic in athletes
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutrient deficiency condition in the world, so it’s not a problem that is exclusive to athletes. But its detrimental effects are quite apparent in athletes. According to an expert in the field, being an athlete definitely shines the spotlight on the condition if it is present. In fact, an individual who is not very physically active might not even be aware that they have anemia, whereas an individual who trains hard and tries to get the most out of their body on a daily basis will clearly notice a difference in physical performance as iron deficiency anemia takes hold.

Being a triathlete puts a stress on your iron stores in a number of ways. For example, when you train and compete, you sweat a tremendous amount in order to cool yourself. With each drop of that sweat, a tiny amount of iron is lost. Endurance athletes also have a reduced flow of blood to the digestive tract during extended exercise, and this can be accompanied by some gastrointestinal bleeding. Any time you lose blood, you lose the iron associated with hemoglobin in red blood cells. Many triathletes take aspirin or other pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medications, and these too can cause blood to be lost via the gastrointestinal tract. Finally, the physical impact of running is believed to take a toll on iron stores. Experts call the phenomenon foot-strike hemolysis. The idea is that as your feet pound the pavement when running, the impact causes red blood cells to burst, and the iron inside these cells is then lost. These effects of exercise aren’t enough to cause iron deficiency anemia, but the depleting effects can compound the problem if your iron stores are already low to begin with.

Triathletes at highest risk
While exercise itself increases the daily need for iron a bit in virtually all endurance athletes, some athletes are more at risk for iron deficiency anemia than others. Those with either higher needs for iron, lower iron intakes, or a combination of both are at highest risk.

Women athletes of reproductive age are at the top of the high-risk list. Two things are working against you if you fall into this category. The first is that monthly menstrual blood loss, while completely normal, can be a big contributor to iron depletion. In fact, because of menstrual blood losses, women of childbearing age require about 18 mg of iron from the diet on a daily basis, while men require only about 8 mg of iron daily. That’s just half the story. Men not only have lower iron needs, they consume more calories or food on a daily basis, and so they usually easily meet their iron needs. Women, on the other hand, have a greater need for iron, but they typically have to meet their needs while consuming fewer calories than men. Thus, it’s all too common that women of childbearing age often come up short on iron and suffer a disproportionate share of iron deficiency anemia.

Endurance athletes tend to be at higher risk for iron depletion because the high-carb diet needed to meet the ongoing energy demands of the sport doesn’t provide iron with the best bioavailability. Plant-sourced foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans are chock-full of carbs and other important nutrients, but the iron from these sources is not as well absorbed as iron from meat, poultry, or fish.

Vegetarian athletes who rely only on plant-derived foods are at higher risk for iron deficiency for the same reason.

Finally, adolescent athletes undergoing growth spurts also make the high-risk list because they have a higher need for iron to support growth and development. If their daily iron needs go unmet, reserves dwindle and iron deficiency anemia can develop.

How to know if you’re low
Full-blown iron deficiency anemia and low iron stores are detected by blood tests. A low hemoglobin level generally indicates that you’ve reached the anemia stage. You can also be iron deficient with dwindling iron stores yet not have full-blown iron deficiency anemia. Often, physicians will not only test the blood for hemoglobin concentration, they will also test for the ferritin level in your bloodstream. Ferritin is a protein that binds to iron and circulates in the bloodstream. A low serum ferritin level suggests that your stores of iron are low and that you may be headed for iron deficiency anemia.

Prevention is the best medicine
The best way to ensure adequate iron stores and prevent iron deficiency anemia is to consume adequate iron. While you need a high-carb diet in order to keep up with the demands of triathlon workouts and competitions, getting enough iron every day requires a few tweaks to your dietary strategy. If you make those course corrections, iron deficiency anemia is preventable:

Strategy #1: Consume a diet naturally rich in iron
If possible, try to include some lean cuts of red meat, beans, lentils, dark-green leafy vegetables, eggs, and nuts in your diet. These are some of the higher-iron sources in the diet. Red meat is a particularly good source because the chemical form of the iron is easier to absorb. Plant-derived foods have a different chemical form of iron that is harder to absorb.

Strategy #2: When eating iron-containing foods, consume a vitamin C source
Vitamin C strongly enhances iron absorption, especially the iron from plant-derived sources. A little vitamin C goes a long way. When 25–50 mg of vitamin C is taken during a meal, iron absorption increases by two- to sixfold. Vitamin C-rich foods include citrus fruits, cantaloupe, and strawberries. Vegetable sources of vitamin C include broccoli, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers.

Strategy #3: Take advantage of iron-fortified cereals
Iron-fortified foods such as cereals can be a good way to get iron along with the carbs you need to fuel your training. Many fortified cereals contain anywhere from 45% –100% of the daily value for iron per serving, or between 8.1 mg and 18 mg of iron. (The percentages for labeling are based on a daily value of 18 mg per day.) And don’t forget to pair that cereal with a glass of orange juice to improve iron absorption.

Strategy #4: Consider an iron-containing multivitamin/mineral supplement
If you are a woman of childbearing age, a vegetarian, or you’re in the midst of your growth spurt, you may need a little dietary iron insurance. If that’s the case, consider a one-a-day type of multivitamin/mineral that includes iron.

Stategy #5: Talk to your doctor
If you think you have iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia, talk to your doctor about getting tested. Your doctor can also advise you on the need for and risks associated with iron supplementation.

A Word To The Wise About Iron Supplementation:

Competitive athletes are always trying to get an edge on their competition; thus, it’s not too surprising to find athletes taking iron supplements. Case in point, a study of elite road cyclists in France found that one-third of the athletes had elevated serum ferritin levels, meaning they had excessively high stores of iron. This indiscriminate use of iron supplements is not a good idea. While a little iron is clearly essential for good health, and eliminating iron deficiency anemia improves athletic performance, too much iron can cause gastrointestinal side effects. In addition, there is a subset of the population that has a hereditary disorder that is characterized by excessive iron absorption from food, which, if left untreated, can cause harm to the liver. The bottom line is to meet your daily need for iron, preferably with food sources, and avoid over-consuming iron.

References:
Clark SF. Iron Deficiency Anemia. Nutr Clin Prac 2008; 23: 128–141.

Zoller H, Vogel W. Iron Supplementation in Athletes — First Do No Harm. Nutrition 2004; 20: 615–619.

Training Tip Of The Week

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Learn Portion Sizes

Learn Portion Sizes

By:Alex M. McDonald, MD


We have all probably heard the phrase, “portion distortion.” The average person has a very poor concept of what a single portion is and how big it looks on his plate. To monitor what and how much athletes put into their bodies, they must first start with an understanding of what a single serving of any foodstuff looks like on a plate. Many people read the nutritional information on the back of packaging but forget to examine how many servings are in the package. Additionally, many people are shocked to learn that a single serving of meat (about 3–5 oz) is about the size of a deck of cards. To develop an awareness of our nutritional intake, we must first learn to estimate how much food and how many servings we are actually consuming.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Eat This Now: Spaghetti Squash

Eat This Now: Spaghetti Squash

Eat This Now: Spaghetti Squash

In season early fall to winter. By Yishane Lee Image by Joe McKendry From the November 2010 issue of Runner's World

GOOD FOR YOU
One cup of spaghetti squash (whose edible interior breaks up into noodle-like strands when cooked) has just 42 calories with two grams of fiber. It's also a good source of vitamin B6 and C, as well as the minerals manganese, potassium, and iron

GET THE BEST
The oblong squash, which has a slightly sweet flavor, should feel heavy for its size and be free of bruises or soft spots. The color can range from pale ivory to yellow and orange. Store whole spaghetti squash at room temperature for up to a month.

KITCHEN SIMPLE
Pierce the surface of a whole spaghetti squash with a fork multiple times. Bake it at 400° F for one hour. Let it cool, then slice open and use a fork to comb out the stringy flesh. Bittman suggests squeezing in a strainer to drain excess water. Toss with a little browned butter, ground nutmeg, chopped sage, grated Parmesan cheese, and black pepper.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Supporting and Boosting Your Immune System

Supporting and Boosting Your Immune System

By: Christopher D. Jensen, PhD, MPH, RD
Nutrition & Epidemiology Researcher
You’ve spent months training for the upcoming Ironman — you’re right on track to really make your mark in the race — but suddenly you’re waylaid by a cold or flu bug. For more than a few triathletes, a seemingly trivial head cold has completely undermined preparation for a big race, leaving the athlete to wonder, what if?

The fact is that rigorous endurance training and exhausting competitions can temporarily impair your immune system and leave you vulnerable to nagging colds that sap your strength and wreak havoc on your training and competition schedule.

Colds are common after endurance events
Endurance exercise and catching a cold often go hand-in-hand. Researchers following ultra-marathon runners competing in a race in South Africa found that about one-third of the 150 athletes they tracked ended up developing an upper respiratory tract infection within a few weeks of the race. Among athletes competing in the grueling 100-mile Western States Endurance Run, about one in four reported cold symptoms in the two weeks following the event. And in over 1,800 runners competing in a full marathon, almost 13% reported coming down with a cold within a week of the race.

What’s up with the spike in colds post-exercise? The theory is that the physical stress of a heavy bout of endurance exercise increases the circulating concentrations of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. In the short term, these hormones help you meet the immediate physical demands of exercise. But the price paid is a temporary suppression of your immune system — often it’s just enough of a window of opportunity for a head or chest cold to take hold.

So how do you reap the benefits of your training and compete in your events, without short-circuiting your immune system? As it turns out, nutrition may help.

Nutrition Strategies for Supporting Your Immune System

An important strategy when you’re training for or competing in an Ironman triathlon is to ensure that your diet provides all that you need in the way of nutrients and dietary factors to support healthy immune function:
  • Adequate protein in the diet is important because critical components of the immune system, such as antibodies, are made up of protein. The protein you eat is digested into amino acids. These amino acid building blocks are then absorbed and repackaged into the types of protein your body needs, including those proteins that support immune function. Protein also provides the amino acid glutamine, which serves as a fuel source for important immune system cells. Having adequate glutamine available helps your immune system launch an appropriate counterattack against pathogens that might otherwise put you under the weather.
  • Essential vitamins and minerals are also important. These nutrients support the rapid replication of immune cells that is a critical step in warding off cold bugs and other infectious agents. Eating a wide variety of different foods, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains can help ensure you get the nutrients you need. A case can also be made for a balanced once-a-day type multi-vitamin and -mineral supplement as an extra measure of insurance for consistently getting the essential vitamins and minerals you need to support your immune system.
  • Calories are critical, yet many Ironman triathletes spend so much time training that there’s often little time left over to purchase, prepare, and eat the food needed to be their best. Also, some athletes make the mistake of ramping up their training while cutting calories to try to get leaner. Unfortunately, that can be a shortcut to the infirmary. Researchers have found that for endurance athletes, even a few weeks of dieting to lose weight can impair the function of your immune system. To ensure that your immune system stays strong when you’re training hard or competing, definitely avoid dieting. Also, plan ahead and have snacks and meals at the ready so that inadvertent calorie shortfalls don’t occur during periods of heavy exercise.
  • Carbohydrate intake not only fuels your muscles, it also seems to play an important role in immune function. Studies show athletes eating low-carbohydrate diets who engage in prolonged strenuous exercise end up with sharp increases in circulating levels of the stress hormones. As stress hormone levels rise, the number and activity of key cells involved in immune function declines. Fortunately, consuming adequate carbs during exercise reduces the rise in stress hormones and seems to help offset their suppressive effect on immune function. Will more carbs translate to fewer colds? No one knows for sure, but it’s well documented that fueling with carbs during exercise delays the onset of fatigue and extends endurance, so the possibility of an added immune system boost makes carbs a no-brainer.
  • A little extra vitamin C may help too. In two different studies, runners taking 500–600 mg of vitamin C daily for a few weeks before and a few days after an ultra-marathon had lower rates of upper respiratory tract infections compared to those taking placebo pills without vitamin C. Unfortunately, other researchers weren’t able to replicate these findings, so definitive proof of benefit is lacking. Nonetheless, taking a daily 500 mg vitamin C supplement or boosting your vitamin C intake from fruits and fruit juices during heavy periods of training and for a few weeks before and after triathlon competitions may be a measure worth considering.
  • Finally, the live and active cultures found in yogurt and some other products may be a helpful addition to your diet. Some of these beneficial microflora, often referred to as probiotics, have been studied and shown to support a healthy immune system. And, at the very least yogurt is a good source of protein for muscle tissue repair and carbs for muscle refueling.

Cold Prevention Checklist

To summarize, do the following to help avoid the sniffles during heavy training or tough Ironman Triathlon competitions:
  • Make sure not to compound the physical demands of heavy training or competing by scrimping on calories
  • Consume plenty of carbs when training and competing: they not only increase endurance, they may reduce the immune system suppression associated with strenuous endurance exercise
  • Ensure that your protein intake is adequate so that your body has the amino acid building blocks to make the proteins you need for healthy immune function and the amino acid glutamine to fuel key immune system cells that defend against attack
  • Eat from a wide variety of foods and consider a daily multi-vitamin and -mineral supplement to ensure that your diet always has an adequate supply of the nutrients needed to support immune function
  • Take in a little extra vitamin C during periods of heavy training and a week or two before and after competitions, as this may give your immune system an added boost
  • Put yogurt, yogurt drinks or other products with certain active cultures on your grocery list. These beneficial microbes may help support keeping your immune system healthy.



Topics: General, Recovery, Carbs, Research, Probiotics

Thursday, November 4, 2010

When Your Under The Weather

When You're Under the Weather

Working out when you're feeling sick can be a drag, but illness doesn't have to derail your routine. If your symptoms appear above your neck (runny nose, sneezing, sore throat), you can keep working out if you take your intensity down a few notches. If your symptoms appear below the neck (a deep chest cough, vomiting, diarrhea), or if you have a fever, it's best to lay off altogether until you feel better.

If you're well enough to exercise, the key is to keep some momentum going without overdoing it. However, sometimes when you're not feeling well, the last thing you want to do is exercise and eat well. If you do fall off the wagon, don't give up once you're feeling better. Here's what one of my rock stars posted recently on the Message Boards about feeling sick, falling off the wagon with her eating habits and exercise, but then how she's rebounding:

" I got really sick while I was in Santa Fe — terrible headaches and nausea, which I believe were caused by the high altitude. I could not exercise while I was there (could barely stand upright!) and decided to comfort myself with food (the whole, if I can't exercise then might as well be 'off' plan mentality!) Well, once I had the taste of food food, I couldn't stop — I had so much ice cream this week it was insane! (and delicious!) I basically ate anything I wanted for a week. You would think that it would be really satisfying, but it wasn't. I forgot how much energy, self-loathing, and guilt goes into eating that much — it is more work than exercising and eating right! Giving in to every craving, finding the right foods, eating, sneeking, feeling guilty, the lethargy, unhappiness, yuck — I can't believe I used to live like that.

BUT, I'm back!!! I'm sure the scale is up a few pounds, but I know what I have to do to shake it off. I went for my first run in a week yesterday and suffered through five miles in the heat, had a decent day of eating and am generally moving in the right direction. I am going back out of town on Monday for business and I need to be better prepared this time to not let the change in environment and routine throw me off track." —I.am.worth.it

Good job — this journey is all about getting healthier. Sometimes life will throw you a curveball, and you've just got to do your best, don't give up, and get back up to speed as soon as you can.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween ,Treat and Enjoy


Need a cool and creepy treat to wrap up your Halloween party menu? Here's one that features a special famous guest mummified in sweet marshmallow strips.

You'll need:

  • Batch of baked cupcakes
  • Wax paper
  • Confectioner's sugar
  • Rolling pin
  • Marshmallows
  • Kitchen scissors
  • White frosting
  • Chocolate nonpareil candies
  • Chocolate-covered raisins
Instructions:

1. Working atop wax paper dusted with confectioners sugar, use a rolling pin to flatten a bunch of marshmallows.

Step 1

2. Use kitchen scissors to cut the rolled marshmallows into thin strips. Set the strips aside for now.

Step 2

3. Frost the cupcakes. Press a pair of nonpareil candies (white side down) into the frosting at the top of each cupcake to resemble Mickey ears. Then add a pair of chocolate-covered raisin eyes.

Step 3

4. Randomly place marshmallow strips over each cupcake, leaving the eyes exposed, to resemble a mummy. Gently press the strips into the icing just enough to make them stick in place. When the cupcakes are sufficiently covered, use the kitchen scissors to trim the marshmallow around the perimeters, as needed.

Step 4


Saturday, October 30, 2010

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Don't Forget

Hello Team Voice don't forget the Skype meet on the 23rd @ 2p.

Talk to you all then!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

What Do You Think Of This??

Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA

Entries are still available for all the 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend events – Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K, Kids' Races, and Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge! Thousands have signed up already, and as we head into summer, races will begin to approach capacity limits. Don't wait any longer to secure your spot - register now!

* Marathon - 65% Full
* Half Marathon - 77% Full
* Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge - 70% Full
* Disney Family Fun Run 5K - 65% Full
* Mickey's Marathon Kids' Fest - 55% Full


ENTRY FEES
Walt Disney World® Marathon - $135
Walt Disney World® Half Marathon - $135
Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge - $310
Disney Family Fun Run 5K - $45
Mickey's Marathon Kids' Fest - $10
Mickey Mile - $25

CANCELLATION & TRANSFER POLICY
Registration fees are non-refundable. No exceptions will be made.

If you are currently registered for the 2011 Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Walt Disney World Marathon or Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge, you may transfer your registration to one of the other two races, subject to availability, on or before July 15, 2010. Transfer requests received after July 15, 2010 will be assessed a $25 processing fee. Transfers are not allowed for the Family Fun Run 5K, Mickey Mile or Mickey's Marathon Kids' Fest events. A 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend race entry cannot be transferred to a 2012 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend race or any other Disney's Endurance Series event. Race entries cannot be transferred to another person.

To transfer your race registration between Marathon Weekend races, please complete the following steps:

1. REGISTER ONLINE at disneyworldmarathon.com for the race you want to transfer your entry to in 2011 (you will need to pay registration fees for the race that you will transfer your race entry to for 2011).

2. COMPLETE & SUBMIT this 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Transfer Request Form to have your original race registration fees refunded upon completion of transfer.

Once your transfer request form is received, you will be issued a refund for the registration fees for the race you transferred from. The refund will only include the race registration fees and will not include any registration processing fees charged by Active.com. If you request a registration transfer to a race with registration fees less than your original race registration fees, the difference between the race registration fees will not be refunded.

Please allow two weeks from when you submit your transfer request for your refund to process and post to your account. If, after two weeks, your refund has not posted, please contact us.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Tag Your Buddy.

Not sure if this happens to you guys but following past events I always seem to fall into a rut. It’s like my brain says “you got that one under your belt so go ahead kick back for awhile, you deserve it.”

It seems like once I achieve a goal my focus tends to drift away from the next challenge and folks I can’t let that happen and neither should you. January is coming on like the Roger E. Broggie; in fact if you look closely you might already see the steam coming down the tracks.

To the point of this post:

I want to encourage each of you to get out there and put in the miles and cardio work needed to cross the next finish line. This year a number of you are going Dopey for Goofy (or is it the other way round) and my boy howdy is my hat off to you. Consider your Wine and Dine experience and in the next couple months make any adjustments needed to finish strong. I have every confidence that you’ll reach your goals but everything you put in between now and then will greatly help your own confidence.

Be sure that your touching base with your Team Voice buddy and if you or your buddy have been slacking… then shame shame shame. Remember Deb’s favorite song. “We’re all in this together.”

Motivating your buddy only takes a few moments and you can keep it quite simple. Mike and I simply send a text to each other when we have done some miles stating what we did and tag it’s your turn. Generally we try to tag the other back within 24 hours with matching or plus mileage. Occasionally we share a few added words of encouragement but mostly we keep it simple. At least for us it works.

Last night (10/11) I got in 4.5 miles. Consider each of yourselves tagged.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Be Prepared, Kid

Be Prepared, Kid

Now that you've decided to lose weight, make like a Boy Scout and think of yourself as being on a mission. The key to success is to have a game plan for every situation that might throw you off course. This stuff isn't brain surgery — it's common sense. If you take the time to think ahead, you can come up with ways to overcome every obstacle. Here are a couple of surefire strategies:

* Go through your kitchen and throw out all the junk food and processed garbage immediately. (You can't eat it if it's not there!) Don't buy these foods anymore — just eliminate them from your kitchen entirely. If your spouse or the kids start whining, you can tell them I said they're better off not eating that stuff either. Reacquaint yourself with your local supermarket. Shop in the healthy sections and stock up on as many organic fruits and veggies as you can afford — and steer clear of the aisles that contain your trigger foods.
* If food that's available in the workplace is your downfall, steer clear of it entirely. Take different routes to avoid the vending machines and the frighteningly fattening foods in the cafeteria. Bring healthy snacks and meals from home to stash in your desk. Do whatever you can to stay away from anything that might throw you off course and hamper your success.
Jillian M.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Wine and Dine Video

Look what Justin found. See if you know any one in this!!!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Wine and Dine Half Marathon Verification

I found the link for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon to verify your registration.

Here is the After Party map, with events and things that will be open. It looks like that the World showcase side will be open. And the finish line is at UK. Which they left off of the map. Letter E on the map.

Here is track my runner.

The after party is 65% full. If you want to go to the party it's another $35 for that ticket if you're not a runner/walker in the race. And you have to call 407-WDW-IRUN.

I do not remember where we all had made a meeting place for after the race. I think it would be awesome to have Team Voice at the finish line cheering on the rest of us coming in . It is a great feeling to see faces you know. =)

Team Voice Many Goals, One Voice!
Rae

Friday, September 10, 2010

Thursday, September 9, 2010

From Lance Armstrong's Master Your Shift.

It’s Time to Practice Your Race Day Plans

By Terrence Mahon

Today is September 3, 2010 and whether we want to admit it or not – summer is practically over. This means that autumn is fast approaching and with it comes all of the great fall road races.

Especially relevant are the half marathons and marathons that stand as the high point of so many of our running programs. Whether you have been training through the summer months for your upcoming 13.1 mile race or for the full 26.2 miler – now is the time to fine tune those race plans so that nothing is a surprise as your big event nears.

When it comes to getting it right on race day, there is nothing better than a good dress rehearsal. As we say in Mammoth… “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.” Time will be well spent if you use these next few weeks to find out what works and what doesn’t. Whether it is choosing what pair of shoes to race in, what your pre-race meal should be or what flavor of gel to take out on the course – nothing will beat some good old-fashioned field tests to give you the definitive answers you need that will lead to a solid peace of mind.

If you want to make your race weekend as stress-free as possible, then create a checklist of all the questions you have about the event as well as all the things you need to get done before you hit the road. Below is a sample list of things you should consider handling over the next few weeks. Some of them are pretty simple – such as getting your travel plans sorted out. Others may need a few test runs.

Normally it takes a trial test of 2 or 3 long runs to really nail down what combination of fluids and fuel (example: sports gels) work best for your stomach while maintaining the energy you need to avoid the bonk. It is best to start sooner than later so that when it gets to your taper phase you really can rest and recover instead of worrying about if you are going to get blisters from those new shoes. This list is in no way all-inclusive, but it provides a starting point by going over the major agenda items you will want to have answers to in order to feel like you have everything covered.

Race Prep Checklist:

  1. Pre-Race Meal – What type of food will you eat the night before the race? Where? When?
  2. Race Day Breakfast – What? When? How much?
  3. Race Day Fluids & Fuel Plan – What types of drinks & gels? How much & how often?
  4. Travel – Setting up lodging, travel and dinner plans for race weekend
  5. Equipment Checklist – Shoes, Tops, Bottoms, Socks, Hat, Gloves, Sunglasses
  6. Race pace goals – What is your goal pace? Have you done the necessary training to affirm that pace? If not, what is your current fitness goal pace?
  7. Training Program – Fine tuning the last training cycle to suit your needs. More speed-work? More long runs? More miles? More recovery?
  8. Visualizing Race Day – Pre-race nervousness & excitement, getting to the starting line, running out on the course.

If you can answer the above questions with good certainty, then you are well on your way to having a great race – congratulations as you have prepared well.

If you have answers for most of the questions, but still need to finalize a few plans – don’t worry, you still have plenty of time to get it sorted out. Use this time wisely and you too will be ready to have a stress free race weekend.

If you have not worked on any of those questions above, then I would like to suggest that you take a moment to think about them and begin to formulate a plan. You may not know all the answers, but working on them now will give you plenty of time to seek advice from those that have the answers to these questions.

Knowledge is king. The more you know what to expect on race day the more at ease you will be in the race. Feeling free of stress over those last few days before a race does wonders to your mental state. It will allow you to truly embrace the weekend, as the race is meant to be a celebration for all the work that you have done to get you there.

Dot those “I’s” and cross those “T’s” now. You will be glad you did when it comes time to put your legs up and rest up the day before the race. Nothing can put you in a greater mental state than knowing that you have prepared as well as possible. That feeling is a reward in itself. The race will be the icing on the cake. See you at the starting line!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

From Lance Armstrong's Master Your Shift..

Vitamin D & Your Health

By Ryan Kohler

I recently read an article about a potential link between Vitamin D status and seasonal flu (article link below). Part of this came to mind as I was sniffling and sneezing with allergies this weekend. Now that we are approaching the fall months, it’s a good time to start thinking about your Vitamin D intake since it has such an important role in the body and is affected largely by solar radiation – namely, the lack of radiation most of us get in the winter months.

With jobs keeping many of us indoors during the day, early sunsets, and colder temps on the way, we are at a higher risk for receiving less than adequate radiation to convert the precursor to Vitamin D in our skin to the active form for the body. (Note: be smart about sun exposure – just like anything else, moderation is key and this, too, can be overdone. If you are prone to burns, wear sunscreen)

In a nutshell, Vitamin D is responsible for bone health and immune function, so from a general health perspective, we should always try to get enough of this throughout the year. And if you are one of those people who succumb to the seasonal cold or flu, think about starting to get more sources of Vitamin D in your diet these days. Some of the best sources include:

Salmon, tuna, fortified milk, orange juice fortified w/ D, and cod liver oil are all great sources of Vitamin D. 2 cups of milk (fortified) will get you up to 60% of your daily intake, 3 ounces of salmon will nearly double the daily recommendation, and 1 cup of fortified OJ will give you about 25% of your daily intake.

As we get into the fall months, check up on your intake and look to add some of these foods to your diet, not only to promote healthy bones, but maybe you can help to offset that seasonal cold/flu as well.

Resources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870528/?tool=pubmed

Friday, September 3, 2010

Disneyland Half Marathon 2010

Hello Team Voice !!!

Support your Team Members running the Disneyland half this weekend by track my runner.
Here is the final race instructions.
Here is the Half marathon map course.
Here is the 5k map course.

Good Luck to all and most of all Have fun!!!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

New Month New Goals Team

SO how is everyone doing?? Is everyone as excited as I am that we are only 4 weeks away from the race weekend? Holy Cats!!!

Anyone want to post a challenge?? How about a virtual race to remember 9/11?? Create a bib, and get a prize for it?? Distance?? Post a picture of self?? And we can put some new pictures in our slide show there to the left of the screen. Sound good??

Please do not forget to support our Team Members that will be headed out to Disneyland to do the DL Half this year.! I will post more with race info. and track my runner.

We have a Team Voice Member of the Month,but I can't post it for another couples days.

Skype meet this month, Sept 12th.. not to sure on the time. Someone hacked my team voice e mail,and I have to make a new one. I will get it out to everyone!

I wanted to speak of night running/walking/wog. Even though this will be a controlled environment, some parts of this course is gonna be a little dark. I recommend getting a head light.
Rae, a head light?? Yes. Home Depot has them, you can get 2 to wear on your head, plus 2 small flash lights for 14.95. Cheapest around I have found.

I am speaking from experience, I fell last year when I forgot to wear my light. Even with the street lights, it can still be tough to see. It was 2 weeks before the 2010 marathon weekend. I do most of my running at night.

I will be bringing, some gels, I have a case of mini cliff bars, and samples of That Butt Stuff. If they get here in time I will have KTape samples for everyone too. I have sponsors for us so I will need pictures to post, and show it getting out to everyone.

Maybe I will have some news on teaming up with Make a Wish or giving the Kids the world.

Any new goals ?? Need help setting goals?? Please let me know!! I can help.

Team Voice, Many Goals, One Voice

I will see you at the Finish Line!!
Rae

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Virtual Run Weekend



How's everyone doing out there?

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

5 Ways to Calm Hunger Pangs

5 Ways to Calm Hunger Pangs

Do you start getting hunger pangs at 11:50 a.m. in anticipation of lunch? We've all been there. The cause is the hormone ghrelin; released when the stomach is empty, it sets off a chain reaction in the body to make you hungry. In general, you want to keep levels of ghrelin low during the day so you can keep hunger in check. Apart from an empty stomach, there are several factors that can raise ghrelin levels, including drinking alcohol, eating too few calories, and eating greasy, fatty foods. Here are some strategies that will help you manage these triggers and keep your ghrelin levels from rising:

Have a substantial breakfast. One study showed that people who ate a higher-calorie breakfast produced 33 percent less ghrelin throughout the day and felt satisfied for a longer period of time. Try a whole-wheat English muffin with organic peanut butter, a cup of strawberries, and some low-fat yogurt.

Choose complex carbs and get more fiber. Insulin and ghrelin go hand in hand. When insulin goes up after you eat, ghrelin goes down. If you eat the wrong kind of carbohydrates — refined carbs such as white bread and pasta — your blood sugar rises dramatically. In response, your body releases a surge of insulin to clear that sugar from the bloodstream. The insulin does its job very efficiently, and the resulting low blood sugar causes hunger sooner. These constant blood sugar ups and downs can wreak havoc on your metabolism, so it's best to eat complex carbs and fiber, which delay the release of sugar into the bloodstream so that insulin levels are kept stable and you feel full longer.

Eat on a schedule. Research has found that ghrelin levels rise and fall at your usual mealtimes, so eating on a schedule prevents spikes in ghrelin. If you're running errands and are away from the kitchen at one of your typical mealtimes, carry a small bag of almonds or other nuts with you — you can eat a little something to keep your stomach satisfied until you can get home and have a real meal.

Emphasize high-volume, low-calorie foods. Levels of ghrelin remain high until food stretches the walls of your stomach, making you feel full. High-volume, low-calorie foods, such as salads and soups, reduce ghrelin levels long before you've overeaten. All green veggies and any foods with a high water content count as high-volume, low-calorie foods.

Eat protein. Protein-rich foods can also suppress ghrelin levels — they help create a long-lasting feeling of fullness. Try adding whey protein to a low-calorie smoothie. (If you're sensitive to gluten, just be sure to check the ingredients list; some whey protein products contain gluten.) One study found that whey brought about a prolonged suppression of ghrelin.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Runner World Quote of The Day



I run because I enjoy it—not always, but most of the time. I run because I've always run—not trained, but run.

Amby Burfoot, Runner's World Editor At Large and marathoner

Thursday, August 19, 2010

You're Worth It!

You're Worth It!

Change can be painful and often involves some struggling, but remember, it's so worth it. Every time you push yourself physically, you'll grow even stronger and more confident in your abilities. No, my workouts are not easy, but you might as well face it now: I'm never going to let them be easy. I'm always going to be pushing you to the next level, whatever it might be. And you know what? You're only going to be stronger, healthier, and happier for it. Check out what one of my teammates recently said about her journey when another member was worried about being stuck in a rut:

Keep with the program and try to stay on this site as it's more than a "diet" and "exercise" program. I gained so much knowledge reading everyone's post, it brings everything home to me. We KNOW what we should do and we have the tools...we cannot paint a masterpiece if we do not pick up that paint brush. Like the others have said, log your meals because once we get comfortable and confident in what we are doing, the weight seems to stay on or, even worse, add on! Stay true to yourself because we are worth it — we are worth the calorie counting, the "I do not want to go to the gym" workouts, the "I am going to skip dessert tonight," and we are worth being healthy and confident and loved and strong. So please keep moving and working towards your goals!
WhatEverItTakesKaren