Eat This: Turmeric

You'll find this in most curry dishes. Turmeric has long been studied for its anticancer properties, anti-inflammatory effects and tumor-fighting activities. Next time sprinkle a tbp of turmeric when you cook your rice.
photo credit: katsuma

The Ups & Downs of High Heels,

We all love that feeling of walking into a room knowing we look tall thin and are exhibiting sleek toned looking legs.  Heels seem to be an easy fix and they are just so much fun to shop for!  But at what cost?  We all deep down know they are not good for our feet and back. But it doesn't end there: research done by Harvard linked high heels and knee osteoarthritis, a painful, degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of the cartilage surrounding the knee. Ouch! Now I am not suggesting that we give up heels all together(although if you can more power to you!), but we need to come up with some good compromises that allow us to keep our sence of style without putting our health at risk.  One of the ways that I have decreased my heel time is by using stylish sandals(I live in hot weather so this works for most of the year).  The key is finding attractive sandals that have good support.  I keep a pair in the car and when I am done wearing my hot little heels to church or to a special dinner date I will switch them out.  Sure I want to make a good first impression whether it be a date or a place I am speaking but I don't want it to wear on my body.  How do you cut down on your heel time?
photo credit: [lauren nelson]

Nike + iPod Sport Kit

I love music and when it's combine with the right song and the right workout? I can get real excited! So when I first found out about this Nike + ipod kit, I had to get one.

The device was quite easy to use, it plugs right into your ipod, after some registration on the Nike site, you're good to go. You don't need to have a pair of Nike + shoes in order to use the receiver, there are aftermarket pouches that you can buy and velcro it to you shoe lace area.

I like the power song feature, during those uphill battles (speed bumps in Florida), it delivers that "extra push" my current power song is "Sabotage" by the beastie boys.

Ok, so what are the things that I don't like? Well, it is not cheap, considering you'll need an existing ipod. Also the user interface, it is quite messy when my wife wants to use it and the uploading is confusing when there are more than 1 user in the family. Also the "on" button on the receiver can be easily forgotten, so you may be wasting battery power without knowing it was on.

Do you have a Nike + ipod kit? How do you like using it? Got any power song you like to share in the comments area? photo credit: dan taylor

The Race Challenge: Swim, Bike, Run

Whether you are trying to shed a few pounds, trying to branch out to a different routine or just trying to keep yourself motivated a race may be a great tool to do that with.  No I am not suggesting you training for an Iron Man although if that’s on your list best of luck to you.  But sometimes picking out a race date whether it is a triathlon, a run or a cycling adventure having a set race schedule may help with consistency.  I have done a few races and have found the environment to be a very enjoyable one.  There are people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels encouraging each other to finish the race strong.  I have found that there are good and bad race days.  My last triathlon I ended up with two flat tires in pouring rain.  If something could go wrong that race it did.  With shoes sopping wet at mile 22 of the bike ride I decided I had had enough.  Sure I was irritated I didn’t finish the race (but the thought of the blisters I knew I would get from a 6mile run in wet shoes was the deal breaker for me), but it wasn’t just about the race it was about the training.  Those months leading up to the race I had faithfully been swimming, biking, and running.  Maybe a race is what you need to challenge yourself. What do you think? I would love to hear your race experiences!
photo credit: thomas_sly

Are you an emotional eater?

I think we should be more self aware, to understand why we do what we do. For me, I tend to snack when I'm watching TV, therefore my activity trigger my snacking habit. Are you an emotional eater? Do you find yourself eating based on your mood? Here's a great article by Jillian Michaels - the Biggest Loser trainer, she made a great point about emotional eating:

We are always willing to justify eating crap by saying, "I had a rough day. I deserve this." Deserve what? Heart disease? Cellulite? Diabetes? Come on! Would you reward your loved ones this way? I bet not. What do I do to make myself feel better?

Here's the full article.  photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

BioFreeze and Sore Muscles

This past week I have really kicked up my workout to another level.  And ofcourse I was sore from lactic acid build up and even more so from small micro tares that are normal in the breaking down and then rebuilding of muscle.  BioFreeze has been my buddy this week.  While usually I just try to increase the amount of stretching I do, this was a great topical pain reliever that offered me some short term relief.  Basicly it allowed me to concentrate on other things than my sore muscles.  BioFreeze is basiclly a more intense version of Icy Hot(if you have sensitive skin you may want to try just a little bit on one section of your skin to make sure you wont react to it).  It is a little sticky and you will have that lovely menthol smell for a little while but over all its a really nice product.  I just order the small individual packets while maybe not as environmentally friendly as getting it in a bottle it is so convinent for in you purse, pocket, or desk at work.

High SPF Not Necessarily Better