13.1 OR BUST

This week I am going to give you some tips, pointers, and advice on how to train for a half marathon. This post will be mostly for the first timers or second time runners that just want to increase their time and not feel quite like death afterwards.

The first thing that I will say is that ANYONE can run a half marathon. It may take a little longer to train or require more perseverance but, anyone can do it. Even if you are completely out of shape you can do it. So before we get into the actual topic I wanted to share a brand new workout craze I have recently stumbled upon. For your viewing pleasure...

CHOOSING YOUR RACE

The very first thing you need to do when wanting to complete a half marathon is to sign up for one. Once you have paid and committed to a date in the future you will be MUCH more likely to complete it. No one likes to lose 70 dollars. So the question comes, what race should I choose? If you have a zero level of fitness and are reading this from the couch you have been sitting on for the past two weeks I would say you will need to commit around 6 months to train for this training program. Now if you are moderately active and workout or run a couple of times a week, I would advise around 3-4 months to train for your very first one. So that means when choosing a race shoot for a race that's around 4 months away. So, most people that start thinking about a half marathon around this time usually shoot for a September or October race. That gives them all spring and summer to train. If you find a race that fits in July or August I would say go ahead and sign up for it but just be cautious of the hot weather that you might experience that day.

Here is a website that list almost all of the Half Marathon Races in our country.

The next part of choosing the race is the cost. For me, cost is a big factor mainly because I am a poor post-grad college student. There are races that can start at $40 and go all the way up to $120 dollars. The price depends on how early you sign up (i.e. sign up for that September race now!), the location (big city vs. country side), and the number of people running. The Greenville Spinx Half Marathon costed me around $50 and the Flying Pig Half in Cincinnati would have costed me around $115 dollars! So choose one that is reasonably priced. I would shoot for a lower cost race for your first one. There will probably be less people, less extreme runners, and if you do happen to not be able to complete it then you won't feel as bad for spending the money. Also, if this is your first one, unless you want to make a weekend trip of it, choose one that is closer to your house. If you pick one that is farther away you will have to think about the added cost of gas, hotel, food, etc. But if you want to make a weekend out of it then feel free to go wherever you want!

The last part is choosing a race that sounds enjoyable to you. There are races that run through a downtown, races that run through the mountains of North Carolina (one I am going to do in early May), and ones that feature a wide variety of terrain. Choose one that has scenery that you won't mind looking at for a couple hours. I ran the Wright Pat Air Force Marathon last October and for about 6 miles I ran around an empty airfield where no bystanders were allowed. That was a very boring hour or so. So choose one that you will enjoy. Next, look up the elevation of the race. Most race websites will show the elevation changes. There are some half marathons that are all hills, one long up hill, completely flat, mostly downhill, or a couple big uphills but flat after that. If this is your first one I would choose one that is flatter and so therefore a little easier to complete. But once again choose one that you will enjoy.

WORKOUT PLAN

Now that you are signed up for your first one. Congrats! Now you need to figure out how you will get your lazy butt off the couch to go run. So that's where you need to find a training plan. When trying to figure out how to complete a half marathon the first thing you need to do is pick a plan that fits best for you. You can type "half marathon training plans" into google and find about 15 different plans that you could follow. I think there are 3 important things to consider when choosing a plan. My Google Search For You

First, you need to  analyze your schedule to figure out how much time each week that you have to complete the training. You need to be realistic and honest with yourself about how much time you have. Don't commit to using a training program that requires you to run 5 days a week if you know you won't have enough time or motivation to do that. That is one big mistake people have. Some people start with a 5 day a week program and only end up running three days. If you might do that you might be skipping a valuable workout and lose a large part of the program itself. So if you have a flexible work schedule you might want to choose a plan that has a few days but longer workouts. Now if you work from 9-5 everyday but you have an hour or so after work each day, you might want to pick a plan that is more days per week but might be less time each day. Once again, this is where you need to be honest and realistic with yourself.

The next part of picking a training program is to find one you are comfortable with. There are programs that ask you to run different intervals, run hills, or do cross training. If you don't have access to a gym, or a track to run intervals you might want to pick a program that fits better with the equipment you will have available to you. There are some people that will despise doing a sprint workout, or not have access to a gym or bike to get cross training in, so if that is the case you need to choose a plan that consists of mostly running. Now, I would say that you get a bigger benefit from adding in cross training and strength training but this is your marathon so choose what you like.

Lastly, you need to find a program that fits with the amount of time you have until your race. If you find a program that you like but it is 18 weeks long when you only have 12 weeks, that obviously won't work. You need to assess your fitness level and then find a program that gives you enough time to train for your race. If you followed my advice up above and signed up for a race 5-6 months in advance you have a wider variety to choose from. Also, if there is a program that is only 3 months long but really want to do it, then you can start running a little and working out at your own pace before you start a program.

Scott Murr and Bill Pierce

After saying all of this my preferred training plan was developed by a few of my professors at Furman University. It is laid out in a book they wrote called Run Less, Run Faster by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, and Ray Moss. Basically, this training schedule only has you running three days a week so it is very convenient for those with less time. I found it very easy to complete for my marathon and my half marathon training. The first day is a shorter run with intervals, the second day is a medium length run that is run at the pace you are trying to complete the race in, and the last day is a long run day that is run slower than the pace you are shooting for. I liked this plan because it is simple, variable because you can change up the days of the runs, and few enough days to complete each run. Now, I know this plan starts off strong but it can be done and you might need to work into this plan a little. So, if you are in decent shape already this plan can work well for you. FIRST Training Plan

RUNNING ADVICE

The last few things I have are just some basic advice that can really help you stay away from injury and enjoy your training. The first thing is to buy good running shoes. Buying running shoes that are right for your feet will help you reduce knee pain, shin splints, and other pain. You can go online and find good running shoes anywhere from $65 to $120 dollars. Honestly, the more you pay the better shoe you get. I would stay away from the $30-$40 dollar shoes. They will wear out quickly and will not fit your feet properly. Go to a good running store like Fleet Feet and they can get a shoe that fits your foot and your running gait. Also, if you do that bring in your previous running shoes and they can look at the wear pattern and get a shoe that best fits how you run.

The next piece of advice is to focus on a variety of training. Cross training is a great way to keep up your cardiovascular endurance while reducing the wear and tear of running on the knees. Swim, bike, or row on the off running days and it will help you stay in shape without developing an overuse injury. ANother important aspect that can help improve your time is interval training. This is jogging with sprints in between. This can help raise your VO2max and help you to better be able to control your breathing during your long run. Also, do not abandon strength training. Now, you don't need to go out and shoot for upping your 1 rep max but you do want to maintain that muscle strength. The stronger you are the easier it is to keep those feet going when you are tired. Another big part of strength training is keeping your core strong. Your core keeps the entire body strong, upright, and stable. With a weak core, as you get tired, your running form will fade even more. Five simple leg workouts that are good for marathon training are:

Single Leg Squat

• Body Weight Squats
• Single Leg Squats
• Single Leg Deadlifts
• One Leg Calf Raises
• Walking Lunges

Also, core exercises like these are great for core strength:

• Planks (Regular and Side Planks)
• Flutter Kicks
• Hip Thrusters
• Crunches
• Back Bows

One last piece of advice I would give is to focus on your diet and eating well during a training run and after it. When you are trying to run 13 miles you have to carry all 200 pounds that you weigh with you. So if you lose weight then each step is easier and easier. I know it sounds simple but if you lose weight then completing the half marathon is even easier. Your diet should change from the normal 55% carbs, 25% fats, and 20% protein to closer to 65% carbs, 20% fats, and 15% protein. Carbohydrates provide the energy for the cells to keep the muscles going for the long run. Focus on eating smaller but more meals throughout the day with whole grain carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, and lean meat for each meal. You also need to increase the number of calories you eat around 100 calories per mile you run throughout the week. This will help refuel and keep your body full of energy for the next run.

Endurance athlete food pyramid. Focus on the carbs!

During the race you need to consume around 30-60g of carbohydrates each hour that you are running. That means if your half marathon takes you two hours you need to consume around 60-120g of carbohydrates during the race. During the race there will be tables with gatorade, water, sports gels, and even bananas. Use these to refill your body with carbohydrates and also rehydrate. It also takes around 45 minutes to get the carbohydrates into your blood stream, so when in doubt hydate and refuel early and often. You want to practice this during training runs to see how your body responds to eating and consuming sports gels or bananas during a race. If you try this and feel sick by eating anything then focus on having enough carbohydrates before the race and just rehydrate with water during the race. Or, if you feel like you can put anything in your stomach while running then focus on getting closer to the 120g of carbohydrates for the race. You always want to make sure that you getting enough fluids and carbohydrates during the race. Don't just consume sports gels and nothing else, make sure you are getting water as well.

I have given a lot of little tips to help get you across that finish line but once again this is just a brief list and a small portion of what you can work on during training. Please do your own research and find what works best for you. Once again I am not a dietitian, or extremely experienced marathon runner so take my advice with a grain of salt. These are just some of the things that I have picked up from running myself. Always practice what you are going to do on your race day, and never go into a race day with a plan to try or even wear something new. Always run comfortably, relaxed, and focused on the end goal. Even if you need to walk part of it as long as you keep moving you are one step closer to the finish line. And maybe while you are running you will look like this guy:

In summary, you need to pick the race that is right for you, find a training plan that will be realistic with your schedule, and focus on eating well to keep your body healthy and refueled. This is your accomplishment so have fun with it! This might be the hardest thing you have ever done but if you make it your own and work hard you won't regret this decision. Just remember that with enough motivation and effort ANYONE can complete their first half marathon. And...

NUTRITION TIP

One very important aspect of our health that can be improved drastically by our diet is our HDL cholesterol. Not all cholesterol is bad and actually it is an essential fat in our body. HDL (high density lipoprotein) is the good cholesterol in our body. This cholesterol helps removes LDL (bad cholesterol) which can cause atherosclerosis or damage to the arteries. HDL also scrubs and keeps the arteries clean and healthy. This can drastically reduce the risk of heart attack and heart diesease. We can ingest HDL from our good oils (light olive oils, peanut, and canola oils), nuts, fish, and avocados. By increasing these healthy fats in our every day diet, we can help drastically decrease our risk for heart disease and arterial damage. So guacamole up!

NEXT WEEK: P90X. DOES IT REALLY WORK?

OUR BELOVED POISONS

SMOKING

I will start nice and easy and start with what cigarettes are. They are basically rolled up paper with tobacco leaves inside. The main active ingredient in tobacco is nicotine. Nicotine is a toxic, colorless, or yellowish oily liquid that acts as a stimulant in small doses but in larger doses blocks the action of the autonomic nerve and skeletal muscle cells. Nicotine has two different effects on the body. The first are pharmacologic effects: increase heart rate, increase heart muscle oxygen consumption rate, and increase stroke volume of the heart. The second effect of nicotine are psychodynamic effects: raised level of alertness, euphoria, and sensation of being relaxed. This second effect is the addictive properties that keep people smoking for years. (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240820.php)

So now that we are addicted to smoking let's talk about to what actually happens when you inhale tobacco smoke. Let's start with the first stop for tobacco smoke. When you inhale oxygen the air goes into your lungs and you exchange this good air with the built up CO2 in our lungs. So the lungs are the main organs that bring in oxygen and as we learned a couple weeks ago, this brought in oxygen provides us with energy (VERY IMPORTANT!). So when we breathe in tobacco smoke this smoke goes into our lungs and into the small sacs called aveoli. These small sacs is where the gas exchange actually happens. Tobacco smoke damages these small sacs (think of little balloons) by making them more rigid and inflexible. This severely cuts our ability to exchange the good air for the bad air. This means that you won't be able to exchange and move oxygen near as well and as we learned before, this means that you won't be able to create as much ATP or energy. You will cause you to feel out of breath much quicker than normal.

Alveoli look like a bundle of grapes.

Another consequence of smoking is the damage it causes to the normal cleaning and repair system of your lungs. Your lungs and trachea are covered in tiny little hairs called cilia and also are covered in a thin layer of mucus. This mucus helps trap the dirt and particles that you inhale and the cilia will move that dirt back up and out of the lungs. These two little mechanisms help keep your lungs clean and healthy. When you smoke you destroy the cilia that line your trachea and lungs. This means that the dirt and pollution will get trapped in the mucus but will not be able to move back out of your lungs. Your lungs will try to move it out but the only way you can usually get it out will be by a forceful cough (aka. smoker's cough). Since you can't move it out easily you will have more dust, pollution, and chemicals from the cigarette in your lungs. These particles can put you at a higher risk for COPD, bronchitis, chest infections, and chronic cough.

Atherosclerosis- The whole red ring was the functional blood
vessel but now it is only the white area at the top.

These are two main consequences from smoking cigarettes but the cigarettes damage is far more than just in the lungs. One other main issue of cigarettes is the effects on the heart and blood vessels. The chemicals in cigarettes (which there are around 4,800 different chemicals, 70 of which are known to cause cancers) harm the blood cells. With this damage to the blood vessels in the body, a buildup of plaque can occur and this is called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a buildup of plaque in the tiny blood vessels can cause blockages of blood flow and major problems such as Coronary Heart Disease and Peripheral Arterial Disease. This disease can be a big factor in heart attacks, stroke, chest pain, numbness, and more.
(http://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/health-effects/smoking-health/index.html)

Smoking can cause major damage to your heart and lungs but some people will say that "I only smoke every once in a while" or "I don't smoke but my boyfriend does" I have some news for you. According to the National Institute of Heart, Lungs, and Blood, "Any amount of smoking, even light smoking or occasional smoking, damages the heart and blood vessels. For some people, such as women who use birth control pills and people who have diabetes, smoking poses an even greater risk to the heart and blood vessels." NIH Smoking Once again smoking does not only damage the heart and lungs but effects every single cell in the body including and can cause a large variety of issues in the body including:

• Osteoporosis and bone damage
• Heart Diseases
• Lung Diseases
• Vision Damage
• And has been found to cause these types of cancers:
• Lung
• Trachea
• Bronchus
• Esophagus
• Oral
• Lip
• Nasopharynx
• Nasal Cavity
• Larynx
• Stomach
• Bladder
• Pancreas
• Kidney
• Liver
• Uterine Cervix
• Colon 
• Rectum
• http://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/health-effects/smoking-health/

So obviously smoking can damage a very large part of your body and is not just limited to your lungs. These problems have also been found to occur in people that ingest secondhand smoke. So even if you don't smoke but are inhaling smoke from others you are very likely to see some of these problems as well as the smoker next to you. Secondhand smoke causes over 3,400 lung cancer cases and 46,000 heart disease deaths PER YEAR!! California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant: Executive Summary. June 24, 2005.

The last thing I will share about smoking is that smoking-related diseases are the number 1 preventable cause of death. So, smoking causes more deaths than any other preventable source. Around 446,000 people die each year from smoking related, preventable diseases EACH YEAR!! Around 8.6 million people have at least one serious illness at any time. Lastly, smokers die significantly earlier than nonsmokers: around 13.2 years for men and 14.5 years for women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Economic Costs — United States, 1995–1999. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. April 12, 2002; 51(14):300-3.)

Twin A is a non-smoker and Twin B smokes. Look at the difference!

Lastly, smoking has ZERO nutritional or positive benefits for your body and gives nothing that the body needs. There is NO reason why anyone of any age should be smoking, and quitting today would be the best decision for your life.


ALCOHOL

Now alcohol is a much more controversial topic. The first thing I will say about alcohol is that it should not be your primary beverage choice due to the high amount of calories in most alcoholic beverages. Once again you should not be drinking your calories and so sticking with water is your best way to keep off those extra pounds.

• Dry White Wine- 70 calories per glass
• Vodka- 70 calories per shot
• Guinness- 210 calories per drink
• Strongbow Hard Cider- 110 calories per drink
• Red Wine- 85 calories per glass

The next issue that comes with alcohol is the damage that it can do to your body. Now this is where some controversy comes in. Some research will say that alcohol only damages the body after repeated years of drinking or after a severe binge while others say that one drink can cause harm to the body. I would lean towards the repeated or excessive side of this but just know that alcohol is a toxin that you are putting into your body.

The main organ that alcohol damages when you drink to excess or for long periods of time is your liver. Your liver's main job is to filter the blood that is coming from the digestive tract. It also detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs in your system. The liver is a VERY important organ of your body and will clean out your blood and keep you safe and healthy. By drinking to excess your liver will not be able to handle the amount of chemicals in your blood. The liver cells will then directly absorb the toxins in your blood and become damage and die. If this problem goes on too long (alcoholics) the damage can become permanent and your liver is now functioning at a lower level. 

When your liver is functioning at a lower level it becomes susceptible to diseases and other major issues due to alcohol. A few main problems are fatty liver disease- buildup of fat in the liver and can cause fatigue or weakness, alcohol hepatitis- liver swelling and damage and can cause nausea, vomiting, fever, jaundice, and alcoholic cirrhosis- scarring of liver which is permanent damage which can cause liver failure. All of these are very serious and the first can be reversed by a stopping of drinking alcohol. If you develop these and continue to drink, alcohol-related liver disease complications can arise such as: 

• Buildup of fluid in abdomen
• Bleeding from veins in the esophogus or stomach
• Enlarged spleen
• High blood pressure in liver
• Brain disorders and coma
• Kidney failure
• Liver cancer
• http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/alcohol/

Alcohol can affect the brain by disrupting and damaging neural pathways and connections which can change your ability to think, feel emotion, process tasks, and it can damage coordination. The heart can also be affected and cause cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure, arythmias, and strokes. Another area that alcohol can damage is the pancreas. Alcohol will cause the pancreas to produce a toxic substance that can cause pancreatitis, which is a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels that can restrict proper digestion. Alcohol, since it is a toxin, has also been found to be linked to a variety of cancers including mouth, liver, esophogeal, breast, and throat. 

Remembering to drink in moderate amounts is very important! Remember that most of these issues can be caused by one night out drinking to excess! Here are some blood alcohol content levels and the various effects that each one can have:

• .04-.06: Feeling of well being, euphoria, relaxed state, behavior can become exaggerated
• .1-.125: Significant impairment in motor control and judgment. Speech, vision, hearing is impaired
• .16-.19: Nausea and dysphoria (feeling unhappy or unwell), "Sloppy drunk"
• .25- All mental, physical, and sensory functions are damaged. Serious risk of choking on vomit or injuring yourself from a fall.
• .35: Coma is possible and this is the level of surgical anethesia!
• .35+: Coma and possible death due to shutdown of organs including respiratory arrest
• http://www.brad21.org/effects_at_specific_bac.html

Now all of this might sound scary to you but just remember. MODERATION. If you drink every once in a while or on the weekends you have a couple drinks most research shows that you will be totally fine. But if you go out and party really hard and drink to excess there are possible lasting damages that can occur. Or if you are a one or drink a night type of person there is a much higher risk for developing a dependence on alcohol and future damage due to excessive use. So be smart and drink in moderation. 

Also, this might be my favorite meme ever...

But underage drinking is no laughing matter...

But he is just so cute looking...

WORKOUT OF THE WEEK:

This workout has three steps. A cardio portion, a pyramid, and another cardio portion.

1. Run one mile (or 3 miles biking)
2. Pyramid counting down from 10 to 1 of:                                                                                             (So do 10 reps of each, then 9 reps of each, then 8 of each, etc..)
1. Pushups
2. Jump Squats (Example)
3. Sumo Squats
4. Jacknife Crunches(Example)
5. Dips (on edge of couch or bench)
3. Run one mile (or 3 miles biking)

NEXT WEEK: HOW TO TRAIN FOR A HALF MARATHON

THE SMOKING FRY

In the past four years I have driven more miles than probably anyone else I know. I went to a college that was over 400 miles away from my house and traveled to and from quite often. I also am dating a girl that lives over 500 miles from my house. So needless to say, in the past few years I have put on close to 40,000 miles on my car. Also, this driven miles don't account for the time I have spent in airports traveling to and from Raleigh and Greenville. I am actually flying to Raleigh tomorrow as well! So, I know I am not a traveling businessman but I think I have a pretty decent experience of eating while traveling and on the go.

There are a few very important things to remember about nutrition that you need to focus on whether you are away from home or cooking in your own kitchen. Choosemyplate.gov is actually a pretty good government run website that helps show what to eat and how to track and maintain your diet. The most important thing about the choose-your-plate website is the simple graph of what your plate should look like each meal. It shows that our plate should have 1/2 fruits and veggies, 1/4 whole grains, and 1/4 lean protein. This simple graph is what you should shoot for with each meal. Whether you are at home or on the go, the important things to focus on are fruits and veggies, whole wheat, lean meats, and drinking water.

So now that we know roughly the types of things we should be focusing on, how can we get these things while on the go? The first thing to realize is that you are not going to be able to get these perfect meals each time. Unless you have unlimited time or money this perfect plate will not be easy to get. There are however some great options for getting the majority of the plate.

BEVERAGES

The first very important thing to remember when traveling, or in daily life, is to not drink your calories. Drinking a can of Coke (12oz) will give you around 140 calories. Now, if you go to a restaurant or  fast food place, how often do you only drink 12oz of Coke? Most fast-food restaurants now have a "small" size that comes in at around 16-20oz depending on the fast-food joint. So needless to say, you will be getting closer to 200 calories just from your beverage. So focus on drinking water. I know this isn't always the most delicious option but by cutting out getting a Coke you will cut back on completely pointless calories that give you no nutritional value.

Now some people say that they need the caffeine while driving. I understand that and have been there. There are some better options than getting a 20oz Coke. Once again, I recommend never drinking pop but if you must than shoot for diet beverages instead. They have no calories and still provide you the caffeine. Once again, I recommend never drinking soft drinks. My choice instead would be for coffee or tea. These provide the necessary caffeine while only adding 2-3 calories per 12 ounces. If you add cream and sugar you can make it closer to 20 calories but coffee and tea are MUCH better options than drinking coke.

8 ounces (1 cup) of various beverages

• Coffee, black- 2 calories
• Tea, green- 1 calorie
• Coca-Cola, diet- 3 calories/ 0g of sugar
• Coca-Cola, regular- 95 calories/ 27g of sugar
• Mountain Dew, regular- 110 calories/ 31g of sugar
• Sunkist Original, regular- 127 calories/ 35g of sugar
• Starbucks Vanilla Frappuccino Bottle- 290 calories/ 45g of sugar/ 4.5g of fat
• Water- 0 calories

FOOD

So now that we are going to drinking water or coffee to keep us hydrated and awake let's look at different food choices that we can make. So once again by looking at the Myplate image above, we should be focusing on lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and veggies. When eating out during vacation or traveling you can always eat healthy. It might not be as easy to eat healthy out than when you are home but it is still possible. The first step is to dine at healthier restaurants. If you are out and choose to go to CookOut, Five Guys, Taco Bell, or KFC, you are already behind the eight ball when it comes to making good choices. Choosing better, healthier restaurants is the key to eating better.

If you go out to Subway, Panera, Jason's Deli, even Chipotle or any other place like that you have a much better chance to eat healthier. At places like this there is a much wider range of options in order for you to get your lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and veggies. Subway in my opinion might be the best fast-food option to eat healthy at. They have whole grain bread, grilled chicken or turkey, spinach, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and more. Choosing options that have these items are much better in terms of eating healthy. Panera is also a favorite of mine and they have a lot of options for you to make good choices with. Chipotle may not be the healthiest option but their desire to use hormone free meat and organic produce make it a good option as well. But with all of these options, especially going out to restaurants like Applebees, Friday's, or any chain place, you need to be careful of portion size.

You know your burger is greasy when you rub it on the wall and that happens...

I CAN eat an entire burrito and chips from Chipotle but that does not mean I should! One easy way to reduce the amount of calories that you eat while you are out or on the road is to reduce the size of meal you order. At most chain places like an Applebees, they actually are giving you two portion sizes. A serving size for grilled chicken is only about the size of a deck of cards. I can't imagine ever getting a piece of chicken that small on a normal entree. So one easy key is to take half of the food you get and put it aside. You can even ask for a box early and put it in there. If the food is out of sight you will eat slower and your body will feel more full even without stuffing down the other half of your meal. Most of the time we over-eat at places like that purely because the food is in front of us. So remember portion control and you have a great chance of eating healthier.

Lastly, and the most obvious way to reduce bad calories while traveling is to avoid fast-food joints as much as possible. Eating at McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, and similar places are never a good option. They only have a few choices that will not make you feel terrible. Now, if you are forced to go to fast food places then there are ways to avoid ruining your entire diet. Choosing salads are a great option. Places like Wendy's and Chick-fil-a now have very tasty and mostly healthy salads. Also, shoot for the grilled chicken and stay away from the burgers and fried chicken. So, ending up at McDonald's is not the end of the world when trying to eat healthy BUT if possible, choose places with more healthy options such as Subway or Panera.

• Big Mac, McDonald's- 550 calories, 29g of fat (45% of daily)
• Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Wendy's- 510 calories, 20g of fat
• Chicken Sandwich, Chick-fil-a- 440 calories, 18g of fat
• Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki, Subway- 360 calories, 4.5g of fat (these numbers include lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, green peppers, and wheat bread)
• Smokehouse Turkey, Panera- 360 calories, 13g of fat
• Burrito, Chipotle (Tortilla, chicken, fajitas, brown rice, cheese, green chili salsa, corn salsa, lettuce)- 800 calories, 26.5g of fat
• Asian Salad, Chick-fil-a- 330 calories, 13g of fat

SIDES/SNACKS

So we have seen what our beverage and entree choices are and what are better options. It is important to once again remember that portion control is huge. Looking above, you see that a Chipotle burrito can have around 800 calories and even more depending on your choices, but if you cut that meal in half and eat it for a later meal you are only getting closer to 400 calories. Choosing to eat slightly smaller meals interspersed with snacks throughout the day is a great way to limit the massive amounts of calories eaten in one sitting. So when choosing snacks once again look back at the Myplate ideal. If we are getting our lean meats, veggies, and whole grains in our meal what does that leave us with? Fruits. 

Fruit is always a fantastic snack. An apple has tons of healthy sugars (aka carbohydrates) that give us the energy we need to keep going throughout the day. Really, any type of fruit or vegetable is a great choice. Carrots with hummus is one of my go-to snack choices. Another great option for a snack are nuts. Almonds, brazilian, cashews, walnuts, etc are all chock full of protein and calories to keep us feeling full longer. Nuts also give us healthy fats that our body needs. These options all contain vital vitamins and minerals that our body needs.

Clip from Supersize Me about McDonald's French Fries

On the flip side of those options we have snacks like Doritos, french fries, or cookies. These choices are full of empty carbs that provide no nutritional value to our meals. They usually just add unhealthy oils, fats, and useless carbohydrates to our body. Once again, if you end up at McDonald's you can choose to get a salad or grilled chicken sandwich and you can also choose to get the apple slices or the fruit parfait. These simple easy choices can really negate large calorie and fat gains.

• Medium Fry, Wendy's- 410 calories, 20g of fat
• Nacho Cheese Doritos (1 bag)- 144 calories, 9g of fat
• 1 Chocolate Chip Cookie, Pillsbury- 150 calories, 8g of fat
• Golden Delicious Apple- 82 calories, 0g of fat
• 24 almonds- 164 calories, 14g of fat (remember healthy fats)
• 1 Mini box of Raisins, Sun-Maid- 45 calories, 0g of fat

SUMMARY

So I have put together a very short list of options that you can choose while on the go. My tip for eating while out is to think simple by choosing unprocessed foods such as fruits and veggies. Stay away from fried and greasy and choose grilled. Choose simple options that fall into the Myplate diagram and focus on getting your fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. Also, remember to limit the portion size by cutting meals in half or choosing the smaller size of items. Eating while on-the-go is not easy but by making a few simple changes you can cut out a LOT of unnecessary calories. 

The last thing I want to say is that if you splurge and go to Taco Bell every once in a while, you are okay! You don't need to constantly deprive yourself from foods that you enjoy but you just need to remember moderation. You shouldn't be at McDonald's every day but if you are out on vacation and have eaten well then it is okay to get the barbecue burger with fries. Choosing simple and natural foods will provide you with more energy, more vitamins and minerals, and will make you feel better. So to sum up my tips for eating healthier on the go is to not drink your calories (i.e. pop/soda), choose healthier restaurants, moderation is key, and focus on the Myplate guidelines. These little tips will help you change your bad habits pretty quick!

WORKOUT OF THE WEEK:

5 Minute Warmup

HIIT Cycle (30s each with 15s of jogging in place between each one. NO REST)

Jog in Place
High Kness
Mountain Climbers (Example)
Pushups
Star Jumps (Example)
Squat Jacks (Example)
Side Hip Raises Left (Example)
Side Hip Raises Right
Burpees (Example)

Strength Training: (Do while holding dumbbells or any other weight. Same time as HIIT above)

Squats
Deadlift with legs locked (Example)
Lunge in place Forward
Lunge in place Backwards
Curtsy Lunge (Example)
Sumo Squat (Example)
Burpees

(AFTER THE STRENGTH PORTION, REPEAT BOTH THE HIIT CYCLE AND THE STRENGTH THEN MOVE ONTO ABS.)

Abs: (30s each)

Crunches
Bicycles Forward
Bicycle Backward
Jacknife Crunches (Example)
Donkey Kicks (Example)
Firehydrants (Example)
6 Inches and Hold
Back Bows (Example)
Jumping Jacks

Cooldown

How I feel after every workout!

NEXT WEEK: THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING AND ALCOHOL ON THE BODY