Starting back up

When I started this blog my goal was to update it at least once a week, or maybe more depending on how motivated or creative I felt. As you can see, that has not been the case. I do, however, feel a renewed sense of motivation and inspiration to continue this project, so onward and upward we go! 

Currently, I am not in competition shape nor am I officially training for anything. In fact, it has been over a year since I ran at near-max effort. On August 14, 2011, I was proud to earn a top 1% finish with a 6:52 min/mile pace for the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon. Running a sub 1:30:00 half was an accomplishment I was proud of at the time, but now all I can do is hit myself for not building off of that success and letting my training come to a halt. 

 At any rate, I'm starting back up. I am looking forward to publishing meaningful posts that will document how I got back into the routine and replaced bad habits with good ones.

I'm Baaaaack!

Dearest Follower(s?),

I am sorry for not posting anything over the last 111 days. Since my last post, I have successfully completed 2 marathons (Chicago 10/10/10, Dallas 12/6/10), and managed to gain, that's right, GAIN 13 pounds. My next endeavor will take place on February 27, 2011 when I participate in the Hustle up the Hancock.


About the Hustle up the Hancock
*94 flights of stairs
*Donations benefit the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago to help raise money for lung disease research and education programs
*The carrying of infants and small children up the stairs is prohibited.

My goal for the stair climb is simple: not to die from a heart attack.

In other news, I started tracking meals and exercise again using my favorite site, sparkpeople.com. There is also an app for Android, and iPhones, too, I assume.

Stay Classy,
Matt

Managing Your Weight

Last weekend, I celebrated my twenty-seventh birthday, and now I am feeling guilty for putting so much crap inside my body. This is one reason why I run and try to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, so I can binge and not risk instant obesity/type II diabetes.

So after the wheels fall off from a weekend of drinking heavy beers, and eating red meat by the kilo, it is time to get back on track with the diet.

I'm sure you've heard it all before, but the first step in managing your weight is determining how many calories you need per day and then counting how many calories you actually get from food. Finding out how many calories you need per day is simple. First, you must determine your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Simply put, your BMR is how many calories your body needs at rest. Here are the formulas for BMR for men and women. If you prefer, visit this link and let the website do the math for you.

BMR formulas

For the ladies, your BMR is equal to:
655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

For the gents, your BMR is equal to:
66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Now that you have calculated your BRM, find the activity level you fall into and multiply your BMR by the number that corresponds to your activity level. What you are left with is the number of calories you need each day after adjusting for how active you are. I think it is a good idea to know how many calories you need per day for each activity level so you know how much to eat on days you workout and days you do not workout.

A Few Tips

I use a heart rate monitor to log my workouts and find out exactly how many calories I expend during my workouts. Aside from letting me know how many calories I expend on a workout, the heart rate monitor also lets me know if I am working too hard or not hard enough.

I also use a digital kitchen scale to accurately measure how many calories I consume. I really do not obsess about this stuff, I am just a data geek so I like knowing these things. I do not measure everything that I consume and I think it is crazy enough that I do this even a few times per week. If I did it several times a day and took my scale with me at all times, (1) people would think that I was a drug dealer and (2) my wife and friends would disown me.

After I measure my foods, I use websites like sparkpeople and thedailyplate to log calories and nutritional information.

And that, my friends, is how you get back on track after a day/week/month of eating like crap and not exercising enough.

Final Comments

To lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3500 calories. This is actually a lot easier than it sounds! It is only 500 calories each day to get rid of, which you can do through diet, exercising, or both. So, if you are trying to lose weight, try cutting 250 calories each day from your diet, and burning 250 calories each day through exercise or lifestyle changes (walking stairs instead of taking the elevator, parking far away from the store entrance instead of circling for the best spot... you get the idea) and you will soon be on your way to a healthy weight management routine.

Good Form Running

Most of what I blog about has to do with what I think about or what I talk about on a day-to-day basis. Since I am employed as a running coach and also as a running footwear, apparel and accessory expert at a Chicago running store, I'm consumed with running. So, let's talk about running. First, a question: do you drive a car? Of course you do. And what did you do before you first drove a car? You took a course, you practiced, you made mistakes and learned from them to become a more experienced driver. Running is the same way.

The Course

Welcome to a crash course on the art of running. It's quite simple really, left foot in front of right foot, right foot in front of left foot. Repeat. That's all, right? The truth is, most people I see running do not know what the proper way to run is or why doing so can help decrease injuries and improve performance. Check out the info below on Good Form Running.

The Review: 2 DOs and 3 DO NOTs

1. Do: Lean at the ankles
2. Do: Land with your MIDFOOT
3. Do not: Strike the ground with your toes pointed to the sky
4. Do not: bend forward at the waist.
5. Do not: Run on your toes (FOREFOOT)

Final Comments

Leaning at the ankles ensures that you are putting your center of gravity in a position that encourages a natural (but controlled) falling motion. This is critical to Good Form Running. When your foot lands on the--class, together now: MIDFOOT!--you are landing UNDER your center of gravity, not away from it. Those that run with the foot way out in front are typically over-striding and landing with a crashing or breaking motion. This puts unnecessary stress and strain on the body. Not good.

Not sure what else to say. I hope you will send me your questions if you have any.

Finally, this is not my original idea and I take no ownership of the phrase, "Good Form Running". Please visit goodformrunning for a more detailed and comprehensive look into proper form.

ZYM

For the calorie conscious athlete looking to stay hydrated without taking in extra calories from carbs and sugars, look no further than ZYM. This electrolyte tablet dissolves in water and actually tastes great. There are 3 varieties of ZYM, each with a unique taste and formula.

My favorite ZYM has always been the berry flavored ZYM Catapult. The 100mg of Caffeine and 200mg of Guarana certainly packs quite a punch, so it's like downing a couple shots of espresso without staining your teeth or giving you wicked coffee breath. Did I mention the best part about ZYM? It is great for hangovers!

Here is the breakdown on the nutritional contents of all 3 ZYM flavors:

ZYM Endurance Lemon-Lime Flavor • Calories: 7 • Carbs: 1g • Sugars: 1g • Sodium: 250mg • Potassium: 50mg • Magnesium: 50mg • Calcium: 30mg • Vitamin C: 100mg • Vitamin B5: 5mg • Vitamin B6: 8mg • Vitamin B12: 40mcg • Natural flavors • Natural colors • Gluten free • Vegan friendly

ZYM Catapult Berry Flavor • Calories: 4 • Carbs: 0g • Sugars 0g • Sodium: 250mg • Potassium: 100mg • Magnesium: 17mg • Calcium: 18mg • Vitamin C: 100mg • Vitamin B12: 500mcg • Guaraná 200mg • Caffeine 100mg • Natural flavors • Natural colors • Gluten free • Vegan friendly

ZYM Rival Orange Flavor • Calories: 7 • Carbs: 0g • Sugars 0g • Sodium: 300mg • Potassium: 100mg • Magnesium: 50mg • Calcium: 30mg • Vitamin C: 150mg • Vitamin B2: 1.7mg • Vitamin B3: 20mg • Vitamin B5: 10mg • Vitamin B6: 4mg • Vitamin B9: 10mcg • Vitamin B12: 40mcg • Natural sweetener • Natural flavors • Natural colors • Gluten free • Vegan friendly

3 Reasons Why I Love SPRI Xercuffs

1. One piece of equipment for a total lower body workout.

2. Strengthens abductors and adductors, gluteus medius, and TFL, reducing the likelihood of ITBS issues for runners.

3. Fast, cheap, fun way to exercise.

I need a blog. Wait, do I need a blog?

This is my blog. Do I need a blog? Probably not. But just like everyone else on the interwebs, I, too, can publish short sentences and avoid the rules of grammar and writing. So what will I do with my site?

I plan to use this space to share and discuss what I know best. People frequently ask me questions concerning health, fitness, nutrition, and electronics, so I will focus my efforts into those areas. You should know, however, that I am interested in everything, so expect occasional ramblings on history, humor, current events, awkwardness, random facts, sports, and eating at ridiculously tasty restaurants. Just don't expect too much, as I am limited by ADHD and keratoconus.

So there you have it, a description of what my blog is about and what you can expect to find here.

Enjoy!