Tuesday's ritual -- Mystic Marauders

5:20am and my phone chimes to wake me.  I strip down and dress into the clothes I'd laid out last night:  swimsuit first, then cycling shorts and top.  I use the bathroom and quickly brush teeth before heading down to bike over to the Wheelworks shop near Davis Sq.  

5:45am and six of my teammates greet me.  All carry their backpack or string-sacks stuff to the brim:  wetsuit, towel, and cap with goggles folded in and secured for the ride.  We head out for a 13-mile ride out of the city and into hills around the golf course at the Winchester Country Club.  

The workout seems to run like clock-work and we arrive at Sandy Beach for our swim.  Yes, it's early still, but the weather is already warming up.  (One friend Beren noted on FB:  I prefer cold - you can always put on another sweater to get warm, but if you're nekkid and still too hot yer outta options. =) ).  That's so true!  And that's why I like to workout early in the summers -- Beat the heat, take a swim.   

I look and see that the swim ropes are up and the beach has been combed by park staff, removing most of the leaves and debris from last fall and recent gully washers.  It's lovely and yet dotted with pollen and living 'stuff' -- green and gooey, alive and kicking (or rather, swimming).  I spot some goose poop (yes, the Canadians are back) and decide to place my flip-flops a few feet farther away at the water's edge.

Then we swim.  Two by two we buddy up and head out for the first buoy.  We get back to the beach about 25 minutes later and start to peel off the wetsuits.  Unlike the photo below, which was taken on a much colder day after a swim in much colder water, today's weather was perfect:  65-70F and bright.  More smiles than shivers!

Following the swim, we gab about summer racing plans and don our gear for the ride home, stuffing the wet wetsuits back into our packs.  It's wonderful to hear how everyone enjoyed the water, felt good on the hills, and keeps learning from the others.  (My friend Dave said that Sierra was giving him training tips on timing his breathing while swimming, and that's exactly why we train together.  We keep each other safe and help each other out, each striving to improve a little each time.  This is why and how training groups work!)  We also keep each other safe through numerous stop lights as we make our way back to Davis Sq, now in the heavy morning traffic.

7:30am and I arrive by bike over to a client's house -- I've been training her for a little over a year.  She knows I'll arrive a little water logged, but she's ready to train hard in her bi-weekly Tues AM session.  So I take her through new back/ab strengthening moves on her Swiss ball, have her try out a few balancing and hip lifting moves on the ball (Knee Tucks and Diver's Pikes) and then get out the resistance bands.  Imagine this move in someone's living room... we did that!  

We did a lot more, too.  From the easy crunches and plank holds to the complex Turkish get-up's, we got through her whole body routine in 55 minutes.  And my work is done for now, it's 9am and I'm back home for breakfast.  Whew!

Here's a tip:  Get your workout done early.  Beat the heat, break a sweat, and then get food.  

Most bodies love to run a little on empty before topping off the tank.  Enjoy the clean burn of an early workout! 

That's my typical Tuesday morning...and it just gets better from there.

Spring Smoothies

Few food options rival the smoothie for simplicity (no cooking, no chewing), deliciousness (fruit, ice cream), and versatility (it's a meal, snack, or dessert). Indeed, it’s as close to a perfect meal as you can get. The only problem: Duplicating juice-bar results at home.  Try some of these nutrient-packed smoothie ingredients that will juice your brain, build muscle, burn fat, and strengthen your heart in less than a minute. Just throw them in a blender, hit liquefy, and start slurping. It’s that simple. 


And for even more great ideas, check out TheMen’s Health Smoothie Selector online, 

Raspberries

High in antioxidants, and bursting with fiber, manganese, and vitamin C, these berries will keep your heart and brain in top shape.

Mango 

With abundant Vitamins A and C, mangoes also add a healthy dose of beta-carotene, which helps prevent cancer and promotes healthy skin. 

Orange and Citrus fruits

OJ has vitamin C, and pineapples contain bromelain, a cancer-inhibiting, inflammation-reducing enzyme.  These all make citrus fruits golden and great ingredients for your smoothie!

Dairy delights and Protein punches -- Milk or Whey

Then add, either Milk, Water, or that devilish combo of the latter two, Whey protein!  1% Milk has calcium, protein, added vitamins and almost none of the fat.  Whey protein has essential amino acids help pack on the muscle—making whey the best friend of athletes and gym rats alike.


For more smoothie ideas and nutritional info, search for your favorite smoothie ingredients or see the smoothie selector tool (with over 30 recipes!) brought to you by Rodale/Men's Health Magazine:   http://www.menshealth.com/smoothies/ 

on a short holiday at Cape Cod, which is quiet and serene in the wintertime.

October...now December, and 60F?

Welcome to weirdly warm winter weather. For those not following on Facebook, I wanted to let you know what SunnyDayFitness has been doing this fall. I have been trying a new workout location and training venue every other Saturday this fall -- Stadium Stairs at Harvard U. Banners in red along the top edge cite all of Harvard's Ivy League and National titles in football. The field is radiant green field turf with "CRIMSON" blazing in the end zones. It feels like the place should be protected and locked when not in use on game days, but it's always open.

It's quite a simple meet-up and workout, really. Just start walking (or running) up the stairs in each section 1-37. The stadium is rather old and the stairs are tall. Without too many breaks the stadium can be completed in about 40 minutes. But most first-timers are happy to get only half way around the horseshoe of sections before the trembling calves and quads start firing.

We went on Oct 10, 24, and Nov 7, 21. and now it's time for December 5th, Saturday, 11am. Join us if you can stomach the shift to colder weather! See the facebook page for more info

Small meals and Your appetite

Appetite tells us when to eat, and when working well, how much to eat or when to stop. It works well when we eat natural, filling foods at a slow and measured pace. But it doesn't work so well when processed and calorie-dense foods rather than nutrient-dense foods take center stage. Given today's culture and conveniences, in just 10 minutes you could scarf down a variety of foods to satisfy hunger. For example, it's easy to feel full after eating two whole carrots (150 calories) or you could get a similar satisfaction from eating a jumbo-sized box of fries (1,150 calories). Either way, the appetite is satisfied but with a very different calorie and nutrient content.

Meal timing also plays into appetite. Eariler and frequent smaller meals are easier for the body to use as fuel during exercise. It makes sense for most people dieting to lose a weight to 25% of their daily calories in a larger breakfast. This controls appetite and reduces hunger throughout the day, resulting in lower overall calorie intake. Meals every 3-4 hours will also require more energy to digest than the traditional 3 meals per day format. There is also evidence from weight loss studies that suggests that people usually eat less overall when they eat often, so it's a win-win.

Finally, developing a healthy appetite using frequent, small meals should be easy and appetizing. Consider a few high-nutrient, very satisfying appetizers. This list of 5 foods have at least two high-satiety foods that can fill you up on healthy combinations. Eat one about 10 minutes before your next meal to fill up early, or have 2-3 as a meal combination for fullness. These recipes were recetnly published in Triathlete Magazine (See triathletemag.com article by M. Fitzgerald from May 2009).

These all come it at about 150 calories. Try a few!

Spinach & Avocado/Tomato Salad

1 cup Spinach + 1/4 cup Avo's and Tomat's

with 1 tsp olive oil dressing

Crackers & Low-Fat Cheese

4 whole wheat crackers + 1 oz. cheese

Lentil Soup

1 cup as prepared by Amy's Organics or homemade

Asparagus & Almonds

4 spears steamed + 1/8 Almond slivers and Parm Cheese

Baked Fries with Rosemary

1/2 cup of potato slices baked at 450F for 30 mins

with olive oil spray and rosemary and S&P before baking