Hot, Hot, Hot .. Staying Safe in the Sun
You’re hot, hot, hot..
Sure you are hot to trot everyday, but this summer’s work outs will literally leave you hot, hot, hot. Don’t sweat it, follow these simple rules to stay safe in the sun:
- Keep It Cool: Try to find a jogging or bike path that’s shaded. It’s amazing what a little bit of shade will do for your summer workouts.
- Water-holic: Yes. You’ve heard it time and time again. Stay hydrated. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, sip on some water. Before you head out try to drink one to two glasses of water. Also, bring water along and take a sip every 15 minutes. A CamelBak is my favorite go to for keeping hydrated, it’s simple and easy.
- Tick Tock Timing: Think about the time of day you are head out for your daily exercise routine. Try to avoid exercising from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Typically the morning is the best time for workouts.
- Screen It: Always, always wear sunscreen. It’s important to protect your skin at all times.
- Dress Right: Avoid heavier clothing during your workouts. Wear light, loose fitting clothing. A light color will reflect the heat. I prefer dri-fit material as well.
In addition to these tips, it’s extremely important that your listen to your body. If you feel lightheaded or dizzy, then stop. That’s that! I am also a big fan of using my Polar heart monitor watch, if I see my heartrate is sky high I simply slow down.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
If it weren’t for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn’t get any exercise at all. ~Joey Adams
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Ouch..Injured Workouts!
You never know when it can hit you (or sting you!). As I was simply walking across the grass this weekend, an awful shooting pain hit my toe. A pesky little I-have-no-clue-what-it-was gave me the sting of my life, as somehow it ended up underneath my toe between my flip flop. The pain hurt so much I couldn’t even look to see what the culprit was, whatever it was I hate it.
As I was limping to the car, I thought *crap* I have a 7-mile race to run the following weekend. Thinking it was just a stinger and seeing no apparent bite/sting I thought the pain would eventually fade away.
Determined to get some additional miles in before the upcoming athletic event, I eagerly set my alarm for 6:30 a.m. to get in an early morning workout. But, nope. The toe is still swollen and I am still limping away. So, my mission is simple: find a workout that fits injured idiots like myself. Here goes:
The “Duh” Factor: Don’t work out using your injured body part. If you injured your foot or leg, chances are you shouldn’t be running, hiking or riding a bike. Instead, focus on the non-injured parts. Try an upper body workout or even yoga (upper body yoga, that is).
Doctor’s Orders: If your injury doesn’t let up it’s probably best to seek a physician. Doctor’s know best, so after the diagnosis be sure he/she clarifies the best activities for your ailment (that keep you off the couch and on the road to recovery).
Hot the water: Still want to run? Don’t want to hurt? Try working out in a pool. There are two types of pool running. Deep water running, pretty self explanatory, allows the running effect with no impact as your feet will not touch the ground (most often these runners wear floating devices to stay afloat in the running position). Shallow water running, again self explanatory, gives the same motion of running with less impact than (let’s say) running on a treadmill.
Now, for all the injured Urban Girls out there, it’s time to stop moping, get up and go!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
If life hands you lemons, throw them at people. ~anonymous
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Midnight Moves
When the clock strikes midnight, most of you are probably snuggled deep beneath the covers of your duvet and dreaming the night away.
If you are a night owl, like me, you might be doing crazy athletic events that involve a bike, thousands of people, a great cause and an amazing city skyline. Just this past Saturday (ahem..Sunday morning!) I had the honor of participating in L.A.T.E. Ride 2010. Proceeds from this one of a kind bike ride benefitted Friends of the Parks, Chicago’s only citywide parks advocacy group.
So what was it like riding in the early morning hours?
Let’s Get Visible: Guess what, it’s dark out. Guess what, people can’t see you on your bike. Guess what, go and get a light for your bike. It’s best to have lights on the front and back of your bikes. Bike lights can easily be found at a sporting goods store near you. In true L.A.T.E. Ride spirit you could also don your glow lights and battery powered Christmas lights for full late riding effect.
“I can ride my bike with no handle bars..no handle bars”: Umm unless you are the Flobots who sing this awesome song, no you can’t. Make sure you have full control over your bike and are alert of your surroundings.
Midnight Suit: Get yo’ gear right. You might look amazing in black, but that car behind you might not think so when it hits you! Look for a quality reflective vest or jersey with reflective strips. I even suggest bike shoes with reflective strips.
Helmet Head: This goes for day time riders, too. Protect your head and make sure you wear a helmet at all times. The hard concrete doesn’t care about your hair, doesn’t care about the lines it leaves on your forehead. So be safe and wear one.
So, keep these tips in mind the next time you gear up, night owls!
Riding late at night was certainly an experience I will never forget, including the big reward of a beautiful, picturesque sunrise over Lake Michigan.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
Most people do not consider dawn to be an attractive experience - unless they are still up.” ~Ellen Goodman
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Go Go Workout Gadget
It never fails, if there’s a button to push I’m going to break it.
A computer. A television. A radio. My Blackberry.
I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s some constant electric shock in my body that automatically causes this to happen. Imagination aside, I’m a tech trasher. I often amaze my husband at my ability to freeze the simplest of technologies. Who freezes a television while changing channels? This girl.
For some time now I’ve been wanting to try out a Polar watch and heart monitor to maximize my work outs, needless to say my non-tech savvy has delayed my purchase of this watch. Even after receiving one as a gift from my hubby, it sat on our dresser for about a week.
Once I broke into the packaging, I was excited to give it a test run. I admit I still need to read the guide book, so here’s to learning side by side with me.
Why I Like It:
My Polar FT7 is a new extension of the Polar collection at less than $120, giving you more bang for your buck.
The chest straps are not awkward and fit extremely comfortably, to the point where I don’t even know they are there. The ECG sensor is removable, so the strap can easily be washed.
This monitor watch can save up to 16 weeks worth of training.
And..
It’s user friendly, whew (as I wipe the sweat beads off my forehead)! The set-up sequence takes only 5 minutes at the most to enter all of your personal data (height, weight, birthdate).
When in training mode, this watch allows you to move between displays show you can see heartbeat numbers, calories burned, date and time. It also gives you a heads up to let you know if you are in the fat loss or conditioning zones.
What better way to learn how to work this amazing piece of technology? A video.
Check out there from Polar USA for the FT7 model: http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/tutorial_videos#
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. ~Albert Einstein
Some Like It Hot
Get me in a sauna and I’m a happy girl.
Add yoga into the mix and I’m a nervous girl.
What do I wear? How long will I last in this class? Will I slip on my mat from the sweat? Am I going to die!?
As I think about my first experience in Bikram Yoga, which will happen today, there’s one thing I know I can control. I have the cute purple yoga mat and bringing a towel is no problemo. Here’s my game plan when it comes to what to wear, especially since I know by the end of class I’m going to want to take it all off.
For those who have never heard of Bikram Yoga, it takes yoga to a different level as poses are practiced in a room that’s anywhere from 95 to 100-degrees. This form of yoga is known to increase flexibility, strength, balance and focus.
Tighten Up: You want those tone, tight muscles? Forget the baggy t-shirt, it’s the last thing you’ll want to deal with in the heat. Make sure to wear form fitting clothes.
Skimp on the Clothes: Wear as little as possible without baring all.
Layer Up: Dress in layers so you don’t get cold traveling to and from your class.
Staying Dry: Be sure to look for shirts, sports bras, shorts and yes, even underwear that’s designed to wick away moisture.
Stay tuned as this Urban Girl experiences her very first Bikram Yoga class today!
Namaste.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
I tried yoga once but took off for the mall halfway through class, as I had a sudden craving for a soft pretzel and world peace. ~Terri Guillemets
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Who Ya’ Gonna Call..Holiday Stress Busters!
The weather outside may be frightful..but don’t let your mood go that direction, too!
Last minute shopping, long lines, a burnt attempt at Christmas cookies, Christmas card paper cuts, a strand of holiday lights that don’t work..fa la la la..it’s enough to make anyone go crazy with anxiety.
It’s important to take a step back, breathe and relax. Yes, it may be easier said than done, but Self.com has come up with a day by day guide that will soon put the step back in your jingle bell rock.
Day 1: Instead of driving around to take in the sites of the holiday lights, take a walk instead. Just twenty minutes of exercise can increase seratonin–the key factor to your mood!
Day 2: Don’t make attempts to avoid the Salvation Army buckets this season, it feels guilty and giving even a little money to charity will reward you with an amazing feeling of helping.
Day 3: Don’t fret the small stuff. Ok, so you ate the sugar cookie..stop hyperventilating..you will be okay. It’s not worth the stress to fret over every calorie, so enjoy it. Your overall well-being will thank you.
Day 4: Take a deep breathe. No really, do it. Breathe in for four counts and out for eight. This small step lowers your heart rate and relaxes your entire body.
Day 5: Surrounded by busy, frantic shoppers, heavy bags knocking into you left and right and not a perfect gift in sight. The mall is breeding grounds for anxiety and stress. Find an oasis. Stop into the nearest Bath & Body Works or favorite department store and use some of the hand lotion samples. Any lavender and ylang-ylang scents provide an instant stress-relievaer.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
A perpetual holiday is a good working definition of hell. ~ George Bernard Shaw
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Why Don’t You Take a Hike?!
Take a hike, hit the hills (no, not the Justin Bobby “Hills”), get out of the city and turn your outing into a full-body toner. You can burn up to 450 calories an hour on uneven terrain! Here are some great tips thanks to Self Magazine.
Loosen Up!: Make sure to hold your arms slightly bent and relaxed. Pump your arms back and forth and increase your stride to up your calorie burn.
Striding Right: Working your way over bumps can be an amazing way to tone your thighs and rear. Try to stay light on your feet when going downhill. Seek out the steepest paths and take small steps, if your stride is too big you will get fatigued faster.
Carry On: If you bring a backpack, make sure the bulk of the bag’s weight rests on your hips. It’s important that core and leg muscles do the lifting, not your back.
Catch the View: Always keep your head raised to avoid neck pain or injury.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She’s ninety-three today and we don’t know where the hell she is. ~Ellen DeGeneres
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