Hydration Station

This week I discovered Lime Cucumber Gatorade!!!!!!!! Omg, by far the best Gatorade flavor EVER. If you're not a cucumber water type of person or cucumber martini type of person (I am both), this is not the sports drink for you, but if you are... I may have just changed your whole world. I had lime cucumber Gatorade during two workouts last week, and it was so refreshing, not sugary, and had all the good electrolytes, etc that I needed. With that shameless promotion, let's move on to ways to improve hydration.

1. You should not drink sports drink like they are juice or water. Save them for pre, post, and during workouts.

2. Beware of sugar levels in all sports drinks and juice. When you're in the middle of a rough workout, sugar can help your body's energy levels in the short term, but unfortunately, if you don't balance your sports drink and water intake, the same sugar that gave you a boost, will dehydrate you and lead to muscle cramps.

3. Look for beverages high in potassium. Potassium will increase your energy level without the negative effects of sugar, and it will help ward off muscle cramps. A good example is coconut water. If you're not a fan of coconut water, try orange juice, but look for ones that have no sugar added (oj is notorious for adding lots of extra sugar). I would stay away from orange juice during a workout or immediately before (too much acidity).

4. If you are the type who says, "but water is so bland..." please try something other than crystal light packets. It's too easy people! While flavor enhanced powders may claim zero carbs and little to no calories, you are putting a very processed and unnatural substance into the purest natural beverage you can put in your body. Instead, try to infuse water at home. Take a pitcher of water, add fruit to it, and let it sit over night in your fridge. Too easy! You can leave the fruit in the water as long as you want... the longer the time period, the more intense the flavor. I do suggest taking the rinds off fruit. I had a failed attempt at lime infused water which tasted solely like lime rinds only after a day. Here are some of my favs for infusing water:

• Lime or Lemon
• Oranges
• Cucumber
• Grapefruit
• Mint leaves

If you are exotic and ambitious, you could try Rose, or Hibiscus and Mint. Be creative, see what works! WATER is so good for you and such a necessity; you might as well make it enjoyable.

On a side note you also should drink extra water (try 3 glasses more) after a massage, or any physical therapy. Different types of physical therapies (electric stem, needling, micro-current), especially massage, help release toxins that build up in your muscle (think of knots or cramps), and drinking extra water helps flush these toxins out so they don't re-settle into your muscles.

Happy Sweating,
Dominique

Circuit training

Here's a good cardio circuit that should only take 10-20 minutes. I always prefer to run on the track because that's what I'm used to, but you could easily do this on a trail or on a grass field. I've done a similar circuit and found that the hardest part is not the running, but the activities in between. Something about no rest and having to go from standing to doing push ups or abs, just knocks the wind out of you.

On another note, I ran into an Olympian track runner at Whole Foods the other day. He happens to be a former Gator and an acquaintance of mine, so we caught up for a bit. He told me about London, and I told him about my day. His story was way better than mine. While I was leaving, I thought, these folks in Whole Foods have no idea that a USA/World Champion/Olympian was standing right next to them buying groceries. Like this man is on Nike billboards! If he were a football player, people would be all over him! I guess in Track and Field, you can have fame and privacy? An elusive combo. Anyways...

Warm up: Jog half a mile and stretch. Do 20 meters of walking lunges, 20 meters of high knee running, and 20 meters of butt kicks.
Workout: 
Run/Stride 100 meters
Do 25 sit ups
Side shuffle 100 meters
Do 15 push ups
Run 400 meters
Do 15 burpees
Do 25 sit ups
Do 15 back hypers
Run 200 meters
Do 30 body weight squats
Side Shuffle 100 meters (change direction from the first side shuffle)
Do 10 wide arm push ups
Run 100 meters

Hopefully this long list does not freak you out. You are only running a mile (including the warm up), and the exercises in between keep your heart rate up, while working on muscular strength. This is a good workout for anyone who wants a combination of cardio and toning without bulking up.

Happy Sweating,
Dominique

September Boot Camp

Hey fitness seekers! I just wanted to let you know I am putting together a September BOOT CAMP. All fitness levels are welcomed! It will be an evening class at Lake Bottom Park. More info to come :)

Medicine Ball

I apologize for being away from writing for a few weeks, but I am back training and learning new exercises to tone and strengthen! I think one of the smartest buys I have ever made was a 10lb medicine. I am now looking for a few 12 or 15lb medicine balls to up the difficulty. Medicine ball workouts are incredible for your abs, butt, legs, and even your shoulders.

Start with an 8-10lb medicine ball (you can find one at Sports Authority or any store like that), and grab a partner for medicine ball throws. You can do it without a partner, but you'll have to chase your own ball down, which can be annoying and takes longer.

Start with ball slams to warm up. When the ball is over your head, really concentrate on extension; stretching your torso and getting up on your toes. Do 3 sets of 10











Move on to Single leg V-ups. Do 2 sets of 10











Then move on to medicine ball throws. There are 3 main throws you should try.

1. Overhead backwards: Stand with your feet shoulder with apart, squat down with the ball in your hands hanging between your legs, and toss the ball over your head backwards from that position. Upon releasing the ball your body should be at full extension. Do 1 set of 10
2. Lunge and Pass: Lunge with right foot in front while holding the ball at chest level. Push/throw the ball to your partner. When you throw you should stand up out of the lunge; focus on pushing off that front foot. Land with the opposite foot in front (so in this case land with the left foot in front). Do 10 each leg
3. Double leg forward: Stand with your feet shoulder with apart, squat down and jump forward. As soon as you complete the jump forward throw the medicine ball underhanded to your partner.


Happy sweating,
Dominique

Circuit training

Circuit training is a good way to get in some cardio without having to run or bike your entire workout . Try this on your own:

Complete 5 minutes of exercises, 1 minute per exercise, no resting between, followed by a 1 minute jog.
1 minute of high knees
1 minute of burpees
1 minute of sit ups
1 minute of body weight squats
1 minute of walkouts (in the push up position)
 After 5 minutes, go for a 1 minute jog

Go through this (6 minutes total) 4 times. Make it continuous if you can. The purpose is to keep your heart rate up. The 1 minute jog is your rest, so do not worry about going fast.

Happy Sweating,
Dominique

Resistance training

Adding resistance to your workout can really give your training regiment a boost. Yesterday we added a few elements to our boot camp session that focused on muscle definition/toning. In order to do some simple resistance training on your own, you will need access to the following; an elastic band, an elastic loop (a band that closes in circle and cannot come apart), and either a medicine (10lbs preferably) or a 10lb plate. Here are a few ideas to try out on your own:

1. Using your medicine ball or plate, do walking lunges. When you lunge, twist your upper body to the side of the leg out in front. Do walking lunges with a twist for 30-40 meters. You can also do walking lunges while holding the weight over your head (arms straight), and when you lunge bend your elbows so you bring the ball behind your head. This will work you triceps, abs, and legs all at the same time!

2. Using the elastic band, place both feet on the middle of the band (you should be standing on it with one end of the band in each hand), then do a bicep curl. You may continue doing bicep curls (3x10-12), or you can add a push press after the curl (that means, once you curl up, extend your arms straight up and over your head).

3. Using the elastic band again, stand on the middle like in the previous exercise, and lift both arms into a "t" position at your sides. I suggest doing both arms simultaneously, but you will find that one arm will most likely fatigue sooner than the other. This exercise is very common and usually done with weights, but the advantage to using bands is the additional resistance you receive when you bring your arms down, not just up. You are able work your muscles on the descent, instead of just dropping your arms with the weights.

4. Using the elastic loop, place both feet inside the loop and move the band so it is around your mid calves. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and squat down as close to parallel as you can get. Then take small side steps for 30 meters. This exercise works your booty and is a tough one! Remember to keep your butt down as you walk!

If you have any questions, let me know.

Happy Sweating,
Dominique

The importance of Cross-Training

Whether you are training for a 5k, a marathon, a triathlon, or just trying to get/stay in shape, consider diversifying your workouts. I cannot tell you how many times I meet someone who trains 4-6 days a week, but executes the same type of workouts. Your body, much like your mind, needs new challenges to keep it sharp and tuned.

If you do a lot of body impacting workouts; such as, running, crossfit, or plyometric workout, consider adding 1-2 days of non-impacting work. This can be swimming (open water or in a pool), biking, yoga or pilates. It is also a good idea to factor in body weight only workouts if you do a lot of weight lifting. Doing body weight (bw) workouts, like pull ups, push ups, or  bw squats will allow your body a lighter day that still has value in your overall fitness goals. 

I personally like to incorporate pilates because it is great for total body toning and a good way to work on your core. Yoga is also very beneficial for stretching and upper body strengthening; however, I prefer pilates for the abdominal work. If you can find a dynamic yoga instructor, you will find that you can work up a sweat and raise your heart just working on the mat. ;)

With all that said, I believe that if you are a runner or crossfit enthusiast, the best cross-training work you can do (if you can only pick 1) is to SWIM! Swimming is restorative for your muscles and joints, great cardio work, and completely non-impacting (for all the bad knees and ankles out there). Besides, it is summertime and it is hot out there, so go for a swim and see the benefits!

Happy sweating,
Dominique

Date, Shallot, and Rosemary Chicken

 Here's a healthy recipe I am trying out tonight! I thought I would share since I get a lot of questions about diet and nutritional planning :)

 

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 5-7 medjool dates, pitted and diced
• 3 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Pull out a large glass baking dish and place chicken in it.
3. Top chicken off with your sliced shallots and dates.
4. Pull the rosemary off the sprigs and toss over the chicken, then place a few extra rosemary sprigs around the chicken.
5. Finish the chicken off by pouring over olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar and top it off with  ground pepper.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
7. Consume.

Boot Camp Tip Day 1

You can add a level of difficulty to your interval workouts by incorporating "active rest." Active rest allows you to incorporate additional strength development and keeps your heart rate up. Here are some examples:

• Repeat 200m runs on the track with 1 minute rest, followed by 1 minute of exercise (walking lunges or body weight squats or jumping jacks or sit ups), followed by 1 more minute rest. 
• Run for 10 minutes, do 2 minutes of exercises, continue until your run is complete.

Anytime you would normally have a few minutes of rest, substitute that for general strength exercises, core work, or dynamic stretching.

Happy sweating,
Dominique

Boot Camp Begins Tommorrow!

Reminder!!!! Boot Camp begins tomorrow!!!!

Monday July 9th, 7am at Lake Bottom Track 

Come workout with us! We are going to tone, strengthen, and increase cardio at Lake Bottom Park! Meet on the track at 7AM every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday starting July 9th to August 3rd!

Watermelon Smoothie

My friend Katie is a yoga instructor (Katie Marie Yoga and Holistc Nutrition) as well as a great resource for nutritious and delicious all natural snacks! Here is her watermelon smoothie! I made it today and it was out of this world!

Recipe:
I filled my blender with cut up watermelon,
blended until I had room to squeeze a few more pieces in,
added 2 juiced limes
sprinkled in some ground cardamom.

Motivation

Come on, you CAN DO THIS! Boot Camp begins July 9th
 

Pre and Post Workout Prep

Stretching before a workout helps warm up the muscles and prevent injuries, but did you know that stretching after workouts is just as essential? Stretching right after a workout relaxes and lengthens the muscles. If you really pushed yourself during a workout that day, you may want to stretch before you go to bed as well, and/or in a hot shower the next morning. Stretching in a hot shower is a great trick, because your raised body temperature releases muscle tension and allows for a deeper stretch. Remember, stretching = injury prevention, so do it as much as you can!

I also want to take a minute to speak to hydration. Have you ever gone to a spa for a massage, and afterwards they encourage you to drink lots of water? Proper hydration in conjunction with stretching, will flush out the toxins and lactic acid your body builds up when you work hard. Do yourself a favor and drink water throughout the day, especially in this record breaking heat! However, be sure to switch to an electrolyte packed drink post workout; such as, Gatorade, coconut water, or an Emergen-C packet added to your water bottle. While water flushes out toxins, it unfortunately flushes electrolytes too... it does not distinguish between the too. That means you could be losing electrolytes while you sweat  AND while you hydrate. Loss of electrolytes will lead to cramping and injuries, so make sure you replenish with the proper post workout beverage.

Let's recap: I would like you to drink water throughout the day, stretch before and after workouts, stretch a third time if needed (either before bed or in the shower the next morning), and make sure you are drinking an electrolyte beverage during workouts.

Happy Sweating,
Dominique

Vitamins

Vitamin supplements are essential when you are on a strict workout regiment. Well actually, vitamins are important all the time, but their importance multiplies when working out. I am sure you are aware of the benefits of vitamin C, or taking a Calcium supplement, but have you walked down the vitamin aisle and asked, "what are all these other bottles for?" Here are a few supplements I recommend adding to your diet:

• Multi Vitamin: If you are not already taking a multi, I beg you, start! Multi vitamins, as well as, vitamins C and B all help build your immune system, fight fatigue, boost energy levels, and strengthen your cardio vascular system. Remember, a multi vitamin needs to be a daily addition to have the most effect. 
• Fish Oil and Flax Seed Oil: Both of these provide the "good fats" your body needs to repair muscle, fight soreness, and reduce inflammation. Taking these will help you during and after your workout because they help speed up the healing process. 
• You could simply eat a lot of fish (salmon for example), but you would have to eat a lot of it to match the amount you receive in a pill. Furthermore, all the goodness takes longer to process in your body then when you take it in the pill or liquid form. 
• If you are already in the habit of adding flax seed to oatmeal or in breads you bake, or even in almond/peanut butter, that's great! However, make sure you use ground flax seed. Your body does not process flax seed in its whole form, so you lose the benefits. 
• Cayenne: If you are in to spicy foods like we are at my house, you may have enough of this in your diet, but if not, consider this tiny pill. It helps increase blood flow, reduces inflammation about to 50%, and speeds up healing. You can take cayenne regularly or only post tough workouts; the effectiveness remains the same.

Happy Sweating,
Dominique

Wake UP and MOVE

You'll burn more calories if you workout as soon as you wake up! Your metabolism is in hyper drive from the past night's sleep, so take advantage of it. More importantly than the calorie burn, you'll start your day off with an endorphin boost! Now if you're saying, "Dominique I don't have time to do a whole workout in the morning; I have things to do;" here is what I suggest:

1.Wake up a 15-20 minutes earlier! I know we are not all morning people, but 15 minutes won't kill you.
2. Get on the floor and do 4x30 Abs exercises. I suggest picking 4 different types of situps/crunches, so you don't get bored.

• Pretzel crunches: Sit down indian style or with your legs in a pretzel, then lay back so you are lying on the floor while your legs remain crossed in a pretzel. Do 30 crunches this way
• Toe touches: Lay on the floor with both legs held straight up in the air (keep your knees straight)
• Raised Leg Situps: Take a chair and lay down with your calves on the chair. You knees should be bent at 90 degrees and the edge of the chair should be right against the back of your knee. Sit up and reach for your ankles.This works the lowest of abs in an 8pack (those tricky suckers most people cannot reach)
• Russian Twist Crunches: Sit on the floor and raise your feet a few inches off the ground. You should balance on your butt and keep your back in a good postural position. Twist from side to side making sure to touch the ground with your hands on each twist. You can use a weighted ball to add difficulty. 

3. Next roll over and do 30 pushups
4. Do 20 air squats and 20 split squats (10 each leg)
5. If you have more time, I would suggest getting in some short cardio as well, but if not, then the above is a nice start to your day.

Happy Sweating,
Dominique

Post Workout Snacks

Do you eat right after your workout? Did you know that you should! Consuming calories within 30 minutes of working out is a MUST to help build muscle and aide recovery. It is essential to refuel with carbs or protein, in addition to electrolytes. Of course, you must consider which post workout snacks are the best. Here are a few suggestions:

• Coconut water and a bagel or low sugar granola bar
• Beef jerky and Gatorade (although beware the amount of sugar; you don't need to chug a gallon of it)
• Almond butter and apple slices
• Bananas (however, coconut water has more potassium in it than bananas, if you're prone to muscle cramps)
• PB&J sandwich
• 1 glass of chocolate milk (it has the carbs, protein, and fats your body needs to repair and build muscle)
• Pineapple or papaya (which have anti-inflammatory enzymes to help speed up recovery)
• Almonds
• Protein bars are also acceptable, but make sure to read the ingredients and carb/protein content (my favorites include... Luna bars, clif bars, Larabars, and Clif Protein Builder bars) 
• Fruit smoothie made with almond milk, honey, and fresh fruit

Hopefully, on this list you'll find something that works for you. However, do not limit yourself to this list. If you workout early in the morning, then eggs or oatmeal would be an adequate post workout meal. If you do not like almond butter, try cashew butter, or stick with peanut butter. Remember this rule: you want either a protein or a carb (both if you are doing high intensity workouts or two workouts in one day), and you want something that is low in sugar and low in fat.... so high protein - low fat, or high carb - low sugar is good way to think about it. 

Happy Sweating,
Dominique

Balanced Breakfast Suggestions

 

My friend Fletcher, personal trainer to a variety of athletes, sent me this the other day:

A low calorie breakfast should supply you with protein, healthy carbohydrates, fiber and good nutrition. If you are trying to lose weight, you will want to keep your calorie count low while maintaining high nutritional value. Here are some suggestions for healthy breakfast foods:

• ·         One serving of whole grain cereal like Cheerios or Wheaties with one-half cup non-fat milk, one teaspoon sugar, one hard-boiled egg with a glass of water. Approximately 270 calorie
• ·         One slice of whole grain toast with two tablespoons peanut butter with a 10-ounce glass of non-fat milk. Approximately 375 calories
• ·         Omelet made with two eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, peppers and one ounce of shredded cheese with an apple and a glass of water. Approximately 410 calories

Be sure to measure your serving sizes. You can also substitute soy milk, almond milk or rice milk for the cows' milk. Almond and cashew butters are delicious alternatives to peanut butter. If you like something sweet, add fresh berries to your cereal, or sugar free fruit-only spreads to your toast.

I always like to remind people that food is fuel, so do not be afraid to eat three meals a day plus light snack; just be mindful of what you are putting into your body.

Happy Sweating,

Dominique

Summer Sweat boot camp

Summer Sweat is a monthly fitness camp for ANYONE who wants a great comprehensive workout! Along with cardio speed training, we will focus on toning and basic strength.

 

  July 9^th - August 3^rd

Meets 3x/week on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday @ 7AM; Approx.60-90 minutes

Location: Lake Bottom Track, across from Columbus High

Cost: $100 (cash or check)

To Sign up, add a comment at dominiquemcleggan.blogspot.com