Monday 22 April 2019

5 Energy Boosting Tips from Olympian & Mum Eloise Wellings

Eloise Wellings, a two-time Olympian, philanthropist and mum extraordinaire is not only a professional athlete – she also juggles motherhood, being an ambassador for Ubiquinol and a founding director of her charity Love Mercy. Continue reading to discover how Eloise preserves her energy levels and makes the most out of every busy day…

Tip 1: Sleep

In order to stay on top of her energy levels Eloise really values her sleep. She knows how vital it is to get enough sleep – especially with her gruelling training schedule. Eloise says she aims to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night, adding “It’s important for me to go to bed at a reasonable time – I aim to be in bed by 9:30, so I can get up early enough to train in the morning before I get my daughter ready for school.”

Tip 2: Diet

Following a clean diet doesn’t just mean following a strict routine for Eloise. “I aim to eat the right ‘types’ of food” says Eloise, “Everything I eat serves a purpose” she added. She aims to include iron-rich foods to fuel both her brain and her body, as well as eating lean meats and wholegrains. As well as this, she tries to include as many B-vitamins as possible and complex carbs such as brown rice or sweet potato.

Tip 3: Supplements

As well as maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, Eloise also takes two supplements. Firstly, she takes a Magnesium supplement which helps to relax her muscles and manages muscle fatigue and cramps.[i] She also takes a Ubiquinol supplement. Ubiquinol is the active form of CoQ10 (CoenzymeQ10) and assists with both inflation and maintaining energy levels.[ii] 

Tip 4: Exercise

“I usually try to fit 3 training sessions in each day, depending on what events I have coming up” explained Eloise. “The endorphins I get from exercising make me feel amazing, I really notice a change in my mood and energy levels” Eloise said, ‘I feel quite sluggish when I don’t train’, she added. Eloise suggested that everyone should aim to fit in at least half an hour of exercise each day. “Even if it is just a brisk walk to and from the bus stop, or lunch time walk around the block – it’ll make you feel so much better and far more energised” said Eloise.

Tip 5: Hydration

“I aim to drink at least eight cups of water a day” said Eloise. She expressed how important she believes it is to drink as much water as possible. “Try to keep a water bottle with you all the time; in the car, on your desk and especially when you’re exercising.”


[i] https://www.nps.org.au/news/magnesium-a-treatment-for-leg-cramps

[ii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5268485/

The post 5 Energy Boosting Tips from Olympian & Mum Eloise Wellings appeared first on Fitness In The City.



source http://fitnessinthecity.com.au/move/fitness-move/5-energy-boosting-tips-from-olympian-mum-eloise-wellings

Friday 19 April 2019

7 Cosmetic Beauty Trends You Can Expect to See in 2019

If you’re like most women, you’ve already noticed that significant change is in the air this year as far as beauty trends go. So far, the main emerging theme we’ve seen is a focus on fully fledged glamor combined with a no-nonsense, scientific approach to looking good. Consumers want personalized strategies, products produced using sustainable ingredients and practices, and the convenience of customized choices.

Following are just seven of the cosmetic beauty trends you can expect to see this year.

Locally Produced Artisan Products

The trend in the food and beverage industry toward locally sourced, artisan products has trickled down to the beauty business. Younger consumers are turning away from the iconic big brands that their mothers and grandmothers preferred and opting instead for independent brands produced with care in limited quantities. They’ve also changed the way in which cosmetics are purchased. Instead of heading to the nearest department store when the time comes to make beauty-related purchases, they’re shopping online and enjoying an almost unlimited selection of products.

Accessible Injectables

Lunchtime procedures performed in an aesthetician’s office are poised to rise even higher this year on the popularity scale among modern beauty consumers. They’re convenient, relatively inexpensive, produce almost immediate results, and don’t come with any downtime. Accessible injectable treatments include BOTOX®, Juvederm®, and fillers such as elastin and collagen. These treatments are designed to minimize the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots caused by acne scarring. Injectable treatments that destroy pockets of facial fat have recently become available as well.

The Perfectly Polished Look

The natural look has long been a classic, but recent trends are moving toward a more polished appearance that takes natural up several notches. Think vivid eyeshadow shades against skin rendered flawless by thickly pigmented foundation, bold eyeliner in shades such as violet and bronze, and lipstick colors that take their inspiration from fresh spring flowers. You’ll also see a move toward monochromatic makeup in which all products are varying shades of a neutral base color. For instance, you’ll see beige foundations paired with tawny lip colors and glossy brown mascaras, eyeshadows, and eyeliners. Pink-based foundations work well with rosy lips and cheeks and you can pair foundation with cools tones with subtle blues and violets.

Sparkle and Shine

Sparkle and shine is everywhere this year. You’ll see it in makeup, hair, accessories, and clothing. Examples include strands of silver beads, crystals, and pearls braided into long hair, mesh headpieces studded with Swarovski crystals, and twinkly stones illuminating clothing, bags, scarves, and shoes.

Streamlining and Sustainability

Today’s consumer wants a more streamlined approach to skin care, so expect to see an increase in products that contain multiple benefits. For instance, instead of a multilayered approach to nighttime skin care, you’ll be applying one product that does it all.

Consumer preferences are also moving toward sustainable ingredients and packaging. You’ll see an increase in packaging made with recyclable materials as well as products produced using renewable materials. The popularity of cruelty-free products is expected to continue to grow this year as well.

Curly Bangs

Curly bangs haven’t really been around since the 1980s, but Netflix smash hit “Russian Doll” has sparked new interest in the style. Not everyone can pull it off, but it’s a beautiful look for those who can. This year’s hairstyle trends are also shifting away from long hair and back toward shorter, blunter bobs that are a bit asymmetrical. The overall messy look that’s dominated hairstyles for several years is giving way to all things sleek and polished. There’s an interesting twist, however — we’ve seen several nods to the iconic 1970s shag on runways and in haute couture media in recent weeks.

Body Contouring

Body contouring procedures such as liposuction will continue to be in demand in 2019. Liposuction got off to a rather rocky start when it first arrived on the mainstream cosmetic surgery scene in the early 1980s, but advances in technology have resulted in a substantial decrease in complications and a corresponding increase in consumer satisfaction. The procedure is now performed using local anesthesia instead of general anesthesia, and patients are experiencing far less discomfort and downtime than their counterparts of the past.

CoolSculpting® is another body contouring technique that’s going to become increasingly popular in coming years. It’s a noninvasive treatment that essentially freezes fat cells and causes them to die off.

Above all, 2019 is the year of the individual. Makeup, beauty treatments, and cosmetic surgery options are all being customized to allow consumers to let their best selves shine.

The post 7 Cosmetic Beauty Trends You Can Expect to See in 2019 appeared first on Fitness In The City.



source http://fitnessinthecity.com.au/guest-posts/7-cosmetic-beauty-trends-you-can-expect-to-see-in-2019

Monday 15 April 2019

Five Common Reasons Why You Have Back Pain

Back pain comes and goes, but when it does show up uninvited, we quickly remember how painful it is. We usually remember our favorite curse words around the same time as back pain showing up. Coincidence? Certainly not. Yet, the pain of back pain is not the only issue. It suddenly disables us from being to carry out everyday tasks and live our regular lives. Whether that’s working with our hands or weaving between pedestrians on our way to the office in the CBD.

When younger people get a bout of back pain, they usually brush over the issue and wait out the few days before things return to normal – which normally does happen. However, if you have no underlying medical issue and you do experience back pain every now and then, you may want to try and evaluate why you are getting it. Even though it may be a temporary problem for you now, experiencing back pain at a young age can be significant over the long term. Moreover, not preventing it from reoccurring can cause much worse issues as you age.

So, young millennials scrolling through social media with cave-man-like posture and professionals planted over there in your office chair – listen up. Let’s find out the real cause of your back pain before it gets worse.

1. Technology

We may have given this one away early and you probably already knew that technology is causing a sedentary lifestyle. However, you may not be aware of the best techniques and methods to reduce technology’s ability to cause you bad posture. Here are two of the best ones:

Put your smartphone in black and white – we are developing upper back pain and neck pain through too much use of our smartphones. One great way of using your smartphone less is by making it boring. And one way to do that is by making it black and white. Humans like colour and when we take that away we become less interested quickly. Try it for yourself.

Work standing up – many office dwellers often believe they cannot rid themselves of inevitable back pain because they have to work sat at a desk all day. This certainly is not the case if they worked standing up using a purpose-specific raised desk or crafted their own standing desk in another way. Just remember that too much standing can also give you back pain, so mix it up.

2. Consider Your Mattress

Many people confuse firmness for support when choosing a mattress. If you think your mattress cannot be causing you back pain because you prefer and own a firmer mattress then think again. By all means, some firm mattresses are super supportive, but it is not that which you need to look out for when buying a quality mattress. Instead, get lumbar support from mattresses that offer memory foam technology or specific supportive aspects. If you want even more support, you may want to consider a magnetic mattress topper. These offer magnetic therapy while you sleep to reduce back pain and improve blood circulation.

3. Exercise

Exercise may also cause aches and pains but in very different ways. First of all, you may not be exercising enough. This is common and can cause unwanted tightness in muscles and gradually reduce your flexibility. If this sounds like you, try getting active more and maybe take up yoga or pilates.

On the other hand, you may be exercising too much or using the wrong form to execute certain exercises. If you exercise a lot and have been unable to identify the reason for your back pain then this may be it. It is most common when people are new to weightlifting. On many occasions, it is not caused during the exercises but when moving weights around and placing them back on their racks with the wrong techniques. Be safe in the gym.

4. The Wrong Footwear

This one might sound odd but if you spend a lot of your time on your feet or stand in one place for long durations, then your footwear may be the issue. Many people believe that back pain is caused at the point of pain. However, this is not always the case. Some lower back pain is caused by problems at joints below the waistline including the hips, knees, and ankles. Due to the stability of these joints potentially causing back pain, you may need to look at how supportive your footwear is. If you wear flimsy trainers or fashion shoes then consider models which are more comfortable and supportive.

5. Stress

One of the reasons for back pain that is most often left off peoples’ list of potential causes is stress. Many groups believe that stress and fatigue can contribute to physical pain, including back pain. The jury may still be out on this one but if you’ve been feeling under pressure lately why not take some time for yourself and dig out the good chocolate.

Wrapping Up

It may be that one of the above is causing you minor problems for the time being and you are letting it pass without investigation, knowing it will ease up in a few days. Well, it’s time to ditch that attitude. With the younger generations predicted to have the worst posture in older age than any other generation, you cannot afford that attitude and you need to act now. Trial the above methods to discover which one will ease up your niggles. The perk when using a trial and error technique to identify the cause of your pain is that any of them are likely to improve your posture and make you appear more confident to others.

The post Five Common Reasons Why You Have Back Pain appeared first on Fitness In The City.



source http://fitnessinthecity.com.au/health-nutrition/five-common-reasons-why-you-have-back-pain

Monday 1 April 2019

How Kyle the Vegetarian Lost 27 Pounds and Started Crushing Pull-Ups

It is true: you really can’t outrun your fork.

I kept thinking about this – over and over – when speaking with Kyle, one of our Nerd Fitness Coaching clients.

You see, Kyle works for a non-profit that promotes bicycling as a major mode of transportation.

As part of walking the walk – er, cycling the cycle –  10 years ago Kyle gave up driving a car.

Instead, he gets around by biking, walking, or public transportation.

Since Kyle bikes most days, you might think all that riding would ensure he’d stay in shape.

However, you’re reading Nerd Fitness, which means you’re smart. So you know that people can’t outrun their fork…or out pedal their fork.

Like many others who struggle to lose weight, Kyle lived off pizza and other carb-heavy foods, which brought in a ton of extra calories.

Simply put, despite the crazy amount of exercise he did every day, he still consumed more than he was able to pedal away.

As we know from study after study after study, it is very difficult to exercise your way thin. This is why adjustments to nutrition are the key to a successful transformation.

Which is exactly what Kyle did!

I’m honored that Kyle is one of our 1-on-1 coaching clients, and that we were able to offer some tips on how to go about a vegetarian diet correctly, something many Rebels struggle with.

Switching up his diet is not the only accomplishment Kyle has made: he is also now crushing pull-ups!

Which makes me really happy.

You don’t need to hear all about it from me though: let’s bring in Kyle!

HOW KYLE STOPPED TRYING TO OUTRUN HIS FORK AND LOST 27 POUNDS

Steve: Hi Kyle! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me.

I’d love to hear from you about your past – Can you take us through a typical day before you started your journey with Nerd Fitness?

Kyle: My day would include an early morning to make breakfast and get the kids ready for school. Then I’d ride my bicycle to the office. I’d work all day – stopping to purchase and eat pizza or a sandwich for lunch. After work, I’d ride my bicycle home. Evening time would be spent hanging out with my kids until bedtime.

On days when I am traveling, substitute family time and school preparations with sitting in an airport or hotel. And I travel a lot.

Steve: Traveling can be grueling, especially when being on the road takes you from your family.

I find it interesting you bike to and from work. But from talking to you, I know it wasn’t enough to prevent you from gaining weight.

Can you tell us a little bit about your fitness journey prior to finding Nerd Fitness??

Kyle: For more than a decade, I’ve incorporated some physical activity and healthy eating into my daily routine:

I gave up driving a car as my primary mode of transportation about 10 years ago and rely on walking, biking, and public transportation to get around.

I’ve been a vegetarian for more than 15 years.

And I’ve engaged in other extracurricular activities like indoor soccer, running half marathons, or mountain biking.

I often thought that all this was enough to keep in shape without the need to adjust my diet or routine.

Steve: I hear ya – I can also see how it could be frustrating to do “all the right things” and not look the way you want to look for all that effort! You were already exercising, watching what you ate, and stayed active.

What made you decide that something needed to change?

Kyle: Last year, my wife lost 60lbs almost entirely by changing her diet.

In June, she and I had the opportunity to take a short vacation together without our kids.

We took a lot of photos during that trip and after looking at them – compared to her new, lighter, look – I realized how much weight I had personally put on over the last couple of years.

Starting a new job, moving the family across the country, and adapting to a new hectic travel schedule for work had left me 30 pounds heavier than any time previously in my life.

When we got back home, I started looking for local gyms and fitness programs that I could join, but none worked with my busy travel schedule (seriously, I travel a LOT) or weren’t convenient enough for me during the time I was home.

I didn’t want to give up the precious time with my wife and kids when I wasn’t traveling, so I began looking for alternative solutions and stumbled upon Nerd Fitness.

Steve: I’m so happy you made your way to our strange corner of the internet. We’re very lucky to have you as part of the Nerd Fitness community, and we’re glad you chose us to kickstart your journey, brother!

You’ve been working with Coach Matt M., what is he having you do?

Kyle: I asked Matt to design a workout that could be done either at my hometown gym or in any random hotel in the world with an unknown quantity of fitness equipment.

Because my environment was constantly changing, I needed a workout program that worked anywhere and everywhere.

I also stressed that my past anxieties about going to a gym centered around not knowing what to do – how many reps of what exercise, should I use the machines or not, is this too much weight or too little.

It was all just a bit dizzying.

Simply put, Matt provides a workout routine in three supersets that can be accomplished in about 60 minutes. Each exercise has one or more alternatives that can be performed depending on what equipment is available.

The supersets usually progress from core body routines, followed by heavy lifting, and concluding with lighter lifting that also engages a bit of cardio. The alternatives provided keep me on pace when I don’t have barbells or other equipment while on the road.

Since I spend about 50% of my time traveling, having nationwide access to my trainer has been a game changer.

Training while on the road works in most cases, and there have been some scenarios where the alternative training exercises Matt provided were essential to staying on track.

Being a NF client made that both easy and possible.

I’m proud to say I haven’t missed a workout since we started working together.

This has helped with the confidence that no matter where I am, I won’t fault in achieving my goals.

The consistency is paying off. For the first time in my life, I’ve been able to rock pull-ups! I’m the strongest I’ve ever been.

Steve: That’s great! Although I’m super-biased (I have a coach who programs road workouts for me too), I think NF Coaching is perfect for people who travel a lot. When you think about it, you have worldwide accountability and expertise!

What’s been the most important change you’ve made since starting this recent journey??

Kyle: Eating.

Like I mentioned before, I’ve been a vegetarian for a long time, but often resorted to carb-heavy breads, a dizzying amount of melted cheese, and chips to fill in the hunger between salads and quinoa bowls.

Matt helped me track my eating and make adjustments that still worked with my dietary preference.

Like the workouts, Matt also helped me design meal options for my busy travel schedule – protein bars and shakes – so I wouldn’t be driven to a slice from Sbarro between flights.

Being a vegetarian, I spend most of my effort maintaining consistent levels of protein intake. Since consuming protein comes along with either fat or carbs, balancing the amount each day was the biggest adjustment I made.

As we progressed beyond what foods I like to eat that work within those parameters, we began incorporating carb loading on workout days, intermittent fasting when I’m not traveling, and small dinner plate usage for portion control.

Steve: That’s amazing! I’ve written before that a common mistake vegetarians make is simply living off bread and pasta. I’m really happy that Matt was able to take an objective view of your diet and make some suggestions.

What’s a typical day for you like now? Workouts, diet strategy, and so on. Give us the details!

Kyle: On workout days, I’m normally at the gym by 5am. It’s early – but it just works for me to get the workout in first thing in the morning before my kids are awake or I go to work. The gym isn’t normally too busy then either.

After my workout, I skip breakfast and bike to my job. I’ll drink coffee and water all morning during work and usually have a light lunch around noon.

My recent go-to is a plate of raw veggies with hummus and hot sauce. A couple of hours after that I have a protein shake as an afternoon snack. Then I’ll bike home from work and begin cooking dinner for the family. This is usually my biggest meal of the day. Often it includes eggs.

We’ve also been experimenting with using cauliflower in all its forms. Since my wife is continuing the diet plan that helped her lose 60lbs, it’s really easy to keep on track by eating together.

Steve: It sounds like you have a solid routine: you’re very active and prioritizing nutritious meals. Great job dude!

Besides your routine, what else has changed about you?

Kyle: I’m definitely able to wear clothes I couldn’t have worn a year ago. Now that I’m smaller and weigh less, trying on clothes really makes me aware of how heavy I had gotten.

There’s also a joy in sharing this transformative moment with my wife.

We are both working on our selves side by side, and it adds a level of support that I find really helpful when all I want to do is eat an entire cheese pizza, lol.

Steve: I love that you guys are supporting each other – and I can’t wait to see where you are a year from now!

Do you have any words of advice for somebody who just starting out on a weight loss journey? What if they’re considering a change, but not sure where to start?

Kyle: Coach Matt helped me realize a person doesn’t have to make all the drastic changes overnight.

To anybody starting out, going one step at a time is easier than trying too much, too fast!

Even though I was prepared for a bigger shock, Matt’s coaching eased me into new routines and only after I demonstrated a commitment to those did he offer something new.

And honestly, that’s been really helpful when it comes to eating.

Also, if you travel, a remote coach you can access from anywhere is awesome! It turned out to be exactly what I needed.

Steve: Traveling can be tough to maintain healthy habits, so I’m glad you found a solution that works for you.

Okay, I’ve got to ask: where do you plant your nerddom flag?

Kyle: I’m all in for Star Wars (and a minor participant in most other fandoms).

The family and I attend cons on a regular basis and are trying our hand at cosplay for the first time this year!

I’ve also got a huge vintage Star Wars action figure collection that my kids and I add to regularly.

Steve: A Star Wars collection you let your kids even look at? Dad of the year… Some fathers won’t even let their kids in the same room as their collectibles.

Where do you go from here Kyle? What goals and habits are you still working on?

Kyle: We’re definitely working to lose a few more pounds, which would bring me down 30lbs! We’re tackling this mostly through the addition of interval cardio training and small diet alterations.

Additionally, we’re working to reach some interesting physical fitness goals.

I’ve never been able to do a pull-up, but now I’m doing two each workout (and working towards more).

I’m not sure what we’re working on next, but I’m looking forward to the next steps at getting there.

Steve: YES! Welcome to the “I love pull-ups and want to tell the world” club. It’s the best club.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story with us Kyle! Best of luck to you and the family!

THE 5 KEYS TO KYLE’S WEIGHT LOSS AND LEVEL UP SUCCESS

In speaking with Kyle, I realized he had a few key traits that helped him succeed where many others fail.

Lots of people try to get in shape.

Many of them have a lot of the same obstacles to overcome as Kyle:

  • A crazy travel schedule.
  • Responsibilities as a new dad.
  • A diet too dependent on carb-heavy foods.

What’s special about Kyle is not the challenges he had to face. We all have unique barriers in our lives.

What’s special about Kyle is how he went about systematically overcoming those barriers.

In speaking with him, and analyzing his choices and decisions, I think there are five traits that set Kyle apart.

Here’s what we can learn from Kyle’s success:

#1 KYLE KNEW WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP

There’s nothing quite like a spouse or partner or friend who is crushing it to motivate you to make some changes.

Kyle’s wife decided to get in shape after having their two kids – she created a plan, stuck to it, and lost 60 pounds.

When checking out photos from a recent vacation, Kyle knew his wife was on the right track.

He, however, was not.

But he didn’t know what to do: he was already eating the way he thought he should, he was biking every day, and staying very active. The results just didn’t match the effort.

And he was also stuck due to his work schedule: Traveling made any kind of fixed routine impossible. What does one even eat at an airport that isn’t pizza?

Kyle knew things had to change, so he decided to ask for help from a professional. A professional that spoke his language: a dad that loved Star Wars.

That extra pair of eyes from Coach Matt – a father of 2 (and huge nerd), which allowed Kyle to see things in a whole new way.

Asking for help was a great first step, and then he did something many people forget: he actually LISTENED!

#2 KYLE LEARNED YOU CAN’T PEDAL YOUR WAY THIN

When people want to get in shape, they often think that hours of cardio is the answer.

They’ll start a running routine, or buy a treadmill, or even start biking to work.

While exercise and movement are critical for heart health and overall happiness, we here at Nerd Fitness know “You can’t outrun your fork.

I think it’s super awesome that Kyle works to advocate cycling as a major mode of transportation. More bikes on the road and fewer cars is great for everybody involved  – including the planet.

However, Kyle learned a valuable lesson: biking miles a day, in of itself, is often not enough to get in shape – unless it’s combined with changes to nutrition too.

We highlight over and over here at Nerd Fitness that 80%-90% of the weight-loss equation comes down to a proper diet. After gaining 30 pounds as a new dad, despite pedaling his bike every single day, Kyle knew something had to give.

He lost weight – though I think maybe 1 of those pounds might be from trimming his beard! Ha 🙂

#3 KYLE ADJUSTED HIS PLANT-BASED DIET

While Kyle spent a lot of calories riding his bike everywhere, it wasn’t enough to overcome all the calories he was eating in bread and pasta.

Kyle tried whenever possible to eat healthy vegetarian dishes like salads and quinoa bowls, but they never satisfied his hunger This led to him eating bread along with “a dizzying amount of cheese” to hold him over until his next meal.

So although weight loss come down to calories in and calories out, the quality of the food can really impact how easy or tough it is to stay within your calorie goal for the day.

It took an outside pair of eyes, from Coach Matt, to point this out to Kyle.

Now, Kyle prioritizes a healthy plant-based diet.

He skips breakfast and snacks on veggies and hummus and a protein shake during the day. His big main meal at night will often include eggs, a great protein source for those on a vegetarian diet.

The fiber from the plants and the protein from the eggs help keep Kyle full from meal to meal. So he can bike around town and not be tempted by the pizza joints on every corner.

#4 KYLE MADE THE ROAD WORK FOR HIM

Traveling can make getting in shape challenging.

Your normal routine is thrown out the window.

Instead of cooking your own meals in your kitchen, your dependent on restaurants. Instead of having access to your normal fitness facility, you get the rundown treadmill the hotel keeps so they can say they have a gym.

Here’s the thing though: you don’t need a gym to train. You can work out in a nearby park, find an empty playground, or even just do bodyweight exercises in your hotel room.

The important point is consistency. To not lose momentum on the days you’re away from your home.

With Matt’s help, Kyle developed a plan on workouts to do from anywhere.

If he’s at home?

Perfect, he’s off early to the gym to crush his training.

If he’s traveling?

No problem, Matt built workouts that don’t require any equipment whatsoever.

No momentum is lost.

If you live on the road, don’t let it become an excuse to not train. If half your days are spent in hotels, that’s plenty of time to continue growing stronger.

Make exercise your one constant when living out of luggage.

#5 KYLE HAS A SUPPORT NETWORK

I’m so happy that Kyle’s wife is also on her own journey, going about things her own way. They’re also supporting the heck out of each other!

This means it’s two heads in the kitchen instead of just one.

When Kyle has to wake up early to hit the gym, his wife understands (and vice versa!).

They both want to prioritize their health, for their own future and the future of their children. Having someone in the house whose on the same fitness journey is a godsend.

Plus, it’s not the only support Kyle has.

His coach, Matt, also has his back. This non-judgemental extra pair of eyes proved critical.

Matt helped Kyle see, with a little bit of adjustment, his vegetarian diet could be a tool for weight loss. Matt helped Kyle create a plan for the gym, so he could get in, know exactly what to do, and get out.

Matt adjusts Kyle’s workout on the fly depending on his travel schedule for the upcoming month. Every day, Kyle wakes up, looks at the NF App, and knows exactly what he needs to do.

The lesson: if you can, find a fellow Jedi or a Jedi Master!

Maybe your spouse has expressed interest in getting in shape.

Maybe you have a brother or sister or roomate who wants to start strength training, and you two can share your progress with each other.

Maybe you have a coworker who also wants to go for walks at lunch with you.

Or perhaps you can hire expert guidance, like a coach, to help make plans and recommendations for you to hit your goals.

A companion can be a lifesaver for when things get difficult, so team up – even if it’s just for accountability!

WHAT SMALL CHANGES CAN YOU MAKE, LIKE KYLE, TO LEVEL UP YOUR LIFE?

The great thing about Kyle’s transformation, is he is still Kyle!

Kyle still takes his bike to work every day.

Kyle still follows a vegetarian diet.

And Kyle still shares his love of Star Wars with his kids, because kids should know about Star Wars.

Sometimes, you don’t need to do a complete life overhaul to level up your life.

Sometimes, an outside pair of eyes can point out some key changes you could make, to help you reach your goals.

No matter where you are on your fitness journey, I would encourage you to think about what made Kyle successful:

  • It’s okay to ask for help. You don’t know what you don’t know. Asking an expert to take an objective review of your life can be immensely valuable.
  • You can’t peddle your way thin. I wish getting in shape was as simple as biking to work. While it is a great lifestyle habit, diet will still be 80-90% of your success.
  • Be careful with a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian or not, you still need to know what you’re eating! A salad and quinoa bowl can be vegetarian, but so can pizza and donuts. You can absolutely do a vegetarian or vegan diet incorrectly. So, don’t do that!
  • Don’t lose momentum on the road. Staying fit while traveling can be tough. However, if you make a plan, it’s an obstacle that can be overcome.
  • Don’t make this journey alone. If your spouse wants to get in shape with you, great! Take them up on it! If this isn’t an option, a coach can also be a great accountability partner.

If you related to Kyle’s story, seemingly doing the right things without making any progress, think about what you can do differently.

Start by testing your assumptions:

Maybe running on a treadmill for an hour isn’t enough to burn the calories from all that pizza at lunch.

Maybe a vegetarian diet should include vegetables.

Maybe pull-ups are the best. I know Christina, another coaching success story, agrees!

As we learned from Kyle, an outside pair of eyes can be really useful for analyzing your routine. Sometimes it’s hard to look at ourselves objectionably.

Depending on your current situation, our 1-on-1 NF Coaching Program might be just the extra pair of eyes you need! Someone who can learn your life, understand your individual obstacles, and make a plan for success!

Want to learn more? Go ahead and click on the box below and schedule a call with our team!

No matter what you do, here’s what I want you to take away from Kyle’s story:

  • Diet is everything. You can still gain weight even if you bike to and from work. If you aren’t making the progress you’re after, look into a different nutrition strategy.
  • Make small changes, but make changes. Are you frustrated that what your doing isn’t working? Try something else this time!

In a year and a half, by focusing on the above two points, Kyle got within 3 pounds of his goal weight (27 pounds down at the time of this writing).

If you started focusing on your diet with small sustainable changes, I promise you in 18 months, you’ll be closer to your goal than you are today.

The important thing?

Start!

Not tomorrow. Not next week.

Today!

-Steve

PS: I want to give a special shout out to Coach Matt, who provided the non-judgemental pair of eyes Kyle needed to level up his life.

If you are somebody that wants to have your own Yoda guiding you in the ways of the Force, check out or 1-on-1 coaching program, and I could be sharing YOUR story this time next year!

PPS: Speaking of success stories…If you’ve had success with any aspect of Nerd Fitness, whether it’s our free workouts, Academy, or Coaching, email us! Send your story to contact(at)NerdFitness(dot)com and let us know so we can share your adventure with the galaxy!



source https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/how-kyle-the-vegetarian-lost-27-pounds-and-started-crushing-pull-ups/

Friday 29 March 2019

Runner’s Draft (Paul Edits)

Do you know how to run?

It’s a simple question, and probably something you might not even think about. After all, what’s so tough about running, right? You put one foot in front of the other, repeat the process as quickly as possible, and BAM you’re running!

However, did you realize that running improperly, especially for long distances, can do some serious damage to your body while not even giving you the benefits you’d expect from putting in all of that effort? Not cool, I know.

Luckily, Nerd Fitness is here to help!

Today, you’re actually going to learn how to run the right way, keeping you healthy, happy, and injury-free.

Before we jump in, it’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of strength training. If you were going to start just one single exercise program, instead of running, I would recommend lifting heavy.

If you’re interested in learning why, and how to get started, check out our guide Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. You can grab it for free when you join the Rebellion below:

Do you want to run?

First and foremost, when people tell me they’re going to start running, I always ask: “do you enjoy running?”

If the answer is “no,” then I yell at them (nicely), “THEN DON’T DO IT!”

If you are starting to run because you want to lose weight, but don’t actually enjoy running, I HAVE GREAT NEWS! You don’t have to run; in fact, there are more efficient ways to burn the right kind of calories. Your diet will be 80% of your battle anyways, so if you can find a way to start eating healthy, your exercise can come from activities you DO enjoy – hiking, strength training, martial arts, Ultimate Frisbee, whatever.

Now, if you answer with something like:

  • “Yes! I love running,”
  • “I like interval training and sprints”
  • “I don’t love it, but I need to complete it for a fitness test”
  • “I’m running a 5k for charity/work and want to do well”
  • “Not yet, but I think I could…”

…then we can continue the conversation! Let’s take a look at the first few important steps (get it!) when it comes to running.

What to do first

Before you even THINK about strapping on a new pair of Nike shoes and going for a run around your neighborhood, we need to get a few things straight:

Your body needs to have a base-level of fitness before running becomes a viable option. Every time you run, every time you take a step, you put the pressure of your entire body weight on the muscles, tendons, and joints in your legs, knees, ankles, feet, and toes. If you are overweight and have improper running technique, that means your joints and tendons are taking an absolute POUNDING for however many steps you take during your run: around 6,200 steps in a 5k, 12,200 steps in a 10k, or 50,000+ steps in a marathon.

You’d have to be crazy to want to do something that hurts your body 50,000 times in a row!

So, clean up that diet, strength train every other day with something like our Beginner Bodyweight Workout, and then do some form of low-impact activity on your off-days. Things like:

  • Hiking – my personal favorite: get out and see the world!
  • Biking – easy on your joints, gets you moving.
  • Swimming – very low impact as the water holds you up.
  • Walking – go for a nice long walk around your town, and keep your head up. Enjoy the scenery.
  • Elliptical – although I’m not a fan of spending all afternoon in a gym on a treadmill, this is the better option as it removes the opportunity for joint impact.

Strength training, clean eating, and low impact activity – build up at your foundation to prep your body for running. The less weight your body has to carry around, the less work your legs and joints have to do, the less likely you’ll be to damage your joints and/or injure yourself.

Now that you have a solid foundation and you’re ready to start running, you can move on to the next step.

Does any of this stress you out? We get tons of emails from Rebels, panicked that they don’t know where to start their fitness journey.

Should they start walking first? What about focusing all their effort on nutrition? Keto seems popular, is it something they should try?

These types of inquiries are exactly why we created our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program. We sought to take all the guesswork out of getting in shape, by creating a program designed to tell you exactly what to do.

Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? A job that requires travel? All the above? We got you covered.

We’ll then pair you with a coach from Team Nerd Fitness that fits your personality and situation. They’ll work with you to build custom workouts and nutrition guidance to meet any goal you might have. Unless that goal is ruthless world domination. Use your powers for good, okay?

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!

How to warm up properly

Before you take your first stride as a runner, you need to be properly warmed up.

When most people think of warming up, they probably think of standing there and doing some static stretching for 10 minutes…you know, to make sure you don’t get injured!

Wrong! Fail! Stretching BEFORE running can actually increase your risk of injury.[1] Instead, try a dynamic warm-up – get your body properly warmed up and prepared for the rigors of running.

Here’s Staci, our head female coach, providing you with a quick sequence to try out:

You can also check out our post “How to Warm Up Properly” for more moves and tips.

Just like with strength training, if you don’t have time to warm up, you don’t have time to run. Cut the run short if you need to, but not the warm up!

How to run properly

If you don’t learn how to run correctly, you’re doomed to develop an overuse injury and that’s going to negate the whole reason you started running in the first place!

This is why your running form is so damn crucial: when you run, you’re putting hundreds of pounds of pressure on your joints and ligaments with each bounding step down the road. This is then repeated thousands of times over the course of training and a race.

No wonder nearly every runner has tons of stories of injuries they’ve had to deal with. It can be a brutal activity that can wreak havoc even with good running mechanics.

With poor running mechanics, the results are compounded.

And not the GOOD kind of “compounded” like compound interest like you learned in 2nd grade with the story about starting with 1 penny a day and doubling it for 30 days.

The BAD kind of “compounded” like plantar fasciitis and stress fractures and sore IT bands and torn ligaments and crazy soreness all the time.

We don’t want that.

Make sure you follow the below five steps:

1) Lean from your ankles. Lean from your ankles, and keep a straight line from your ankle, through your butt, and up to your head. If you’re standing still with this slight forward lean, you should feel like you’re about to fall forward.

Just don’t actually fall forward.

When you start running, gravity will help keep you progressing forward. A proper lean from the ankles keeps your body in alignment and loads your muscles properly and efficiently.

2) Increase your cadence. Cadence is your stride rate, or the number of steps you take per minute. It will probably seem weird at first, but you’re putting less stress on your legs with shorter foot strikes.

Your cadence should be at least 170-190 steps per minute when you’re running at an easy, conversational pace. It will probably increase once you start running faster—that’s normal.

“Steve, what the hell do I do with “170-190 steps per minute?”

Great question. Go to Spotify and look for 170-190BPM playlists, like these which I found here:

Not on Spotify? Cool. (But like, why?) To get a cadence, try running to Outkast’s “Hey Ya” and time your strides to match the beat. That’s the cadence you’re looking for:

Research has shown[2] that increasing your cadence and taking more steps (around 180 per minute) provides many of the same benefits of barefoot running: less impact shock that goes up your legs, improved running economy (or your efficiency, which means you’ll run faster with less effort!), and a reduced chance of injury.

You’ll feel like you’re taking way more steps than normal – that means you probably had poor form before and now you’re fixing it!

If your legs get to the point where they’re going this fast, let me know:

3) Foot strike at the right time. When your foot comes down and makes contact with the ground, it should be underneath your body, not in front of it. Combined with a quick cadence and a slight forward lean from your ankles, you’ll be distributing impact shock evenly—and efficiently.

This aspect of running form is often skipped over by beginning runners. Instead of focusing on where the foot is landing in relation to the rest of the body, they focus too much on running on their forefoot. If you don’t first land in the right place, a midfoot or forefoot strike will only do more damage.

As you’re running, a good mental cue is to think that you’re just “putting your foot down” in a straight line underneath your body. There’s no reaching or stretching your leg out in front of you. Practicing this mental cue will have your leg touching down almost exactly underneath your center of mass, distributing your weight evenly and safely.

4) Land on your mid-foot. While not as important as landing underneath your center of mass, becoming a mid-foot striker has a host of benefits. It can help you avoid a lot of injuries by absorbing impact shock and preventing a severe heel striking running stride.

Heel-striking can’t be entirely blamed for injuries and labeled “bad.”

Even elite athletes heel strike when they run races! It’s not entirely bad— especially if you’re putting weight down on your foot just after you heel strike, instead of directly on the heel.[3]

What you should focus on is having a higher cadence, landing underneath your body, and not aggressively heel striking. Try to land with your foot flat on the ground, instead of with your toes angled upwards.[4]

5) Symmetrical arm swing. Nobody wants to look at you running if you’re flailing your arms wildly all over the place like Elaine dancing from Seinfeld. An ideal arm swing has your arm bent at about 90 degrees and a front to back swing (not side-to-side).

Imagine a pretend line that goes down your mid-line or center of your body. When you run, your hands should not cross over this imaginary line. Cup your hands loosely together (no clenched fists!) and if you want to use your arms for momentum, pump your elbows, not your hands.

Once you incorporate these changes into your running form, you’ll feel a lot more comfortable and your injury risk is going to plummet.

For extra credit, learn to run softly and quietly. Foot stomping isn’t allowed and gets increasingly more difficult as you approach 180 steps per minute.

A few other things you want to keep in mind:

  • Keep a tall back, chest up. No slouching.
  • Look 30-50 meters in front of you – not head down looking at your toes.

Both are easy cues to keep an athletic posture and good running form.

Go back through and read this section a few more times. We know it’s a LOT to think about while running, but it is incredibly important. If you get a chance, have somebody film you running, and then watch your tape back to see how you’re doing.

WALK BEFORE YOU RUN

Starting a running practice can be daunting. 

That’s why I actually recommend walking first. I mentioned earlier that walking can help build the foundation of a great running practice.

Once you’re comfortable moving a little bit, an ideal way to actually start running is to alternate between a brisk walk and a jog. This can help you build up some strength so you can run at a more constant pace.

Try this:

  1. Get comfortable walking for 20 minutes. That’s it. Stroll around your neighborhood a few times a week, until this is a cake walk.[5]
  2. Bump it up to 30 minutes. After 20 minutes is no problem, take it to the next level for a 30-minute walk. Once you can handle this fine, we can start picking up the pace.
  3. It’s time to start run/walking. Walk as you have been for 10 minutes. Then, pick up the pace for a light jog for a minute (or 30 seconds if this is too tough). Give yourself a couple more minutes of walking (or longer) before you start jogging again. Do this for about 10 minutes, then walk normally for the last 10 minutes. You’ll still come in at 30 minutes for your exercise.
  4. Now, run for longer. Once your comfortable holding a one minute jog, let’s take it up a notch. We’ll still have you warm up for 10 minutes of walking, but when you jog, try going for a minute and a half. If this seems easy, go for 2 minutes! Alternate to a slower walk whenever you need to catch your breath.
  5. Before you know it, you will be a runner. As you expand your jogging time, lower the amount of time you walk. At this point, you’re basically running with some short walking breaks. Which is fine! This is how people start to run and many continue to alternate between walking and jogging forever. Even if you get to the point of running marathons, there’s nothing wrong with taking some walking breaks. You do you.

Alright, we’ve talked about technique, plus some tips for getting up and running.[6]

However, I know you’re gonna ask, so let’s talk about what kicks you should rock.

What are some good running shoes?

stormtrooper shoe

There are four components to look for in any shoe.

If the shoe doesn’t meet these four criteria, then your foot is going to be compromised.

A good shoe has:

  • No heel lift of any kind.
  • A wide toe box that allows your foot to spread as it lands on the ground with each step.
  • A pliable bottom that allows your toes to bend to a full ninety degrees of flexion as you step.
  • Something to attach it to your ankle area.

Let’s look at each in a bit more detail:

1. No heel lift of any kind. When your shoe raises your heel higher than your forefoot (aka heel lift), your ankle and lower leg are being positioned in a slightly shortened position for the duration that you’re wearing the shoes.

When your leg muscles are thrown into a slightly unnatural position, it means the mobility of your ankle will suffer… and this will limit all sorts of things including your running gait.

This doesn’t just mean high-heels either, although running in heels is ridiculous.

This includes most regular shoes which have a bulky heel and lower toe. In many shoes, you’ll see this difference between heel and forefoot referred to as a “drop,” so “zero-drop” shoes are shoes where heel and forefoot are at the same height.

2. A wide toe box that allows your foot to spread as it lands on the ground with each step. With each step you take, your foot actually spreads wider upon landing. This is impossible for your foot to do when it’s in a shoe that is too narrow.

If the toe box is not at least as wide as your foot when you’re standing on your foot, while it’s bearing your weight, that’s a problem for your foot. Know that as your foot becomes more ‘natural’ it’s possible it will widen further, as the muscles and bones reposition themselves.

Feet crammed into a shoe is like putting a leash on Sonic the Hedgehog: they want to be free!

3. A pliable bottom that allows your toes to bend fully as you step. Your great toe is meant to flex to ninety degrees as you move through the gait cycle. See below:

Toe Stretch

If your shoe does not allow this due to a hard sole, your feet won’t be able to move as well, and the soft tissues of your foot will get weaker from not being used fully. PLUS, when you aren’t flexing your big toe regularly, your body will start to lose the ability to use that joint fully. This can lead to all sorts of problems. Doh!

4. It’s strapped to your foot. If the shoe isn’t strapped around your ankle, your toes are going to grab at the shoe to keep it on with every step you take. This makes some of your foot bones push down and some of your foot bones lift up. That shift means you change the amount of forces on each bone. Over time, this can lead to stress fractures and tissue injuries.

Check out the below video from movement specialist Kelly Starret:

Please don’t run in sandals.

For each point above, this isn’t an “all or nothing” scenario. Similar to your nutrition, do the best you can when you can, and work your way into running with a minimalist shoe.

If you want to learn more on proper footwear, make sure you check out “A Nerd’s Guide to Healthy Feet,” written by Kate Galliett of FitForRealLife.com.

Lastly, if you want to learn more about the benefits of ditching your shoes altogether, you can check out our article “Is Barefoot Running Really Better for You?

LIFE ON THE RUN

Once you get comfortable running around your neighborhood or park, you can start thinking about taking it to the next level.

Have you ever thought about running a marathon? They can be a lot of fun!

If you want to learn how to get started, make sure you check out our article “Couch to 5K.” We cover the popular program and give our take on running your first race.

Also, if you want even more guidance on running, I’ll point you to my buddy Jason Fitzgerald’s wonderful site Strength Running. I reach out to Jason whenever I need advice on proper running (including the tips found in this post). You can also check out this interview I did with Jason, where we discuss running, proper diet, and Star Wars.

There’s some overlap…

Alright, I think that about does it for this article.

Now, your turn!

Are you an avid runner?

Do you have any tips for Rebels just lacing up?

Or are you like me, and only run when something is chasing you?

Let us know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: I’ll leave you with a final reminder of our 1-on-1 Coaching Program. If you’re blown away by the fact that you don’t have to run to get in shape, but don’t know where else to begin, we got you. We’ll work with you to develop a training program you actually like (could be running, could be strength training, could be yoga), so you can level up your life! Click right here to learn more.

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[7]



source https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/runners-draft-paul-edits/

A Beginner’s Guide to Running

Do you know how to run?

It’s a simple question, and probably something you might not even think about. After all, what’s so tough about running, right? You put one foot in front of the other, repeat the process as quickly as possible, and BAM you’re running!

However, did you realize that running improperly, especially for long distances, can do some serious damage to your body while not even giving you the benefits you’d expect from putting in all of that effort? Not cool, I know.

Luckily, Nerd Fitness is here to help!

Today, you’re actually going to learn how to run the right way, keeping you healthy, happy, and injury-free.

Before we jump in, it’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of strength training. If you were going to start just one single exercise program, instead of running, I would recommend lifting heavy.

If you’re interested in learning why, and how to get started, check out our guide Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. You can grab it for free when you join the Rebellion below:

Do you want to run?

First and foremost, when people tell me they’re going to start running, I always ask: “do you enjoy running?”

If the answer is “no,” then I yell at them (nicely), “THEN DON’T DO IT!”

If you are starting to run because you want to lose weight, but don’t actually enjoy running, I HAVE GREAT NEWS! You don’t have to run; in fact, there are more efficient ways to burn the right kind of calories. Your diet will be 80% of your battle anyways, so if you can find a way to start eating healthy, your exercise can come from activities you DO enjoy – hiking, strength training, martial arts, Ultimate Frisbee, whatever.

Now, if you answer with something like:

  • “Yes! I love running,”
  • “I like interval training and sprints”
  • “I don’t love it, but I need to complete it for a fitness test”
  • “I’m running a 5k for charity/work and want to do well”
  • “Not yet, but I think I could…”

…then we can continue the conversation! Let’s take a look at the first few important steps (get it!) when it comes to running.

What to do first

Before you even THINK about strapping on a new pair of Nike shoes and going for a run around your neighborhood, we need to get a few things straight:

Your body needs to have a base-level of fitness before running becomes a viable option. Every time you run, every time you take a step, you put the pressure of your entire body weight on the muscles, tendons, and joints in your legs, knees, ankles, feet, and toes. If you are overweight and have improper running technique, that means your joints and tendons are taking an absolute POUNDING for however many steps you take during your run: around 6,200 steps in a 5k, 12,200 steps in a 10k, or 50,000+ steps in a marathon.

You’d have to be crazy to want to do something that hurts your body 50,000 times in a row!

So, clean up that diet, strength train every other day with something like our Beginner Bodyweight Workout, and then do some form of low-impact activity on your off-days. Things like:

  • Hiking – my personal favorite: get out and see the world!
  • Biking – easy on your joints, gets you moving.
  • Swimming – very low impact as the water holds you up.
  • Walking – go for a nice long walk around your town, and keep your head up. Enjoy the scenery.
  • Elliptical – although I’m not a fan of spending all afternoon in a gym on a treadmill, this is the better option as it removes the opportunity for joint impact.

Strength training, clean eating, and low impact activity – build up at your foundation to prep your body for running. The less weight your body has to carry around, the less work your legs and joints have to do, the less likely you’ll be to damage your joints and/or injure yourself.

Now that you have a solid foundation and you’re ready to start running, you can move on to the next step.

Does any of this stress you out? We get tons of emails from Rebels, panicked that they don’t know where to start their fitness journey.

Should they start walking first? What about focusing all their effort on nutrition? Keto seems popular, is it something they should try?

These types of inquiries are exactly why we created our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program. We sought to take all the guesswork out of getting in shape, by creating a program designed to tell you exactly what to do.

Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? A job that requires travel? All the above? We got you covered.

We’ll then pair you with a coach from Team Nerd Fitness that fits your personality and situation. They’ll work with you to build custom workouts and nutrition guidance to meet any goal you might have. Unless that goal is ruthless world domination. Use your powers for good, okay?

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!

How to warm up properly

Before you take your first stride as a runner, you need to be properly warmed up.

When most people think of warming up, they probably think of standing there and doing some static stretching for 10 minutes…you know, to make sure you don’t get injured!

Wrong! Fail! Stretching BEFORE running can actually increase your risk of injury.[1] Instead, try a dynamic warm-up – get your body properly warmed up and prepared for the rigors of running.

Here’s Staci, our head female coach, providing you with a quick sequence to try out:

You can also check out our post “How to Warm Up Properly” for more moves and tips.

Just like with strength training, if you don’t have time to warm up, you don’t have time to run. Cut the run short if you need to, but not the warm up!

How to run properly

If you don’t learn how to run correctly, you’re doomed to develop an overuse injury and that’s going to negate the whole reason you started running in the first place!

This is why your running form is so damn crucial: when you run, you’re putting hundreds of pounds of pressure on your joints and ligaments with each bounding step down the road. This is then repeated thousands of times over the course of training and a race.

No wonder nearly every runner has tons of stories of injuries they’ve had to deal with. It can be a brutal activity that can wreak havoc even with good running mechanics.

With poor running mechanics, the results are compounded.

And not the GOOD kind of “compounded” like compound interest like you learned in 2nd grade with the story about starting with 1 penny a day and doubling it for 30 days.

The BAD kind of “compounded” like plantar fasciitis and stress fractures and sore IT bands and torn ligaments and crazy soreness all the time.

We don’t want that.

Make sure you follow the below five steps:

1) Lean from your ankles. Lean from your ankles, and keep a straight line from your ankle, through your butt, and up to your head. If you’re standing still with this slight forward lean, you should feel like you’re about to fall forward.

Just don’t actually fall forward.

When you start running, gravity will help keep you progressing forward. A proper lean from the ankles keeps your body in alignment and loads your muscles properly and efficiently.

2) Increase your cadence. Cadence is your stride rate, or the number of steps you take per minute. It will probably seem weird at first, but you’re putting less stress on your legs with shorter foot strikes.

Your cadence should be at least 170-190 steps per minute when you’re running at an easy, conversational pace. It will probably increase once you start running faster—that’s normal.

“Steve, what the hell do I do with “170-190 steps per minute?”

Great question. Go to Spotify and look for 170-190BPM playlists, like these which I found here:

Not on Spotify? Cool. (But like, why?) To get a cadence, try running to Outkast’s “Hey Ya” and time your strides to match the beat. That’s the cadence you’re looking for:

Research has shown[2] that increasing your cadence and taking more steps (around 180 per minute) provides many of the same benefits of barefoot running: less impact shock that goes up your legs, improved running economy (or your efficiency, which means you’ll run faster with less effort!), and a reduced chance of injury.

You’ll feel like you’re taking way more steps than normal – that means you probably had poor form before and now you’re fixing it!

If your legs get to the point where they’re going this fast, let me know:

3) Foot strike at the right time. When your foot comes down and makes contact with the ground, it should be underneath your body, not in front of it. Combined with a quick cadence and a slight forward lean from your ankles, you’ll be distributing impact shock evenly—and efficiently.

This aspect of running form is often skipped over by beginning runners. Instead of focusing on where the foot is landing in relation to the rest of the body, they focus too much on running on their forefoot. If you don’t first land in the right place, a midfoot or forefoot strike will only do more damage.

As you’re running, a good mental cue is to think that you’re just “putting your foot down” in a straight line underneath your body. There’s no reaching or stretching your leg out in front of you. Practicing this mental cue will have your leg touching down almost exactly underneath your center of mass, distributing your weight evenly and safely.

4) Land on your mid-foot. While not as important as landing underneath your center of mass, becoming a mid-foot striker has a host of benefits. It can help you avoid a lot of injuries by absorbing impact shock and preventing a severe heel striking running stride.

Heel-striking can’t be entirely blamed for injuries and labeled “bad.”

Even elite athletes heel strike when they run races! It’s not entirely bad— especially if you’re putting weight down on your foot just after you heel strike, instead of directly on the heel.[3]

What you should focus on is having a higher cadence, landing underneath your body, and not aggressively heel striking. Try to land with your foot flat on the ground, instead of with your toes angled upwards.[4]

5) Symmetrical arm swing. Nobody wants to look at you running if you’re flailing your arms wildly all over the place like Elaine dancing from Seinfeld. An ideal arm swing has your arm bent at about 90 degrees and a front to back swing (not side-to-side).

Imagine a pretend line that goes down your mid-line or center of your body. When you run, your hands should not cross over this imaginary line. Cup your hands loosely together (no clenched fists!) and if you want to use your arms for momentum, pump your elbows, not your hands.

Once you incorporate these changes into your running form, you’ll feel a lot more comfortable and your injury risk is going to plummet.

For extra credit, learn to run softly and quietly. Foot stomping isn’t allowed and gets increasingly more difficult as you approach 180 steps per minute.

A few other things you want to keep in mind:

  • Keep a tall back, chest up. No slouching.
  • Look 30-50 meters in front of you – not head down looking at your toes.

Both are easy cues to keep an athletic posture and good running form.

Go back through and read this section a few more times. We know it’s a LOT to think about while running, but it is incredibly important. If you get a chance, have somebody film you running, and then watch your tape back to see how you’re doing.

WALK BEFORE YOU RUN

Starting a running practice can be daunting. 

That’s why I actually recommend walking first. I mentioned earlier that walking can help build the foundation of a great running practice.

Once you’re comfortable moving a little bit, an ideal way to actually start running is to alternate between a brisk walk and a jog. This can help you build up some strength so you can run at a more constant pace.

Try this:

  1. Get comfortable walking for 20 minutes. That’s it. Stroll around your neighborhood a few times a week, until this is a cake walk.[5]
  2. Bump it up to 30 minutes. After 20 minutes is no problem, take it to the next level for a 30-minute walk. Once you can handle this fine, we can start picking up the pace.
  3. It’s time to start run/walking. Walk as you have been for 10 minutes. Then, pick up the pace for a light jog for a minute (or 30 seconds if this is too tough). Give yourself a couple more minutes of walking (or longer) before you start jogging again. Do this for about 10 minutes, then walk normally for the last 10 minutes. You’ll still come in at 30 minutes for your exercise.
  4. Now, run for longer. Once your comfortable holding a one minute jog, let’s take it up a notch. We’ll still have you warm up for 10 minutes of walking, but when you jog, try going for a minute and a half. If this seems easy, go for 2 minutes! Alternate to a slower walk whenever you need to catch your breath.
  5. Before you know it, you will be a runner. As you expand your jogging time, lower the amount of time you walk. At this point, you’re basically running with some short walking breaks. Which is fine! This is how people start to run and many continue to alternate between walking and jogging forever. Even if you get to the point of running marathons, there’s nothing wrong with taking some walking breaks. You do you.

Alright, we’ve talked about technique, plus some tips for getting up and running.[6]

However, I know you’re gonna ask, so let’s talk about what kicks you should rock.

What are some good running shoes?

stormtrooper shoe

There are four components to look for in any shoe.

If the shoe doesn’t meet these four criteria, then your foot is going to be compromised.

A good shoe has:

  • No heel lift of any kind.
  • A wide toe box that allows your foot to spread as it lands on the ground with each step.
  • A pliable bottom that allows your toes to bend to a full ninety degrees of flexion as you step.
  • Something to attach it to your ankle area.

Let’s look at each in a bit more detail:

1. No heel lift of any kind. When your shoe raises your heel higher than your forefoot (aka heel lift), your ankle and lower leg are being positioned in a slightly shortened position for the duration that you’re wearing the shoes.

When your leg muscles are thrown into a slightly unnatural position, it means the mobility of your ankle will suffer… and this will limit all sorts of things including your running gait.

This doesn’t just mean high-heels either, although running in heels is ridiculous.

This includes most regular shoes which have a bulky heel and lower toe. In many shoes, you’ll see this difference between heel and forefoot referred to as a “drop,” so “zero-drop” shoes are shoes where heel and forefoot are at the same height.

2. A wide toe box that allows your foot to spread as it lands on the ground with each step. With each step you take, your foot actually spreads wider upon landing. This is impossible for your foot to do when it’s in a shoe that is too narrow.

If the toe box is not at least as wide as your foot when you’re standing on your foot, while it’s bearing your weight, that’s a problem for your foot. Know that as your foot becomes more ‘natural’ it’s possible it will widen further, as the muscles and bones reposition themselves.

Feet crammed into a shoe is like putting a leash on Sonic the Hedgehog: they want to be free!

3. A pliable bottom that allows your toes to bend fully as you step. Your great toe is meant to flex to ninety degrees as you move through the gait cycle. See below:

Toe Stretch

If your shoe does not allow this due to a hard sole, your feet won’t be able to move as well, and the soft tissues of your foot will get weaker from not being used fully. PLUS, when you aren’t flexing your big toe regularly, your body will start to lose the ability to use that joint fully. This can lead to all sorts of problems. Doh!

4. It’s strapped to your foot. If the shoe isn’t strapped around your ankle, your toes are going to grab at the shoe to keep it on with every step you take. This makes some of your foot bones push down and some of your foot bones lift up. That shift means you change the amount of forces on each bone. Over time, this can lead to stress fractures and tissue injuries.

Check out the below video from movement specialist Kelly Starret:

Please don’t run in sandals.

For each point above, this isn’t an “all or nothing” scenario. Similar to your nutrition, do the best you can when you can, and work your way into running with a minimalist shoe.

If you want to learn more on proper footwear, make sure you check out “A Nerd’s Guide to Healthy Feet,” written by Kate Galliett of FitForRealLife.com.

Lastly, if you want to learn more about the benefits of ditching your shoes altogether, you can check out our article “Is Barefoot Running Really Better for You?

LIFE ON THE RUN

Once you get comfortable running around your neighborhood or park, you can start thinking about taking it to the next level.

Have you ever thought about running a marathon? They can be a lot of fun!

If you want to learn how to get started, make sure you check out our article “Couch to 5K.” We cover the popular program and give our take on running your first race.

Also, if you want even more guidance on running, I’ll point you to my buddy Jason Fitzgerald’s wonderful site Strength Running. I reach out to Jason whenever I need advice on proper running (including the tips found in this post). You can also check out this interview I did with Jason, where we discuss running, proper diet, and Star Wars.

There’s some overlap…

Alright, I think that about does it for this article.

Now, your turn!

Are you an avid runner?

Do you have any tips for Rebels just lacing up?

Or are you like me, and only run when something is chasing you?

Let us know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: I’ll leave you with a final reminder of our 1-on-1 Coaching Program. If you’re blown away by the fact that you don’t have to run to get in shape, but don’t know where else to begin, we got you. We’ll work with you to develop a training program you actually like (could be running, could be strength training, could be yoga), so you can level up your life! Click right here to learn more.

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All photo sources can be found right here.[7]



source https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/running-properly/