The Experts Weigh In: Run, Katie, Run!

BY: KATHERINE C., CONTRIBUTOR

This is not a post about the best way to train for a half marathon (in fact, it may even be the worst). There are myriad resources for that, and I highly recommend that you consult them first. But the truth is, if I waited until I could do it the "best" way, I would have never started. I occasionally drink too much and burn the candle at both ends, I travel a fair amount for work to many different insomnia-inducing time zones and my diet can be pretty uneven in terms of nutritional quality (kale salad, kale salad, kale salad... side of fries, side of fries, side of fries). But that doesn't mean I don't deserve to feel like Superwoman every so often!

In my first attempt at a half marathon, I learned a lot about what motivates me, I surprised myself by actually finishing the thing, and I want to do more!

Before I (very noncommittally) registered for this race, I was running anywhere from zero to three times a week - just a slow 3-4 miles, when I felt like it, if the weather was nice or I needed to clear my head. Back in February, my boss casually forwarded me an email about the Budapest Half Marathon, which she had run before and which was conveniently taking place while I was travelling with her for a work conference. "Just saying..." she wrote. Then a ":-)". The smiley really sealed it for me, I guess because a few days later (with very little reflection), I completed my registration.

From where I was sitting, September 8th seemed far enough away not to be real, the registration fee was only $40 and I was going to be in Budapest anyway. The decision wasn't so much I'm going to do this! as I'm going to reserve a spot to do this in case I decide I want to later. I checked out some training schedules online that recommended training 3-4 months ahead. And then, like so many recipes or complicated hair-braiding tutorials that I bookmark, intending to get around to them at some point, I essentially forgot about it.

And then it was June...

And honestly, I totally would've started except June had me moving apartments, attending a friend's wedding out of town and travelling to Stockholm for work (note: you can, in fact, bring sneakers with you and run in other places, especially if you are registered for a race in Budapest when you reside in Brooklyn!). The next thing I knew June was, for all intents and purposes, over, and I had only clocked a total of 10 miles.

I made a goal to get myself together in July...

But in July, I was like... I don't know, it's hot outside, guys, and everyone's having parties and barbeque's on the weekend. At least I was starting to tell people I had signed up (between sips of beer). Most of the responses I got were somewhere between supportive and skeptical. I probably ran less in July than ever before because now it wasn't just running for the fun of it - it was Intimidating Half Marathon Training and it was also Already Too Late.

Fact: It wasn't too late! I don't know what finally flipped the switch in my head, but maybe it was the fact that everyone started asking how the training was going, or maybe the fact that my friend Aida came back from a research fellowship in Austin wanting to shed off a breakfast taco or two. I bought a new sports bra and started Googling things like "4-week half marathon training possible?" where I came across websites like this and this one, which said "It is possible, but I wouldn't recommend it", from which I optimistically gleaned the message "It's possible!".

Image via cookincanuck.com

I asked Aida if she would try running 6 miles with me that weekend. Neither of us had ever run six miles before and it seemed terrifying. She was game, and from there ended up turning into my running buddy. Her support was really essential. Plus, scheduling time to run together meant we got to hang out more often (AND it was free).

Fun to note is that the day and night before our 6 mile test run, I spent at Lauren here's Bachelorette party. Still, we soldiered on the next day and much to both of our surprise, I suggested we make it seven miles as we approached the end of mile six. Stay out all night, go running the next day, run the farthest I'd ever run in my life... this was going to be easy! Still on our endorphin high, we agreed to go for eight miles the next weekend.

For whatever reason, that eighth mile was killer! Maybe since I was better prepared (and better rested), I expected to do even better than the week before. But no, I had to really push myself for the last 3 miles, and even stopped to walk for a few minutes on mile seven. I was planning to run 13 miles in just a few weeks, and I could barely run eight? This was NOT going to be easy.

To be honest, it's not always easy, and not every run is going to feel great. You can make excuses and put things off for 5 days, and then wake up on day 6 and still decide to go for it. For me, it's much more motivating to think I'll try this and see what happens rather than I have to do this no matter what. This was the attitude I adopted throughout my training AND as I approached my run!

The longest run I did before the half marathon was 10 miles, and that ended up being on a Tuesday evening after work (trying to avoid being stuck in the creepy part of the park after nightfall proved to be a good motivator). I also bought some magic beans...

And made a playlist...

I got to Budapest on a Monday and had a week to adjust before my race the following Sunday. My boss's last words of advice to me were something about not worrying if I saw the medic truck inching up behind me and to not walk all over the city or tire myself out the day before the race. She knows me too well.

During the week, I had dinner with three friends living in Budapest now, one of whom was a great runner and had done this race many times before. He warned me about a hill right near the end that was "really mean" and also that races in Europe are marked in kilometers, so I should look for 21 of those, not 13. Important to note.

It wasn't until I went to pick up my bib and chip the day before the race that it started to seem real. I saw the finish line. Or was that the starting line? Either way, an area. An official race area.

On race day, I cobbled together a good pre-race meal, strategically avoiding the cured meats and cheeses that characterized most of my European hotel breakfasts, cleverly stealing a banana for after the race, and off I went! I spent the whole metro ride over purging anything that wasn't Katy Perry from my playlist, and I got so busy that I almost missed the stop!

After navigating the various lines to check my bag, I remembered something a high school running coach had said about the warm-up being the most important part of the run (was that true, or did I imagine that?), and simultaneously realized I only had 10 minutes until the start. So, I "warmed up" by running to the starting area. I pushed my way into the sea of people there. Suddenly I got nervous. No one around me was speaking English, and they all looked like runners, wearing those little belts that hold water bottles, sporting defined calf muscles and doing little pre-race rituals. I bounced up and down a little like a weirdo and turned on my iPod for reassurance - at which point I realized I had forgotten the attachment that turns it into a pedometer and announces mile splits in my ear, so I had no idea how to pace myself (in kilometers!) during the run. I was under-trained and lacking my tools, but here I was. 3-2-1... Go!

Here's where I tell you the whole thing worked out fine...

After the initial chaos, I found a girl who seemed to be running at the same pace as me and tried to stay near her for awhile. The setting was absolutely beautiful as I traversed the bridges over the Danube that connect Buda and Pest, with people cheering for us along every stretch! Much to my surprise, even as I settled into what seemed like a slow and comfortable pace, there were still people behind me the whole time AND no medic truck nipping at my heels. To make things even better, one of my Hungarian friends, who I hadn't seen since 2005, rode her bike along the course to cheer for me at four different points. She had told me ahead of time where to look for her, and that helped push me along, along with the fact that I wanted to make my training buddy Aida proud! She'd put in so many miles training with me.

After a while, I think my legs went numb, or I just stopped concentrating on how they felt. I was just moving. By the time I got to 10k, I knew I was going to finish, and when I got to the "mean hill" around 17k, I still knew.

Image via futanet.com

The cool part about running a race in a new city was getting to run past all the scenic parts with the road closed off and the residents of the city cheering for me as I went by. The terrible part was having to fly home the next day, spending 9 hours crammed into an airplane seat while my legs calcified.

I'm not exaggerating when I say I could barely walk down the stairs to baggage claim when we de-boarded, and if I didn't have an elevator in my building, I probably would have spent the night in the lobby. But even as I'm typing this, I have three browser tabs open to pick a race to do next year. 

...I promised my legs I would train better for this one, and maybe I will.

Katherine lives in Brooklyn, New York. When she's not running or trying out complicated hair-braiding tutorials from the internet, she works in publishing. I'm also fairly certain she plans to steal my cat one day. How do I know? She's told me multiple times "It's not stealing if he willingly comes home with me".  I've got my eyes on you, Katie!

Breakin' a Sweat: Revolve Fitness (Manhattan)

Image via winick.us

BY: JONATHAN CARLUCCI, CONTRIBUTOR

With one last double-check of my iPhone to make sure it's in airplane mode (that time when a co-worker called during class really scarred me...), I clip in my orange shoes and ask "Alright, 7 AM-Team Revolve, you ready to do this?!". Even though they're the first class of the day, they always bring the energy. Every Tuesday I'm amazed!

Today we're warming up to DJ Notixx's remix of Ellie Goulding's Burn. I love this track because it provides the perfect moment to take a deep breath, acknowledge all of your challenges, frustrations and disappointments and then just exhale and let them go. "Take 45 minutes to yourself to find some clarity. It's not selfish, it's totally needed," I breathe into the mic. And then we go hard. For 45 incredible minutes.

We New Yorkers are pretty intense about, well, everything. Our fitness is no exception; yet, I think we often compartmentalize ourselves in our workouts. We crave our sweaty, calorie-burning cardio in a cycling class, then want our quiet, introspective zen-fix in a yoga class. Don't get me wrong... I'm a huge fan of cross-training - it's so important. But, we're complicated creatures, and I think it's vital to always bring all three components to our workout: body, mind and spirit. Here you'll get the best results.

I want my class to give riders that option - investing everything in the moment we're in and in the work we're doing for the change we want. I'm not going to be the person running up to your bike barking in your face to give more, push harder and prove something to me. We all have those people in our lives daily, we don't need more of them.

Instead, my passion is helping people discover the strength in themselves that they maybe didn't know they had. 

It's my passion to empower.

Currently, one of my favorite drills in class is to use a track that has some real emotion behind the lyric and beat (right now, I'm loving Jessie J's Who You Are and Switchfoot's Dare You to Move) and plunging the room into complete darkness. I tell the class it's all theirs to discover how strong they are and take it wherever they need to go, then I just count them into the pushes. The feeling in the room is out of this world. Riders challenge themselves even more - pushing harder, knowing they're not hitting a goal I'm setting for them. It's their goal and their moment.

Physically, my ride is going to push the limits. It's often described as ridiculously challenging, yet not impossible. That's my sweet spot. I refuse to let riders leave feeling defeated. Even if you don't hit the RPMs I call during the pushes, the thing that matters most to me is that you're fully committed to the challenge. That's the one thing I will push riders towards.

The Revolve method is spot on - we're a Schwinn studio and each instructor is certified through Schwinn. Basically, it boils down to the premise that we don't do anything on the bike indoors that we wouldn't (or couldn't) do outdoors.

My personal philosophy is that you dance on the floor and ride on the bike - two equally exhilarating activities, but totally separate at the same time. Revolve rides are authentic, and definitely the safest. My pre-class conversations always include pointing out the difference between no resistance and light resistance on the bike. If you're flying at crazy RPMs with no resistance, you'll feel a bounce in your pedal stroke; your hips, like Shakira's, won't lie and you'll be shaking in your saddle. So what? So this means you're beating your joints up, they're going to haaaaaaate you the next day, and you risk injury. Also, you're not really doing any effective work in class. You should always feel the road beneath you, even sprinting downhill requires a little resistence. It ensures that you, not the bike, are in control of the ride.

Revolve offers three rides: The Real Ride (45 minutes of cycling), The Body Ride (45 minutes, containing two segments of intense cycling broken up with an upper body weight segment in the middle) and The RIP Ride (60 minutes, containing two upper body weight segments interspersed with three intense cycling segments). I have to say, we honestly have the best workout from a cycling class that I've ever experienced.

I could gush for pages and pages, but I'll close by sharing what I love most about Revolve - our community. Hands down! Everyone belongs here, and you feel that the moment you walk in when our incomparable front desk staff greets you. Also, our instructors are out of this world. We have this awesome nurturing family environment and we love riding in each others' classes. I'm incredibly thankful to have found this place where I belong and I'm valued.

With that being said, it's my pleasure to invite you to check out our community! Your first ride is on us! Just go to our website and set up an account. Then click 'Buy Rides', select '1 Ride' and use the code FRF2012NY to get your first class free!

See you there!

Growing up as a kid who wasn't exactly the most athletic, Jonathan was surprised when he fell in love with indoor cycling after moving to NYC. Ecstatic to find a fitness program that challenged and inspired him, he now brings those qualities to each of his rides, counting himself fortunate to play even the smallest part in empowering others. He loves nothing more than seeing riders take the strength and success achieved in class and allowing it to permeate every area of their lives. Certified through Schwinn, he's been described as an instructor who has the ability to resurrect music in his perfectly curated playlists. You'll hear everything from Top 40 to the raddest mash-ups, from alternative to throwbacks. Jonathan believes there is amazing power in music; when we allow ourselves to center in on a lyric, melody or rhythm, we can achieve amazing things. You'll leave class ready to conquer whatever else lies ahead of you! To see Jonathan's class schedule, click here.

Weekend Wrap-Up: Over the River and Through the Woods

Finally! The sun broke through the rain clouds and allowed us a trip upstate to Beacon, New York, for some good old fashioned hiking and camping this past weekend. If you've never been, Malouf's Mountain Sunset Campground is a great place to get out of the city without spending a fortune. Honestly, you feel worlds away when you're there and in my opinion, there's no better place to rest and recharge your battery. 

This time around, Andrea and Cory joined us for a little double-date camping expedition. Best part? Swimming in the reservoir and catching frogs and other slimy things. It was just like an episode out of The Andy Griffith Show (but without the fishing poles).

And now for photos...

We both agreed that waking up early on a Saturday would be well worth it...

... if only to spend 24 hours with this crazy duo,

... and get these amazing views of the Hudson River. 

Adam showing his disdain for the newest addition to the trail. 

Catching some rays at the Reservoir (thanks for the new Keens, dad!)

Adam kept it nutritious with a massaged kale salad with apples, cranberries and almonds.  

The suicidal cicada we saved from an untimely death in the water. 

Hard to believe we were only one hour north of the 'Concrete Jungle'. 

Our home for the night at Malouf's Mountain Sunset Campground. 

Grilled corn on the cob and baby bok choy.

The hike out... right before the post-camping depression set in.

Somebody had too much fun...

...and missed the best part of the train ride - Bannerman Castle. 

My old roomie, camping buddy and soon-to-be bridesmaid Andrea (who doubles as a strobe light on the weekends).

Wishing you all a wonderful week! Remember, take some time to recharge your battery... it's so important!

Learning to Love Myself: One Step at a Time

Image via footage.shutterstock.com

My sweet friend Sarah Kagan (who's becoming a regular contributor around here) has so kindly offered to step in today since I am rockin' and rollin' this week with health coaching and workshop prep!  She just spent the last few months dealing with a training injury that taught her a very valuable lesson.  Thank you, Sarah, for being brave enough to share your personal reflection with us today!

BY: SARAH KAGAN, CONTRIBUTOR

I decided I would run 1,000 miles in 2013. It was a respectable number, but one that would ultimately be more a test of my determination than my ability. I had been getting more serious about running over the last few months, and I knew I could physically handle it as long as I was committed.

In order to hold myself accountable, I started writing my miles down on a calendar. Similar to a food journal, I could see how many miles I had run and on how many days each week, and I kept a running total [no pun intended] at the top of each month to track my progress.  

At first, it was empowering to see my calendar littered with tallies. But then there were a few days of bad weather, followed by a few days I was on vacation, followed by a few days when I was just plain busy. I was slipping behind, and finding it increasingly more difficult to catch up.

So I ran harder. I was turning my rest days into run days, and even staying in on Saturday nights in order to get up early and log more miles on Sunday. I started to develop, by all accounts, an unhealthy relationship with my goal. No matter what number stared back at me, it never seemed to be enough. I pushed through pain and fatigue, determined to reach my benchmarks no matter what.

Until one day about two months ago, something happened. One minute I was fine, soaking in the early spring sunshine as I rounded the final corner towards home, and then just like that, I wasn’t. Within seconds, I found myself in more agony than I knew how to handle. And still, with tears streaming down my face, I ran. After what felt like an eternity, with pain radiating from my back, hip, and side, I hobbled through my front door, grabbed a pen, and logged my miles. I promised myself a rest day to follow, but assumed I would be back in my sneakers in no time.

Within two days, I was limiting my movement to accomplish only the bare necessities. And then I wasn’t really moving at all. And finally, when even the idea of moving brought me tears, I called my family for help. My brother drove up from Philadelphia and took me home to my parent’s house, which is where I spent two weeks laying on the floor, unable and unwilling to move.

Image via community.mainlinehealth.org

I was frustrated, confused, and angry. As a health coach and cooking teacher, I pride myself on being healthy. I know all the rules, eat a clean diet, and exercise regularly. Doctor after doctor, I longed for answers…. but somewhere between their indifference and my overwhelming frustration I knew exactly how this happened to me. The need to be seen as a runner, to align my own self worth with a physically demanding goal, to ignore my instincts and body for the sake of putting numbers on a chart is how this happened to me. I let running and meeting my goal become such a part of my identity that I stopped listening to my own needs, and stopped identifying with my body. It was a very, very painful reality check.

It took two weeks and an injection in my muscle before I was able to walk again, and it was another month before I finally laced up my sneakers. I never thought a mile could seem as far as it did that first day. But now, rather than beat myself up for not running farther, faster, or more often, I am celebrating myself for ever step. I am grateful for every minute I am able to spend outside, pavement under my feet, slowly building my mileage. I know that reaching my 1,000 mile goal this year is out of the question, and I am okay with that. But life is like that. Sometimes you reach the finish line, meet your ideal weight, or land your dream job… and sometimes just being able to put one foot in front of the other is enough.

Working as a chef on an organic farm in Costa Rica, Sarah Kagan discovered her passion behind the stove and around the dinner table. She moved to Brooklyn last fall and currently serves as the Director of Wellness + Food Education for Butter Beans Kitchen, where she teaches tiny tots the joys of getting messy in the kitchen. You can follow Sarah’s kitchen chronicles on her blog, www.beyondthebatter.org, or spend some one on one time with the girl behind the batter at a private cooking class or party. From pancakes to tier cakes, Sarah loves all things food related, and she loves sharing her passion with others.

The Experts Weigh In: A Great Mood is Only One Workout Away!

Image via kootation.com

BY: SYLVIA NASSER, CONTRIBUTOR

So you are having one of those days. Nothing is going right, everyone is tap dancing on your nerves and you are feeling down. You don't have to feel this way. Before you curl up in bed, turn on the Fiona Apple and eat a pint of Ben & Jerry's, remember that you can boost your mood within hours! And no, I am not talking about a trip to the therapist's office or the quick fix inside a bottle of anti-depressants. I am talking about the most effective drug of all - exercise.

Did you know that just one workout can change your mood drastically? Exercise releases neurotransmitters and endorphins (or as I like to call them, 'feel good brain chemicals') that help to ease depression and alleviate stress. An intense workout can also reduce the immune system chemicals that lead to depression. Not to mention, sweat increases your body temperature, which has a calming effect on the whole body.

Taking part in a fun form of exercise will take your mind off your problems. And if you work out consistently, it can help to boost your confidence. I mean who has the time to feel down when you are flaunting a sexy bod and an optimistic attitude?!

In the infamous words of Elle Woods - Image via jadelaughsalot.wordpress.com

Let's take a look at some workouts that can drastically lift your mood:

KICKBOXING - It's fun and a great way to get your aggression out. Visualize your annoying boss or that aggravating friend of yours.

WALKING - Taking long walks can be very relaxing and calming. Find a beautiful park with breathtaking scenery and just take it all in.

WEIGHT LIFTING - It tones the body, leading to a leaner and firmer physique and the confidence that comes with it!

RUNNING - It helps you push your body to the limit and also releases endorphins quickly.

So when you are having one of those days (or even weeks), don't let negative feelings take over. Exercise will make you feel like the beautiful, confident and sexy woman that you are!

Sylvia Nasser (The Fit Fem) is the CEO of The Fit Fem Studio, a Long Island based company that focuses on the softer, fun, yet intense side of fitness. The business focuses on getting women healthy, while teaching them to appreciate and embrace their bodies during the process. Nasser has been featured as a fitness expert on Newsday.com, EverydayHealth.com, EHealth Radio and on Fios1News. To learn more about Sylvia or The Fit Fem Studio, click here!

The Experts Weigh In: Cycle Therapy

Image via esquire.com

Like I've said before, cycling classes are my jam. In my 'former life' I managed indoor cycling studios for Flywheel Sports, and as a result, you've heard lots and lots about Flywheel (maybe too much in fact!). So in honor of mixing things up, I recruited one of my readers (and former co-workers) Jaclyn Bouchard to try out another cycling class in the city and report back.

Here's Jaclyn with the inside scoop...

BY: JACLYN BOUCHARD, CONTRIBUTOR

Class Taken: Craig Hunter's “Cycle Therapy” at Equinox Printing House (421 Hudson St., NY, NY)

Starting out my indoor cycling career at Flywheel was a bad idea. Well, it was a great idea, but it was bad for everything that came after. Comparing Flywheel to any other spin experience is like contrasting puppy mill offspring to purebreds; you won’t find them scratching at a window for attention and people are paying big bucks just to get one (in this case, class). So, back to the beginning, starting out at Flywheel was a bad idea because I am now a self-proclaimed spin snob… spob? Can we make spob happen?

Anyway, not having the ability to support my Flywheel habit, I have taken myself elsewhere but still managed to keep the Flywheel mentality - a terrible combination. I am now an Equinox member. Pause. An Equinox Printing House member. You better believe my muploads (mobile + uploads = muploads) are 80% super hip, exotic shots (in my brain) of my feet dipped into my exclusive West Village rooftop pool. 

The view from my oh so glamorous gym.

Now what was I saying?

Oh... spin! So I signed up for Craig Hunter’s 12:30pm Monday class titled “Cycle Therapy". I suppose when you teach these classes at Equinox you feel lost in a large fishbowl of instructors so you need to make a name for yourself via enticing class titles like Monster Cycle. 

Cycle Therapy? Sure, I just want to sweat it out on my lunch break.

So, I arrive, slip on my specialty shoes (Flywheel taught me I am a special rider…), clip in and get ready to sweat.

The Instructor: A very sweet man who seems high off of incense, Lululemon and meditation oils (aka. he is “that yoga person” - kind of like when you have “that theater friend"). Come on NYC, you know what I'm talking about.

When the music starts I am immediately slightly disappointed. I understand my obsession with dirty south hip-hop is not a shared attribute of the entire class BUT we dove headfirst into bongo drums and technostatic beats. And then... he started talking. Now granted, I am not a spiritual person so I am clearly every “that yoga persons” worst nightmare, but this just got really intense really quickly.

The Class: Broken out into “seven dances”, each with an accompanying bongo techno party. The normal “can you make it to the top of this hill??” was replaced with “your body is filled with millions of pathways that come together at seven points in your spine. Think of these stops as the local line stations and the others as the express. We are going to arrive at every local stop through seven dances.” I mean, I may only have a pre-med degree, but I am pretty sure if you search Grey’s Anatomy in its entirety there is no reference to local and express subway stops in your spine, but again, I am not a medical doctor.

The Final Word: Okay okay, putting all the eccentric add-ons aside, the class was great. Creating a “themed” ride is a trend that may be getting a bit out of control, but hey, this class was set apart from the others. For some, it may do the trick - spiritual spin alliances could be the perfect Monday cleanse. You could tell that Craig’s heart was fully into every second of the class and he sincerely cared if others were following along.

Because of this - his clear dedication to his work - I have been back almost every Monday since. Craig’s class is always an awesome mix of 1^st (mind), 2^nd (body) and 3^rd (soul) positions, integrating different resistance levels that create a challenging workout. We climb hills, we flush the legs out during sprints and we cross the finish line out of breath every time.

Also, he does really cute salsa dancing moves off the bike.

I really am a spob, aren't I?

Jaclyn Bouchard... where do I start? She's a fun one for sure. Jaclyn has the street smarts of Riff from West Side Story, combined with the flair of Lady Gaga (that's a compliment, in case you weren't sure). By day, she does sales for a sustainability start-up in the West Village (so eco chic of you, JB!), but by night, you'll find her at the trendiest NYC establishment drinking VSL with a BKS - that's an abbrev. for vodka soda lime with a big kid straw. What kind of vodka?, you ask? In her own words - "Whatever is cheapest. Nail polish remover if you have it". Jaclyn claims to have CPVS (chronic phantom vibrate syndrome). You know, where you always think you're receiving massive amounts of texts and emails, when alas, there are "none, goose egg, zero"? And if she were stranded on a deserted island, she'd only require a boat load of Pirate's Booty White Cheddar, obviously keeping with the theme there. You see? She's a fun one, and I'm glad to call her my friend (and group fitness class guinea pig)!

The Experts Weigh In: Living With Long-Term Illness

BY: RACHEL BOYD, CONTRIBUTOR

I used to believe I had a super immune system.  I lived with two girls in college and beyond who caught every disease under the sun, but I never seemed to get sick.  For a long time, I believed my body was just better than the average person’s.  I could go outside in the cold with wet hair, let my dog lick my face, eat undercooked meat… nothing bothered me.  Here's the proof - I took one sick day in October 2006 and that was my last one for five years.

But in November 2011, I was suddenly hit with what felt like the flu.  Night sweats, nausea, aches all over my body, no appetite.  I just figured my body was finally cashing in on some illness time.  The problem was that my symptoms didn’t go away no matter what I did.  Doctors’ visits, holistic medicines, hot showers, witch doctors (one of those might be false) - I just couldn’t shake the funk.  Finally in January, my friend and co-worker ordered me to my dad’s doctor, where they finally took chest X-rays and found what I refer to now as "The Shadow". I was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Fast forward 10 months.  I spent the year going through six rounds of very intense chemotherapy and 28 days of radiation, in which my muscles atrophied, my hair fell out and my innards basically got microwaved.  The treatments ended in August, but it’s taken a while for my body to feel normal again.  I won’t lie to you - it still doesn’t feel normal - but I will share a few thoughts on what’s working for me to rebuild my strength, and what may help you out after going through any sort of long-term illness.

GET MOVING

As you can imagine, eight months of minimal activity (plus four years of smoking) took their toll on my endurance.  Luckily, I quit smoking cold turkey in January and that hasn’t been a problem since, but my lungs still needed to be rebuilt.  I have an extreme lack of “get up and go” when it comes to exercise.  My dad gets up at 5 a.m. six days a week to work out.  I believe that’s foolishness.  However, my oncologist told me I had to exercise more, no excuses, so I hired an amazing trainer who puts me through boot camp paces twice a week.  After the first class, I wanted to die.  Actually after my most recent class this past Monday, I still wanted to die.  But I can now actually get through an entire class without resting, and my body is starting to do things it wasn’t able to do before I got cancer, which feels pretty epic.

EAT MORE, DRINK MORE

I’ve spent most of 2012 not having an appetite worth talking about.  It’s a shame too because the doctor gave me carte blanche to eat whatever I wanted as long as I was eating.  Too bad I didn’t care.  The only thing I craved was hard candy because I had "Chemo Sweet Tooth".  Now, I’m having to retrain my body to want food that is good for me and to want it on a regular schedule.  Easier said than done. 

The best things I’ve found (that I can tolerate) are soups and stews.  They’re the food equivalent of a fuzzy puppy, fairly easy to make, and easy to add extra veggies to.  I’m including my current favorite from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook for Chicken and Cornmeal Dumplings.  I’m also no good at eating my required nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  In an effort to remedy this, I (a self-professed infomercial junkie) bought a NutriBullet to replace my Power Juicer.  Space-wise and cleaning-wise, the NutriBullet is light years beyond most juicers.  However, most of my favorite juices can be made in any type of juicer.  For nausea or a sweet tooth, I enjoy a blend of red apples (preferably Gala), carrots, and fresh ginger blended together.  This is full of fiber and vitamin A, plus the ginger will soothe any stomach maladies you’re having.  I’ve also stumbled upon a blend of kale, frozen raspberries and pineapples that’s quite good.  For both of these, if you’re using the Bullet, add some water; in a regular juicer, just do what you’d normally do.

ACTUALLY, DRINK LESS…

I try not to get bogged down by the fear of relapsing and having my tumor come back. At the end of the day, I can’t do anything but try to live the best life possible.  That (unfortunately) means renouncing my party girl ways and cutting waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back on the alcohol.  Not only can the alcohol interfere with the plethora of medications I’m currently on, resulting in some nasty mood swings and temper tantrums, it has a ton of sugar.  Sugar is like…well, candy for a tumor.  Tumors thrive on excesses of sugar, which gives them energy to grow into all manners of nastiness.  Plus drinking too much in general is going to make me regain all my pre-cancer break-up weight, which is slightly less than awesome.

TALK TO SOMEBODY… ANYBODY

I keep a pretty small network of super-close friends as a general rule. They are people I can talk to about anything.  And it’s been healthy for me to vent about my fears regarding my health and my future, rather than keeping everything bottled up inside.  To anyone going through a chronic or long-term illness: you’re going through something real and it’s okay to be upset and to not bounce back from it right away.  I’m finding a lot of comfort meeting with a psychologist once a month just to check in and fine-tune things here and there.  It’s always worth knowing your feelings are valid and you’re not just crazy.  And in a pinch, I enjoy talking to my dog.  He’s not much on responses per se, but he’s a great snuggle buddy and reminds me that I’m never alone.


If you or someone you love is dealing with a long-term illness, please feel free to check out my blog 'Lymph to Victory' for support (and a few laughs). Click here to view.

Rachel Boyd is from the great city of Hot'lanta and attended the University of Georgia, where she received a degree in English before completing her Master's at Kennesaw State University. But enough with the formalities, Rachel is a competitive skeeball player AND touts that, as a child, she was the best pogo stick jumper around. Her favorite past times include puttering around book stores looking for trashy novels or Southern non-fiction, watching marathons of America's Next Top Model, or taking her pup on doggie dates around town. When asked what her favorite part about living in Atlanta is, Rachel replied "You can go to the opera or a corn maze within 40 minutes of each other. That's a well-rounded city." To learn more about Rachel, visit her blog Lymph to Victory by clicking here!

Happy Feet: Do You Have Them?

Image courtesy of mommywarriors.com

Today, I asked my mother Sharon to share with you about plantar fasciitis. She has dealt with this issue for the last six years now and it's caused her incredible mental and physical pain because it's stifled her ability to be active. I wanted to give her a platform to make others aware of what it is and how it can be avoided. Without further ado, my mother...

BY: SHARON YARBROUGH, CONTRIBUTOR 

"I have been asked to write about feet. I hope that I can help to keep your feet happy. Mine have not been happy for 6 long years due to plantar fasciitis. Until I was diagnosed, I had no idea what plantar fasciitis was, but now that I have it, I know that it's a very common problem, especially as you age. Approximately two million Americans are diagnosed with it every year, and almost 10% of the US population will develop it at some point in their lifetime. 

Image courtesy of plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com

Plantar fasciitis can be caused by many things - being overweight (which I am not), wearing shoes that don’t support your feet properly, not stretching properly before exercise, overuse and many other causes. The plantar fascia is the ligament that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch. Plantar fasciitis is what happens when the ligament becomes strained and starts to tear. The tiny tears in the plantar fascia can lead to swelling and varying degrees of pain. For me, the pain is so bad that I've had to discontinue some of my favorite activities - walking in the neighborhood with my best friend, working out on the elliptical or even walking or standing for long periods of time. It has truly affected my way of life.

Though there are treatments for plantar fasciitis, they are not guaranteed to work for everyone. My treatments have been unsuccessful thus far and I may have to resort to surgery (which may or may not help) if they continue to be non-responsive to other treatments.

I tell Lauren all the time that she needs to buy shoes that are more supportive. Ladies, of course heels look great on, but when you wear them consistently over time, you may very well be diagnosed with a condition like plantar fasciitis later on that affects your day to day life. I suggest staying away from heels as much as possible and making sure your shoes fit you correctly. Feet tend to swell as the day goes on, so it's best to buy shoes later in the day when your feet are at their largest.

Image courtesy of twylah.com

If my story isn't convincing enough, check out this article from the NY Times, explaining how heels change your anatomy: A Scientific Look at the Dangers of High Heels. The last few paragraphs give a great explanation as to how heels can affect you over time.

For a list of the proper shoes to wear, click here for the American Podiatric Medical Association's recommendations. My best piece of advice to avoid foot issues such as plantar fasciitis is to warm up slowly before you walk or run and make sure to stretch your calves and hamstrings.

Also, pamper your feet like you would any other part of your body. Occasionally soak them in Epsom salt and warm water, see a foot reflexologist for a nice foot rub or scrub them with exfoliating grains when you're in the shower. When you do these things, your feet will stay happy and give you a firm footing for your future."

Sharon Yarbrough is the best mother on earth - well, at least according to me. In addition to raising me and my brother Cale, Sharona (as we fondly call her) is an ACE-certified personal trainer and a sales rep for Juice Plus, a whole foods supplement (visit her site here). She has always been extremely active. She was a state-ranked swimmer in Georgia growing up, was on the very first University of Georgia women's swim team and continues to swim to this day. I have my mother to thank for instilling in me a desire to take care of myself through diet and exercise, and I tend to think that IF blogging had been around in her day, she would have beat me to the punch on this whole wellness blog thing.

Friday Song O' The Day: Redneck Woman (Gretchen Wilson)

This Friday's song TOTALLY came out of left field. It popped into my head and I decided that (while I may not be a redneck), I AM from the South and every once in awhile I need to sneak away from the bright lights of the big city and head up into the hills. 

This weekend I'm going camping with eight of my closest friends and a cooler full of tasty food and beverages. Last time we went camping as a group, a friend (who shall not be named) split her head open on a tree and another friend twisted her ankle on the trail when we were still 1 hour away from the campsite. Let's hope for better luck this time!

Have a fantastic weekend and remember to relax! Over the river and through the woods I go!!!

The Experts Weigh In: Get Your Yoga On!

Image courtesy of odditycentral.com

BY: DANI PALLO, CONTRIBUTOR

What do you think of when you hear the term “yoga”? If you had asked me that question 4 years ago, it would have conjured images of Hollywood types sipping wheatgrass while folded into pretzels, faint aromas of patchouli floating through the air, and the hum of non-sensical chanting and “Ohms”. I was once a hard-core cardio junkie, completely of the mind-set that real athletes don't waste their workout time practicing yoga. I couldn’t have been more wrong. My fellow athletes, cardio-junkies, and yoga non-believers, open your minds and listen up. I’m here to tell you that yoga changed my world for the better in more ways than you could imagine. I’m not exaggerating. I could go on for days, but here are 3 reasons you should hop on a mat and mix up your routine...

1)  INCREASED FLEXIBILITY = HAPPIER MUSCLES AND FEWER INJURIES

I used to think that yoga was only for flexible people. You were either flexible and did yoga, or you weren’t. If you were in the latter category, yoga wasn’t going to work for you. Seriously. Now I look back and realize the absolute absurdity of this point of view. It’s like saying only people who are full should eat food - it just doesn't make sense. 

Image courtesy of evolutionvt.com

They call it yoga practice, not yoga perfect, for a reason. You do it so you can get better. And you WILL get better. And more flexible. I promise. Runners and cyclists, in particular, have incredibly tight hips, quads, and hamstrings. I didn’t realize how tight my muscles were until I plopped myself into pigeon pose for the first time, held it for what seemed like an hour (in reality it was probably 90 seconds, max) and felt the difference when I got out of the pose. The only thing I can compare that sense of release to is the feeling you get after a great massage. My hips may have been screaming at me during the pose, but my muscles couldn’t have been happier at the end of it. And happy, flexible muscles mean a decreased likelihood of muscle strain and injury.

2)  YOU'LL GET STRONGER - ALL OVER

Image courtesy of yogameditationcenter.org

Yoga gave my body definition without bulking me up. I’m not talking Madonna arms here, but instead, just enough definition to wear a tank top without feeling self-conscious. After years of busting my butt on the treadmill, doing endless crunches, and high reps of curls, tricep dips, and chest presses, I felt cheated. Why didn’t anyone tell me what a difference this yoga stuff makes? Well, I’m telling you now. And this goes for men, too. Some of the most toned male bodies I know belong to men who practice yoga.  Think about it. In yoga, you’re moving through positions that require you to support your own body weight (building muscle strength) and you’re holding these poses (building muscle endurance). Yoga requires you to use a variety of muscle groups for each pose, so you’re getting stronger all over, as opposed to focusing on one muscle group alone, as you traditionally would if you were lifting weights.

      3)  YOUR OTHER WORKOUTS WILL GET BETTER

Yoga teaches awareness – both mental and physical. These are valuable nuggets you can take from the mat into your other workouts.

Let’s discuss the mental piece first. During a yoga practice, your breath is your guide. Your focus is on maintaining steady, slow, deep breaths as your body flirts with its own limits. If things become too intense and your breath becomes shallow and quick, you learn to relax and reconnect to the steadiness of your breath, all while continuing to explore your physical limits. So why is this important for your other workouts? Think about your last hardcore cardio session. Think of that moment when your heart rate peaked and you were breathless with effort. The tendency at that point is to tense up. You clench your jaw, scrunch your forehead, and squeeze your fists a little tighter. All of these little reactions use up energy, not to mention, make you look slightly ridiculous. Yogic breathing teaches you to find the mental calm in the middle of the physical storm that your body is enduring. This means faster recovery, less wasted effort, and ultimately a more efficient cardio workout. Yoga teaches you to take the drama out of your workout – ultimately letting you push a little harder for a little longer.

Image courtesy of moonfun.net

Now on to physical awareness. Yoga will show you a whole different side of your body. As you work through each pose, you start to notice how things are connected. It’s truly a full body, integrative practice. I remember the first time I got into the downward dog position. I literally felt every square inch of my body come alive. The way that I shifted the weight from my fingertips to the heel of my hand directly impacted the stretch I felt in my calves and the rotation of my shoulders.  I truly got to know my body through exploring it in yoga. And now every time I climb onto the bike to teach, I’m so much more aware of every muscle group.  Understanding your body means you can make it work for you a heck of a lot better. 

So shed your preconceived notions, open your mind and your heart, and let a little yoga into your world by checking out a studio near you. You'll be surprised at what you can gain when you lose your inhibitions and step onto that mat.

Dani Pallo is a cycling instructor at Flywheel Sports Atlanta and a former competitive gymnast and gymnastics coach. Dani found herself drawn to yoga in recent years and now considers her love for yoga borderline obsessive. If you couldn't tell already, Dani is also one smart cookie - she graduated with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech. When she is not working or teaching class, you can find Dani at Piedmont Park, her favorite place in all of Atlanta, reading a good book or indulging in a pint of her favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Cherry Garcia. Hey! She worked it off in yoga class! 

To check out one of Dani's classes at Flywheel Atlanta, click here!