Fitness with a Focus

Fitness with a Focus

When I am doing a strategy session with a new client, we spend a significant amount of time talking about and defining specific goals related to their health, fitness, and nutrition. Have a goal to focus on is key to motivation and plays a very important role when challenges pop up, as they most certainly will. One of my favorite saying is “I see only my objective, the obstacles must yield” - Napoleon. Or stated another way, when the goal is big enough the obstacles don't matter.

The folks that tend to struggle the most with being consistent and persistent are those who have not set a meaningful goals or have not subdued their limiting beliefs. Others just have a low discouragement threshold or are too impatient. What I've found is the best way to move over, through or around these obstacles is to have a fitness focus that is outside of oneself, one that is far bigger than “self-gratification” or a number on a scale.

I have some personal experience with this which stretches back to my days in college. It was my freshman year that I really began to LOVE running and within a few years I was running races. I liked the challenge of racing and always trying to do better than I did at the previous race. However, there was something tugging at my heart that said “who are you running for?” I was running for my own health and fitness. I was running to challenge myself physically, mentally (racing is a big mental game). This thought kept leading me to ponder - is there someone else I should be running for? I often thought how I really wanted to run for my Lord - to bring honor and glory to Him. As I prayed, I would always express gratitude for my athletic abilities and tell God that I wanted all of my athletic pursuits to be for his glory. I received a feeling that God accepted my offering and this desire of my heart, yet there was still a nudge to run for something else or someone else.

It was not too long before I was introduced to a charity organization called Team in Training - they are a non-profit organization that fund research and patient aid for the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society. Their cause and mission penetrated my heart and I knew that this was the cause I was to run for. Even though I didn't personally know anyone who had ever suffered from these types of cancers, I felt the importance of supporting and running in honor of those who were less fortunate than healthy, fit ME. I ran with Team in Training for many years and it brought a whole new level of purpose to my training, my competing and to my general fitness.

Since that time, I've been introduced to another non-profit endurance training program called Chances for Children. Although I truly loved the people I met and the experiences I had through my involvement with Team in Training. There was something POWERFUL about Chances for Children, which called to my heart like nothing had before. Their cause and mission filled every fiber of my being. You see, their focus is to eliminate childhood obesity by teaching grade school (in many cases underprivileged kids) how to develop fit and healthy lifestyles. Chances for Children raises money to purchase running shoes for these kids, to set up running and fitness programs in their schools, to pay the entry fees for thousands of kids to run races each year and thus teach them how to set goals, work hard and achieve. As a once Fat Kid who went through my own amazing journey to fitness, and now as I am a fitness and nutrition professional, it is a dream come true to be part of an endurance training program such as Team Chances. I am privileged to be able to work with the Team Chances member athletes and soon-to-be the children and their families on their nutrition. My heart has found its home and my fitness and racing has an even clearer focus.

I encourage those of you who may be struggling with your own health and fitness and who could benefit from having a goal and focus bigger than YOU - come be part of the Chances for Children Community. Come improve your own health and fitness, meet incredible people, and make a huge impact in the health and fitness of kids all over the state. I can promise the experience will be priceless and rewarding beyond your expectations. You can learn more about Chances for Children and Team Chances at http://www.chancesforchildrenaz.com/

Melissa Guthrie

Triumph Training Nutrition & Fitness

Calling all Walkers & Runners!!
“TEAM CHANCES”
Information Meeting for 2009/2010 Marathon & 1/2 Marathon Training Programs
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
6:00 pm @ Sole Sports
(Rural & Warner in Tempe)

Whether you want to train for your first marathon or 1/2 marathon or whether you are a marathon veteran, training with coach Susan Loken and Team Chances will assist you in having a training and racing experience that is second to none! Groups forming for…Tucson Marathon, PF Chang's Rock 'n Roll Marathon & 1/2 Marathon and Carlsbad Marathon & 1/2 Marathon.

ALL Team Chances Information Meeting Dates
June
· 23rd Tempe

July
· 21st Maricopa
· 22nd Tempe
· 23rd Scottsdale
· 29th Phoenix

August
· 4th Maricopa
· 12th Tempe
· 13th Phoenix
· 19th Scottsdale

Location of Meetings
Tempe…Sole Sports 1006 E. Warner Rd. Suite 104 Tempe, AZ 85284
Scottsdale…Endurance Rehab 9376 E. Bahia Dr. #D103 Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Phoenix…Endurance Rehab 4440 N. 36th St. Suite 240 Phoenix, AZ 85018
Maricopa…Chamber of Commerce Maricopa

Nutrition Tips for the Traveling Athlete (& Non-athlete)

Remember nutrition can make or break your race and when traveling to a race there are many additional factors to consider. Follow these guidelines in order to ensure you are properly fueled and hydrated. Take responsibility for your own success. (If you are not an athlete nutrition while traveling is still important and the following suggestions apply to you as well.)




· Bring your own food with you on the trip so you don't have to rely on vending machines, snack shops, convenience stores, or fast food outlets. This is especially important if you have special food needs, dietary limitations, and or a sensitive digestive system.


· In route to your destination, if you are flying you can request special meals for the plane ride, just ring the airlines about a week prior to departure to put in your order. Be sure to bring your own healthy snacks for the plane.


· Keep well hydrated on the plane and WATER is your best means of hydration. Humidity is around 10-15% on a plane and moisture is drained from you. Drink often.


· It is a good idea to avoid coffee and tea on the plane as these can act as diuretics and lead to dehydration.


· Long hours of traveling and sitting on a plane and/or in airports can upset anyone’s digestive system. Constipation is very common, so be sure to drink lots of water and eat plenty of fiber-rich foods (fruits, veggies, & whole grains).


· When you arrive at your destination, organize a group food shopping trip for additional snacks, breakfasts, and any other meals. Remember to get some fresh fruits and vegetables.


· When eating in restaurants, do your best to make the healthiest choices. Avoid deep fried foods, high fat meats, cream sauces, lots of cheese or cheesy sauces, rich & sugary desserts and highly- refined foods. Ask your server how specific dishes are prepared and remember it is your right to have it made YOUR way. You can always ask for certain ingredients to be left out, substituted and you can even ask for a custom-made meal.


· Avoid consuming alcohol prior to your event, as it is a diuretic and impairs mental and physical capacities. The effects of alcohol can be detrimental to race day performance, so if you choose to drink, save it for the post-race celebration.


· By now you should have your pre-race breakfast dialed in. Be sure that you either take this breakfast with you on the trip or you have the ability to purchase those foods prior to race morning. You do not want to leave this to chance.


· If you do not know what fuels will be provided on the race course, NOW is the time to find out. If you are not familiar with them and/or have not used them with success before, then race day is NOT the time to experiment. So be sure you bring your tried and true fuels with you to the race.


· Be sure you have your nutritionist’s phone number with you at all times while traveling. If at any point you require a life-line, call her and she will gladly answer your questions and guide you through making healthy choices while eating away from home. She is committed to your race day success!

Foods That Travel Well
Dehydrated or freeze dried fruit, raw nuts & seeds, healthy whole grain cereals including granola, healthy trail mix, nut butters (i.e. peanut butter, almond butter, etc.), pouches of tuna, beef jerky, healthy bars (i.e. Lara Bar, Pro Bar, Clif Bar, etc), bagels, protein powder, oatmeal (dry), whole grain pretzels and crackers, healthy popcorn, dehydrated soup packets, freeze dried meals (in packets), some fresh fruits (apples, oranges), fruit cups (in their own juice), v-8 juice…just to name a few .

To Your Success,

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science
BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Pre-Race Sports Nutrition Tips

We are days away from the PF Chang's Rock 'n Roll Marathon in Phoenix, Arizona on January 18, 2009. Not only will I be running the marathon with a goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon, I am also assisting my Team Chances running team in being nutritionally prepared for a stellar race experience. (For more info about Team Chances go to www.chancesforchildrenaz.com)

Whether you are running a 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon, marathon or participating in a multi-sport race, what you do or do not do nutritionally these final days can have a significant effect on your race. So remember a few things…Choose nutrient rich foods and steer away from empty calories. Your body requires pure nutrition to heal, repair, and prepare for the physical demands it is about to undergo. For example if you have the choice between a snack of a chocolate chip cookie or an apple – choose the apple!

What, When & How Much Should I EAT the morning of my race?



If you are not sure what to eat before the race, you’ve got a couple more days to figure it out. I hope you know by now what foods work best for you before running: Maybe it is one of the following: oatmeal & fruit, bagel & fruit, english muffin/toast & fruit, a (non-dairy) smoothie, a Bakers Breakfast cookie, pizza, turkey sandwich, peanut butter & banana sandwich, pancakes & fruit, cereal & fruit with rice, almond or oatmilk, whole grain muffin & fruit, chicken noodle soup, etc.? Go with what is familiar and with what you know agrees with your digestive system.

Second, now that you’ve determined what you’ll be eating for breakfast you want to determine how much you should eat and at what time. Remember that not only will the type of food you eat effect your race positively or negatively, but also the volume of food. It is better to eat a little bit lighter pre-race breakfast and then do a booster (light snack – like a banana, half a bagel or a GU) 30-45 min before the race and then do more fueling during the race RATHER THAN eating TOO MUCH for breakfast and feeling like you have a brick in your stomach from the start of the race (been there done that – uuugh!!). For example: You’ve determined that you’ll have a honey whole wheat bagel w/ 1 TBS almond or peanut butter and a whole banana as your pre-race breakfast. You have determined you need to eat breakfast 3 hours before race start in order for digestion and absorption to be complete.



Does It Matter What I Eat 48 Hours Before The Race?


This is also the week to pay close attention to what you eat the last 48 hours before race day. Determine what foods will work best with your body – remembering to avoid super spicy foods, a lot of dairy, too many high fiber foods (especially if you are not use to eating a lot of fiber), heavy meats, and high fat foods. I recommend keeping your meals light and clean. Carbs that typically settle well are rice, pasta, potatoes, light wheat breads, pita bread, tortillas, etc. Stick with vegetables that don’t upset your digestive system like salad greens, green beans, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, jicama, etc. (i.e. some people have a hard time with cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onions and bell peppers). Go with light protein sources – fish, chicken, tofu, small portions of lean beef or pork. Beans & legumes may work okay for some people because they are an awesome source of complex carbohydrates and plant-based protein (however they can cause some digestive upset for some people – if these cause even minor gas or digestive upset please don’t eat them until after the race). You also want to time your pre-race dinner appropriately. It is best to not have this meal be too heavy, eat to the point that you are comfortable to slightly, comfortably full, and try to have this meal 3 to 4 hours before bed time. It is a really good idea to stay away from alcohol for at least 48 hours prior to race day (if you must drink save that for post-race).







Finish Line Nutrition for Optimal Recovery


Remember that post-race nutrition is extremely important as well. You will be tired, depleted and you will either not feel like eating anything or you’ll feel like eating anything and everything. Plan your post-race meals now. Your body requires high quality, pure nutrition as much after the race as it does before the race. You will want to balance carbohydrates and proteins in every meal post-race. Most importantly remember to get nutrients in your body as soon as possible after the race. If you do not feel like eating – a smoothie, chocolate or strawberry milk are a great post race beverage. Avoid the tendency to load up on high sugar, high fat, nutrient poor foods like cookies, candies, burgers & fries, & deep fried anything. Whole grains, lean meats or plant-based proteins, fresh fruits and veggies and healthy fats (like raw nuts, avocadoes, olives, etc) are what your body requires the most! Some salty foods will help to replenish the salt lost through sweat and will help your body absorb fluids to properly rehydrate. If you rehydrate with sports beverages these will have sodium in them. Alcohol is not the rehydration beverage of choice - it actually dehydrates the body, it hinders proper carbohydrate and fat metabolism, and provided plenty of empty, non-nutritional calories.



Eat Right! Train Smart! Perform GREAT!

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science, BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Sports Nutrition during the Marathon Taper

Fueling for the Marathon: Two Weeks to Race Day

Over the past several months you’ve been diligently training and building up your mileage week by week. You’ve improved your cardiovascular fitness, your muscle strength and endurance, in the process you’ve depleted your muscle glycogen stores and caused micro-damage to muscle fibers and connective tissue. Race day is fast approaching and on this day, you will likely demand more of your body on that day than you did on any of your training runs. Therefore, these final two weeks of “tapering” are vital to how you will perform on race day. You are reducing your weekly mileage now, in order to give your body more time to recover, replenish and heal. It is not uncommon to feel as though you are losing fitness and/or gaining weight – do not worry it is only an illusion. Your fitness level will be maintain through the taper training and any weight gain you may experience if not illusionary will be a result of your body filling up the glycogen stores (the carbohydrates stored in your muscles along with water do weigh something). Now is not the time to cut back on calories, nor is it the time to over consume. Smart fueling now through race day will greatly increase the likelihood of a fabulous race experience.

The following are some guidelines for proper fueling during “Taper”:

Low levels of muscle glycogen will result in early energy depletion and fatigue. In order to keep glycogen stores full for race day your daily intake should be as follows:

Daily Carbohydrate Intake = 60-70% of total caloric intake
Or use the following calculations:
o 6-7gm/kg body weight for 1 hour training daily
o 8 gm/kg for 2 hr training daily
o 10 gm/kg for 3hr training daily
o 12-13 gm/kg for 4+ hr training daily

Carbohydrates are your body’s favorite energy source and the primary fuels source during exercise.

Recommended Carbohydrate Rich Foods: whole grain cereals, whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, winter squash, oats, barley, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables

Daily Protein Intake = 12-15% of total caloric intake
Protein requirement can also be calculate using 1.3 x kg body weight (there are 2.2 lbs per kg)

Lean Animal Protein &/or Plant-based proteins are important for muscle repair and growth, regular physical training tends to reduce muscle protein breakdown and protein loss from the body.

Protein Rich Foods: lean beef, chicken, fish/seafood, pork, beans and legumes such as lentils and split peas, tofu, tempeh, eggs, low fat cottage cheese, low fat cheese, nonfat/low fat milk and yogurt.

Daily Fat Intake = 20-25% of total caloric intake

In general, no less than 15% of your daily caloric intake should come from fat. Women of reproductive age need at least 20% of total calories to come from fat. Don’t exceed 25% of your total calories from fat, as the body prefers muscle glycogen for fuel over fat, also fat takes longer to digest than carbohydrates. Note: much of your fat intake will come through the meat, dairy and nut-based products you eat.

Healthiest Fat Sources: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Olive oil, plant-based oil, coconut oil, avocados, olives, raw nuts & seeds, all-natural peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, flax and fish oils (i.e. the fat in salmon).

Foods to Limit or Avoid During Taper:
Limit high-fat protein foods like hamburgers, fried chicken, extra cheese because these foods take longer to empty from your stomach and can contribute to sluggishness. Limit sugary sweets like candy, cookies, candy bars, cakes, ice cream, candy bars, doughnuts, pastries, etc. Limit overall junky foods like French fries, onion rings, potato chips, most crackers, all fried foods, and alcohol.

The final two days before the race your intake should shift to:
75-80% of calories from Carbohydrates
10% of calories from Protein
10-15% of calories from Fat




To Your Success!

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science, BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Making Your Workouts Work With a Fitness Buddy

It seems that for me the theme of this week has been accountability in business, in fitness, and in life. It is amazing the difference it can make in ones desire and motivation to take action, to be consistent, to stay true to one’s word when there is someone to report to. I have had the great fortune of having a weight training partner for the past 6-months and it has been a great benefit to us both as we’ve been committed and consistent to our weight training regime. Whereas, before we started working out together we always did our cardio, but were inconsistent with our weight training. Last night I had an impromptu coaching session with my business mentor. She challenged me and told me she wanted a detailed report on my activities today. I was not about to let her or myself down, so I took massive action today and accomplished much. Earlier today, I was speaking with a friend who invited me to a party tonight. I told him I wasn’t going to be able to attend because I am running 20 miles at 6am tomorrow. He responded like I had three eyes and hair on my teeth. “Why in the world are you running 20 miles and why are you doing it at 6am?” That’s simple – I’m training for a marathon, I’m training with a team and the team is counting on me to be there. Most people would think to themselves, "well there will be at least 40 other people there to run in the morning so if I don't show up it won't be a big deal and no one will even notice." Perish the thought! It is amazing the support each team member contributes to the successful training of each other team member. When you know the team is going to be there at 6am to train, you don’t want to have to run all those miles by yourself, then you don't even consider hitting the snooze button. A coach, a mentor, a training partner, a personal trainer, or a team can be one of the most valuable assets in reaching your goals.

Earlier this week, I was not able to make it to the gym to meet my workout partner, Kim on our appointed weight lifting day and I felt badly about letting her down, because we both really look forward to our training sessions. Did she just go home? NO! She stayed and did the workout. Today Kim was sick and didn’t make it to the gym. I was already there doing my cardio workout. I rolled off the stair mill and hit the weights. Going home or skipping weight training never crossed my mind. What I’ve found is the few times that Kim is unable to make it to the gym, I’m just as motivated to complete my weight workout as when she is there. In speaking with Kim, I know she feels the same, she knows I’m going to ask her how her workout was and she doesn’t want to tell me that she bailed out of weight training just because I wasn’t there. I think she actually takes pride in being able to say “Melissa, I kicked my own butt today. You would’ve been proud.”

Having a fitness buddy, workout partner, or personal trainer is a great asset any time of year, but especially now during the holiday season. We get busy with holiday parties, shopping, and working extra hours to make up for the time we’ll be taking off from work. With the cooler weather, the sun rising later and setting earlier, our motivation to workout can wane. Having someone to report to and or someone depending on you to show up can be that little extra nudge we require to be consistent with our workouts during the holidays and throughout the winter months.

Suggestions in choosing a fitness buddy and making your workouts work:

• Choose someone you actually like to spend time with, a person who is motivated and who will hold you accountable. You don't want to work out with a waffler.
• Make sure that your workout schedule can be consistent – same days, same time each week. Also be willing to be flexible as occasional adjustments are required. Choose someone who is punctual.
• Choose someone who has a similar level of fitness to you. You don’t have to be able to lift the same amount, but it is important that you can both do the same exercises. If you are doing cardio together, make sure if you are running, walking or cycling outside that you are both at a very similar level otherwise both of your workouts will be sub-par. If for some reason you are at different fitness levels, be sure that you can each do the workout at your own pace, while still doing it together. i.e. You are walking on the treadmill at 3.5 mph, 4% incline and your buddy is walking on the treadmill next to you at 2.8 mph, 2% incline.
• Make sure your workouts are planned ahead of time. Don’t show up to workout and say “what should we do today.” Know before you go. Have a plan and work your plan. As Jim Rohn says, those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
  
  

Success to you!

Melissa Guthrie

BSc Nutritional Science

BSc Exercise Physiology

ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor

New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician

Triathlete/Runner

Hydration Tips For Outdoor Exercisers

The temperatures are dropping around the country, even here in Arizona. What I commonly witness is that as the temperatures drop and winter sets in, outdoor exercisers become more lackadaisical in consuming and/or keeping water with them during their workouts. Why do they do this?

When it is cooler outside, it is not as desirable to drink cold water. When it is warm outside, we are motivated to drink to cool ourselves off. The truth is you can become dehydrated as easily in cool weather as in hot weather. During exercise, we lose body water through sweat and also through breathing. When it is cooler outside, we do not sense that we are sweating as much and thus, we do not feel the need to drink as much. In addition, cool air tends to be drier than warmer air. So during the winter when we breathe, we are losing more water through our exhalation and we are breathing in drier air. During warmer weather, we are typically breathing in moister air, so some of the water we lose through exhalation we recapture when we inhale. When it is warm and our sweat rate is reved up in attempt to keep our body cool, we typically feel the need to drink more.

Remember even mild dehydration will result in a decline in performance. Mild dehydration is extremely difficult to identify while you’re working out. The key is to always have water with you when you workout, regardless of how hot or cold it is. Listen to your body, if you feel the sensation of thirst – DRINK! Thirst is your body’s real-time feedback mechanisml of hydration needs. The sports nutrition recommendations are to consume approximately 4 oz to 8 oz every fifteen minutes of exercise. For exercise sessions lasting 60 minutes or less, plain water is your best bet. Drink UP!!

To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science
BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner