Last Friday Danielle provided a lot of great tips and resources for getting into a running routine, so I'd thought it be great to follow up on that topic a little more. I've ran two half marathons before, and plan on running my third this March. I wanted to share with you some products that I've found that help me stay healthy.
This is absolutely a must-have for getting those fruits into your diet. My favorite recipe right now consists of 1/2 banana, about 4 or 5 large strawberries, and a few chunks of pineapple. I keep these frozen in ziplock bags and just pull them out (then I don't need any ice). I add about 8 oz of OJ or apple juice and then just mix it up in the blender. If you've just worked out, try adding a vanilla protein. When I was taking fitness classes, most of the instructors would always tell us that you should take in protein within 45 minutes of your workout for you to get the most out of it. No matter what, if you are working out make sure to give your body the nutrition it needs to actually get something out of it. Your muscles need to rebuild after every workout.
When I was taking fitness classes, most of the instructors would always tell us that you should take in protein within 45 minutes of your workout for you to get the most out of it. No matter what, if you are working out make sure to give your body the nutrition it needs to actually get something out of it. Your muscles need to rebuild after every workout.
Foam Roller
If you plan on running long distances you should definitely invest in a foam roller. I roll before and after my runs and my muscles feel great so far. Rolling before loosens them up and that will prevent injuries. Also, it gets the oxygen flowing which will keep your legs from feeling the fatigue during the run. Rolling after is just as important. The following video gives an overview of the foam roller. Oh and you can usually find a foam roller at Target or Walmart. I got mine at Run On for $25 (same price as the ones at Target). I've heard that TJ Maxx also carries them at times if you want to find a good deal on them.
Heart Monitor
I know Danielle mentioned this one in her last post, but I am a HUGE fan of the heart monitor. It's the only true way you can really see what's going on in your body. You don't always want to push your body to the max. It all depends on what your goal is, but if you want to lose weight, you need to find your fat burning zone. If you want to increase your endurance and your recovery time, you need to spend some time in the anaerobic (cardio) zone. The heart monitor helps you train smarter so you'll get the most out of your time at the gym.
Polar is a great brand and most machines at the gym connect to your polar heart monitor chest band, so your heart rate shows up on the screen of the machine.
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