Tag Archives: Guest Blog

The Big Weight Loss Pay Off: Find What’s in it For You

Whenever you venture into a healthy lifestyle journey, it’s important to establish what will feel like you’re winning. Being really specific and clear on what you would like to do when you get healthy will inspire you along the way when you feel like giving up.

Some questions to consider as you look ahead include:

How do you want to live your life?

What kind of new activities will you get involved in?

Will you present yourself differently? A new look perhaps?

Will you make a career change?

Spend more time with your family? Make a family of your own?

Picturing yourself in the life that you dream of is important and acknowledging all the steps you are taking to make it a reality is priceless. (more…)

Posted on September 6, 2023 by Ali

5 Moves to Build Stronger Cores for Runners

By Meghan Reynolds

Having a strong core is a major component to becoming a stronger, healthier runner. At Hot Bird Running, we give every runner 3-5 days of core exercises within their weekly plan. This is both preventative and strength building.

The core, comprised of the transverse abdominal muscles (deep abs), obliques, erector spinea (lower back muscles), and gluteal muscles (your butt), provides you with stability, power and endurance. If your core is weak, it can lead to poor running patterns, i.e. overstriding, understriding, or a pelvis that swings from side to side, and eventually injury. As a result, you are more susceptible to lower back, hamstring and knee injuries with a weak core.

The moves below help prevent injury, make you a stronger runner, and help make running more enjoyable. Aim for two sets of each exercise 3-5 times a week.

Plank
Strengthens: Deep abs, lower back
How to do: Begin by lying face down, resting on your forearms. Push off the floor, rising up onto toes and forearms so your body is parallel to the floor and in a straight line from your head to your heels. Make sure you are looking slightly forward so as not to put strain on the neck.
How much: 20-60 seconds
Make it harder: Extend the hold time or try lifting one foot off the ground. (more…)

Posted on September 5, 2023 by HotBirdRunning

Ali Vincent Finishes Her 8th Half Marathon at Run Disney

This weekend is all about Run Disney. I am in Disneyland and ready to conquer my 8th half marathon of the year. Disneyland is so magical because you are surrounded by people who BELIEVE. Believe in what, you say? It depends, and is different for each and every person you come in contact with. What is the common denominator is that this is a place where dreams come true.

I love doing Run Disney for a couple of reasons. One reason is because there is a standard of excellence that is unprecedented when the Disney brand is attached to it. If you have ever been to one of the Disney parks you know exactly what I’m talking about. For the most part you won’t ever see a piece of trash on the ground, everyone goes out of their way to help you with anything you might need, and if you are dressed as a princess then you are addressed as such. Every “t” is crossed and every “i” is dotted. From the firework start to the many Disney royalty and characters throughout the courses encouraging you and taking pictures with you, to the AMAZING medals draped around your neck as you cross the finish line, it truly is a magical experience.

(more…)

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Ali

Floppy Fish: Core-Strengthening Move with a Twist

by Alexandra Williams, MA from Fun and Fit

Holding a plank for a few minutes or doing 100 crunches may be impressive, but did you know these exercises don’t actually make you much stronger in the abs or back? If you want to assess and improve your core strength, try the “Floppy Fish.” A funny name for an exercise, but videotape yourself doing it, and you just might discover why it has that name!

Core strength is important for keeping you upright with good posture. You want that, because good posture helps you look more confident and fit.

* Lie down on one end of your mat in prone position, perpendicular to the mat
* Place one hand on top of the other, with arms out long in front of you and off the floor. Elbows should be slightly bent
* Cross your feet at the ankles, knees slightly bent, with legs out long and off the floor
* Tuck your chin toward (not to) your chest so that you are looking down at the floor directly below your head
* Verify that you are touching the mat (or floor) only from the chest to the hips. Everything else is lifted slightly
* Tighten everywhere your belt touches, then roll slowly from one end of the mat to the other. Return back to start.
* Repeat this exercise 3 times in each direction, remembering to keep your limbs off the ground (more…)

Posted on August 30, 2023 by GuestBlogger

SweatBox Workout: Sneak Peek of Sara Haley’s Sweat Unlimited DVD

Here’s a sneak peak at one of five workouts on Sara Haley’s newest DVD Sweat UNLIMITED. Sweat UNLIMITED excuse-proofs your workout with a selection of 45, 30, 15, or 5 minute workouts, so that you always have something to fit into your day. The workout Sara shares here combines boxing drills and core training for a quick and efficient cardio sculpting routine that you can get done in thirty minutes or less.

(more…)

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Patrick

Why it’s Crucial to Eat Right Before You Conceive

By Emily Wade Adams, CNC at PrimingTheBump.com and Natal-Nutrition.com

Why It’s Crucial to Eat Right Before You Conceive

Some people get pregnant without any preparation, it’s true. So what’s the point of undertaking a fertility preparation program? Why can’t you just sit down with a tub of ice cream and watch Jersey Shore instead?

Well, aside from the obvious explanation that in most cases, watching Snooki isn’t going to get you pregnant, there are two crucial reasons to eat right before you conceive:

EASE OF CONCEPTION. Speaking of ‘reality,’ not everyone is as fecund as TV shows may have you believe (see: 16 and Pregnant; 19 Kids and Counting). In fact, about 10-15% of couples now experience some form of infertility, and that percentage is steadily rising.

To conceive with ease, your reproductive system must be in good working order. Which means that your body must have all the necessary nutrients on hand – and in sufficient quantities – to feed the cells, hormones & processes of the reproductive system. In addition, any compounds that interfere with fertility must be avoided.

A nutritional preparation period helps stock your body full of healthy, fertility-boosting nutrients while eliminating anything that could block reproduction. Not only does this improve reproductive health, but it also puts you in control of your journey toward conception. (more…)

Posted on August 27, 2023 by Charlie Smith

5 Go-To Fitter Fast Food Menu Items

Eating out as a vegetarian who says no to dairy (most of the time) is a challenge. That’s why I don’t do it often. But fast food can be a necessary evil on a busy day of errands, if I forget my lunch, or if I’m traveling. While chain restaurants are being required to post calories, calories don’t provide the whole story. Lower calorie options can be loaded with sugar and lack protein, leaving you unsatisfied and headed toward a blood sugar crash.

Eating healthy on the go means being prepared and doing your research. It helps to have a go-to list of preselected options so you can grab and go. Try these fast food finds to make eating on the go a little healthier.

Denny’s Fit Fare menu: At IDEA Personal Trainer Institute West, I had the privilege of having breakfast with Kymberly and Alexandra from FunandFit.org. When Denny’s, which was across the street from our hotel, was suggested I was skeptical. I was pleasantly surprised however by their Fit Fare menu. Since they serve breakfast all day, try the Veggie Skillet. With egg whites, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms and potatoes it has 20 grams of protein and only 330 calories. While it may not be as fast they do offer take out service. (more…)

Posted on August 21, 2023 by Pamela

Finding Motivation is Easy; Maintaining Motivation is Worth It

It’s so important to constantly reevaluate why we are making the choices that we make. This week on Live Big With Ali Vincent, my mom and I find ourselves back where it all started and stood in line for the Biggest Loser. Although the experience didn’t quite go as planned, I did find new motivation in Arizona to continue on this journey of the rest of my life, being healthy.

People often ask me how to find motivation. If you are truly struggling with staying motivated I think it’s of value to step back and take a look at the definition of the word.

Motivation

1. giving of reason to act

2. Enthusiasm

3. Reason

4. forces determining behavior

When you look simply at the definition it might become clear why you are struggling to keep it in your day to day. When we first start out on new journeys we are really clear on why we decided to act. (more…)

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Ali

14-Move Pilates Workout by Laura Tarbell is the Perfect Complement to Running

While running is one of the most natural and instinctive exercises, it’s also one of the most injury prone. According to CoreRunning.com, “Research shows that if you run regularly, you have a 37–56% chance of getting injured. The majority of these injuries are overuse injuries to the musculoskeletal system (comprised of the muscles, tendons, joint tissues, ligaments and bones). What’s even worse, researchers estimate that up to 70% of injuries are likely to reoccur!”

So what if there was an exercise program that reduced the risk of injury and allowed you to improve speed at the same time?

Enter Pilates, the perfect complement to running. Where running is high impact, Pilates is low impact; where running creates muscle imbalance, Pilates promotes balance; and where running creates tightness, Pilates promotes mobility. Performed correctly, Pilates will strengthen muscles, ligaments, and tendons to guard against impact, improve form, and create a consistent gait. This strong and efficient running body will allow you to run faster for longer while minimizing the chance of injury. This program will improve any imbalances in the body, strengthen the core, and increase overall flexibility. (more…)

Posted on August 14, 2023 by GuestBlogger

7 Smart Tricks to Make the Paleo/Caveman Lifestyle Work for You

By Kara McCartney

“I wish Paleo wasn’t nicknamed The Caveman Diet.” I once said this to my bosses, Bill Staley and Hayley Mason, authors of Make it Paleo, Gather, and The 30 Day Guide to Paleo Cooking. Hayley replied, “I wish it wasn’t called Paleo.”

Believe it or not, Paleo isn’t a lifestyle where you hunt your own food and cook it over a campfire. Instead, it’s focused on eating real food, such as meat, fish, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Processed foods, including grain and sugar, and foods that are difficult to digest, such as cultured dairy and legumes, are eliminated. Beyond losing weight, Paleo helps regulate blood sugar (did you know a piece of bread raises your blood sugar more than a tablespoon of white sugar?) and burns fat, rather than sugar, as an energy source.

If you’re considering a Paleo diet, here are a few guidelines to help you get started: (more…)

Posted on August 13, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Chef Sebastien Archambault’s Toasted Farro Recipe Offers DC’s Blue Duck Tavern Diners More Whole Grains

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

Ever notice how hard it is to find a whole grain in a restaurant? That’s why I was surprised—and thrilled—to see “Toasted Farro” on the menu of Washington D.C.’s highly acclaimed Blue Duck Tavern. Farro is an ancient form of wheat grown in the Middle East and Italy; it’s a wild ancestor to the cultivated wheat we use now.

I loved the dish—it was both chewy and hearty. The mild-tasting grain was infused with flavors of lemon and herbs. I managed to wrangle the recipe, below, from Chef Sebastien Archambault. A stickler for using fresh, local ingredients, Archambault grew up in France and Texas and has worked with world-famous chefs such as Alain Ducasse. I guess that unusual upbringing is what it takes to put whole grains on the menu! (more…)

Posted on August 12, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

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