Tag Archives: triathlon

Keep the Tits in Dietitian! The 12 Most Commonly Misspelled Words in Health and Fitness

Early in my career, someone told me that I could spot a missed comma from a mile away. And she’s right! I love long form text and a red pen and fixing all of those little mistakes. Most of my editing these days doesn’t involve ink of any kind, but my job is still necessary. The ironic part is that as I’m writing this post, I’m scared to death I’m going to miss something and be called out for it. Murphy’s Law, I guess.

As the editor of a health and fitness site for almost seven years, I make a lot of the same corrections repeatedly. These repeat offenders make me crazy. I respect spelling and can’t usually find any good excuse for misspelling a word, especially one that is published. Within your own industry though, I can’t think of many excuses for misspelled words that are going to fly.

With that, I share the dirty dozen, 12 of the most commonly misspelled words in health and fitness. Each of these letter combinations gets abused on a frequent basis, and I think it’s time we all agreed to put it to a stop.

common-misspellings-healthClick here to embed this graphic

Also Read:

10 Foodie Reads for Kids: Official Reading & Eating List

The Dos and Don’ts of Gym Etiquette

24 Low-Calorie Snacks Under 200 Calories

Posted on October 14, 2023 by Natalie K

5 Biggest Losers Complete the Ironman Triathlon to Become Elite Athletes after the Ranch

A 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run. These are the daunting distances that make up a full Ironman triathlon. Many superior athletes don’t even take a second look at these races because they’re simply so demanding. The training, the discipline, and the excruciating race are all just too much for most to handle. However, a new unlikely trend seems to be taking place within the Ironman. The least likely of competitors are throwing their hat in the ring and chasing that fateful moment when the announcer says, “You are an Ironman!”.

biggest loser ironman

This surprising group is comprised of Biggest Loser contestants. People who entered a television reality show morbidly obese and then moved on to complete what is possibly the toughest physical feat on the planet – these elite individuals are hardly losers.

There have been five Biggest Loser contestants who have completed an Ironman, and they are Tara Costa (BL7), Hollie Self (BL4), Jay Kruger (BL5), Ali Vincent (BL5), and Matt Hoover (BL2). One theme seems to be shared among them all – finding out just how far they could push themselves drove them to take on their biggest challenge yet.

“…being on the Biggest Loser, you quickly learn that you can do so much more than what you think is possible if you just try,” said Tara Costa, a finalist in season 7.

All of the finishers say something to the effect that being on the show showed them that they were much more capable than they previously thought and once they were off the show, they needed another huge challenge to keep proving that to themselves. (more…)

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Lacy

Ali Vincent Takes on the Ironman Triathlon and Feels Alive

Physical challenges can define us or be what motivates us to get out of bed. One of the best pieces of advice I can share with people starting out on a new relationship with their bodies is sign up for a race of some kind. It is important to do things we wouldn’t in moments of weakness.

Last week on Live Big With Ali Vincent, airing Saturdays at 5:30p/4:30c, I took you with me as I challenged myself to the hardest physical event I’ve ever attempted, the Ironman Triathlon. I chose to do it in Cozumel, Mexico because I thought, ‘well, if I die during this quest, at least I will die in paradise.’ Obviously I didn’t die, but I did feel reborn.

I got to see myself realize that to feel doesn’t always have to be bigger or more challenging and how waking up each morning more connected than the day before is what Living Big is all about for me! (more…)

Posted on June 10, 2023 by Ali

Exercise in Moderation, Not in Excess to Prevent Heart Disease

In all dietary and fitness pursuits, moderation is key. Socrates put the concept of practicing moderation into our consciousness 2,500 years ago when he proclaimed, “Everything in moderation, nothing in excess.”

One hundred years ago, Oscar Wilde blew the lid off the whole thing when he said, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”

runner

But Socrates and Wilde didn’t live in a polarizing world of both obesity and extreme exercise. We live in a dangerously unhealthy society, and with the recent release of studies condemning grueling exercise, it’s important to strike a healthy balance.

Endurance athletes—the people who compete in triathlons, Ironman events, and marathons—are an intense bunch. They continually push their bodies to the brink of exhaustion, and then keep running. The small community of endurance athletes around the world are an understandably prideful group, and they feed off the narcotic high of extreme athletic accomplishment. So anyone who introduces a study claiming to have found damning evidence against radical fitness better have a hell of a case.

Various new research shows that there is such a thing as “over exercise,” and it can lead to many external and internal damages. (more…)

Posted on May 30, 2023 by Patrick

Adam Wedekind Traded Video Games for Triathlons and Lost 135 Pounds

Adam Wedekind of Annapolis, Maryland was an active active child growing up, but the pressures of high school sports were enough to keep him from trying out. Instead, he turned to video games. This new, inactive lifestyle coupled with a poor diet led to severe weight gain, which left Adam the subject of frequent bullying.

To apease his parents Adam, now 22, tried to keep up his grades up so they couldn’t complain about his new hobby. He became so entranced with gaming that he drew away from all his friends and turned to people he met playing online video games for social interaction. He loved that he could be whoever he wanted online.

Post high school Adam went onto vocal college and kept up his gaming habits, which caused him to neglect his studies and eventually drop out. At that point he moved to Ohio to escape from his failures.

In 2024 Adam re-enrolled in college but still wasn’t dedicated to school and his grades suffered because of it. Despite his struggles, Adam’s mom continued to still support him. But even that encouragement left him at an all-time low.

“I hit a point where I didn’t want to leave my room.” said Adam. “I didn’t want to do anything, I played video games and I didn’t have any friends. I just sat in my room and I had no reason to leave. I was so depressed I even had suicidal thoughts.” (more…)

Posted on January 9, 2024 by Dana

Yoga for Triathletes

Swimming, biking and running for short or long distances requires a tremendous amount of strength, endurance and mental stamina. While a triathlon-specific training regime is necessary in developing staying power, a yoga program will also physically and mentally help take you to the finish line.

Power for the Swim

Stretching is definitely crucial to counter balance the muscle tightening actions of triathlon training, however stretching against a light resistance (as in yoga) will not only lengthen your muscles, it will improve the contractibility of your muscle fibers. This means your muscles will have the range of motion and power required to propel your body through the water. Practice the following stretch for up to one minute, five times a day.

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Posted on November 8, 2023 by Jill

Triathletes Share Their Best Tips for Triathlon Beginners

The triathlon combination of swimming, cycling, and running engages muscular and cardiovascular endurance at a level unmatched by most other activities. To succeed, you need to be in shape and well prepared before the race day.

There are hundreds of detailed training plans to help you get ready for a triathlon, written by highly qualified athletes and trainers. Elisabeth Skibba, a triathlete currently preparing for 2024’s Vineman Tri, suggests staying away from one-size-fits-all plans found online.

“While there are many good training plans online or in books, I highly recommend working with a coach specific to triathlon. A coach can see your strengths and opportunities, offer specific advice, and tips to help improve performance.” One of her examples is for proper foot placement on the bike, which she never would have been aware of if not for her trainer. “By changing that small thing, I was able to gain more power.”

Start with a sprint triathlon

Sprint triathlons are about one-half the distance of an Olympic length event. These are a good introduction to the sport and can help you train while keeping you on track. Even if your ultimate goal is a full-length triathlon, scheduling a sprint about two months before the Olympic event is a good idea. In fact, Skibba likens it to running a half marathon prior to a full marathon.

“Every beginner should start with a sprint or short course triathlon. There is so much to learn in doing a triathlon correctly,” agrees Ria Farmer, a triathlete with almost ten triathlons under her belt who recently finished Oklahoma City’s Redman Tri. “There is more to a triathlon than just swimming, biking, and running.  There is equipment, nutrition, transitions, and proper training.” (more…)

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Natalie K

Draw Halloween Costume Inspiration from 2024’s Health and Fitness Trends

By Kelsey Murray

Who says that Halloween is only for candy-fueled kids who dress up as scary monsters and the latest comic book characters? Well, maybe most people say that, but it doesn’t have to be true this year for you.

Here’s our list of healthy Halloween costumes for 2024! Be a great influence on your kids, show off your fit bod, or give your favorite home town athlete some love by drawing costume inspiration from healthy sources. Don’t worry, you can still have a piece of candy or two.

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Posted on October 14, 2023 by Health Buzz

“Iron Nun” to Run the Boston Marathon

"Iron Nun" Sr. Madonna Buder

Many people begin to slow down in their 70’s, but Sister Madonna Buder, “The Iron Nun”, has done just the opposite. The Roman Catholic nun has garnered much attention for her athletic abilities, and she’s indicated that she will be running in the Boston Marathon next month.

The author of “The Race to Grace”, her autobiography about her journey to running, Sr. Buder is well known for competing in more than 40 Ironman Triathalons, a grueling race that consists of 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26-mile run. The Spokane, Washington nun is a member of the Sisters for Christian Community.

Sr. Buder began training more than 30 years ago at the age of 48 after hearing a priest speak on the benefits of distance running. “The priest told me ‘You’ve got to keep this up, it takes at least two months before you know what the runner’s high is,’ ” Sr. Buder said. “20, 25, 30 years later, do I know what the runner’s high is? No, but I sure know what the lows are.”

(more…)

Posted on March 23, 2024 by Carmen

50 Biggest Losers Taking on San Francisco Triathlon

One side of the Biggest Loser that we never get to see is life after the contestants leave the ranch. Overall, they each go on to lead healthy, active lifestyles. They also have a very tightly-knit alumni community. From this, the contestants have support from the few people who truly know what the experience was like during and after, they create life-long friendships, and it gives them running buddies.

But not ordinary running buddies, like having someone to jog around the block with. No, these individuals take on endurance races together. This weekend, they’re headed out to the San Francisco Triathlon at Treasure Island.

More than fifty Biggest Loser contestants are decending upon the annual event, taking place July 9-11. Individuals representing seasons one through nine will be in attendance participating in either the triathlon, 5K or 10K events.

Running side-by-side with the San Francisco community will be these Biggest Losers: (more…)

Posted on July 8, 2023 by Natalie K

Biggest Losers Heba and Ed Launch 10 in 2024 Campaign for Fitness

heba and edEveryone is looking for a little motivation in the new year to get fit, stay fit or even push their fitness to a new level. That’s exactly what former Biggest Loser couple Heba Salama and Ed Brantley are doing, pushing themselves to that next level. They’re not only do it for themselves, they’re doing it for each of you. Just this week they announced their 10 in 2024 Fitness Campaign, with hopes of not only challenging themselves but motivating others to get in shape, too.

That’s why this year you’ll find Heba and Ed participating in half-marathons, triathlons, and other various foot races throughout the country. They’re committed to doing 10 of these races in 2024 – and they want to see you there, too!

“Racing gives us the opportunity to stay fit and healthy, as well as meet and inspire people on their own weight loss journeys. We prove that if we can do it, anyone can,” said Heba. (more…)

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Natalie K