hannarfoster

Half Marathon Training Must Haves

January 14, 2020

The first half marathon I trained for wasn’t really my
choice – I mean no one was holding a gun to my head or bribing me with paying
off my student loans to do it, but it was either have the gym I work for pay
for my entrance fee or volunteer to work the event. I knew that even as slow as
I was gonna be – I’d be spending less time if I did the half marathon than if I
volunteered, plus I wouldn’t have to work that Saturday. When you work everyday
of the week, even running 13.1 miles sounds better than working.

When I started training, I wasn’t much of a runner. I had
done a couple of 5k races and couldn’t run for a straight mile. Over the 7
months I trained, I did a lot of research on running long distance. Because if
you had told 14-year-old me that I’d be running 13.1 miles in 9 years, I’d have
laughed in your face as I was currently running the 800 for my middle school
track team (and I was only running exhibition). Below are the things that I
found were most helpful to me during training. And they’re the only way I was
able to train for a second (and third) half marathon while working more than
ever and while at my heaviest scale weight.

Please know that all of these are things that I now use regularly. Some of the below links are affiliate links which means I make a small amount of money when you purchase, at no extra cost to you.

GOOD RUNNING SHOES - Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17 & 18 – I cannot begin to stress the importance of good running shoes. Your feet do so much for you throughout a normal day and they take a real beating during running. I personally have an issue with over pronation, meaning my arches collapse when I stand naturally. This can lead to overuse of certain muscles while running resulting in injuries. I have always had a problem with shin splints. I took this quiz on Brooks’ website (this brand was suggested by a friend of mine) and they suggested the GTS. One run and I never looked for another running shoe. Outside of the time I skipped 3 training runs and then started back up at the predicted mileage (4 miles to 7) I didn’t experience shin splints during training. I attribute this to the proper footwear for my feet and the recovery items I discuss below.
FOAM ROLLER/ROLLING STICK – Your muscles will thank you. I promise. I used this foam roller and this stick after long runs and on rest days after I would stretch or do some yoga. They’re also great for after lifting sessions. Basically – if your muscles are sore then they’ll help!
SPORTS BRA/LEGGINGS WITH POCKETS – Okay so unfortunately, I didn’t discover Senita Athletics until just before my first half. But I literally live in this brand now. I mean seriously – I have 5 bras, 7 pair of leggings, and 6 tops. But they’ve changed my workouts. I can turn on my music and start my run tracker and then stick my phone in the pocket in my bra between my shoulders. I don’t have to worry about dropping it, or it falling out of the front of my bra (where I used to stash it). I don’t have to worry about my arm sweating or itching from an arm band. The leggings are perfect for speed training when I’m having to pull out my phone over and over. They’re also a great place for me to store my workout fuel – easy access, no having to un-zip or flip a belt and then dig around to try to find what I need.
NIKE RUN CLUB APP – I’m the kind of person that needs a plan. I also get bored/restless easily. I also was starting from square run in terms of running. I searched a lot on Pinterest for half marathon training plans and found some that seemed okay, but then I stumbled upon an add for the Nike training run app and thought I’d give it a shot. I used it for 3 runs and fell in love with it and haven’t used another training plan since. I love it because it is fully customizable – you choose how long of a training plan you’d like, and how many days a week you’re up for training. Then it bases your training runs on your progress, speed, and perceived rate of exertion.
DURING RUN FUEL – everyone talks about pre and post workout fueling but for long distance running – it is so important to fuel during your runs. Especially if you’re new to it. Easy to digest carbohydrates are the best during run fuel. Some people prefer whole foods – fruits usually. I prefer these glucose packets for a couple of reasons. They take up less space than fruit, they’re easy to eat while running, they come with options that include caffeine and/or electrolytes. I get dehydrated easily while running and sweat a lot so I always choose one with electrolytes.
EPSOM SALT BATHS – Epsom salt baths will help take the soreness out of your muscles, relax you and a bath in general is great for stress relief. The less stressed you are - the lower the cortisol levels you have – the better recovery you have. I grab regular Epsom salt, or the sore muscle specific one, and add in 6-8 drops of an essential oil, usually lavender or eucalyptus.
COMPRESSION SLEEVES/SOCKS- These are the last on the list but not because they’re least important! I credit these and my running shoes with the lessening of my shin splints. I put these on while I sleep on the nights I run or am feeling particularly sore. I also run in them on my long runs (over 8-9 miles for me). They help with swelling and keep blood flow to the area which helps incredibly with muscle repair and recovery.

I hope this helped you find some things to try that will help you along your half marathon journey! Drop a comment below with your must have items or if you found anything in here useful!

What the Scale isn’t Telling You

January 1, 2020

I am a firm believer that when it comes to out health and fitness goals, we need to have a way to hold ourselves accountable. When it comes to losing or gaining weight, most of us turn to the scale to give us a way to track our progress. A scale, especially an accurate one, is an awesome tool to use. But, I have seen and heard about too many people getting discouraged when the numbers aren’t moving or are moving in the wrong direction. Here’s my secret; the scale isn’t telling you everything.

A scale that only gives your weight is only telling you part of the story. Not every scale can tell you all of the important measurements that you should be aware of when trying to change your weight. Plus, there are some everyday things that can effect your weight from day to day, or even hour by hour.

What the Scale Isn’t Telling You

Body Composition

One thing that a general scale doesn’t tell you is your body composition. Body composition refers to how much of your body is fatty tissue and how much of it is lean tissue. In this general two component model, lean tissue is not just muscle mass. Instead, it includes everything that is not fatty tissue. This means that it is looking at muscles, organs, bones, skin, and water.

It is important to remember this when you are only using scale measurements to track your weight goals. If you’re trying to lose weight and you see that they numbers on the scale haven’t moved, you shouldn’t get frustrated right away. Without looking at your % body fat and % lean mass, you really won’t know if you’ve been making the progress you want to. Especially if you've made healthy changes to your diet and exercise habits. If you’re losing fatty tissue, but gaining muscle mass, the numbers on your scale may move up, stay the same, or move down. Every body is different and needs different stimuli and a different number of calories to reach its goals.

Appearance

A scale also can’t tell you if you are noticing changes on your body. Or if others have noticed that your hard work is paying off. If you notice that the waist band on your pants is loser or that you’ve reached the last notch on your belt, that is a success no matter what the scale says. Maybe you’ve moved beyond what your original goal weight was for your leg press, or you can now say “welcome to the gun show” with some muscle to show off.

These are accomplishments. Great accomplishments. And you don’t need the numbers on the scale to be in any certain place to be able to notice these things. Check yourself out in the mirror, take that gym selfie, and smile because you are beautiful and working hard.

Feeling

Standing on scale also can’t tell you how much healthier, stronger, more energized, more confident, etc. you feel. In fact, it may even be able to convince you otherwise. Maybe you don’t hit that afternoon slump anymore. Or maybe you feel like you could conquer the world after your workout. Noticing emotional and energy related changes from healthy choices is just as important as you physical changes.

What to Focus on Instead

Body composition

Look into getting a scale that does tell you your body composition and track that instead of weight alone. This is a good idea because it can expose changes in your body that scale weight alone can’t. By tracking body comp you can also figure out if you are giving your body enough energy. If you see %BF going up and %LM going down, but you’re watching what you eat, you may not be eating enough. Learn more by checking out my post about cutting calories to see how this can happen.

Appearance

Find other numbers to track and focus on than your scale weight. Try using a tape measure to measure your biceps, hips, waist and thighs to get a better picture of your progress. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and when you’re shopping, don’t be afraid to pick up a size down ad see how close you are. You never know, you just might surprise yourself.

Feeling

Take some time each day to stop and notice how you and you body feel. Lay in bed for a few extra minutes and wiggle your toes, roll your wrists and ankles, flex those hard earned muscles. See how well rested you feel after a good nights sleep on a day with a killer workout. See how much energy you have in the afternoons when you take your walk. Pay attention to how you're feeling mentally, physically, and emotionally and use those positive changes to keep you motivated. Any negative changes? Use those to alter your training schedule, food intake, food choices.

No Grit, No Pearl

Remember what I've shared with you in this post as you continue on your health and fitness journey. When the scale isn't moving the way you want - examine the what to focus on parts of your life and practice your grit. Stand tall and keep working hard. Make changes if you need to, but remember lovely - no grit, no pearl.

Hanna

Empowering Young Women

August 28, 2019

I never attended a summer camp when I was younger. My little brother went to a summer camp that was specifically for young kids with diabetes, but my sisters and I never went to one. We always spent our summers with our grandparents, up in Michigan. I wouldn’t trade those summers biking for hours on end, fishing on the lake, swimming and eating ice cream on the beach, and going to antique shows for anything. But after working at a summer camp after graduating from college, I understand the attractiveness of sending your child to a camp. It helps them build skills, and exposes them to new things. And I feel like it is becoming more and more important for young children to have these experiences at earlier ages. Young girls and boys need a way to get out of the social media and the world of technology that they are growing up in, and learn the other important life skills like teamwork, accepting diversity, independence, leadership, bravery, and confidence. I especially feel like this is important for young girls, as we women continue to fight for our (and their) equal rights.

The camp I worked at was for 7 to 15-year-old girls and was located in the middle of a beautiful forest and on a gorgeous, pretty private, lake. What intrigued me the most about this camp was that they allowed no technology for campers, and staff weren’t even allowed to have their phones or anything out in front of the campers. Parents had limited communication with their children, relying on good, old fashioned snail mail to be the job done. Campers were expected to clean up after themselves, and make decisions about which activities they wanted to partake in, with little intervention by us counselors. I loved that the camp was a safe environment, a bubble almost, for these girls to learn some of life’s most important skills. These skills were numerous, but I’ve picked out a few that I believe are the most important for girls of that age.

Teamwork

During their first summer at camp, no matter their age, the girls are required to partake in an activity called camp craft. This is where they learn skills like building a fire, setting up a tent, canoeing, and campfire cooking. These are important skills for them to learn because as a cabin all of the ages go on a camping trip at some point during the summer. When these trips come along, someone is always naturally better at something than one of the other girls. They notice it and use it to their advantage by learning that teamwork sometimes means everyone working together through their strengths to reach a common goal.

At the beginning of each session, new counselors and campers are sorted into a tribe. Each tribe is represented by a different color of the rainbow, and is comprised of girls of all ages throughout the camp. This is to give the younger girls some mentors in the older girls, and to give the older girls a chance to learn how to show leadership through their actions. Every night the camp as a whole would partake in activities and sometimes these were sorted by tribe giving the girls a chance to play activities like capture the flag, and zombie tag with girls of all ages. This helped them build skills like sharing and including others.

Acceptance

This camp was diverse in so many ways and because of current events, I am really just now realizing how important this truly is. Being accepted and learning to accept all of the different individuals we had at camp is going to make these young girls even better citizens of the world. We had campers and counselors from all of the world. From the US to the UK, Germany to Australia and New Zealand. We had campers and counselors of all races, and ages. Many different religions and belief systems were present at camp. And we had campers and counselors from all socioeconomic areas. Learning to love one another despite our differences is going to help heal the current condition of our nation and that of the world.

Independence

While there were counselors like me at this camp, the girls were expected to grow more independent of us as the sessions went on when it came to daily activities like table jobs and cabin clean up. The first session I was this the oldest girls at camp, 15 and 16-year-olds. All of these girls had just completed their freshmen year of high school and most of them had been at camp for at least three years if not eight. These young ladies came in knowing what was expected of them and we were there to just check off that things were getting done and give them some assistance when they needed it. The second session I was working on the younger side of camp with 11-year-olds. Half of our cabin had been at camp for at least one year and the other half was there for the first time. That session I spent more time helping the girls learn how to be independent. My co-counselors and I helped them learn how to sort laundry, know what to bring in from the line, sweep, take care of things at the table during meals and etc. We also helped them learn to make their own decision about what activities they would like to take that week. Being able to clean up after themselves, do laundry, and make their own decisions are important life skills that these young ladies are learning to master as early as possible.

Leadership

At the beginning of each session, the girls are given the opportunity to run for tribe leader. Tribe leaders are responsible for teaching the new campers tribe songs, organizing O’Naug (a weekly ceremony that has a message like loving yourself or friendship), and planning tribe day. This is a lot of responsibility for young girls to take on and I think that it is so important that we give them an accepting and safe environment for them to take on this responsibility. Because then, even if they fail, they learn that failure is natural and it is not something to shy away from. As I mentioned before, the tribes consist of campers of all ages. The same goes for the activities that the girls partake in throughout the summer. Each week they choose new activities and the group of girls that they are with changes as well. I see the importance of this for both the older and the younger campers. The younger girls are given mentors to look up to and learn from and the older girls are given the chance to learn about how their actions affect others.

Confidence

Camp is not a very serious place. And that is something that I loved most about camp. Whether it was playing silly games during meals like “odds are,” or singing silly songs, or dressing up in ridiculous outfits, there was always something fun going on. Teaching the girls that you’re never too old to make a fool of yourself helps build their confidence. Seeing the camp director and the other adults at camp partake in these silly activities, I believe, helps the girls build confidence that they can be themselves and never feel ashamed of who they are.

But this confidence also holds to being held responsible for yourself. If something was found at camp with no name on it the camp director would stand in front of the dining hall and hold it up and describe it and the owner was expected to go up and grab it. Once the owner stood up, the whole hall would sing this silly song and everything was fine. No one was ever truly embarrassed by having to go up there and I believe that is because these girls had confidence in themselves.

Bravery

I believe that confidence can be a byproduct of well supported and guided bravery. I’m not talking about blind bravery where you jump off a tall cliff into unknown waters. But I mean the bravery where you push yourself outside of your comfort zone a little. For the oldest girls in camp this happens the very first week of camp when they begin training for their camping trip, the Canadian. And yes they travel to Canada for the trip.

This is a 6 day canoe trip through the Canadian wilderness with one tripper, one counselor, and 6-8 girls. The campers are responsible for portaging their canoes and their bags when necessary, getting fires going, setting up their tents, and cooking. It doesn’t matter what the weather is like, the trip goes on because you have to get to the pick up point at the right time on the last day. The girls I took on the Canadian during the first session, showed their bravery when we were stuck in tough weather and couldn’t fight the waves. Our group even got separated at one point and the girls kept it together until we could all be reunited. This instance even pushed myself and the tripper outside of our comfort zone, proving that you are never too old to learn.

My favorite experience with bravery was watching girls run for tribe leader. Because there is no age limit for tribe leader, even the youngest girls at camp could run. In order to run for tribe leader, the girls had to be nominated or volunteer. Then they had the opportunity to talk about what they wanted to accomplish and how they would go about being a tribe leader. Later that week they were given the opportunity to speak again, after being allowed to plan what they wanted to touch on. And then the tribe would vote. Watching the younger girls be brave enough to stand in front of their whole tribe, that included girls who were 16, was amazing. I really don’t think I ever would have been able to do that when I was little. But having this bravery sets these girls up for so many more opportunities that others will shy away from.

After spending my summer being amazed by these wonderful girls, I look back and think that maybe I learned even more than they did.

4 Meal Prep Myths

August 26, 2019

Meal prepping has saved my sanity. Well some of it at least.

I no longer have to stress about getting fast food because I
know its unhealthy. I no longer stress about how much money I spend on dining
out. (Trust me – I still eat fast food and dine out – but at least now its
planned and I can workaround it instead of using it as a fall back option).

Let’s just say I have 99 problems and meal prepping isn’t
one. But it seems that every time I talk to someone about my meal prepping they
look at me like I’m crazy. I’ll get comments in return like “I could never eat
the same thing everyday!” and “Don’t you get bored when you don’t have
options?” On the other end of the spectrum some people look at me with envy and
say things like “How do you have the time to make all those meals in one day?”
and “How do you come up with different recipes?”

I’ve found that there are four big things that people will
comment on while we are talking about my meal prep and I want to share with you
why I think they are bogus excuses for most people.

It takes too much time.

I meal prep once a week, on Sunday. I usually spend 2-2.5 hours
meal prepping. But I’m not up at the stovetop that long. I’m probably only
physically in the kitchen for a hour. And that’s the time it takes me to make 12-16
meals. That’s only 12 and a half minutes per meal. Are you watching the news or
a TV show or Netflix one night a week? Use that time to double as your meal
prep. Or meal prep when you do your laundry. Or do all three at the same time
if you’re feeling crazy.

It’s expensive.

Frozen meats and veggies are the cheapest thing ever. It’s only
$1 for two good servings of frozen veggies and you could honestly probably get
3 servings out of a bag if you wanted to make it stretch. Brown rice is typically
$0.12 for a serving. You can make meal prep work on a tiny budget. And it’s
cheaper than getting a meal from a fast food restaurant every day.

You also save money in food waste when you meal plan and
prep. Because you’re planning for the week you buy just what you need. This
keeps food from sitting around going uneaten and it keeps you from spending
money on things you’re not going to eat.

It’s difficult.

Try baking your chicken instead of grilling. Try cooking
rice instead of pasta. Try steaming your veggies instead of sautéing (better
yet, buy a bag that comes ready to steam in the microwave. Takes only 5 min and
you don’t have to cut up the veggies). You can adjust the way you cook things
so that you don’t have to be standing there and checking on things every couple
of minutes. You really can utilize your kitchen to do most of the work while
you just sit and enjoy your favorite TV show.

It’s boring to eat the same thing everyday.

Even if you had to eat the same thing every day when you
meal prep (spoiler alert; you don’t) you can mix things up with seasonings,
spices and sauces. Try an Asian flavor inspired sauce mix on your rice and
veggies instead of just going with salt and pepper again. Or maybe you like
lemon pepper, spicy things, and BBQ? Try each of those flavors on a chicken
breast for a different day of the week. You can also alternate days of the week
with different meals. Make one meal for a couple days and a different one for
the rest of the week. I like to mix things up by doing a pasta salad for a few
days and then a chicken and rice dish. But I always keep things interesting
with different veggies and spices. It's definitely the easiest way to changes
up meals.

5 Lies About Losing Weight

August 13, 2019

Over my time in the health and wellness world between school, working part time as a personal trainer, working in a gym, and now working for a corporate wellness obesity management company, I have noticed that there are a few myths that many people who are working towards living a healthier lifestyle are under the impression are true. I want to debunk some of the most common misunderstandings when it comes to losing weight and I hope that you leave with a better understanding of how to get to your goals the healthy way.

1. If the number on the scale goes down, that’s good

To some extent this is true. If the scale number has gone down, it means you’ve lost weight. But a scale doesn’t tell you where that weight loss has come from within your body. In most cases when someone is looking to lose weight, they really want to lose the weight from the fat within their body. When the number on the scale goes down, that weight loss could be from the loss of fat, or lean tissue, or it could even just be because of your fluid fluctuation that day.

2. You have to cut your calories in order to lose weight

Sometimes cutting calories can actually cause you to gain weight and not lose any. When we cut calories without taking into consideration how many calories you expend on a typical day, then you can unknowingly put your body in a situation where it is not getting enough calories to function on a daily basis. When this happens your body thinks that it is being starved and will then begin to lower your metabolism and store more energy for future use. This storage of energy can cause an increase of fatty tissue under the right conditions.

3. You have to cut out carbs in order to lose weight

Cutting out carbohydrates certainly helps some people lose weight. But it’s hard for them to keep that weight off once they reintroduce carbs to their diet. Carbs are your brain’s fuel source and your muscles preferred form of energy. You have to eat them. Feel free to limit the simple carbohydrates in your diet, things like white bread or other refined flour products, sugary cereals, and candies. But be sure to eat some complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads, brown rice and lots of vegetables!

4. You have to cut fat in order to lose weight

This one makes sense at first. If you want to lose the fat in your body, why would you continue to eat any of it? One issue is that fat helps your body metabolize many important nutrients and vitamins. Another problem is that all of those manufactured low-fat and fat-free foods have something else in them that hinders weight loss for most people, sugar. Food companies found that when they removed the fat from their products it removed the flavor. Their foods now tasted awful and they knew they wouldn’t be able to sell them as they were. In order to make their foods taste good again and to keep people purchasing their products, they added in sugar. But when the body is met by an onslaught of sugar several things happen that hinder weight loss and can actually cause weight gain.

5. Low calorie/artificial sweeteners are going to help you lose weight

This point really piggy backs off
of the last one. Some people think that if they switch to low calorie or
artificial sweeteners they will be able to stop some of the effects that real
sugar has on their body. But some studies have shown that the artificial
sweeteners effect the body in a similar way, but more intensely. This means
that blood sugar levels often get even higher and the crash afterwards is even
lower. These more extreme reactions are actually worse for the body in terms of
blood sugar regulation and insulin resistance.

When it comes to losing weight, many people are misled by quick fixes and one step methods. The most important thing is to examine your daily life and look at sustainable ways you can make healthier choices in your diet and daily activity. These choices will lead to a true lifestyle change that will then lead to success on your health journey.