I am constantly hearing about how painful running is. It's been one of the most popular threads in our community for months. Even in US magazine this month, Kate Gosselin was quoted as saying, "I run every day. It's painful".
I find most people think that pain is synonmous with running and believe if you're going to run, you're going to have to be disciplined and deal with the pain.
This is simply not true.
You can be in pain if you feel that makes you feel better about yourself and makes you a true runner. But you don't have to be. You can run a mile, 3 miles even a 10k, even a marathon without pain.
I watch people do this all the time on PEERtrainer. What is the secret? They follow a different philosophy shared by Stu Mittleman and other athletes, even 6 time Ironman Champion Mark Allen.
Stu ran 1000 miles in 10 days. That's every day, for 10 days straight. He ran 100 miles a day. Just to give you a sense of what the Hawaii Ironman is: from the wikipedia entry:
"The Hawai Ironman consisting of a 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bike and a marathon (26 miles 385 yards, 42.195 km) run, raced in that order and without a break. Most Ironman events have a strict time limit of 17 hours to complete the race, where the Ironman race starts at 7 AM, the mandatory swim cut off for the 2.4 mile swim is 2 hours 20 minutes, the bike cut off time is 5:30 PM, and all finishers must complete their marathon by midnight."
Mark Allen won this event 6 times. He did it by following the principles of Dr. Phil Maffetone. Stu incorporated these same principles and explains them so succinctly in "Slow Burn: Burn Fat Faster By Exercising Slower". This book by Phil Maffetone is in my library as well. You don't have to grind it out. You don't have to be in pain. Unless of course you insist on it. But then, it becomes your choice.
You can get both books used for a total of $10. Small price to pay to get rid of the pain.
We had a chance to interview Matt Hoover who many of you know as the winner of season two of "The Biggest Loser." It ended up being a pretty interesting interview, especially from the perspective of keeping weight off, what happens after the weight loss. He talks about his upcoming Iron Man competition in Hawaii and his training for the 2012 Olympics. He was a member of 4 national championship wrestling teams in college, so the guy is a pretty amazing athlete.
We spoke for about an hour, so if you want to listen to the entire interview map out some time ahead of time. This is the link to the interview. It is pretty cool.
Matt mentioned in the call that he uses hypnosis as one of the tools to help keep the weight off. He uses the CDs from Roberta Temes, who we have known for a few years and who has written some articles for PEERtrainer in the past. We asked him to follow up on this subject, something we are increasingly interested in, because it works really well. But it is something that most of us have not tried. Here is his take on it:
"To be honest I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I had used hypnosis when I was competing in wrestling. It helped me tremendously in sports but wasn't sure what would happen with weight loss.
When I got Dr. Roberta CD's I did a session immediately.
I didn't really feel different, but I quickly noticed that many of the cravings I had, especially for Taco Bell were gone. I didn't even think about it anymore.
The biggest thing I notice was how rather than crave diet pop, I began to want water. The sessions helped me to realize that I didn't have to be on a diet, I could program myself to crave healthy foods in moderation.
In the past I would eat until I was full, even if it was healthy food.
Now I eat until I am satisfied and I don't have to "force" myself to remamber to eat. I just do it.
I used the CD's nearly everyday when I first got them, now I use them a couple of times a month to remind myself of the tools I now have.
Recently I used them before I left for vacation to help keep myself in the right state of mind to be consistent during a time when many people fall off track. I use them anytime I am traveling, usually on the plane. I have found that to be a great time to relax and get myself ready for my upcoming stay, wherever that may be.
I am really lucky because my wife really supports my use of the program. She will say when she thinks I need a session. She has seen tremendous progress since I started the program and knows that it helps me to stay on track.
I have lost 30 pounds so far and have reset my goal to get even leaner using Dr. Roberta's CD's.
I love the CD's and have recommended them to everyone I know who is dealing with weight issues. I know that with the success I have had that others will achieve their goals as well with the use of the tools I have learned from Dr. Roberta.
These discs truly have helped me to develop a healthy mind set when it comes to my relationship with food and I fully expect to have continued success on my new weight loss journey with the knowledge I have gained from Dr. Roberta Temes."
We were first introduced to Roberta I think in 2006, and we need to circle back with her. We have recommended this product in the Tip Of The Day program, and it is nice to see a "celebrity" endorse something like this. Sort of a nice validation of something we had seen work. You can get the CD set through the Hypnosis Network.
Btw, I personally use hypnosis for other areas of my life. Different products from different companies, but the bottom line is that these things really work. Be open to it!
After a recent workout I was hungry and tired and wanted to find something that could really build upon the good work that I had done. I fired up the frying pan and grabbed 4 cloves of garlic from the fridge. I smashed them with my palm in about 10 seconds and threw them in the pan with some olive oil.
I then grabbed a bag of spinach from the freezer and threw it in the pan. Covered the pan and cooked for maybe 4 minutes? I might have added a few grinds of pepper. The spinach got cooked and steamed pretty good and then I just dumped the contents of the frying pan right into the Cuisinart. Pressed both the buttons getting the blade to go in both directions and pureed the spinach.
I then dumped it on a plate and opened up a bag of Kettle chips to curb my carb cravings. I then ate the entire plate of spinach (a full pound) dipping the chips into them. It tasted really good and it was EASY to make. Today I feel better than I have in a while.
I used to workout when I was single and lived in NYC. I would hit the gym and lift. But I never really felt great because I ate poorly. Of course I did not understand that at the time because I was not overweight. Later on, a business colleague (and former chairman of a big healthcare company) gave me a copy of Eat To Live (and then introduced us to Dr. Fuhrman) and this book totally changed my outlook on eating. If PEERtrainer seems like the Dr. Fuhrman show at times, this is the reason. This is my personal agenda, and it has to do with his advice getting my own health in order.
I am not a vegetarian by any stretch, but I do go out of my way to get my greens in especially each day. I also understand the need to really chop up the greens to really get the nutrients out. Dr Fuhrman explains that our body cannot digest the cell wall of a plant, and you can only chew your food so much.
Recently I have started to do a lot more strength training, adding this back to my routine. I am not hitting the gym or doing bodybuilding, but just getting the muscles themselves a good workout. The last few years I have just run, played tennis or maybe rollerblade from time to time. Pure cardio.
Running PEERtrainer, companies now often send stuff to us to test, evaluate and then write or blog about. If we like it or it really captures our attention and we actually make it part of our day to day we do so.
For example, Total Gym recently sent us their top of the line model, the Total Gym XLS. And luckily I have Joshua with me who is a fitness nut. We are going through all 80 of their exercises and really pushing ourselves. At the end of the workout yesterday we had the incline at the highest level and I found myself doing inverted bicep curls, pulling my weight up the incline keeping my elbows locked into place. A heck of a workout.
But my point here is that for the first time I am combining a high nutrient way of eating with strength and resistance training. And I feel fantastic. I have been doing this for about a month, and yesterdays tweak to the routine prompted this post. Was so easy to do and prepare.
This all started last month we were testing and working with resistance band systems. And I started this process of working out the muscles with those bands. Resistance bands work really well to isolate all sorts of muscles quickly. Then I started Total Gym and basically worked out the entire body in a short amount of time.
I just wanted to communicate this combo- and suggest that you find a way to get some daily training in where you engage the muscles with some form of resistance. Resistance bands are a great thing to have in your home. Bodylastics is hands down the best product on the market and we have written a review about it here. And also recorded a bunch of videos on how to use it in different ways. But the basic idea is that for less than $100 you get something that essentially functions as full gym in your house. Both men and women can use it, and it really works.
Total Gym is another great option if you have the space. You can watch a video of Joshua using it. It can be a little expensive though. The list price for the top of the line model is about $1500, and there are less expensive options and ways to buy used ones. We talk about it on the page. The Total Gym is also pretty durable and you might be able to find one on Craigslist. As long as the pulleys work nicely and you can get the incline going I highly recommend using one.
Or go to the gym. But just get in the habit of working the muscles and then getting your nutrients in, and really work this combo. Carrot juice is another excellent source of concentrated nutrients. One of the things Dr. Fuhrman has done with a new book of his, Eat For Health, is put a "Point System" on different fruits and vegetables. The idea is that you want to hit 100 points a day for optimal nutrition. He sent us a copy of this a year ago and it helped to really focus my eating habits each day. The stuff at the top of his points list are all the greens, and things like Romaine lettuce, red peppers, escarole, broccoli.
This book again changed my daily food decisions permanently. I grill red peppers whenever I find them on sale. If I am at an italian restaurant, I order a side of esacarole and beans and a side of broccoli rabe for my entree. The server usually looks at me like I am crazy, and is probably a little tweaked because this meal will cost less than $10 at the best restaurants!
But this strategy has given me a lot of energy especially in the last year. Adding the resistance training and bodyweight training to the mix has just stepped up how I feel, and I wanted to share that with you all. Work the muscles and work the high nutrient veggies. And when you do, add a comment to this blog post. Tell us what exercise you did and what you ate afterwards, please!!
I also got Joshua to do a piece for us which you can watch below. Just click the arrow to play the video, and he also shows you some simple exercises you can do with just your own body and nothing else:
In addition to Joshua being highly entertaining he is also a core part of our Point Of No Return Program, and in this role he essentially takes people on a tour of the thoughts behind the thoughts in their head. He has studied tons of stuff in the area of the mind, and delivers what is some of the best advice available. Stuff that works.
He is living proof of the idea of "mind-body connection" and is doing a great job with Jackie in giving people an experience that is literally changing the lives of many people. When you make different decisions in your life, you will get different results. I think the real trick is getting to the point of successfully making that shift, and this program does that.
One specific result we see that people experience in this program is a real sense of hope. We keep hearing this word "hope", "I have hope" over and over from participants. I am very excited about the early feedback on this new effort we have undertaken. Please check it out if you have a weight loss or fitness goal you have not met. This will help.
The best currently available price for the Bodybugg is now $155, down from $165, if you use the promo code that you get by clicking on the banner right here:
If that banner does not work for whatever reason, you can click on this text link to get their most current discount/coupon code. They always change the codes and the discounts.
What Does PEERtrainer Think About The Bodybugg?
It is a proven product and proven motivator. Only a small percentage of people are 100% internally motivated. An external tool to measure your movement, provides real motivation.
It is highly likely to change your behavior. At PEERtrainer we have tested many of these systems, and they simply work to change your behavior.
Bodybugg also offers free shipping at the time of this post update. This text link will show you the latest best available price.
Good luck!
-PEERtrainer
PS: Please download a copy of our new PEERtrainer Cheat System for healthy eating. This link will open up a new window where you can learn more and download for free. If you use this guide in conjunction with your new Bodybugg, great things will happen.
We just got an excellent email from a subscriber to the Tip Of The Day program, and we thought that it would be helpful for those of us looking to stick to the weight loss or fitness journey. The question we had asked in one of our coaching calls was "are you brave enough" to do it. What was interesting about this email is this person was in law enforcement. Already plenty brave, but found it helpful to apply this question to working out:
"I'm really a newbie at this website, I stumbled upon it recently and have enjoyed it
so far. I am not new to the diet and fitness routine, but am at the last 10 pound
mark after having lost about 50 pounds and have kept that off for 5 years (I never
officially joined a club or gym, I got the weight watchers books on eBay and use
hiking and kickboxing type videos along with jogging in my fitness routine).
I am
realizing that to lose that last 10, and maintain the loss, I may have to modify
(read: give up??) some things I treasure, like my coffee with cream every morning,
or at least work it into my calorie count by eating a smaller dinner, etc. Anyway, I
have enjoyed your website and especially the calls. I just wanted to say that from
the first call, there was something that really stuck in my mind, and it has sort of
become my mantra when I'm jogging on a day that I'd really rather not be out there.
Please forgive me that I cannot remember which of you stated this, but it was just a comment about starting and sticking to the weight loss / fitness journey, and the statement was "are you brave enough?". Well,
to me, that's a challenge! I am in law enforcement and consider myself pretty
brave, so to consider the work out on that level really helped. I am now trying to
figure out if I am "brave enough" to run a half marathon this year. That's a bit
harder than being challenged into getting out for a 3 1/2 mile run. But, when I'm
tired, I ask myself that question, and not being brave enough is not an option, so
it keeps me going.
Thank you for what you do, and for so candidly sharing your own experiences with
everyone! Best of luck and continued success!"
We will keep posting great feedback like this. We have also created a 12 week coaching/training intensive that goes way beyond the ideas presented in the 4 calls. You can learn more about that here:
You can start this program at any time and get sent the calls each week along with a guide/lesson plan to work on that week. People love the program so far and they are also in their own private team which is crackling with activity.
This is Habib guest blogging and I want to talk about a product that both men and women might like. The marketing team for the Perfect Pushup product sent us a sample of the new mobile version of the product. It folds up and goes in a nice little pouch. I have had it for a couple months and felt compelled to blog about this for three reasons.
1) The product works as advertised. When I use it, I usually get sore the next couple days. I am not a huge exerciser, but I do pushups from time to time because it is easy to do it.
2) It is a great product to have in the bedroom. I have a set of 25 pound dumbells and the Perfect Pushup side by side. I can see it, and that serves as a reminder each day to do it.
3) The product seems to be very well built. We have a 5 year old and a two year old and they like standing on top of one Perfect Pushup and spinning around. I am pretty sure that this is not what the company recommends, but it seems to be able to withstand a beating.
I could probably use a little more instruction on how to best use it, but I love having it in my bedroom. Thanks for sending us one! www.perfectpushup.com
We love the stories that come in and when I saw this shot, and read "PT made me a marathoner. Thanks!" I asked him to be in the rotating deck of pictures on our home page.
"Vildragon", a PEERtrainer since August of 2007, writes status updates about his marathons and they're such a shot of energy in my day. Reading about someone who is pushing themselves to a new physical place gives me a lot of ideas about how I can do the same.
Congratulations Vildragon and here's to you doing well at your next marathon this weekend!
1. Wearing Incorrect Footwear. My husband was out taking his father for a walk recently and they were on a mulch path that had just been given a fresh layer of mulch. As a result the mulch was soft. His father is pretty tall, 6 foot three, and was wearing a pair of excellent New Balance running shoes. The great grey ones which are highly recommended for running. But running shoes are not great hiking shoes. About 30 yards into the walk on the path, the mulch gave way on the side and my father in law twisted his ankle and got a pretty bad sprain. If he had been wearing the appropriate shoe, the injury would not have happened.
2. Wearing Inappropriate Jewelry and Clothing. Incorrect clothing can lead to incorrect range of motion which is a very easy way to get hurt. Make sure you have very comfortable clothing. This can also provide a great way of motivating yourself to exercise more. If you have an "unstructured day" planned- like a weekend day with the kids or if you are single just doing errands- put on workout clothes in the morning. You will find yourself magically getting more exercise in.
3. Not Warming Up. I play tennis a lot, it is something I love and it is easy (and free!) to play outside on public courts nearby. But if I don't warm up for 15 minutes, I will hurt my shoulder. Warming up is also a great way to trick yourself into exercising if you don't feel like you want to workout. Just tell yourself you are going to 5 or 10 minutes of very light activity- walking and stretching. After 10 minutes you might feel that you are ready to get a little more active.
4. Poor Training And Form. I got my husband into tennis and we enjoy playing it a great deal. But when we started he developed a pretty severe case of tennis elbow which was a result of both improper grip and improper swing. Getting some tips from a good pro cured this pretty quickly. Always try and get advice from experts.
5. Overuse. If you do something a lot, the risk of injury from repetitive motion is huge. We work a lot in our coaching program on developing the mindset to exercise more. We want to get you out there and find something you love. But make sure to also mix things up and the minute you feel something funny, just stop.
If you're having trouble starting a workout regimen, pick any exercise that you know can be done easily with minimal excuses and commit to doing it 5 minutes a day. It can be as simple as stretching or walking. The single best way to develop a habit is to start slowly and do it consistently.
If you’ve been working out, pick a way you can “sprint” this week. Spend an extra 10 minutes on the treadmill. Add yoga after your run. Work out at a high intensity for 5 minute spurts in your normal routine. Think of new cross training ways to mix it up. If you find yourself at the gym on the treadmill, take your friend up on the suggestion to play raquetball. If you find yourself always at a spinning class, try a strengthening Pilates class. (Pilates is amazing.)
If you're just starting, you will build up to 30 minute levels. The 5 minutes a day commitment is what will get you there. Think of this 5 minutes as if you're learning to crawl before you walk and eventually run. And you will run!
One of the biggest obstacles we see is that people don't have their ideal music ready to go. If you're dreading the thought of getting off the couch, one of your favorite songs can give you instant energy and make you want more. It's the single best way to change your mood and make you motivated to just DO something.
Invest in the time to organize your favorite music in one playlist. If you're intimidated by the ipod (mp3 players), find the nearest teenager/20 something to help you. It has never been easier to get all the music you love in one place, in an easy to play format as it is now. Mp3 players can be purchased for $20 dollars and you have your energy to go.
What did you like to do when you were younger? Maybe it was dancing or kick ball. Maybe it was frisbee or basketball, or maybe doge ball! You can recreate all of these sports even without Coach Dan and get some great bursts of cardio in.
Go pick up a frisbee and get out on your front lawn. If you have children, they will be begging to play every day.
Get a pair of 25 pound weights and keep them in your bedroom to do mini-lifting sessions anytime. You'll build up to a routine in a short time.
Have a lifestyle where you can't get to a club to dance (or maybe you
simply don't want to!) Blast your favorite music on your ipod or
computer right in your living room and dance. Even if it's for 5 minutes
you'll feel that same rush.
If you played basketball, football, swam, soccer, whatever it is, there is a local organization or gym or community gathering of the sport. If you simply didn't like sports or activity when you were younger, this is the best time to pick up something you've always wanted to do.
Coaches and trainers love that you are brand new because they don't need to retrain you from bad habits. Tennis is a great example of this: it's much easier to teach someone to swing with the raquet down low if they've never done it, vs teaching someone who has been swinging a certain way for 15 years.
Don't be intimidated - people will love to teach you whatever sport you've dreamed about.
Wake up and put on your workout clothes. Your entire day will go differently. If you're out with the children and you're looking for an hour activity, suddenly the park or a local tennis court will be an option because you're wearing the proper gear (not kitten heels!). You're likely to take stairs or park far from the mall entrance because you have the shoes to get you there.
This doesn't mean that you stop dressing up and looking hot! You also don't have to spend a fortune to get great gear. This just means if it's a relaxing day without much planned, start the day off in your workout clothes and running shoes. Getting the "5" minutes in of exercise will be that much easier.
