Health and Nutrition That Is AboveNBeyond

Summer comes and goes ever so quickly.  Some of my summer is always planned for I’m almost always on the road.  Running that is, pounding the pavement mile after beautiful mile.  Wouldn’t it be neat if you could have your summer all lined up now instead of ending up in August looking back and thinking, “Where did the summer go?”  See what happens when you get active?  You already know part of where your summer will be going.  So, for you couch bound potato heads, perhaps this is the time to get peeled into a new lifestyle!  Hey, just to let you know, I was one once too!  All the TV is, is a brain-rotter.  You’ll get a better view outside then from the couch. There is so  much to choose from when it comes to being outside.  There have been times that I’ve considered something called cross-training.  For me that would be combining running and biking.  Some days, I’d run and some days I’d ride bike.   As I’m writing here, that sounds good, perhaps I may just do that this year?  For me the problem is I just love running and I tend to forget my bike.  It doesn’t have to be running or biking.  It can be anything like walking, fishing, boating, swimming you name it.  Anything that gets you out the door and to being active.  Oh, yes, you work every day, and you are tired when you get home right?   If this sounds like you, you’ll get no sympathy from me for I do that too!

At the very least, find a local gym and get involved!  I was a member for 9 years until we moved.  This is how I got involved with running and I never even planned on becoming a runner when I joined the gym.  Isn’t it time to put the WOW back into your life?  For those who have, the  WOW has begun, for those who haven’t yet, the WOW is waiting.

For those who are acute workaholics that see more office than sun itself, get a group of co-workers together and do something construct-active   After all,with an after work activity, you may be prone to getting the job done sooner to get out there.  Not to say that this has to be everyday.  Being a part of a group, may motivate you to increasing your fitness level then if by yourself.

See also:

Find Your Focus and Do It  – Part #1 and Part #2

With budget crunches effecting everyone, our waists can be effected too!  We can’t let money get in the way of  our efforts.  Granted, with portion control, and exercise, our efforts will work.  However, our bottom line is effected by many factors.  Fortunately, one can get coupons online to help curb the costs of weight loss.  Check out this website to see if you can find a coupon that helps your budget.  Let’s face it, lots of people are having a tough time and something  has to be done to make way to achieving the goals that are needed.  Money can’t be allowed to get in the way of ones efforts.  Alternatives need to be considered to get one to reach their goals.  So, with exercise, portion control, finding healthy alternatives, you can add coupons to your arsenal to combat weight loss.  My wife has turned into a coupon head hunter and thus have cut a huge chunk out of our weekly food bill.  Talk about adding an extra pay check each month.  You need to  consider this.  There are other coupon sites available.  Here is one to consider:  Couponmon.com

With an ever growing arsenal to combat weight loss, loosing weight is the only thing you have to loose.  Coupons only make it worth your effort.

Wow!  What a great day for a run!  It was cool and you could feel the warmth from the sun.  With temperatures in the 60’s and sunny skies, who could pass this up!  Oh, and while I haven’t yet brought this up, a run like the one I just had is worth 6 points on the Weight Watchers Point system.  And, I don’t mean the points you take off, but, the ones you earn.  That’s right, the ones you earn so you can eat that extra food you love so much!  This was an awesome day and I took full advantage of it.  I ran a distance of 3.1 miles equal to that of a 5k race.  There was some walking involved since my running did take a dive for a while.   But for the most part, the legs are in full working order.  I did two sprints which went really well.  While running is what I love to do, the moral of the story is get out, get active doing what you love to do!  Here is the post I wrote in my fitness blog.  So, I ask you, which is better, the couch or the pavement?  I know my answer, do you?

Back when I used to drink alcohol, one could say that I was that occasional weekend drinker.  There is research that indicates that alcohol does not contribute to weight gain.  There is also those who say that alcohol and weight loss are enemies.  So, let’s assume that alcohol doesn’t contribute to weight gain for argument sake.  Back at this time I was probably up around 200 pounds.  I drank and ate all the foods that one would eat when going to the bars.  So, one could say that your weight gain comes from the package that you consume over the weekend.  Now, granted, this is just my view.  If you take this package out of the picture, the you also take all those calories out too.  One time when I was a local bar one Saturday evening eating, someone there offered to buy me a drink and I just had finished my “limit”.  I declined and she said something like life is short, you gotta have fun or something like that.  I replied back something like But I am having a good time, I’m having great food, talking with people, I don’t need alcohol to have a good time. It was at that point the seed was planted to move me in the direction of cutting alcohol out of my life.

After taking alcohol out of the picture, my weight stopped rising.  It was at this point that I was a member of a local gym and I was starting to get involved with fitness and nutrition.  Also around this time, I started going to church and then stopped going to the bars.  A very good trade off if you ask me.  Lots of good people, and great food too!  A few months later, I found my future wife to be or should I say she found me and the rest is history.  Oh, I should point out that she would have never went with me if I drank.  It’s interesting how things can work out at times.

Should you eat today, but, of course, yes you should.  Never, and I mean never starve yourself.  Continuing from Part 1 and Part 2 on this subject, I should point out that I don’t like the word DIET.  A short term, temporary effort is implied by this word.  In other words, once one would achieve a desired goal, the diet would be over.  Replace the word DIET with the word LIFESTYLE and you got a whole different picture.  Do you like the idea of being a human yo yo?  That is what a diet is all about, the ups and downs of weight.  You’d reach a point where your weight is good and then you’d quit.  Later, you’d be up again and start the process all over again.  How crazy is that?  Wouldn’t a change in lifestyle seem better?  There are parts of this way of thinking that could seem as doing the same thing, but, actually it’s not.

Diets are only good if you like the idea of flying blindly through life eating what ever you want when you want and am willing to hit the brakes to cut off some pounds until you are happy again.  But, who wants to spend life like a yo yo when as you get older, it can get harder to get the weight off.  The best solution is a lifestyle change.  You can still eat all the foods and drinks you like, it’s just that you won’t be like a human vacuum cleaner thus inhaling everything in sight.  You’d be eating in moderation.  Granted, it would be a learning process, but, a process that is worth it.

So, in concluding if you would apply the following, you would create a whole new lifestyle that would rock your world:

Portion Control +  Getting Active + Good Nutrition = NEW YOU!

This formula really does work, but, it takes time and patients.  If I can do it, you can do it.  It’ s that simple.  So, now the question could be asked, if this formula works, then is it really necessary to purchase weight loss products?  The answer is that it depends upon how fast you want to get the weight off.

Ok, you completed your check list to get ready to start running.  You are or should be starting out slow for now.  We’ll now look at another list of things to be working on.  Remember, you are a beginner and not an elite marathoner.

1. A really good resource to make use of:
Check out Newrunner.com, a really good resource for new runners starting out.  Newrunner.com is a Runners World website for beginners.  It’s good to have the right resources at your finger tips to get the information you need as a beginner.  And remember again, you are a new runner, so, take it slow and work on building yourself up.

2.  What do you want out of running?
Do you just want to run for the fun or fitness of it?  Or, do you want something more out of the sport?  It’s all up to you.  You don’t have to decide right now.  You may discover something about it later.  For those who want to be more aggressive, why not a 5k race.  But, do this after you’ve been running for a short while.  This is something you want to prepare for.  Check out this article about preparing for your first 5k race training tips.

3.  Don’t copy, be happy
Don’t worry about what others are wearing and doing.  Rely on reliable resources for the information you need.  Do what works for you based on what you read and learn about.  Someone maybe doing something that may look good, but, it may be something that you are not quite yet ready for.

4. Find your way.
Just like starting out slow, find your way.  This is about you and not someone else.  If racing isn’t for you, then so be it!  Everyone gets something different from the sport.  It’s what you want that matters.  Once you discover your way, you’ll begin to rock! I found my way, you can find yours!

5.  Age is a number and nothing more.
As long as you are healthy enough and your doctor doesn’t mind, age is only a number and if you want to lace up your sneakers and hit the road, go for it!  Don’t let the thief in your mind rob you of something you want and can do.  If you can and want to, the road awaits.

Remember, Runners World is a very good resource for runners and anything about running can be found there.  Good luck with your efforts and enjoy the sport!

If you’ve been interested in running and haven’t yet gone from your fanny to your feet, get started now and please don’t wait as long as I did to start running.   I didn’t start running until I was 35 years old and let me tell you, I wish I got into running long before that, but, that’s another story.  Running is the easiest and cheapest sport on the planet to get involved with.  Just grab a pair of sneakers and appropriate clothing and head out the door and you are on your way.  Is it really that easy to get started?  For the most part, yes!  But, there are some things to consider before you get on your feet.  Let’s create a checklist to get you started:

1.  See a doctor to see how you stand

You really need to have yourself checked out before getting into running or any other sport. You don’t want any unexpected issues tripping you up while you are out there. In addition to seeing what may or may not be an issue, your doctor may even give you a starting point as to where he or she would like to see your numbers at to give you an idea of your overall health. This is a great starting point. Not only that, this can be a good gauge to see how you stand each year on your road to improving your health.

2. Find a pair of sneakers.

In a pinch, just about any kind of sneakers will do, but, for best results, you should get a pair of sneakers tailored for running. It’s what’s under your feet that matters while you are out there. Not sure what kind to get, just ask the associate at your favorite sports store for a good pair.

3. Seasonal or weather appropriate clothing.

You want to be comfortable when you head out there to enjoy your run. It took me a long time just to adapt to running in the rain. I couldn’t see myself running in the rain, when I could be inside and dry. That was until I realized that if you run, you sweat, therefore you are wet! Consider your weather conditions when deciding what to wear before heading out. For cold weather, layers are good.

4. Start out slow.

Remember, you are just starting out. You are not trying to win a race yet, or you shouldn’t be at this point. In addition to running, you should be doing some exercises too. A good resource for exercises for runners is runnersworld.com, they have some really good training videos.  If you push yourself too soon, you may over do it and get turned off by the sport, or worse, end up getting injured.

These for steps will get you out the door and on your way as a beginner, but, as the last step points out, start out slow.

No matter the person, we all need nutrition. It doesn’t matter who you are. The athlete, stay at home mom, the acute-work-a-holic husband, you, me, we all need good nutrition. Without it, everything else is pointless. What happens if you put the wrong fuel in a sports car? Put put put put phhhssss ……. We all need good fuel to keep us going and sustain us throughout each day. In previous posts, I discussed the importance of both getting active as well as portion control. Nutrition is another slice of the pie we need to be concerned with. To some, this is a no brain er, others, either didn’t get it (yet) or don’t care.

If one of your goals is to loose weight, you need good nutrition to help you loose weight. Good nutrition helps keep your body in top running order to help you do all the things you need to do in a day. How could you expect a world class athlete to accomplish Olympic gold without good nutrition?
It just won’t happen!

You should first determine if your diet is a healthy one. Take this test, it’s free and very informative.  You need to figure out how many calories your body needs on a daily basis. The human body is remarkable. Even if you spent years not getting good nutrition, your body will say “ahhhhhhh” when you change your diet for the better.

Imagine how good you’ll start feeling when the body starts getting the right stuff.

Getting good nutrition doesn’t mean you have to stop eating some of those other foods. Eating those other foods in moderation is the key. Those other foods should be like a treat and not an everyday part of your diet.

As is our slogan “Make life better one choice at at time”, try to make small changes in your diet each day. This is better than attempting to jump on one of those trendy fad diets which may not be safe for you anyway.

How do you know if your diet is healthy? You need to take a look at the USDA’s Food Guide to see if you are getting the recommended number of servings of various food groups.

Consider your choices, do you want to be like that sports car, revved and ready to race down the road, or do you want to be like an old heap ready for the junk yard? This is how important good nutrition is. It can make a real difference in your life. You may not notice much in your younger years, but, as you start to get older, the body changes. Getting good nutrition is an important part of everyone’s life no matter the age.

If you are a very active person, such as a runner, marathoner, biker, or other types of sports, then your need for good nutrition can be even grater.  Consult your specific sports type website for more information on nutritional needs.  For runners, I highly recommend Runner’s World.

See also:

1. More Nutrition related articles.
2. Food Pyramid

Back when I was an Herbalife Distributor, I started to see that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another person. One person told me over the phone that she does not like powdered drink mixes. Well, regardless how good a product is, if someone doesn’t like the type of product, then it will NOT work for that individual despite the reason. This is one of the fundamental factors that AboveNBeyond4u.com is all about. About finding what bests work for you. Liking a type of product is half the battle regardless of it’s usage. However, until you try something, it’s hard to tell if you’ll like it or if it will work for you. We all want to look and feel good. Getting good nutrition, striving for good fitness, and loosing and/or maintaining weight is important. For it all works together to get the results we are all looking for.

Sometimes you can’t do it alone, in other words, there are products available that can help you further your goals if used right. With a little patients, research and effort, you can get more results when you use products that are effective in achieving your goals, whatever they may be. Isn’t it time to start conquering your goals?  Go  for it!

See also the following:

I recently found something and am recommending that you check this out – click here and see what you think regarding fat loss and your abs.

See other posts for burn fat, weight loss and supplements.

Well, it just goes to show you that taking a break isn’t always a bad thing.  I have had kind of a semi-forced 4 1/2 month break from running due to various personal issues ranging from a back issue to a severe cold and a soar lower back.  These issues basically kept the sneakers off until yesterday.  The sky was blue, some sun and it was 40 degrees out.  I just had to do it.  I got on my running attire and put on my mp3 player, opened the door and out I went.  Since I was off for a while, I decided to take it easy and I only ran 2 miles.   It was a very satisfying 2 miles.  During the run, I found out that my legs are very much still up to the challenge in running and when I was finished, the only problems I experienced was some coughing due to the wind and my legs did feel a little wobbly from not running for a while.  Other than that, nothing bad to report.  This was just an extra post that I thought I’d add this week.

Today, I am finding that my urge to go running has strengthened and I will be heading out again this week.  So you see, breaks can be a good thing.  If any to rest you up for more later.  I can’t stand it when it’s nice out and I cant run.  I am kind of insane at times, I love it when it’s warm out to run, I enjoy the sport better during the warmer months.  Even when it’s humid, I just head out earlier in the day.