Slackin' but not for long!

Wow, July 31st and the first time I'm touching this blog for a month; heh, alas -- been a bit busy with my other half's events lately. But I'm still holding steadfast to regularly exercising (though at a somewhat reduced frequency of 4-5 days/week instead of usual 6-7) and eating healthfully whenever possible (i.e. not going out with a bunch of foodbloggers!)

Anyways, hope to get back into fitblogging groove soon but in the meantime, here's some great reads as motivation to keep on moving!

- Mayo Clinic's 7 benefits of regular exercise - from better sleep to mood enhancement and even putting in that extra spark under the sheets.

- LA Times goes even more specific, citing studies and experts on exercise and its effect in preventing (or reducing severity) of various chronic conditions, from cardiovascular disease to diabetes and even mental sharpness.

See? It's not just about looking good (though that's a great perk too), you'll feel and live better too!

Equipment Highlight: Resistance Bands

Image courtesy of Stuart.Robbins via flickr

The resistance band is one of my favorite exercise equipment for when I'm traveling and on-the-go. Cheap, lightweight and portable, they definitely easier to shlep around than dumbbells and can provide a decent strength-toning workout. And it's definitely reassuring to know that there's one in my baggage, so I won't feel stressed looking for a gym out-of-town (that charges a fair price) and I feel less compelled to "slack off" during vacations.

They're great for home workouts too, since I can exert as much (or little) force as I want -- some days I might want to test my other strength to the max while other times I just want to do some easier moves for toning and adjustments, or to give my cardio workouts a little extra oompf.

So something to keep in mind when you're traveling next time or just looking for a light-to-moderate toning workout. For some nice basic moves you can do with the bands, check this out.

A little slowdown . . .

Heh, not even two months in and I'm already slacking on my blogposts already. But likewise, my exercise habits have waned considerably too. I haven't completely fallen off the workout wagon, but I've been reducing the frequency and intensity of my exercises as of late - partly due to busy schedules, partly due to general tiredness from aforementioned schedule, and partly just because I felt lazy.

Nonetheless, I'm still managing 3-4 days a week with 30-60 minutes a session, and I don't feel too bad about it since I'm still getting some activity in while acknowledging some mental/physical limits at the moment, but I eagerly anticipate getting back into my regular groove and regimen soon when things calm down a little.

Foodie Fit Friday Tip: Keep a Tally!

Weekends are usually more challenging in managing what you eat; less structure, more celebrations, etc. -- so here's a Foodie Fit Friday Tip to help with healthful eating for the next two days (and onwards!)

Oddly enough, when I got the foodblogging bug, I actually lost weight and kept it off! In hindsight, it shouldn't be a huge shocker, since I've been doing a better job taking notes and keeping track of what I eat. And of course, even less of a surprise that most sensible diet plans do strongly encourage (if not outright mandate) participants to keep a food diary of sorts.

Of course, there are those who insist they keep a good tally of what they ate "in their heads." But, time and again, studies show the human memory to be fickle, unreliable and malleable -- and these are studies on life-and-death situations of violent crimes and murder trials, let alone the everyday mundane going-ons of "what did you have for lunch two days ago?" (Come on, can you really tell me off the top of your head?)

I'll even take it one step further and say that, in terms of food, people tend to be selectively forgetful -- subconsciously burying recent splurgy meals, indulgent snacks and satisfying a craving while "remembering" how good they've been this past week.

I'm not saying you need to scrutinize and catalog every single calorie that passes through your lips (I sure don't,) but at least keep a fairly accurate record of what you are eating -- the more info you can include (portion sizes, calorie counts, other relevant nutrition data) the better.

And with so many free services out there, it's never been easier to spend a minute to jot down what you ate. You can set up a twitter/tumblr/blog account to text into (even make it private if you don't want it to be publicly known), do it the old-fashioned way like I do with a pen and notebook, or even just save your receipts when you're eating out, which is when one's most likely to splurge anyways (it's great way to keep your budget in check too.)

Finally, do a review every now and then and see if you've made progress or if there's room for improvement in your dietary habits. Then make those gradual changes and you'll feel and look better before you know it!

Laguna Hills Memorial Day Half-Marathon

Even though I was training for the L.A. marathon, various factors threw me off my schedule, combined with the expected late May heat I decided it's probably not the best first marathon for me to run (despite my intention of wanting to run my first 26+ miles while I'm still 26.) Oh well, here's to this year's Long Beach Marathon or early next year's Pasadena Marathon, I suppose. Hope LA 2010 will be scheduled earlier.

But I didn't let this beautiful day go to waste, and I signed myself up for the Laguna Hills 1/2 marathon (second time I've done this one.) Since it's so close to the coast and I don't have to worry about mid-morning heat since I'll be done by then, I wasn't as concerned with being dehydrated or overheated.

I didn't set a new PR (came just a minute or two over two hours, compared to my 1:51 last year) but I'm satisfied with the results, especially considering my training setbacks. Even happier that this year around I didn't get any cramps and soreness following the race.

And I think this particular event will be an annual one for me, I absolutely love the trail (great scenery of Laguna Woods and the parks of Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills and Aliso Viejo), the aid stations are appropriately spaced at about 1.5 miles each, the finish-line festival is one of the better ones out there (good vendors, nice freebies, NOT overpacked with peeps) and I love the technical shirt since it's something I'd actually wear working out, or even casually (it only has a small chest logo of the marathon, so I don't feel like a walking advertisement.)

Next time I may even partake in the beer garden celebration at BJs ($10 for two beers and passed appetizers... not a bad deal.)