Eat This Before You Run

Do you know what snacks are the best to eat before you go for a run? FitSugar has a chart of the foods you should and shouldn't consider as well as when to eat it!

Read more here: http://www.fitsugar.com/What-Eat-Before-Run-24108225

Time	Food Ideas	Foods to Avoid
2 hours before	300- to 400-calorie meal containing carbs, protein, and healthy fats: Cooked quinoa and grilled chicken Whole wheat pasta with cheese and veggies Peanut butter and jelly sandwich Greek yogurt with blueberries and sliced almonds Wrap filled with grilled fish, avocado, and mango	Tons of fibrous veggies: Broccoli, onions, beans High-fat foods that are hard to digest: Burgers, fries, ice cream

Keep reading to find out what to eat (and what to avoid) an hour or 15 minutes before a run.

Time	Food Ideas	Foods to Avoid
1 hour before	150-calorie snack containing easily digestible carbs and a little protein: Whole wheat toast with nut butter Whole grain crackers and hummus Small bowl of cereal Half a fruit and nut bar Cheese stick and carrots	Gas-producing fruits: Pear Apple Melon
15 to 30 minutes before	Small serving of easily digestible carbs: Banana Applesauce A few saltine crackers Raisins	Large serving of protein and carbs, and high-saturated fat and high-fiber foods: Pasta Bagel and cream cheese Fried chicken Granola bar (high in calories and fiber)

Mixing Weight Training and Aerobics

Do weight training and aerobics interfere with one another? Many athletes dodge this questions by doing each exercise on separate days. Is the phenomenon of “muscle interference” or “exercise antagonism” actually true? A study shows that there is no interference and that mixed training can actually bring extra benefits to your workout. See it on The New York Times.

"Is it wise to practice weight training and aerobic exercise on the same day?That issue is surprisingly contentious in the sports world. Many competitive athletes, their coaches and athletic trainers have come to believe that aerobic exercise, if practiced in close proximity to strength training, reduces the ability of muscles to strengthen and grow. Conversely, many contend that weight training performed on the same day as aerobic exercise blunts the endurance training response.This phenomenon, known variously as “muscle interference” or “exercise antagonism,” is a frequent topic on fitness-related chat boards. But to date, most of the discussions have been based on anecdotal evidence or simple conjecture. There has been little science supporting or challenging the existence of interference.

So, independently, groups of researchers at McMaster University in Ontario and the Karolinska Institute and other institutions in Sweden recently recruited volunteers to test the idea that you get more physiological benefit from performing only one type of exercise on any given day..."

Read more about the study here: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/mixing-weight-training-and-aerobics/?ref=nutrition

Benefits of Running Barefoot

Do you prefer to run barefoot or with sneakers on? If you're considering running barefoot or already do, here are a few reasons to want to start. Zest Magazine lists a few benefits to running barefoot here: http://www.zest.co.uk/running/5-benefits-of-barefoot-running/2646.html

1) Barefoot running gives you increased running efficiencyResearch suggests that running barefoot increases efficiency by 4%. This is likely to be due to the fact the foot can function more effectively without the restriction of supportive footwear.
2) Less chance of injuryRunning in a barefoot shoe like Vibram FiveFingers® means you have a greater awareness of your foot position on the ground and increased leverage making you less likely to suffer an ankle sprain.
When running barefoot on hard surfaces, you automatically compensate for the lack of cushioning underfoot by plantar-flexing your foot at contact, thus giving a softer landing. This helps to prevent shin splints.
3) Running barefoot strengthens foot musclesWhen you support a broken limb with a plaster, the muscles weaken. Likewise, when you support the foot within a conventional running shoe, it results in a weakening of soome muscles. Weak muscles can mean greater injury risk, greater dependency on shoes, and impaired performance.
4) It decreases your risk of bunionsBecause the traditional shape of feet does not match the shape of our shoes, the big toe is often pushed towards the middle of the foot and the same is true of the little toe. This, along with the heel of the shoe pushing the big toe even further, results in a deviation of the big toe which can lead to bunions.
5) Barefoot running maximises biomechanical performanceCounter to popular belief that the arches are there to absorb shock, they are in fact designed to store energy and return that energy to the gait cycle on the next step. Wearing shoes that 'support' the arch, prevent the arches from performing their function. Being barefoot ensures that the arches are working as they are designed to.

50 Healthiest Foods

The  most nutritious foods are right at your fingertips. Do you frequently include any of these into your diet? If not, you're missing out on some of the healthiest foods in existence.
See the complete list and slideshow on The Huffington Post!

"And so we turned to some of our favorite medical and nutritional experts to come up with this list of 50 of the healthiest foods, presented alphabetically. Pad your grocery list with these and you'll be on your way to a healthier, more vibrant diet. Of course, even as we editors finished the list, we started thinking of more ("How could carrots not be on the list?" "What about black pepper?"). So we plan to follow up with a second list of healthy foods. Let us know in the comments which of your favorites we skipped and they could appear soon."

See them here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/29/healthy-food-healthiest-list_n_1636409.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003