FITMOM Durham's Motivated Monday

Hi Mommy Mavens!

I hope you are ready for another great week ahead. 

How did you do with last weeks challenge?  Did you succeed?  Did you try your best?  That's all the matters in the end! 

 

I did manage to drink my water everyday (except today, Sunday) and I have to admit, I am feeling better in the mornings.  So I will continue to drink my water every day this week too and work towards building a new habit :)

This week I challenge you to get moving with a FITMOM+Baby dance party!

 

Dance Parties are a common household activity here at FITMOM Durham.  The boys and I like to crank up our favourite tunes and dance like nobody's watching.  I guarantee this will lift your spirits, get your heart pumping and make you sweat!  Your baby is a great dancing partner who will love watching you move and shake your tail feathers!  Commit to dancing for 20-30 minutes 3 times this week. 

 

Here's one of my favourite songs that always makes me want to dance and sing along.  Don't judge me too harshly.  I am a child of the 80's. 

 

 

All the best!

FITMOM Durham's Motivated Mondays

Hi Mommy Mavens


This week I invite you to participate in our first challenge.  I hope to share simple but effective ways in which we can live better, have more energy, increased vitality and feel good about ourselves in our skin.  This week's challenge is to drink more water!

Did you know that increasing the amount of water you drink every day is one of the easiest and most effective ways to impact your maintenance or weight loss plan?

Often times our body mistakes hunger for thirst.  If you find yourself wanting snacks or meals at odd times of the day, reach for a cup of water first.  If you still feel hungry after you drink the water (wait about 5-10 Min's) then have a snack of fresh fruit or vegetables. However, you may be surprised to find that drinking that 8oz glass of water has curbed your 'appetite' and saved you from eating more than you need. 

Drinking Water Can Boost your Metabolism

Drinking 1-2 glasses of water first thing in the morning is a great way to boost your metabolism and get your engines going.   Dehydration will actually cause your body to slow down its metabolism to conserve energy; while drinking water has been proven to contribute to your body's ability to burn more calories!  Without adequate water intake, especially when you are exercising,  your body won't be able to perform and function the way it is supposed to!


Other Benefits from drinking more water:

• Water flushes toxins from your system
• Aids in keeping your joints lubricated- this is very helpful in preventing injury during exercise
• Improves the look of your skin (when we're all suffering from sleep deprivation, this is a great way to rejuvenate our appearance)
• Fills you up, which may help to curb unnecessary snacking caused by boredom!

Challenge #1

Every day this week start your day with 1-2 glasses of water as soon as you wake up.  This will replenish the fluids you lost overnight, kick start your engines right out of the gate and flush your system of any undigested food consumed the night before.  While this is obviously not a miracle cure, it is a simple and effective way to boost your metabolism, is integral to normal bodily functions, and  is an essential part of weight loss efforts.

Bottoms Up!

 

Race Day! Good Luck Runners!!

We did it!

We have made it to the end of our training and our big race is only 2 sleeps away.

It has been a real pleasure training with you this summer.  I hope you are quite pleased with the results of your effort.  You have come a long way baby and you will have a great race on Saturday.

Here a few tips to help you ensure you have a great run on Saturday morning!

Dress for success!  Wear comfortable clothing for weather conditions and proper shoes.  Today is NOT the day to wear and break in new runners.  Stick with the gear that has worked upto this point.

Avoid high-fiber foods the day before the race.  Too much fiber and race day anticipation may have you looking for the port-a-potty!  Stick with whole wheat carborhydrate sources and avoid fresh fruits and veggies that are high on fiber.

Use the bathroom before you leave!  This is Sooooo Important.   The line ups are long and you don't want to pull a Paula Radcliffe and relieve yourself in the middle of the race!  Even better, try to find a pit stop on the way to the race (Tim Horton's, gas station etc) and then go one more time before the race starts :)

Hydrate well but don’t over consume. It will throw off your electrolyte balance. Your urine should be light yellow to clear in color.

Your last “big” meal should be at least 12 hours before the race to ensure full digestion has taken place.
Remeber try to avoid high fiber, high fat, or overly processed foods. Simple is best the day before your race.

For earlier race start times a light breakfast is best.
A great option is a whole wheat bagel or toast with natural peanut butter or low fat cream cheese. Eat it as soon as you get up to ensure you have plenty of time to digest!

Race Day Etiquette:

Make sure your bib is safely secured to your shirt and your number is clearly displayed. This will be used to identify you by race officials.

Avoid loitering in the start area. You will be notified when it is time to get in place. Slower runners and walkers will stay toward the back and those seeking to place or finish first will be at the front. You can determine where you fall in between.

While racing, try to stay single file. If the course allows, you may run two abreast but there should be enough space for a runner to pass you. Always pass single file and announce “Passing on your left” or “Passing on your right”. After passing, wait a couple meters before crossing in front of the runner you passed. Same goes if you are being passed, allow passing runners the space needed to do so.

NO SUDDEN STOPS!. If at any time you need to come to a complete stop slowly move off the course to the side.
When accepting water at an Aid Station, slowly move off to the side and DO NOT stop abruptly. Toss cups to the side and not onto the course. Always be aware of the other runners on the course. In order to avoid a sloppy hand off, make eye contact with a volunteer as you approach and nod your head. This will communicate that you wish to take the water from them and help make the hand off clean.
When you reach the finish line (YES!!!!) don’t stop suddenly, but slowly move out of the finishing area. Remember other runners are finishing behind you. Also, photographers will be preserving this special moment for you so smile for the camera! As the great John Stanton, founder of the Running Room, says “It’s not how fast you finish….it’s how good you look in your photo.”

Other Important Details!

Championchip Pickup

Mylaps BIBTAG Timing system by Sportstats

The ZooRun 10k & 5k will use the Mylaps BIBTAG Timing system.This means you only have to pick up your BIB at packet-pick-up/registration;this timing chip is embedded in your bib number. On race day, you should wearyour bib #/BIBTAG on the front of your shirt. For optimum performance DO NOTbend, fold or mutilate your bibtag! And remember, now it's "NO BIB = NOTIME!"

To read more about the latest technology coming to Canada with theMylaps BIBTAG and Sportstats Timing company, click here.

BibTag Instructions — PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

Your timing chip or "bibtag" is placed on the back ofyour race bib. It must be correctly worn for your race time to be accuratelycaptured.

1. Do not remove the "bibtag" or foam spacer from your bib.
2. Do not fold your bib or excessively bend or twist the "bibtag".
3. Wear your bib on your chest/abdomen. Do not wear on your back, side, leg or arm.

Live Results
Sportstats will offer LIVE results on their iphone/android app, make sure you visit the app store and download it to your smartphone. The app is good for all future and past Sportstats events.
Start Line

10k Start Line Organization

PLEASE NOTE THE NEW LOCATION FOR THE10K START. The 10k start line, packet pick-up, information desk, baggagecheck, port-o-lets and water station will all be located in LOT 2. Seethe course map for location.

Corrals

All 10k participants will be organized in coloured corrals based on your expected finishing time provided on your registration form. Your assigned corral will be indicated by a coloured stripe on your bib. On race day,look for the coloured flag at the start line that corresponds to your bib andline up there.

10k Corral Times

• Red: < 51 mins
• Yellow: 52 – 59 mins
• Blue: 1:00
• Green: 1:01 – 1:14
• Purple: 1:15+

Wave Start

The 10k will start in waves 5 minutes apart:

• Red — Wave 1
• Yellow — Wave 2
• Blue — Wave 3
• Green — Wave 4
• Purple — Wave 5

CourseDescription & Maps

10k—Start time 8:15am. Run on the roads outside of the Zoo, then runa scenic loop through the Zoo grounds. For the safety and enjoyment of allparticipants, baby joggers, strollers, Nordic poles, animals and unauthorizedwheeled devices will not be allowed in this race. PLEASE NOTE THE NEW LOCATION FOR THE 10KSTART. The 10k start line, packet pick-up, information desk, baggagecheck, port-o-lets and water station will all be located in LOT 2. Seethe course map for location.

 

2012 10k and 5k maps: Click to view larger versions (230-250KB each)

Finish Line

The 10k, 5k and Cub Run events will finish at the same location,just before the path to the Canadian Domain. Please see the course maps to locate the Finish Line.

Before exiting the Finish Chute participants will have access toPowerade, water and Medical attention (if required). All finishers will also receive their medal before exiting the Finish Chute into the Party Site.

 

The MOST IMPORTANT Thing to Remember.......................................

 

HAVE FUN!  CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS!  SEE YOU AT THE FINISH LINE XOXO

 

 

 

 

 

FITMOM Durham's Motivated Mondays

I read an article recently that promoted Monday as being the best day of the week to kick off or start healthy habits.

In fact, researchers found that 74% of people found that Monday is the best day to start acting healthy.

More importantly, it's the day new habits are more likely to stick and become permanent life changes.

For the next 12 weeks I will be posting a different health & wellness challenge to keep us motivated, energized and successful.

You can expect to see exercises, nutritional tips, inspirational quotes, family health tips & fitness challenges designed for the new mom in mind.

I look forward to the fabulous changes the next 12 weeks will bring!

You can only begin from where you are. Let's start today.

Oasis Zoo Run Week 13

Just because I am away doesn't mean that you should be taking time off from your runs!

I can assure you that even while I am enjoying the sun and surf and blissful beaches of Aruba,  I will be training for our upcoming event :)

In terms of distance most of us have completed upto 8km.  Enjoy a nice easy week, without feeling the pressure of adding more distance.

Instead take some time to enjoy how great it feels to have finished a run with nice, strong legs.  Remember that after every run you should feel like you could go a little further.

If you find that you are struggling with running continuously, know that you can follow the run/walk ratio of 10min:1min and repeat this cycle until you cross the finish line!

Week 12

Session 1 (60 Min)

Warm-up: Walk slow & easy 5 minutes

Run 50 minutes.

Cool-down: Walk slow & easy 5 minutes

Session 2 (43 min)

Warm-up: Walk slow & easy 5 minutes

Run 10 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Repeat 3 times.

Cool-down: Walk slow & easy 5 minutes

Session 3 (52 min)

Warm-up: Walk slow & easy 5 minutes

Run 15 minutes. Walk 1 minute.

Run 15 minutes. Walk 1 minute.

Run 10 minutes.
Cool-down: Walk slow & easy 5 minutes