Tag: exercise

5 Tips for Exercising in the Heat

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July tends to bring super hot temperatures here in North Jersey and if you’re training for a marathon that means having to be outside often in scorching, humid conditions. I have had some tough runs in the heat but made it through them by training smart and drinking plenty of water. Whether you have a long distance event in the books or are doing an outdoor workout class, here are some tips to help you survive the heat.


1.) Hydrate… a lot.  Drinking before or after is not always sufficient. When temperatures are high, it’s best to also hydrate during your sweat session. I recommend carrying water with you so you can reach for it easily. I wear a hydration belt on my long runs but if you’re a class-taker or gym-goer here’s a stainless steel bottle (only $15!) to bring along with you. It’s also important to replenish electrolytes, so a post-workout sports drink is essential for that. I like Nuun Active tablets. They have pretty clean ingredients and the flavors are not too overpowering.

2) Wear light-colored, sweat-wicking clothing. Save the dark colors for fall and winter and pull out your white tank tops and grey shorts. Avoid cotton as it will just stick to you, weigh you down and possibly even irritate your skin. I love MPG Sport for their affordable and cute tank tops for women. There are also times when you just have to workout in your sports bra, and you know what? That’s totally fine! There are some really cute ones at MPG too.

3) Keep It Brief. There will be times when you will need to cut it short or split up your runs or workouts. I usually have to do 2 runs- one in the mornings with Frankie while it’s still not too hot out and another one on the treadmill while he’s napping. It can get done- you just have to be flexible.

Stroller running around town

4) Wear sunscreen! Make sure you protect your skin, even on cloudy days. I always keep a bottle of sunscreen in the garage by the running stroller. Wear a hat or visor and try to stay in shady areas.

Running in shady part of Patriot’s Path

5) Take a cold shower. Although I usually do this after a workout, some people will also do it right before. It may also help wake you up if you have a super early morning wake up call.

Train smart and enjoy these last few weeks of summer. Working out in hot conditions definitely helps toughen up my mental game, so take away what you can from the tough workouts. They’ll make you a better athlete!

Today I did my long run, I have a few chores around the house, then we’ll be visiting my best friend and her family for a BBQ and kiddie play time, and then I’ll be back home finalizing some workouts for my first week of Small Group Training Classes which I’m SO SO excited about!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

xo,

Julia

One Year Blog Anniversaryย 

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It’s been a year since I started this blog, mainly to keep myself motivated and accountable for staying active during my pregnancy. I don’t get a chance to post as often as I wish to but I really enjoy having this space to share with you about my life and workouts. 


This past weekend I ran my first post-pregnancy 5K. And boy did I surpass my expectations. I didn’t give myself a goal although I was secretly hoping to do it under 24 minutes…and I didn’t even wear my watch…I ended up running my second fastest 5K to date! According to my phone it was 23:15 but Strava said 22:45.

If you’ve been reading my posts you know I don’t get to run often- usually 2 mile runs on the treadmill or with Frankie in the stroller. I also have been coaching more CrossFit so I don’t get yo work out as often. I guess my takeaway is that LESS is more!

Another fun thing about the 5K is that I got to meet a new group of runners- the Asuncion Runners NJ. It’s a satellite branch of the Asuncion, Paraguay group that we’re a part of. We actually all walked away with awards! I got my first trophy ever ๐Ÿ™‚


It might be too hot today to run with Frankie but I’m hoping to do my usual 2 miles on the treadmill while he naps and then a circuit workout once he’s awake.

Here’s an easy and simple equipment-free WOD:

15 AMRAP

10 burpees 

20 lunges

30 push-ups 

40 sit-ups 

50 mountain climbers

60 jumping jacks

Today also happens to be Frankie’s Half Birthday ๐Ÿ™‚ And tomorrow is my birthday! Hop over to Instagram to see how we celebrate!


Cheers, 

Julia

Rainy Day Home WOD

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It’s a chilly, rainy day here in NJ and I was finding it hard to find some motivation to not only workout but also to write a new post. But…since I already had a rest day on Monday and I haven’t posted in a few weeks, I found just enough energy to get them done. 


Frankie has been a little bit sick with a cough and stuffy nose so comforting him has been my main priority. Good thing this WOD was nice and quick!

Do 3 rounds of 1 minute of each:

Burpees

Dips (on a chair, couch, etc)

Slow Mt Climbers

Flutter Kicks

Push Slide (start in plank, press back bending knees then press forward again into plank) 

Standing Side Bends (8# DBs)

This is great for days you can’t make it to the gym or even when you’re traveling as you really don’t need any equipment (just skip the DBs in the side bends).

I had hoped to take Frankie out for a longer run in our jogging stroller but I think we’ll just cuddle indoors until it’s time for me to go coach at the gym ๐Ÿ™‚

Frankie’s first run in the BOB on Global Running Day last week.

Happy Wednesday! 

Xoxo

6 tips to help you enjoy running

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I’ve been a runner for a long time though I only started calling myself one about 5 years ago when I started training for my first half marathon. I thought if I didn’t run several times a week, year-around, and wasn’t doing high mileage, I wasn’t a “real” runner. I was mistaken.

Running the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge last year when I was about 9 weeks pregnant.

Whether you run a little or run a lot, you’re a runner…or you can become one.

 I remember training for my first half marathon and feeling so daunted by the training plan I followed. But it got easier. What was the secret? I just stuck with it. There were days when I was too tired or too sore or something came up and I missed my run– but that was ok. I allowed myself breaks here and there. I just knew I had to “bring it” next time.

Last summer I held a 4-week running clinic with some of my CrossFitters and other non-members to coach them into finishing a 5K- the first 5K for several of them. I hope to be able to carve some time out to do another clinic this Spring or Summer. 

In the meantime, I’m sharing my tips on making running feel a little easier- maybe even a little more enjoyable…so that you get out there and stick with it ๐Ÿ™‚

  
1) Stay positive: 

If you tell yourself you hate running, running might hate you back. Just kidding. But seriously. If you can run 400 meters, you can run a mile. If you can run a mile, you can run a 5K, etc. 

Believe it and you will do it. 

2) It’s OK to walk!:

This is important because I know some people feel like if you are not running the whole time, then it doesn’t count. Wrong. There is no such rule. And actually walking is great because it allows you to use different muscles and give a break to the muscles you use when you’re running. When you walk you may feel it more in your glutes, whereas when you’re running, you may feel it more in your quads and hamstrings. 

I had my runners last year do run/walk combos to get them ready for the 5K. All of them beat their goals of finishing under a specific time. For example, I had them walk 5 minutes, then run 10 minutes, and so on until they were walking for a shorter amount of time or distance and running for a longer amount of time or distance. Start slow and build up your endurance.

In the first marathon I ran, I incorporated walk breaks and ended up finishing in 4:02, feeling like I could’ve kept going!

3) Breathe:

Many of my CrossFit trainees ask me about this and it’s actually what inspired me to write this post. How you breathe makes a huge difference in how you feel about not only running but any type of exercise that brings your heart rate up. 

The first thing is to make sure you’re taking big yoga-type breaths through your mouth, breathing from your diaphragm or belly rather than just your chest. You need as much oxygen as possible so make sure you take BIG breaths.

You may want to try following a 2:2 pattern where you inhale for 2 steps, exhale for 2 steps. The ratio can vary from person to person depending on speed (in fact, I’ve read about a 3:2 ratio in a running magazine) but it can give you something to pay attention to as you run to make sure you’re breathing correctly. You can find more info on these ratios on http://www.competitor.com and http://www.active.com. 

Just remember to relax and your body will know what to do. 

4) Practice Good Form:

As with any exercise, like CrossFit for example, the better your form, the more you will get out of it and the more you will prevent injuring yourself. When running, stay light on your feet, land toe to mid foot (not your heels!), and keep your chest up.  Keep your shoulders down and pull your navel towards your spine just like you would in CrossFit.

5) Wear the Right Shoes:

Don’t run in 5 year old sneakers! Go to a running store and have one of their trained staff help you find the right shoes for you. Once you find ones that work, stick with them. 

6) Listen to Music:

Play tunes that inspire you and get you revved up. You may find yourself running faster without even realizing it ๐Ÿ™‚

One last secret I want to share is that I don’t always love running. My husband says the same thing. We love the feeling we get after a run. That sense of accomplishment. But sometimes the run itself sucks! Haha

I hope this post was helpful in getting you started with running ๐Ÿ™‚ I could probably go into more detail on some of these topics so let me know if you have any questions in the comments. Or if anyone has any additional tips they’d like to share, please do so! 

Thank you for reading,

~Julia

  

At Home Workouts

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Before baby, I would run 3-5 days a week and do CrossFit 3 times a week (yes, I would sometimes double up). In order to keep myself sane and fit, I had to learn to get creative in sneaking in workouts throughout the day with my now 3 month old. 

  

What I learned works best for me at home is circuit training or “rounds for time.” I basically look for things I can do with a pair of dumbbells and my own body weight. I also get outside with Frankie and walk whenever it’s nice enough.

Last week, I signed up for a free 30 day challenge by Betty Rocker. Each day I get an email with that day’s workout including a warmup and a link to a video showing the moves. I don’t plan on doing them on consecutive days, just whenever I don’t have CrossFit or some other type of exercise in mind.

On Easter morning, I woke up early to do the CrossFit Open 16.5, a combo of thrusters and over the bar burpees. It took me 17:58, which is not bad considering I just started training with barbells again. 

  
Today I did the “Hot Abs” Betty Rocker workout; instead of doing 3 rounds as suggested, I did 2 before Frankie’s nap and then 2 after:

1 min of air squats

30 sec side bridge w/ hip dip (each side)

30 sec overhead reach (each side)

1 min mountain climbers

30 sec reverse tabletop toe taps (each side)

I could see and feel tighter abs right after just the first 2 rounds. This is 3 months post partum!  

After 2 rounds of “Hot Abs”
 

Check back to see how I do with this new challenge and how I keep juggling motherhood with my active life. 
Xoxo 

Back at the (CrossFit) Box

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Sunday marked my official first day back at CrossFit. Although I had been doing home WODs for several weeks already, this was my first time back at the gym, seeing some of my fellow Crossfitters, hearing about some of their recent accomplishments and goals. Many of them are currently doing the Open, with Week 3 coming up tomorrow. 

I had hoped that I’d be ready to also be taking part in the competition but I’m allowing myself time to rest and having faith that sooner than later I’ll catch up again. 

CrossFit Open 15.5
   
My first WOD on Sunday was a 12 AMRAP of:

8 Sumo Deadlift High-pulls (55#)

6 Ring rows

4 Over the bar burpees

I finished 7 rounds and started on the 8th, completing the SDHPs, ring rows and 2 of the burpees.

I’m hoping to make it to the gym twice a week but I’ll be happy to at least go on Sundays with my husband while my mom watches the baby. 

I finished my Sara Haley challenges on Saturday but hope to continue incorporating some of the movements when I work out at home.

Stay active! Xo

Running Comeback and Booty Challenge

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It’s been getting quite difficult finding the time to post, but I wanted to do a quick update on my current status…starting the post on Monday night while Frankie is sleeping and I’m enjoying a margarita because it’s #nationalmargaritaday so this mama had a few minutes to spare. By the way, seems like everyday is “national something day!” 

  
On Saturday, I went on my first run since late July. The weather here in North NJ was just beautiful, with some sun and temps in the 50s. My hubby took me on his usual route through a trail by our house which included a couple of hilly spots. Although I had to slow down a few times to walk briefly, I felt great the whole time. Though my legs felt a bit heavy and rusty, my breathing seemed ok. It really is amazing how the human body works and that I was able to maintain a decent pace after months of no running. In case you’re wondering, we did a 5K distance in 30:32. Far off from my best time of 22:38 but I’ll take it! 

I’m also doing a 14-day “booty challenge.” It’s another one of Sara Haley’s fitness challenges which I’ve talked about before. If you’d like to check it out, go to http://www.sarahaley.com- you can download the workouts for free. The “hydrant kick” and “tail wag” are my favorite moves. I decided to combine this booty challenge with my own version of the last 2 weeks of her “no crunches” challenge and so far it’s been a great daily workout. Today that included  3 rounds of a 1 minute plank, 30 second alternating single leg plank, 30 plank jacks and 30 alternating “pigeon and planks.”Feeling the burn in the abs and booty already and I’m only on day 4 ๐Ÿ™‚

  
So the CrossFit Open begins this Thursday and I’m feeling so nostalgic that I won’t be able to kill it like I did last year (well, for me). I’m not even sure yet if I’ll be doing it at my box. It’s difficult to commit when you have an 8-week old! 

For more frequent updates, you can see my Instagram page @juliafastinista. 

Stay healthy! Xoxo

Back on the Barbell

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I had my postnatal OB appointment on Friday and got the “official” green light to resume my workouts…so what did I the next day? Went down to my basement to do a barbell WOD, of course!

Although I had been carefully doing a few light workouts here and there, including the “no crunches challenge”I had previously posted about, now I have the confidence to increase my intensity and weights a little bit more.

With The CrossFit Open just a few weeks away, I’m feeling like I’ll definitely be ready to do the workouts, although I will have to scale back.

So yesterday I warmed up by doing a few stretches and double unders followed by…

4 rounds of:

30 jumping jacks

10 barbell thrusters (45#)

20 deadlifts (45#)

The 4th round was super tough! I was feeling those thrusters! Although the DLs were very light, the higher reps still got my lower body going…my butt is especially feeling a bit sore today ๐Ÿ™‚

I finished off the workout by doing some shoulder work with my small 5# plates- just 2 rounds of 12 shoulder raises, 10 lateral raises, and 10 strict presses.

I hope you have a great Valentine’s Day! We’re staying in and cuddling all day and then Frank and I are watching The Walking Dead ๐Ÿ™‚

Happy Sunday!

3 Weeks Postpartum

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It’s been 3 weeks already since Frankie’s birth and I’m slowly working on getting back in shape. I recently signed up for Sara Haley’s 28 Day #saynotocrunches challenge. Can’t wait to get this core nice and tight again! 

11 days post-baby.

 
Taking Frankie out for a quick stroll.
 
 If you’re looking for some motivation to get in shape, look it up, it’s free! There’s a Facebook group top where you can check in and hold yourself accountable for each day’s workout. There are are some fun movements like the “praying mantis”-check it out. You can even do it while holding your kid for some added weight ๐Ÿ™‚

Life has been crazy busy lately with the baby so even if I break it up and do bits of the workouts throughout the day, I will feel like I accomplished something. 

That’s all for now. Have a great day! 

First Post-natal WOD

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It’s been 2 weeks + 1 day since I gave birth to my little Frankie (have you seen all his cute pictures on my Instagram?!? @juliafastinista) and this mama is ready to start getting back in shape! Although I have done little things here and there before yesterday, like push-ups off my couch, leg extensions and weight-less arm curls, I don’t consider them real workouts yet as I was only testing out what my body could handle. I did, after all, not only have a C-section, but I went through hours of labor and pushing prior to that.

 

LSIT
Doing L pull-ups last year…can’t wait to do these again soon!

So yesterday, while my son was napping, I did 3 rounds of:

20 Deadlifts

16 Bicep Curls

10 Push Presses

16 Side Bends

I used my 8-pound dumbbells as usual…

Ideally, I would love to be ready to do the CrossFit Open WODs next month and kill them, but… I won’t be too hard on myself if I have to do a lot of scaling back.

Please don’t think that just because I’m already working out 2 weeks post-partum, that you should be too. Everyone is different. The last thing you want is to get injured and have a big setback. Please be careful and always, always consult with your doctor first.

I just want to say that staying active has been a huuuge help in helping me bounce back. I fit in my skinny jeans just a week later. Now I’m almost pooch-free…just didn’t have time to take a photo.

5 days post-baby
9 days post-baby

Have a happy and healthy day! xoxo