April 2022
Message from the Coach
Did you know that many of the popular workouts and diets were created by men, for men? If you’ve ever noticed that the men in your life seem to get much better or quicker results than the women, this is why. Men’s and women’s bodies are very different, and therefore are not affected the same way by diet and exercise. In fact, women aren’t even affected the same way every day of the month! Due to the natural cycle of hormones in women, their bodies react differently at different times of the cycle. There are actually days during her cycle when a woman’s body has more trouble recovering from hard exercise than on other days. Women also have quite different nutritional needs than men, and many of the popular diets actually do more harm than good to women. One key difference for athletes is that women need to consume high quality protein within 30-60 minutes after hard exercise or their recovery will be compromised. Men can go up to 24 hours before replenishing their protein stores!
Want to learn more? Send an email to coach@run4thehills.com with your questions!
Recipe of the Month
Turkey Meatballs
https://www.run4thehills.com/blog/foodie-friday-turkey-meatballs
Don’t get me wrong, beef meatballs are delicious and I’m a big fan. But if you’re looking for something a little different, these turkey meatballs are just as delicious! Plus, they go really well with potatoes or rice (whereas I really only like beef meatballs in red sauce, with pasta). This recipe is very simple, and doesn’t take too long to cook.
Workout of the Month
Equipment-Free Core Workout
https://www.run4thehills.com/blog/ww-42022-core-workout
This workout is all about the core, and you don’t even need any equipment! Just find yourself a comfortable floor space and give it a try. The blog post includes modifications to each exercise so that you can adapt the workout to your current fitness level or limitations if necessary.
Cardio Tip of the Month
Change it up! Our bodies are very adaptable and if we do the same thing every day, they adjust and learn to conserve calories instead of burning as many as they do when experiencing something new. Try a different type of cardio once in a while, or change up your speed from day to day.
Currently Recommending :
Book : “The Fifth Vital Sign” by Lisa Hendrickson Jack
I’m reading this book right now and it is a huge eye-opener! If you or anyone in your life is a female, you should read this book and educate yourself on the important and necessary roles hormones play in the female body, and on the very real risks that hormonal contraceptives can present. (Did you know they put the female body in a state most closely resembling menopause?!) Every female deserves to know how her body works, and it would also benefit the men in her life to have a better understanding of it, to support her. Did you know that even though PMS and period pain are widely accepted as “normal” they actually are not? Just because something is common, doesn’t mean it is normal! PMS and pain are signs that something is wrong, and there are actually medical and dietary interventions that can help!
Podcast Episode : Running and Pelvic Health with Bess Mathisen DPT https://open.spotify.com/episode/56HpQlYgUN41BGcxLxGzut?si=bud0K8V7SY24B71QJhcm5Q
Bess is a local (Abingdon, VA) physical therapist who specializes in pelvic health. Did you know that ALL women who have given birth not only could greatly benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy, but also 100% should have been advised (but probably weren’t) to receive this care after giving birth? Also, did you know that anyone can have pelvic floor issues, not just women and/or women who have given birth? Give this podcast episode a listen, and prepare to learn something new!
Music : Thriving Ivory
I discovered this band when they came out with their hit single “Angels on the Moon” in 2008. I think they are the only band for which I like every single song!
Instagram Account : @cloak.confident.girl
A great resource for anyone with teen/tween daughters (or soon-to-be), looking for help navigating puberty and helping their daughters to be educated and confident about how their bodies work.
This is important information for helping girls make healthy choices for themselves, and some steps to take if they have hormone-related health issues.
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Looking for some help with your running routine, but not quite ready to commit to monthly coaching? Message me to schedule a consultation! You will leave the meeting with advice to help you on your running journey. There is absolutely no obligation to sign up for monthly coaching, but if you choose to, the cost of our meeting will be deducted from the first month of your training plan.
