Healthy Living in Austin, Texas

I have stumbled across another fitness goldmine and thought I would have to share! This chart by EverybodyWalk.org shares the AMAZING benefits of simply walking! If you are unable to set aside time everyday to go to the gym or go for a run just remember that walking is also beneficial.

Here are some everyday tips that you can add to your typical day to walk more throughout your day.

Tip 1: If you usually ride the elevator at work then choose to take the stairs instead. It’s a simple way to walk more while not taking away an hour of your day.

Tip 2: If there is a restaurant nearby on your lunch break then you could also choose to walk there rather than drive. This also benefits your wallet because you will be saving gas as well!

Tip 3: When you are out and about shopping or running errands park in the farthest parking space to add more walking distance to and from the store.

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Hello All! Kathy’s assistant Jessica here doing a guest blog while Kathy is out of the office this week. Since I have only lived in Austin for about a month now, I thought I would share some of the great places I continue to discover as I get to know the city, and surrounding area.

So for my first post I want to highlight one of my favorite, and judging by the number of joggers there, many people’s favorite hike and bike spots, Town Lake.

The trail at Town Lake is gorgeous! Not only are you surrounded by an abundant amount of trees and right by the water, but also you get to gaze at some of the most amazing views of the Austin skyline. The trail offers quite a few distance options to choose from as well, in addition to some awesome amenities provided free of charge!

There are so many beautiful (and free) places in Austin to find your inner workout warrior, and stay healthy and in shape. If you have a favorite spot in or around the Austin area let me know. I would love to check it out and share with the readers!

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Getting into a running routine can be difficult for most anyone. It is important to know the little secrets that can turn into potential stumbling blocks in the future of your running routine. Here are a few that I found interesting (and that I regularly violate) ;)….

1. Eating too close to a run – I’ve always wondered when the optimal time to eat dinner is if you are taking an evening run. I looked it up and found that 15 minutes after eating, your insulin levels rise, making you feel sluggish. While a small healthy snack right before a run can help to keep you energized, you should save your heavy meal for one to two hours before running.
2. Making energy bars a meal – Energy bars are high in sugar and low in fiber, making them ideal for before a run, but not ideal for losing weight. Plus, they don’t keep you full very long. In my personal opinion, I think it is best to stay away from these!
3. Overdoing sports drinks – Sports drinks are high in calories and should only be used if you plan to work out intensely for 45 minutes or longer. Otherwise, skip the calories and go with water!
4. Not fueling up mid-run – If you are planning to run longer than 90 minutes, it’s important to remember to refuel. Try 30 to 60 grams of carbs (sports drink or dried fruit) for every hour you exercise to keep your energy high.
5. Overeating post-workout -After a hard run, you definitely need recovery fuel after, but we often overestimate how many calories we burn, and this can sometimes lead to overeating. For a 45 minute workout, 100 calories will be sufficient for recovery.

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This blogpost is mostly for women, sorry guys! I stumbled upon a really interesting article today called “4 Things Women Should be Doing in Their Fitness Training–But Aren’t” and it immediately piqued my interest. My time spent at the gym is precious and I want to be sure I am making the most of it! These were some really good tips the article gave, so I decided to share them…

1. High-intensity training- Ok, we are all guilty of it….you know, that tired feeling you get while at the gym. It doesn’t matter if it is super early in the morning, or later in the evening, I always seem to be a little tired. It’s times like these when the elliptical looks so enticing! Gliding along for 40 minutes to an hour, working up an ok sweat but not really feeling like you are dying. Resist the temptation! It is important for us to make sure we are really working our bodies out at a high intensity, or it isn’t worth it. Here is what the article had to say about it: “High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is typically a 10- to 20-minute workout that alternates short, intense bursts of activity with moderate-exertion recovery periods. “High-intensity interval training  is the best way to improve your overall fitness, burn fat, and stimulate your hormones for a stronger body,” says Benn.”
2. Heavier lifting- I have always been under the impression that lower weight, more reps burned the most fat. Not according to this article. It says that we should up the weight to burn more fat. Here is what the article has to say about it: “doing fewer reps with more weight—say, 8 reps per set with a 15-pound dumbbell, instead of 15 reps with an 8-pound one—will burn more fat, he says. Lifting heavier will also increase your strength and muscle definition.”
3. Upper-body workouts- Sure, most of us gain weight in our hips and thighs, but the article points out that it is important to workout our upper bodies as well. Here is what the article says about it: “you can’t spot-reduce fat, and sticking with what’s easy can stunt your progress, says Benn.”
4. Training with a barbell- It is important to use these every now and then because the bar forces you to get your body in sync. You can use the barbell for both upper body and lower body exercises.

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