Category Archives: Healthy Habits

Road Warrior Fitness: 20-Minute Hotel Body-Weight Workout

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Last month I had a flight that got cancelled and pushed out a day due to all the storms on the East Coast. The upside was that there are worse places to be stuck than in Florida…but the downside was that I would be missing a favorite workout class that I had signed up for in Portland to keep myself motivated and productive after a half day of travel.

But rather than let it derail my fitness routine (or keep me in a gym when I’d rather be catching some final rays of sun), I created a quick 20-minute body-weight workout that could be done in the comfort of my hotel room. It’s the best of both worlds — a mix of cardio and strength that comes in an efficient, yet effective, package.

The workout consists of four rounds, with four exercises in each round. The first exercise in each round is always a cardio move, followed by moves that target the upper body, lower body and core in the second, third and fourth exercises, respectively.

Allow yourself a minute or two to recover between rounds, and you’ve got yourself a great way to get a full-body workout in before you hit a full day or meetings (or an afternoon at the beach)!

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How do you stay fit while on the road? 

5 Tips for Starting (& Sticking With) a Healthy Living Routine

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Whether you’ve got a few pounds to lose or the pressure of a big event looming, it can be tempting to seek a quick fix, such as a juice cleanse, exercise binge or fad diet. You name it, people have tried it — out of desperation, with varied luck and yielding only temporary results.

Why haven’t we learned by now that these short-sighted “solutions” only end up backfiring on us in the long-run? If our goal is finding equilibrium when it comes to a healthy weight and base level of fitness, a slow-and-steady approach works much better than engaging in erratic behavior.

I get it; eating well and working out aren’t always easy when you’re short on time, stressed and out of shape — but maintenance is much easier than bouncing back and forth, up and down, in and out. Those latter options are, quite frankly, exhausting.

So if you’re committed to forming a more sustainable diet and exercise regimen, here are a few helpful hints:

1. Think about the bigger picture

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It took a while for you to settle into your current situation, so don’t expect any short-cuts for getting out of it.

Start by making a commitment for just 30 days. Mentally, a month is an ideal block of time to devote to a change since it easily fits in your calendar.

Once you get through that initial phase, it’ll start to become a habit. Then it’s a matter of turning that habit into a routine for at least three or four months when you’ll start to reap rewards in terms of seeing results.

2. Set yourself up for success with S.M.A.R.T. goals

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Do you want to lose weight? How much, and by when? Improve your game? What would that look like, and how will you measure success?

Start by writing down a simple goal and quantifying it. Give yourself a reasonable amount of time in which to achieve it, and then plot out each of the milestones between Point A and Point B to keep yourself motivated along the way.

Say, for example, you want to lose 20 pounds before a wedding next month. Not gonna happen.

A better goal would be to say you want to lose 20 pounds between now and your high school reunion in the fall, based on the fact that it’s safe to lose one to two pounds a week with healthy eating and exercise.

Start by making sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely, and you’ve taken the first step toward making them a reality.

3. Take your interests into consideration

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The trick to keeping consistent with exercise is taking the “work” out of workouts.

There’s something for everyone, whether you thrive off the competition of a team sport, the adrenaline rush of outdoor adventures, the challenge of improving upon a race PR, the contemplative nature of yoga or even the comfort of a repetitive of a walk around the neighborhood where you can simply zone out.

If you don’t know what you like, try it all until you find something that scratches that itch you never knew you had!

4. Buddy up for better accountability

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It’s true — misery loves company, especially when it involves things like huffing and puffing through a run or learning to love vegetables.

If you’re hesitant to start a routine on your own, team up with a partner who has similar goals. Help keep each other motivated while getting over the initial hump, whether it’s empowering each other to make healthier food choices or distracting one another from checking the time on the treadmill.

Not only is sweating together more fun than going it alone, but partnering for fitness may also push you to work out harder.

5. Know when to use your “ace in the hole”

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Finally, as with anything in life, personal accountability is crucial — both with positive and negative remifications.

Make a painful consequence — as in, if you don’t hit the gym three times this week, you have to wash and wax the car by hand this weekend — and tackling those mid-week workouts won’t seem so bad.

Positive reinforcement works just as well. Make a deal to splurge on fitness attire, a new workout gadget you’ve been eyeing, or even something as simple as a beer with dinner (within reason!), and you’ll find yourself actually looking forward to those daily sweat sessions.

What helps you stick to your healthy living routine? 

The Almond Milk Experiment

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Our recent Whole30 experience left Ben and I between a rock and a hard place when it came to morning coffee: Either drink it black or pay a hefty $1 or so per ounce for the deliciousness from Portland Juice Company.

Now wanting to blow through our grocery budget, I knew there had to be another way. Sure, we could fudge our way through with store-bought almond milk, which even when it’s organic and free of lactose, soy, gluten can have some nasty additives (just Google “carrageenan,” for example).

So that left us (read: me) with one, final option: Making it home-made, which I was trying to avoid at all costs — literally and figuratively.

A little math:

  • Nut-milk bag: $10.99
  • 6 oz package of raw almonds: $4.99
  • 12 oz package of dates: $6.99
  • Finally getting over the fear of using my food processor: Priceless

Is it worth it? Well, I might not be the best person to ask since I love my dairy and have since added it back into my diet — in moderation, of course (#BecauseIceCream). But almond milk is a delicious alternative for people with dietary restrictions — especially with the addition of dates as a natural sweetener and pumpkin pie spice for an extra kick.

Making it on my own not only was a learning experience, but it also got me thinking about all the extra gunk I’m consuming in my usual store-bought, sugar- and chemical-laden creamers, so although I don’t expect to make it regularly, I will add it into my repertoire of “every-now-and-then” recipes.

Here’s a look at the process:

Step one: Purchase nut-milk bag. Get mocked by husband when you tell him you’re “going to the store to buy a nut bag.”

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Step two: Soak almonds. Overnight, ideally, but for at least a few hours or until the nuts plump up.

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Step three: Rinse almonds and place in food processor with 3-4 pitted dates and a few cups of fresh water. Blend.

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Step four: Clean up explosion of water from said food processor. Locate manual and read instructions about not filling above “fill line.” Oops.

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Step five: Repeat step four. Clean up second mess, and wonder if you assembled it incorrectly. Nope — just too much liquid. Again.

Step six: Finally blend (for 1-2 minutes) until white and frothy. Smells lovely.

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Step seven: Hold open nut-milk bag over a large bowl and pour mixture into bag to strain. Gently squeeze to get excess liquid out.

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Step eight: Store in airtight container. Preferably a mason jar, particularly if you live in Portland, to cement neo-hippie status.

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Now…what do do with the almond remnants? I’ve got a recipe for that, too! Stay tuned…

Have you made home-made almond milk?

Don’t Just Sit There: DIY Standing Desk

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It’s funny how your body can speak volumes to someone without even saying a word.

Case in point: Every time I go in for a massage lately, my therapist gets stuck on my back. Or, rather, my back gets itself stuck, and then my massage therapist has to spend an hour convincing it to loosen up.

You see, working from home is a double-edged sword. Now I’m not complaining — my commute rocks, my workout-wear attire is comfy and my four-legged office-mates are pretty chill (unless they hear a knock at the door, then all bets are off). But the drawback is that sometimes the lack of ergonomics can be a pain in the neck — like, literally.

Some scary facts:

  • The moment you sit at your desk each morning, your calorie-burning rate immediately drops to one calorie per minute
  • Sit for six hours a day, 14 days straight: Muscles stop burning fat, blood sugar rises and maximum oxygen consumption drops.
  • After a year of sitting six hours per day, weight gain would be noticeable, as would higher cholesterol levels and loss of bone mass.

But the real kicker comes 10-20 years down the line. Us desk jockeys may need to augment retirement savings to account for medical bills. Sitting affects almost every part of our bodies from head to toe, raises risk of death by nearly 50 percent and creates a stunning 125 percent increase in the risk for cardiovascular disease.

So I’ve decided I’m not taking this sitting down. In fact, I’m taking a stand…as in, using a DIY standing desk.

Why? Well, our budget is zilch, and we’re lucky enough to have a bar-height butcher block table in the kitchen that works, so I’m trying that out for now. But Plan B is to “hack” our space using the specs and ideas below to create something that’s cheap, comfortable and won’t undo all the good I try do by way of exercise.

So, athletes, consider this my little PSA: We talk about the benefits of recovery because that’s where the body bounces back and the real gains happen. But if you’re sitting at a desk all day, you’re still doing yourself a disservice.

Get up, stand up. Stand up for your life.

Click to Enlarge Image

DIY Desk

DIY Desk
Infographic by CustomMade

Are you ergonomic at work?

Have any tips for doing it effectively (and on a budget)?

The Whole30 Truth, and Nothing But the Truth (+ giveaway!)

Credit: Chef Pete Evans

Credit: Chef Pete Evans

In mid-January, Ben and I started Whole30, which we viewed as a 30-day “experiment,” a fresh start for the new year. If you’re not familiar with the program, it’s a “short-term nutritional reset,” designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract and balance your immune system.

Sounds awesome, right? Well, where the rubber hits the road is in the rules: Eat real food. Avoid added sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, dairy, carrageenan, MSG, sulfites…or any food product with a hint of anything like that in it.

Easy, in theory. We eat fairly healthy. We exercise. We expected it to be difficult at times (him: peanut butter and flavored coffee creamer; me: cereal and dessert after dinner). But what we didn’t expect was an experience that will forever change the way in which we view our food.

So, what’s it’s like to eat “clean” for 30 days? Truthfully, it’s hard. Not only are we used to grabbing whatever we want off the grocery store shelves, but our bodies are, sadly, so accustomed to being jacked up on sugar and artificial stuff that there’s even a timeline of what you can expect — both mentally and physically — as the month unfolds.

Full disclosure: Neither of us experienced anything as drastic as the “carb flu,” although we did blow through five jars of almond butter in the process. And there may have been a few nights at the beginning when I put myself to bed early in order to escape from the after-dinner dessert cravings… 

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But, reflecting back on the experience, we learned some valuable lessons:

1. I’m not in the habit of reading food labels. I learned this the hard way after using what I thought were W30-approved almond milk and hot sauce on day one, only to realize later that both products had a bunch of additives in ’em. #Whole30Fail

2. There’s a lot in our food that isn’t “food.” As we perused the grocery aisles, Ben and I had bust out our phones and Google ingredients in things, most of which we couldn’t pronounce.

3. It’s tough to find whole-food products. They’re out there and are becoming more popular, as you’ll see below, but they’re not the default; you’ve got to make an effort to seek them out.

4. It’s not a diet. Don’t necessarily expect to lose weight. My number on the scale stayed the same, although my jeans do feel a little looser, so that’s a bonus!

5. There is sugar and soy in every.thing. If it’s not listed in the ingredients outright, it’s hiding behind a pseudonym. Do your research, and read those labels!

6. Food is very social. We didn’t realize this until we made a double-date for dinner the first Friday night. Two glasses of water and bun-less burgers, please. Wah-wah.

7. There’s a difference between stuffed and satiated. Well, duh. But no, really — bread baskets, apps and desserts used to be a free-for-all. Making better decisions about food has means no more nights riddled with regret — and heartburn.

8. Cooking is key. A month straight of hard-boiled eggs, broiled chicken and steamed veggies would get old fast. There are so many easy W30-approved recipes out there, and they’re delicious! Here’s one of our favorites, in fact.

But… I do have one confession to make: Snacks, which I credit for helping me get through the past 30 days. Although they’re technically discouraged — you’re supposed to aim for three large meals instead — I took a hall pass because I’ve got a pretty active workout schedule.

Here are a few of my favorite W30-approved game-changers: So good, you’d never guess they’re actually good for you!

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Meat snacks: Both Chomps Snack Sticks and Nick’s Sticks deliver all the goodness and none of the garbage. Made from grass-fed beef (Nick’s also has free-range turkey), which is higher in omega-3’s, all the sticks are gluten-, soy-, hormone- and antibiotic-free, but the best part is that they’re shelf-stable (great for on-the-go!) without any synthetic preservatives. I love stashing them in my purse for emergency mini-meals.

Nuts, seeds & bars: Aside from an admirable brand mantra, Living Intentions makes some downright addictive sprouted nut, seed and trail mix flavor combinations; I’m partial to the Rosemary Garlic Gone Nuts, in particular. Chapul Bars also made me a cricket convert; their chocolate-coffee-cayenne Aztec Bar (packed with protein, iron and vitamin B12) hits the spot — seriously, almost better than a brownie.

For workouts, my new pre-sweat-session obsession pick-me-up are Yawp! Bars, which are a delicious grain-free alternative to granola bars because they’re dehydrated ’til crispy (another confession: I already ordered a second box because I can’t gt enough of ’em).  And, finally, Barnana — literally, just dehydrated bananas — is an unbelievably good mid-workout fuel with its mild flavor and candy-like chewiness.

Sauces & flavorings: My biggest tip for tackling Whole30? Flavor up that food! Paleo Powder takes seasoning back to basics with an all-purpose rub that’s free of MSG, gluten and sugar; it gives a great kick to meat, veggies and eggs. Our go-to weeknight dinner was chicken breasts, baked with this and a smidge of white wine.

And then there’s Tessemae’s, my absolute favorite find (thanks to Erica for the heads up!) — not just for the spunky nature of the company, but also because they keep it real (real yummy) when it comes to all-natural condiments and dressings. The Lemon Garlic dressing was a life-saver for salads. Another tip? Try their Lemon Chesapeake dressing over salmon and braised greens!

Hydration: I read that drinking rooibos tea could help combat sweet cravings due to its deep, earthy vanilla taste, so I stocked up on Numi’s version. It’s caffeine-free and full of antioxidants, so it’s also become my afternoon drink of choice with a splash of home-made almond milk.

And as important as it is to replenish fluid and electrolytes when you’re working out, you’d be hard-pressed to find many without added sugar, carbs or artificial flavors and colors. That’s why I’ve also been using elete’s Electrolyte Add-in, a pure, flavorless liquid electrolyte concentrate that contains magnesium, potassium, sodium and chloride in order to help facilitate proper muscle and mental function. It’s gotten me through countless long runs and rides these past few weeks!

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As for my final take on the program, it’s something I’d highly recommend. Think of it this way — it’s a month with some occasional discomfort (mostly mental) in exchange for something that has the potential to impact you for the rest of your life in a positive way: A new relationship with food.

Removing the junk out of your diet helps chip away at some of the emotional baggage regarding what we eat and why, as well. Your taste buds will reset, you’ll regain control over cravings, you’ll feel healthier overall…but most of all, you’ll learn to approach life after Whole30 with a whole new outlook.

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Ben and I had a running list of post-Whole30 restaurants to visit and items to eat! We fully intend to indulge in them, too — although this time it’ll not only be deliberate, but also in moderation so we can truly enjoy it.

Have you tried Whole30? What’s your take?

Also – it’s your lucky day! Yawp was kind enough to offer a mixed case (12 bars, four of each flavor: Naked, Cafe Mocha and Coconut Chai) up for grabs. Enter here via a Rafflecopter giveaway!

I Feel the Need…the Need for (Chia) Seed

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As I was reviewing my goals for 2015 the other day, it struck me that there’s one, big gaping hole: Nutrition!

Between all the talk about training, racing, facing fears and choosing new challenges, I neglected to address the fact that fuel is a critical factor in overall health, performance and being able to push yourself.

And nothing against people — I’m looking at you, Chad Johnson — who claim to flourish with fast food, but I have a feeling that a diet chock-full of Big Macs would only land me in Big Trouble.

So as part of my “train smarter” goal, I’ve been reading this book and doing a lot of thinking about food as fuel. Not only trying to weed out a lot of processed junk (you’d be surprised how tough this can be!), but also attempting to consume more nutrient-dense foods — i.e. those that deliver the biggest “biggest bang for the buck,” meaning lots of nutrients for relatively few calories.

That’s where chia comes in. No, I don’t believe it’s a nutritional silver bullet, but it is purported to have twice as much protein as most grains and five times more calcium than milk. Factor in some good amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, soluble fiber, potassium and antioxidants, and I figured it’s a good addition to my healthy-eating regimen.

So what do you do with it? Well, here are four simple ways I’m slipping this little seed into my diet:

1. Chia-Specific Recipes: You may have seen my recent recipe for overnight oats, which has since become a family favorite for the tapioca-pudding-like texture, but there are countless ways in which chia can be used in recipes; check out these over at BuzzFeed.

2. Sneaky Substitutions: Simply swap in chia seeds for eggs or oil in recipes by mixing a tablespoon of chia seeds with one-quarter cup of water; use as a thickener for soups, sauces and puddings; or add chia seeds to an herb, seed or granola mix to bump up the nutrient factor.

3. 10,000-Year-Old Red Bull: In his book, Born to Run, Christopher McDougall studies a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and reveals their secrets — one of which is a drink called Chia Fresca (or iskiate), which features chia.

4. On-the-Go Snacks: Nope, it’s not just in the bulk food section of health food stores; chia’s now mainstream and in a number of products — just make sure it’s nothing super-processed or sugar-laden.

My new favorite mid-run snack are these Mamma Chia Squeezes (low in sugar, and all-natural chia + fruit + veggies), and instead of juice, I’ll grab one of their Vitality Beverages, which has added benefits of omega-3s, antioxidants, dietary fibers, as well as complete protein, calcium and magnesium.

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Have you jumped on the chia bandwagon? 

Fave Fix: GoodBelly 12-Day Belly Reboot

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The holidays tend out to bring out the crazy in all of us, right?

Case in point: After months of excess, we toss kale in our grocery carts and halfheartedly call it “eating healthy” (even though we’re buying roughly twice as many calories per serving in food now, as compared to the holidays, says this study) or commit to a crazy cleanse or restrictive diet that’s destined to leave us yoyo-ing throughout 2015.

Why abuse your gut in an effort to lose it?

My suggestion instead: Be nicer to your belly with a 12-Day Belly Reboot.

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The kind folks over at GoodBelly contacted me to check out their new program, which launched just in time for the New Year. During the Reboot, you drink one 8 oz. glass or one shot of GoodBelly a day for 12 days. Along the way, you’ll be able to track exactly what’s happening in your body and get extra motivation in the form of tips and coupons.

“Since probiotics do their work in the belly and beyond, there hasn’t necessarily been a way to see tangible results of their impact on overall health, ” said Alan Murray, CEO of GoodBelly. “Our new Belly Reboot was created to offer consumers a way to really track and understand how probiotics can impact the way they feel in just 12 days.”

Made with the well-researched probiotic strain, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (LP299V®), GoodBelly supports digestive health. Unlike many other live and active cultures, though, LP299V survives passage beyond the stomach’s acidic environment in order to support the rest of the digestive system, and ultimately overall health.*

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GoodBelly offers multi-serving quarts and single serving shots, available in flavors like Blueberry Acai, Mango, Pomegranate Blackberry and Strawberry. Each serving packs 20-50 billion live and active probiotic cultures to promote healthy digestive and immune systems, as 70 percent of the body’s immune system resides in the digestive tract.*

I kicked off my  12-day test just as things got hectic around the holidays. The juice was delicious, and the shots were convenient (some sweet, some tart, depending on the flavor), but best of all? Between last-minute shopping stress, unusually decadent meals, lots of travel and — to top it off — an especially active cold and flu season, I was not only able to stave off sickness, but also keep my energy up and banish bloat.

If you’re on the supplement bandwagon, like me, you may already take probiotic pills. In that case, GoodBelly’s a great way to add some variety (not to mention extra vitamins and calcium) to your diet. And if you’re new to the idea, it’s an easy — and delicious — way to augment your healthy eating habits for 2015.

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“We believe that what you eat and drink has a direct impact on your overall health,” said Murray. “Which is why we’re committed to creating functional beverages in exciting flavors that are easy to drink and absolutely delicious.”

Now, that’s really going with your gut.

For more information on the GoodBelly 12-Day Belly Reboot, click here.

*Some studies suggest GoodBelly’s probiotic may help balance the bacteria in your gut when consumed daily as part of a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle. GoodBelly is a food product and not a treatment or cure for any medical disorder or disease. If you have any concerns about your digestive system, please consult a health care professional.

6 Simple Tricks for Squeezing in Holiday Workouts

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Have you fallen prey to the “Grinch Who Stole Fitness” this season? Well, the good news is that there’s still time to turn things around before 2015.

If your goal is to celebrate without completely abandoning your regimen, I’ve got six simple strategies for staying on track so you won’t have to dig yourself out of a hole come January 1st:

1. Get the worm. 

Figuratively, that is. Being at the mercy of friends’ and family’s schedules isn’t always conducive to regular workouts, so force yourself to develop a healthy morning routine. Prioritize exercise, and not only will you be more likely to get it done, but you’ll also reap the benefits of extra energy throughout the day.

2. “Run” your errands.

Or walk them. Or park farther away. Or take the stairs. Or lap the mall. However you do it, the idea is the same: Incorporate some additional activity into your to-do list to kill two birds with one stone.

3. Ditch the all-or-nothing attitude. 

I used to think I needed an entire hour in order for a workout to count, but that led to too many skipped sessions during the holiday time crunch. So now I take a different approach: Commit to just 10 minutes of cardio or one mile on the treadmill, and then reassess. If you’re still not feeling it, then stop, but there’s a good chance you’ll keep going once you get some momentum.

4. Make it a family affair. 

There’s no need to sequester yourself in order to break a sweat; instead, make a new tradition of embracing the great outdoors together. Whether it’s ice skating, snow shoveling, sledding or a snowball fight, the whole family can get in on the action. And give each other the gift of a healthy habit in the process.

5. Embrace bribery. 

Sometimes I’ll end my long run at the coffee shop or inspire myself to hit the gym by testing a new piece of gear. The trick is to find out what motivates you, and use that in your favor. Numbers-driven? Try hitting a daily pedometer goal. Competitive? Challenge a friend to a 30-day fitness routine. Bored? Commit to trying something new each day between now and the New Year.

6. Book a race. 

If you’re a regular reader here, this last one shouldn’t come as a surprise to you…because it’s my solution to almost everything. Not only can a holiday-themed race help keep you on your toes, cardio-wise, this time of year, but there’s also no better way to kick off the New Year than with a January race.

And when all else fails, there’s always another of my favorite holiday workouts…

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Happy, healthy holidays!

5 Reasons to Factor Some ‘Heart’ Into Your Workouts

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In light of this week’s announcement from Coeur Sports — I’m thrilled to be a part of the team again in 2015! — and in honor of our “heart & courage” rallying cry, I figured it’d be an opportune time to talk about something I’ve shied away from until only very recently: heart rate training.

Why? As much as I love to quantify my fitness, somewhere between doing the heart rate zone math, finding the correct workouts to hit my zones and then licking attaching the device and syncing up to whatever software is needed, I inevitably drop the ball. Let’s face it, adding another element of discipline can be tough when the alternative is to just lace up and head out the door.

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But the wiser older I get, the more I’ve realized that there are some terrific benefits to taking heart rate into account when training. Here are a few of the reasons why I’m starting to incorporate it into more of my workouts:

1. Train smarter. There’s a good chance that, like me, you tend to overdo your easy days and don’t push quite hard enough when it is needed.

2. Change focus. If you’re in an exercise rut, it’s fun to add a gaming element with heart rate workouts by setting some specific, measurable goals.

3. Recover effectively. Are you sure you’re not undercutting recovery days? Heart rate monitors can be incredibly helpful in helping you rein things in.

4. Stay healthy. Over-training and improper pacing can knock you off your A game, leaving you susceptible to both overuse and acute injuries.

5. Get better. Whether you’re looking to raise your level of fitness, stick to a program or race faster, fine tuning your workouts by heart rate can help.

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Ok, you’re probably thinking, that’s great, but how do I get started? Well, here’s a four-step cheat-sheet that simplifies the process:

First, determine your maximum heart rate, which can be done with a reasonable amount of accuracy by subtracting your age from the number 220 (for men) or from 226 (for women). There are a number of other equations that can be used, but that one’s a good rule of thumb.

Second, establish your resting heart rate, which should be done first thing in the morning with your feet still between the sheets. Find your pulse, count the number of beats that occur in 10 seconds, and multiply that number by six to find your rough count for beats-per-minute.

Third, calculate your training zones, which will allow you to customize your workouts to your heart rate and current fitness level. You can do the math according to the chart below, or use this handy calculator to do it for you.

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Now that you have your heart rates and zones, the fourth and final step is to create a training program and track results. This, of course, will vary according to your ultimate goal(s), but here’s a great article that outlines the different types of workouts you’ll want to consider when creating your program.

The best part is that you don’t need any fancy equipment, aside from two fingers and a jugular, to get started. If you decided to stick with it, though, I’d strongly advise purchasing a heart rate monitor, which will deliver consistent readings and track your workouts for you.

My favorite right now is the Wahoo Fitness TICKR ($100). Not only does the built-in memory mean you have the freedom to train without a phone, but I also find the motion analytics (measures running form across three dimensions; click here for details) fascinating because I’m looking to improve my form and become a stronger runner.

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As for my verdict on this type of training, the jury’s still out. I’m by no means an expert, meaning I’m still playing around with it and trying to learn as much as I can, but from what I’ve been reading I do think it could help give me an extra edge to stay healthy in 2015.

The only downside so far is that — for someone who has always set goals based on pace — I’ve had to check my ego at the door for pretty much every workout thus far. Effort-wise I feel great, but the monitor says I’m training at levels where I’m exerting myself too much, which (contrary to what you’d think) doesn’t actually serve me well in the long run.

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So what can you expect if you try this at home? Well, surprisingly, the biggest shift may be more of a mental one that physical. Gone are the subjective “run by feel” workouts; using a heart rate monitor gives you a very concrete, objective way to gauge exertion and progress.

Other than that, get ready to slooow down. Almost painfully so, as you’ll likely add a few minutes to your per-mile pace initially. But by taking back control of your workouts, you should start to see progress fairly quickly — in the form of being able to do more while maintaining a lower heart rate, which means you’re becoming an aerobic machine!

After struggling with injuries last season and feeling like I’ve hit a plateau with my speed, I’ve got nothing to lose: It could work like a charm or (what I’m really afraid of) end up slowing me down, but either way, I figure I’ll learn a lot in the process!

Do you train with a heart rate monitor? Any feedback and/or tips to share?

Give ’em a Break: Make Eggs Part of Your Heart-Healthy Diet

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If you’re among the approximately 25 percent of Americans who avoid eating eggs at all costs because you think they’re an unhealthy, cholesterol-spiking ‘eggstravagance,’ it’s time to get ‘re-eggducated.’

Sorry…couldn’t resist.

But in all seriousness, eggs don’t get the credit they deserve. Not only are they easy to cook, nutritious and delicious, but eggs are also a low-cost source of high-quality protein. Incredible and edible, each little guy packs 6.3 grams of protein (13 percent of the daily value) for a mere 68 calories.

And despite lingering artery-clogging cautions from 20 years ago, you can easily eat an egg a day without any negative impact on cholesterol and blood fat levels. This ‘eggcellent’ source of complete nutrition has been proven as essential for weight management, healthy brain and eye function, plus optimal health during pregnancy.

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Eggs are the total package when it comes to eating well: rich in choline, which is critical to brain function and memory, and full of lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that help prevent macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness. And if that’s not enough, eggs also contain vitamins, iron, folate (helps prevent birth defects) and Riboflavin (converts foods into energy), plus heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

According to the Egg Nutrition Center, there’s no difference in flavor or nutritional value between brown and white eggs; shell color simply reflects the breed of hen. Nutritional quality, however, can vary greatly based on the chicken’s diet. So hens fed a diet high in polyunsaturated fats – kelp meal, for example – lay eggs that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Similarly, free-range chicken eggs tend to contain higher amounts of vitamins and lower amounts of cholesterol than eggs from standard, factory-fed chickens.

Eggs in the U.S. are classified according to the USDA grading system, which includes labels of AA, A or B. This grading indicates quality based on several factors, including freshness, with AA representing the highest quality. Eggs are also labeled according to their size – jumbo, extra-large, large, medium and small and peewee – which is classified according to minimum net weight expressed in ounces per dozen.

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When shopping for eggs, look for shells that are clean and whole; never use an egg if it is cracked and leaking. Refrigerate immediately after buying; eggs will keep well for several weeks at temperatures of 35-45 degrees Fahrenheit. To test for freshness, place raw eggs in a deep bowl of water and discard any that float to the surface (as eggs age, more air is present in the shell).

Fry ‘em, scramble ‘em, boil ‘em or bake ‘em; whatever you do, don’t be a chicken about making nutrient-dense eggs a staple in your healthy eating regimen. For nutritional facts, a range of recipes and other information, visit the American Egg Board website here.

What’s your favorite way to incorporate eggs as part of a healthy diet?