Go Green! Tea, that is!

I have been hooked on green tea for about a month now, and I love it. I have, for so long, been afraid to try green tea. I remember tasting some that a friend was drinking at work once, and I thought it was terrible. I was 16 then, and I tried it again for the first time about a month ago.  I have heard all kinds of different things about how great it is for you, but I decided to look into it myself. I am going to share the benefits and helpful tips to going green.

Green tea is full of antioxidants, which have natural anti-inflammatory properties. The antioxidants in green tea are called catechins. These are thought to fight free radicals, which can help prevent different types of cancer. Some experts are skeptical of this aspect of the benefits of drinking green tea, but there are still many other benefits that most experts agree on. Green tea lowers LDL, increases HDL, and reduces the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease and diabetes. It can also help to relieve some symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Now if all that wasn't enough to get you to go green, how about the digestive health properties of green tea? Green tea helps to clean the digestive system of toxins, which aids in the digestion of food helping your body to properly absorb more nutrients, with the exception of iron found in fruits and vegetables, which green tea can block. This can be solved by adding lemon to green tea, balancing the digestive properties back out to absorb iron from plant sources. Green tea also oxidizes fat cells, which can make it seem like it's given a kick start to your metabolism. The important thing to remember about all the possible benefits of green tea, is that it is merely a supplement to a healthy diet and active lifestyle!

So, what do you need to know before you start downing the green stuff? First, to reap all the benefits of green tea, you should start by consuming the actual tea and not just a supplement. There are many green tea supplements on the market today claiming to be a magic weight loss pill, and let me tell you, there is no magic pill because there wouldn't be so many people struggling with obesity if it were that easy. Next, you should always drink the tea right away. The tea contains the most antioxidants when it is freshly brewed, so don't let it sit for hours, and skip the pre-bottled stuff. Next be ready to use the restroom more often than you may be used to because it is also a diuretic. Diuretics are substances that cause the body to release sodium and water. My last warning is that you should not drink green tea on an empty stomach. You don't have to eat a meal with it every time, but I have learned from experience that it can make you feel very sick if you haven't eaten.

I still start my day with a good old fashioned cup of Joe, but I have started drinking green tea through out the day to keep me alert. It does contain caffeine, but it only contains about 40mg of caffiene, where as a cup of coffee generally starts at around 100mg. My favorite brand of green tea is Tazo Zen green tea. It has a hint of spearmint, lemon verbena, and lemongrass. It is so yummy, but Tazo teas can be a bit pricey. It is one of my splurges, but I am sure that there are other brands that are way cheaper. Also, I am not the biggest fan of hot tea, so I drink mine iced. I was afraid of green tea for so long, but I wish I had tried it again sooner because I feel like I've been missing out.

**I am not a health or tea expert. I researched all this information just like any other person would. I got my information from WebMD, Harvard Medical School's Harvard Health Publications, and the Mayo Clinic.**

Michelle's Favorite Things

I am not going to start throwing pairs of my favorite running shoes to my readers yelling, "You get a pair of shoes! You get a pair of shoes! YOU get a pair of shoes!" like Oprah, but there are some things that I have been enjoying lately, and I thought I would take the time to share. I am going to tell you about some websites and products that I think would be worth checking out. I am going to cover gear, tips, relaxation, and charity for your workouts.

Gear
Who doesn't love new gear? I know that I love it, but my wallet doesn't always love it. I have found a solution to my problem. The website, The Clymb, sells name brand discounted gear. I am so glad that my sister told me about it and invited me to join. You have to be invited by a member, but then you can browse to your hearts content and score some major deals!

http://www.theclymb.com/invite-from/MichelleCurtright

Free Tips!
I have never had the benefit of having a personal trainer. I would love to, but considering that I am buying discounted gear, I obviously can't afford it. I do love to read magazines and books about fitness to enlighten myself. I am pretty pumped about a new website that is a collaboration of writers at Prevention, Men's Health, Women's Health, Runner's World, and Fitness. There are all kinds of great tips, tricks, and motivation on the website from experts.

http://www.fitbie.msn.com

Smartphone App
I have not been able to try this app out, but I would love too. My phone doesn't support this app, but my phone also died today, so maybe I will be getting a new phone that will. Yay! Charity Miles is an app that uses gps to track the miles you run, and they donate money to a charity of your choice for the miles you run.

Relaxation
I am a member of a website called influenster, and they send out products to try and review. I recently tried some gum called Bach Rescue Remedy Natural Stress Relief gum. I chewed a piece as I was winding down to do some Hatha yoga, and I could feel the tension melting away before I even. I am definitely try more products from this company. It's all natural and it works.

Audience Participation Requested

Ok, so I know that there has been much debate about the First Lady Michelle Obama's healthy lifestyle campaign called Let's Move because people don't really want to be told how they and their families should live or what they should eat, but The President's Active Lifestyle Award is something that I want to work on.  I mean, what's so terrible about saying that we want the individuals in our society to happy, healthy, active people? I have absolutely no issue with that sentiment. I have decided to sign up to take on the President's Challenge!

On the website, there is a section to log physical activity of all sorts. It isn't just about running or weight training or whatever activity that you may or may not find absolutely torturous. There is a way to log your house work, playing with your kids, or steps from a pedometer if you prefer. The site also has nutrition goals to choose from like drinking more water or choosing whole grains, and you get to pick a different goal each week. Below I will copy the official guidelines to earn the PALA for adults:

            Adults (that’s anyone aged 18 and older), your goals are:

• Physical activity. You need to be active 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, for 6 out of 8 weeks. As an alternative, you can count your daily activity steps using a pedometer (goal: 8,500).

• Healthy eating. Each week, you’ll also focus on a healthy eating goal. There are eight to choose from, and each week you will add a new goal while continuing with your previous goals. By the end of the six weeks, you’ll be giving your body more of the good stuff it needs.

There is also a Presidential Champions Award for people who are already very active or for people who want another challenge after earning the PALA. I am one of those people who really struggles with staying active in the winter, so I have decided to do the 2 month PAL challenge first, and then I will use those first two winter months to push myself to keep active with the Champions Challenge. Besides, who doesn't want to get more awards? I will put the guidelines for the Champion Challenge below:

Here’s how it works:

• The goal is to be more active more often and see how many points you can earn.

• You’ll earn points for every activity you log in our free online activity tracker. Points are based on the amount of energy each activity burns.

• The more points you earn, the sooner you’ll reach the point total required for your desired award: 40,000 points for bronze, 90,000 for silver, 160,000 for gold, and a whopping 1 million for platinum.

Let's get started on earning our awards! First go to the official website to register. Then choose your challenge, and while you are there, make sure to join the Anything For 10 group! I have created a group for us to motivate and challenge each other to meet the individual goals we have set. The group is called Anything For 10, and it is a public group so feel free to invite your friends and family to join even if they don't read my blog. Just go the the groups tab on the website after you have made an account, and then search for the group name, Anything For 10. I have selected a mantra for our group beyond the Anything For 10 mantra of my blog. 

Start where you are.

Use what you have.

Do what you can. 

Peacemaking

I am supposed to be training for a 10k right now. I even posted a 10k training schedule on here, but my life is sort of in a state of flux right now. There are so many things that have been thrown at me from different sides lately, and I have not been able to pin down any semblance of a routine or schedule. I am the type of person who needs a routine or schedule to stick to an exercise plan. I need to at least know the general time of day that exercise will fit into my day, but I haven't been able to pin down a time, and with all that I have been doing lately, I haven't made enough effort to make it a priority. This has really put a damper on my mood and my training.

I caught a break today, so I took some time for me. I slept in, caught up on my Tivo, and went for a short run. It was a beautiful morning, yet I found myself doubting my abilities basically from the first step. I had already decided that I would just do a 1.5 mile loop right by my house, so I knew that I didn't have far to go at all, but I just still felt negative about the whole thing. As I ran, I thought about how I ran two half marathons because people told me I couldn't, but then there I was telling myself I couldn't run 1.5 miles.

As I have mentioned before, my grandma has recently lost the ability to walk. She has, for my entire life, been the pentacle of independence, courage, strength, and  grace. My grandma has lived her life with a strong yet graceful dignity that I admire, and I know that I should always utilize the abilities I have because I could lose them at any time. I do value my ability to walk, run, and be active, so I know that I should take full advantage of those things.

I also realized how thankful I should be about my life in general. I live in a beautiful state, in a wonderful country, with my amazing fiance, and I have family and friends who love me very much. I am so lucky to have all of those things on top of my physical capabilities that I should not take for granted. If I don't take care of myself, then I could lose those beautiful things and wonderful people as well. I need to be in good health not just for myself, but also for those people who are important to me.

Needless to say, the irritation and pessimism I felt in the first steps of my run were gone by the time I got home. It is amazing all the things God, nature, and introspection can show you on such a short run.

Being active doesn't always mean working out!

I know that I haven't posted in over a week, but I have had so much going on in both my personal and professional life right now that it has been hard to find time for anything. I was so happy to finally have a weekend that I could spend relaxing with my fiance, and we decided that we weren't setting an alarm to make it to spin class today. If we had been up in time, we would have gone, but we got up around the time it was starting. We didn't go to the gym, but living an active lifestyle doesn't always mean hitting the gym or pavement each day.

We spent a lovely afternoon at Valley Forge National Historic Park. I love going to museums and historic sites. I especially love presidential libraries even though I have only been to two so far. The thing about museums, historic sites, and state parks is that you really can get some good exercise! At Valley Forge there is an 8 mile walking/biking path that connects the whole park together. We didn't go the entire distance today, but we are excited to go back and bike the whole thing very soon!

Another great thing about going to a state or national park is lunch! Just because you are taking the kids out for the day, or you are out on a date, doesn't mean you have to grab happy meals or eat an over-portioned meal at a sit-down restaurant! We packed a picnic lunch that was healthy. Plus, I just love picnics! Those who know me well probably wouldn't peg me for a picnic kind of girl, but I love packing up my lunch and hitting a trail.

It was fun to see the artifacts, preserved buildings, and monuments at Valley Forge, but at the same time, it was good for our bodies! Next time you are looking for something to do with friends, kids, significant others, or the whole family, check out the state and national parks in your area! These places are usually free of charge! Some states charge parking fees, but even that would be less expensive than paying for movie tickets for everyone. Most parks and historic sites have websites detailing all the necessary information to make your day planning easier. Having a degree in education, and working in the education field, I find it just as important to work your brain as it is to work your body. Why not do both at once? You might be surprised just how much fun you and your family have!

Favorite Workout Songs

In a recent post I admitted to my top five most embarrassing work out songs. I was more and more ashamed of myself as I wrote the post, so I vowed at the end to give you a list of 5 great work out songs that I am not at all embarrassed to admit to listening to. I chose from a couple genres, so hopefully you will be introduced to at least a new work out track, if not an awesome band or artist to fall in love with. Here are five great work out songs in no particular order:


1. My Body by Young the Giant This song is an awesome work out song for the middle or end of a workout. When you start to think that you can't go on, you can kick it up a notch to the up-beat tempo and perfectly fitting chorus. The chorus goes,"My boy tells me no, but I won't quit cause want more."

2. Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder Firstly, I freaking love Stevie Wonder. He is the most amazing harmonica player, and a great vocalist. I love him...for real. I highly recommend you check out as much of his music as possible. I like this song as a work out song because it is very upbeat and peppy. And although he wrote the song about his daughter's birth, the lyrics get me thinking about how I should consider myself lovely throughout the journey to better health and fitness, and not just to look toward the end.

3. I will not bow by Breaking Benjamin This is the perfect song for when you want an angry type work out. This is one of those songs that will really get you pumped to fight out the work out that is tough to get through. The lyrics and pounding beat of this rock song will really get you moving. Breath and Until the End by Breaking Benjamin are also a great work out songs that are a little less angry.

4. Only Ashes by Something Corporate This song doesn't really have any motivating lyrics, but for some reason every time I hear this song it makes me want to get moving.

5. Square Peg in a Round Hole by Wakey Wakey This is a great band when it comes to work out songs. Once again, the lyrics aren't super motivational or anything, but they have a ton of songs that just make me start hopping up and down in place in a very indie kid way every time one of those songs come on, and this is one of them. I super love this band, and this is one of their ultra peppy beats.

Well, I feel as if I have sufficiently redeemed myself. What work out songs do you love? I am always looking for new songs to get me moving!

10k 6 Week Training Schedule

In a recent post, I announced that I am going to run my first 10k. I am gearing up to start my training program, and I looked around to figure out what training plan would be right for me. I am not a big fan of speed work, so I decided to adapt some plans and make on that would work best for me. My goal for this race is to do the whole thing without walking at all. When I run half marathons, I do a run/walk system, so I am looking to build endurance this time. Training starts next week, so here's the plan!

Michelle's Couch to 10k Training Schedule

Week	Run 1	Run 2	Run 3	Run 4	Total
1	2	2.5	2	3	9.5
2	3	2	3	4	12
3	4	3	2	4	13
4	3	2	4	5	14
5	5	6	3	7	21
6	6	4	3	race	19

If you have been thinking of getting in shape, or beginning running, but you don't know where to start, then this is a great way to get going. Running is good because you probably already own the necessities. Throw on shorts or sweats, a t-shirt, and some tennis shoes and hit the pavement. If you want to track how far you ran, or plan a route that is a certain length, then check out mapmyrun.com! And if you are just using this for a guide for personal fitness instead of training for a race deadline, then take it at your own pace and repeat runs or weeks if you don't feel confident that you can complete the next step yet. When I started running, I could only jog a quarter of a mile before I had to walk, but I walked the rest of the way, and eventually I was able to run for farther distances. I am not fast, and I never will be, but I am moving, and that's what counts.

I also have a post with my half marathon training schedule for beginners. It doesn't have any speed work or specific tempo runs, but it helps to build distance.