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MARATHON TRAINING SERIES PART 3- NUTRITION FOR DIS

MARATHON TRAINING SERIES PART 3- NUTRITION FOR DISTANCE RUNNING 🏃🏻‍♀️

“What do You Eat Before A Long Run?”
Well that depends on how far I'm running and what time of the day I'm running.

If you can take anything away from this post- I want you to find FIND WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU & WHAT MAXIMIZES YOUR RUNNING PERFORMANCE! 💯

⭐️ Nutrition in marathon training is all about trial and error
⭐️ Use your training as practice for RACE
DAY to find the fuel that works BEST for YOU.
⭐️ Don’t experiment with new foods on race day, stick with what your body is used to!
⭐️Take into consideration what time you’re running- You should be eating at least 1-2 hours before to give your body enough time to digest the food. Digestion can be very difficult during longer runs. The longer the run then the less blood flow to the GI tract, which can contribute to GI issues on long mileage days. Try to stick with foods that your body is used to to prevent any issues.

What to eat BEFORE a long run:
Meals that are:
⭐️High in carbs
⭐️ Moderate in easily-digestible protein
⭐️ Lower in fat
Types of carbs to eat before a long run:
⭐️ High glycemic carbohydrates (dates, bananas 🍌) give you immediate energy.
⭐️Slower release carbs (breads and oats 🍞) will help in the later miles (have those 1-2 hours before a long run)
⭐️ A good pre-long run meal has both high-glycemic carbohydrates and slower release carbohydrates
⭐️ 3:1 carbs/protein ratio- That means your combined pre-long run meal should have about three times more carbohydrates than protein for optimal absorption
⭐️Avoid Eating Too Much Fiber- you don’t want to be making too many bathroom stops!
Give these meals a try:
- Oatmeal with 1/2 banana and 1 tbsp nut butter 🥜
- Piece of whole grain toast with 1 tbsp nut butter + 1/2 sliced apple 🍎
- Go Macro Bar
- Picky Bar
- Greek yogurt with granola, nuts, fruit (if you’re not sensitive to dairy)
- Bagel with hummus or avocado or nut butter 🥯

⭐️ Check out the rest of my blog post- Nutrition for Distance Running to learn about how to fuel during a run and what to eat after 🏃🏻‍♀️ Happy running!

Running friends, what’s your go- to pre- long run meal? #becksliveshealthy #marathontraining

Happy Wednesday! Today on the blog I’m sharing m

Happy Wednesday! Today on the blog I’m sharing my favorite fall oatmeal recipe- pumpkin pie protein oats! It seriously tastes like pumpkin pie for breakfast 🍂 I could eat this bowl year round, it’s just so good! 🙌🏻 Loaded with protein and carbs, it makes the perfect post- workout meal too! Recipe is on my blog! ✨ #becksliveshealthy 📷: @spicesinmydna

UPPER BODY + CORE WORKOUT and a GIVEAWAY 💪🏻

UPPER BODY + CORE WORKOUT and a GIVEAWAY 💪🏻

Happy Tuesday! This has got to be one of my favorite upper body + core workouts! Grab some dumbbells, a plate, and a kettlebell and you’re ready to go!

For the GIVEAWAY ➡️
1. Like this post and be sure to be following me 💛
2. TAG your favorite workout buddy and you’ll both be entered to win my 8 week Workout Guide: MOVE WITH STRENGTH 👊🏻

Repeat circuit 4x through:
⭐️ Plate leg raises/ knees to chest - 10/10
⭐️ Russian chops- 15
⭐️ Weighted arm step ups to pushup- 10/ 10
⭐️ DB bent over row/ wide row - 10/ 10
⭐️ Pushup position row to March - 10/ 10
⭐️ Superman- 15
⭐️ DB snatch- 10
⭐️ Single leg supine curl to shoulder press - 10 /10
⭐️ KB swings- 15

#becksliveshealthy #homeworkouts #movewithstrength

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE AS A REGISTER

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE AS A REGISTERED NURSE👩🏻‍⚕️
This seems to be one of my most asked questions lately so today I’m going to chat about ways to keep up with your fitness routine while working as a RN. This post is more specific for nurses working long shifts in the hospital and or anyone who is working crazy long hours! Some of you may be reading this and thinking to yourself – a 12 hour shift is LONG, how am I going to fit in exercise on those days? Exercise may sound impossible on those days, but I have always found that it helps me keep my energy levels up at work. I always feel better and more awake on the days I work out before heading to the hospital. Plus, it’s my ME time before I spend the day taking care of everyone else 💛😷 So what are some ways to maintain your fitness routine?! Or establish a new one?! 💪🏻

1. Sign up for classes- Are there classes online that you’re interested in that you can sign up for to take before or after work? @toneitup, @popsugarfitness, @onepeloton, @fitnessblender, @obe_fitness, or maybe an outdoor one at your favorite studio?! 🧘🏻‍♀️ Signing up or scheduling a class helps keep you more accountable!
2. Choose something over nothing. Don’t have enough time to workout before your long shift? That’s ok! Start your morning off with 10 minutes of yoga or stretching. Something is better than nothing!! You can even spend 15 minutes during your lunch break walking outside (if you have time and the weather allows) ☀️
3. Do what you love 💕 If you find something that you enjoy doing then you’re more likely to stick to that workout- especially on your long work days! I’m not going to lie, getting up at 4:30am to workout before a long shift at work is HARD— but I choose workouts that I really enjoy so I look forward to starting my day with them!
4. Choose something quick, but efficient! HIIT workouts on the treadmill and spin bike and strength circuits are some of my favorite quick workouts 🙌🏻
5. Remember it’s ok to take a rest day too! I know plenty of nurses who don’t work out on their work days and solely work out on their days off.

OK your turn!! All my nursing friends- what tip will you implement?! ✨

First full weekend off from work in weeks 💛 Fin

First full weekend off from work in weeks 💛 Finishing up the first part of a fun fitness project today that I feel very lucky to be a part of ☺️💪🏻 and then relaxing the rest of the day! 🐶 What does everyone have planned for today?!

Happy Sunday! ✨

MARATHON TRAINING SERIES PART 2🏃🏻‍♀️

MARATHON TRAINING SERIES PART 2🏃🏻‍♀️

💪🏻 BALANCING RUNNING WITH STRENGTH TRAINING

Finding a good balance between running and strength training is hard. Many runners struggle with how to schedule their running and strength workouts. As a runner, it’s important to find that balance. If you increase your strength, you’ll also increase your joint stability, which overall reduces the risk of injury. Over the years I've learned that strength training is supposed to HELP, not take you away from your running.

After several marathon training cycles, I’ve learned to keep my easy running days easy and hard running days hard. What do I mean by this? Separate your hard and easy days, so that you can better recover from your toughest workouts🙌🏻
For example- in the past when I had a speed or tempo workout scheduled I would pair those with strength training. On days when I had an easy or recovery run scheduled, I would pair those with mobility and core work.

Keep in mind- this was all if I had the time. Sometimes doing both running and strength training is A LOT for one day. If I was in the middle of marathon training, running was the priority. If I couldn’t fit both in, especially when my speed or tempo runs were 8-10 miles, then I just ran that day.

A few tips:
🌟 If you're training for a race, my recommendation is to run before strength-training.
🌟 If you have a long run scheduled for the next day, don’t lift heavy or train legs the day before. You want to save your legs for your long run! 🙌🏻
🌟 On top of running and strength training, mobility should be done 1-2x week as well! I know you’re probably thinking- now I need to add mobility in on top of running and strength training? YES! I didn’t know this either. I didn’t go out of my way to do any mobility work while training for 6 of my marathons. Whoops! No one ever told me it was important- so how was I supposed to know? But now I realize the importance of mobility work. I have a reel coming this week with a few hip opener mobility exercises too! Keep your eyes out for that 😉

Question: how many days do you guys strength train a week?! 👊🏻 #becksliveshealthy #marathontraining #strengthtraining

As an ICU nurse working during a pandemic, it’s

As an ICU nurse working during a pandemic, it’s been a priority for me to stay healthy and avoid getting sick 😷 #ad

Not only am I extra diligent at work about hand hygiene and wearing the proper personal protective equipment, but outside of work I try to do my best to make choices that will help support and strengthen my immune system 💛

So what are some things that help strengthen our immune system?

1. Getting enough sleep every night
2. Exercising regularly- are you working out at home?! Outdoors? Or had your gym re- opened with restrictions?! 💪🏻
3. Staying hydrated 💦
4. Eating more whole plant foods 🍃 (fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes)
5. Getting enough healthy fats in our diet (avocado, nuts, chia seeds, fatty fish, coconut, coconut oil).
6. Limiting added sugars in our diets.
7. Managing stress levels (again by exercising, going to therapy getting outside for fresh air, meditating, limiting time spent on social media).
8. Supplementing with @MitoQ, which supports mitochondrial and immune health⚡ @MitoQ helps restore our mitochondria’s energy levels so they are powered up to support our immune system, which helps keep us healthy and ready to fight off infection 🙅🏻‍♀️

How are you supporting your immune system during this time?! ✨ #poweredbymitoq #mitoq

FULL BODY dumbbell only workout 💪🏻 I’ve be

FULL BODY dumbbell only workout 💪🏻 I’ve been loving switching things up and adding more full body workouts into my routine 🙌🏻 What do you guys prefer, full body workouts or muscle specific?!

For this workout, all you need is a pair of dumbbells and you’re ready to go! 💥

Repeat circuit 4x through:
🌟 DB pushup to pushup position rows- 10/10
🌟 Bird dog rows- 10
🌟 Regular floor to neutral floor bench (knees bent)- 10/10
🌟 Squat to press- 10/10
🌟 RDL to upright row- 10/10
🌟 Reverse lunges- 10
🌟 Power lunges- 10

Remember to like and save 💛
#becksliveshealthy #movewithstrength #athomeworkouts

Now that it’s September, it’s time to share on

REAL TALK: I’ve opened up about therapy and the

REAL TALK: I’ve opened up about therapy and the decision to start going last year. What I haven’t opened up about was the decision to start taking medications this year. I’m still working with my doctor to figure out the best one and right dosage for me. So why did I decide to start taking meds? ....Well nothing else was working. Running and exercise used to be my therapy and that no longer was helping me like it had used to. Some of my friendships had also changed so I could no longer rely on them for help and support. I was already in therapy 1x week too. I was exhausting my resources and needed something else, so I finally decided it was time to ask to be put on medications 💊

I come across as a pretty happy and positive person in this space and in my work life, but in reality I’m not. Growing up with a dad who was an alcoholic i felt like i always had to put on a brave face. I was the oldest and most responsible one, and went on with my day to day like everything was okay. And that’s carried on into my adulthood. If you’re a close friend or my family of mine you know I’m not the happiest person these days. But this is something I’m working on and my goal is to get to a healthier place mentally. I work so hard on my physical health- working out, putting good, nutritious food into my body, but my mental health is just as important 💛

MARATHON TRAINING SERIES PART 1: I received a to

MARATHON TRAINING SERIES PART 1:

I received a ton of DMs last week when I posted on my stories about my last marathon 2 years ago so I thought I would do a fun little series about marathon training. Races for this year may be cancelled, but you can always save these and refer back to them in the future! 🙌🏻🏃🏻‍♀️

Before you sign up for your first marathon, there are a couple things you should consider:

🌟Time- Do you have the time to train? I always say training for a marathon is like a full time job. You have to commit to weekday and weekend runs, plus cross training and strength training, mobility work, and often make changes to your diet, nutrition, and sometimes social life.
It’s a huge commitment. Most training plans call for 16 to 20 weeks of training.
🌟SUPPORT- Do you have the support of your family and friends? When I signed up for my first marathon I had a good group of friends who I trained with. They helped push me harder and kept me accountable for my running.
🌟 GEAR- How are your running shoes? How many miles have you logged in them? Running clothes are also important. Winter running gear is going to be different than summer running gear. Another thing to keep in mind is do you need a hand held water bottle or hydration pack for your long runs?! Many water fountains that were open prior to covid have since been shut down.
🌟 TRAINING PLAN- Do you have a training plan to follow to help you get to 26.2?! I used a running coach for the last few marathons I ran. Running coaches help keep you accountable and consistent, help you set realistic goals, and offer nutrition and hydration tips, which at the end of the day all help with injury prevention. If your budget doesn’t allow for a running coach then I highly recommend using one of Hal Higdon’s marathon training plans. He offers more than a dozen different training programs for novice to advanced runners. I used his novice plan for my first marathon! 🏅

Who is planning on running 26.2 next year?! ✨ #becksliveshealthy #movewithstrength

LOWER BODY DUMBBELL ONLY WORKOUT! ⚡️⚡️ Thi

LOWER BODY DUMBBELL ONLY WORKOUT! ⚡️⚡️ This workout can be done either at home or at the gym 🏋🏻‍♀️ I’m excited to be working on a super fun fitness project coming soon with some other amazing people 🤗💪🏻 More to come somn!!

Until then, grab some dumbbells and give this workout a try! 🍑👊🏻

Repeat circuit 5x through:
🌟 Dumbbell front squats- 10
🌟 Lateral lunge to step up- 10/10
🌟 Staggered RDLs- 10
🌟 Raised single leg pickup to reverse lunge- 10/10
🌟 Pulsing squats- 15
🌟 Weighted low box power steps- 10
#becksliveshealthy #movewithstrength #lowerbodyworkout

Today I’m grateful for _____ 💓 I’ve been tr

Today I’m grateful for _____ 💓
I’ve been trying to write down one thing I’m grateful for every morning. It been helping my mindset and setting a more positive tone for the day. What’s one thing you’re grateful for?! ✨

This weekend marks two years since my last full ma

This weekend marks two years since my last full marathon. I never thought i would take this much time off from training. It was such an important part of my life for 5 years. I miss having that goal to reach for. I miss the feeling of finishing an 18 mile long run. I miss the hard workouts where you feel like you’ve left everything on the pavement. And sometimes i miss my runner’s body.... yup i said it. Although there’s so much i miss about training for 26.2, I know my body has needed this break. I’ve been able to really focus on strength training the last two years. And it’s been nice not sticking to a strict running schedule 🙌🏻

Last week I hit the pavement for the first time in months. I didn’t really have any goals, other than to get some movement in, enjoy the scenery around me, and have fun. And that’s exactly what I did. Hoping to hit the pavement again this weekend ☀️ What does everyone have planned?!

Traveling during COVID✈️- I received a ton of

Traveling during COVID✈️-
I received a ton of questions asking about my experience flying back to the east coast last week to visit my family:

- Prior to my trip I was Covid tested - not only because I work with covid patients and didn’t want to expose my family to it, but since I was flying into massachusetts it was a requirement of the state to have a negative test within 72 hours of landing since i was coming from a high risk state- the other option was to self quarantine for 2 weeks. My Covid swab came back negative the day before I left 🙌🏻 My younger sister who also flew in from out of state was tested prior to flying as wellZ
- I flew Delta from LAX to Boston and Southwest from Hartford to LAX- both airlines left the middle seat open during the flight
- Delta handed out hand sanitizer wipes during boarding and also when they handed out refreshments mid- flight 🧼
- Both airlines required masks 😷 No sheer masks, masks with air vents, or bandanas were allowed. They had extra masks in case someone didn’t have one that was approved by the airline.
- Both airlines only boarded 10 passengers at a time (compared to the past when everyone would line up when their boarding zone was called) 👯‍♀️

Have any of you guys traveled recently? If so, what was your experience like?! ✈️

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