http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Have you ever wondered how a food from your favorite show would taste?

Andrew Rea takes those mental gymnastics and transforms them into culinary adventures on his YouTube series, Binging with Babish. He recreates everything from the lush boeuf bourguignon in Julie and Julia to the mysterious legendary Szechuan sauce from Rick and Morty. He also does “Basics with Babish,” a series where he breaks down the skills that will upgrade your culinary repertoire.

In just two years, Andrew’s YouTube channel has exploded. He has over 307 million views, over two million followers, and some seriously exciting projects in the works. We chatted with him about his journey to YouTube stardom, the magic behind Timpano, and the gentle unboxing videos he can’t stop watching.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Thinking about doing Whole30? Your first one can be a little daunting. For a month you don’t eat any dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol, added sugar, and processed foods. Then you slowly reintroduce them all one by one to see what — if anything — bothers you.

Read more: Here’s What You Can and Can’t Eat on Whole30

If it seems like there are a lot of rules, you’re right. There are! But rest assured that you can overhaul your eating habits without overhauling your grocery shopping routine too. Here are 10 of the best Whole30-compliant grocery products you can find at Trader Joe’s!

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

I’m not the most brand-loyal shopper. My running shoes have had an assortment of logos, I’ve owned cars manufactured in a handful of countries, and my fridge is usually filled with whatever stuff was on sale that week. But … BUT! … there are three brands that I will always be 100 percent committed to: Heinz (for ketchup), Wendy’s, and any frozen meal made by Amy’s Kitchen.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

When it comes to stocking the freezer, the Kitchn team really practices what we preach. We’ve shared all sorts of information on freezer-aisle finds that cut down on meal prep and the pantry items to keep stashed away in your freezer to help prolong shelf life.

And today we’re sharing the foods our editors keep stocked in their freezers at all times. Maybe you’ll pick up an idea or two from the mix!

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Transporting a slow cooker can be a pain — they’re heavy, unwieldy, hot, and prone to spills. But if you’ve made a meal for a potluck or a dip for a tailgate, it’s often easiest (and healthiest, from a food-safety standpoint) to keep the food in the slow cooker instead of transferring it to another container.

Slow cooker manufacturers heard consumers, and a few years ago started introducing latches onto their appliances to keep the lids on tight. Yay! However, this relatively new introduction led to some confusion: Are the latches just for transport, or for cooking, too?

READ MORE »

https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/

Our clients come from diverse communities with varying needs and rich backgrounds. We may not always know how best to support them in their journey to wellness. In this article, I hope to specifically address the ways in which you can support your trans and gender nonconforming clients. Educating yourself on working with trans and gender nonconforming individuals will not only benefit your business but also your clients’ lives.

Being an advocate for underserved communities is a lifelong passion of mine. I have had the privilege of serving members of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as folks in larger bodies virtually my entire time as a coach. By sharing some of my experience and things I’ve learned along the way, I hope this information supports you in your work as well as your personal life.

The more you learn and practice being an effective support person, the more you’ll notice how truly needed you are.

Depending on where you live and how diverse your area is, you very well may be the only service provider your client encounters who has any competency whatsoever working with gender diverse clients.

1. Update Your Intake Forms

Language is important — the terms you use on your forms as well as your conversational terminology absolutely need to be in alignment with your clients’ terminology. If you haven’t already updated your forms to include trans-inclusive language, now is the time.

For example: are you currently asking your clients their “sex” or “relationship status?” If so, why?

Consider what it is that you’re hoping to learn by gathering this information. Instead of asking about one’s “sex,” try asking for their pronoun* instead. While “gender assigned at birth” is the preferred terminology for “sex,” remember that if you’re not directly working with an individual’s sex organs, you don’t need this information.

Clients will disclose information when and if they deem it necessary. Note that when you ask about surgeries in your intake, your client may or may not disclose any gender confirmation procedures they’ve had.

You can offer opportunities for clients to share more about themselves and feel more comfortable by offering open-ended questions when possible instead of checkboxes. You don’t need to prepare a form for every possibility; you can allow your clients to choose the language that suits them best!

2. Respect Confidentiality

Clients gender identity, gender assignment at birth, or sexual activities are absolutely no one else’s business. They are in fact only our business if it directly affects our ability to serve them.

If a colleague asks you any personal questions about your clients (for example, trying to “figure out” their gender identity), it is your responsibility to respect their privacy and potentially use it as a teaching moment for your colleague. While trainers aren’t required by law to follow HIPAA standards, it’s certainly respectful, adds to the integrity of the coach-client relationship, and is likely to be recommended by your certifying body’s code of ethics.

3. Understand the Medical Procedures

There are several procedures that individuals may receive and I’m going to discuss the two most common procedures. I will include resources at the end of the article as well for you to refer to if you would like more information.

It is important to note that not all trans or gender nonconforming people choose to pursue surgery as an option.

Even when surgery is something that an individual would like to pursue, accessing surgery may not be an option due to the cost, lack of insurance coverage and lack of providers in the area.

When people do not have access to a surgical procedure that they need in order to feel comfortable in their body, it can drastically change their relationship with their body, their feelings of safety, and their ability to feel comfortable in fitness or wellness spaces.

The two most common procedures are vaginoplasty and mastectomy with chest reconstruction [1].

Considerations When Working With Individuals After Chest Reconstruction

When working with folks who have had a chest reconstruction it is common, but not always the case, that the individual may have a history of chest binding. This is a process that folks use to minimize the appearance of breast tissue and some may have done this process for years.

Because binding is restrictive there is likely some work to be done to encourage your client to breathe deeply and fully, and to address restriction along the sides of the chest and lats both pre- and post-chest reconstruction. It’s also not uncommon to see an exaggerated kyphotic curve (i.e., rounding of the upper back) with these clients.

In attempting to correct any postural dysfunctions, it’s important to be gentle and understanding — realize that your client’s gender identity and safety may be in play with this posture. I strongly encourage my clients to spend some time on their own, in a safe space, working on their breath, filling their chest and belly fully, allowing their chest to expand.

I also work with them on increasing mobility in the lats and armpit areas as well as their upper back with a roller or lacrosse ball. This will greatly support them in increasing their range and freedom of movement. Often with these clients, I focus work the back muscles more than the chest muscles.

In addition, when using tactile cues (touching to cue) always ask permission first, no exceptions. Trans and gender nonconforming individuals are more likely to have experienced physical violence in their lives than their cisgender counterparts [2].

Considerations When Working With Individuals After Vaginoplasty

When working with folks who have a had a vaginoplasty, there are a few important things to know, starting with what it entails, both in terms of the anatomy involved and the potential exercise indications both pre- and post-vaginoplasty.

A vaginoplasty is a extensive two- to six-hour procedure that removes one’s existing penis, testicles and scrotum and creates a vaginal canal and sensate clitoris.

I would suggest any client seek out a trans-competent pelvic health physical therapist one month prior to surgery and then again about two weeks post-surgery. Ideally, their surgeon will have an appropriate referral for them, but it’s always a good idea as a coach to have your own referral network.

Individuals may take four to six weeks off of work to recover from this surgery. This surgery will make walking difficult for quite a while, though short repeated walks can help in the healing process. All bodies are different, of course, but you can expect to not work with your client for several weeks to two months post-surgery.

When work with the client resumes, be aware that walking and sitting on any kind of cardio equipment (such as a bicycle) may still be uncomfortable. Also note that with a vaginoplasty comes the risk of prolapse, therefore it is important to avoid the valsalva maneuver or holding one’s breath while lifting [3]. I always cue to exhale on exertion, and my suggestion would be to address core stability, breathing and pelvic floor before anything else.

There are several articles already on the GGS blog about isolating and training the pelvic floor muscles; this includes strengthening as well as learning how to relax the pelvic floor muscles. Those recovering from a vaginoplasty will need to learn how to intentionally relax the pelvic floor when they start dilation procedures, which will start one to two weeks post-surgery.

Dilation is a process of post-operative care that involves inserting a dilator inside the vaginal canal to preserve its shape and depth, and that should be continued to some degree for the duration of the person’s life. With this in mind, it’s important that your client has the capacity to intentionally relax their pelvic floor muscles.

4. Stay in Your Scope of Practice and Refer to Trans-Competent & Body Respecting Providers

In any given session I may find that my client needs a service I am not qualified to provide. It could be a mental health counselor, a Health at Every Size dietitian, physical therapist, and the list goes on and on. I do not try to fit myself where I do not belong. I am a strength and life coach and that’s where my expertise ends. I am always trying to expand my list of referral partners.

I work with populations who are consistently underserved and finding other trans-competent providers isn’t always easy and I consider it a part of my job as coach. This means doing the work of calling or visiting an office and making an appointment to speak with someone about their practices and experience serving trans and gender nonconforming patients.

If you think this is time-consuming or a challenge for you, imagine what it’s like for your clients.

Do yourself a favor and do the work. Your clients will appreciate it immensely and you will make yourself known as a coach who truly cares about your clients.

The author would like to thank Daniel Dugi III, MD and Sandi T. Gallagher, P.T. of OHSU Transgender Health Program for their help in reviewing this article.

Read also: Creating Welcoming Gym Environments for Trans and Gender Nonconforming Athletes

References

1. Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming People, 7th edition, The World Professional Association for Transgender Health, https://www.wpath.org/media/cms/Documents/SOC%20v7/SOC%20V7_English.pdf
2. Hate Violence Against Transgender Communities Fact Sheet, Anti-Violence Project, National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, National Advocacy for LGBTQ Communities, https://avp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ncavp_transhvfactsheet.pdf
3. Meltzer, T, MD, Vaginoplasty procedures, complications and aftercare, Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, https://www.healthline.com/health/transgender/vaginoplasty#recovery

Additional Resources

• Transgender Health Program Community Forum: Vaginoplasty, Dr. Daniel Dugi, OHSU Urology
• Gender Affirmation Surgery: Everything You Need to Know
• Marci Bowers, MD

The post 4 Ways to Support Your Trans Clients Pre- and Post-Op appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

While frittatas are fair game for any veggie scraps and cheese nubs hiding in the fridge, I’d argue that few combinations are better than spinach and feta. The wilted greens are mixed with fresh dill and creamy, briny feta for just the right balance of fresh and rich flavors. It’s the MVP of all-day eating, and just as satisfying straight from the oven as it is from the fridge atop a slice of toast with mustard.

READ MORE »

Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

Running.

Some people live for it, chasing faster times and that unbelievable “runners high.”

Others despise it with the passion of a thousand suns (which is an excessive number of suns).

As somebody who used to run cross country in high school, and will probably never run a mile again, I have strong opinions on this stuff.

Today we’re going to cover it all: running your first 5K, if you even SHOULD run a 5k, and all the details of the famous Couch to 5K program.

After all, Couch to 5K is the most popular 5K running program since “run for your life” invented by a human like 150,000 years ago.

“Don’t run for your life” was equally popular, it just…didn’t last long.

Quiet, I know. This was a way better gif than a human being chased by a wild animal.

Plus, dinosaurs.

Anyways!

You’re here because you wanna know if you can build up to running a 5k without losing your breath or having to stop.

So here’s what we’re gonna cover in this article:

• What is it about Couch to 5K that makes it so dang popular?
• Does Couch to 5K actually work?
• Will I lose weight training for a 5K?
• How do I not hurt myself running a 5K?
• What if I own a futon, but like, it’s a nice one. Can I still do Couch to 5k?

If you’ve been reading Nerd Fitness for longer than this article, you know my thoughts about running for weight loss (spoiler: I think it’s an awful way to lose weight).

HOWEVER…

I also think running can be a fantastic activity (for the right person if they do it the right way)!

So, are you that person?

And what is the right way?

Keep reading and I’ll tell ya.

In exchange, I can promise hilarious gifs.

And maybe also Michael Jackson.

What is Couch to 5K? Why is it so popular?

“Couch to 5kK” is a free program that takes people from their couch to running a 5K race in 9 weeks.

5K is short for 5 kilometers, or 5,000 meters or 3.1 miles.

Depending on which “couch to 5K” program you pick, it might be 6 weeks, or 12 weeks, or 9 weeks. Although this running program was invented by Josh Clark of CoolRunning WAY back in the day, it has since been co-opted and copied by every running blog out there, so we’re going to be referring to a generic “Couch to 5K” program when we talk about it.

Here it is in a nutshell: Couch to 5K utilizes an uber popular concept called interval training – moving at different speeds throughout a running session – and lays out exactly what to do every day for 6-12 weeks after starting.

By varying your pacing, your body is forced to adapt to different speeds, your heart and lungs have to adapt to various levels of strenuous activity (and get stronger/healthier as a result), and you actually burn more calories and get better prepared for a race then compared to just training at a constant speed.

In other words, interval training rocks and should be used by anybody who wants to get better at running.

Over the weeks, Couch to 5K slowly ramps up the amount of time you spend running and cuts back the time you spend walking until you’re at the point where you can actually run a 5K without stopping.

“STEVE, I’M INTRIGUED. WHY IS COUCH TO 5K SO DANG POPULAR?”

#1) It’s simple and clear. Print out a PDF or download an iphone app and for the next 9 weeks you simply do what it tells you: Today, do this. Tomorrow, do that. Repeat.

We are all busy. Most of us lead hectic lives. And programs that tell us EXACTLY what to do allow us to follow instructions without needing to figure it out ourselves.

Not that us nerds overanalyze things to the point of giving ourselves anxiety attacks…

#2) Most people think running = weight loss. If you’re brand new to health and fitness, and you’re trying to lose weight, you’re most likely overwhelmed at what you should start with and how you should train.

Are you gonna go sign up for a gym membership, hire a trainer, and start doing squats and deadlifts?

As much as I would WISH that was the answer (it’s probably the fastest path to changing one’s physique), it’s probably a bridge too far for most folks. So a majority of newbies equate running with weight loss (which MIGHT be true, but MIGHT not, I’ll explain soon), and decide to start with a jog around the block.

#3) Couch to 5K is not overwhelming. It’s a free program (or inexpensive app), and it’s very approachable. Programs like P90X and Insanity are designed to appeal to people that consider themselves hardcore (whatever the hell that means). Couch to 5K appeals to people who are overwhelmed at the idea of doing P90X or Insanity or mustering up the courage to go to Crossfit.

Couch to 5K makes you think “maybe I can actually do this…” which is the most important part of any fitness journey: starting.

#4) Everybody wants to “have run a 5K.” If you’re new to health and fitness and working on setting a good obtainable goal, “run a 5K this year” is a great place to start.

• It’s a short enough distance that with some training you can pull it off, even if you have to walk some or all of it.
• There are 5Ks practically every weekend, many of which raise money for charity or are themed in a fun way,
• It’s an amazing activity to do as a group with friends.
• Humans are wired for achievements, progress, and gratification – 5Ks are perfectly designed for that.

So in completing Couch to 5K, you train and get to see yourself progress weekly, you get to finish a race and feel a  sense of accomplishment, and you go home with a medal you can hang on your wall reminding you of the proud moment.

Plus, it might get you in shape!

Maybe.

Does Couch to 5K actually work? Will I lose weight Doing Couch to 5K?

“Steve that’s all fine and good. But what do you REALLY think about running 5Ks and Couch to 5K?”

Okay you got me. I got thoughts. I also got jokes (they’re bad).

RANT INCOMING!

Will the Couch to 5K program help you run a 5k? YES! If you actually stick with it for the entirety of the training program.

Will the Couch to 5K program help you lose weight? MAYBE.

Is Couch to 5K a program that will get you healthy permanently? MAYBE.

Will Couch to 5K make me sexy and look damn good in a bathing suit? MAYBE, but probably not.

Here’s the truth about Couch to 5k: It’s the same truth with popular programs like P90X or Insanity or any other structured workout program:

It totally works and will help you lose weight if you do two things:

• You actually complete the program, AND
• You fix your diet.

It totally doesn’t work and won’t help you lose weight if you do two things:

• You actually complete the program, BUT
• You don’t fix your diet.

As sexy as it is to think that just going for a run will help you lose weight, the data doesn’t back it up. In fact, as Time Magazine rightly pointed out years ago and got yelled at for telling the truth, exercise alone won’t make you lose weight.

I believe that to be especially true when exercise is only steady-speed cardio.

In fact, many people gain weight after starting an exercise routine and get completely demoralized.

What gives?

As we say here at Nerd Fitness, you can’t outrun your fork, and nutrition is 90% of the battle.

If you go for a mile run and then stuff your face with extra calories “because you earned it,” you’re going to gain weight.

It’s not because you have a slow metabolism, I promise. It’s because you’re consuming too many calories.

If this were a movie, nutrition would be Tom Cruise in Mission:Impossible and exercise is that funny sidekick who helps Tom. Let’s be real here, Tom is doing all of the heavy lifting to make that movie what it is.

Couch to 5K helps people run a 5K. That’s it. It isn’t designed to help you lose weight or build a body you’re proud of. It’s also a temporary program that lasts a certain number of weeks until you run your 5k.

For Couch to 5K to be successful for you long term, and for it to help you lose weight, it needs to be the catalyst that causes you to build a consistent long term habit of exercise and changes how you think about food.

Remember: you never get to be “done”, so you need to enjoy the journey and look forward to exercising daily. You also need to train the right way to build the type of body you want! And eat the right way.

That’s priority numero uno.

I know nutrition is a really challenging, complex, controversial topic (Keto? Paleo? Ah!), which is why we make it stupidly simple for smart, good looking, modest people like yourself. In addition to our online coaching program that guides you on making healthier food choices, we also created a free 10-level NF Diet blueprint you can hang on your fridge next to your Couch to 5K pdf.

Print it out, hang it on your fridge, and follow the instructions to level up every 2 weeks! You can get yours free when you sign up in the box below:

Now that we have the “will I lose weight?” stuff out of the way, I have two BIG questions to ask you:

Do you like running?

Are you healthy enough to run?

Do you even like running?

Bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman said it best: “Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder, don’t nobody wanna lift no heavy ass weight.”

In other words: “Everybody wants to be in shape, and look great, but nobody wants to put the work in to actually GET in shape and look great.”

And yup, getting in shape is tough; if it were easy we’d all look like Captain America and Wonder Woman.

Instead, 70% of America is overweight and 30+% are obese. Crap.

Which brings me back to the most crucial question of this entire 5K process:

Do you even LIKE running?

The world is split into three groups:

• People that like running and want to run.
• People that don’t like running but eventually learn to love it.
• People that don’t like running and will never like running.

Here’s that Ronnie Coleman quote, slightly adapted: “Everybody wants to have run a 5k, but many people don’t actually enjoy running.”

Running a 5k is a great achievement and a worthwhile fun goal, but it’s only one way of thousands to “get in shape.”

Admittedly, I’m firmly in Group #3: I don’t like running.

When I run I feel like Andy Dwyer in Parks and Rec:

I ran cross country in high school and started training the following summer for the upcoming season…only to suddenly realize, “Wait a second, I dread doing this every single morning. Why am I doing this to myself? I quit!”

I then quit running, decided to try weight training and gymnastics, fell in love with picking up heavy shit and doing cool bodyweight moves, and those choices led me down a path to start Nerd Fitness and that’s why you’re reading this article today!

Some people love that feeling of anguish or pushing beyond the limits. I don’t happen to enjoy feeling like that, so I put my focus on exercise that energizes and makes feel better.

Your mileage may vary, and you might love these feelings. Great!

So before you start Couch to 5K, think of it like a science experiment:

“I hypothesize that following Couch to 5K will help me run a 5K. I also hypothesize I’ll enjoy the process, enjoy how I feel after a run, enjoy running a 5k, and/or enjoy the achievement of having run a 5k.”

And that’s all this is: an experiment to see if running is the type of exercise you want to continue doing consistently for the next few years.

If 2 weeks into Couch to 5K you’re miserable and hate it: fantastic! You just discovered that you hate running and are now free to NEVER RUN EVER AGAIN FOREVER. It doesn’t make you a failure. It means your science experiment produced a result that you can now use to inform future exercise decisions. It doesn’t make you a failure. It just means you found a type of exercise that doesn’t work for you.

If you discover you LOVE running and how it makes you feel: fantastic! You can now make running part of your regular exercise routine. Combine this with a good nutritional strategy, and you will build yourself a runner’s physique. And you’ve found something you can do for the rest of your life.

If you are running to prove something to yourself, because a friend is doing it, because you’re raising money for charity, or anything else: fantastic! Do Couch to 5K and then decide after if this is the strategy that you enjoy and want to stick with permanently.

If you’re ONLY doing this to lose weight and it’s making you miserable, quit. Don’t run. Ever. Instead, pick exercise you actually enjoy. But not because the exercise is going to help you lose weight – because doing exercise you love is a constant reminder of “I’m making healthier choices, and thus I should probably eat healthier!”

If weight loss above all else is your goal, I’d recommend our Beginner Bodyweight routine you can do at home and combine it with our “beginner’s guide to healthy eating.” I can promise that if you read those strategies and start to implement them in your life, you’ll see results without ever having to set foot on a treadmill.

Phew! Okay, that covers “do you actually LIKE running?”

There’s another massive question you should be asking yourself before you start…

Are you healthy enough to run a 5K?

Just because you WANT to run doesn’t mean you SHOULD necessarily start running just yet.

It could be a fast track to injury, disappointment, and misery!

Those are literally three of my least favorite things. The fourth being brunch. ^[1]

Back to your health: are you physically ready to run?

If you’re at or close to your goal weight, then starting a running program is a good idea. Read the section below on “How to not get injured doing Couch to 5K” and get started.

If you are obese or very overweight, I think (power)WALKING a 5K is a great goal for the immediate future.

I don’t think running a 5K is going to be a healthy solution to helping you get healthy – in fact, it might cause damage to your joints and ligaments and cause you to backslide a whole bunch.

WHAT I WOULD DO: Focus on healthy eating, building the habit of daily walks, and follow a beginner strength building routine like the Beginner Bodyweight Circuit. This will build you a solid foundation of strength, core strength, and endurance.

Download our free Bodyweight Workout Worksheet when you sign up in the box below:

So here’s why you should focus on strength and nutrition before pounding the pavement with hours of running:

• As you begin to drop weight, a lot of the stress on your joints, organs, bones, etc. will start to decrease.
• As you strength train, the ligaments that hold your body together will become stronger and more adequately prepared for the rigors of running.
• As you refine your running form to minimize resistance and jarring shocks throughout your body, your body will learn to become more efficient.
• When you start to approach your goal weight, you can start to introduce increase your speed from power walking to jogging – with correct running technique (see below) – and staying healthy.

“STEVE, I was all excited to run a 5k, and now you have me demoralized. I’m overweight but I still want to run!”

Okay okay okay, fine! I don’t want to keep you from exercising, I want to help you build momentum and make you antifragile.

Obviously, you’re going to do what you’re going to do, and if running before your physically ready is what you want to do, go for it!

Just do it safely, please! Read the section below on how to not suck at running!

I would still advise that you focus your efforts on strength training, hiking, long walks on the beach…low impact activities that strengthen rather than deteriorate your body.

But you do you, boo.

How to start the Couch to 5K Program

“Steve I’m in. I read all of that jazz above and I am ready to get started. Whether I’m walking or running, I want to start Couch to 5K!”

If you’re ready to do the Couch to 5K program, you can download the following which I believe is the Original Couch to 5K Program (they’ve made it quite tough to find!).

The reason it’s tough to find is they’re pushing people towards the official Couch to 5K App.

Here’s another which I found on Antrandado.com

For us Nerds, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the super fun Zombies Run! app, which uses interval training combined with fun audio cues and video game mechanics throughout your running sessions.

What I would do next after downloading the program? Do the first day of training!

I would also recommend finding a race that’s 2-3 months from now, and sign up for it even if you’re not ready. Recruit a friend or two to join you in training and the race!

Doing these things create immediate motivation and accountability.

It’s the strategy that Jaime from Nerd Fitness used to get herself in shape: signing up for races in the future that she wasn’t quite ready for yet.

She also strength trained and dramatically overhauled her nutrition, but she used races as great motivational events to stay on target!

HOW TO FIND A 5K IN YOUR TOWN: Let me google that for you. Type “5K + [your town]”, and I bet there’s a 5k every weekend for the rest of the year coming up. The Couch to 5K app also lists local races for you.

To recap: pick a race that looks fun that raises money for a good cause, recruit a friend or two, and go for your first day of running.

It’s gonna suck, and you’re going to be fine. You’ll get better!

This is exactly what I did years ago when I dressed up like a Caveman with 20 of my friends and raised thousands of dollars for kids with cancer to go to summer camp!

How to Not Get Injured Training For a 5K

If you don’t learn how to run correctly, you’re doomed to develop an overuse injury and that’s going to negate the whole reason you started running in the first place!

This is why your running form is so damn crucial: when you run, you’re putting hundreds of pounds of pressure on your joints and ligaments with each bounding step down the road. This is then repeated thousands of times over the course of training and a race.

No wonder nearly every runner has tons of stories of injuries they’ve had to deal with. It can be brutal activity that can wreak havoc even with good running mechanics.

With poor running mechanics, the results are compounded.

And not the GOOD kind of “compounded” like compound interest like you learned in 2nd grade with the story about starting with 1 penny a day and doubling it for 30 days.

The BAD kind of “compounded” like plantar fasciitis and stress fractures and sore IT bands and torn ligaments and crazy soreness all the time.

We don’t want that.

I’m going to get super granular into proper running technique in this section, so if you already have perfect running form, you can skip this section. But I’d still read it.

Yeah, you should probably read it.

Here are the 5 Steps to Not Sucking at Running a 5K, thanks to my friend Jason Fitzgerald of Strength Running:

1) Lean from your ankles. Lean from your ankles, and keep a straight line from your ankle, through your butt, and up to your head. If you’re standing still with this slight forward lean, you should feel like you’re about to fall forward.

Kind of like Michael Jackson in “Smooth Criminal.” Just, slightly less of a tilt. Hat optional. Style encouraged.

When you start running, gravity will help keep you progressing forward. A proper lean from the ankles keeps your body in alignment and loads your muscles properly and efficiently.

2) Increase your cadence. Cadence is your stride rate, or the number of steps you take per minute. It will probably seem weird at first, but you’re putting less stress on your legs with shorter foot strikes.

Your cadence should be at least 170-190 steps per minute when you’re running at an easy, conversational pace. It will probably increase once you start running faster—that’s normal.

“Steve, what the hell do I do with “170-190 steps per minute?”

Great question. Go to Spotify and look for 170-190BPM playlists, like these which I found here:

• 170-190 BPM: Hip Hop Playlist
• 170-190 Rock Playlist 

Not on Spotify? Cool. (But like, why?) To get a cadence, try running to Outkast’s “Hey Ya” and time your strides to match the beat. That’s the cadence you’re looking for:

Research has shown^[2] that increasing your cadence and taking more steps (around 180 per minute) provides many of the same benefits of barefoot running: less impact shock that goes up your legs, improved running economy (or your efficiency, which means you’ll run faster with less effort!), and a reduced chance of injury.

You’ll feel like you’re taking way more steps than normal – that means you probably had poor form before and now you’re fixing it!

If your legs get to the point where they’re going this fast, let me know:

3) Foot strike at the right time. When your foot comes down and makes contact with the ground, it should be underneath your body, not in front of it. Combined with a quick cadence and a slight forward lean from your ankles, you’ll be distributing impact shock evenly—and efficiently.

This aspect of running form is often skipped over by beginning runners. Instead of focusing on where the foot is landing in relation to the rest of the body, they focus too much on running on their forefoot. If you don’t first land in the right place, a midfoot or forefoot strike will only do more damage.

As you’re running, a good mental cue is to think that you’re just “putting your foot down” in a straight line underneath your body. There’s no reaching or stretching your leg out in front of you. Practicing this mental cue will have your leg touching down almost exactly underneath your center of mass, distributing your weight evenly and safely.

4) Land on your mid-foot. While not as important as landing underneath your center of mass, becoming a mid-foot striker has a host of benefits. It can help you avoid a lot of injuries by absorbing impact shock and preventing a severe heel striking running stride.

Heel-striking can’t be entirely blamed for injuries and labeled “bad.”

Even elite athletes heel strike when they run races! It’s not entirely bad— especially if you’re putting weight down on your foot just after you heel strike, instead of directly on the heel.^[3]

What you should focus on is having a higher cadence, landing underneath your body, and not aggressively heel striking. Try to land with your foot flat on the ground, instead of with your toes angled upwards.^[4]

5) Symmetrical arm swing. Nobody wants to look at you running if you’re flailing your arms wildly all over the place like Elaine dancing from Seinfeld. An ideal arm swing has your arm bent at about 90 degrees and a front to back swing (not side-to-side).

Imagine a pretend line that goes down your mid-line or center of your body. When you run, your hands should not cross over this imaginary line. Cup your hands loosely together (no clenched fists!) and if you want to use your arms for momentum, pump your elbows, not your hands.

Once you incorporate these changes into your running form, you’ll feel a lot more comfortable and your injury risk is going to plummet.

For extra credit, learn to run softly and quietly. Foot stomping isn’t allowed and gets increasingly more difficult as you approach 180 steps per minute.

A few other things you want to keep in mind:

• Keep a tall back, chest up. No slouching.
• Look 30-50 meters in front of you – not head down looking at your toes.

Both are easy cues to keep an athletic posture and good running form.

Go back through and read this section a few more times. We know it’s a LOT to think about while running, but it is incredibly important. If you get a chance, have somebody film you running, and then watch your tape back to see how you’re doing.

Tips and Tricks for Training for Your 5K

Although the Couch to 5K Program covers specifically how you should be training, it still leaves out quite a few important things (like technique, which I covered above!).

Once you’ve picked your 5K training program, here’s how to get yourself to ACTUALLY follow through on your training!

Recruit an accountability partner. Have somebody that trains with you (or at least somebody you tell about your training), so that each day you can check in with each other.

Wanna be diabolical? Give somebody else $100 of your money. And tell them you’ll check in with them after your training every day – if you don’t do your run, they’ll donate $50 of that money to a political cause you HATE.

While you’re building the habit of running, you need to make the pain of skipping your run greater than the pain of doing the run.

Do this enough times until you build up enough momentum and get hooked on that runners high so that you actually look forward to training.

Warm-up before, stretch after. Don’t do static stretches beforeyour runs. It’s not doing what you think it is^[5]. Instead, you’re going to warm up your muscles through active movement.

• Do the following warm-up before you run. Continue this by going for a light jog, high knees, and warming up your muscles through movement.
• Do the following cool down after you run. Stretching after for the win!

Make it the first thing you do each day. Build the habit of doing your run first thing in the morning when life hasn’t had a chance to get in the way. Sleep in your running clothes. Put your alarm clock/phone across the room. Put your running shoes by the door. By hacking your batcave, you’ll minimize the steps between you and the new habit you’re trying to build.

Strength training makes running easier. Doing 1-2 sessions of strength training per week (on days you’re not running) will help you burn fat, build muscle, and stay injury free. Follow our Beginner Bodyweight Routine, no equipment required.

Don’t worry about your shoes when you start. Wear whatever you shoes you have so that you can just get started building the habit immediately. If you START to love running, read our article on proper footwear and get yourself some better kicks.

The same is true for “running clothes.” Do not let this be a barrier to entry. Start running first and make sure you like it before you go spending any hard-earned cash on stuff you’re not gonna use.

Sign up for your race as far in advance as possible. Use 20 seconds of courage if you need to, but commit to the race. If you don’t sign up, you’re going to be much more likely to back out when life gets busy. But if you pay for it ahead of time, and get other people to run with you, you’re going to be using positive peer pressure to follow through on your commitments.

Your race time doesn’t matter! Who cares if you’re the last person to finish? Like the Rock taught us, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you finish something that you started. That’s a huge accomplishment in itself.

Start a running club or join one at work – the more people you surround yourself with that are doing the things you want to do. Hang out with runners that are faster than you. You’re the average of the 5 people you associate most with, so you might as well start associating with faster, healthy runners.

Don’t have an in-person running community? That’s cool! Join the Scouts Guild in the Nerd Fitness Rebellion. It’s the section of our community that does running, biking, swimming, and other distance based activities!

What Do I do After the Couch to 5k?

You made it through the training, and you ran/walked your first 5k! I’m so proud of you.

Gold star.

A+.

So after successfully completing your first 5K, you may be wondering what you should do next. To run again or not…

Many new runners absolutely love the atmosphere at a race; the number pick- up, pre-race motivational speech, cheering crowds, and crossing that finish line.Oh, and the post race beer and meal is the best food and drink you’ve ever tasted.

So after the excitement settles down, you need to ask what you want to do next.

Your three options:

• Run Faster: Sign up for another 5k, keep training, and try to beat your previous race time.
• Run longer: Maybe you want to run a longer race like a 5 miler, a 10k, or go slay a bigger dragon like half-marathons or marathons.
• Pick a different activity: Going from Couch to 5K to Couch doesn’t help you at all. Temporary changes create temporary results.

If you’re looking to run more or faster, here are two of my favorite resources to level up:

• Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon: How to Be Your Own Best Coach
• Strength Running: A site by my friend Jason Fitzgerald.

NOTE: If you’re already a part of (or interested in joining) our coaching program, share with your coach your running goals so we can build your program around those specific goals!

And there ya have it.

To recap:

• Couch to 5K may or may not be a great program for you. It depends on how much you enjoy running, and what you are hoping to get out of the program.
• Running a 5K might be a good way to lose weight. It is entirely dependent on your nutrition. The same is true of literally ANY workout program.
• Make sure your running technique is solid. It’ll save you years of pain and injury.
• Recruit a friend or find a way to stay accountable so you actually do the race!
• Who cares about your race time! Just completing the race should be your goal.
• Once you finish the race, decide if you want to keep running or if you are going to pick a different activity.

Okay, it’s your turn. I’d love to hear your experiences when it comes to training for a 5K, and if you enjoyed the process.

Have you DONE Couch to 5K? Did you stick with it?

What challenges did you run into along the way?

Share it in the comments below so we can share it!

-Steve

PS: We have a bunch of NF Coaching clients that are training for 10Ks and half-marathons and tough mudders. If you’re somebody that wants to do races like this, but aren’t sure how to eat right and how to fit the training into your life, consider checking out our really fun 1-on-1 online coaching program.

You can learn more by scheduling a free call with our team to see if we’re a good fit for each other! Sign up by clicking on the box below:

PPS: In honor of our continued “Outsiders Month” at Nerd Fitness, this week’s Rebel Hero is Rebecca rocking her Nerd Fitness gear! I’m going to assume her horse’s name is Epona and she gallops like the wind:

Want to be the next Rebel Hero? Send us a photo of you in your NF Gear to contact@nerdfitness.com so we can share your photo and story!

###

photo credit: mripp Fun run, almostsummersky sleepy pups, BRICK 101 LEGO Sonic Tails & Shadow, clement127 Halloween is coming!!, Mabacam Speed, Photography andreas Just a Lego Minifig, Reiterlied Wandering in the North, clement127 Banquet

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.

The one thing I keep stocked in my freezer at all times (aside from ice cream) is frozen shrimp. They’re super quick to thaw, you can buy them already deveined with tails off, and they take just a few minutes to cook. I love having them on hand so that I can throw them in tacos, stir-fries, sandwiches, and, of course, pasta! (Luckily I can always turn to my coworkers for inspiration in the shrimp department.)

READ MORE »

http://www.thealternativedaily.com/

Over the years, my beauty routine has become simpler and simpler. I rarely wear makeup these days, and when I do, I am much more conscious about what I put on my skin (the days of cheap concealers and questionable lipsticks are forever gone). I am a firm believer in the power of proactive health, […]