Thursday, June 30, 2011

Flexr Sports Bike Hydration Kit

I'm pretty clumsy and uncoordinated. To even to reach down and grab my water bottle while riding is a challenge, and I end up not drinking as much as I need.

So I was really happy to find a convenient and affordable way to get water!

The Flexr bottle is pretty much just a bottle with a very long straw. 

With the Flexr Bottle, all you needed was your normal water bottle cage.  
Also, the bottle comes with liners, so you can put in your mixed protein/carbohydrate liquids in your bottle, and don't have to worry about getting mold or a funky smell.
Just toss out the old liner each time. The liners are pretty cheap, and I only use it when I have mixed drinks in there. I don't worry about it when I use water.


Step 1: Measure out how much tubing you need

Step 2: Strap the tube on 
  • Now the kit comes with Zip ties, but this prevents you from removing the straw to clean it. So I use Velcro Straps. You can find Velcro straps pretty cheap at any stationary store, or my favorite - Amazon!
Step 3 - Cut and put the mouth piece back on
  • Make sure you position the mouth piece correctly. You have to bite down to get the water to come out, so if its the wrong side up, it'll never open. 




And now you have Hands Free Water on your bike :-D

Other alternatives to hands free water....


  • An Aero Bottle Profile Design Aero Drink System but you needed aero bares for it to work, which I didn't have.
  •  Or a Speedfil (almost $100) Inviscid Design Speedfil which also needed to be installed on your bike (more $) and is pretty much the same idea with a very long straw.

Monday, June 27, 2011

How to Clean a Camelbak bottle



 I really like camelbak podium waterbottles because you can find a good deals on amazon, the "jet-valve" and its BPA free. With the "jet-valve" you don't have to fiddle with caps or plugs when you're working out, running or biking. No spills and easy to drink.

But...after a while they do absorb some funky smells, and the mouthpiece gets dirty and moldy.  This is my remedy to save your water bottles instead of tossing them out and buying new ones. 










Step 1: Baking Soda, Lemon, and your bottle.














Step 2: Remove the mouth piece. 
  • twist the mouthpiece so it doesn't align with the cap, this will make it easier for the piece to pop off. 

Step 3: 
  • Add 2 spoonfuls of baking soda into the bottle (or more if you like) 
  • Cut up the lemon and squeeze the juice into the bottle and toss the remaining parts of lemons into the bottle.
  • Place the mouth pieces inside the bottle so it can get cleaned in the process
  • Add water
  • Shake it up









Step 5: Waiting..

  • Depending on how dirty the bottle you can have it sit longer. If you do, place it in the fridge so the lemons don't rot, there it can sit for a few days.

Step 6: Rinse
  • Once you're done, rinse out everything. The bottle should not longer have the 'funky' smell, and may smell/taste like lemons, which will fade in a day or so, let it air out. 
  • The cap and mouth piece should be all clean, if not, just give it a few scrubs with a toothbrush. 

Now you have a clean and fresh tasting bottle :)


Thursday, June 23, 2011

How to adjust a Valeo Jump Rope

Recently I've heard about the great benefits of jumping rope. Depending on your weight, in an hour, you can burn 500 calories (for 100lbs) to 1000 calories (for 200lbs) per hour, which is pretty intense. I would burn about 1000 calories doing a 30+ mile bike ride, with hills. So jumping rope does sound much "easier" and less expensive than my road bike.

good article on jumping rope via Livestrong.com




So I bought on Amazon for about $5 a pretty decent and cheap speed rope. 
Valeo Jump Rope Speed. 

However my only problem was when it arrived, it was really really long. But Luckily I figured an easy way to adjust it. 









Step 1: Remove the foamy part. 












Step 2: Push the loose end of the rope, up into the handle. This will cause the rope inside to push the cap up, allowing you have enough room to slip a flat head screw driver into the crack. 

















Step 3: Once the cap is off, adjust the rope to your height. 


  • Stand in the middle of the rope. Pull the handles up so the rope is tight, you want the handles to be a bit under your armpits.


Once you find out how much rope you need, you can either re-clamp the metal part, or be lazy like me, and just tie a knot. 


















Step 4: If needed, cut off excess, recap the handle, and put the foamy part back on. You only need to do this one 1 side of the rope. I tried stuffing the excess back into the handle, but it didn't fit, so I had to cut it, I removed about 1.5ft of the rope.



Enjoy and start burning some calories. :)

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

50% Off TYR Swimming and Triathlon Gear

http://schwaggle.active.com/deal/1723/50-percent-off-on-all-items-at-tyrcom/national?cmp=23-3

This is a good deal, if you can find something that isn't out of stock.

I wasn't able to find a new tri suit that fits me, but doesn't mean you can't :)

check it out.. if I didn't already have a tri bag, I would totally get the

Convoy Transition Backpack
Style: LTRX
$180.00


http://www.tyr.com/shop/convoy-transition-backpack-p-1201-c-68_83_228.html


Its a 180, so if you get the $60 off $120, the bag will end up costing you $120... still a little much for me, but is it a pretty awesome bag.











I have the 'old skool' transition bag, which has been working out pretty well for me.
http://www.tyr.com/shop/transition-bag-p-253-c-68_83_229.html

Monday, June 13, 2011

Emergency Stash

Do you have an emergency "workout" stash in your car?

I'm always so forgetful, its easy to overlook and leave something behind.

Things I always have in my car in case I forget.

  • 1 pair of flip-flops 
  • Goggles & Cap
  • Socks
  • Shoes (I leave an older pair of running shoes in there)
  • Sun screen


In case I forgot my workout bag completely, or wanted to do an unexpected stop at the gym, I have my emergency/backup workout bag which contains


  • Towel
  • Swim suit. 
  • Shirt and shorts
  • 3 in 1 shampoo and body wash


I also put an emergency mini first aid kit in my car and each one of my gym/workout bags.
a ziplock bag with


  • ointment
  • band-aids
  • large band aids
  • K-tape
  • alcohol wipes
  • sport wipes















What do you have in your "stash"? :)

What is "Normal?"

I love getting my yearly physicals, if my doctor would let me, I'd get them every 6 months or even 3 or 4 months. Its always better to be safe than sorry, and as we age, we're no longer the "invincible" teen that could rebound from a crash within a few hours.

When I get my blood work done I have them check for everything and every cancer possible (that is capable of begin tested for). Most doctors wont run those additional lab tests unless you request it, because they think, "oh you're young, you dont need to worry about that" But now-a-days that is very wrong. Many more 'young people' are succumbing to diseases earlier due to our diet and environment.

In my mid 20's I developed ployps which most people don't develop until they're 50.

I went to 4 different doctors. The first 3 brushed me off because of my age, and said the text book, "oh its stress related". But I knew something wasn't right, so I didn't give up. Finally I found my 4th doctor which didn't brush me off, and did a colonoscopy, which found and removed the polyps.

If I waited til I was 50 to get checked I would've already gotten colon cancer at that point or be dead.

Anyway.. I got my yearly physical results and on paper it looks like I'm in top health and I was pretty happy, until I compared my results from last year.... and my cholesterol went up (the BAD one) & my uric acid levels are pretty high as well. The top range is 5.7 and I'm at 5.5.. thats too close for comfort.

Its still in the "Good Normal" range but what if every year it keeps going up a little bit more, then I'll soon be out of the normal range and into the "Bad" range.

Its better to know now, so I can take Action Now.

My action plan:

Drink 3 liters of water a day,
More calcium, fish oil, more fiber and Vit C daily.
More alternative veggies. (I've been loving Spinach this year- but spinach can cause higher levels of uric acid)
Water and Vit C are good for reducing Uric Acid. Fish oil and Soluble fiber are good at reducing the "bad" cholesterol.





Weight Loss 101: How to Calculate a Calorie Deficit

Great Article By Matt Fitzgerald 
For Active.com
http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/How-to-Calculate-a-Calorie-Deficit.htm?cmp=17-3-668


Do the Math

Your ultimate goal is to figure out exactly how many calories to eat daily to lose weight without being hungry and lethargic and without sabotaging your training. To do that you need to figure out how many calories you burn each day and then subtract your target deficit of 300 to 500 calories from that number.
There are two components to your total calories burned daily: calories burned at rest and calories burned in workouts.
To begin, add up the total number of hours you train in a typical week and divide that number by seven to yield the average number of hours you train daily. For example, suppose you train seven hours per week on average. This works out to one hour per day. Next, multiply this number by your body weight in pounds and the average number of calories you burn per pound of body weight per hour of training. The average number of calories you burn per hour of training is influenced by your speed. Use this table to get the appropriate multiplier.
Training Speed
Calories per pound per hour
Slower (run 11:00/mile)
4
Average (9:30/mile)
5
Faster (7:00/mile)
6



The result of this calculation is the average number of calories you burn through exercise daily. For example, suppose you run one hour per day on average, you weigh 150 pounds, and your speed is slower. In this case, 1 hour x 150 pounds x 4 calories per hour = 600 calories per day on average through exercise.
Your next step is to calculate your calories burned at rest (i.e. outside of workouts) during the day. To do this, first visit the caloric needs calculator and enter the information requested. In the "Activity Level" field enter "Sedentary" if you are mostly inactive outside of your workouts (that’s most of us) or "Lightly Active" if you have a physical job. Do not select "Active", as this option is intended to account for your workouts, which you’ve already accounted for separately for greater accuracy.
The result is an estimate of the number of calories you burn in 24 hours outside of exercise. But since you spend part of those 24 hours working out, we need to remove that part from the estimate.
To do this, take your estimate of calories burned at rest and divide it by 24, then multiply the result by the number of hours per day that you donot spend working out. For example, suppose your calculated calorie usage outside of exercise is 2,000 calories per day. If you work out 1 hour per day on average, then there are 23 hours of the day when you’re not working out. In this case, your daily calories burned at rest is (2,000 calories per day ÷ 24 hours per day x 23 hours a day you do not work out = 1,916 daily calories burned.
To determine the total number of calories you burn daily, add together your average daily exercise calories burned and your calories burned at rest. So, if you burn 1,916 calories per day at rest and 600 calories per day through exercise, then the total number of calories your body burns per day on average is 2,516.
This number also represents the total number of calories you would need to consume daily to maintain your current weight.
The total number of calories you should aim to consume is equal to the number of calories you would need to eat daily to maintain your current weight minus your chosen calorie deficit. Remember, the appropriate deficit range is 300 to 500 calories. Let’s say you choose 400. Then you should aim to eat 2,116 calories per day (2,516 total calories burned per day – 400 calorie deficit) during your weight-loss initiative.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Vegas or bust

Ok... now that I've experienced the freshman 15 for the 2nd time in my life, I need some major damage control, and to be ready for Vegas in July.
I'll do my best to log my food and exercises until I hopefully reach my goal.
Come play along :)


Goal - 
lose 2 -3 inches off waist
lost 10 lbs (if possible)

Week 1
Lbs: 128
Waist: 29 in
Hips: 32 in


Week 2
Lbs: 127

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Kashi U Cereal

Really tasty and healthy. Some high fiber cereals kinda taste like wood, but this one is really tasty. Gets a little soggy in the milk, but overall holds its crunch well.
There's tasty black currents, walnuts and oat clusters.
Best part it has 7 grams of fiber, (2gs soluable, 5 gs insoluable)

Some fiber Facts via http://www.healthcastle.com/fiber-solubleinsoluble.shtml



Insoluble Fiber

Functions of Insoluble Fiber

-move bulk through the intestines
-control and balance the pH (acidity) in the intestines

Benefits of Insoluble Fiber

-promote regular bowel movement and prevent constipation
-keep you feeling fuller longer
-remove toxic waste through colon in less time
-help prevent colon cancer by keeping an optimal pH in intestines to prevent microbes from producing cancerous substances

Soluble Fiber

Functions of Soluble Fiber

-bind with fatty acids
-prolong stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly

Benefits of Soluble Fiber

-lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) therefore reducing the risk of heart disease
-regulate blood sugar for people with diabetes

Friday, June 3, 2011

Compression Sock Review: Zensah vrs Zoot vrs 2XU

Thanks to technology, I can't imagine being without compression socks now. I use them on my higher mileage or hilly runs where I need the extra ankle and calf support and during races. They really help so my legs are not tired after the run. Also  they are great to wear on planes, snowboarding, or at home for recovery. I even wore them during my vacation to New York where I knew I would have lots of walking and standing to do.

I really love these things and I've had the opportunity to try 3 different brands,

1 - 2XU
2 - Zoot
3 - Zensah

Zensah Compression Sock

Zensah Compression Socks Medium Sand These are usually more affordable than other compression brands. I think I got these for around $35 or less.
However the material is thicker, so its good for winter or cold runs, but in the summer it can get a little too warm. Also the material isn't as "tight" as other brands. Over all pretty decent for its price. I like wearing these socks on planes and for snowboarding.

Race Results - I ran a 13.1 race in these, and afterwards my calves weren't tired. Over all very pleased.

Zoot
 I found these on sale at Amazon for less than $35, (pretty good deal). The material is much thinner than Zensah and very tight.

Race Results -  I ran a 13.1 race in these and my legs felt better than when I ran with Zensah, but they were still tired but a little sore, but again better than running without them.




2XU ( currently $30-35 on amazon. Retails $50)
2XU Unisex Adult Compression Race Sock (White, Small) My Favorite compression socks so far. I got these as a gift. The material is similar to Zoot, very thin and very tight. I'm not sure if these perform so well for me because I'm wearing them 1 size smaller. I should be a S on their chart, but these socks are XS.

Race Results - I ran my fastest 13.1 race in these and afterwards my calves felt Fantastic. Every other part of my leg from the knee up was really sore and tired Except for my calves. My calves felt normal as if I hadn't just run 13.1 miles. I think these socks are magical.


Compression gear can get really pricey if you pay at retail. So if you have a coupon or keep an eye out for deals. Right now the 2XU are a pretty good deal at Amazon.. I just picked up my 2nd pair. :)

Why Triathletes Are Well Prepared For A Zombie Apocalypse

I came across this blog and this was too hilarious not to repost. :-D via http://swimbikerunlive.com

http://swimbikerunlive.com/2011/05/why-triathletes-are-well-prepared-for-a-zombie-apocalypse/

this is my favorite part -

Taste
You know why most shark attack victims are just chewed and spit out instead of swallowed? Humans are not delicious. You know what is even less delicious? A super-lean shaved down human with -5% body fat. If you are traveling in a group, I guarantee you’ll be with someone far more delicious looking than yourself.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

I love Tri's - its an Addiction

Sometimes out of the blue, I'll think about Tri's and I'll smile to myself.

As  much has tri's consume your life, it really makes me happy. Its so much work and effort and time, but when you're at the event in the water with all the other swimmers, its just so exciting. Then to finally cross that finish line, exhausted, but you know its over.. its really over and you did it..

Time like this really remind me of why I do, what I do, and why its so freaking awesome.