Whey to Go?

I still remember the first time I ever tasted it. I was in the sixth grade on my way to dance practice, and my mom was concerned about me getting enough protein because I had just gotten braces. She got me a strawberry milkshake from McDonald's and a jug of protein powder probably from GNC because this was the 90's - way before widespread health food grocers and before protein powder was used by people other than body builders and prepubescent boys looking to bulk up for the ladies aka sixth grade hotties with braces like me (riiiiiight!). Anyway she mixed a heaping of the powder in with my shake and licked the spoon after she finished.

I should have placed the shake directly in the trash right then and there with the face that she made, but being the dutiful daughter that I always was (Isn't that how you remember it, Mom?!), I gave it a try.

YUCK!!! I think a few sips was all I managed and even those came with some coaxing from Mom.

Well here I am, 14 years later (Eek! Was it really that long ago?!) thinking about giving protein powder a second chance.

I am not a big meat eater and not really into dairy either other than my beloved Greek yogurt, so my main sources of protein on a daily are from nuts and beans. While they are both great, nuts are high in fat (mostly good fat mind you, but nonetheless), and I'm not looking to serve beans for every meal mostly to save myself from my husband ("Beans, beans the musical...").

So I have been doing a little thinking and reading on my healthy eating food blogs (Peas and Thank You and Carrots 'N' Cake) about adding protein powder to some of my cooking. I hopped over to Amazon's Subscribe and Save to search for some deals on vanilla protein powder.

I was overwhelmed by options. How do I know which one tastes good and which one will give me traumatic flashbacks? But then I thought, "What do I really know about protein powder?"

And my answer was "Nothing." So I decided I needed to educate myself before I purchased some.

I learned that there are many types of protein powder:

• Whey: derived from the process of making milk into cheese
  
• Casein: another milk based powder that provides a slow, sustained release of amino acids and bodybuilders commonly use this kind because it helps them maintain an anabolic state
  
• Soy: made from dehulled, deflated soybean meal and is found in a lot of health food products
  
• Egg White: a lactose and dairy free type of protein powder
  
• Hemp: seed contains complete and highly digestible protein and the oil is high in essential fatty acids
  
• Rice: vegetarian protein powder that tends to be digested easier than whey
  

Also learned some benefits of adding protein powder to your diet:

• Endurance Support: Helps recovery after a cardiovascular endurance workout (like your LONG Saturday run) and helps fight muscle soreness (Hmm...might be interested in trying it for that reason alone in light of my recent problems)
  
• Weight Control: Protein digests more slowly, helping to keep our appetite in check :)
  

After doing some research and reading through some recipes, I think it is at least worth a shot. I'll probably try whey or rice. I have tried to find rice protein powder and it seems a little harder to come by so if I can't find that I'll go with whey.

I'll let you know how it goes! Bottom's up!!

Have a Few Minutes to Spare Yourself a World of Pain?

It really is something so simple. It takes next to no time. Most of the time it feels great or hurts so good.

S T R E T C H I N G

Why don't we do it more? Why does it seem to be so hard to tack on an extra five or ten minutes to our work out to stretch our muscles and help spare us from at least some of the pain that is inevitable?

How can someone who makes exercise a priority in her daily schedule not manage to find a measly ten more minutes to stretch it out?!

Honestly, I don't have a good answer other than being lazy.

I thought about this as I laid in bed this morning lamenting my sore heel. (Not to forget about my sore shoulder blades, lower back, and hamstrings, but my heel was really stealing the show!) It looked like today was going to be another Saturday where stretching and maybe some ab work would be my only viable options for exercise.

So I decided to look it up and prove to myself once and for all why stretching is really important.

Well it turned out there are not any surprises or shocking secrets as to why stretching is good for you.

Stretching helps to prevent muscular aches and pains. It reduces soreness. It decreases your chances of injury.

If it is so straightforward and we already know the benefits, why don't we do it?

Other than feeling like I can't spare another ten minutes to stretch after my run, I think another reason why I don't stretch is because I am ineffective at it. I know the ten stretches that everyone knows from their days of rec league soccer and a move or two I picked up in yoga and Pilates. Other than that if a particular muscle is feeling tight, I do not always know how to treat it properly.

Runner's World has some great resources for stretching. They even have a tool where you can select what area of your body hurts, and it will suggest articles and videos to help you out.

Some helpful things to remember about stretching are:

• Stretch after you have warmed up for 5-10 minutes so your muscles are limber.
• Do not stretch until it hurts, stretching is supposed to be gentle.
• End each work out with some easy stretching.
• DO IT!!

So for the rest of the day it will be me, my tennis ball, and my "foam roller" also known as the rolling pin working out my kinks!

Ouch!!

How Pilates Saved Her Life ... or Just Improved Her Running and Gave Her a Fab Body

Hello vie balance Readers,

My name is Alia Staples, friend of Erin and Pilates Apprentice at The Pilates Loft in Orlando, Florida. I am working towards my certification as a Pilates Instructor through the New York Pilates Studio® Teacher Certification Program.

I began Pilates in early 2010 to introduce a new form of exercise into my fitness routine and was quickly impressed by the results. I noticed increased flexibility throughout my body, substantial improvement in the strength of my core and what I would describe as a “lengthening” in all of my muscles.

As a runner, I believe Pilates offers great cross training. I shaved 12 minutes off my half marathon time after just four months of practicing Pilates!! That was proof enough for me!

Alia just having completed the Run with Donna Half Marathon in Jacksonville, FL where she set a new PR which she attributes to her Pilates cross training.

My experience with the Authentic Pilates Method prompted me to enter the NY Pilates Studio Certification Program in January of 2011 so I could teach the method to others. The certification program requires 600 hours of training, practice teaching, and observation.

In this blog post, I will elaborate a little bit on the benefits of Pilates Erin mentioned in her previous entry, and I’ll also outline the most important things to look for when selecting a Pilates studio.

Let’s start with the benefits. There’s a ton, so I’ll just mention the most important ones:

• Pilates improves overall body awareness. Each movement requires complete connection between the mind and the body to perform the precise, controlled exercises.
• Pilates improves core strength, and everyone from cubicle dwellers to athletes can benefit from that!
• Pilates teaches you good posture and stance.
• Pilates works the entire body, from head to toe with each exercise. This lengthens and strengthens your muscles.

The Shoulder Bridge on the Cadillac

"I often tell people that ask about the benefits of Pilates that I look back on my life before Pilates, and I feel like I was wearing an extra suit of skin over my entire body."

How to find a great studio where you will get your money’s worth

Once you’ve decided to try Pilates, it’s time to look around for studios or classes in your area. Seek out a studio dedicated to Pilates. What do I mean by that? I mean: look further than your local gym’s group Pilates class. You know what I’m talking about – it’s when the neighborhood YMCA offers Zumba, Spinning, Yoga and Pilates one after the other in some large group exercise room. There’s nothing wrong with these classes, but if you want to pursue true Pilates training and really experience the benefits, you’ll need to find a stand-alone facility complete with the Pilates equipment Erin mentioned in her last post (mats, towers, reformers, barrels, chairs and a cadillac). These are all necessary for well rounded Pilates training.

The Hug on the Reformer

Here is what to look for in a Pilates studio (in order of priority):

Credentials of the Instructors:

I believe this is the single most important component in selecting a studio. Up until the year 2000, the term “Pilates” was trademarked and instructors had to get certified through the original Pilates Studio of New York® to teach the principles designed by Joseph Pilates. However, in the past decade, a wide array of “Pilates” certification programs have emerged, ranging from a weekend crash course in Pilates, to an extensive 600 hour training program requiring instructors to pass rigorous practical teaching tests and written anatomy tests.

I am admittedly a purist when it comes to certification programs. The truer the certification program is to Joseph Pilates’ original vision, the better. There is a direct correlation between how educated your instructor is and the results you will see as a client. So, do your research. Read about the instructors on the studio’s website, then Google the programs they were certified through. What did these people do to get certified? How true is the program to the principles of Authentic Pilates.

Personalized Instruction, Even in Group Class:

Look for a studio that offers small group (8-10 people) classes. I know that sounds small, but you want to have the instructor’s attention. If your form is not carefully monitored by him/her, you’ll end up losing the effectiveness of the exercises. Small class size enables instructors to watch every person work out and make adjustments to their body as necessary. Pilates is hands on, and a good instructor will walk around a class and touch, push, and correct each person throughout the session.

Most studios offer Private or Semi-Private sessions for personalized attention. Private sessions are one-on-one time with an instructor and Semi-Privates are sessions like “duets”, where you and one other person work with an instructor. While these types of sessions are great because of the student to teacher ratio, they can be rather pricey (about $65-$85/hour for privates depending on where you live). So, group classes are a great alternative if you want to do Pilates but don’t have a huge budget for it. Just make sure they stay small.

Quality of Pilates Equipment:

A good studio will invest in high-quality Pilates equipment. My favorite brand is Gratz. Peak Pilates is another brand that’s made well. Those are two brands you can keep an eye out for when exploring studios in your area. They are built with either aluminum or maple wood frames. Take a quick walk around the studio you are researching (or check out their online photos) to see how sturdy and well maintained their equipment looks. It’s pretty easy to spot the flimsy stuff.

I wish you luck in your search for a Pilates studio. Feel free to email me if you have any further questions at alia.staples@gmail.com.

Special thanks to Erin for inviting me to be her first ever guest blogger!