Tag: health

health

Tips For Staying Healthy on a Plane for Runners

January 31, 2020

I used to get sick every time I flew. It didn’t matter what I did. I would always get sick during or after a trip. Since last summer, I started being intentional about my travel, especially with so much of it coming up. I began having ar routine of items I would check off my list for packing but also carrying on the plane. Then in the summer, the queen Naomi Campbell shared her Airport Routine with the world, and it changed my entire life. I watched it at least 10x and ordered everything or my versions of what she had and tried it out. After the first flight, I noticed I was a bit concerned because folks were looking at me crazy, and I was slow in doing the process that she showed. However, after I made it back from this flight in the summer, I noticed I wasn’t sick at all. I tried it again in August, and on the second flight, I didn’t get sick. And again.. And Again. Oh, honey! Since doing this, I have not gotten AT ALL for 6 months of traveling. Below I pulled together a few items that you have to have for staying healthy while traveling on a plane to marathons and a runner. Get everything on my “Travel Essentials” storefront, and thank me later! Tips For Staying Healthy on a Plane for Runners I keep all my supplies in a cute tote or bag and then pull it out of my backpack. Here are the items that you must have if you are a traveling runner like myself or it’s your first marathon away from the city. Gloves: I put on my gloves before anything else when I am in the plane. I have these in a bag and mostly carry about two pairs per trip. I clean them off with the hand sanitizer or wet wipes and dispose of them after a round trip. I often forget them, so I always try to have a backup, so that’s why it’s two pair. Wet-Wipes: So, I am partial to wet-wipes than Lysol because they can also be used on the body and come in the individual wraps. I use the individuals for my hands often and the larger ones to wipe off the seats and trays from everything. I follow and look like a budget & generic version of Naomi when traveling. I don’t care. Water bottle – Hydroflask: I break everything, but one bottle I haven’t is my trusty hydro flask. I carry it with me and refill it everywhere I go. I have two, a small 20 and my trusty 40 ounces. I add a santevia travel water filter in it to clean and purify water as needed. Masks: So right now, I have a few favorites, but so far, this mask is everything. It comes in cute colors and has filters that I replace inside. I like this option as I can easily wash and go on. These are my favorites and highly recommend grabbing at least two of them because someone took mine, or you might lose and forget one. I also have disposable ones incase I forget as a backup. Vitamins: Biofrizz, isn’t your standard vitamins c. Not sure what is in it, but this kicks out most colds. I take a serving 2-days before I leave, each day while I am traveling, and 2 days after I am back to ensure I kick out whatever germs. I take this with 2 ounces of water, so it’s my vitamin C shot. Electrolytes: Personally, my body like Pedialyte® for running as I don’t cramp, but I know it’s expensive, so since most of my friends are Nuun ambassadors, I like the Nuun vitamins or sports. These are great to travel with and much affordable too. I will grab a free coffee cup and add some water to it while I am waiting in the airport. It’s easy for me and I can re-use if I want to add in some hot water to make it warm and a tea. Blanket: I would recommend getting your blanket, but I use my race blanket and love the fleece from it. It’s light but warm and nothing like showing off that I am a marathoner. Just make sure it is thin and not too bulky where you can sit on it and also throwback in your bag or purse. Hand sanitizer (optional): I prefer the natural ones just because I am using this often and don’t want my hands to be too dry, and most contain a lot of chemicals. My favorites are by Dr. Bronners and Everyone, which I grab these at Wholefoods or Amazon. I use these also in my gym bag and pretty much anywhere too. I sometimes have this buried in my bag and use the wet-wipe individuals instead cause it’s easier. These are essentials that I have that keep me from being sick. Most of these items I learned from Naomi, and it’s work. I don’t drink any water on the plane, bring my food when possible, and pretty much keep to myself. I can’t hear much with my headphones on, which I only use Jaybirds Vistas. No crying babies will bother me!! Trust me grab all these items on amazon and you will thank me later!

What I Eat In A Day to Lose 30 Pounds

July 17, 2019

Within two months, I lost almost 30 pounds. Yep. that’s a crazy amount of weight to lose and no I didn’t do anything crazy to get the weight off. No detox pills or crazy deprivation methods. I gave up and adjusted only three things in my life which were sleep, stress and sugar. You can find out more about how I ended up there by reviewing “How I lost 30 pounds in 2 months.” But obviously, the one thing everyone wanted to know is what did I eat or not eat for two months. I made it simple for me because remember my main focus was reducing/giving up stress so that included how I consumed my food. Everything listed has a link to purchase and or more information about the item. In general, I used meal prep services where my meals were already made for me. I didn’t have time even to cook and didn’t want to think about anything. Again less stress. Other areas, I tried to adjust and keep sugar to the low-low. What I Eat In A Day to Lose 30 Pounds Awake & PreWorkout I try to wake up at the same time. As part of my weight loss, sleep was/is critical, and thus, I make it a top priority over everything. After sleeping a full 8-10 hours, my body needs some significant hydration. I try to drink 12+ ounces with lemon or lime juice in the morning. Sometimes it’s more or less; it just depends on how I feel each day. Since I workout in the morning, I work out with either some form of electrolyte or pre-workout mix. These mostly come from UCAN as they are clean and sugar-free and ensure I won’t have a “sugar” crash once working out. UCAN is excellent for those who are diabetic and or concerned with for blood and “sugar” levels. Not to go into details about it but, it contains SuperStarch®, which a slow-release complex carb that steadies your blood sugar. I like it because I can take pretty much one product before or after working out. Simple. Easy. Not complicated. You can find the items or try them on Amazon or grab this package on their website. Breakfast After working out, it’s time to have breakfast officially. I am rushing and always on the move from either running or cross-training so, I keep breakfast stress-free with a shake. I would like to make smoothies, but it can be costly and not as possible. I like Garden of Life Raw Meal Protein as it contains greens, a significant amount of protein and everything honestly I need for the morning day. I take two scoops in the morning and add to a shaker. Once completed, I actually “eat” and have some toast. Ezekiel bread can taste weird if you aren’t used to it, but it’s low in sugar, contains reasonable amounts of protein and the “real” bread. Garden of Life Raw Meal Protein Garden of Life Fit Shakes Ezekiel Bread: Raisin, Regular and Sesame Daily Hydration Once I get to work or on my way. I use this time to consumer more liquids cause I am on the move and working away. I often am hydrating mostly before and after lunchtime the following items. Tea: Black with stevia and cream, half and half or milk. I allow myself this option because I love teas. I usually have one cup of black tea around 10-11ish and then again around 2-3. Sometimes I would get a red or green drink, but I love black tea. Alkaline Water: I like Alkaline 88 because it’s a bit more affordable, fresh and has salt (mineral) included in it and I need every bit I can take. I try to take in 40 ounces of alkaline water a day; thus, I don’t have to drink that much water in general. Green Juice: When I would feel sick or tired or needed some kick, I would get a green juice. The green juices I pick contain virtually no fruits so they can be a bit yucky to those who aren’t used to them. If I can’t find one without any fruit my other choice is to read the ingredients and select one with an apple as the fruit because it has the lower sugar containment. This wasn’t a regular thing, but I do drink them here and there. I don’t often because I opt to have Garden of Life Superfood – Greens as this contains all the greens I needed in a fraction of the cost. Lunch & Dinner Meals This is the most natural part of everything for me because I use Snap Kitchen each week and don’t think about what I am going to eat. I eat one of there vegetarian meals for lunch and dinner. Snap has updated their menu, so I am listing the meals I ate then plus the meal I like now. New Meals (July): Lentil, Veggie burger, Taco hash, Umami grain bowl, sweet potato veggie Benedict Previous Meals: Black bean burger, Taco hash, grilled kale hoping John, roasted veggies with cucumber than spicy dan noodles Salads: Greek and house salads are my favorites. I purchased two and split them in half and consume half with each meal. I keep salads simple with mixed greens, three toppings (ex: blue cheese, carrots, and roasted tomatoes) and switching out the dressings. My favorite dressings are by Wholefoods and Tessemae’s. I buy toppings based on whatever is on sale if I am making them. Save on Snap Kitchen: I used this same coupon to grab a week’s worth of meal for super less than $30 bucks. You can also try a few meals for cheap and on the low-low. Save that eating out money and decrease ya grocery bill. Additional Protein For Meals If I am hungry and need a bit more calories and or protein, I will cook a week’s worth of black bean burgers, Beyond

How I Lost 30 Pounds in 2 Months

May 31, 2019

I thought about having a webinar or going live to discuss how I lost weight but you know what, I just hit the video and recorded it for you. Instead of editing down this video, I thought it was important you got an idea of my journey and who I am. I am honest and hardly did any edits because in all things I want to continue to be authentic about who I am and what I am doing. #nocookiecutter Don’t worry. I am making shorter videos on everything I listed so those will go into details. Consider this your intro and pep talk about health and wellness first before going into the details and action of everything. Losing 30 Pounds in 2 Months & Running 3 Times a Week Before starting, I highly recommend doing a spring cleaning. I got rid of everything in my house. From food, the pantry, clothes, to underwear and old sheets, everything must go in order to make room for the newness. This wasn’t pretty but it forced me to see how much clutter I had physically that was reflected emotionally and mentally too. Importance of Tracking and Finding Habits for Weight Loss When I saw the scale hit 200lbs on February 13th at the doctor’s office, I was filled a lot of emotions and also sick for the umpteenth time. However, I left out of the office more concerned about my weight than ever. I was the heaviest I had ever been in my life and the main issue I had was – how did I get there. I was not only the heaviest but sick, high blood pressure and just a mess. My life was falling apart both physically, emotionally and mentally and I couldn’t keep it together anymore. After a few weeks, I finally got myself together and made a plan. The problem was that I didn’t know how to tackle weight loss and stop yo-yo dieting for good. One day, I heard the quote “we are all just creatures of habits” and it occurred to me that I needed to figure out what I was doing in order to lose the weight for good. So I tracked everything! I tracked everything to make myself accountable for results and know what’s going on. AKA what are my habits. So below are the things I tracked. Weight Blood Pressure – Doctor’s orders Sleep Food & Water Everything Else (Stress, Exercise etc) By seeing what I was doing on a daily basis I had a better idea of how I could make a plan and then adjust. I was able to see what was working, big time failures and how to create new habits. It wasn’t pretty but it kept me accountable to see what was happening every single day and to get raw and honest about what was going on with myself. Focusing on the Big 3: Stress, Sleep & Sugar. After reviewing my habits, I didn’t change everything. Instead, I focused on breaking and forming new habits of the following three items: Stress, Sleep, and Sugar. Pretty much I did the following Sugar: Sugar is literally in everything! I also have a big sweet tooth so this was probably the hardest for me. I cut out sugar in all things from food to fruit. At first, it was hard and no it wasn’t perfect. I skimmed through a few books that discussed the impact of sugar but it’s basically a drug. I kept tracking everything I consumed and would make adjustment each day and week. It’s now easier and I don’t think about it. I have some form of sugar in things such as post-workout drink or a cookie here and there but it’s super rare. I do have stevia often in my tea. Indirectly this made me cut out most bread, pasta, and al the other stuff too but that’s another video for another day. Sleep: I re-read my book so I could have a healthy foundation but the biggest things that stood out was my discussion of sleep in the book. I forgot all about the importance. Did you know that lack of sleep or keeping someone up is used as a form of torture in war or capturing an enemy? Yep! When tracking everything via my Garmin, I saw how little sleep I was getting. I thought I was having a night of at least 7 hours of sleep but in reality, it was more like 4 hours of sleep. I made it a priority to make sure that I had a lot more sleep. I started going to bed earlier and sleeping about 9-10 hours a night. It seems like a lot but I was making my body find a natural sleep pattern at first. Eventually, I even out and have a good cycle. Some days I do need more sleep and I am mindful of it. Stress: I monitored this via my watch but also just taking time out to each day to workout, write, meditate and such. This is a big issue and there isn’t much advice I can say about watching stress levels. Most of it is mental so my advice is to get some therapy and also adjust what you are consuming into your ears/eyes/mind on a daily basis. During this time, I unfollowed a lot of random accounts and people on social media that didn’t align with where I wanted to go. Additionally, this happened in real life as I begin to be aware of what was stressing me out or making me sad. This can be a job, person, car, meal prepping, etc. What I realized was that I didn’t have a lot of time and it was stressing me out so I begin to invest in things that would aid in decreasing stress such as trying meal prep companies and delivery services. In short, I substituted unhealthy stress for a healthier option such as traveling and working out/running.

Turmeric For Runners – Golden Milk

January 13, 2019

Every week, I have been making this tea called Golden Milk. If you didn’t now basically golden milk is a tea that is a golden color because it’s made with/from turmeric, which is yellowish. It can be made with a variety of spices such as pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Most people make it with regular turmeric but lately I have been using turmeric supplements instead as they are of higher quality and a quick way to ingest the supplements without taking a pill. I have dubbed this “Super Charged Golden Milk Tea.”

Running 101: Facebook Live Chats in June

June 4, 2018

I am kicking off the month of June by having my first series of Facebook Live Videos. Each week, I will be teaching on a few essential topics I know that will help you achieve being healthy from the inside out. I will be focusing on running related, but the lives are open to anyone (non-runners, walkers or joggers are welcomed!) Weight Loss & Running Last year, this was me. This was just me in August struggling through a race I waited years to do. It sucked being too slow and frankly was embarrassed. My goal was never to lose weight actually but training for a run. The by-product was the weight-loss, but also some fears, depression, old goals and much more were shredded as well. In my first FB session, I will be chatting about my journey, My weight loss journey and how running helped What I eat in a day for weight loss Essential nutrition & supplements for weight loss Hydration & Working Out Now that you have learned about my weight loss, I couldn’t wait to teach about the importance of hydration. Dehydration can lead to headaches, aid in hair loss and even hinder your ability to workout and lose weight. As Certified Sports Nutritionist, RRCA Running Coach and Boston Marathoner, I will be diving into Why Hydration & Electrolytes are so important Effects on your body due to dehydration Various ways to stay hydrated while working out Hair & Running 101 A huge issue with working out is how to have healthy hair while being active. As a marathoner and triathlete for over the last decade, I know how tough this can be. I founded The FitHair as a way to chat about the latest in wellness and help inspire a healthy hair from the inside out. From hairstyles to the gym to healthy recipes and foods you should eat, my mission is to keep you in tip-top shape from the inside out. We will tackle the following topics in this session My Marathon journey and creation of FitHair Connecting nutrition to hair care as a runner Importance of having a FitHair routine Products and accessories for your hair and running Health, Fitness & Traveling Health, Fitness & Traveling Did you know I have spent almost a decade in the travel industry and have traveled quite a bit for various races around the country? There is nothing more than I love to do than to explore a new city. Don’t believe me? Check out my Running Travel Guides. Running marathons allows me to explore a city within a few hours and have an excellent time! We all know that traveling is impressive, but it can also be stressful and detrimental to our health when we’re always on the go. Tips for staying healthy while traveling Must have items for traveling with only a carry-on bag Supplements for traveling & staying healthy RSVP For Facebook Lives WHEN: Every Wednesday in June at 7:30pm CT. RSVP Here.

How to Wake Up for Early Morning Workouts

May 16, 2018

Are you struggling to wake up in the mornings? Want to hit the gym at 5 or 6am but instead you just keep hitting the snooze button? I love nothing better than a good Saturday sleep in on a cool fall day but truth is, I wake up at 5am pretty much everyday to workout and get my day started. Sometimes I look forward to it, other days, I am over it but honestly when I get done it’s one of the best parts of my day and I feel like I can crush anything. Waking up early and establishing a morning routine, was a critical part of my weight loss journey when training as I made sure nothing came before myself and my mornings rituals. Becoming am morning person and establishing a proper foundation for my mornings propelled me to focus on the positive and the goals I wanted to accomplish. Also, I was less likely to miss a workout later on in the day. Check out this video where I offer a few tips on how I slay the day and my morning workouts easier. How to Wake Up for Early Morning Workouts Tips in a nutshell Lay out workout clothes the night before Go to bed regularly at a proper time Avoid snoozing and get up using the 5 second rule Listen to devotion or meditation in the mornings while getting ready Establish a morning routine Recommended Products Joyce Meyer App The 5 Second Rule BedTime App iPhone https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208655 Android Sleep Tracker

Weight Loss for Runners | What I Eat In a Day – Morning Edition

May 10, 2018

Training for the 2018 Boston Marathon, I ended up losing some weight. Actually, I lost more inches than anything. Don’t believe me?!! Look at this before my training and during me during my Boston training?! Whoa!! Right?! When I posted this side-by-side while ago on my Instagram, I was flooded with questions of how I lost weight, what my training was like and much more. A post shared by Alexandria Williams (@alexandriawill) on Apr 15, 2018 at 6:33pm PDT I was to busy and focused mainly on Boston to answer everything, to be honest. But I made it through the Boston craziness sooooo now, I am back at it and am doing a series where I answer your questions about running and weight loss. Focus on Your Morning Time Breakfast and your first few hours of the day are vital to your overall health and well being. If you start with proper fuel it will help you stay on track for the day. This was critical for me so I wanted to start with a few videos on the importance of morning. In this video, I break down the importance of fueling my morning and what I eat from the time I wake up to about midday. Weight Loss for Runners | What I Eat In a Day – Morning Edition List of Foods & Supplements I Mention – Download the Meal Plan Sheet for Free – http://bit.ly/mealpreplist – Alkaline Water: Santevia Kit – https://amzn.to/2Iuhz9P – Sprouts Hummus: Everything – Genuine Health Products https://amzn.to/2rAdBlA – Yerba Mate: https://amzn.to/2KSqu2Z – Harney & Sons Black Tea https://amzn.to/2rzebAQ – Milton’s Crackers https://amzn.to/2Iac5S7 Proper Foundations Helps Me Achieve My Goals! Want more details? Truly everything I discuss is really in my book. I wrote the book and seriously applied all the principles and foundations in it finally!! Having the proper foundation allowed for me to achieved being a sub-3 hour half-marathon finally lose 3 dress sizes trained for the Boston Marathon battled my on-going fight with depression. Yep! It’s the foundation that matters! Don’t start tomorrow or on Monday, start now! Check it out for more details on how to have the proper foundation and healthy hair and body from the inside out. Grab your copy right now!

3 Tips to Picking Running Shoes

April 23, 2018

There are thousands of different types of shoes. Picking up a pair of shoe that may fit you takes a little bit more thought than just picking up any old shoe off the rack. Body shape, posture, foot style and exercise all are major factors in picking out the best shoe for your needs. Without the proper shoe, you could cause many issues such as back pains, knee problems and even be a result of an injury. Knowing what to look for in shoe will help your feet stay happy from heel to toe. Here are three tips to help you pick the right shoe. 3 Tips to Picking Running Shoes How do you sweat? A person training for a marathon verses a person training for a 5k often wear two different shoes. A running shoe is made for running specifically. Pick a shoe based on how you exercise the most and stick with it. Get a Foot or Gait Analysis. | It is important to know how you run, walk, and shape of your foot. There are many different options of shoes based on your foot needs. Head to a professional speciality store such as Luke’s Locker, Fleet Feet or try this online test with Brooks to find your foot signature. Know the different in your fitness and regular shoe sizes. After running on for several hours, my feet expand quiet a bit. Nothing is worse than running in shoes that are two small. Avoid this by knowing your fitness shoe size, which is often 1-2x bigger than your regular shoe size.

ELDERBERRY 101 | DIY Daily Tonic

January 15, 2018

Everyone is sick and or has the flu. With training, I cannot afford to have a single day dedicated to being sick. With my close family all having the flu, I had to quickly take action and boost up my immune system with my favorite daily elderberry tonic. Benefits of Elderberries Elderberry is a powerful antioxidant used for years to help fight diseases such as a cold and flu. Elderberry is known for its ability to boost the body’s immune system and is also a rich source of vitamins A and C, which are crucial in helping the body maintain optimal health. Elderberry may help treat cold and flu symptoms by reducing congestion and possibly making you sweat more. One study suggested that using a standardized elderberry extract, Sambucol, could shorten the duration of flu by about 3 days. It was also said to help treat the Panama flu epidemic in the 90s. Benefits of Echinacea & Goldenseal Echinacea used to be called a “blood purifier” and is considered one of the most effective for infections such as strep throat, infected wounds, cold and flu, bronchitis, and much more. Goldenseal is also known as a natural antibiotic, helps ease stomach issues, kill bacteria. It is often combined with echinacea and promoted as strengthening the immune system. Recommended Elderberries Products Below are a list of products I am using and or recommended. These are pretty good sources and brands that have been around for awhile. Sprouts Elderberry Syrup – Purchase locally at sprouts stores Gaia Elderberry Syrup http://amzn.to/2FFRa4m Source Naturals – Wellness Herb Resistance http://amzn.to/2EH5DMs Quantum Elderberry Liquid Extract http://amzn.to/2D4xYfa Gaia Echinacea Goldenseal http://amzn.to/2DcoWku DIY Elderberry Plus Syrup with Echinacea Goldenseal Here is my DIY Elderberry Plus Syrup with Echinacea Goldenseal. For my tonic, I use a 5:1 ratio of Elderberry to Echinacea Goldenseal. 5 drops per day x 5 days = 25 Drops of Elderberry 1 drop per day x 5 days = 5 Drops of Echinacea goldenseal I consume it when drinking daily a hot cup of tea or a glass of kombucha. Really simple and easy.

Chickpea Mason Jar Salad

December 21, 2017

I am often asked what I eat for training for Marathon or on any given day. To be honest, it. varies but one thing that doesn’t change is my need to get some greens in my system each day. Every week, I try to end my day by eating a salad every day. It’s pretty easy to do and readily available anywhere but it can be very expensive if I am eating out and or time-consuming to make. This is why I am obsessed with making salads in a mason jar. It not only helps saves me time and also are very healthy and affordable. So, I figured it’s a great time to share one of my simple and easy recipes using chickpeas for a mason jar salad. Benefits of Chickpeas for Healthy Hair Chickpeas are a great source of protein and other vitamins and nutritions, which aid in strengthening your hair from the inside out. From hummus to salads, chickpeas are both cheap and a very versatile protein rich source. Additionally, chickpeas also help Control Hunger Reduce Cholesterol Helps Protect Against Heart Disease and Cancer Great Source of Fiber and much more! Directions for Chickpea Salads in Mason Jar Now that you know a bit more about chickpeas, here is one of my favorite vegetarian protein-rich salads complete with cooked chickpeas, veggies and a simple Italian dressing. It’s super affordable so feel free to get creative and use roasted vegetables, brown rice, quinoa, eggs and literally anything else. The possibilities are endless! I love making mason jar salads as part of my weekly meal prep. So here is a quick and easy way to make your own mason jar salads within a few simple steps. Drain, season and cook two cans of chickpeas. While chickpeas are cooking, add dressing to the bottom of the mason jar and prep veggies. Start adding ingredients to your mason jar in this order After the dressing, add the chickpeas, shredded veggies, tomatoes and then any herbs and additional seasonings or nuts you may want (hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.) Secure each lid and store in the fridge. Shake up the salad once you’re ready to eat, or you can dump/pour it into a large bowl if you prefer. You can add on a bed of mixed greens, massaged kale, Arugula or ditch the greens and eat as is. I prefer my mason jar salads not to have the greens in them. Mainly because it’s super easy to carry my Kale Queen mason jars in my pursue/bag and the greens stay fresher when not in the jar. That’s it folks! Let me know if you are excited to try it or obsessed with mason jars too?! Click For This Free E-Guide For More…. Want More? Signup For Your Free E-Book