Hang Onto Healthy During Your Holiday

April 4, 2015

Written with love, by Nikki Lian

Is it really spring time already?! Whether our little, furry friend sees his shadow or not, we are all sick of the winter and long for those endless, sunny, summer days at the beach or laying by the pool. So as some of us look back on the last of the dirty snow melting away from the sidewalks and can finally sleep with the window open, visions of vacationing may dance in our heads.

And some of us even get to take a Spring Break! Planning to get away with friends or a significant other is so exciting, but can also be stressful, especially if you’re used to a certain healthy lifestyle. And if you’re not, then you’re probably not reading this blog anyway!! I’m speaking from experience here. Every time I go to visit my family in New York I enjoy all the carbohydrates Brooklyn has to offer, and it’s easy for me to let myself go and not feel so hot when I’m away from my everyday routine and among family and friends. So I compiled a few simple tricks that have worked for me when I’m away, and may help keep you feeling energized and on your A-game while you’re off on an adventure.

Enjoy a 20 minute Walk, Jog or Fitbreak

Twenty minutes straight is all it takes!! If you’re an early riser and all of your friends are sleeping off their hangovers, work it out before your morning coffee. I’m assuming wherever you’ve decided to travel the weather is phenomenal enough to enjoy a stroll or light jog outside. If not, you can do a 20 minute Fitbreak in the privacy of your own hotel room!! Circuit 15 reps of body-weight exercises such alternate lunges, squats, burpees, pushups and crunches. Repeat 3 times and you’ll feel amazing! Even if you’re used to an hour of intensity every day during your workouts, a short, physical activity is a great way to start your day. Now you can go get your lazy on by the pool.

Don’t Skip Meals

If you are used to eating your 5-6 small meals per day (or 3 meals and 2 snacks) and all of a sudden you’re indulging in breakfast buffets of 2000 calories or more, don’t skip your snacks. Although you may be overeating, you don’t want your metabolism to come to a halt. You also don’t want to crash from all the sugar you may have had. Keep up your energy with simple snacks such as protein shakes, a handful of almonds or a piece of fruit. And we all know if we arrive at dinner and haven’t eaten since breakfast those dinner rolls and appetizers will be calling our name!

Cut Your Alcohol Consumption

Did you really need that 4th shot of tequila or 3rd glass of wine? Of course you’re on vacation and shouldn’t have to worry about anything, but make sure you ask yourself why you’re drinking another beer or sugar-filled beverage.

Is it because you are hungry or thirsty? Drink some water or a diet coke.
Is it because someone bought it for you? Don’t be afraid to respectfully decline.

They don’t have to deal with the monster headache you will have the next day, but you do. Is it because you’re trying to keep up with your friends? Just remember how much better in a bathing suit you look then they do, and this may be why. Before you go out to the bar, try to have a plan for yourself. Nurse a drink, and chase it with a glass of water. Having water in between drinks will fill you up and slow down your alcohol consumption—and cut your caloric and sugar intake!

Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate!

You should be taking in half of your bodyweight in ounces of water per day. If you’re soaking up the sun and drinking more alcohol than usual, you should be drinking even more than that. Your body depends on water to survive and every cell in your body needs water to work properly. If you’re not taking in enough, you can become dehydrated which can cause dizziness, dry mouth and even constipation. It’s hard enough to poop in a foreign bathroom; you don’t want to not be able to go! Carry around a bottle with you and drink up!

Protect Yourself!

I’m talking about your skin. Even if there are clouds in the sky or you plan to spend the day in the water, the sun rays are still hitting your body. Make sure you use enough sunscreen and reapply every couple of hours. Not only does it protect your skin from wrinkles and cancer, nasty sunburn is something you don’t want to be carrying the rest of your time on the island. And no, baby oil does not count as sun block.

Just remember, if you are looking to stay happy and healthy, fitness is a lifestyle. It’s hard to take a vacation from it, because it’ll throw your body out of whack.

So live the lifestyle.

I hope these easy tips will help you stay on track when you take that next vacation you completely deserve!

Why everyone should run at least one marathon!

March 28, 2015

Written with love, by Nikki Lian

A few weeks ago I ran my very first marathon--26.2 miles from Dodger Stadium to the beautiful Santa Monica Pier. I’m not a runner by any means, but a marathon was something that was on my bucket list. I was always an athlete. I played basketball and softball at a college level and that always involved running. But outside of practices and training I just wasn’t fond of it. When I hit my thirties I decided to train for boxing which involved a LOT of running, and not being a young spring chicken anymore all that wear and tear was weighing on my hips and knees. Running never made me feel good.

Approximately a year ago my teacher-friend and I were eating lunch, and she mentioned that she wanted to be an SRLA (Students Run LA) coach the following year. With her two bad knees and my skepticism I asked, “You want to run a marathon?!” I mean, even when we would go on easy hikes I would see the problems she would have with her knees. She replied, “Yes, we can do it.”

All of a sudden the “I” became a “we,” but I hesitated a little. I figured since she had the will to get through it and it was already something on my list I agreed to run the 2015 LA Marathon. It’s also easier to agree to something when it’s a year away.

So around September I started to train. My good friend and running partner Julio lived close by so he would run and hike with me. He’s done ten marathons already so his goal for this one was to get me through it. We started off strong, and ended the year on a 13 mile run where I felt like my legs were going to fall off. Christmas Eve I was sprawled out on the couch in pain. But the next day I realized something—I was still alive and I felt fine.

The months following were difficult. I work really long hours, so to get 5 miles in is an hour, which is doable a couple nights a week. But due to a family crisis, work, relationships and life, my training dwindled. Then a few weeks before the marathon I started to psych myself out. People would tell me how I was going to lose my toenails, how people die during the run, and how my nipples would probably bleed. The evening before the marathon I was in tears, reading horror stories of how people who hadn’t trained much for it shouldn’t even attempt to run it.

Then my wonderful fiancé, Jose, showed me a video of a compilation of different people that got interviewed at the finish line. It was very, very inspiring. If each of these people who have their own story, their own jobs and crises, and their own time constraints can finish, so can I.

The next morning I was ready to go on three hours sleep. Julio and I got to the stadium around 5. We took off at 6:55am, and crossed the finish line only 6 hours and 7 minutes later. The reason I say only is because I didn’t expect myself to do that well!! The people of LA as well as Julio pushed me through one of the biggest obstacles of my life. I came away with many lessons learned, and I’d like to share a few with you on why you shouldn’t back away from this experience.

1. Internet Articles Try to Psych You Out.

If you look at the majority of articles online, most of them are talking about how serious marathons are, and if you don’t train properly you will be seriously injured or die. Marathons are serious business and extremely hard on your body. However, what I was reading never stated that “if you are fitness oriented and exercise, lift weights, swim, hike, squat, cycle, eat right and take care of yourself, you will not have problems getting through.” They leaned more towards “if you’ve never run 22 miles straight in your training, you’re screwed.” That was how I perceived it. Most of these articles are put out by runners and running coaches, not various types of athletes. So now I know that if you exercise regularly and take care of yourself, you’re literally already halfway through training.

2. The Fans and Your Family Will Get You Through.

I had no idea how supportive strangers could be. Julio kept telling me how running 10 miles on the street by yourself is way less motivating then the fans around you screaming how proud they are of you. I still get chills thinking of some of the signs that I saw and the support people were giving. There are also bands and music playing every mile. The first 17 miles went by so fast just because of the surroundings. People will get you through. Perfect strangers will carry you through the finish line. It gives you a lot of faith in people. This was by far the best part of my experience. It also helped that Jose was waiting for me with my slippers, recovery beverage and some fruit and chocolate.

3. Supplements Work.

My wonderful brother and sister-in-law gave me a gift card to Runnergy, a place where they fit you for running shoes. When I went to get fitted for my shoes the man that helped me told me which supplements I should take. Using Salt pills, Heed, which is an awesome sports drink that contains complex carbohydrates and energy-gel, is a big reason of why I got through in one piece. Hydrating and carb-loading were extremely helpful as well.

I want to make it clear; I am by no means telling anyone they do not need to train to run a marathon. But if I can save a few people from psyching themselves out like I did, this blog was worth writing. Do not be afraid of it. Embrace the fact that you are capable of it despite what you may have heard. Although being told I’d have no toenails, my feet are fine. Although being told I should take the next day off from work, I continued to live life the next day. My nipples didn’t bleed, I didn’t pass out, and most importantly, I’m still alive. And have experienced something that words can’t do justice, so experience it for you. You can become it—a marathoner.

Bullying // Not just a teenage problem anymore

March 21, 2015

Written with love, by Nikki Lian

Bullying is a serious problem going on in our society these days. Now with the internet and social media, bullying is just getting worse in American schools. But does bullying stop after you finish school? I mean, eventually we become adults, right? Adults don’t cyber bully, and they certainly don’t bully other adults at their professional jobs. Well, that’s not so true.

I was inspired to write this blog when I client of mine showed up to her Fit Break all flustered. She said she had a terrible day, and started to explain to me what happened to her. “I was bullied today,” she said, and went on to tell her story. The most surprising part of the situation is that my client works with special needs children at a school, where you would think employees would have compassion. She is a one-on-one aid to a blind boy who thinks the world of her. Unfortunately, the teacher of these kids doesn’t feel the same way about her.

I won’t get in to the entire back story of the situation. All I know is that my client is one of the most caring and nice individuals I have ever met, and day after day a particular person at her job has been making her feel completely uncomfortable and borderline harassed. This has a huge impact on one’s emotional health. Hating to go to work at a job you love is not a healthy situation. It can even affect your workouts as it did in this particular instance.

Adult bullies, in some aspect, seem to be seeking more power and domination. Bullying in some places of work has been so eminent that there are laws and regulations that are put in to place. But what should you do if you start feeling threatened or uncomfortable at work? Here are some ways that may help you deal with the situation.

Document.

You must document events from day one. If you ever need to file a complaint or take action, documenting is well in your favor. Write the date, and specifically what was said and done. Having a history will make you more credible when it comes down to your word against someone else's.

Confront.

If you feel safe enough, try confronting your bully. You don’t have to do it in a nasty way because you don’t want to stoop down to their level. Never physically fight or act out of anger, because then you become them! Kindly tell them the issues you have with their comments and ways they make you feel uncomfortable. Some people are so clueless they may not even know if and how being the butt of their joke or constant topic of their gossip is affecting you.

Tell Someone You Trust.

This is goes hand in hand with documentation. Obviously talking things and venting to a friend or family member may make you feel better. But this person you trust is also a witness to what is going on in your situation.

Kill Them With Kindness.

I’m not saying send your bully an Edible Arrangement, but try to find something nice to say—even a “good morning” and a smile would work. Make them feel bad for targeting someone that is just so pleasant to be around. If their motive is to make you sad and upset in the first place, they may stop trying once they see that they can’t break you.

Don’t Be Bystander.

If someone you know in your life is a victim, make sure you don’t become a bully by not stepping up. This can mean cutting someone off as soon as they start to gossip, sticking up for someone you witness is being harassed, or removing yourself from a situation where there is gossip happening. It doesn’t mean you have to be everyone’s friend and there are always two sides to every story, but you can always choose not to partake in the negative conversations going on by the water cooler.

Whatever action you decide to take, make sure you remember that a bully’s behavior is their own responsibility. No one deserves to be made the butt of a joke target of harassment. And be kind to people, because you never know their background or what they go through on a daily basis. You never know, kindness may be contagious!!

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