Michelob Ultra Ft. Lauderdale Half Marathon

Hi Guys! Its been a while since my last post and even my last race. I wanted to let you know that I am officially registered for the Michelob Ultra Ft. Lauderdale Half Marathon happening on November 9, 2014. So its been a while since my last race actually. I’ve taking on a lot of work responsibilities and currently finishing up grad school but nevertheless thats no excuse. I’m excited for this run and I know it will be fun and eventful which will help me to get back on track!

Here is a link to the course map. Check it out and let me know what you think (It’s on the water).

http://www.131marathon.com/FortLauderdale/PDF/coursemap.pdf

I also have my eye set on Palm Beach Marathon on Dec 7, 2014 as well as the Miami Marathon on Jan 25, 2014. If you have been following me for a while or have read my previous blog post you know that I’m all for setting goals and sticking to them. Without goals its hard to improve and to share experiences with others.

Respond back to this post and let me know how you are doing with your Health and Fitness endeavors! Looking forward to it.

 

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Long Time No See!

How’s it going everyone?! Its been a while since my last post, life has been very busy and I’ve been trying to accomplish some very challenging professional goals. Nevertheless, I am still here and hope that your nutritional and fitness goals are going well. Please let me know whats new with you. What is working and what can be improved? Looking forward to hearing your responses.

As for me, I have been lacking a little bit on my running but I am focusing on getting back in shape. I got some new winter gear, shirts, socks, shoes and shirts. I’m going to aim to run 3-4 times a week and lift weights 3 times a week. The weather is cooling off nicely here in Tampa, FL which makes for a better run in my opinion.

I’m scheduled to run a half marathon on Dec 7, 2013 in Orlando with my friend Matt who has never run a half before. So I’ll be running with him and pushing him through. Sometimes we need that encouragement from others to accomplish certain things. I am also set to run the Miami marathon on Feb 2, 2014 which will be really fun. So I have some serious training to do. I’ll keep you posted on the results from both runs.

A Day That Will Never Be Forgotten

This is probably the most depressing blog topics that I have written about in two years. As many of you are aware, two explosives were detonated at the finish line during the Boston Marathon today 04/15/2013. I am not writing this blog to report the news and give you politics or the facts, however I am writing this to express my condolences to those that are no longer with us and those who are severely injured. All of our prayers and thoughts at LJay Health goes out to families of the victims, the Boston community, running family and the nation as a whole.

The Boston Marathon is like the Super Bowl for many runners and everyone works very hard to get there. Unfortunately the glory and victory was taken away from the athletes who ran the marathon today. Who would have ever thought that someone would intentionally plant explosive devices at a marathon, it definitely caught everyone off guard.

I have ran 5 marathons to date, 30 miles this past Sunday and running the Boston marathon was in my future. Considering the events that happened today, I am not really sure how I feel at this point in time. It is really a heart felt moment for myself and millions of other people. It is important that we not live in fear but to be very cautious in everything we do.

One thing that we can take away from this tragedy is to remember to cherish life and be there for one another. I want to leave you with a quote that I was inspired by especially after today.

Live, Love, and cherish Life. Make friends, memories, and plans. Your life is about you, but life is not about you. Fall in love. Love the fall and winter and spring and summer. Ski, skate, sing and dance. Smell the rain and the chocolate chip cookies. Take all the time you need, but don’t waste it. Catch the big one with your dad. Go on a trip with your mom. Love children, for you were once one. Learn from your elders, and one day you’ll have their wisdom. Seek the truth. Find it in yourself, others, and in your faith. Be patient and gentle. Most of all truly live.

Leave a comment and let me know how you are feeling even if its just to vent.

 

LA Marathon Weekend

The LA Marathon on 03/17/2013 makes my 4th marathon. I expected to finish in 3:45:00 however I was not expecting all the hills in LA which slowed me down just a little. Almost 25,000 runners showed up for the event which is pretty awesome. My training for the marathon consisted of 3-4 runs a week with weight training on my off days. My eating was really good and I made sure to avoid anything that wasnt healthy. I can really tell a difference in my runs when I eat good and when I don’t. I flew across the country all the way from Florida to California. However, I met people who were from Australia, Europe and Africa in LA just to run the marathon.

 

The Course

The LA Marathon course was pretty eventful. We ran through all the major attractions such as the Dodger Stadium, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Downtown LA and Santa Monica beach. If you haven’t ran the course before I highly recommend it but be sure to train for hills 🙂 One thing that I also liked is that there was a huge support system from locals, family members and friends. About 90% of the race was filled with spectators cheering the runners on and handing out food and water. I think that all the cheering keeps the runners motivated! The weather was cool and overcast which made for an even better race.

Unfortunately, I didn’t see any celebrities running the race but I heard some were in disguise. I did do a little site seeing at Huntington Beach, Santa Monica beach, Long Beach, Hollywood, Downtown LA, Rodeo Dr, and Marina Del Ray. My friends Jim, Sam and I took a tour with the TMZ show which was really fun. We spotted all the celebrity hang out spots, restaurants and gyms. Amanda from the TMZ show was our tour guide…I gotta tell you she is something else and very funny.

What’s Next for LJay? 

I am training for marathon #5 in Nashville on April 27,2013 and a 50K (31 miles) in May. People ask me all the time “Why do you keep running marathons?” To me, that is a very tough question to answer but deep down inside I do it because it makes me happy and I love running. Everyone has their thing that they enjoy like golfing, fishing, skiing, hiking etc…and mine is running!

What’s Next for you?? Comment and let us know…I look forward to it. 

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone and your families! This has been a fun and exciting year and I wanted to express that I am really happy to have all of you in my fitness and health community. It really means alot to know that I can and have inspired so many across the globe and can help people accomplish challenges they didn’t think were possible.

I made a post on 2013 goals and it was great to see that many of you have come so far and want to achieve so much in the future. Just know that you can accomplish anything you dedicate yourself to. Remember to have a positive support group, patience, and don’t let anyone hold you back. Its your life and you deserve it to yourself to live it to the best possible. Make 2013 your year and shoot for the **STARS**

Thanks again for supporting and promoting the blog! I appreciate every single comment posted even If for some reason I don’t respond. Truly means alot!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Sincerely,

LJAY HEALTH

Thank you, Thank you, Thank You

7 Healthy Tips

Maintaining a healthy lifestyles can sometimes be frustrating due to all the different directives from doctors, healthy experts and family members and friends. I came up with 7 quick healthy tips that you can focus on to help improve and maintain your overall health and well being. Always remember that portion control is everything, too much of even healthy food can be a negative impact on your health.

1. Eat a balanced, Healthy Breakfast. Typically breakfast should include protein, complex carbs and healthy fat. Studies show that people who eat a regular breakfast maintain their weight and have a lower risk of diabetes. Try and avoid breakfast bars as many of them have too much sugar, too many calories and little protein. Try to include boiled eggs, make a protein shake mixed with protein, milk of your choice, and fruit, or some cut up fruit to take with you if you are rushing in the morning. Drink a cold glass of water as soon as your wake up to hydrate your body from the water loss through perspiration while sleeping. Have a handful of nuts including almonds, cashews, walnuts.
2. Boost Cardiovascular Health with Physical Activity. Only 30 minutes of physical activity a day can improve cardiovascular health, reduce LDL cholesterol and help normalize weight. Some ways to increase your daily activity could be to park furthest away from your work building, or store. Use a bike for transportation, jump rope whenever possible. I keep a jumprope in my car at all times 🙂 Take the stairs instead of the elevator if it’s a short flight. 
3. Get at least six to eight hours of sleep. Avoid caffeine before bed. Close your eyes and do deep breathing exercising for 10 minutes. In yoga we practice breathing exercises all the time and it helps me to renew my mind and calms me down. Breathe in your nose and out your mouth, take deep breathes frequently especially when working out. Turn your phone on vibrate to avoid being disturbed while you are sleeping. If you have a hard time sleeping take a few caps of Melatonin (a natural sleep aid) before bed.
4. Eat 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetable a day. Veggies and fruits are high in fiber and contain a large amount of antioxidants. These foods help protect you from heart disease, cancer and many other illnesses. I cant remember the last time I was sick or had to use my health insurance 🙂 I eat fresh produce, organic when possible.
5. Lift weights. Lifting weights helps increase bone density and lower body fat which increases metabolism and lower heart disease risk. If you are new to lifting weights, get a personal trainer to show the ropes or buy fitness magazines for different routines. Practice air squats, lunges, pushups and pullups. I have posted some videos on my youtube account with some of the routines. Youtube account name=ljayhealth 🙂 Stair climbing, jogging, running and other workouts requires your body to work against gravity also boosting strength and endurance.
6. Stay Hydrated.  You all have heard or know you are supposed to get in at least eight glasses of water per day. However if your exercising you should have more than this. Staying hydrated keeps you mentally focused and help maintain blood pressure, improves physical performance. During work days I keep a jug of water with me and drink it constantly throughout the day. When I workout I sip of water frequently. Try and avoid drinking too much caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic and increases the body needs for water. Foods high in water like fruits and vegggies count towards  your daily water intake!!! If you are not a fan of water, adding lemons to enhance the water taste may help you increase your water intake.
7. Wash your hands. I previously posted a article on germs and their negative effects. Germs are everywhere and they are surrounding you right now. Washing your hands frequently helps to prevent you from becoming sick from bacteria and flu like symptoms. Wash your hands after leaving the restroom, pumping gas, opening and closing doors and typing on your computer. Avoid from touching your face, rubbing your eyes and licking your fingers. Use hand sanitizer while in the gym, and wipe down the equipment after your are done working out.  According to HandHygiene, during a 16 hour period we touch our face at least 250 times per day, 7500 times a month, and 90,000 times a year.

Following these tips daily will help prepare you and get you on the road for living a healthier lifestyle! Thanks for reading as always. -LJAY HEALTH 🙂