Challenge Week 3

WELCOME
Inner Strength, Core Strength and Rolling With the Punches! Appropriate thoughts for the week, it turns out, for me! After injuring my leg last week, I briefly contemplated postponing my weight loss journey but, after sitting around on my backside for several days, I realize that would be a HUGE mistake! This week, I've decided to summon up all of my inner strength and make some lemonade ... and so, I'm still in and might even have a few tricks up my sleeve to stay competetive in our challenge!

FOOD/NUTRITION
Inner Strength - This week, think about how you are fueling your body and don’t drink your calories. Food you chew makes a bigger impression on your appetite. Studies have shown that calories you drink do not curb your appetite for food later. Sweet beverages like soda, sports drinks, and fancy coffee drinks can add up to 300-500 extra calories. That’s more than a pound of fat in 2 weeks!

HEALTH/FITNESS
Core Strength - Core exercises are an important part of a well-rounded fitness program. Aside from occasional sit-ups and push-ups, however, core exercises are often neglected. Research shows, it pays to get your core muscles — that group of stabilizing muscles surrounding your spine — in better shape. Read more from the Mayo Clinic, then try these Core Exercises to build abs and other core muscles.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Rolling with the Punches - Join me at LA Boxing in Columbia for their 9:30 a.m. Boxing Class on Saturday, they claim to burn up to 1000 calories per class, so expect to sweat. BTW, you read correctly, I will be participating in the class - if you're curious as to how, you'll have to show up to find out! Let me know by noon on Friday if you are interested, I'll have to get them a head count!

APPS/BOOKS
Bupa Fitness The application (iPhone, Android) is designed to help you progress in four key areas of fitness: flexibility, core stability, balance and strength.

ADVICE
I met my friend Mark Shropshire when I sent Rachel to him for speed and agility training - I was shocked to see that most of his focus was on her core strength, not in running laps and sprints. In a very short period of time and not too much "road" work, he improved her sprint times as well as her vertical jump. With that, I became a true believer! Shrop tells me, "Everything the body does is anchored in the core. A weak core or problems with core activation timing in movement can lead to inefficient patterns of movement and possibly injury."

When evaulating the athletes he trains, Mark looks at flexibility, strength, mobility, power, agility, coordination and speed - all of which are anchored in your core. This is all viewed through the perspective of injury reduction and safety. During training he addresses the asymmetries in the body, which are better predictors of injury than simple fitness level, retraining the movements and eliminating these imbalances so that the training process has a successful, injury free outcome.

Visit Mark at Shropshire Sports Training in Ellicott City - Mark has worked with quite a few local athletes, a mom or two that I know, Navy Seals and Pro Athletes alike.