I'm going to talk about something that can help you improve your performance, lose weight, make you smarter, improve your mood, strengthen your immune system, help you run faster, bike stronger, swim better, lift heavier, move better and drastically increase your recovery. It will help you reach all your goals and make you feel incredible. And it is super duper easy!  In fact, you don't even have to be trying to do anything while this happens. Wanna know how you can accomplish all this amazing stuff? OK, here goes- this is what is going to make an incredible difference in every tiny little facet of your life. SLEEP! SLEEP! SLEEP!

Did you get that?  Yep, sleep. I don't know about you guys, but I really like to sleep.  It doesn't mean I always get enough of it, but, I sure can feel a huge difference between when I do get enough sleep and when I don't.  I'll bet you feel that difference as well.

Here are a few reasons that just might help motivate you to get a little more sleep: many of these ideas came from an article at: http://superhumancoach.com/category/sleep/...if you would like to read the entire article.

When runners deprive themselves of sleep, getting 6 hours or less, the negative consequences come fast and furious.

    •    Weakens your immune system: getting sick = less training, poor training
    •    Leads to Obesity: Recent studies have shown that even one night of poor sleep can result in changes in appetite and food intake. Sleep deprivation also impairs carbohydrate tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and glucose uptake. When glucose uptake is inhibited, you aren't able to refuel before, during, and after your workouts.
    •    Intellectual Decline: sleep deprivation negatively impacts short-term and working memory, long-term memory and the generation of nerve cells – all of which affects our ability to think clearly and function well.
    •    Inflammation: Sleep deprivation causes chronic, low-grade inflammation. Inflammation is the root of all modern disease and severely inhibits the bodies’ ability to repair muscles, tissue, and tendon damage.
    •    Injury: When you don’t get enough sleep your motor responses are dulled, this leads to bad form, inefficient neuromuscular patterns and injury

Basically there is no disease or condition (physical, mental, or even spiritual) that sleep deprivation doesn’t either contribute to directly or make worse. Just so you know this is serious from another author, with similar warnings:

Sleep deprivation can be linked to:


Colds and Flu: The less sleep you get, the weaker your immune system is, leaving it less able to fight off colds, flu, and other infections.

Heart Disease: “When you don’t get enough sleep, you have an inflammatory response in your cardiovascular system -- in the blood vessels and arteries -- and that’s not a good thing!” says Donna Arand, PhD, DABSM, clinical director of the Kettering Sleep Disorders Center in Dayton, Ohio. “We see the same thing in hypertension. If that sleep deprivation continues long term, chronic inflammation has been linked to things like heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.”

Diabetes:  “In one study of young, healthy adult males, they decreased their sleep time to about four hours per night for six nights,” says Arand. “At the end of those six nights, every one of those healthy young men was showing impaired glucose tolerance, a precursor to developing diabetes.”


Another study found that people in their late 20's and early 30's who slept less than 6.5 hours per night, had the insulin sensitivity of someone more than 60 years old.



Poor Brain Function and Mental Health: Studies have found that people who aren't getting enough sleep drive just as unsafely as someone who’s drunk. “We also know that people who are sleep deprived have very poor judgment when evaluating their own performance. They think they’re doing well on memory or eye-hand coordination tests, but they’re not,” says Arand. “The memory is also slightly degraded when you’re sleep deprived, and gets worse the more deprivation you have.”



Metabolic Issues and Obesity: In one study, people who slept five hours per night were 73% more likely to become obese than those getting seven to nine nightly hours of sleep. In fact, one study found that lack of sleep was a bigger contributor to childhood obesity than any other factor. Lack of sleep has been linked to lower levels of the hormone leptin, which helps reduce hunger.

You can follow the perfect training plan, eat a pristine diet and take all the right supplements, but if you’re not sleeping well and managing your stress your performance and health will suffer... period.

Dr. Shawn Allen, of “The Gait Guys” and ACO, treats many high level athletes. “[He] finds that two things are commonly abused when it comes to effective training:  recovery and sleep. Many athletes over-train and ignore the restorative benefits of ample recovery days but of the two, sleep is the most abused. In this day and age of productivity in the work place and family demands the average athlete has little time to train, work and recover adequately. And since work and family demands are less flexible, sleep for many tends to take a back seat.” Dr. Allen explains that there is no nutritional supplement or drug that can replace the benefits of a sound night sleep. “And yet, we continue to do what we need to do to get our workouts in, a valid yet jaundiced attempt to benefit our bodies, while at the same time sacrificing the beneficial aspects of health and recovery that can come only with sound repeatable sleep”.

Researchers at the University of Chicago found that dieters who were well rested lost more fat -- 56 percent of their weight loss -- than those who were sleep deprived, who lost more muscle mass. (They shed similar amounts of total weight regardless of sleep.)

Dieters in the study also felt more hungry when they got less sleep.

So, how can you start incorporating this hugely important, game changing, quality of life altering habit into your life?

We need to not only get MORE sleep, but we need to IMPROVE the sleep we are getting. Here are some suggestions:


#1:  Don't watch TV before going to bed (or work on your computer, phone, etc.) Block all the blue light (phone, computer, TV and even your alarm clock) from your eyes. Serious. This stuff affects your sleep.

#2:  Cut the caffeine in the afternoon and evening. Be finished with any of that stuff by early afternoon and preferably don't make it a regular part of your intake (and I am sure none of you are drinking soda)

#3:  Don't eat late at night!  You have done it before (as have I) and you know that it totally makes you sleep terribly!  Aim to be done with food at least 1-2 hours before bed. In my opinion, make it more like 3+ hours!  You will sleep so much better without your body having to digest and work on food as you are trying to sleep.

#4:  If you work out in the evening, try to be done at least 2-3 hours before you go to bed. That doesn't mean you push back your bedtime, adjust your workout time to keep you going to bed at a decent hour.

#5:  Be consistent with your sleep patterns.  Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day.

#6:  If you find your mind is too busy to fall asleep, write down what is on your mind and then focus on just relaxing instead of feeling stressed that you need to be sleeping.  Too many thoughts winding us up and making us feel tense and stressed will make it hard to actually sleep, so try to quiet the mind and assure yourself that you can attack those "to do" lists in the morning.

#7:  Develop a sleep ritual.  That can be taking a hot bath, reading a book, spending quiet time meditating, or whatever else will help prepare you for sleep.  Experiment and find what works for you.

#8:  If you have a more serious issue, like sleep apnea, get professional help!  You need sleep!  And if you are not getting the quantity and quality of sleep your body needs to be able to repair itself and prepare you for the stresses and demands of your life, your health and quality of life are going to suffer terribly. You are worth it, get help so you can get sleep.

So, can you improve your performance, reduce your stress, build strength, prevent injury, and generally enhance your life with one “magic pill”? The answer is yes. Sleep.

Coach Keena is a regular contributor at TriEdge and has 16 years experience coaching and training hundreds of individuals. She is a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and holds additional certifications from the National association of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Council of Exercise (ACE) as a certified personal trainer. If you would like to contact Coach Keena go to: www.coachkeena.com

This is going to be all about numbers. Many times we focus on more intangible aspects of our health and lifestyle based on how we feel or what we can overcome. That is nice and feels good, but sometimes, we really do just need to take a look at the numbers. Here are a few numbers you need to be aware of to ensure you are succeeding in your efforts to look good, feel great and reach your goals.

1)  Get 7-8 hours of SLEEP- every night.

2)  Drink 96+ ounces of WATER- every day.

3)  Eat 7-9 servings of VEGETABLES- every day.

4)  Intake 30+ grams of FIBER- every day.  (Which won't be hard, by the way, if you eat your vegetables)

5)  Eat 1 gram of (clean, lean) PROTEIN per every lean pound of muscle you have... every day. (so, if you have 100 pounds of lean muscle mass, eat 100 grams of lean protein)

6)  Based on pure numbers, it takes 3500 calories to burn 1 pound of body fat. So, you need to control your caloric intake to match your metabolic needs by being aware of how MANY CALORIES you are eating every day and then ensure you don't overdo it.  (If you don't know your base metabolic rate, you can go to a BMR calculator like: http://www.stevenscreek.com/goodies/calories.shtml and it can give you a basic idea).

7)   1 gram of protein is 4 calories.  1 gram of carbohydrate is 4 calories. 1 gram of fat is 9 calories. Those are some useful numbers to be aware of.  Of course, you need the fat (especially the Essential Fatty Acids we have spoken of in past articles) just make sure you get the right fats in the right amounts. Same as your carbohydrate intake and quality proteins. It's not just quantity; the quality is of utmost importance!

8)  Your WEIGHT is a number that can give you feedback on how well you are doing.

9)  Your BODYFAT is (in my opinion) an even more important number to be watching and ensure it is in a healthy range. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recommends men maintain a body fat under 25% and women keep their body fat under 31%.  Those numbers are being quite generous- aim for mid to low 20's% for most people.

10)  Your CIRCUMFERENCE measurements are also a very effective way to track how well you are managing your health.  If you are carrying excess girth/fat around your midsection in particular, you are at a higher risk for increased cardiovascular/heart disease.  So, watch
those numbers!

11)  Finally, keep up your 90% on track nutrition with your 10% off track nutrition to ensure you keep your numbers where you want them!

Now that you've been given a few numbers that can help you regulate and monitor your health and fitness, it's up to you to determine which numbers are going to be the most beneficial in that quest. If you know that your lack of sleep is directly affecting your body's ability to release growth hormone and thus improve your weight loss or recovery, then that is THE number you should be working on improving. If you know that you are most definitely NOT getting in 7-9 servings of vegetables every day, or you are far below the 30 grams of fiber every day then you should spend this next week focusing on getting those numbers up to par.

How about your water intake?  Think you are hitting that 96 ounces or more number?  If not, you are not giving your body the help it needs to flush out toxins and aid in weight loss, recovery and becoming the best you can be. You need to know your body composition (particularly how much fat and muscle you are made of) because that is also going to help you determine how many grams of protein you are going to aim to consume every day.  That is an extremely important number to know to ensure you are feeding your body the supremely important protein that is going to build and repair muscle and increase your body's metabolic rate.

If you really want to succeed at maintaining your goal weight, keeping your body fat and circumference measurements healthy and living a vibrant lifestyle, you need to RECORD what you are doing. Studies show that people that keep a nutrition journal lose more weight than people who don't.  In fact, in a study of 1,685 dieters conducted by a health insurance company, the best predictor of weight loss throughout the first year was the number of food records kept per week. Another recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that dieters who tracked their food intake in a "food diary" lost twice as much weight as those who didn't track their food. Those should be some pretty convincing numbers! So, pick your numbers this week. Do your best to improve that number and make it a GREAT week!!

Coach Keena is a regular contributor at TriEdge and has 15 years experience coaching and training hundreds of individuals. She is a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and holds additional certifications from the National association of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Council of Exercise (ACE) as a certified personal trainer. If you would like to contact Coach Keena go to: www.coachkeena.com.

I have a confession to make:  I am tired!  Yep.   Usually after I complete an Ironman, I swear I am going to sleep for ever...and then I wake up the next morning and pop out of bed (well, kinda pop), start packing and cleaning and really just get going.  Ummm... not so much after this race!  I have pretty much wanted to lay on the couch and move as little as possible.  In fact, I was so tired that I am actually writing this race report a day later than normal.  I just wanted to sleep the day after the race... so, I did!   Go figure!

So, here is how my day went for the final Ironman St. George to ever be held:
After I competed in Ironman Cozumel last November and missed qualifying for Kona by such a small spot, I determined I had to give it just one more shot!  So, I figured St. George would be a great option because it was close and I knew the course.  I really enjoyed my winter of training and felt like I had put together a solid couple of months of consistent improvement...especially on my run (since that is where I ran into trouble in IM Cozumel).   When I was able to put together a solid run (for me) at the Ironman 70.3 race in San Juan, Puerto Rico and qualify for Ironman 70.3 World Championships,  I was really excited to come down here to St. George and put together another solid run on the marathon portion of the race and finish strong.  Well, enter an unresolved IT Band issue (that has plagued me for over two years now) and it made an already interesting race even that more memorable!

THE SWIM:
I love swimming!  I'm not the best swimmer... but, I really enjoy an open water swim in beautiful, clear water.  I look at an Ironman swim as the awesome warm up for a nice long day.  So, entering the waters in Sand Hollow, I was just looking forward to seeing what I had in me for 2.4 miles and hopefully coming out of the swim in close to an hour.  The first stretch of swimming to the first turning buoy was very crowded and rough.  I couldn't seem to take a stroke without either grabbing someone, being grabbed, kicked or knocked around.  No big deal, cause I know how this works. I just tried to stay in my own groove, keep my head relaxed and calm and stick with my own rhythm.  I made it to the first turning buoy and within 5 seconds I knew the game had changed.  All of a sudden I had waves crashing down on me and chop everywhere!  People were no longer the issue...i t was most definitely a new challenge between every swimmer and some of the roughest water most of us have ever had the pleasure of swimming in.  As soon as I realized I had new conditions, I actually smiled.  Now, don't take this the wrong way, but I like it rough!!  I love to swim in choppy, wavy ROUGH water!  I think it makes it SO interesting and keeps me focused on every stroke and staying as powerful and efficient as possible.  My entire game plan for the swim went out the window as soon as I registered the water conditions and I just went into adventure mode!  I LOVED IT!  Yahooo!  So, I began enjoying my new adventure and just focused on staying calm, powerful, efficient and ON course the best I could.  When I made the next turn and headed towards the island that we swim around I just made sure that every 15-20 strokes I would pop my head up and ride a few waves, look around to make sure I had an island somewhere in front of me and a few pink or green caps somewhere within my general area and then continue on. Those 4-5 foot swells made for some interesting swimming!   It took quite a while....but, I eventually made it around the island and enjoyed the final stretch into the dock where I was quite certain an adventurous BIKE ride was about to take place for me!  I would like to give Eric Oscarson a big huge THANKS for my enjoyable mantra of the day, which he showed me was his mantra for this race (So, I borrowed it!):  It is a quote from Winston Churchill and I must have said it perhaps 800 times during my race:  "Keep Calm and Carry On!"
Final time:  1 hour 20 minutes.  I'll take it and the fun memory of that crazy swim!

THE BIKE:
Normally, the bike portion leaving Sand Hollow and heading out towards Veyo is quite calm and fast.  As I headed out on the first mile of the bike and couldn't get above 10 miles an hour due to the incredible head winds....I figured all bets were off, there was no longer any such thing as an A race, B race or C race....it was just going to be a FINISH it race, and I quit looking at anything other than my heart rate to ensure I didn't overcook it on the bike.  Originally, I had some goal splits for each section of the bike and knew I could easily do the ride in sub 6 hours based on my training rides I had completed on this course.  No more splits to look at for the rest of this ride now.  Just go!  It is interesting when it doesn't seem to matter which direction you are going because there is a head wind any which way you go.  I just put my head down, stayed upright and kept pedaling!    So, here is the truth....much of my ride is something of a blur.  I know that I tried to keep my heart rate around 155 or so for the majority of my first 70 miles.  I also know that my heart rate got up to 170 on the three major hills going out through the Veyo loop...but, that I very consciously lowered it as soon as I topped each hill.  I know that the first climb up The WALL was awesome because the screeching winds completely disappeared and the silence was so beautiful that I smiled the whole way up that hill because it was such a welcome relief!  I made it through to the Special Needs Bag area and grabbed my PBJ, Apple Fritter, Salted Nut Roll and new bottle of CarboPro and kept riding.  We actually enjoyed a tail wind going up the Three Sisters hills (or whatever else you may call those hills) and then a screaming descent down into St George (49 mph for me, thanks!) to begin another loop of Veyo.  A few things I was concerned about:  I developed a splitting headache at about mile 25 on the bike and couldn't shake it, and my stomach didn't want my nutrition.  That's right....no PBJ for me.  No Fritter for me.  No Nut Roll for me.  I couldn't even tolerate my CarboPro/Rockstar Recovery  mix.  I was really glad I had thrown in a BadAss PreWorkout mix packet into my bag and I mixed that into a water bottle from an aid station and worked on that for about 10 miles.  That was the only thing that I took in for quite a few miles.  My headache on the miles 55 through 85 was so bad I could hardly think.  I don't get headaches!  I have a sweet sister that has the curse and suffers from the most insane migraines 2-3+ times weekly.  I am a BIG baby, cause I was dying from this stinking headache!  I thought a lot about my sis during this 30 mile stretch.  I also asked EVERY person I passed or saw if they had any ibuprofen...no luck.  I usually carry some with me, but as luck would have it... I hadn't packed any on this race.  Estupido!  So, I loosen my helmet, dump water over my head and keep going, baby.  I'm writing up my Gratitude list in my head (I'm grateful for a helluva lot of things!!) , singing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" (made it to about 40 bottles before I just couldn't sing that dumb song anymore) and kept pushing against the wind and hills.  Finally, I pull into Gunlock town and reach another aid station and ask if anyone has any aspirin.  Hallelujah!  A man comes running out and dumps a bunch in my hand....3 of which I promptly swallow and pocket the rest for later!  At the top of my Gratitude list at this moment: DRUGS!  And those kindly people who distribute them!  OK, not all drugs, just the ones I want, like aspirin!

Within 20 minutes I am a NEW woman!  Why would a stupid thing like a headache be such a bother?  I've never had that before during a race.  But, what the heck!  There is always a first!

So, I climb my way up The Wall for the second time (not quite as easy as the first, but still nice and quiet and a welcome relief from the wind!), come around into Veyo Town, up through the Three Sisters and then begin my final descent into town!  If I am making this sound easy and comfy....just know that it wasn't.  I really, really wanted to lay down and take a nap!  I would actually drop my head down on my aero bottle as I was riding and just keep my eyes (mostly) open and looking at the white line on the road and just glance up every so often to make sure I wasn't going to run into anyone or anything.  At the banquet before the race, they told a story about a guy that went into the port-a-potty during the bike and fell asleep.  He woke up just in time to make it to the bike cut off by only a minute or two!  I considered doing that!  OK, not really...but, it did sound kinda nice (although, I would have just laid down on the grass in the open, clean air and not in a stinky port a potty!)  But....at least I didn't have a headache any more!  And...I was really happy with  my bike!  I was super comfy!  No saddle soreness, shoulder soreness, wishing I could get off the bike cause I was miserable...I was totally set and had no issues!  What a lucky girl!  I did wish I could have taken in more nutrition...cause I know that I have not taken in even half the amount I would normally...but, I was able to take in a gel, a stinger waffle and a couple bananas from the aid stations...plus, I was good with my water and MetaSalts.  So, it's now officially a good thing I didn't enter this race at my lightest and leanest...cause I know I am working off my excess!  Good girl for eating that Ice Cream!! So, I make it in to town without falling off my bike and feel quite good and ready to tackle the run!

THE RUN:
I have enjoyed the most wonderful winter of running!  I was really focused on redeeming my run after having such a non-wonderful run at Ironman Cozumel.  So, lots of miles and hills and miles and hills and I was feeling quite confident and ready for this St. George Ironman run!  After dropping off my bike and changing into my running skirt, I headed out onto the course looking forward to all those miles paying off.  I always know that the first 3 or so miles of my marathon will be a bit painful until I get my legs under me...so, I wasn't worried as those first few miles weren't super smooth and comfy.  By mile 4 or so I could feel things smooth out and I was feeling pretty good other than some tightness in my knee  (this is all relatively speaking, of course, cause we are, after all running a marathon after swimming 2.4 miles in 4-5 foot swells and biking 112 miles in howling winds on one of the hardest Ironman courses created).  It was especially fun to see my sweet, awesome daughters during the run and to see so many friends and athletes on the course cheering each other on!  I had about 4 more miles of feeling "pretty good" and then I felt that stinking, awful tightening in my left knee that I am too dang familiar with.  For those of you that have read my past race reports...remember Ironman New Zealand?  Well, I sure did!  I ended up walking a fair portion of that due to an IT Band that chunked up on me.  I have worked on this issue and thought I had it under control....but, I am afraid that it is my own dang fault because I did just about ALL my training on mountain trails or treadmills and nearly NONE of it on asphalt.  The entire run was on asphalt that had you going downhill for about a mile and then back uphill for about a mile....basically the ENTIRE 26.2 miles!  I had trained hills...but not asphalt.  On top of that, I have been experiencing knee pain during all my training...but hadn't really aggressively tried to get to the root of the pain...so, it was a concern in the back of my head that it might flare up.  I guess I was a little lazy in my treatment of this persistent injury.  So...with NO excuses other than my own fault...I was pretty much reduced to run/walking a fair amount of the next 16 or so miles.  Crappity crap!  But, I got LUCKY!  I found a NEW friend named Nick, who was wearing an awesome purple tri jersey and shorts with hot pink compression socks (like mine!) and he was also a gimpy runner with  major calf and hamstring issues.  Sucks for him....yeah for me cause now we can keep each other moving!  So, here is how the REST of the race went:
Me:  "OK, Nick....Let's run from the cone to the end of that street"
Nick:  "OK!"
Then we would do that.
Nick:  "Ok, Keena...Let's run from the light to the next aid station"
Me:  "Ok....I'll give it a shot!"
Then we would do it.
Me:  "Nick....you are my new best friend ever!!!"
Nick:  "You too!  Let's run from this cone to that port a potty....think we can do it??"
Me:  "Ok!....Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"
Nick:  "No Pain!"
Me:  "NO pain!  Let's go!"
Then we would keep going.

And that is how we pretty much covered the rest of the entire race!  It is just knee pain.  It still hurts two days later.  Who cares?  I'll eventually get it figured out and fixed.  Yes, I wish I could have run at my full ability that I had trained, but, it's not the end of the world, I just had a gimpy knee. Push on, keep moving, find a friend, stay in the moment, make (very) short term goals to keep you moving forward and, eventually... you FINISH!!

And guess what?  We did finish!  It was my SLOWEST Ironman I've ever completed, but, who the heck cares??  I finished!  And, here is the CRAZY part; I ended up placing 2nd in my division and I was able to reach my goal of qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Kona!  Go figure.  I put in my fastest Ironman in Cozumel and miss qualifying, and I put in my slowest Ironman in St. George and qualify.  I guess we just never know what life has in store for us.  Perhaps with this race and it's crazy conditions, it just came down to whoever was still standing at the end!  Either way, I am just happy and grateful that I not only got to participate in such an EPIC race, but that I get to go back to Kona and enjoy another dance at that party!

And, I had a GREAT time!  I never once felt depressed or hopeless or overwhelmed. I just enjoyed that I was there and so lucky to get to live a life that is so privileged to get to do things like this!

A BIG HUGE THANKS TO:
My husband Cade who is the most amazing, awesome, supportive, and patient man.  He knows how I tick and just rolls with all my crazy!  I'm a lucky woman!

My sweet kids....especially Keeper and Covey who came down to this race with me and were SO MUCH FUN!  You always love your kids...but, you know you are lucky when you really LIKE your kids! That's right girls...I LIKE YOU!  (You too, Colten and Kaelun!!)

My Sponsors who have helped me in SO many ways:
BadAss Nutrition:  I have never had so much consistent and quality training as I have this past winter!  The Pre and Post Workout mixes have been phenomenal!  Thank you!  Thank you!!
ASEA:  I am now two years using  Asea and I know I am a better, healthier athlete because of it!  My recoveries between training are, without a doubt, better due to Asea!  I am so grateful for your support!!
TREK AF:  I am not kidding when I say that I didn't have ANY discomfort on my bike during this entire Ironman!  Not only is my Trek Speed Concept an awesome looking bike...but, it is an amazing RIDE!  Smooth, fast, light, and the fit is RIGHT ON!  Jeff and Kris....THANK YOU so much!
Natalie Rasmussen:  Thanks so much for all the pain!  Your weekly  massages have been a huge key to helping me accomplish my goals of going to both Ironman 70.3 World Champs and to Ironman World Champs!  You're the best!!

And once again, a big thanks to all of you for your friendship and support!  You have no idea how much you help me and move me forward and make my life such an exciting and wonderful adventure!

Coach Keena is a regular contributor at TriEdge and has 15 years experience coaching and training hundreds of individuals. She is a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and holds additional certifications from the National association of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Council of Exercise (ACE) as a certified personal trainer. If you would like to contact Coach Keena go to: www.coachkeena.com.

Muscle is the Fountain of Youth. Want to stay healthy and vibrant no matter your age? Muscle is a big key to that. It is also crucial for any athlete looking to tap into their potential and become the best they can be.

Did you know your body has 650 muscles in it? Seriously! That's a lot of potential just sitting there in our bodies. When I refer to muscle, I am talking about lean, strong, functional muscle; not the big, bulky body-builder muscle. So, you can get that picture out of your head and lose your excuse that you don't want to 'bulk' up. Of course we don't want to bulk up, we want to lean up, and muscle that is used for speed, endurance, flexibility and power are what we are after!

A couple of things about muscle:

- Muscle is more metabolically active than fat. This means, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn without even trying! It is estimated that for every pound of muscle you gain, you burn an extra 50 calories a day.

- Muscle is the largest metabolic organ in the body. The more you have, the more powerful your furnace is for burning fat!

- With your higher metabolism, you will also have more energy!  Who couldn't use a little more of that?

- Muscle is denser than fat, meaning that a pound of muscle and a pound of fat weigh the same but, fat takes up  about five times more space than muscle.

- Diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, coronary artery disease and osteoporosis are avoided or more easily managed if you have quality, strong muscles.

- Greater muscle mass and strength will help protect you from injuries because of connective tissue strength and muscle's ability to stablize you.

- Bone density increases with resistance training and improved quality of muscle. That means less chance of breaks and fractures.

- Strength training and improved muscle will help improve your posture. Structurally you will be healthier, plus you will look ten pounds lighter!

- People with a higher muscle to fat ratio live longer. And, I can guarantee you that their quality of life is better too!

- For all you athletes; more muscle and less fat means you can swim, bike, run and do whatever else you decide, faster, stronger and better than ever.

- Finally, more muscle and less fat just looks really good.  And admit it, we all want to look good!
 
Now that you know why you want more muscle (and less fat), I am now going to take just a few more minutes and talk about how you can help build more muscle and reduce your body fat.
 
#1 Strength Train: If you don't challenge your muscles, how do you expect to trigger the muscle-building process?  You need to employ the principles of a process called "Progressive Overload" by gradually increasing the intensity of your strength training. I highly recommend beginning your strength training with a higher rep approach...meaning 12-15 repetitions of a lift with 2-3 sets. You need to spend a minimum of 6 weeks just building your connective tissue before you add and heavier, more challenging lifts to your program. That way you will build muscle safely and effectively because your body is progressively improving and getting stronger. Commit to strength training 2-3 days a week, and consistently give your body a quality workout overloading your muscles and you will be loving how you look and feel!

#2 Mix It Up: Every 6-8 weeks you want to change up your strength training routine/reps/sets to keep your body guessing as to what you are going to challenge it with. That way, you will continue making progress (and you won't get bored). Your motivation will stay high because your body is responding and you are getting stronger and leaner and looking better.

#3 Fuel Your Muscles:  If you are strength training and working hard and seeing little improvement, I can almost guarantee that your nutrition is the problem. You would never expect to drive your car to a distant location and never have to stop to put fuel in it would you? Would you expect your car to work properly if you didn't have the right fuel or oil in it? Of course not! It's the same with your body. Put the right kinds of fuel in your body and it will take you wherever you want to go!  Your muscles need enough protein and water to ensure they are able to adapt, repair and improve after your overload them with strength training. During our workout we actually tear our muscles down, it is after our strength training, during the 'rest' part of our lives that the muscles are rebuilding, repairing and improving. So, if you feed your body sub par nutrients in the form of refined, crappy, nutritionally empty foods; how can you expect to build lean, healthy muscle and lose unhealthy fat? Remember, muscle is build out of the same building blocks that protein provides. Choose to fuel with lean, healthy protein, lots of water (muscle is mostly water), fruits, veggies, healthy fats and some quality complex carbohydrates and you will be AMAZED at how good you look and feel!

#4 Rest: As I pointed out in the above statement, it is not during our training that we improve and get stronger, faster and better. It is when we are resting, after we have overloaded our system that our muscles then repair, adapt and improve. If you never rest, how can you expect your body to be able to repair itself and get stronger, leaner and lighter? Do not rip yourself off after putting in a hard workout and only get 4 hours of sleep or allow yourself to let stress interfere with your quality of  recovery. Yes, it is a choice! Don't think you are being a martyr or are more busy or important and just have "too much to do" to give your body what it needs in the form of rest and recovery. You want a healthy, vibrant, awesome quality of life with a lean, strong body that will do what you want it to do? Then put your ego aside and get some crucial rest and recovery to allow your body to take care of you!
        
Don't be intimidated to start strength training.  It is such a crucial and valuable component of a healthy lifestyle and will pay huge dividends in return for your efforts. If you hate the idea of going to a gym, then don't!  All you need are some weights, tubing, a stability ball and a willingness to work hard and you are good to go in your own home. If you find you need a little extra motivation, a gym is a good place to get that because the energy of all those other people trying to improve their health and quality of life can really help  keep you going! I can tell you right now, anytime I am at a gym and I see someone else working hard I am always impressed. I don't care what your shape, age or ability is, I think you are an absolute STUD (or STUDETTE) for being there and taking charge of your life!
 
Now for your challenge:
#1:  Strength Train 2-3 weekly!  This doesn't have to take long, even 30 minutes of effort is going to pay off.  If you haven't been following any sort of plan, you are going to download and print up the attached program and do it TWO times this week.  Give yourself a 2 day break between each strength training session to allow for muscle repair (but still do your cardio!)

CLICK HERE FOR STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM:  http://gallery.mailchimp.com/a75193bf29f25e0f434b42796/files/Triathlon_Strength_training_in_season_maintenance.pdf 
 
#2:  Get your rest!  Your challenge this week is to get 7+ hours of sleep every night.  I know, you are busy, but seriously, how much of that evening time stuff is TV, computer or otherwise not crucially necessary? Make your rest and recovery a priority this week and see just how good you feel!
 
Keep eating all that beautiful, healthy, awesome muscle building, fat burning food as you do your strength training and enjoy your 7+ hours of sleep and you are going to be like a whole new person.

You're Welcome!

Coach Keena is a regular contributor at TriEdge and has 15 years experience coaching and training hundreds of individuals. She s a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and holds additional certifications from the National association of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Council of Exercise (ACE) as a certified personal trainer. If you would like to contact Coach Keena go to: www.coachkeena.com.

In order to really succeed at creating a healthy lifestyle and not just a temporary fix, you need to create some habits. The following habits, an exerpt from Precision Nutrition, if followed and incorporated into your daily, permanent, consistent, healthy lifestyle will pretty much guarantee that you will always stay healthy, fit, lean and looking and feeling great. Of course habits take some time, focus, energy and serious commitment to create.  But once you get them into your system you will be able to really be rocking! The following are the habits that are going to get you where you want to be (and keep you there!)

#1: EAT EVERY 2-4 HOURS
Why?  Because research shows that frequent eating stimulates your metabolism, balances your blood sugar and helps maintain lean mass (while burning fat!)  How many meals per day should you eat? Just divide the time you're awake by 3. So if you are awake 15 hours a day, you should aim for 5 meals a day. If your goal is weight gain, you may need to eat more meals per day. If your goal is weight loss, then you may need to only eat 4 meals per day. Your meal size will be based on your gender, body size, body fat, physical activity levels, calorie needs, etc.

#2: EAT COMPLETE, LEAN PROTEIN WITH EVERY MEAL  
Why? Because protein helps to maintain blood sugars, maximally stimulate your metabolism, improve your muscle mass (higher metabolic rate), improve recovery, and reduce your body fat. Women should aim for about 20-30 grams (80-120 calories) per meal- the equivalent of about 1palm sized portion of protein. Men should aim for about 40-60 grams of protein per meal- the equivalent of about 2 palm sized portions.

 
#3: EAT VEGETABLES WITH EVERY MEAL
Why? For many reasons! Science has shown that in addition to the micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) packed into veggies, there are also important plant chemicals that are essential to optimal physiological functioning. Vegetables also provide an alkaline load to the blood.  Since proteins and grains are more acidic, it is important to balance this load since too much acid means the loss of bone strength and muscle mass. Vegetables are also a great source of fiber. A serving of veggies is about 1/2 cup. Aim to eat 2-3 servings (so 1.5 or so cups) with every meal. Make this a daily habit and you will be providing your body with 10-15 servings of awesome, cancer fighting, fat blasting, free radical destroying, acid neutralizing, power veggies every day.

#4: IF FAT LOSS IS YOUR GOAL, EAT VEGGIES AND FRUITS WITH EVERY MEAL AND "OTHER CARBS" ONLY AFTER EXERCISE

Why? Because, when it comes to changing your body's composition, timing your carbohydrates is one of the most effective strategies for kick-starting fat loss in people with stubborn and hard to remove body fat stores. It also minimizes fat gain in people gaining muscle!

#5: EAT HEALTHY FATS DAILY
Why?  Because healthy fats (primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) help you lose weight as well as help with cellular repair, fat loss, improved recovery and a host of other valuable healthy benefits. Aim for approximately 30% of your calories coming from healthy fats. In addition to getting healthy fats from your food (such as: nuts, olive oil, avocado, flax seeds/oil, etc.) you should also include fish oil supplements in your nutrition plan. These supplements can help  protect you from heart disease, cancer, diabetes and more. It is recommended that about 6 grams a day is about right.

#6: DON'T DRINK BEVERAGES WITH MORE THAN 0 CALORIES (this does not include your green protein smoothie)  
Why? Because nothing can take the place of good, clean water. Your body is made of over 60% water! Water is absolutely essential for a variety of functions including weight loss and improved body composition, circulation, better athletic performance, and a host of other crucial bodily functions. You should aim for a minimum of 96 ounces of water every day!

#7: EAT WHOLE FOODS INSTEAD OF SUPPLEMENTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE
Why? Because no pills, bars or other pre-made options can even come close to giving you the quality of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that good
old fruits and veggies contain. Get a complete diet of lean meats (and other quality proteins), fruits and veggies, high fiber and nutrient dense carbs (at the right time) and good, healthy fats. I know it can be challenging to do this all the time, so aim to eat this way as often as you possibly can, and then give yourself a break when life is too crazy and go with the pre-made stuff when nothing else will work. This leads us to the next habit...

 
#8: PLAN AHEAD AND PREPARE FOOD IN ADVANCE  
Why? Because life is crazy and busy and the hardest part of eating well and healthy is consistency. Sometimes good nutrition is less about the food and more about making sure the food is available when it's time to eat. Remember, "Failing to plan is planning to fail."  So plan ahead and succeed!

 
#9: EAT AS WIDE A VARIETY OF GOOD FOODS AS POSSIBLE  
Why? Well first off, eating the same things over and over can get very boring. In addition, it is nice to give your body a variety of nutrients and fresh seasonal foods that give you a healthy variety.  Be brave, try new things! You may just find some new favorites.

#10: PLAN TO BREAK THE RULES 10% OF THE TIME  
Why? Because it gives you a break from feeling like you have to be perfect all the time, and really makes a negligible effect on your progress. But, let's be clear on what this 10% break really means. If you are eating 5 times per day for 7 days of the week, that's 35 meals each week. Since 10% of 35 is about 3.5, you can eat 3 or 4 "imperfect" meals per week. A 10% meal is one that doesn't conform to the above 9 habits. Did you miss your protein source with lunch? That's a 10% meal. Did you skip a meal? That's a 10% meal. Did you skip veggies? That's a 10% meal. Did you eat a whole pizza? That's definitely a 10% meal! You get it, right?  If you are honest with yourself in regards to your nutritional quality and adherence to your 90% on and 10% off, you will succeed and reach your goals. If you are not seeing results, take a good, honest look at your nutrition and you will most likely find that your 10% break is probably more around 20%, 30% or even more. Aim for 90% of your meals hitting the above 9 habits and then enjoy your 10% break meals! It's a good thing!
 
So, there you have it, ten fantastic habits that are going to help you get lean and strong. When incorporated into your steady, consistent lifestyle they will keep you lean and strong.
   
ENJOY!

Coach Keena is a regular contributor at TriEdge and has 15 years experience coaching and training hundreds of individuals. She s a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and holds additional certifications from the National association of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Council of Exercise (ACE) as a certified personal trainer. If you would like to contact Coach Keena go to: www.coachkeena.com.

I read a terrific article the other day about calories and it made me realize that many of us don't really focus on the quality of our calories. First off, contrary to popular belief a calorie is NOT a calorie. What that means is that carbs, fats and protein calories are not equal because the body processes each in a distinct way, and these differences have a definite affect on weight management and health. Think about it, two different people eat 2000 calories a day:

Person #1 eats those calories in the form of no breakfast (cause they hate breakfast!), a small burger and fries for lunch with a diet Coke (cause there's no calories, so it must be good..right?) and a pint of Ben and Jerry's for dinner.

Person #2 eats those calories in the form of a protein smoothie with all the goods in it for breakfast (400 calories), an apple and small handful of almonds for a snack (250 calories), a flat bread wrap with turkey, spinach, cucumbers and mustard with a clementine for lunch (300 calories),  a yogurt with cottage cheese and kashi go lean cereal for another snack (350 calories), and tilapia fish with a big green salad, sweet potato, and grilled asparagus or brocolli for dinner (450 calories). Later that evening they want a small snack so they have a serving of edamame or a small protein smoothie (150 calories) and they go to bed feeling content, healthy and never hungry with a metabolism that has been fired up all day long and keeps working happily all night long as they sleep!
 

Same amount of calories for the 2 different people, but which one is going to be the leaner, lighter, healthier person? Easy answer! (and if you said person #1...we've got some problems!)

Here is how this breaks down:
#1 The energy cost to metabolize fat, carbs and protein is different.
Did you know it takes energy to digest, absorb and metabolize the energy in food? The body uses different amounts of energy to process different energy containing nutrients. It takes more energy (in general) to burn protein than carbs. And, it takes more energy to process carbs than fat! Don't get  me wrong, we need all three of these beneficial macronutrients, but we need to utilize them in the right manner.

#2 Calorie restriction SLOWS your metabolism.
So, if you think that just by cutting back on your caloric intake that you are going to lose weight, you are right at first. Then what happens is your body will metabolically adapt to your intake and your body will literally run cooler to conserve the reduced number of calories you are eating. Which means you are right back where you started, but hungrier!

There is an interesting study that involved elite female gymnasts and distance runners. The study found that those athletes who had inconsistent caloric intake in regards to their caloric needs tended to have more body fat and were less lean than the runners and gymnasts who timed their nutrient intake to supply their bodies with the necessary fuel to keep their metabolic rate healthy and muscle mass sufficient. It is also interesting to note that this study showed that even if these athletes took in the same number of calories, the athletes that distributed their calories most evenly throughout the day were those that were leanest and healthiest!

#3 Protein reduces appetite.
In general, protein will reduce your appetite more per calorie than fat and carbohydrate. Basically what this means is, if you just include more lean protein in your daily nutrition you will most likely eat less without even noticing because you will feel more full. Here are the results from a study conducted by the University of Washington School of Medicine:  "In a recent study from the University of Washington School of Medicine, 19 subjects were fed each of three diets sequentially. For two weeks they followed a weight-maintenance diet comprising 15 percent protein, 35 percent fat, and 50 percent carbohydrate. For the next two weeks they followed a high–protein diet of equal calories. The macronutrient breakdown of this diet was 30 percent protein, 20 percent fat, and 50 percent carbohydrate. Finally, the subjects switched to a high-protein diet with the same macronutrient breakdown but no calorie restriction—subjects were allowed to eat as much or as little as they pleased (or “ad libitum”). They stayed on this last diet for 12 weeks. "

The authors of the study reported that when subjects switched from the low-protein weight maintenance diet to the high-protein weight maintenance diet, they started feeling much fuller despite the fact that they were consuming the same number of calories. Even more significant, during the unrestricted high-protein diet phase, the subjects voluntarily reduced their daily eating by 441 calories per day and lost almost 11 pounds, including more than eight pounds of body fat, on average. They actually felt more full and yet, were eating less cause they weren't hungry. Oh yeah- and lost weight and more importantly, body fat!

#4 Eat your fiber.
Fiber is a form of Carbohydrate that contributes to feeling full without contributing calories, because it is not absorbed into the body. So, a calorie inside a high fiber food is not equal to a calorie inside a low-calorie food.
 

#5 Time your eating to affect calorie effectiveness.
Have you ever heard the term "thermic effect of Food" (TEF)?  It's basically just a fancy name for the energy used up as a result of digesting and absorbing food. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that TEF is higher in the morning than in the evening. We actually burn more calories in the morning! A Japanese study found that boxers eating six meals a day lowered their body fat percentage significantly more than boxers who ate exactly the same amount of calories in just two meals. This is a big deal for all you endurance athletes as well, because studies have also shown that people build more muscle and gain less body fat, or lose body fat, when they eat enough calories within 2 hours after exercise than when they do not, even if they eat the same number of calories over the course of a day!  So, get your postworkout protein smoothie in you quick. It will not only help you recover more effectively from your workout, but will also keep you leaner and lighter.
   
Make a conscious effort to incorporate these tips into your daily nutrition and you should notice a positive difference. Focus on quality of calories vs. just the amount, eat consistently throughout the day, keep the protein coming, eat your fiber, and eat your breakfast to  keep the fat off.  Oh- and as long as I have your attention, DRINK YOUR WATER!  96 oz. a day sure is a good number to shoot for. You can thank me later!

Coach Keena is a regular contributor at TriEdge and has 15 years experience coaching and training hundreds of individuals. She s a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and holds additional certifications from the National association of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Council of Exercise (ACE) as a certified personal trainer. If you would like to contact Coach Keena go to: www.coachkeena.com.

"If you are human, your body will move better, improve it's ability to recover, tolerate increased physical effort and just feel better when you have improved elasticity."

Coach Keena has over 15 years experience as a trainer and coach to hundreds of individuals. She has coached over 500 athletes to triathlon success as well as hundreds of others to improved health and fitness.  She has experience coaching and training every age and ability as well as every distance of triathlon from sprint to Ironman.  She has also spent the last 13 years coaching other specialty classes at her private studio such as:  Women on Weights, Commit To Be Fit Nutrition Challenge, Core Strength Training for Athletes, Boot Camp for athletes and other goal specific classes.

"Once I had a full blown case of IT band, it took over a year of trying every form of therapy, massage, stretching, voodoo, psychological evaluation and finally surgery to overcome this persistent little gift from Satan himself."

UGH!

IT Band!   I have a personal vendetta against all things IT Band!  This nasty little injury pretty much sidelined me for over a year during the early stages of my triathlon career.  I’ll never forget exactly where I was when I first experienced that soon to be familiar feeling of a hammer knocking the tar out of the side of my knee.  At first it was just a twinge….a weird, sharp ache that hit smack dab on the side of my right knee.  We’d recently moved from a mountain side home where I did all my running on mountain trails, to a home down in the city where I ended up doing most of my runs on asphalt roads with a nice slant.  Of course, I kept running even after the initial arrival of my new worst enemy, because…well, who really let’s a little nagging hammer knock on the side of their knee keep them from doing what they love?!  Oh yeah…sane people do.  But, you must remember…most runners are NOT sane, hence the need to run!

Once I had a full blown case of IT band, it took over a year of trying every form of therapy, massage, stretching, voodoo, psychological evaluation and finally surgery to overcome this persistent little gift from Satan himself.

 I had never experienced IT band before and had no idea what I was in for.  If I had realized what I was dealing with, I believe I would have been able to take the immediate and necessary steps to avoid the 14 months of torture I was in for.  Because I had no idea what I was dealing with, I thought I could “Run through it.”  You can’t.  You’ll just make it worse (really!)  So, in the hope that I can help just one person out there avoid what I went through….here are the basics of Battling IT band.

Your IT Band (officially known as your “Iliotibial band”) is a long sheath of tissue that basically begins at your hip/glute and runs down the side of your leg and attaches to the knee.  The pain you feel with IT Band is a result of the IT band tightening and snapping across the side of your knee joint creating inflammation and much hammer hitting unhappiness!

To keep this little monster in check and the rest of you happy….do the following:

• If at all possible, do the bulk of your running on dirt trails and soft surfaces.  Avoid cement/sidewalks, etc. and if you have to run on asphalt, try to stay off the camber slant as that increases strain on the IT band.
• Be sure to wear shoes that work for you.  Don’t wear old, worn out, beat up shoes and expect to get away with it for long.
• Watch your running technique.  One of the biggest causes for IT band issues is overstriding.  You need to keep your legs landing UNDER your center of balance as you run…not striding way out in front of you.  Every time your foot lands way out in front of you is just that much more impact and pressure on your IT band.  Keep a high stride rate (85-95 strides per minute is a good goal), proud posture (chest open, neutral spine and head) slight lean forward, and midfoot landing.  Stay solid biomechanically and your IT band just might decide to be your friend.
• Keep your body structurally sound.  That means:  Strong glutes and hips (both internal and external), and a solid, stable core.  A great exercise for core and hip stabilizers is a side plank.  Lay on your side with your feet stacked on top of eachother and elbow under your shoulder.  Lift your hips as high off the ground as you can and hold for 30-60 seconds.  Do both sides.  Once you are strong enough, add leg lifts to the side plank.  Works core, hip stabilizers and spinal column.
• Stretch!  You should be doing this anyways…right?!  So, just be sure to add several good hip flexor, glute stretches to keep those joints and the connective tissue attached to them mobile and healthy.  You would be wise to also add in work on a roller.  This is called Myofascial Release and it is magic!  You can buy a foam roller from your local running store or online.  It is one of the best investments you can make in your soft tissue’s athletic future!
• Be patient as you are running and don’t increase your mileage too fast!  Most people that get hit with IT Band Syndrome have increased their mileage too quickly and didn’t give their body’s enough time to adapt and assimilate to the movement.  Take it slow with the mileage increase, and chances are lower that you will be hit with this injury.
• Emotionally, IT Band Syndrome can really be a disaster because runner’s love their endorphins and when we don’t get our hit…the world is just not as lovely a place.  I’ll tell you what saved me.  Cross Training!  Because I am a triathlete, I just spent WAY more time on my swimming and cycling training.  In a way, it was a blessing because my swim and bike  had been slightly weaker disciplines before this injury and it gave me a chance to improve my strength with these disciplines.  Silver lining to the dark cloud, baby!  So, if you are struggling with IT Band Syndrome…don’t get all down and dreary, take the opportunity to improve other skills while you are repairing your injury and you’ll come back even better!

DON’T GIVE UP!  Be patient with this injury because it really can be persistent.  But, you CAN overcome it.  Take all the above steps…PLUS the following: STOP running immediately when you feel that twinge.  Ice immediately.  Take a couple days off from running after feeling that twinge (just swim, lift, do yoga, etc.)   Stretch, massage, roll it out.  Strengthen your stabilizers.  Come back slow and easy.

You are not alone with this injury and you can take solace in knowing that lots of runners have not just struggled with this injury but have overcome it come it and come back  stronger, faster, better….and even MORE grateful for the joy a good run can give us!

Good Luck and Happy Training!

Coach Keena is a regular contributor here at TriEdge and has 15 years experience coaching and training hundreds of individuals. She s a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and holds additional certifications from the National association of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Council of Exercise (ACE) as a certified personal trainer. If you would like to contact Coach Keena go to: www.coachkeena.com

Raise your hand if you use a heart rate monitor on a regular basis in your training. Now, raise your other hand if you are using your heart rate monitor in the most effective and useful way.