I'm 1/4 done and injured!

Me and the bunny, Gus.

I have done exactly 11 of the 44 Fitness Blender 8 Week Challenge workouts, so that means that I am 1/4 of the way done! I was supposed to do two more workouts in the last two days, but somehow managed to hurt my foot, so I was taking a little break. It is feeling better today, so I think I'm going to jump back in and get started on that second quarter.

Anyone else have random injuries with no explanation? I am not the most graceful of people. In fact, my dad used to call me "Grace" because of how uncoordinated I was as a child, lol. I did notice that the heavier I became, the less graceful I became. Since I've lost a lot of weight, I am a bit more agile, but I guess everyone has their limit! : )

I am pretty sure that I hurt my foot getting the mail the other day. I picked up the mail and was

reading some of it while walking back to the bedroom. Well, we have a rabbit and he was out, so the bunny/baby gate was up. I completely forgot about it and walked right into the thing and almost somersaulted over it.

I also have to admit that I don't like shoes. I'm from the country. I never wore shoes growing up. I didn't wear them when I was inside, didn't wear them when I was playing outside, didn't have a problem walking across the stone driveway either. But, I grew up and moved away and started living in apartments in the city and I knew I couldn't go walking around the sidewalks without risking glass or whatever else people decide to toss out for Mother Nature to clean up. So I've become a bit more of a tender foot lately. But that's beside the point.

My main point is that I don't like shoes, don't like socks, don't like things on my feet. So, I tend to do some most of the workouts without shoes. That's bad, I know! I really should wear the shoes for support with the workouts that I do. And since I don't enjoy being injured or not working out, I think I might just have to start doing that.

Livestrong, one of my favorite resources, says, "Whether your workout involves running, walking, sports or gym equipment, a decent sport shoe is a must. Injury caused by inappropriate shoes can needlessly derail your fitness or weight loss attempt. Investing in a quality shoe can help you to prevent foot and ankle damage, and make your workout a more pleasant and comfortable experience."

Credit: c4players.com

There are so many different types of shoes to choose from to make sure you get the best fit for you and your lifestyle.

Running : inbuilt shock absorbers, good traction
Walking: lightweight
Aerobic : lightweight and shock absorbing
Tennis : flexible soles to protect your feet from the quick side-to-side movements of tennis
High-top basketball: extra protection against ankle and foot injuries caused by jumping
Cross-training : suitable for doing a wide range of activity

Wearing the proper shoes will help keep you from getting injured. Injuries can include ankle strains, fractures, bunions, and corns among many other less heard about injuries which can keep you from workout out, running, losing weight until the injury heals.

How Do You Choose The Proper Shoes?

According to The McKinley Health Center, you should:

• Try on shoes in the afternoon or evening, or after your workout (feet are largest at these times)
• Try the shoes on with sports socks to ensure a good fit
• Stand up when trying the shoes to make sure they fit
• Leave a half inch between your big toe and the tip of the shoe
• Make sure you can easily wiggle your toes
• Bend the shoe to make sure it is not overly flexible (can indicate a lack of support)

Michigan State University's Olin Health Center recommends replacing running shoes after every 350 to 500 miles, which would be every 20 to 25 weeks if you run 20 miles/week.

Netwellness recommends checking out the wear of your shoes from the mid-sole of the shoe, which shoes damage sooner than the treads.

Health.howstuffworks.com advises buying new athletic shoes every four to six months if you exercise regularly. Click the link to read more on choosing the proper walking shoe.

Credit: newbalancetrailrunningshoes.tumblir.com

So don't wait for injury, get out there and pick up some shoes. The part that I like best about the shoes nowadays is that there are a ton of colors and styles to choose from. Some websites even let you design your own shoes. I also would highly recommend going and getting fitted for shoes too. There are a bunch of athletic shoe stores that will fit them for you and some even evaluate your walking/running style to choose the proper shoe for you, for free! So take them up on that because it doesn't get much better than that!

Twitchy Legs

credit: pcmc-ar.com

I just started back up my habit of walking this week. I used to walk every day when I was in college. I'd walk 4 miles around campus and back to my apartment. Now, I've found 4 miles that I can walk where I live currently. So I've done that almost every day this week; I took one day off to go biking.

So, my walks have not been boring at all this week. I think I had one day that nothing happened. The second time that I went out for a walk this week I ended up coming back soaked to the bone. I misjudged the weather map and the storm that was supposed to come at 5 PM decided to come early. Whoops!

Today was interesting too. It was uncharacteristically hot. Like 30 degrees

The storm coming in behind me!

hotter than any day yet this year. I started out with a hoodie and was pretty warm, but ... again ... Mother Nature decided to stir things up and a storm front started moving in. I managed not to get wet this time, but had a pretty good show in the sky off in the distance! That's why I prefer walking outside to walking on the treadmill: something different to see every time!

And just in case you were wondering, I keep a little plastic baggy in my pocket in case it does start raining and I need to get my phone/headphones out of the weather. 

Credit: happehtherapy.org

So now on to the twitchy legs. I got back from my 4 mile walk, which I happened to forget to warm up for. Whoops, again! I was sitting in my chair, checking on the stats from my walk and noticed these little twinges in my legs. All over. Like little tugs of the muscle. It didn't hurt, just kind of funny feeling. So, wondering what they were, I pulled up Google and decided to investigate.

It turns out that these little twitches are fairly normal and nothing very serious. Livestrong says: "Twitching occurs due to tiny involuntary muscle contractions in your leg muscles. The problem can also occur in a muscle served by a single nerve fiber. When twitching occurs, you may feel a slight pulling sensation in your leg and may see small, rapid movements in the affected muscle."

The website lists several possible causes for this behavior:

• muscle fatigue
• dehydration
• not properly warming up the muscles before exercise
• irritation in muscles after exercise
• large amounts of caffeine
• not eating a balanced diet
• certain medications may cause twitches
• reduced electrolyte levels 
• you lose electrolytes when you sweat and may notice the twinges more often in hot/humid weather
• Livestrong also says this twitching can be symptoms of certain diseases "including fibromyalgia; weak muscles; restless leg syndrome; nerve damage; muscle injury; muscular dystrophy; atrophy of the spinal muscles; or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease."

They recommend that if the twitching seems unusually severe or chronic, you notice weakness, loss of sensation or weakness in the muscle, to see your doctor. 

How do you prevent this twitching?

• drink plenty of fluids to replace hydration lost in sweat
• stretch properly before engaging in the physical activity
• doctor prescribed anti-spasmodic medication

You can also massage twitching muscles to reduce involuntary contractions. 

To read the original article, click HERE.

Water!

Water is often overlooked when it comes to nutrition, but it is one of the most important parts of your diet. The big question is: How much water should I drink per day? The most common answer is the famous "8 glasses of water a day"! But there are variables that should be taken into consideration. For example, a 5 foot tall, 115 pound woman's needs would be very different from a 6 foot tall, 300 pound man's. Also, the needs of someone who is sedentary would differ from someone who runs 8 miles every day, as that person would perspire more.

The opposite side of hydration is dehydration. This is the condition in which one does not drink enough water to keep the body hydrated. Livestrong.com explains, "Getting enough water each day is important to avoid dehydration, which can cause headache, fatigue, weakness, dizziness and even unconsciousness in severe cases."

"You lose close to an additional liter, about four cups, of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements," states the Mayo Clinic's website. Livestrong's website goes on to say, "Since food typically accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, consuming two liters of water or other beverages a day in addition to your normal diet will typically replace your lost fluids".

 The benefits of drinking water are many. Here are just a few.

• Helps you lose weight by reducing your appetite
• Improves your mood because your body feels good
• Helps detoxify your body
• Helps with digestion and constipation
• Creates healthy skin
• Regulates body temperature
• Protects and moisturizes joints
• Transports nutrients and oxygen into cells
• Moisturizes the air in our lungs
• Helps with metabolism

So how much water should you drink? You can aim for the 8 cups of water or there is another technique. They say to take your weight, divide it by 2, and that is the amount of water that you should drink in ounces. So if you are 200 pounds, divide that by 2, which equals 100. So you would try to drink around 100 ounces of water each day, which is about 12 cups. That may seem like a lot, but you must remember that you also consume water through the fruits, veggies, and other beverages like coffee or tea that you consume. Pop/soda does not count in this list. Livestrong's site says though, "If you drink enough water where you rarely feel thirsty and produce at least 1.5 liters, or about six cups, of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate."

So grab your water and drink up!