What's Your Winter Workout?

Well, it's that dreaded time of year again. You know what I'm talking about. The season in which you have to wear 10 layers of clothing just to leave your house. Yeah, that beautiful weather. So how do you work out during the winter? I realize that no one wants to venture outside in a blizzard or the frigged cold, and it is bad for your lungs to work out in extreme temperatures. However, at times during the winter you should try to get out and get some work done outside. Some days though, it is not realistic and you will not be going outside, so what do you do?
Here's a few ideas:

1. The treadmill. Or as I like to call it, the dreadmill. I hate staring at a wall, and I really don't like running nowhere. However, it is an option if it is too cold for running outside and you are dying to get in a few miles. The dreadmill can be made a little bit more bearable with some loud music, or if you can position your treadmill in front of a tv or laptop so that you have a source of entertainment while going nowhere fast, that is also helpful.
2. Cross-fit/Lifting Workout. This is a great option if you are forced to remain indoors for a day or two. If you can put together a series of lifts or ab/strength exercises. This is my first choice when it comes to indoor workouts. It's fun and so much less boring that running on a treadmill.
3. Skipping. While this seems like the worst option imaginable, skipping a day is not a bad idea at all. In fact, you should choose to have at least one day of rest every week. If you know that you will be able to get outside the rest of the week, that there is only one extremely cold day that week, just plan your rest day for that day.
4. Zumba. If you know that you will not be getting outside this winter because you hate the cold even more than I do (which i will say is pretty hard), then you can always sign up for some kind of Zumba or any kind of workout class at your local fitness center, such as the YMCA. You can stay inside and you still get a great workout in.
5. Swimming. This seems like a crazy idea in the winter, why would you voluntarily jump into a cold pool when it is below 0 degrees outside. Well the water, and pool room itself really isn't as cold as you might think. Swimming is such a great source of exercise, working all of the muscles in your body. You could also enroll into a water aerobics class at a fitness center. I have not personally participated in one, but it seems like it would be fun. I mean why not? Going outside with wet hair may stink for about 90 seconds, but anything to avoid jumping onto the dreadmill, right?

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Playing Games

All right, I'm just going to say it, if your sports are stressing you out, then you're not doing it right.

In my family, at least, sports are supposed to be fun, that's what they were made for. So what is everyone getting so worked up about? That seems to be the issue nowadays. Everyone gets so freaked out about doing well and they have so much pressure riding on them in their sports. It makes no sense, it's just game right? Or is it?

Sports have gotten so extreme. Most people dedicate their lives to sports or their child's sports. Take a look at the world. We have invested so much into stadiums and arenas so that we can go and watch people play games. We invest so much into children's sports so that they can be on the best teams and travel around the country to play games. Every couple of years we invest millions of dollars to build the most elaborate Olympic stadiums in a new location every time. Then, we spend an outrageous amount of money to go to these stadiums. And for what? So that we humans can go see other humans play games. I mean, doesn't that seem the slightest bit crazy to you?

I get that people love these sports. I get that these sports become people's lives because they love it so much. I get that all some kids want to do is play games. I guess what I don't understand is how it got so out of control.

Maybe it's because nobody noticed that it was getting out of control until it was too late. It started with playing games. But then people started to see not only the sport as a source of enjoyment, but that being a spectator was just as enjoyable. People got smart and realized that they could charge people to  come and watch sports, that it could make a profit. And from there, it just blew up.

I'm not saying that it is necessarily a bad thing, but I also don't think that it is a good thing. Making sports this big puts unneeded pressure on the kids involved in them. From a young age they start thinking about high school, college and then the pros.

In my opinion, I just think that it's too much. It's great that sports are fun and give kids something to do after school, but it's gotten to be too much. Kid's never get a break, going year-around. They need to slow down and enjoy life and not worry about the future too much.

So think about it, are sports inhibiting you from life? Relaxation, family and friends? I just ask that you reevaluate why you put in hours at the gym, and if it's not because you absolutely love what you're doing then stop. Be human. Enjoy something outside of sports. There is such a big world out there and you are limiting yourself if you lock yourself in the gym 24/7. I am by no means saying that you should change your lifestyle, I'm just saying that make sure what you're doing it worth it.

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Smoothies 101

Smoothies are my all-time favorite health drink. During the summer, I make them all the time, before and after workouts, for breakfast, for desert, for a snack, and pretty much every other occasion you can think of. I love them. It wasn't until recently that I realized that most people don't know how to make smoothies at home. Most people just go to a smoothie place such as NutriSmoothie to quench their fruit drink craving. However, it is much cheaper to make smoothies from your home. All you need is a blender, ice, vanilla yogurt, and your favorite fruit(s).

1. Start by getting out your blender, and adding about 1 cup of yogurt.
2. The next step is to throw in a cup of fruit, anything from strawberries to bananas to pineapple works. The fruit can be frozen or raw, both work well. Also, if you would prefer to have a dominant fruit, just add a little bit extra of that particular fruit.
3. Blend these ingredients together until the smoothie is creamy.
4. Lastly, add 3-4 ice cubes and blend it until all of the ice is broken up. This step is optional, it just makes your smoothie colder.
5. Finally, pour your smoothie into a glass and enjoy.

It is super easy and people make smoothies in different ways. Some people add ice cream instead of yogurt or fruit juice to get a stronger flavor or even protein powder to make it like a protein shake. You can add more of each ingredient to make smoothies for your friends as well. There are so many different variations and ways to create smoothies, no single smoothie is the same. Feel free to change it to your preferences and create your own variation. My personal favorites are strawberry banana and wild berry smoothies with raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. Pineapple and kiwi are also really good to add to smoothies as well.

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Can Running Make You High?

Most runners are familiar with the mysterious "runner's high". If you are not, then you are probably confused about what this crazy phenomenon is. It's exactly what it sounds like, it is when someone is running and they experience a euphoric high, such like one you might experience on mood altering drugs. Most people get happy and feel no pain, they feel like they are on the top of the world, or that they could run forever.

I myself have experienced this before and it is part of the reason that running can sometimes be enjoyable. It doesn't always happen when you are in the most pain or pushing yourself the hardest. I have experienced this in different points of my run. The time that I experience it most however, is when I am finishing a race. Endorphins take over and I can't feel any pain, all I can feel is emotion and determination, to pass as many people as possible at the end of the race and to finish strong.
I read a New York Times article called "Yes, Running Can Make You High" that talked about the timing of a runner's high. Many people talked about getting a euphoric effect at the end of a race, some being so strong that it made them weep. I have only experienced that extreme of emotions in one race in middle school. I was having a rough race, when I finished I pushed myself so hard and was so happy to have completed the race that I started to get emotional and even cried. However, during many high school races, I experienced a runner's high at the end of my races like described in the article.
Not everyone however, is able to experience a runner's high. Some of the friends that I run with have never experienced a runner's high while others that I talk to have only experienced it once or twice. It is different for everyone and it depends a lot on your environment.  For me, I experienced it more when I was younger, during middle school raced than I do now. I think that running has worn me down and the end of a race isn't as big of a deal as it once was. I also notice that I experience it more during track races than during cross country races because track is more intense and there is a lot more pressure at the end of a race. Like I said before, it depends on the environment.
I can't speak to how it compares to a high that you would get from using real mood altering drugs, but it is definitely a unique feeling, one that I have never felt outside of running. I wish I knew exactly how it happened and what the exact cause of it is, why some people experience it and others don't. However, what I do know is that when I finish a race I feel exhausted, yet accomplished, happy and unstoppable, it's the great feeling that comes from a runner's high.

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2014/15 Winter Workout Playlist

Finding the right songs with the right beat is an art when it comes to working out. When I work out I have a playlist that changes day to day, week to week or sometimes month to month, it just depends on my mood. When running, I like to listen to any type of music, but all of the songs I listen to tend to be motivational and push me when I feel like I don't want to run any longer. Music makes running slightly more enjoyable and bearable on the rough days. I'll share with you just a some of the songs I have on my playlist this winter.

1. Fancy by Iggy Azalea: This song is a total confidence booster. It makes you feel like you are on top of the world and could keep running forever.
2. Work by Iggy Azalea: This is another great one by Iggy. It's upbeat and fun, great for a strength workout.
3. Roar by Katy Perry: This song may be a year or two old, but it is still one of my favorite workout songs. It is so powerful and makes me feel strong,
4. Hall of Fame by The Script: I have always liked this song. It reminds me why I am running; it pushes me to be my very best and makes me think about how far I've come and how far I have left to go. 
5. This is How we Do by Katy Perry: The title pretty much says it all. This is how we do it. We run and work hard to improve every day.
6. I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift: This song really doesn't relate to running at all, I just like its upbeat tempo while running.
7. Eye of the Tiger by Survivor: Yes, this is an old one. But it is still a great song for working out, especially for a difficult strength workout.
8. Stronger by Kelly Clarkson: This song works for any type of workout. I really like it for running because it reminds me to stay strong and stand tall. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." So just keep working and improving, pushing yourself isn't going to kill you, it's only going to make you better.
9. Can't Hold Us by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: This is best for getting pumped up before a workout. Such a catchy beat.
10. Lastly, one of Taylor Swift's latest, Shake it Off: This is my new favorite. Not only is it upbeat and fun, but it says "shake it off." Forget about the day's stresses for awhile and just let loose and shake things off. That's what working out is for.

These are just some of the songs that can be found on my playlist. Feel free to take some of these or other songs by these artists and create your own playlist. It is important to have upbeat and motivational music to workout to, it makes working out fun.

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