Moved!

Studette Sports:

http://studettesports.wordpress.com

My Runner's Log

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will."
--Vince Lombardi

I love running. I flat out think it's awesome. It hasn't always been this way, especially taking in the fact that I never got a good grade in P.E. But now it's in my being.

I've been in and out of a running routine for the last few years, with a high of run/walking the Rock n Roll Marathon San Diego and a low of doing no running while harboring a weird knee issue. Now, I am consistently running and getting back in the swing of things, and I plan on staying this way.

Periodically, I'm going to give running updates on progress and on inspirations for all those runners out there. Next stop for me is the Disneyland Half Marathon on September 5th. I get to run through Disneyland, on the Angel Stadium field, and end my run in California Adventure.

Best Exercise Motivators

Sometimes, no matter how much we enjoy exercise, it takes a little extra motivation to get out the door. Here are the best motivating tips I've found and used throughout the years:

Plan to go for only 10 minutes-once you start, it's usually very easy to keep going but even if not, 10 minutes is better than nothing.

Have a treat lined up for when you're done-examples include dark chocolate, protein smoothies, or lavender foot baths.

Destination exercising-it's a lot more fun and motivating to run with an end in mind (like Starbucks) than to run with no end in sight (this can also be used with the last tip!).

Music-create a specific exercise playlist for your iPod and only listen to it while exercising. Changing it up every week helps too.

Recruit a friend-exercising with friends keeps you accountable, and it's always more fun to have a friend to suffer, I mean sweat with.

Cute workout clothes and gear-I don't care what anyone says: it's always more fun and motivating to exercise in cute clothes than it is in grubby clothes. I have a running shorts obsession, but gear and gadgets work well for most people.

Do exercises you enjoy-this is very important! If you hate to run, you're not going to stick with it, but if you find a zumba class that tickles your fancy, you will be more motivated and more likely to stick to exercising.

Keep an exercise log-I keep a running log and I love seeing the miles total get bigger and bigger.

Read-books, magazines, blogs, etc are all good at motivating and giving you tips and techniques to try out.

Change it up-if you run, run a different route. If you go to the gym, try a new machine. Variety is the spice of life and will keep your workouts fun.

World Cup Update

World Cup is officially over for the US. US supporters went to the game in large numbers, which was really nice to see, but it wasn't enough.

Ghana played like they had an extra man the whole match: they out hustled, out ran, out jumped. Our defense let us down again. The funny part was, US still had a chance and many good opportunities--we just couldn't pull through and get the goals we needed. Ghana eliminated us in 2006. Let's make it stop in 2010.

We are well under way in the round of 16 and probably still have many surprises to come.

Teams thought to make it to this point (and further) in the tournament are out, Italy and France being the notable two.

Soccer shows its real need for the technology of instant replay. Even if they only used limited replay ability, say replay for the goal area and for checking offsides? Please just do something! I'm sure England would oblige.

Uruguay and Ghana will play for the quarters, as will Germany and Argentina. Argentina looked amazing against Mexico. Messi definitely deserves the title of best player in the world--perhaps if Argentina gets to the final, he will be more formally acknowledged for this distinction.

Check out the bracket

Ode to Oatmeal

“Oats: A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.”
–Samuel Johnson

I'm obsessed with oats and I'm especially fond of my morning ritual of oatmeal.

Oatmeal, steel cut to be precise, is one of the best breakfast options out there. It’s easy to digest, has whole-grain goodness, and doesn’t spike blood sugars to leave you compulsively hungry later. They can be a real treat, especially when you spice them up with nuts, fruit, cinnamon, almond milk, maple syrup and more.

Most people (and recipes) say oatmeal takes 30 minutes to prepare. I haven’t found this to be true, so time shouldn't be an excuse to miss out on oatmeal's awesome-ness.

Simple Oatmeal
1/4 cup steel cut oats
1 cup water
(Optional: agave syrup, maple syrup, dried or fresh fruit, etc)

Boil 1 cup water in a small pot

Add 1/4 cup oats; stir and lower heat to lowest setting for about 10 minutes

Stir oats and let heat for 2 more minutes

Stir and turn off burner; let sit for 3 to 5 minutes

And that’s all it takes to make a great cup of oatmeal. Enjoy!

Strawberries and Cream

It's Wimbledon time again, where everyone wears white, the lawn is always mowed, and visitors sit amongst royalty.

This year's tennis tournament will live up to the excitement: Federer and Nadal are ready to battle it out, as number 1 and 2 on the men's side; The Williams sisters are ready to kick some butt on the women's side.

How can we live in the excitement of the next 2 weeks? Two words: Strawberries & Cream.

While watching the matches, spectators get to indulge in the famous strawberries and cream by the pound. 60,000 pounds total for last year, in fact. Now we can too:



Strawberries and Cream Recipe (Serves 4)

1 pint strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup whip cream (heavy)

1. Place strawberries in bowl. Half 3/4 of strawberries and leave the rest whole.


2. Sprinkle sugar on strawberries and let sit for 30 minutes (so strawberries absorb sugar).


3. Whip the whip cream in a bowl.


4. Spoon strawberries in serving dishes and proportion out whip cream on top of each.

Vegan Whip Cream Recipe (Since this is what I eat. Just substitute this whip cream for the non-vegan one and follow the above recipe. Or buy a Vegan Whip Cream to make life easier...)

1 lb soft tofu
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soymilk

1. Combine tofu, vanilla and sugar in blender until smooth. Gradually add soymilk. Use in recipe above or refrigerate

Enjoy!

For the Love of Water

“Water, air, and cleanness are the chief articles in my pharmacy.”
-Napoleon Bonaparte


Water=Health. There’s no way around it. We're made up of water, we need it to replenish and cleanse, and we just, flat out, need to have it in our lives. How much is the real question?

A general rule of thumb: you need to drink at least half your weight in ounces. So if you weighed 100 pounds (wouldn’t that be nice!), you would need at least 50 ounces of water a day or a little more than 6 glasses. But how does a normal person get all that water into their daily fare?

Here are some ways to increase your daily total:

Drink 1 glass of water upon waking (your body just went 8 hours without even a drop!)

Carry a water bottle at all times (and use it)

Spice up your water. Make a pitcher for the table with slices of cucumbers, lemons, or oranges. Add a splash of fruit juice. Freeze fruit juice into cubes. Or add frozen berries.

Take a few sips every 20 minutes while at work

Buy a fun glass cup and make it especially for water

Eat spicy foods (and drink the water you crave because of it)

Experiment with temperature. Room temperature is great for drinking larger quantities at a time. Cold water is great for those hot summer days.

Remember, herbal tea counts too (because it has no caffeine)

With these tips, water intake will be a plentiful!

World Cup Observations

World Cup observations thus far:

*How can a team with a 105 ranking in FIFA standings (North Korea) be as competitive as they were with Brazil?

Conclusion: FIFA standings mean nothing in World Cup play.

*South African man was killed for trying to watch the World Cup while his family did not want to change the channel. Sad but still kind of amusing...Read Here.

*South African goaltender, Itumeleng Khune, gets a red card during the Uruguay match for nothing. USA doesn't get 3rd goal in today's game versus Slovenia for an unknown call by the ref. And there are so many more instances of bad calls.

*South American teams look pretty strong thus far. Please Italy and US: give me more confidence!

*The vuvuzelas (or horns) have a bit of a Rorschach test on people. Some say they sounds like bees, others like Indy racers. I think we can all agree they get annoying.

*South Africa isn't as warm as we would've thought.

*Italians don't like to lose. If Italy doesn't do well from here on out, they are at risk of rotten fruit being thrown at them and having tvs be thrown out windows throughout their country. More fits of anger may follow.

*Slovenia has white Charlie Brown jerseys.






















*Whoever is in charge of the national anthems being played before the games ought to be punched. The speed is quickened too much. Does it really hurt to spend an extra minute or two listening to the real time of the songs?

*We still can be hopeful for the US.

World Cup Soccer is like Christmas in June.

The Joys of Walking

“Anywhere is walking distance if you’ve got the time.” –Stephen Wright


Walking is considered the ultimate form of physical activity. It’s sustainable throughout ones years; it’s meditative and helps work through ideas and dilemmas; it can be done anywhere at any time. And while it might not burn calories like cross-country skiing, it sure can get you into shape for life.

Walking a little bit everyday makes a big difference to your health and waistline. Parking further away than normal from the store or getting off one bus stop early gives you extra steps and extra calories burned. The small steps you take everyday add up to a lot!

To get the most health benefits from walking, add longer periods (20+ minutes) of walking. Start with a couple days a week and eventually build up to 5 or 6 days a week. Some days a brisk 20 minute walk in the neighborhood will leave you invigorated and fit. Other days a leisurely 1 hour hike on the trails does the trick. Start a walking group with friends. Add a 5k run/walk for a sense of fun with a much larger group.

There are so many ways to incorporate walking into your life. It’s all about staying consistent, making it fun, and building on what you’ve done to get great health and a fit body.

Top 5 Super (Awesome) Foods Part II

Here are the last 3 superfoods to include in your diet:

3.) Whole Grains (brown rice, steel cut oats, quinoa, etc)
Whole cultures thrive on these little nuggets of goodness and so should we. They are full of good carbs, minus the preservatives, and they are low glycemic, so they don’t give you highs and lows (which equal moodiness, unhealthiness, and more hunger). They give you energy, health and vitality and are a easy way to incorporate natural into a daily fare of processed foods.

Try this yummy recipe from Whole Foods: Barley Salad with Fresh Mint

4.) Tea (green, white, black, herbal, etc)
Though technically not a food, I cannot stress enough the greatness of tea. It can be anything you want it to be– medicinal, refreshment, soother, supplement, energizer. And all it takes is a tea bag/leaves, hot water and a mug.

My obsession of the moment is Kombucha tea, which can be found at any health food store. This tea is a pre-packaged drink that comes in many different flavors and is great for digestive health because it contains probiotics. I like it because it fills me up rather easily and thus, I eat less.

5.) Legumes (black beans, lentils, great northern beans, etc)
A funny name for a funny food, legumes are a great source of protein, vitamins, and fiber. They are filling, go great with almost anything and are a digestive health wonder. And if you’re worried about all the digestive help you will get (i.e. of the gas variety), skim the foam that’s produced when the beans cook–it’s this foam that causes unseemly gas.

Including these 5 superfoods in your every day helps keep you healthy, well and fit. And who doesn’t want that?

Top 5 Super (Awesome) Foods Part I

“Never eat more than you can lift.” –Miss Piggy


There are many debates on the optimum diet for the average person. And if you're like the typical person, you have tried (and regret trying) many of them (I can’t believe I did the Atkins a few years ago!).

There are 5 specific foods that seem to be universally accepted as good choices. Here are 2 of the 5 food choices to include in your everyday:

1.) Greens (Kale, Collard Greens, Chinese Greens, Mustard Greens, etc)

All veggies are great, but greens provide the extra oomph to our bodies and health. They have excellent vitamin content, low calories, and are more easily digested by the body. Raw is usually best, but steamed and sauteed are great for a nice, quick meal.

Try this Recipe: Sicilian Collard Greens (From The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone )

Saute 3 garlic cloves and a tablespoon of e.v.o.o for a minute or two.
Add 1 bunch of collard greens, washed and cut (I like putting the steams in first and then the leaves a minute or two later, so the steams will get tender without compromising the leaves). Stir and cook for a couple minutes until they look tender.
Add 2 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted) and 3 tablespoons raisins. Cook for 1 or so more minutes.
Stir in 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Cook for another minute and then they’re good to go!



2.) Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed Oil is the best source for Omega-3s, which our bodies need. It's great for heart health, skin, hair and nails, and basically anything else you can think of. It comes in capsule form, seed form, or as an oil to be used with the food you eat. It makes a mean salad dressing with balsamic vinegar. If you use flaxseeds, make sure to grind them to unlock the benefits. And just make sure you don’t cook with the oil; you will lose all the benefits.