I have bad news for runners. We apparently chose the wrong sport. Our tennis shoes and breezy shorts were yesterday’s uniform of fitness. Today, it seems shin guards and cleats are all the rage. At least they should be, according to a recent study.
Danish scientists conducted a study of 37 men and found that a “friendly” soccer game burned off more fat and calories than about an hour-long jog. Over the 12-week period of the study, the percentage body fat for soccer players dropped by 3.7 percent compared to only about 2 percent for joggers.
The AP article about the study also noted that soccer players had more fun and felt less tired after a game. Joggers on the other hand “consistently thought their runs were exhausting.”
So, who’s up for a run? Anyone? I admit that this has not been my most motivating of blogs, but I will share my reactions and possibly a seed of inspiration for those of you who proudly call yourself a runner.
First off, the Danish are downers and clearly not runners (just kidding, mostly). Second, I’m not going to let the results of a mere 37 men deter me from logging my miles. They are not even a multiple of 10 (How hard would it have been to round up three extra guys for a sample size 40?). I run for many reasons, and fitness is certainly a big one. But there’s more to running than staying in shape.
I run because it’s convenient. I don’t need to convince three or more friends to run with me because I am my own team. Out on the road, it is my body verses my mind and that means I always win. I run because it relieves stress in a way that playing soccer or any other sport that combines coordination and competition simply cannot (see my Frantic Frisbee post). I run because I enjoy road races and the camaraderie of other runners. I run for the T-shirts and the free bagels and cookies after races. And contrary to the findings of said study, I run for fun.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Sleeping position and personality could be connected
Are you a sympathetic starfish or perhaps a laid-back log? Maybe a striving soldier?
According to British sleep expert Chris Idzikowski, a person’s sleeping position and personality are correlated. He studied sleeping habits of 1,000 men and women and found the six most common positions, the fetal position, the starfish, the soldier, the log, the free faller and the yearner (My favorite of the six where the sleeper dreams with arms outstretched as if begging for a hug or an oversized teddy-bear. These individuals are said to have an open nature). You can check your sleeping identity by watching a video on the WebMD Web site that illustrates the six different positions and corresponding personality traits.
As for me, my sleeping personality was somewhat difficult isolate. I’m a multi-surface sleeper. In addition to my knack for snoozing through alarms and natural disasters, I have an uncanny ability to sleep anywhere. My roommates can vouge. They’ve found me conked out, face-down and spread eagle on our cement living room floor. They have also caught me napping outdoors while balancing on a bench swing with metal bars digging into my back. What can I say—I have a gift, one that borders narcolepsy and is triggered by textbook reading.
So clearly, deciphering one sleeping personality was difficult. But it was either that or conceding that I have multiple personalities. So in favor of sanity, I settled on being a free-faller. I lay facedown with my arms bent beside my head as if I am skydiver frozen in mid descent, and if you read my last post, you already know that I fall hard. Apparently, this reveals that I’m gregarious, brash, thin-skinned and hypersensitive to criticism. Ouch. Multiple personalities may be the way to go.
According to British sleep expert Chris Idzikowski, a person’s sleeping position and personality are correlated. He studied sleeping habits of 1,000 men and women and found the six most common positions, the fetal position, the starfish, the soldier, the log, the free faller and the yearner (My favorite of the six where the sleeper dreams with arms outstretched as if begging for a hug or an oversized teddy-bear. These individuals are said to have an open nature). You can check your sleeping identity by watching a video on the WebMD Web site that illustrates the six different positions and corresponding personality traits.
As for me, my sleeping personality was somewhat difficult isolate. I’m a multi-surface sleeper. In addition to my knack for snoozing through alarms and natural disasters, I have an uncanny ability to sleep anywhere. My roommates can vouge. They’ve found me conked out, face-down and spread eagle on our cement living room floor. They have also caught me napping outdoors while balancing on a bench swing with metal bars digging into my back. What can I say—I have a gift, one that borders narcolepsy and is triggered by textbook reading.
So clearly, deciphering one sleeping personality was difficult. But it was either that or conceding that I have multiple personalities. So in favor of sanity, I settled on being a free-faller. I lay facedown with my arms bent beside my head as if I am skydiver frozen in mid descent, and if you read my last post, you already know that I fall hard. Apparently, this reveals that I’m gregarious, brash, thin-skinned and hypersensitive to criticism. Ouch. Multiple personalities may be the way to go.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Don't be a sleepy head
I reluctantly lifted my eyelids this morning only to see the daunting, red digital numbers of my clock come into focus: 8:58 a.m. Instantly, every nerve in my body lurched to attention as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice-cold spiders all over me. I was frantic, I was horrified and I was precisely 28 minutes late for my photojournalism lab where we were turning in our first of only seven graded lab assignments for the semester.
This happens a lot. I sleep through the trumpet chime on my cell phone, through blaring music on my clock radio, and on some mornings, when I’ve deliriously slid the dials on my clock in a blind attempt to smash it into tiny noiseless peices, I sleep through static. Once I even slept through a near-tornado (meaning said tornado didn’t actually appear). My family, who was huddled in a closet underneath a mattress, wanted me to get my rest, so they said.
With a little research and mostly common sense, I discovered that I don’t sleep nearly enough. According an article on WebMD, most adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Over the last week, my average has been closer to 5 or 6.
As I read on, I found out that zeros on lab assignments are the least of my worries if I keep skimping on sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to memory loss, depression, weakened immune system and an increased perception of pain. Researchers are also studying possible links between lack of sleep and obesity.
So, my theory: “You snooze, you lose,” is a sadly mistaken phrase. But that’s all for me, it’s past my bedtime.
This happens a lot. I sleep through the trumpet chime on my cell phone, through blaring music on my clock radio, and on some mornings, when I’ve deliriously slid the dials on my clock in a blind attempt to smash it into tiny noiseless peices, I sleep through static. Once I even slept through a near-tornado (meaning said tornado didn’t actually appear). My family, who was huddled in a closet underneath a mattress, wanted me to get my rest, so they said.
With a little research and mostly common sense, I discovered that I don’t sleep nearly enough. According an article on WebMD, most adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Over the last week, my average has been closer to 5 or 6.
As I read on, I found out that zeros on lab assignments are the least of my worries if I keep skimping on sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to memory loss, depression, weakened immune system and an increased perception of pain. Researchers are also studying possible links between lack of sleep and obesity.
So, my theory: “You snooze, you lose,” is a sadly mistaken phrase. But that’s all for me, it’s past my bedtime.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
If you're happy and you know it, wash your hands!
For all of you who thought this was just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill week in September, get ready to celebrate. This week is National Clean Hands Week. Yippee! Hooray! Start your faucets, soak in some suds and break out the antibacterial lotion- it’s time to party. Just don’t expect everyone to join in the festivities, especially not men.
According to an Associated Press article on the CNN Web site, a recent survey by the American Society for Microbiology found that one-third of men skip the sink after using the restroom. In comparison, only 12 percent of women neglect to wash their hands.
The excellence of women in the field of personal hygiene wasn’t surprising to the ASM, who first discovered the trend in a similar study on hand washing behavior in public restrooms in 2005. However, the latest survey did show the dirty-handed population is growing. The number of men who skipped hand washing rose from 25 percent in 2005 to about 33 percent now. Women have also started lathering less, with the number of women non-washers rising from 10 percent to 12 percent.
What’s wrong with using your shirt or shorts as a substitute for water and soap? First, other people may be forced touch, shake, high-five or hold your hand. Have pity on them. Second, dirty hands spread germs and cause infections. Wash your hands and feel better.
So take the recommended 20 seconds before leaving the restroom and give your hands a bath. Just in case you’ve forgotten how, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines hand washing in five simple steps. They even suggest singing "Happy Birthday" twice as a self-timer. Whether you chose to sing or wash in silence, have a happy National Clean Hands Week!
According to an Associated Press article on the CNN Web site, a recent survey by the American Society for Microbiology found that one-third of men skip the sink after using the restroom. In comparison, only 12 percent of women neglect to wash their hands.
The excellence of women in the field of personal hygiene wasn’t surprising to the ASM, who first discovered the trend in a similar study on hand washing behavior in public restrooms in 2005. However, the latest survey did show the dirty-handed population is growing. The number of men who skipped hand washing rose from 25 percent in 2005 to about 33 percent now. Women have also started lathering less, with the number of women non-washers rising from 10 percent to 12 percent.
What’s wrong with using your shirt or shorts as a substitute for water and soap? First, other people may be forced touch, shake, high-five or hold your hand. Have pity on them. Second, dirty hands spread germs and cause infections. Wash your hands and feel better.
So take the recommended 20 seconds before leaving the restroom and give your hands a bath. Just in case you’ve forgotten how, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines hand washing in five simple steps. They even suggest singing "Happy Birthday" twice as a self-timer. Whether you chose to sing or wash in silence, have a happy National Clean Hands Week!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Frantic Frisbee
Sometimes I forget why I’m a runner. I wonder what motivates me to jump out of bed in the still-dark hours and hit the ground running. Or why I willingly choose an exercise that other sports reserve for punishment. Then I do something like attempt to play a game of ultimate Frisbee, and it all comes rushing back.
Usually, going on a run is a great chance to clear my head or relieve stress. Ultimate Frisbee does the opposite. There is no such thing as a friendly game of ultimate Frisbee, at least not that I have found.
The moment I join the field, the tension starts. I immediately regret subjecting my teammates to my inferior Frisbee skills. Hand-eye coordination- not a requirement for running. Across the field, a Frisbee is catapulted into the air. Bodies on all sides launch into motion like heat-seeking missiles.
So what do I do? I revert back to what I know. I run. I run to one side of the field and then to the other. I chase that Frisbee like I’m a golden retriever and this is my livelihood. Sometimes I even wave my hands menacingly in front of Frisbee-holders. When I’m feeling really daring, I’ll even call out, “I’m open!” just for fun. I’m always open. No one bothers to cover me. They just know. They must sense it.
But sometimes, things go wrong. I proclaim my openness, and someone actually responds. They make eye contact as if to say, “Here goes nothing.” Time freezes. The thrower poises the Frisbee delicately in his hands, preparing to release. My heart slows as I realize the gravity of this one throw. Everything rides on my performance now. Fumble the Frisbee, and it’s over. No more chances, not for this game anyways. Immediately I’m overwhelmed by the urge to wave my arms in an X in front of me, to convince him to choose someone else, anyone else or to simply melt into the grass and disappear.
Too late. The Frisbee is careening toward me.
Needless to say, I’ll stick to running.
Usually, going on a run is a great chance to clear my head or relieve stress. Ultimate Frisbee does the opposite. There is no such thing as a friendly game of ultimate Frisbee, at least not that I have found.
The moment I join the field, the tension starts. I immediately regret subjecting my teammates to my inferior Frisbee skills. Hand-eye coordination- not a requirement for running. Across the field, a Frisbee is catapulted into the air. Bodies on all sides launch into motion like heat-seeking missiles.
So what do I do? I revert back to what I know. I run. I run to one side of the field and then to the other. I chase that Frisbee like I’m a golden retriever and this is my livelihood. Sometimes I even wave my hands menacingly in front of Frisbee-holders. When I’m feeling really daring, I’ll even call out, “I’m open!” just for fun. I’m always open. No one bothers to cover me. They just know. They must sense it.
But sometimes, things go wrong. I proclaim my openness, and someone actually responds. They make eye contact as if to say, “Here goes nothing.” Time freezes. The thrower poises the Frisbee delicately in his hands, preparing to release. My heart slows as I realize the gravity of this one throw. Everything rides on my performance now. Fumble the Frisbee, and it’s over. No more chances, not for this game anyways. Immediately I’m overwhelmed by the urge to wave my arms in an X in front of me, to convince him to choose someone else, anyone else or to simply melt into the grass and disappear.
Too late. The Frisbee is careening toward me.
Needless to say, I’ll stick to running.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Genetically modified foods: Come out, come out wherever you are!
Earlier today, I raided the fridge. This wasn’t just your everyday, need-a-quick-snack raid. No, this was an investigation. Wanted: genetically modified foods.
Last week in my health and fitness writing class, Dr. Lisa House gave a presentation on genetically modified (GM) foods, a subject I knew virtually nothing about. I like to think I’m not alone in my ignorance, so here’s a quick genetically-engineered food run-down. For the science-savvy and super informed, bear with me.
GM foods are foods whose genes have been combined with genes of other plants, animals or bacteria. Case in point: Sweet corn crossed with a gene in bacteria that kills some insects. The result: not so sweet corn if you’re the wormy-looking European Corn Borer that feeds on corn crops.
According to the Human Genome Project Information Web site, GM crops offer many benefits. Not only can some GM crops pulverize pests, but they also tend to taste better, ripen faster and provide more nutritional value than natural foods.
Of course, not everyone trusts these new technologically enhanced foods. Many skeptics bash “Frankenfoods” as potentially hazardous to health and warn that GM crops could start spreading and intermingling with natural crops.
As for the United States’ position on the issue, our side of the fence is teeming with super-natural fruits and veggies. About 70 % of food in US grocery stores is genetically modified according to The Campaign, a grassroots organization against GM foods. Manufacturers are not required to label these GM products.
Europe, however, is on the other side of the fence completely. Most of Europe rejects GM foods and at the very least, requires that GM products are clearly marked.
As for me, I’m a straddler. I’m torn between the inherent skepticism of the unknown and exhilarating possibility of a no-tears onion genetically engineered so that I can chop it without sobbing.
Hence, my refrigerator raid. I wanted answers. Are GM foods overtaking my fridge, or can I do without them? (Note: if chocolate chips are genetically modified, I’m in)
I started my search with baby carrots, moved to pickles and worked my way up to hummus. Label after label went by with no mention of GM whatsoever. Then I saw the Silk soymilk carton. Gold. My roommates are always cringing at my beloved milk-impostor. If there was anything unnatural in our fridge, the white soybean liquid would be it. I began scanning the fine print on the back of the box with ferocity. Sure enough, my eyes rested on this sentence, “This soymilk is made from soybeans that were not genetically engineered.” Blast! My efforts were futile. Until I get more information on the contents of my fridge, I’ll keep my uncomfortable perch on top of the fence.
Last week in my health and fitness writing class, Dr. Lisa House gave a presentation on genetically modified (GM) foods, a subject I knew virtually nothing about. I like to think I’m not alone in my ignorance, so here’s a quick genetically-engineered food run-down. For the science-savvy and super informed, bear with me.
GM foods are foods whose genes have been combined with genes of other plants, animals or bacteria. Case in point: Sweet corn crossed with a gene in bacteria that kills some insects. The result: not so sweet corn if you’re the wormy-looking European Corn Borer that feeds on corn crops.
According to the Human Genome Project Information Web site, GM crops offer many benefits. Not only can some GM crops pulverize pests, but they also tend to taste better, ripen faster and provide more nutritional value than natural foods.
Of course, not everyone trusts these new technologically enhanced foods. Many skeptics bash “Frankenfoods” as potentially hazardous to health and warn that GM crops could start spreading and intermingling with natural crops.
As for the United States’ position on the issue, our side of the fence is teeming with super-natural fruits and veggies. About 70 % of food in US grocery stores is genetically modified according to The Campaign, a grassroots organization against GM foods. Manufacturers are not required to label these GM products.
Europe, however, is on the other side of the fence completely. Most of Europe rejects GM foods and at the very least, requires that GM products are clearly marked.
As for me, I’m a straddler. I’m torn between the inherent skepticism of the unknown and exhilarating possibility of a no-tears onion genetically engineered so that I can chop it without sobbing.
Hence, my refrigerator raid. I wanted answers. Are GM foods overtaking my fridge, or can I do without them? (Note: if chocolate chips are genetically modified, I’m in)
I started my search with baby carrots, moved to pickles and worked my way up to hummus. Label after label went by with no mention of GM whatsoever. Then I saw the Silk soymilk carton. Gold. My roommates are always cringing at my beloved milk-impostor. If there was anything unnatural in our fridge, the white soybean liquid would be it. I began scanning the fine print on the back of the box with ferocity. Sure enough, my eyes rested on this sentence, “This soymilk is made from soybeans that were not genetically engineered.” Blast! My efforts were futile. Until I get more information on the contents of my fridge, I’ll keep my uncomfortable perch on top of the fence.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Put the Pedal to the Pavement!
Today, I tested fate. I biked to school, something I hadn't done for almost a year.
This may seem like an awfully brash statement, an exaggeration or some dramatic attempt to catch your attention, but my track record speaks for itself.
On my second day ever of biking to school last year, I was hit by a car (Some maintain that in reality, I hit the car with my bike. Technically, they are right). Upon impact, my instincts took over, arms flailed, and I clung to the car's back window in a desperate attempt to save myself from plummeting to the ground. It worked for a few seconds, but then the car kept moving. My body slowly peeled off the back of the car, and I crumbled to the ground underneath my bike. Luckily, there was no physical bruising to report, just a crooked set of handlebars and slightly damaged pride.
Over the next week or so, my biking curse only worsened. One sunny afternoon, I started biking home from school only to become stuck in a sudden torrential downpour (thunderstorm plus metal bike equals cursed). A few days later, I accidentally biked through a mud puddle (leftover from the flash flood earlier in the week) and was thoroughly covered in a spray of brown muddy muck. Then came the last straw. The back wheel of my bike fell apart, as in the rubber tread completely disconnected from the rim...while I was riding my bike...while I was riding my bike across an intersection.
In other words, I'm an accident waiting to happen on my bike. So why did I chance death this morning? I don't like to give up without a fight. I recently invested in a helmet (a requirement for my roommates' permission to get back on my bike), and I know how to use it. Also, biking has its perks:
First, it's faster. I'm always eager for an excuse to sleep longer, and biking saves time. There is no searching for a parking spot or waiting for an often-late bus.
Second, i get exercise without even noticing. According to the SELF.com calorie burning calculator, I burn almost 250 calories by leisurely biking to and from school.
Third, it saves me gas money. David Fiedler, bike enthusiast and former AP writer, said that driving costs about 20 to 30 cents per mile. After a year of consistent biking, the cents add up. Fiedler saves more than $400 a year for biking 32 miles a week in place of driving.
Lastly, biking helps the environment. The fewer the gas fumes, the happier the o-zone.
So for all you non-bikers, I challenge you to give biking a chance. I'm still biking, so you have no excuse. And as an ending word of encouragement, I'm proud to say that I biked home today relatively unscathed. Sadly, I cannot say the same for one unfortunate trash can that jumped in front my handlebars. Rest in peace.
This may seem like an awfully brash statement, an exaggeration or some dramatic attempt to catch your attention, but my track record speaks for itself.
On my second day ever of biking to school last year, I was hit by a car (Some maintain that in reality, I hit the car with my bike. Technically, they are right). Upon impact, my instincts took over, arms flailed, and I clung to the car's back window in a desperate attempt to save myself from plummeting to the ground. It worked for a few seconds, but then the car kept moving. My body slowly peeled off the back of the car, and I crumbled to the ground underneath my bike. Luckily, there was no physical bruising to report, just a crooked set of handlebars and slightly damaged pride.
Over the next week or so, my biking curse only worsened. One sunny afternoon, I started biking home from school only to become stuck in a sudden torrential downpour (thunderstorm plus metal bike equals cursed). A few days later, I accidentally biked through a mud puddle (leftover from the flash flood earlier in the week) and was thoroughly covered in a spray of brown muddy muck. Then came the last straw. The back wheel of my bike fell apart, as in the rubber tread completely disconnected from the rim...while I was riding my bike...while I was riding my bike across an intersection.
In other words, I'm an accident waiting to happen on my bike. So why did I chance death this morning? I don't like to give up without a fight. I recently invested in a helmet (a requirement for my roommates' permission to get back on my bike), and I know how to use it. Also, biking has its perks:
First, it's faster. I'm always eager for an excuse to sleep longer, and biking saves time. There is no searching for a parking spot or waiting for an often-late bus.
Second, i get exercise without even noticing. According to the SELF.com calorie burning calculator, I burn almost 250 calories by leisurely biking to and from school.
Third, it saves me gas money. David Fiedler, bike enthusiast and former AP writer, said that driving costs about 20 to 30 cents per mile. After a year of consistent biking, the cents add up. Fiedler saves more than $400 a year for biking 32 miles a week in place of driving.
Lastly, biking helps the environment. The fewer the gas fumes, the happier the o-zone.
So for all you non-bikers, I challenge you to give biking a chance. I'm still biking, so you have no excuse. And as an ending word of encouragement, I'm proud to say that I biked home today relatively unscathed. Sadly, I cannot say the same for one unfortunate trash can that jumped in front my handlebars. Rest in peace.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Caffeine: Love it or hate it?
When road races approach, my diet goes haywire. I've overeaten on spaghetti dinners, skipped breakfast only to starve later and even resorted to chomping on cardboard-flavored energy bars. But in my search for some secret formula to running success, some magical remedy to cancel out the eight-mile long run that I neglected to do, there was always at least one known and trusted factor- hydration. And that meant drinking water, not tea, coffee and definitely not soda. At least that's what I thought.
I read an MSNBC article today that changed my conceptions about caffeine. According to Lawrence Armstrong, a professor of exercise physiology at the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut, caffeine doesn't dehydrate athletes. If consumed in moderation, about 500 milligrams or the equivalent of about three cups of coffee a day, caffeine can even help athletes work out longer.
I was so startled by this information that I did a little investigating about caffeine. What I found just startled me more. When in plant form, caffeine is a natural pesticide. It paralyzes and kills insects trying to feed on the plant. My immediate reaction, I can't believe we willingly ingest this stuff. On second thought, coffee- perhaps an alternative insect repellent?
So exercisers, runners and all caffeine drinkers, these are the facts. Pick your poison.
I read an MSNBC article today that changed my conceptions about caffeine. According to Lawrence Armstrong, a professor of exercise physiology at the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut, caffeine doesn't dehydrate athletes. If consumed in moderation, about 500 milligrams or the equivalent of about three cups of coffee a day, caffeine can even help athletes work out longer.
I was so startled by this information that I did a little investigating about caffeine. What I found just startled me more. When in plant form, caffeine is a natural pesticide. It paralyzes and kills insects trying to feed on the plant. My immediate reaction, I can't believe we willingly ingest this stuff. On second thought, coffee- perhaps an alternative insect repellent?
So exercisers, runners and all caffeine drinkers, these are the facts. Pick your poison.
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