Tri-Phase Endurance, You Had Me At Hello

Out for a run the other day with my asthmatic boyfriend who, said to say, can now woop my ass. I don’t know what happened to me. I used to be able to run miles with ease. But now that I’m out of practice, I can barely go two miles without keeling over, gasping for air. Yeah I know. Go ahead and laugh. But with work and school and other various obligations that have caught up with me these past couple of years, I haven’t really had a ton of time to devote to building up my endurance. That, ladies and gentlemen, is going to change.

Vitalyte’s got this really amazing new product. It’s called Tri-Phase Endurance and I’m told it’s what I need to drink to help me get through those first two miles and on to the other five. So why is it so great, you ask? Simply put, Tri-Phase Endurance is formulated to provide sustained energy and cognitive focus, all while fighting free radicals, replenishing the electrolytes you lose in extreme athletics and rapidly accelerating recovery. Yep, three stages all in one drink.

So, let’s talk about stage one first. Stage One is for mental focus and sustained energy. Yeah, I need that. I need that a lot. Tell me more. The sustained energy and mental focus comes from a combo of Vitamins B6 and B12 (a couple of my faves), and fast and slow acting carbohydrates – Crystalline Fructose, Maltodextrin and Palatinose™. Crystalline Fructose and Maltodextrin are fast acting carbohydrates that provide immediate energy – yes, much better than a quad shot venti caramel macchiato. Palatinose™ is a patented endurance carbohydrate that provides the sustained energy you need to keep you pumping through to the last mile.

You know Vitalyte, even at just stage one of three you’ve already got me falling for you. Stay tuned readers and I’ll give you a little taste of the other things that make this drink so awesome.

Skip the Hair of the Dog - Try These Hangover Tips That Work

We’ve boasted for awhile now that our Electrolyte Replacement Solution is amazing for curing hangovers. It basically replenishes your body of the essential electrolytes it needs for healthy functioning. But, we thought we’d give you some other hangover pointers that the famed Dr. Oz has suggested.

• EAT PLENTY OF FOOD – Neither Dr. Oz nor we can stress this enough. Make sure to have plenty of food in your stomach before you drink. You will feel the affects of alcohol a lot sooner and a lot harsher if you drink on an empty stomach.

• DRINK THE CLEAR STUFF – Pale spirits, like vodka, white wine and gin are a better option than their partners red wine, bourbon and whiskey. Dark booze contains more congeners, chemicals that up inflammation in the body, making your hangover worse.

• H20, H20, H20 – Yes, hydrate! During the party you are at, and when you get home. Before hitting the sack, drink at least two glasses of water. Alcohol dehydrates you and dehydration reduces the liquid around your blood cells and leads to headaches, dizziness and nausea.

• EGG IT UP – The next morning have eggs for breakfast. Dr. Oz claims them to be his go-to hangover cure because they contain cysteine, a substance that breaks down acetaldehyde, a hangover-causing toxin in alcohol. He also says that both broth and bananas are a good choice because they replenish sodium and potassium lost.

• SKIP THE CUP O’ JOE – Although most of us love coffee when we are hungover, it actually does nothing to help. Rather, it delays the hangover. Try peppermint tea or a glass of 100% fruit juice. Peppermint soothes your stomach and fructose in the juice helps the body metabolize alcohol faster.

• WORK IT OUT – While Dr. Oz says you can’t flush alcohol out of the system with exercise, he knows just like we do that exercise produces happy feeling endorphins that make you just feel better overall.

We should make a point here to say that excessive drinking is always unhealthy for your body. It is best to limit your intake to one drink at a time. However, we have all been down the over-indulgence road from time to time. Hope these tips help!

Be Single, Be Healthy!

So Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and many of you singles out there might be dreading the holiday. But don’t fret. There are a number of great health benefits to being single. We just came across this great article in SELF magazine about it. Listen up!

• YOU STAY MORE SLIM – Alright, now who doesn’t love to hear that? A study form the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill concluded that women who live alone gained less weight (about 9 pounds less over a 5 year period) than newly married women. Because men have a higher calorie allowance, if you eat what he eats, you will likely gain weight. So, married women, watch out for this.

• YOU SLEEP BETTER – We’ve all be subjected to nights where a snorer or unsound sleeper has kept us awake. Two thirds of people who share a bed say their partner snores, costing them an average of 49 minutes of sleep a night, according to a National Sleep Foundation survey. So, cuddle up with yourself instead to get a better night’s sleep and wake up feeling better in the morning.

• YOU GET MORE YOU-TIME – Even the most extroverted of people need some alone time to recooperate and work on themselves. Single women get seven extra hours of personal time a week that married women spend doing chores, according to research done at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. More personal time means more time for exercise, yoga and meditation, self-reflection and any other things you may need and want to get done.

So single friends, here’s the true story. Being alone is not scary. It’s actually a really beneficial thing! So this Valentine’s Day, bask in the glow of your singledom and celebrate the happy, healthy you!

Marathon Training Tips

So you’re signed up and ready to run your first marathon. Or maybe, you are a seasoned marathon athlete. Either way, you know it’s a challenge to get fit and get ready for a big event. Here are some helpful tips that expert marathon runners suggest you follow:

• Train consistently.

Many expert marathoners will say the key to staying in shape and ready for a marathon is to keep your training and weight consistent. It is very important to train and stay in shape all year round, as if a marathon were right around the corner. If you slack off for part of the year and only start training before the big event, it will be a lot more of a challenge to get in shape in time. Eat healthy, work out and keep yourself in shape all year round. It’s easier on your body as there won’t be as many fluctuations in your eating habits or workout regimens. Your body won’t go through the shock that it otherwise would.

• Run fewer marathons.

While this might seem to be the opposite of what you should do, especially considering we just told you to stay in shape throughout the whole year, you should limit your marathon competitions to one per year. Don’t tire your body out by doing too much. If you stay in shape throughout the year and give your all in only one event a year, your efforts will go a lot farther.

• Work those muscles.

As we age, we lose muscle mass. And this can take a toll on your body as a runner. Make sure to keep up with your conditioning routines and not just focus on endurance. You need strong muscles to keep your body going and to lessen the wear and tear on your body from the continuous pounding that comes from running.

• Stay hydrated all the time.

And not just when working out. Make sure you eat healthy and drink plenty of water or nutrition drinks to keep your body going strong.

Working Out Should Be Fun

Why is it that working out can be such a daunting task to many of us? Is it the muscle burn? Or the exhaustion brought on by building up one’s endurance? Staying in shape shouldn’t be a pain in the you-know-what. It should be fun, and it should make you feel better. Here are some great ways to mix up the boring old routine and get you out there, enjoying your workouts:

• Get some fresh air. Stop running on a treadmill if it bores you. Get outside, enjoy the scenery and breathe in some new, clean air. It will make running a lot more enjoyable, trust us.

• Rock it out. I can’t even begin a workout without a great playlist to pump me up. And change your playlists often so you don’t get bored of the same music while working out.

• Try something new. Find a class that you can take. Maybe a hip-hop class or salsa. A crazy step class, or an 80s pumped aerobics workout. What about a self-defense class, combining Jiu Jitsu or Taebo? If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, why not take a class in pole dancing? Hey, this is the 21^st century. We’re down with that. There are so many classes in just about anything that will get you up on your feet and loving what you are doing. Think outside the box.

• Find a cause. If getting in shape for yourself isn’t a good enough reason for you, why not get in shape for someone else? Sign up for a charity walk or marathon. Not only will you get into shape, you will also feel good fulfilling your civic duty.

• Go extreme. For all you adrenaline junkies out there, we know you’ve already tapped into this one. But for those of you who haven’t, consider making it your goal to learn how to snowboard of surf this year. You may love it.

There are so many unique ways to stay active and healthy. You just have to use your imagination and get going. Sitting around thinking about it isn’t going to get you into shape. Get out there!

Mother Knew Best – Eating Like a Kid Again

So continuing on this quest to harness the energy I once had as a kid, I am proclaiming another goal. Eat better. As a 26 year old, who’s on the go all the time, occasionally living paycheck to paycheck and who, to be quite honest, fears her own cooking, my eating habits are not the best. In fact I usually expect a weekly lecture from my mother asking me if I’m eating well and reminding me to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables everyday. But what can I say? I don’t have the time nor the desire to grocery shop or cook. Usually I grab a granola bar for breakfast or skip it altogether, I eat out almost every lunch and my dinners usually consist of cheese and crackers or a frozen pizza.

Let’s compare this to when I was 10. At that age, my mom cooked for me. She always made sure I had three complete meals a day – healthy, balanced meals – and that I had snacks in between. I always got enough protein, fruits and vegetables. I never overdosed on sugar. Never touched alcohol. And certainly never went near coffee. No wonder I had so much energy.

So why have I let myself succumb to the vices I am a prisoner of now? Convenience, laziness, heck, maybe even a tinge of rebellion have caused me to change my eating habits so drastically from when I was a kid. Well I say, the bunk stops here. No more excuses. I am going to start changing my consumption habits not for any dietary, weight-loss reasons, but simply because I want to feel better. They say you are what you eat, so I have got to stop putting garbage into my body. My mother never let me do it when I was a kid; she knew better, And now I know better too. I am going to make a conscious effort to grocery shop for healthy foods, not just what is convenient. I am going to conquer my fear of cooking and try new recipes. And I am going to try to kick my caffeine habit (this last one may be the hardest). There are so many other healthy energy drinks that I can try instead, like Vitalyte for instance.

This is the year to get that childhood energy back. Now that I’ve got two steps to work on, I’m sure I’ll start feeling some changes soon. So, are you in it with me?

Finding My Inner Child

As a guest blogger for Vitalyte, I have to level with you. I am not a huge endurance sports person anymore. Although I used to be. When I was a kid, I was a gymnast for nearly 10 years. I went to practice four times a week for four hours, and during competition season, I was competing in meets almost every Saturday for hours on end. Coupled with those 16 hours of practice a week, I also had dance lessons for another two hours a week. On top of all that, I am proud to say, I was a straight-A student.

Boy, if only we had the energy now that we had when we were kids. Think of everything we could get accomplished. I want to channel the inner child in me and harness that energy once again. I challenge you to do the same.

To start with, I am going to make myself healthier. When I was a kid, I was always on my feet, whether that be at gymnastics practice or outside playing with my friends. I kept the blood flowing through my veins and I enjoyed it. Now it seems, getting me up and working out is such a task. There is always something else on my mind that I am thinking about or I simply just don’t enjoy working out. I’ve come up with a couple solutions to this.

One, I am going to consciously allot myself a certain amount of leisure time a day, where I am able to put my worries aside, and focus only on the moment I am in.

Second, I am going to harness the inner kid inside of me and start doing activities that I enjoy. Running is off the list. I never have nor ever will enjoy it. Maybe I’ll look into taking some dance classes, going swimming, rollerblading, bike riding – the stuff I used to love when I was a kid.

The point is to figure out what made me so happy when I was younger, because when I am happy, I feel healthier. And when I feel healthier, I feel like I can take on the world. I urge you to join me on this mission this year to take back your inner child. Have fun, get healthy!