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Beachbody

running // the cheap sport.

April 8, 2015 by Rachel 1 Comment


image (30)
I used to think that running was the sport that required little monetary investment. All you need is a pair of shoes and an open road. Right?

Wrong. Oh so wrong.

Sure, you need shoes. But the more you run, the more often you need to replace your shoes. And only the right shoes will prevent injury. And shoes range in price from $50 – $250. On average, let’s say a good pair of running shoes costs $110 and need replaced anywhere from 3-6 months. Yes, you CAN run with cheap shoes; but I don’t recommend it. Cheap shoes are cheap for a reason.

If you want to run outside — which is the most fun, am I right?? — you’ll likely want to carry your phone with you for music. So you invest in an armband, such as the NeoSleeve for the iPhone, for your smartphone. This particular sleeve, which is my personal favorite (and costs less than $15 on Amazon) because it’s fairly inexpensive, water resistant, and has a space for your car key. Others can cost upwards of $20.

run-shoes2
And then you begin to run longer distances. Long distances require keeping yourself hydrated and also energy gels for fuel. So you decide to get a hydration belt. Which costs anywhere from $10 to $30. I paid approximately $24 for mine. And energy gels are an ongoing expense. You have to figure out which of the gels are best on your personal digestive system, but they range in price from $.85 to $2.00 each (this is the price if you purchase in bulk on Amazon; but if you purchase them individually, they are much more expensive).

Now that you’re running longer distances, you start to get aches and pains that come with the kind of wear and tear running puts on your body. Enter compression sleeves, KT Tape, and foam rollers.

run-gear
Compression socks run about $30 – $50; KT Tape is about $15 per pack; and foam rollers run anywhere from $10 to $70.

And then you sign up for a race. Let’s say a 5k or a half marathon. A 5k will probably run you between $25 – $35. A half marathon is anywhere from $50 to $150. That’s JUST your race entry (which may come with some ‘swag’ such as a t-shirt and post-race food).

If you are running in a cold climate, a gym membership or a treadmill may be necessary for your training. A cheap gym membership would run someone about $20 (hey, Planet Fitness!) a month. So about $240 per year. And a treadmill is a one-time investment of anywhere from like $800 – $1700. It’s insane how much a treadmill or a gym membership can cost. This past winter was cold — like -20 degrees cold. But we cancelled our gym membership and I started running on a treadmill, which is saving us monthly.

Some runners (OK — MOST runners) choose to run with a GPS watch, whether it be a Garmin or Nike watch. I had a basic Garmin and I hated it; but now I have a much more user-friendly Garmin that I LOVE to use! The battery lasts for my long runs and it controls my pace better than any iPhone running app could possibly do. These run $100 to $500. Mine is middle-of-the-road and runs about $170; but I have to admit I wish it had Bluetooth so it would update to the internet/my iPhone app automatically. (I know — first world problems, right??)

run-garmin1
Last but not least you’ll need running clothes. I used to be a Target running gear connoisseur; but that changed when I realized I was getting what I paid for — the clothes I was running in were not withstanding the wear and tear of my running regimen. I don’t feel like I was putting any extraordinary wear on my clothes, but somehow they were pulling and riding and wearing out in a major way. Also? Target charges like thirty-five bucks for running pants! Do you know you could spend just about $50 on a good pair that actually lasts?? I’m not saying that you need to shop at Lululemon; but go to a running store, but go to a running store and try on some gear made my athletic designers. Believe it or not, this makes a difference. I personally stalk down good deals with local running stores to find discounts on “expensive” running clothes.

I wanted to add up all of these costs, but my wallet told me that it would just depress me; so YOU do the math. It’s EXPEN$IVE to run — am I right!?

Basically, running is NOT cheap. In theory it should be just a “lace up and get out there!” kind of thing; but it isn’t. Not if you’re serious about it and doing it right. You don’t have to be a marathoner or even a half-marathoner to take running seriously; but I can tell you that once you put your mind to it and start running seriously, you’ll find a way to make these things a priority. And it’s totally worth it. <3

Filed Under: #GetFit, #SweatPink, 1/2 Marathon, Beachbody, deals, fitness, health, life, marathon training, mother runner, pictures, planet fitness, review, running, sports, workout Tagged With: #GetFit, #SweatPink, beachbody, fitness, health, just keep running, life, mother runner, MRTT, review, running, sponsor, sports, workout

The Fitness Games App // Review

November 16, 2014 by Rachel Leave a Comment

I was recently given the opportunity to try out a new app for mobile devices called The Fitness Games. It’s a competitive app that connects fitness enthusiasts from all over via virtual workout challenges! You’re able to challenge anyone, anywhere, anytime! The app is available on iPhone and Android for free!

TFG
Workouts are divided into four separate categories — cardio, strength, cross-training and full body. Whichever of the four categories you click on you’re able to choose your workout and whether you’d like to challenge yourself, one of your workout partners, or someone either nearby or worldwide! Amazing!

thefitgames

The way I see it, the more friends the better! The more friends you have the more challengers you have available to you. The My Feed section is a lot like the Facebook Timeline/Feed. You’re able to see your friends activity and comment on it or ‘like’ it by hitting the kettleball button. TFG also has a Facebook page where you can connect with other users and add them on your app!

I was able to “compete” with one other user during my trial period. It was fun! One of the major “Pros” of this app is that it totally keeps you motivated [think Jawbone UP/FitBit with an extra boost!]. An extra ‘pro’ is that it was designed by personal trainers for workouts that are intense and effective!

If you’re anything like me, when you workout next to someone at the gym, you’re inadvertently ‘competing’ with them. And they have no idea… Their loss, cause you seriously just kicked their ass at the elliptical…. 😉 So this app is a great way to channel some of that competitive energy into something with “rewards.” … or at least recognition. Which is the most important, .. am I right!?

In a nutshell? I think that most people could benefit from the extra boost of motivation. Whether or not we WANT to admit it, we all want to ‘beat’ someone else at something. Myself included. Download it and BRING IT ON.

My username is ItsAHero. (obvy). Find me. Challenge me. I’m ready. Bring. IT.

 This post was sponsored by The Fitness Games through my partnership with Fit Approach as a Sweat Pink Ambassador. I was not compensated monetarily, but was provided the Platinum Version of the application for review.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: #DecFitChallenge, #GetFit, Beachbody, fitness, health, marathon training, running, sponsor Tagged With: fitness, health, running, sponsor, workout

Eating Clean // My 7-day Challenge

July 4, 2014 by Rachel 1 Comment

A few weeks ago I helped run a 7-day Clean Eating Challenge/Support Group on Facebook. I’ve been getting my own eating habits back on track and wanted to put together a group of people looking to jumpstart their own clean-eating habits!

We provided a meal plan with clean-eating guidelines as well as gluten-free and veg options! The rules were clear:

1. Use the group as support. 2. No alcohol + no soda.

That’s it! 🙂

… and we all totally rocked the challenge.

Bonus — the food was delicious!

itsaherocleaneats (from top left: toasted spelt bread w/natural almond butter + bananas;
2 eggs, scrambled, w/2 egg whites & spinach;
rice pasta w/coconut oil, grilled chicken & steamed broccoli;
grilled turkey burger w/grilled asparagus)

The thing about starting to eat healthy is that once you start, you don’t really want to derail it in any way. But real life is NOT always clean-eating. That’s why it’s important to learn to make healthy-eating decisions versus sticking to a super duper strict diet all of the time (hence the animal frites!).

Here’s the trick: Do not use food as a reward. Food is fuel. On occasion, it’s OK to ‘indulge’ a bit; but don’t say “Well I ran 3 miles, I guess it’s OK if I eat this giant bowl of ice cream!”

That’s not the way it works. I WISH that was the way it worked. But in the game of losing weight, it’s 80% diet. So even with all of those extra workouts you’re getting? You still have to eat healthy.

At the end of the 7-day challenge, I was down three-pounds and and an inch around my waist. It’s not perfection, but it’s progress. And that’s what health & fitness are all about — progress!

Has anyone else done a clean-eating challenge?? What did you think at the end??

Filed Under: #GetFit, a better me, Beachbody, fitness, food, health, life Tagged With: beachbody, fitness, food, foodie, get fit, health, life, workout

weekly mantra //

May 19, 2014 by Rachel 2 Comments

One of the reasons I hesitated in joining Team Beachbody for this last year is because I knew I would be putting myself out there in a way that would make me incredibly vulnerable. But the thing is being vulnerable and authentic will make me a better person. And who knows — maybe in doing so I’ll inspire someone else to be honest with themselves and with the people around them!

authentic-mantra

Authenticity rarely comes easy. Being our authentic selves means we are putting our truest-selves out there for the world to see and for the world to judge. So it’s sure to be a daily practice to embrace my true self! 🙂

Challenged accepted! Are you up for it? 🙂

Filed Under: authentic, Beachbody, fitness, mantra Tagged With: beachbody, fitness, mantra

Exciting News! //

May 18, 2014 by Rachel 1 Comment

The other day I did something life-changing…

10298912_10154103589950324_212439770979531736_n

I officially joined Team Beachbody as a Coach! I cannot wait to hit the ground running — literally!

Over the past several months I’ve been looking into ways of improving myself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

What better way than working on myself while helping others achieve their goals??
I can’t think of anything that sounds more rewarding in every way!

Stay tuned for what’s sure to be a crazy awesome adventure!!

xo

Filed Under: Beachbody, fitness, goals, health, live happy, running, workout, yoga Tagged With: beachbody, fitness, goals, health, Live Happy, running, workout, yoga

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