Category Archives: Lifestyle

lifestyle

Seasonal Affective Disorder a Challenge to Northern Residents

DON’T BE SAD

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is not a myth. It is not something to disregard. SAD, suffered in its most advanced stages is indeed dangerous. But for most, a moderate form of SAD is simply uncomfortable and discouraging.

SAD is rather simply defined as a form of sadness, despondency or depression related to changes in the seasons. Most people who experience this disorder first notice symptoms in the fall that last through the winter. Only a few have complained about the reverse, or spring into summer.

Those of us living and working in Vermont might be particularly susceptible to negative feelings as we progress through the vivid colors of fall into a bleak stick season and finally countryside of white. Those who embrace winter and choose to live here because of, not in spite of, winter conditions, will find it difficult to understand others who find the frozen landscape unpleasant.

Symptoms of the disorder include lack of energy, moodiness, irritability and hypersensitivity. It is common to sleep, or oversleep, more than usual, to experience food cravings particularly for foods high in carbohydrates and then, to add insult to injury, to gain weight, yet another cause of despondency.

Note that those few who are subject to spring and summer SAD also become depressed but have trouble sleeping and lose their appetites resulting in weight loss.

Norman Rosenthal, MD wrote in the journal “Psychiatry,” May 2008, that “6 percent of the US population, primarily in northern climates, is affected by SAD in its most marked form. Another 14 percent of the adult US population suffers from a lesser form of seasonal mood changes, known as winter blues.” Rosenthal also suggested that there is strong evidence of a genetic predisposition to suffer from this disorder.

SAD, untreated and left to increase in intensity includes serious symptoms of depression leading to thoughts of death or suicide. One who is in doubt about his or her condition should always seek medical advice.

Though there seems no known specific cause for SAD, what is known is that several factors often combine to produce this result. Short, cloudy or gray days with a decrease in sunlight can affect circadian rhythms, or one’s biological clock, and put us off balance and feeling scattered or unhappy.

Reduced sunlight can also cause a drop in the neurotransmitter serotonin resulting in depression while a change in the balance of melatonin plays havoc with sleep and mood. Interestingly it seems that females, and young people are more at risk than their seniors and those already suffering from clinical depression or bipolar disorder are possibly more vulnerable.

Bleak or a promise of Winter, Its all in the viewpoint. Photo Linda Freeman

Treatment for all forms of SAD range from light therapy to psychotherapy and possibly even medication.

If you find yourself struggling with the return to standard time, the darker drive on your way home from work or the lack of sunshine during your morning and afternoon, consider taking steps to cheer yourself up and “don’t be SAD.” Here are a few that have helped many before you.

Yes, living here in Vermont can be a risk factor in and of itself. However, making a few changes in your home and workspace could brighten the atmosphere in which you live and work.

For example, when the sun shines, it is bright and beautiful. Always take advantage of sunny days by removing obstacles such as blinds or curtains that can be opened or pulled back. Sit or work closer to the windows and, if possible, add skylights to your home. Healthy house plants are known to boost mood.

While some of those might be unattainable, getting outside should be a possibility. Take every opportunity to be outdoors. Some research shows that walking, running or spending time out of the house within two hours of getting up in the morning is beneficial all day. (Those early morning runners among you are onto something.)

And, of course, there’s exercise. As usual we of Active Vermont are strong proponents of exercise. Exercise regularly. Exercise is proven to help combat stress and brighten your spirits as it helps you become the fit and energetic person you are meant to be.

If you suspect that you or someone you know suffers from SAD, give them a helping hand. If symptoms appear dangerous, recommend a visit to their medical care provider or mental health practitioner.

If, on the other hand, symptoms are simply a personal annoyance, an obstacle to one’s normal well-being, find a way get up, get out, and brighten the day physically, mentally and emotionally.

This story first appeared in the Rutland Herald and Times Argus Sunday Edition, ACTIVE VERMONT, by Linda Freeman, 11-8-2015.

MASSAGE NO LONGER A TOUCHY SUBJECT

MASSAGE – NO LONGER A TOUCHY SUBJECT

Sarah Bothfeld, 2015 (photo Larry Gilbert)

There was a time when the word massage conjured images of steamy locker rooms or steamier massage parlors. With the rising popularity of spas and costly pampering that only those with deep pockets and free time could afford, massage assumed a privileged space in which touch performed the task of pleasant soothing.

Today massage therapy is recognized as an effective tool to be used for those suffering from a multitude of physical and emotional problems and by those who seek overall wellness.

Taking this a step further, massage therapy is integral to fitness and athletic performance, preparation, recovery, and injury rehabilitation.

To learn more, I spoke with Sarah Bothfeld, a massage therapist who grew up in Northfield, currently resides in East Montpelier and practices in Montpelier.

Bothfeld offers this definition of massage therapy: “Massage is a gift to the self. It works on the physical, emotional and mental aspects of our being. It can relax, rejuvenate and rehabilitate soft tissue. For the athlete, the person living with chronic pain, the stressed and the recovering, touch with the intent to balance, heal, and support can be a great addition to one’s life.”

Bothfeld lives an active lifestyle and understands the importance of her work. As a child she dared to keep up with her two older brothers as they swam, biked, explored the woods and skied. The outdoors has been important to her family, especially her dad who led the way and continues to bring the family together to sugar each spring.

Bothfeld’s diverse background underpins her ability to relate to her clients. She taught school in Camden, Maine where she acquired a love of sailing, and a boat. When she “needed to get out of town and wanted to do something drastic,” she joined the Peace Corps and spent more than 2 years in Costa Rica where she was able to snorkel, swim, commute by bike and run, “until it was too hot.”

It was in Santa Fe, NM, where Bothfeld transitioned to her profession. Having completed a 1,000 hour program at the New Mexico Academy of Advanced Healing Arts, and with over 500 hours of continuing education during her 25 years experience, she continues today to practice her craft.

On weekdays Bothfeld can be found exercising daily in a gym before her first client arrives. On weekends she is outdoors hiking, paddling and gardening in the summer; skiing Nordic, back country, Alpine or telemark when the snow covers the ground.

Among other things, a massage therapist must be fit for the profession. There seems to be an average of 7 years in the work before a therapist moves on due to the stresses involved.

Is there a licensing procedure for therapists in Vermont? “I think it’s inevitable,” Bothfeld said. “We are one of only a few states where licensing is not required. It will come about as concern for the profession grows.”

Bothfeld is a member of the Amerian Massage Therapy Association, AMTA and a board certified massage therapist. “The AMTA is a professional organization that you join as an active member after graduation from an approved school or with approved credits,” she said. “They provide liability insurance, lobbying and funding toward research and information to the public.” Renewal every four years requires proof of continuing education credits.

A board certified massage therapist has met the standards of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, NCBTMB, by passing a test and reapplying every two years with appropriate CEUs, indicators of continuing professional excellence.

Exercise and performance involve much more than simply going through the motions, pounding the roads to run, turning the pedals or the paddles, lifting weights, and increasing muscular and cardiovascular strength by whatever means works for you or for your sport.

In Active Vermont you have read of the importance of nutrition, balance, flexibility, recreation and recovery. Today, we add another component, especially useful for those coming off an active summer season and moving into an autumn offseason.

If you do not already include massage as a part of your regular training schedule or wellness program, you might want to consider doing so. Don’t wait until you need it, though massage therapy is an excellent addition to recovery from injury, illness or surgery.

Stress relief through massage is valid, though not the entire picture.

Massage therapy comes in a variety of packages: deep tissue, Swedish (basic techniques that most learn for therapeutic or relaxation), shiatsu, Rolfing®, neuromuscular therapy, medical massage to address needs of oncology, lymph system, scar tissue, orthopedic problems, hypertension, chronic pain and more. As with medicine, the changing landscape of massage mandates specificity for individual needs.

Sarah Bothfeld, 2015 (photo by Larry Gilbert)

Athletes gravitate towards a form of sports massage that is functionally a composite of techniques.

A therapist massages muscles to reduce pain and fatigue, increase flexibility and circulation, blood flow, and broaden joint range of motion.

An athlete, for example, may complain of knee pain. Frequently the condition is diagnosed, somewhat surprisingly, as not difficulty with the bones in the knee joint, but as a tight illotibial band or IT band syndrome. IT band and even shin splints, are often caused by connective tissue that needs enhanced blood flow that massage stimulates.

Injury, tears, trauma and over use make a muscle group so tight that it can actually pull bones out of alignment and cause further complications, possibly preventable through massage.

While massage therapy used for recovery is a no-brainer, systematic inclusion in a training program helps preventatively by keeping the body nourished with blood which in turn enhances performance, releases toxins, reduces mental and physical stress and brings to the individual an increased self-awareness and knowledge.

How do you choose a massage therapist? Word of mouth or a referral from another trusted professional is one way to find a massage therapist, and perhaps the best way. Remember, however, that what works for one person may not work as well for another and you may want to try several different techniques and therapists.

Interview the therapist before scheduling your first appointment. If you are referred by a medical professional because of an auto accident or workman’s compensation, be sure to check with your insurance company as some treatment is covered.

Frequency of massage depends on individual budget, schedules and needs. Regular massage does, however, encourage consistent and continuing results and benefits.

Sarah Bothfeld, 2015 (photo by Larry Gilbert)

Massage is a therapy of touch. Touch is physical and has been a practice of healing arts for much of history. In a negative world, touch can be invasive and inappropriate. Used within the context of massage therapy, touch, gentle or powerful, is the means to an end. The technique of touch provides a way to enhance strength and energy, release tension and open the door to quality of life.

10 Tips to Get the Most From Your Massage

American Massage Therapy Association (www.amtamassage.org)

Be receptive.
Don’t eat just before your massage.
Be on time. Take a few minutes to settle, de-stress, before you enter the massage therapy room.
How much clothing do you need to remove? Speak frankly with your therapist, who will in turn offer you privacy to undress and dress. Most are comfortable removing all clothing. The technique of draping is a part of the practice of massage. Your body will be covered except for the area being massaged. Modesty is always respected.
This is a big one. You will meet with your therapist before the massage begins to discuss your treatment. You must speak freely of your condition, what you bring to your massage on that particular day. You should let you massage therapist know if you have a problem with the lotion used, the music, or even if you’d prefer to talk or not to talk during your massage. Let your therapist know if you have concerns or anxieties or if something is uncomfortable or insufficient during the massage. He or she wants to make certain that you receive effective work and is dedicated to that purpose.

SAFETY ON THE ROAD for ALL USERS

Vermont cyclist by Jeb Wallace Brodeur

When it comes to the measure of a wheel chair, stroller, tractor, horse, cyclist or pedestrian against a vehicle that carries passengers, tools, gravel or freight, there’s clearly no contest.

TAKING THE LEAD FOR SAFETY ON THE ROAD

On Sunday, September 13, I sat down with a cup of coffee and the Rutland Herald & Times Argus. Mike Smith’s Commentary entitled “My friend Tim” grabbed my attention. Oh man, I thought, here we go again. Another cycling story. Another cycling fatality. Is it hopeless? Is this ever going to go away? Will I ever get on my bike without thinking a dark thought about the end of my ride?

The answer to each of these questions is probably NO.

Smith spoke eloquently. Of the four cycling fatalities here in our Vermont this season, and that of his close friend, Tim, Smith drew three conclusions, three lessons, three positive actions to be taken. One was a no-brainer, something we know all too well and still fail to do. Say I love you and say it now.

A second was to pursue safety more aggressively and in doing so recognize the vulnerability of those inadequate to receive the force of a collision with a vehicle.

His third point forced me to write yet another editorial on pedestrian and cycling safety in this, our own small, very small, piece of the world. “Someone needs to stand up and lead,” Smith said. Well, yes. Oh so many of us support efforts to make our streets and roads safer for every user, but who is taking the lead? Are we simply saying “Yes, of course, something needs to be done, this is so sad, this is scary, this is tragic…” then wring our hands and walk away? Who will take the lead? Will you?

The first annual Kelly Brush Century Ride. photo supplied

We live in a generous, blended community. The day before reading Smith’s story, I had the privilege of participating in the Kelly Brush Century Ride out of Middlebury. We rode 100 miles across farmlands, along the Lake, through Panton, Vergennes, and Ferrisburg, past Mt. Philo, into Hinesburg, beside the Shelburne Museum and Wake Robin, back along the Lake, over Ferry Road, and making our way arduously back to Middlebury passing railroad tracks, highways, cows, even a curious horse walking down the middle of a country road. In so doing we cycled evenly through an enormous swath of people and lifestyles, culture and education, survival and affluence, and beauty.

Interestingly as I pedaled and often labored, I took particular notice of those helping us safely manipulate what could have been dangerous cross roads. The ride was well organized and those who assisted along the way did so with what I found to be surprising involvement. I was particularly struck by law enforcement officers, stationed for long hours on the road to stop traffic for a group of cyclists (boring, right?), who smiled, offered words of encouragement and even thanked us for doing what we were doing, riding to raise funds for a worthy cause. Very nice.

Motorists, with a few exceptions, were polite, curious, and cheerful.

We’re getting there. More often than not I find awareness creeping into the scene. Distracted drivers are quickly becoming the most dangerous drivers on the road. It’s not all about alcohol, drugs and talking on cell phones, though those are unquestionably murderous factors. Fatigue, medication, and simple daydreaming also come into play.

When a motorist maintains speed and shaves close to a cyclist or pedestrian, does he or she do so out of meanness or is that motorist just “out to lunch?”

Of course there are deliberate violations: the beverage cans hucked out the window at someone on the side of the road, the dump truck speeding by too close for comfort, the oncoming driver who lays on his horn when a courteous driver moves over a little.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that as a driving community, we are sharing the road more graciously. Perhaps more drivers are cycling, running or walking. Perhaps all that is written, spoken and urged is being heard.

Infrastructure is becoming a lead player in the efforts to make roads and streets safer for everyone. Earlier this year I wrote about the “11’ rule” that is being adopted in some areas. When roads are being built or repaired, the side line is uniformly marked 11’ from the center.

Have you driven on a road with rumble strips? How about the center lines that cause tires to shudder and whine? These get our attention. Is capturing attention what it’s all about?

There are states and countries with a better track record when it comes to road safety. Is it that those cultures include more use by non-motorists? Is it speed limits, shoulders, bike lanes or crosswalks?

REPORT FROM FRANCE

Andrew McCullough from Montpelier is currently living in Brittany, France in his second season racing for a Division 2 National French team. He speaks passionately and from experience about cycling safety, spending between 2 and 7 hours on the road daily. Cycling is his sport, his job, and his life.

What follows are excerpts from an email I received from McCullough earlier this summer following yet another Vermont fatality.

“ It seems like the dialogue that exists in addressing this issue is stuck in a repetitive cycle, and I want to avoid just repeating everything that has already been said.

With that, I do have a few thoughts that directly compare the driver-cyclist relationship in Vermont and Brittany, France. I am fortunate enough to have lived here now for two years, so I think I have a realistic image of what to expect from my interaction with cars.

This is not an exaggeration; in the two seasons I have been here I can count on two hands the number of times that I have had a bad experience with a vehicle. And in most cases this was only an angry honk.

When I hear about an incident back home involving a car and cyclist, it is tragic to say the least. The dialogue that follows though is even more heartbreaking. The dialogue that I hear afterwards adopts a tone, whether directly or indirectly, that suggests cyclists are taking up too much space on the road and are a basic annoyance that doesn’t belong on the road.

One question that I have sticks out to me: Why don’t I have the same problems here in Brittany that we have back home in Vermont?

The riding conditions here are extremely comparable to those in Vermont, even more extreme in some cases.99% of the roads that I ride on every day are no wider than many of the dirt roads in our area. In many cases these roads can become significantly narrower, barely enough for two cars to pass in opposite directions. These roads rarely have sight lines any longer than 200 feet and few shoulders. These roads are trafficked as often as those back home. The posted speed limit for all of these roads past town lines is 90km/hour. This is faster than 50 mph speed zones.

I train primarily by myself, but on team camps we will also be riding 2 abreast, 6 riders deep, and often times have a team car following behind us which takes up even more space in the road. This would be a recipe for disaster back home, but here doesn’t cause a problem.”

McCullough goes on to identify a criticism that our roads are inadequate for both cars and cyclists. The roads he rides in France are certainly not boulevards. “On a daily basis, when I am riding my bike here in France, cars that pass me routinely move completely across to the other lane to safely pass. They do this smoothly and without problems. Why?

First, I am not positive if this is a law here or not, but all cars tend to signal left when passing a cyclist. (Similar to how a car would signal shifting lanes on the interstate)This signals cars behind of an obstacle, and cars ahead to be aware of what’s happening. This could be a simple law to pass that may help.

Second, drivers seem to be more willing to adapt to changing driving conditions. I’ve had many cars pass me in this fashion despite there being an oncoming car. The car passing me gave me more room than with the other car. Similarly, the oncoming driver oftentimes seems to recognize this and also move right to provide additional space for everyone.

And third, if it doesn’t work, a driver waits; and I’ve had times where because of the rolling, winding road or because we had a full team on the road, the driver was stuck behind me for a pretty long time. No hard feelings.

I’ll also offer the converse. There are also times, when a driver has to pass me a bit closer than I would like. Whenever this happens, they do it slowly and in control. It is never malicious, ever.”

paceline

McCullough concludes that though a driver might anticipate that 100% of the lane is available exclusively for his or her use, it is not always so. Riders may help by forming a single line, but in the case of multiple riders, that line simply becomes a longer line to pass.

That a driver slow down is significant. Though cyclists, runners and other users are taught to ride or run predictably, things happen. A tire might hit a pebble the wrong way, a shoe might catch an edge or a bee sting a horse. I guess we’re back to awareness, aren’t we?

And, having someone step up to take the lead.

STEPPING UP TO TAKE THE LEAD

Vermont’s Lt. Gov. Phil Scott is taking the lead. The Vermont Highway Safety Alliance, AAA, Local Motion, State Police, VTrans and others are taking the lead.

To date this year, thirty-seven lives, have been lost on VT highways. Thirteen of these tragedies involved vulnerable users. It is time.

Vermont Road Users Rally for Safety

Friday, Sept. 25th

5:30pm, State House Lawn, Montpelier

Will you follow the lead? Join your family, friends and neighbors to hear what leaders Lt. Gov. Phil Scott and others have to say and how our community can work together to make our roads safe for everyone.

For more information contact Local Motion (802)861-2700

or go to www.highwaysafety.vermont.gov

LINCOLN’S QUODDY LIGHT LV KAYAK

Marc Bourgoin, CEO, Lincoln Canoe & Kayak, asked me for a recommendation for the wonderful, snappy little Quoddy Light LV kayak that I own and love. Here it is – with pleasure.

As I segued from equestrian sports to skiing and, when single-parent finances dictated, to running, it never occurred to me to try a water sport. Then came surgery that stole my running shoes. So if I was to be permanently grounded, I’d try water.

My first boat was a plastic tub that served only to get my attention. I traded up, really up. A friend in the business found me a great deal on an elegant Epic18. She was beautiful, swift and, though light, a pain for me to maneuver on land or to the roof of my car. But I was hooked and even dreamed dreams of joining a local recreational racing group.

That was 6 years ago. In the interim I fell in love again, this time with road cycling. Normally I am a one-sport woman, but I have learned the perfect formula – dedicated training hours on my bike balanced by any extra hours I can find to paddle.

I have finally acquired the perfect bike and absolutely the best kayak for me, a low profile Quoddy Light.

It all began when, on vacation, I met Marc Bourgoin in Freeport, Maine. I wanted to test the local waters and he sent me out with a Quoddy Light. In fact, he wanted to share his love for a Chebeague, but once I had paddled the Quoddy Light, I was snared.

Why? My Epic was serious. I am serious. Paddling the Quoddy Light made me laugh out loud. The day I tested it, the wind was up and the boat should have been unstable. It was not.

Mind you, I am small, not brave or super strong or highly skilled. I am also a grandmother. But in that boat, on that day, I sliced through wind and waves that should have alarmed me. Instead I returned wet, salty and exhilarated. So much from so little.

It didn’t make sense. Anyone knows you should paddle at least a 16’ boat if you want performance and stability, right? Wrong.

The fun I had that day haunted me. Bottom line? Marc was patient. Finally I let go of my beloved Epic. The sale made the new owner very happy and financed my new, custom built Quoddy Light.

Each and every boat that comes out of the Lincoln factory is meticulously finished and embodies a spirit, a personality, of its own. The lucky ones are those of us who connect with our boat. I love mine. She rides on top of my X-Trek along with my bike. I can go anywhere and ride on land or water. These two are my friends, my training partners, my playmates. And we trust each other. We fit. We work hard and celebrate big. We live life the way it is meant to be lived.

Who knows, maybe someday there will be room in my “stable” for a Seguin. But whatever, it will be a boat built by Lincoln, maybe even by Rusty himself.

GIRLS ON THE RUN VERMONT

Girls on the Run Vermont, a piece of the national pie, is an organization that, through cooperative effort, teamed energies, and plenty of activity, promotes and sustains budding confidence, awareness and individuality for girls.

When RUN = FUN

Girls on the Run, Vermont, Culminates Another Year

Submitted by Linda Freeman for 6-14-2015

At the Start 2015

ACTIVE VERMONT

In a small café in Randolph, in the spring of 2011, I met Nancy Heydinger, Executive Director of Girls on the Run Vermont. The coffee was good, our connection was warm and immediate, and I left with full admiration for Heydinger and her mission, to make Girls o the Run (GOTR) available to every girl in Vermont.

Four years ago Heydinger said: “As a coach, runner and mother, I was drawn to the way GOTR builds girls’ confidence and also how it helps them become physically and emotionally strong. The curriculum emphasizes values of health and self-awareness, the message is to teach the girls to feel strong and proud of who they are, unique and beautiful, inside and out.”

Fast-forward to Saturday, June 6, 2015. My fourth grader and I pulled onto the Essex Fair Grounds parking lot and claimed a slot in the first row. We were eager to get on with our day. Soon it was apparent that the prediction of 2000 girls and 3000 family and supporters was conservative.

This was the GOTR year-end 5K event, the grand finale, of a 3-month GOTR season, drawing participants from schools throughout central and northern Vermont. It was designed for fun, and fun it was. Cool and breezy didn’t matter; pre-run activities heated up quickly.

The place was popping with color, laughter, nerves, costumes, face painting, hair streaking, warm ups, cheers, high 5s, music, photo ops and so much expended energy one wondered if there would be enough left to lap the grounds twice for a total of 3.1 miles.

By the time the 1700+ girls along with many more registered supporters lined up for four wave starts, the mass of tutus, feathers and decorated skin on faces, arms and legs, looked like a moving circus about to parade through town.

And then the parade began. Actually, some of the participants ran fast with the first few clocking in around 23 minutes. But this event was not about fast. It was about finish. It was about running and/or walking with a buddy. It was about cheering and hugging and crying and going back at the end to welcome friends across the line.

Halfway around I saw my girl and her buddy taking a walking break. I called out their names with a “looking good” and off they went again, perhaps wanting to prove my point.

Watching, I wanted to take in every detail of the mass and freeze the memory. There were girls with their families and friends from every imaginable background and of every size, shape, socio-economic level and ethnicity. It was a feast for the eyes, food for the soul.

As we drove away to stop for a celebratory bagel, I asked my fourth grader if all the girls in her school group participated. “Yes,” she said. “In the beginning some of them could hardly run at all, but everyone finished. It didn’t matter whether they walked or ran, but what mattered was that we helped each other. And that we had fun.” And there you have it.

What is GOTR?

GOTR was first organized in 1996 in Charlotte, NC. and is currently a national organization with national partners. Girls on the Run Vermont took first steps in 1999. Now, June 2015, Heydinger’s vision has escalated to a statewide organization of over 3100 girls from 144 schools and 825 volunteer coaches.

Annie Guyon, Director of Marketing, Communications and Development, credits Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, state-wide program sponsor, for “substantial financial contributions that support the program itself, the entire program.”

(Note that BCBSVT also supports Velocity, a similar program for boys. For more information see http://www.bcbsvt.com/velocity.)

Other sponsors step up to help out with additional costs such as Peoples United Bank that sponsored the Essex 5k event.

Somewhere in the United States this year, one young girl was the one millionth to have participated in the GOTR program. The national goal is two million by 2020. That’s a lot of girls.

Here are the basics. GOTR is about more, much more, than running. It is a three-month long after-school program that meets twice weekly and is coached by a trained leader and assistants who follow a carefully developed curriculum that includes tools to address health and fitness, confidence through accomplishment and social skills to be used in everyday experiences faced by young girls in contemporary society. GOTR is about self-awareness and understanding, about relationships and teamwork, about how to connect with each other and the community and world in which they live.

There is a small fee, but scholarships are available. Fundraising helps to support these scholarships.

At the end of the program, each region hosts a 5k event: Brattleboro on 5-16-2015, Rutland on 5-30-2015 and Essex on 6-6-2015.

Of this year’s 5ks, Heydinger said: “Our three 5k events were fantastic and continue to grow. Our goals for these events are to provide the girls with a joyful lifetime experience in a fun, festive and non-competitive environment, an opportunity to be successful in the goals that they set for themselves at the beginning of the season … to complete a 5k run/walk.”

Following the Rutland event, Guyon said: “Today’s Rutland 5k was amazing, where over 950 girls came to celebrate their limitless potential, their confidence, their uniqueness and their inner and outer strength. It was spectacular, with beautiful balmy weather, lots of smiling faces and amazing achievements, with all the girls finishing strong—and beaming.” (Rutland’s Presenting Sponsor was Rutland Regional Medical Center.)

“Crossing the finish line is a defining moment when the girls realized that even the seemingly impossible is possible.” (www.girlsontherun.org)

What happens after the finish line? GOTR is available to girls in grades 3-5. Girls then move on to Girls on Track, their sister middle school program for grades 6-8. Soon, GOT, restructured, will morph into Heart & Soul.

For detailed discussions on each program as well as contact information and ways in which to support or participate, go (run or walk is ok) to www.girlsontherunvermont.org or www.girlsotherun.org.

MAKE IT FUN

For years, as a single mom with two kids, I drove a truck decorated with the Ben & Jerry’s blue and white bumper sticker that proposed “If it isn’t fun, why do it?” (I can’t remember the exact words. I also had “NO FEAR” pasted across the top of the windshield so you can guess the era.)

Later I learned that the quote, “If it ain’t fun don’t do it,” is attributed to Jack Canfield, the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series.

Now I tweak the original saying. Fun is an often underestimated part of the fitness equation and must be both considered and honored. Why? If the fitness activity you pursue isn’t fun, that activity will gradually disappear from your daily schedule.

If it isn’t fun, then find other pursuits, other ways to include activity in copious amounts in your personal and corporate life.

Perhaps a better way to say it might be, if it isn’t fun, MAKE it so. This was my take-home message from last weekend.

Quickly, when I say the word “run” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For many it is merely a grunt or an “ugh.” Run does not always equate fun. Change one letter and you’ve got it. Change parts of the process and you’ve got it as well.

Make a run, walk, hike, ride, strength training session, even laps or an elliptical fun by adding quirky, amusing or light-hearted pieces. Be creative. Join friends for a start, tell stories along the way, wear something funky, plot coffee or a beer for later, even a bribe works, but make it fun.

Then, just maybe, you’ll find yourself in the habit of exercise, a habit that you should not break and might not want to.

SAFETY ON THE ROAD for the VULNERABLE USER

Article published May 17, 2015, Rutland Herald & Times Argus, ‘ACTIVE VERMONT’

AN URGENT NEED FOR COURTESY

With death resulting. It’s an unimaginable way to end a sentence, an outing and a life. Every time a runner laces up his running shoes, a cyclist clicks into her pedals or a driver fastens his seatbelt, he or she ventures onto a road that may lead nowhere.

Vermont attracts people who choose the outdoors, who choose to walk, run and ride. The reasons for doing so vary from an economic or environmental incentive to leave the car home, to recreation, health and fitness or training for pleasure or competition. That people who make this choice risk injury and death is an unnecessary and sad reality.

Sometimes the line between safety and fatality is as fine as simple courtesy. Vermont law dictates the rights and responsibilities of all concerned in what is known as the Vulnerable User law in which motorists, cyclists and pedestrians are mandated to share the road and to do so abiding by laws designed to protect, not to punish.

Transcending the clearly defined rules of the road are actions that bond a community and build a state in which quality of life is imperative: respect, tolerance, patience; a pause, a smile, a thank you.

Already this year the news has been sobering. On April 14, Kelly Boe of Middlebury was struck and killed by a motorist while riding his bike in Weybridge. On April 26, Richard Tom of Hinesburg was killed by a motorist while riding 1⁄2 mile from his home, an incident in which the young driver lost his life as well.

Yes, in Vermont communities, such sorrows serve to bring out the best in neighbors and friends. On May 4, 400 rode in memory of both Richard Tom and Joseph Marshall; and on May 5, a ride was held in Middlebury to honor Kelly Boe.

The Green Mountain Bicycle Club established The Richard Tom Foundation to honor the cyclist’s memory and to promote bicycling and bicycle safety. The Kelly Boe Memorial Scholarship Fund, dedicated in his memory, is to encourage Middlebury Union High School students and continue Boe’s commitment to their success.

Jason Van Driesche is Director of Advocacy and Education for Local Motion, an organization designed to promote opportunity and safety for pedestrians and cyclists. This spring’s fatalities have spurred the organization to take stronger and broader steps to reach goals and function effectively.

“Local Motion is officially statewide,” Van Driesche said. “Now we have to make good on that promise. We must engage in communities all over the state.” What works in one community might not work in another, he said. “We must explore their needs and wants.” (www.localmotion.org).

Van Driesche and his wife moved from Western Massachusetts to Vermont after a Christmas visit with family in Middlebury and then welcoming the New Year in Burlington. They loved what they observed and experienced.“We saw some of the best qualities of where we grew up,” Van Driesche said. Shortly after their relocation to Vermont, each embarked on a new job. Van Driesche has been with Local Motion for six years and embraces the mission “to help communities become great places to walk and bike,” he said.

With advanced degrees in urban planning and conservation management, Van Driesche said: “What I’m interested in is connection between people and places. We need to relocalize Vermont’s transportation system. We need to make it safe and comfortable to travel around your own community, to give people choices.” Van Driesche doesn’t live far from his work, but a sharply uphill morning ride begins his day. As a commuter, he recognizes the difference between biking as a means of transportation or recreation and that of training for cycling performance. “We try to talk about activities and choices,” he said. “The focus on what we do is on the middle drive-walk-bike. Some people would do more if they actually felt safe.”

Most people who walk or ride a bike, also drive a car. The reverse is not always the case. Perhaps there would be more understanding if it were so. Van Driesche believes it is divisive to consider bicyclists and pedestrians separately as both need consideration, and, in fact, many more walk than ride.

Local Motion identifies street and road design as particularly significant for pedestrian safety. Noting individual action and personal responsibility, Van Driesche said: “There’s a much larger piece, bigger than any individual. The best way is to design an environment for safety.”

Working closely with VTrans, Local Motion finds partnership in revisiting state road standards, plans, construction and maintenance, attempting to look forward in so doing.

Local Motion offers the program, “Everyday Bicycling Project” to give people practical skills to use a bike as transportation. These free workshops are available around the state. (Contact Mary Catherine Graziano, marycatherine@localmotion.org.)

“The Vulnerable User law,” Van Driesche said, “has given people a vocabulary for talking about how our streets and roads can work. Having discussion helps to shift conversation from ‘what are the cyclists doing on the road?’ to ‘how can we play safe together?’”

Recently Van Driesche addressed the role of law enforcement at the Vermont Police Academy in Pittsfield. He told a class of new candidates, “Vermont is the third highest state in the nation of people who walk or ride to work.” He pursued the effective use of enforcement as a tool for improving safety. The law is spelled out and enforceable.

The vulnerable user, one with no built-in protection, also travels roads that were, for the most part, not originally designed with their safety in mind.

Though the specifics are clear with respect to rights and responsibilities of all users, there are gray areas that are often a matter of judgment. For example, a cyclist may attempt to ride predictably and toward the side of a road, but to do so insofar as it is practical. When a motorist approaches a cyclist, the motorist might not understand that there is a pothole or debris on the shoulder that the cyclist needs to avoid. Awareness is a significant concept. Simply taking a foot off the accelerator could prevent an accident.

“Consider this,” Van Driesche said. “If a car travels at 40 mph in a 25 mph zone and hits a walker or cyclist, there is an 85 percent chance of death. In a 55 mph zone, though, it doesn’t matter if a car is going 55 or 70 – you’re dead either way.” If, however, a car has slowed to 25 mph with 45 feet in which to stop, there is a 95 percent chance of survival for the pedestrian or cyclist. If a motorist is in a hurry, perhaps a good habit would be to leave a few minutes earlier.

There is much to discuss and, in light of recent events, discussions are more meaningful. Information needs to be disseminated to participants, law enforcement, driver’s education instructors and students, and the public in general.

Each year the National Ride of Silence is held on the 3rd Wednesday in May to honor victims of bicycle and automobile collisions. (Photo by Jeb Wallace Brodeur. Vermont Lt. Gov. Phil Scott leading the 2014 Ride of Silence in Montpelier.) This year rides are planned for Northfield and Middlebury. Not everyone participates as each has his or her own way of promoting safety and honoring victims. “My preference is to focus on positive solutions,” Van Driesche said.

There is a clear correlation between increasing numbers of walkers, runners and cyclists on the road and the potential for accidents. Interestingly, in practice, roads that are highly utilized by vulnerable users are often safer; perhaps because motorists anticipate sharing the road.

While there is a pressing need to address safety here in Vermont, there is also a need to preserve the joy of walking, running and riding. This is not a case of us versus them, motorists versus athletes and active others. This is a case of communities coming together, of a state that supports, encourages and attracts active participants, a case of sharing the road and infrastructure on which to do so. Courtesy — motorist to vulnerable user and pedestrian, runner and cyclist to motorist — is a big part of the answer.

‘GO WILD’, Take Your Training to the Next Level – OUTDOORS

Take your training to the next level – outside.

The human body is a wonderful thing. Tracing evolutionary development, we see that the body changes, grows, reaches and adapts with amazing competence. The human body is efficient. When a task is regularly repeated, the body learns to perform that task with minimum stress to muscles, bones and mind. Apply this simple truth to our fitness routines, and we will soon see why we plateau, why exercise that at first was demanding becomes moderate and why results diminish. For example, the new exerciser might struggle to run-walk a mile, lose weight with the effort and then suddenly, at the same pace, cease to lose and become bored and discouraged.

As we incorporate exercise into our daily schedules, it is important to vary that exercise and to continue to challenge in different ways, to embrace complexity. To eat the same foods every day, to run the same route, to work out at the same level of intensity, is counterproductive. More and more of the same, results in less and less. Think about it. Boot camp and Cross-Fit classes address adaptation by providing constantly changing training. Road runners have taken to trails, marathoners have moved to ultras, cyclists have turned onto dirt roads, rail trails and into the woods and swimmers have left the pool for open water.

Making the move takes courage. We must push outside our comfort zones; be bold. But we do not need to be pioneers. Others have gone before us and are eager to encourage and share. There’s more. Moving outdoors is relative to play. Though solitary activity has its own benefits, going outside is often done in community. And, community, as well as exercise, nutrition, recovery, balance and sleep is part of the equation of health and well-being.

FROM THE FITNESS BOOKSHELF

“GO WILD” by John J. Ratey, M.D., and Richard Manning (Little, Brown and Company 2014), is my new favorite read. “GO WILD, Free Your Body and Mind From the Afflictions of Civilization”

Go wild. When was the last time you were told to do that? Well, you’re being told to do so now, and in no uncertain or irresponsible way.This book visits many places, sight-sees voraciously, organizes findings and presents convincing proof of what we discovered while we were there. No, this is not a travel book, but it charges through universal themes and connects the dots from early hunter-gatherers to you and me today via evolution and civilization. So if this stuff interests you, grab a copy and settle in for a thought-provoking, perhaps life-altering venture.

Or you might want to begin with “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” by John J. Ratey and Eric Hagerman, first published in 2007. Documented evidence suggests that regular exercise does far more than strengthen the body and help to create a healthy body composition. Dedicated exercise positively affects cognitive development, stress, depression, dementia, ADD, ADHD and a multitude of other disorders related to the brain. Exercise is commonly accepted to be a major contributor to a host of diseases that plague contemporary society.

But back to “GO WILD.” Having laid the foundation of the science behind his experiments and research, Ratey moved on to his more recent book, this time collaborating with Richard Manning, a journalist who was not content to take notes, but needed to put into practice what he was learning.

Trust me, this is not a rah-rah book to encourage you to get to the gym and log your hours, nor is it feel-good pop-psychology. I invite you to do a background check on the authors. You’ll find that Ratey is associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, author and speaker (www.johnratey.com and www.sparkinglife.org). He brings to this project the clinical, academic and yet practical data focusing on movement, nutrition and their effects on the brain and body, while Manning provides balance with personal interests in the wild, agriculture, the environment and eco-system restoration. Each has a story to tell.

Many other names appear on these pages. Some are recognizable for their voice in current fitness and athletic circles: Foreword by David Perlmutter, M.D., author of “Grain Brain” (2013); Dr. Loren Cordain, founder of the Paleo movement; Christopher McDougall, author of the wildly popular “Born to Run” (2009) and just released “Natural Born Heroes: How a Daring Band of Misfits Mastered the Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance.” There are more, but these few names could whet your appetite. Then there’s talk about the value of CrossFit, Tabattas and TRX. Shall I continue?

Civilization and evolution have brought mixed blessings: an advanced society that diminishes physical exertion, promotes processed foods, extends years, but fails to sustain body and mind. The authors assault heavy issues with audacious assertions yet back their claims with anecdote and science. Though they highlight nutrition and movement as primary movers, they firmly support the value of community, connection and relationship.

Then there’s the whole piece about diseases. “We are designed to be wild, and by living tamely we make ourselves sick and unhappy,” they write. A sedentary lifestyle is relative to many illnesses as well as a culprit in malfunctioning cognitive development and skills. According to the authors, the lack of exercise makes us dumber. While movement may not prevent disease, it may help to lessen the risk and hasten the cure.

Like all good teachers, the authors tell stories; like good researchers, they generously cite resources; and like good scientists, they test their claims. In fact, they use themselves as test subjects as well. “This book is not an academic exercise for either of us, but rather a product of living our real and textured lives,” they write.They stress diversity, applying that concept to the complexity of human wants, needs and experiences. Nutritional advice is founded on two principles: reduce/eliminate the consumption of carbohydrates and, more importantly, make variety paramount in food choices.

Throughout the years, there have been countless theories surrounding sugars, fats (good, bad and trans), cholesterol, bacteria, meat and grains. The authors do not suggest a restrictive diet, but “Nuts, root vegetables, leafy greens, fruits, fish, wild game, clean, cool water. Range far and wide. Eat well.”

Equally important is the mandate to get off the couch and get moving. Go wild. The gym is good, but outdoors is better. “Exercise in nature is exercise squared.” Hit the trails, hike the hills, snowshoe through the woods, backcountry ski. Exercise daily, in many places and in many ways. Find your tribe, friends and family who will join you; a class, running partners, leaders who will challenge and followers who will encourage. Play. Pursue new projects and ideas. And when you have done so, rest. Sleep — eight hours a night if possible.

“Whether you’re stressed or relaxed, well-being is not about always being safe or fed or comfortable. Rather, it is learning to walk the line between the two, to balance, to move back and forth between them with ease and grace. Well-being comes from learning to talk to the lions.”

As you prepare to re-wild (a Ratey word), heed the closing advice: “Take a step. Assess. Then take another. This whole business becomes not an assignment or duty — rather, an exploration, a process of discovery. It’s guided by rewards.”

(Text was part of piece that appeared on the ACTIVE VERMONT page, Rutland Herald & Times Argus, by Linda Freeman, May 3, 2015.)

Celebrate the Full Moon

A Vermont Full Moon – Stefan Hard

A full moon – it’s the perfect time to throw a party, to celebrate, to be festive, loony if you like, and to have some active fun.

Let me explain. I am active and constantly coach, prod, teach, encourage and nag others, including you, dear readers, to move, to get outdoors as much as possible, to include exercise in each day and to play.

I sincerely believe purposeful, deliberate, structured training is great, but that it must be accompanied by hours of moving through life, in a variety of activities, with a sense of humor and within a community of friends.

Like many of you, I become bogged down in the busy-ness, the hustle and bustle of work, responsibilities, obligations, tasks and worries of daily life. I neglect to take my own advice, and the recommendations of so many others much wiser than me, to play, to have fun.

A few weeks back I was invited to join some awesome women on a full moon snowshoe to the summit of a wooded mountain in central Vermont. I was about to decline when I said to myself, “Hey, this is what you are always recommending to others — just do it.”

When the time arrived to join my friends, I had many excuses prepared as there were deadlines and unfinished tasks piling up around me.

I snowshoed. It took time to get where we were going, through woods on trails that were sometimes packed and sometimes deep and new, sometimes gentle but usually steep, sometimes with headlamps, sometimes simply under the starlit sky, sometimes in full chatter and sometimes silent, sometimes focused and breathing hard, sometimes in awe. But always in companionship.

And then it happened. Over the crest of the hill, past the distant mountain range, there it was, the moon beginning its ascent. It was a celebration of life in Vermont, of friendship, of the blessing of an active lifestyle. It was also a workout and we were happy to return to a warm house to eat and drink and share.

So why don’t we do this more often? Those five or so hours with friends have sustained me with pleasant memories during the weeks since. Do we need an excuse to get outdoors, to do something fun or maybe even a little silly, a bit — lunatic?

Here’s the excuse, a full moon. The very next full moon is known as the Full Pink Moon, supposedly dubbed that because of the early flowering pink phlox. It’s also called the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and, on the coast, the Full Fish Moon because of the shad headed upstream to spawn. There’s more. In the early morning, for about five minutes, there will be a total lunar eclipse.

Here are a few lunar facts for you. The moon is actually a satellite, billions of years old, and rather than a face in the moon, what we see are craters. The solar eclipse happens during a new moon, but a lunar eclipse comes about at the time of a full moon, and thus April 4. The moon affects ocean tides and the length of days.

Moving beyond the scientific, the moon figures prominently in music, literature, mythology, nursery rhymes, folk tales and art. There’s the man in the moon, a man on the moon, the attempt to reach the moon, over the moon and to the moon and back.

In January, we had a Full Wolf Moon and in February, a Full Snow Moon. (no kidding). The March Full Worm Moon sounds less enticing, but it worked.

May 3 brings us a Full Flower Moon, June 2 a Full Strawberry Moon and July offers a bonus of two in one month: the Full Beach Moon on July 1 and the Blue Moon on July 31 (the 2nd of two full in one month is a Blue Moon).

Aug. 29 provides the Full Sturgeon Moon, Sept. 27 the Full Harvest Moon, Oct. 27 the Full Hunter’s Moon, and Nov. 25 the Full Beaver Moon.

The year ends coincidentally with the Full Moon Before Yule, or the Full Cold Moon, falling on Dec. 25.

Because the calendar is based upon the moon, perhaps you will join me in taking pen in hand and noting the remaining full moon dates of 2015. Then, go ahead and put yourself out there.

Plan now, and more importantly invite others to join you, thus stating your intention, to actively celebrate each full moon. There are full moon walks, hikes, runs, skis, snowshoes, paddles, cruises, events, outings and frolics in the moonlight just waiting to be devised and enjoyed.

Nutrition Must Be An Integral Part of Training

Nutrition and Training go hand in hand to produce health and performance. In my role as a writer, and as field editor of the ACTIVE VERMONT page of each Sunday’s Rutland Herald & Times Argus, I am privileged to meet experts and fellow participants in the active life we share in Vermont. It is my pleasure to introduce you to one of the best, Kim Evans of Whole Health Nutrition in Williston, Vermont.

Below is my introduction of Kim as well as her writing on nutrition and the athlete. Both stories appeared in ACTIVE VERMONT, 3-1-2015.

Kimberly Evans, MS, RD, co-owner of Peak Physical Therapy Sports and Performance Center and Whole Health Nutrition

Meet Kimberly Evans, dancer, athlete, business owner, mother of five and generous friend. Professionally, Evans is a registered dietitian whose continuing quest for knowledge gives her depth in specialized areas of sports nutrition, functional medicine and integrative nutrition.

Often introduced as a sports and wellness nutritionist, Evans teaches and lives her belief that “Food should be friend, fuel and fun.” To Evans, it’s all about the “power of nutrition meeting the pleasure of eating.”

Evans spent her early years in Michigan, living in New York City and Pennsylvania as well. “I’m a person who likes change,” she said. One summer, Evans came to Vermont to hike and fell in love with the state. A 1998 return visit sealed the deal. It was Halloween and a stroll along Church Street in downtown Burlington with everyone dressed up in costumes provided the final nudge for a move here in 1999. “It stuck,” Evans said. “The more I travel and the more I see, I realize that Vermont is a special place.”

Talking with Evans, one becomes aware of the juxtaposition of care with knowledge, theory with practice, composure with passion and the desire to reach to the center of another’s needs. “Vermont has allowed me to develop myself as a professional in the world of health and wellness.” In her chosen field, Evans is required to maintain her accreditation as a registered dietitian with rigorous continuing education layered on top of her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology and health care administration.

“I’m a person who loves to learn,” Evans said. As an RD, she is tasked to continually develop. Evans would have it no other way. What makes the academic practical for Evans is her personal history of movement, sports and an active lifestyle.

Evans began to dance at the age of 3 and didn’t stop until 37 years later. “Because I was a dancer, I wasn’t allowed to run,” she said. “I was always that kid in high school who couldn’t run a mile, always a ‘bun head’.” As soon as the dance chapter of her life closed, the running chapter opened. Perhaps the discipline of dance, the order, the attention to form and technique, the willingness to put in hours of practice, helped transform Evans into a runner and a cyclist. Evans now claims that she is not an adrenaline junkie, but wants to “role-model for her children and her community.” She does so, and well.

Evans is indeed passionate about her family, community, work and clients. More significantly, she embraces a deep feeling of responsibility with respect to her own health and body, and shares that sense of responsibility with others in pursuit of health and well-being as well as performance. “Eat well and move your body,” she said. “You are what you eat.” Be responsible, honor emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.

Evans is co-owner (since 2010) of Whole Health Nutrition in South Burlington, as well as Peak Physical Therapy Sports and Performance Center in Williston. “I am excited to be a part of an integrated wellness practice,” she said. “The model is exciting. We wrap a team around people striving to reach their goals.”

Welcome Kimberly Evans to the “Active Vermont” page. She will periodically share insights on relevant topics of nutrition related to recreational and competitive sports as well as individual pursuit of balance, strength, health and vibrant daily life.

FUEL FOR THOUGHT. Active people need to include nutrition in their training.

By KIMBERLY EVANS
Eating can be complicated. Let’s face it, there are almost as many opinions about nutrition as there are people who eat. That’s a lot of opinions. Eating to fuel athletic performance can be even more confusing. Think about it. Where, as an athlete or an active person, did you learn about nutrition specific to fueling your activity? Do you have set fueling practices? If you are like many athletes that I know the answer would be ‘no.’

Typically, when an athlete comes into my office, they often have a detailed plan about their workouts and training, and gadgets to support the plan. Yet when I ask them about their nutrition plan, I get a blank look. Nutrition is simply overlooked. Here is the thing. Whether you are an endurance athlete or a recreational athlete, a newly active person or an experienced competitor, your nutrition practices need to be at least 50 percent of your training effort.

Proper fueling increases lean body mass, making strong performance more attainable. Regularly adhering to good nutritional practices helps to reduce the risk of injury while shortening recovery time between exercise and managing hormones, such as cortisol, associated with exercise.

Meeting nutritional goals translates to meeting training and sports performance goals. When performance declines, there can be several reasons, such as lack of sleep, overtraining or inadequate fuel. Nutrition supports the mental and emotional aspects of sports performance as well. Fueling appropriately keeps your head “in the game,” improves mood and helps prevent fatigue.

But here’s a favorite reason to underpin your playing, training or competing with good nutrition: You have another reason to eat. This is always a plus for me.

Let me share my story. I have been a registered dietitian for 27 years, and yet I learned about sports nutrition the hard way. I grew up dancing ballet. Dancers have their own ideas about nutrition. When I turned 40, I decided it was time to hang up my pointe shoes and tutu and take up running. This is where trouble began.

Very early into training for my first half-marathon, I realized that something was not going according to plan. My first impulse was to also hang up my running shoes and dismiss my troubles as me just being a “bad runner.” But I am determined and when I set my mind to something I am going to do it.

I decided to engage in my own medicine and began tracking and analyzing my eating in relationship to my training expectations. The results were staggering.I was eating too few calories, very little carbs, and was woefully deficient in vitamin C and iron, amongst other things. I am a quick learner. I made some adjustments to my own eating, ran that half-marathon (and many more after) and my quest began to learn as much about nutrition in relationship to various physical activities as possible.

GET STARTED. In a nutshell, here are my top three tips to get you started thinking about your own sports nutrition practices.

1. Meet your energy needs. All bodies require fuel and athletes need even more. The more you move, the more you need. Fuel demands are made up of your basic metabolic needs, daily activity, digestion and exercise. Most of us need a bit more fuel than we think we do. Consider getting your resting metabolic rate assessed. RMR is a measurement of how many calories a day your body needs as a bare minimum, just to breathe, digest, function and stay alive.

2. Don’t fear carbohydrates. Endurance athletes and athletes in the “push” phase of their training have a particularly high demand for carbs. Match your carb intake to the intensity of your activity. Choose quality carbs such as oatmeal, quinoa, brown and wild rice, beans, sweet potatoes, and the ancient grain farro.

3. Time your eating with your exercise. Strive to calorically balance your day, including energy expended during exercise. What you eat before, during and after exercise will help to maximize performance and improve recovery times.

You don’t have to be an elite athlete to benefit from applying the science of sports nutrition. Small changes and attentiveness to eating will surprise you with big changes in health, energy, stamina and performance.

If you are wondering how to get started, check out some of my favorite resources for athletes:

Visit a registered dietitian who specializes in sports dietetics. This professional will have an RD after his or her name, and sometimes CSSD.

Sign on to Nutritiming to see how it can help with personalized, specific information. The website is nutritiming.com/welcome.

Runner’s World Magazine is a valuable resource for training and nutritional information that applies to all athletes, not just runners.

Finally, move more, eat better. Eat better, move more. Enjoy.

Kimberly Evans, MS, RD, is co-owner of Peak Physical Therapy Sports and Performance Center in Williston and Whole Health Nutrition in South Burlington. She can be reached at RD@wholehealthnutritionvt.com or visit her website: www.wholehealthnutritionvt.com.

GENERAL FITNESS FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

The steps to fitness for the everyday athlete are built upon habitual daily exercise and healthy choices in diet and lifestyle.

It’s time for us to sit down and have a heart to heart talk. There are things that need to be said and things that need to be heard. None of what follows is my personal opinion, but rather based on education, experience, training and practice. I have had the privilege of watching others grow in health, strength and vitality. We coexist with a health care crisis that begs solutions. As individuals, we have the opportunity to make a difference. To proactively maximize our own wellbeing is our right, responsibility and opportunity.

Much of what you read on the Active Vermont page has to do with sports. We speak of athletes, competition and training. We also speak of events and activities that invite the everyday participant. Today I address general fitness for the general population.

Here’s the bottom line, right up front: you need to exercise aerobically 5-6 days a week, strength train at least 2, clean up your diet, get enough sleep, be a contributing member of a community, and include the spiritual piece as a component of your overall health.

If you are one of those who groan at the very thought of exercise, if you consider exercise as punishment, GET OVER IT. Exercise is a privilege. It is time for you to focus on yourself away from the call of demanding voices. It is time for you, your health and your dreams, your present as well as your future, to take center stage and strip away the distractions of daily life. It’s just for a little while, but it is well worth it.

Common advice for new moms is to take care of self first or they will be unable to care for baby and family. This is not self-indulgent, it is imperative and, as I said, a privilege. If you don’t believe me, just speak with someone who experiences life from a wheelchair.

Have you marveled at the courage of adaptive skiers, cyclists motoring along on their hand-crank recumbents, returning vets who run marathone on prosthesis or happy Special Olympians? Yes, well, as I said, get over it and assume your rightful place in the active quest for fitness.

Those new to exercise often consider it a chore because they do not identify as athletes. Who is an athlete? It is easy to see that those who reach the Olympic games, Superbowl or World Series are athletes. I asked Nancy Clark, nationally recognized Registered Dietician, author and speaker, how her “Sports Nutrition Handbook,” applies to ordinary people who do not consider themselves athletes but simply exercise for health benefits. Her succinct reply was “If you exercise regularly, you are an athlete.” Perhaps taking your self-identification to the next level would give you a boost in attitude about your daily exercise.

Did I say 5-6 days a week? Yes I did. Do you have dozens of excellent excuses not to do so? Yes, I’m sure you do and I do understand. The alarm goes off too early and your head hits the pillow at night too late. You have work commitments to fulfill, kids to take to practices, chores to be done, people to care for, appointments to keep and maybe even a night out once in awhile. But you also have time to exercise.

I worked for someone who liked to say, “Oh, you don’t have time to exercise? Well you DO have time for a heart attack.”

Consider the importance of exercise. By now the relationship between exercise and disease is known and established. Exercise as preventive as well as curative (or at least helpful) with respect to mental and emotional conditions is equally well proven. If you want to know more, do the research. Or you could skip this step and just get active.

Make the distinction between purposeful exercise and lifestyle activity. The admonition to exercise 5-6 days per week means to deliberately follow a training program (your own or one suggested for you and your specific needs). This is dedicated time designed to increase your cardiovascular as well as muscular strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and energy level.

Note, if you are already exercising regularly, perhaps it is time to take it to the next level. Whether you are new to exercise or ramping up an existing program, you need to take preliminary steps.

Talk with your medical care provider. You need a green light before you begin or make changes. It may be the same in other states, but here in Vermont the medical community seems to be peopled by professionals who strongly support exercise and then practice what they promote in personal and athletic lifestyles.

Next you need to assess your current condition, define goals and plan the steps to reach those goals. You may need help. Join a gym, enroll in a class, hire a fitness consultant to help you structure a gradual but effective journey.

Aerobic exercise begins with a warm up and ends with a cool down. The common recommendation is for 45 minutes of continuous, methodical movement each day. At first the intensity may range from easy to moderate, but as fitness increases, so does intensity.

Mix it up. Vary the activity and the pace. Make one day a week a longer session. Include family or friends but keep going. The social benefits of a class encourage accountability and performance.

Show up at the gym before work or on your lunch hour if you must. You have your choice: elliptical, treadmill, stair climber, Spinner® bike, Concept2 rowing machine, and more. Which machine is the best? The one that you will use. So, use it.

Limited? Even those who are housebound, wheelchair bound, or walker bound can exercise. The growing field of physical therapy is opening doors that were once closed.

Once you have established the habit of exercise you are on your way and it’s time to strength train. The body is comprised of small, medium and large muscles that must be regularly put to the test against resistance. All healthy muscles gain strength and power over time when trained in balance and with proper technique. Injury can occur. Education is important. Do the research yourself or get professional help to learn the basics. Two alternate days a week of strength training is required to maintain and three days to increase.

It’s not all about exercise. Fitness is an equation. Exercise + Diet = Fitness.

DIET is, in fact, a 4-letter word. In many cases it is a bad word, a foul word, a damaging word. Use the Greek definition, “way of living,” or a more contemporary, “habitual nourishment,” and you’ll learn to respect it. Reduced to the lowest common concepts, a healthy diet is one that is varied, free of any and all processed foods, replete with fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and so on. An appropriate diet is also measured and devoid of excesses. Diet is based on choice. Choose to eat healthfully and it will become habitual. Replace old habits with new and you will default to the new.

Ultimately you will recognize the effects exercise will have on your body, energy and personality. You will find it easier to pick up the 50 lb bag of dog food, shovel the walk, climb the stairs and play with the kids. You will have a spring in your step and discover endurance as you navigate long meetings or late hours. You will look forward to your exercise time; it is the appointment with yourself that you must keep.

You will learn to choose foods that nourish rather than destroy. You will crave fresh, whole and clean ingredients that have begun to taste better to you than the processed meals of your past. You will fuel appropriately.

You will become more flexible, achieve balance physically and in your daily commitments, be more positive, less anxious and less fatigued.

You will look ahead at a future of possibilities. You will model for your children, grandchildren, neighbors and coworkers.

Exercise and nutrition may not protect you from the randomness, the sheer bad luck, of some diseases, but they can sure improve your odds.

The market is flooded with fitness advice. Avoid claims of a quick fix. Demand science. I have many fitness books on my shelves, but recently revisited the three below that I recommend.

A friend gave me a copy of “Younger Next Year for Women,” by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge, M.D. Because the cover is a very cute pink, I put it away without reading it until a trusted professional brought it up again. (There’s also “Younger Next Year,” the first book written, that is geared for men.) Read either. Just read it. It’s a decade old but science-based,90% relevant and 100% convincing.

John J. Ratey, MD presented ground-breaking work on the effect of exercise on the brain as well as stress, depression, ADHD, addiction, Alzheimers and a host of other current problems. By all means read “Spark, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain,” (“Spark” was published in 2008. Ratey published a new book in 2014. My review copy is on the way and I’ll let you know more.)

Finally, “The Exercise Cure, A Doctor’s All-Natural, No-Pill Prescription for Better Health & Longer Life,” by Jordan D Metzl, MD (2013) presents many similar findings to the previous two books but adds exercise instructions and illustrations.

Metzl concludes: “May we all exercise for the next 100 years … and beyond.” Amen to that.

Linda Freeman Fitness

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