There's still time to run for kids with cancer this morning!

http://www.emeraldsociety5k.org/EmeraldSociety5k/Welcome.html

It is a beautiful 5K Walk/Run to benefit children with cancer. The course of the race starts in front of the Emerald Society and travels through the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, returning to Roslindale Village.

It starts at 11am this morning (Sunday, September 19th)
Start at the Emerald Society in Roslindale and end in the Arnold Arboretum.

Hope to see you there.

Save the date!  Life is good festival.

http://www.lifeisgood.com/festivals/2010-festivals-info/default.aspx

The festival is a two-day celebration of music and optimism, featuring three stages of diverse live music, hands-on games, interactive arts activities and the "Good Kids" zone — home to the top acts in kids entertainment. The Life is good Festival is a unique music event that every age group can enjoy.

100% of Life is good's profits from the Festival will go towards The Life is good Kids Foundation, helping kids overcome life-threatening challenges such as violence, illness and extreme poverty.

Good music, fun time, great cause.

Did you ever want to experience first hand working a farm?  Check out Farm School.

http://www.farmschool.org/programs.html

The Farm School
Sentinel Elm Farm
488 Moore Hill Road
Athol, MA 01331
978.249.9944
Children as well as adults can take part in learning what it takes to be stewards of the earth.

Multi-day residential school-year and summer programs for the over 1,500 young people and their teachers, a year-long program to train adults in practical sustainable agriculture, and an on-site one-room middle school.

Young people work the land and take home the cultural history, vital experience, and personal identity that farms nurture. Teachers work alongside their students and leave with new insights into their craft and children they teach. Adults learn to farm and carry essential knowledge from one community to the next.

Spartan Race
Saturday, August 28
Amesbury, MA

The Spartan Race is an international running series that revives the spirit of an adventurous age. The race is designed to test your resilience, strength, stamina and ability to laugh in the face of adversity. This unique 5k includes 12 crazy obstacles and will demand every ounce of your strength and ingenuity.

Check it out:
http://www.spartanrace.com/

I always wear my heart rate monitor in conjuction with using perceived exertion while
teaching classes and for my own workouts.  I read an interesting article about the heart rate formula.
As with nutrition, there is  no cookie cutter formula with heart rate..it is a guide to start somewhere.

New Heart Rate Formula May Improve Program Design for Women

The use of heart rate to predict and monitor exercise intensity is common amongst exercisers of all types, from endurance athletes to cardiac rehab participants. Although heart rate remains the best option available for gauging intensity there remain questions regarding the validity of the many equations available to predict target heart rate for training. The maximum heart rate (HRmax) formula that currently serves as the foundation for prescribing intensity is 220 minus age. Two studies over the past decade address both gender and age-related drawbacks to this formula.

First, approximately 8 years ago, researchers at the University of Colorado reported that the HRmax formula was not valid for individuals over 40. They determined that the predicted decline in HRmax that occurs with age is considerably slower after the age of 40 than before. Hence, they developed the following formula which is believed to offer a more accurate prescription for an older population: 208 – (Age x .7).

This past month it was reported that the traditional HRmax formula results in an inflated exercise heart rate for women. In this study of over 5,400 women, participants completed a maximal treadmill test after which they were followed for a period of 16 years. The data collected from the project determined an association between risk for heart attack and abnormal heart rate readings during the previous treadmill test. Moreover, it resulted in a new formula to calculate maximum heart rate in women:

206 – (Age x .88).

Researchers determined that women who were programmed based on the original max HR formula were unable to sustain predictably manageable intensities (i.e. 65-85% max HR). The new formula predicts a lower max HR and thus lower relative HR’s for women.

This study presents an interesting challenge to fitness professionals. Although it is acceptable, should you choose to incorporate the new formula, which results in a lower relative intensity, do the client's results suffer? If so, it may be more appropriate to first use the newer formulas, continue to incorporate HR monitoring, but to include perceived exertion to modify intensity on an individual basis.

Tara Parker-Pope. Recalibrated Formula Eases Women’s Workouts. NY Times Health Update. July 5, 2010.

Do you wear a heart rate monitor when you work out?  What do you do to monitor intensity levels of your workouts?

1 out of 3 children are obese.  What can we do about it? 
It is not just about nutrition, kids need to be active too.

What do you think we can do to help the upcoming generations with their
nutrition and fitness?  Especially with the numerous cut backs with physical education and activities....


Listen to wbur program that aired this morning. 
http://www.onpointradio.org/2010/07/childhood-obesity

A recent article in Science Daily states that scientists know why the polyphenols in red wine and green tea inhibit cancer growth.  Published in the FASEB journal online explains that the antioxidants in red wine and green tea produce a combined effect to disrupt and important cell signaling pathway necessary for prostate cancer growth. 

Of course as long as they are taken in moderation and not together.  As with anything, every thing in moderation.

Come to Belmont, MA and check out the Farmer's Market which opens today Until October 28th.
Every Thursday, 1.30pm - 7pm.

LocationThe municipal parking lot in Belmont Center, at the intersection of Cross St. & Channing Rd., behind the stores on Leonard St.

Getting thereThe Market is near the MBTA commuter train & bus stops in Belmont Center. If you drive, observe parking regulations on the street and in the lot.

DatesThe Market is open on Thursdays, starting June 10, 2010.

HoursSpring and summer hours: 1:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

 

WeatherWe're open rain or shine (but not in violent storms).

http://www.belmontfarmersmarket.org/location-hours.html

Spring time, time to shed layers of clothes and perhaps some inches and body fat?  I recently wrote an article for the Belmont Citizen's Herald about some tips on how to work on your nutrition and fitness in a healthy way.

A bit of confusion on the High energy snacks/meals section...the choices below should be one or the other not all the foods listed for one snack...unless you plan to do a full day fitness activity and have plenty of time to digest before begin!

High-energy snacks/meals

Come run or walk the 9th annual 3.1 mile race to benefit The Brendan Grant Foundation and Memorial Scholarships June 20th, Saturday.

 

9:30 am — 5K Charity Walk

9:30 am — 5K Charity Walk

10:00 am — 5K Road Race

10:05 am — 400/800m Races

 

 

 

Location: Belmont High School Track, Concord Avenue, Belmont, MA

Amenities: Commemorative T-shirts to first 500 entrants, age-group awards, refreshments, raffle prizes

 

 

Pre-registration - $15 before June 18 (All pre-registered entrants will be eligible for a special raffle drawing)

 

Post-entry - $20

Reply: The Brendan Grant Foundation PO Box 184 Belmont, MA 02478-0184 Attn: Race Director617/489-1514 • homerun5k@excite.com • www.brendangrant.org