Nordic Walking

I got a surprise in the mail today — a Heavy Medal from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series. Because I completed two of their half marathons (Seattle and Las Vegas) in the same year, I earned the 26.2 Medal. This baby is indeed heavy, it weighed in at 6.8 ounces. That took some serious postage! If you tried to wear it jogging, you would get some nasty bruises on your chest.

This should not have been a complete surprise, as embedded in the info about the events is the call to become a “heavy medal groupie.” After two of these events, I admit to being hooked. The Competitor Group puts on very well-organized events that lived up to their hype and were walker-friendly. I’m planning at least one for 2010. But if I were to go on the road, here’s what I could earn, doing the required numbers of their events in a calendar year:

• 26.2 Medal: Two half marathons.
• 39.3 Medal: One half marathon and one full marathon.
• Silver Note: Two full marathons
• Gold Note: Two full marathons in five weeks - this would have to be the Arizona and Mardi Gras events.
• Triple Crown: Any three events, half marathons or marathons.
• Grand Slam: Any four events.
• Rock For-Titude: Four full marathons.
• Rock Star: Any five events.
• Super Six: Any six events.
• Rock Legend: Any seven or more events.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Dates and Locations
About the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathons and Half Marathons
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2010

Heavy Medal Surprise for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathons originally appeared on About.com Walking on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 01:27:33.

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Getting cabin fever and ready to plan to get out and enjoy some of the great walks? The votes are in for our yearly top 10 walks in the USA. The voters are the avid walkers of the AVA volkssport walking clubs, and they chose from among over 1700 walking routes their clubs have available. You can enjoy these walks most days of the year, and most are offered for free, although you may pay admission to the park or estate.

This year the top walk won by a landslide, the Silver Falls State Park Walk in Silverton, Oregon. This is a walk near and dear to my heart, it was one of the first longer hikes/walks that I ever took with my family. We were more campers and swimmers than walkers. It continues to thrill walkers from around the world. Come see the rest of the list, which includes city walks, historic walks, and some great hikes.
Top 10 Walks in the USA for 2009
How to Walk an AVA Year-Round Walk
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

The Top 10 Walks in the USA originally appeared on About.com Walking on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 10:07:41.

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If you are dieting, you should pass up the wine and chocolate this Valentines Day, right? Author, certified nutritionist and fitness specialist Robert Ferguson. M.S., C.N. says to think again. Wine and chocolate can be part of a healthy eating plan, while still allowing you to lose weight. We interviewed him about his views.

Dieting makes most of us think of giving up the treats we love. Does going cold turkey actually sabotage weight loss plans?

Yes! It’s no secret that if you eliminate certain foods or food groups that you can lose weight. Unfortunately, once you lose a few pounds or lose the weight that you want, you are more likely to go back to eating those foods you’ve been restricted from. Deprivation is not fun in the short- or long-term. The good news is that you don’t have to give up the treats you love, but instead, learn how to eat them in a way that helps you reduce your waistline and keep from adding inches to it.

What tips do you have for healthy meals and snacks with wine and chocolate?

GO GOOD - MEAL EXAMPLE: Wine (5 oz) (Fast Carb) with Protein (e.g., steak, fish, chicken) and Broccoli (Slow Carb)

GO WRONG - MEAL EXAMPLE: Wine (5 oz) (Fast Carb) with Protein (e.g., steak, fish, chicken) and Potato (Fast Carb)

GO GOOD - SNACK EXAMPLE: Wine (5 oz) with 1 oz chocolate or 1 oz cheese (fat with wine better than carbs for maximizing metabolism)

GO BAD - SNACK EXAMPLE: Wine (5 oz) with nut mix (calories ramp up and appetite increases with added carbs with wine)

Wine and chocolate are guilty pleasures, but what benefits do they actually have for health and nutrition?

Both wine and chocolate have antioxidant benefits. Red wine has superstar antioxidants flavonoid phenolics which includes resveratrol. Then, with chocolate, you get many of the health benefits that make dark vegetables popular. For one, the flavonoids in chocolate, which acts as an antioxidant the same as what’s in wine can lower risk of heart disease. And by the way, dark chocolate (over 30% cocoa content) has nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries for instance. You can’t go wrong with a little wine and chocolate in your life!

Does the type of chocolate you indulge in make a difference?

Yes. I recommend people choose chocolate that has more fat than sugar when possible. Otherwise, look for chocolate that is 60 percent cocoa content and as low as 40 percent when it’s organic. Seriously, the darker the chocolate the sweeter the experience when it comes to our metabolism and its health benefits.

What benefits are there in choosing a wine that is organic or labeled biodynamic? The benefits of purchasing an organic, biodynamic or sustainable wine are that you are getting something closer to nature. Biodynamic wines are a favorite of mine because it’s more of a philosophy, meaning there is a ton of love and nurturing that accompanies the process of how the wine goes from the root to bottle. The uniqueness of biodynamic wines is that the growers put a greater emphasis on the vines.

My favorite wines are from local biodynamic vineyards or small vineyards that use sustainable practices. Is that a coincidence, or do these practices really help produce better wine?

I believe they are better wines. I enjoy the smoothness that is typical of a sustainable wine. Then again, the taste and enjoyment lies with the person sipping the wine.

What about those who can’t stop with just a small portion of their favorite foods? If chocolate is a food trigger for the person, should they avoid it?

I wouldn’t avoid it. What I recommend is to go with a higher percentage of cocoa content in the chocolate. Have you ever bitten into an 80-99 percent cocoa content dark chocolate? Trust me, you won’t be scavenging the whole bar in little time. Like a good wine, a good chocolate is slowly enjoyed.

Robert Ferguson. M.S., C.N. is a lecturer, certified nutritionist, and fitness specialist. He is the author of “Fat That Doesn’t Come Back” and “Diet Free Life.” He has been a nutrition, conditioning and weight loss coach to pro athletes such as two-time world champion boxer Fernando Vargas.

Interview arranged by Kelly Campau, MyFoodLovers

More: Is Chocolate Really Good for You?

Red Wine and Anti-Aging
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner, 2010

Go Ahead and Enjoy the Wine and Chocolate originally appeared on About.com Walking on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 22:00:52.

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Want to challenge yourself and benefit the American Cancer Society? The DetermiNation program coaches you through training for and participating in a marathon, half marathon, triathlon or bike race. The DetermiNation program has a big range of events to choose from — over 60. These now include the Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon/half marathon events in Seattle, Chicago and New Orleans.

Like many other charity marathon training programs, you have the chance to train with a local training group and enjoy VIP amenities and group amenities at your chose race. It’s a great way to raise money for the American Cancer Society and give purpose to your training.

What makes this program a little different from some others is that travel and accommodations are not included in the price of the minimum fundraising. Those expenses are on you. But, frankly, I think that sets a better tone for fundraising from friends and relatives. More of their money goes to the charity rather than the overhead of getting you to the event.

I am also excited about the number and variety of events to choose from. You can select a nearby event or one in a city you would love to visit.

If you are not a distance walker already, I’d suggest signing up for a half marathon for charity rather than a full marathon the first time. You will be able to see how well you stick with the training schedule and deal with the fundraising requirements. Then after a successful half marathon, you will be ready to choose your next goal.
Before You Register for a Marathon
Charity Marathon Training Programs

DetermiNation to Train for a Marathon or Half originally appeared on About.com Walking on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 at 23:24:59.

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Take your loved ones for a walk!
Show your love with a stroll together.
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2010

Take Your Loved Ones for a Walk! originally appeared on About.com Walking on Sunday, February 14th, 2010 at 10:30:12.

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Do you use a light for early morning or evening walks? Most of my walking is through areas with good streetlights. But I use a variety of lights for walks on paths that don’t have lighting, and I’m always looking for a good light for camping and emergency use. I received samples of the Beam N Read LED Lights to review. These are hands-free lights worn around the neck. Its best use is for reading in bed and for lighting your way around the house if the power goes out or you don’t want to turn on an overhead light. But for walking outside at an easy to moderate pace, it also works very well.

At faster paces, it is likely to pick up a sway, but at strolling speeds I found that it worked great for lighting the ground just where I needed it. How does this compare to a headlamp, lighted hat, or the GoMotion LiteBelt?

Headlamps are often the best solution for night running, fast walking, climbing, etc. They are designed for that purpose, and most of them allow you to adjust the angle to get the light right where you need it. The drawbacks are that they can be uncomfortable and they mess up your hair. They also look a bit odd to use outside of a fitness/sports situation, such as reading on an airplane.

I love using lighted hats, but usually it is hard to get the light to fall exactly where you need it. With some designs, I was spotlighting the horizon if I walked with my head up in the correct postural position. The Panther Vision PowerCap is finally a design that works, and I can take it traveling to use for daytime (a hat to keep sun off your head and out of your eyes) as well as night. But, hats give you hat hair.

I like the GoMotion LiteBelt as a hands-free solution for night walking and running. But it isn’t versatile to use in other low light situations, such as around camp or if the power goes off at home.

Which brings us back to the Beam N Read. It is an item I could take traveling instead of a booklight or flashlight, and it would work great for camping, especially those after-dark trips down the trail to the restroom. I loved using it around the house at night. Various versions also have a magnifying lens and more LED bulbs, plus colored filters. Disclosure: A review sample was provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.

Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

Hands-Free Light Review originally appeared on About.com Walking on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 09:09:31.

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Watching the Super Bowl usually means eating and drinking. I’ll be pre-burning some calories with a morning walk, but probably not enough to keep up with the treats. Here’s an eye-opener on how far you’ll need to walk to burn off the Super Bowl calories.

The calculation depends on your weight and a little bit on speed, so if you want to fine-tune it, use our Walking Calorie Calculator. I will be using a rule-of-thumb of 85 calories per mile, which is 150 pound person walking 4 mph. There are 17.6 football fields per mile.

• Beer 1 bottle: 110 calories = 1.3 miles = 23 football fields.
• Potato Chips 1 oz.: 150 calories per serving = 1.8 miles = 31 football fields.
• Popcorn (microwave butter flavor): 30 calories per cup = 0.4 miles = 6 football fields
• Hot Dog with Bun and condiments: 300 calories per serving = 3.5 miles = 62 football fields.
• Chili: 269 calories per serving = 3.2 mile = 56 football fields.
• Nachos: 336 calories per serving = 4.0 miles = 70 football fields.
• Chicken Wings - 3 oz. serving (3 segments): 190 calories = 2.2 miles = 39 football fields.

You can explore more food calories at Calorie Count. Everyone loves my Wendy’s Chili Recipe.

Walking Off the Super Bowl Calories originally appeared on About.com Walking on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 07:51:46.

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