Eights and Weights

Mount Everest Basecamp was a beast, but we can do hard things

2024-06-06T15:38:00.000-04:00

Well well well, and we are back climbing another mountain. I think this is like another marathon-like life where we go through the pain, complain bitterly while we do it, swear this is the last one, and then a few months later are back to planning another climb.

This 12-day climb with four of my friends was the most painful one I've done, mostly because of the physical illnesses that came during the climb. So let me start by saying that. My team was the dopest team there is, but it was tough. If you are thinking of going to Everest Basecamp, just as I said with Kilimanjaro, it is one of the hardest things you will ever do. So adequate preparation is key. I will do my best to tell you as much as I possibly can to prepare you mentally, but also to prepare you physically.

Let's start with what you need for the climb first, and then we'll get into my detailed summary of the actual experience.

1. Clothes: We froze. It was cold. Prepare accordingly. You may have access to laundry at some of the teahouses so what you need depends on how much you are willing to spend on laundry. However, in my opinion, you need the following at a minimum:

3-4 long sleeved thermal tops
3-4 long thermal bottoms (I suggest either fleece-lined or HEATTECH)
3 non-cotton absorbent t-shirts
4 Sports bras for the girlies
4 trekking bottoms (a mix of shorts, leggings, and pants)
1 waterproof rain poncho
1 down jacket
1 balaclava
1 sun hat/baseball cap
Sunglasses
1 pair of think gloves
4 pairs of thermal socks
As much underwear as can fit in your 15kg allowance (we will discuss this later)

2. Shoes: You know you need hiking boots for the daytime climb, but with the uber cold temperatures, also invest in good shoes you can wear in the teahouse at night.

Trekking boots
Crocs, sneakers or some sort of easily washable slip-on shoes AND/OR
Flip-flops you can wear to shower

3. Toiletries: We were only able to shower for a few days during this climb. Because it was so cold and a lot of the places we stayed had solar powered water heating systems, there was no way to safely shower every single day and not be sick. So we had to be creative with our cleaning techniques. We'd always be able to brush our teeth, but when we couldn't shower, we had to use wipes and other substitutes to stay clean enough. And we were also using public restrooms without toilet rolls so we needed to always carry wipes of our own.

Tooth brush
Tooth paste
Soap
Lotion
Deodorant
Towel
Lots of wipes (do not underestimate how many you'd need)
Vaseline (for cold, dryness, and sunburn)
Sunscreen
Hand sanitizer
Body mist (just to feel good)

4. Drugs: All five of us needed some drugs at some point during this hike. Please confirm all of this with your doctor and get an exam before you put your body through this.

Altitude sickness medicine (prescribed by your doctor as dosages vary but I was taking 125mg twice a day)
Painkillers
Peptobismol or something for your stomach
Band-aids
Allergy medication
Cough medicine

5. Food: The difference between Everest and other climbs is that you actually have villages that you stop at to sleep in, so you don't have to put up tents and sleep outside. This also means you buy ready-made food during meal-times and are restricted to whatever they serve. You should not eat meat or food that takes too much energy to digest so we were eating noodles and carb-heavy food a lot. And the food got progressively worse as we climbed higher making it more important to have snacks on hand. I bought about 20 of each snack:

Protein bars
Granola bars
Fruit gummies or energy gels

6. Sleeping gear: Although we slept at the teahouses in the villages, it was very very cold at night and there were no heaters in sight. And so we needed additional gear for the beds.

Sleeping bags (provided by our tour company)
Sleeping bag liners and pillowcases

7. Bags: If you are trekking with a company, ask them if they will be carrying some of your items each day. The company we used carried the large duffel bags, while we only carried what we needed to get through that day's hike in a small backpack. I made sure my backpack was big enough for my hydration pack and rain gear.

Large duffel bag (provided by our tour company)
Small backpack

8. Other items: There is so much to consider like how to keep your phone charged for all the photos you want to take, how to hydrate, and how to stay safe if you have a time when you have to trek in the dark.

Trekking poles (absolutely necessary)
Hydration packs or water bottles (you need about 3 liters of water each day)
Power banks
Headlamp and batteries
Cold, hard cash to buy wifi, showers, water, and any other miscellaneous items at the tea houses

I'm sure others may have more to add, but these were the basics for me. Planning is absolutely key. We hiked with a tour company called Nepal Hiking Team and selecting the right tour company could make or break your hike.

Alright then! Let's talk about the experience itself and what to expect!

Day 0: Kathmandu

From Kathmandu airport, Nepal Hiking Team (NPT) sent a driver to pick us up, took us to our hotel, and briefed us. We stayed at the Woodapple Hotel in Kathmandu. Kathmandu is about 1,400m above sea level so while it is a little high, it is not enough to warrant acclimatization. The company spent time introducing the guide, and briefing us on what to expect for the next day as we were meant to be flying from Kathmandu to Lukla. The provided us the large duffel bags, sleeping bags, and down jackets (which we mostly chose to return as we had ours). We had to spend some time that evening repacking the items we needed into the duffel bags, and get this: not exceeding the 15kg allowance for the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla.

After weighing our bags and being appropriately satisfied that we wouldn't have to throw things out at the airport the next day, we went to bed. Had to leave at 6am!

Day 1: Kathmandu to Lukla to Phakding

Elevation at Kathmandu: 1,400m

Elevation at Lukla: 2,840m

Elevation at Phakding: 2,600m

We woke up and were off to the airport to head to Lukla. It was very exciting to actually start our journey. We got to the airport with our duffel bags and backpacks and some packed breakfast ready to catch an 8am flight. This flight is known to be pretty dangerous because the runway in Lukla airport is quite small, and you are flying right through the mountains. Well, 8am turned to 10am turned to 12pm, and then to 1pm. Unfortunately, the weather was quite rainy and it happens fairly frequently that flights just don't take off on some days. After about 6 hours and no hope of going anywhere on a plane, we decided to talk about alternatives. The alternative we chose was to take a helicopter up to Lukla rather than wait for what could possibly be a few days.

We finally arrived at Lukla airport after about 45 mins or so. And yes, the runway was very very small.

Soooo... counting this as day 1, we ate lunch (our last meal with meat) and were ready to begin! We were supposed to hike from Lukla to Phakding. Note that it was already probably about 4pm when we started the hike, which was hours after we were supposed to start. This meant it was going to be dark before long and we'd need our headlamps. We did the walk and got to our hotel way after dark. This was one of the least fun parts of the hike for me because we were walking in the dark and not knowing what we were stepping in or how far we were from our destination. However, we were not gaining altitude this day so the walk itself was not very difficult.

We got to our teahouse hotel (or rather, motel) probably around 8pm, ate some dinner, and ended day one! We were still able to take showers at this point so we did, used our first Turkish toilets, and went to bed.

Day 2: Phakding to Namche

Elevation at Phakding: 2,600m

Elevation at Namche: 3,400m

Another bright and early day! We woke up early and met in the restaurant for breakfast. Breakfast was some eggs and toast, but others on my team had French toast or oatmeal. This was pretty consistent for the the days we hiked. One thing we had discovered at Lukla that became a consistent drink for us was a honey lemon ginger hot drink.

We started the hike from the Pine Forest Hotel and everyone was in great spirits. Unfortunately, a member of our team was already beginning to fall ill from food poisoning and so she slowed down a bit and stopped at one of the inns on the way to catch up with us the following day.

We walked a long way this day. We stopped at a couple of check points to get our permits and also to check our bags for drones (drones are prohibited on the route). Then we stopped for lunch and a bathroom break. We were becoming fully accustomed to the Turkish toilets at this point so be prepared for those!

After lunch and our now regular honey lemon ginger drink, we were on our way. If you noted the elevation for this day, you'd have seen that this was one of the most significant climbing days for us and so that meant we were also climbing a lot of stairs after lunch. In addition to the stairs, we crossed several suspension bridges this afternoon as well, some of which we shared with the many herds of animals on our route. The most notable suspension bridge we had heard about was the Hillary Bridge. There were so many.

Also, note on the animals: many animals means much poop :) But these animals are necessary because they carry supplies up the mountain to the villages and are sometimes the only source of transport to get daily supplies.

After a brutal climb this day, we got to Namche! The next day was meant to be an acclimatization day so that meant we could sleep in the same bed for a couple of nights. We had also started to make some friends on the route so it was nice to keep running into our new acquaintances.

We were very tired at the end of day 2 and really happy to gain the elevation we did. I really liked this little village. They had showers (whoo!), a lot of shopping, paid laundry, and it was pretty full of life. It was great that we were going to be there for a couple of days and our friend was re-joining us the next day. So we ate, walked around, chatted over dinner, and went to bed.

Day 3: Namche Acclimatization Day

Elevation at Namche: 3,400m

Highest Elevation: 3,700m

An acclimatization day just means that you climb up and then return back down to sleep low so that your body gets used to the altitude. This was a very steep day as we pretty much walked straight uphill for a couple of hours and then walked right back down. We went to the Tenzing Norgay memorial and got a fantastic view of Everest and the surrounding mountains.

We were also able to go around and make some touristy purchases on this day, and get some laundry done. But the only challenge was that there wasn't too much to do after a certain hour and we were not allowed to sleep in the afternoons. If you are doing this, try to take some games to play with your friends.

One highlight was that my mobile network still worked, which was totally unexpected for me! But at least I was able to stay in contact with my family and friends back home. We still had to not overuse our phones because we had limited places to charge them. But at this point, charging our phones was also still free.

Our friend re-joined us today and we were able to continue on together the next day.

Day 4: Namche to Tengboche

Elevation at Namche: 3,400m

Elevation at Tengboche: 3,850m

We woke up to such a beautiful view. As usual, we started our climb and it was actually pretty much normal for the first half, and then the hill came in the second half. This was also the day I decided I could not have Dal Bhat anymore and wanted something else to eat. Luckily, we discovered some Korean spicy noodles on the menu that was exactly like Indomie. That became a sort of staple for us.

Day 5: Tengboche to Dingboche:

Elevation at Tengboche: 3,850m

Elevation at Dingboche: 4,410m

This was another up and down hill day with lots of suspension bridges and lots of donkeys and horses. It rained a little and I couldn't figure out whether to just keep my rain gear on or keep putting it back in my backpack. I also started to feel really tired this day.

Day 6: Dingboche Acclimatization Day

Elevation at Dingboche: 4,410m

Highest Elevation: 4,600m

This was the toughest day for me. I started to feel sick. But thankfully, we had a short climb as it was acclimatization day. So we walked completely uphill, and then all the way back down. Funny because these days are shorter than others, but also feel a bit annoying when you gain all that altitude just to lose it by climbing back down. But they are absolutely necessary to keep your body on track.

By now, sleep was tough, our bodies were tired, and it took mental strength to get through. I absolutely had to sleep this afternoon as my body couldn't stay awake.

Day 7: Dingboche to Lobuche

Elevation at Dingboche: 4,410m

Elevation at Lobuche: 5,030m

I barely remember this day as we just wanted to get to the top. However, we did walk by a memorial of people who lost their lives in the Everest climb. We also heard an avalanche during the walk on this day and when we did arrive at Lobuche, it had said in the news that a couple of people went missing during that avalanche. These are climbers going to the summit.

The main thing I remember is that water was like three times its regular price by now, the price for wifi was cah-razzzzzy, and we had to pay to charge each of our devices. So remember how I talked about cold, hard cash? Carry that.

Day 8: Lobuche to Gorakshep to EBC to Gorakshep

Elevation at Lobuche: 5,030m

Elevation at Gorakshep: 5,175m

Elevation at EBC: 5,365m

I woke up very excited on this day because this was the day we were going to get to EBC! This was a very long day because it was in essence split into three parts. The first part was getting from Lobuche to Gorakshep. We started our day as normal with breakfast. However, it was raining a bit and the weather looked very cloudy.

Thankfully, by lunchtime, a lot of it started to clear up, but the real uphill started then. This was the second part of the day. We were already like 3 hours into the day and still had another few hours to get to EBC. It was exciting, but also exhausting because every single step was more labored than the days before. After lunch at Gorakshep, we continued on and the terrain became very rocky and very on the edge of the mountain. It would rain and stop intermittently. The only thing that kept us going was the hope of EBC.

And then there it was!!! My girls and I were so excited to get there. We spent over an hour at the top celebrating and taking photos before we started to come back down. This was the third part of the day.

We got to Gorakshep, celebrated some more, and then tried to sleep. The rest of the journey was going to be easy now. We had already done the hard part. There are several ways to come down, but you don't need my help for that :) This is as much info as I think is helpful for now. Hopefully this prepares you for your trip, or maybe scares you. Like I always say, just be prepared, stay informed, and remember that your mental strength is just as important as your physical.

And to remember exactly how you felt each day, make some videos.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Born Tough and Elite Sports partnership

2021-08-30T10:18:00.004-04:00

We're excited to be working with Born Tough and Elite Sports to try out their products!

We will come up with a review post once the product testing is done

Keep an eye out for these updates.

Check them out here:

https://www.borntough.com/collections/gym-workout-bags

https://www.elitesports.com/collections/boxing-gloves

Product Review: Chic Moda Gliding Discs and Rings

2021-07-19T11:53:00.000-04:00

It is probably an understatement to say that I work out, and I share my workouts here on on other platforms. This means I do receive a ton of products to try and to review (I genuinely cannot fathom writing reviews for products I don't care about).

For those of you who have followed me for quite a while, you know that I try to incorporate simple tools in my exercise routines - from towels to jump ropes to resistance bands. Well, when ChicModa reached out with gliding discs aka sliders, I was super excited because what is more lightweight and easy to incorporate than sliders?

I'm not going to write a long drawn-out review (because they are sliders) but I really wanted to summarize what I thought in a few bullet points:

Versatility: Sliders are generally easy to use, and if you don't have them, you can typically use a towel or paper plates. But I particularly like these ones because they are dual-sided. That means you can use them on all types of flooring - carpet, wood, you can even see in my Instagram post that I used them on my exercise mat. This is pretty great, especially if you are outdoors and don't want to ruin them. I'd give this an A+.
Quality: I really can't speak too much to quality because I haven't used them for very long, but one thing I noticed was that the side with the padding did not immediately start to wear off like my older sliders when I used them on rougher surfaces.
Price: These babies are like $7.99 on Amazon. Price is also A+. By the way, you can also get some money off them right now by using the code CHICMODAJULY to place an order within the link in the @Chicmoda.sport Instagram bio for 10% off.
Esthetic: They are black, which I like! And they also come in a pretty little pouch so you can carry it around easily.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with these. Like I said, I have not used them for long so I will update you in a few months, but if you are looking for sliders to get or just for tools to add to your workout, check out their store here: ChicaModa on Amazon.

One thing to note: These sliders also came with a set of cute silicone rings in many colors. On the fashion side of this, those are cool and you can also check them out in their store. However, I have to be honest that I'm not sure I see the relation between the rings and the workout gear and the rings aren't something I'd typically wear of my own volition. But they are cute. They also have 10% off the silicone rings using the code CHICMODALOVE.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Born Tough and Elite Sports Collaboration

2021-06-16T16:30:00.002-04:00

We're excited to be working with Born Tough and Elite Sports to try out their products!

We will come up with a review post once the product testing is done

Keep an eye out for these updates.

Check them out here:

https://www.borntough.com/collections/gym-workout-bags

https://www.elitesports.com/collections/boxing-gloves

The 3 Key Factors for Optimal Muscle Growth

2020-11-26T12:22:00.003-05:00

When it comes to building muscle, people try to overcomplicate things. Yes, there's a science behind gaining muscle mass, but it isn't as difficult as you think. The more advanced you get, the more you need to do to see progress.

For beginners and relatively new lifters, you only need to worry about three crucial factors:

Progressive overload
Here's a very brief and simple description of muscle building:

Your muscles are worked
Muscle fibers break down
The muscle repairs itself and becomes stronger

That's basically what happens whenever you lift weights. So where does progressive overload fit in? Well, it refers to the way you challenge your muscles. A muscle will only get bigger and stronger when it is constantly put under strong demands. Simply put, you need to challenge your muscles to get them to grow back bigger and stronger.

The easiest example is increasing the weights you lift. If you're squatting 10kg for 12 reps - and you find it a breeze, you have to up the weight. Increase it until the 11th and 12th reps are a massive struggle. Then, when that weight becomes easy, you increase it again. This is the best starting point for progressive overload and it's fundamental for muscle growth. The best summary for it is this: push yourself harder in every workout!

A good diet

Your diet & nutrition needs to complement the workouts you perform. A poor diet won't help you build muscle at all. Firstly, you need to consume enough protein to ensure your muscles build and recover. If you find that you are not getting enough protein from your diet, check out a place like over at steelsupplements.com for a variety of protein shakes. This can be a great way to refuel your body and help your muscles recover and grow.

Similarly, you need to eat enough calories to build muscle. If you're eating far fewer than you burn, you're going to burn too many calories and lose too much weight - some of which will come from muscle mass. There's a great article on this over at trifectanutrition.com that's worth reading. It goes into more detail than you get over here, and it's written by nutrition experts.

Ample recovery time
The final factor is your recovery time. If you go back to the first point on how muscle grows, you'll need to pay attention to the regrowth phase. The cells in your muscles work hard to repair themselves and come back stronger. If you don't have a good recovery routine, this won't happen very quickly. You'll know if this is the case as you'll be sore for days!

As a result, you can't work out as frequently because your muscles are still sore. Again, this links into the first point as it means you're not getting enough progressive overload. Thankfully, a good diet does a great job of speeding up the recovery time. Still, you should stretch and follow a good recovery routine to optimize muscle growth.

These three factors are all you need to worry about if you're just getting into lifting. It's not rocket science: challenge your muscles, eat well, and recover properly!

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Image Source - CC0 License

The Most Effective Way to Burn Fat

2020-08-07T12:19:00.003-04:00

Are you one of the millions of people trying to lose weight? If you are looking for a quick fix, this is definitely not the right place. Before I go into the details, it is important to note that to sustainably lose and keep weight off, you should make fitness a lifestyle. So if you are looking for a starvation or waist trainer solution, I will not be the right person to help.

That said, how can you make fitness a lifestyle but make your workouts as effective as possible? Here are a few tips to help:

You need both strength training and cardio. Many women seem to be scared to lift weights and many men seem to only want to lift weights. Guess what? Cardio (e.g. running, swimming, cycling, etc.) is effective to burn excess energy, but strength training (e.g. lifting, crunches, etc.) allows the body to continue to burn that energy while in a state of rest. Also, strength training gives you the definition that you don't get from doing just cardio.
High intensity interval training (HIIT) is more effective to lose weight than moderate intensity. First off, what is HIIT? HIIT is a form of exercise where you continuously spike up your heart rate by going very intense for a few seconds and then bringing your heart rate down. This back and forth actually gets you to burn more than when you don't go very hard. So if you are looking to lose weight, I recommend incorporating about 2 HIIT days into your routine each week.
Get some rest. It may sound counter-intuitive, but you do not burn fat effectively by going super duper hard every single day. You have to mix your workout intensity, and you have to sleep. The muscle fibers you tear during your workouts are actually built up during your rest time.

Now that you have these tips, what are you going to do differently?

Born Tough Gym Bag Review

2020-05-13T18:08:00.004-04:00

I spend a lot of time exercising and traveling - this is no secret. And so on a daily basis, I am typically packing and unpacking something. You'd find that I just keep my gym bags and small travel suitcase open and close to me so I can throw stuff in them and be on the go as needed. But to be honest, it would be nice to have something that can play multiple roles - something I can do a quick weekend trip with, pack up for the gym, or take to the office for the day with the plan to go to the gym at the end of the day.

Someone had asked me for recommendations for gym bags recently and it actually did get me thinking about what I would like in a gym bag. So when this one from Born Tough came through, it was perfect timing! What are my thoughts on this bag? Please take this with the caveat that we are currently on lock down for COVID-19 so I haven't had the chance to take it to an actual gym yet.

First off, this bag is a duffel bag and you can buy it on the site here.

Size

This bag seems like it holds a lot. There are pockets on all four sides and as you can see, the main compartment in deep enough to hold a couple of sneakers, a change of clothes, a laptop, a cosmetic bag, and even small gym tools like resistance bands. All this without being too big on the outside.

Style

It is a black bag so I'm already happy with that...lol. But I do enjoy how the logo isn't too much and it is a very simple style with "leather" trim. As I said, it is important to look like a gym bag, but also look like I can travel with it and this serves that purpose.

Quality

I cannot comment on the long-term quality (maybe I'll come back to this in a few months when we can go outside), but it does seem like a thick, good quality bag. I have had some gym bags rip fairly quickly but this looks like it can take a lot.

Versatility

It will probably replace my overnight bag :) It is small enough on the outside, but big enough on the inside to be both a gym and travel bag. It also smells good, which is important for traveling. I'm not yet sure about whether it airs out well, but I'll test that out when it takes some sweat!

Price

Of course as you know I didn't buy this but the price is about $34.99 at the moment. This is similar to other average-priced bags on the market. For the price, you are getting great quality so no push back from me there.

Overall I am very happy with this bag and so if you are looking for a gym bag that can also work as a travel bag, my recommendation is that you go for this! Obviously, I was given this bag to review but I actually really like it. While you are at it, check out other products on their site here.

Important Features of Fitness Apparel

2020-05-08T09:04:00.001-04:00

With the increase in awareness of maintaining a healthy body and the benefits associated with it, many individuals are more inclined to visit the gym on a daily basis. At first, it is challenging, but once you get used to it, you will start seeing positive results. It will boost your mental health, and make you look great and feel motivated. The adage “A healthy body is a healthy mind” is true because exercise not only keeps your body fit but also promotes the development of a healthy mind.

We all know however that one of the key aspects to staying motivated to work out is getting the right fitness gear. Comfortable but stylish clothes will increase your confidence and motivation.

I do not know many people that exercise in regular outfits, but if you do, you could be limiting not only your motivation but your output as well. If you are new to the world of exercise, invest in some good workout gear to be able to give your best.

What are some of the key features you should look for in good workout gear? Here are some below. Remember to do your research and adjust to the type of exercise:

What type of fabric is best?

Many people believe that hand-woven fabrics are the best. But many trainers claim that the workout gear that is technology-engineered is best. Either way, the most important thing to highlight is that the clothes should be made with modern performance functions to boost your performance in the particular type of exercise you will be doing, and don’t cause any hindrances. For example, if you are a newbie runner running in a hot climate, you may want to stay away from cotton as it absorbs sweat and can get irritating on the skin after a few miles.

Should your clothes have compression?

What is compression? It is a feature that helps protect your muscles, prevent inflammation, and avert the production of lactic acid. So if you do intense workout routines like high intensity interval training, normal fitness wear may not be best for your purposes. So if you are exercising at a very high intensity, you may need compression gear.

Should you invest in thermo-regulated gear?

It is important to keep weather conditions in mind as well when shopping for workout gear. If you exercise in very cold conditions, you may want to invest in thermo-regulated clothes. In the winter, this type of active wear will help to keep the body temperature stable and protect the body from cold weather without hindering your movement.

How important is comfort?

Your clothes need to be comfortable if you want to have an effective workout session as there is no use sub-optimizing your workout if you cannot move as effectively. Get suggestions from your trainer or friends who are fitness enthusiasts about which brand provides the best, high-quality, and comfortable clothing and protects your body from potential bruises and soreness. Regardless of if you are male or female, comfort is a priority.

Researchers in the field of cognition have also written on how the right sportswear can increase your productivity level. Basically, what you wear has a great impact on your mental process and helps increase confidence.

As you choose gear though, also be mindful of clothes or shoes that give the perception of working more than you really are. e.g. outfits that make your body look more muscular or gear that is prohibited in certain sports (polyurethane in swimming). It is unsportsmanlike and gives you a false sense of achievement if you cheat. Choose apparel that will assist you in performing ethically.

Final Thoughts!

Using improper clothing is one of the causes of sports related injuries, and these injuries can affect your workout routine in the long run. If you exercise outside, it is suggested to put on clothes that will assist you in the types of weather conditions you work out in and also help protect your body from injury. Where do you start with the right gear? There are many fitness companies today but if you are looking for something in particular, reach out to me and I’m happy to help.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Surviving in these COVID-19 times

2020-04-10T10:16:00.000-04:00

It is 2020 and this year has been brutal so far for so many. As I sit here writing, we are going through a pandemic that has people dying and people holding on to their lives. I won't try to explain COVID-19 because I assume we have all heard enough and understand the risks and the current impact of the virus. It has kept most of us in our homes with little or no social interaction, and has yielded the term "social distancing". I will however share the tips below on social distancing from the CDC.

As a fitness enthusiast and world traveller, this impacts me in the same way it impacts everyone else, but it also means the things that I spent a lot of my time doing or planning (the gym and planes) are no-go areas. If you are anything like me, you have had to come up with new ways to still enjoy at least some of those interests in a safe manner.

On Instagram, I have been sharing daily routines that you can do at home or anywhere really. This pandemic has re-emphasized the point that you can work out anywhere, so I thought I'd write some tips for how I am staying physically and mentally healthy at home, because at this time, we need both.

Keep a consistent exercise schedule: One thing I have tried not to change is my exercise schedule. I may not be able to go to the gym and I may have to get more creative with my workouts, but I still try to exercise first thing in the morning. This allows me keep some sense of normalcy. If you are looking for creative routines to try at home, here are a few I suggest:

Instagram: You can follow me on Instagram (@eightsnweights) and/or search for fitness hashtags to see routines on a daily basis.
Use what you have: There are so many basic bodyweight exercises like jumping jacks, burpees, etc. that you can easily repeat to get a full body workout. If you have basic gym equipment like resistance bands or dumbbells, incorporate those into your workout. If you don't have basic equipment, use things like towels instead of sliders, water bottles instead of dumbbells, and even lift your couch!
YouTube: This has been a lifesaver for me. There are days when I just want to follow what someone else has already put together, and there are so many channels like Fitness Blender, Essential Health, Nicole Pearce, Yoga by Tim, Do Yoga With Me, Heather Robertson, etc. that I am very very grateful for.

Eat fresh food: I don't know about you, but being home without social interaction means food becomes my friend so there is food around me constantly. The positive part of this is that I'm cooking fresher food than when I'm on the road, and I can attest to all the ingredients in my food. But it is important to control those portions as well or we could all find ourselves struggling to get back to normalcy when this is over. So try to make more of your own food, but also try to control your portions.

Dance dance dance: One creative way I've found to get some exercise is to also just dance in my living room. I call friends and dance with them on video chat or I dance hard by myself. It has been known to boost my mood and get me sweating as well.

Talk to loved ones: If you are not good over the phone, this is the time to enhance that skill. Call friends and family to show you care. I have done more video calls than probably ever in my life, but it actually feels good to see and talk to people and remain engaged in their lives. For me, this helps provide comfort in a time when many people are anxious, especially with family all over the world.

Get some sleep: The one good thing here is that we all don't have commute times, which means we can get in a few more minutes (or maybe hours) of sleep each night. We will be back to regularly scheduled programming in no time and so take the opportunity to rest.

Take time to meditate: If you have always had trouble meditating because of the noise and hustle and bustle around you, it may help to use this "quiet" time to try to be present and focus. There are several meditation apps available now, or you could pull up meditation playlists on Spotify and try to tune out. My theory is that meditation generally makes you calmer and makes your skin pop :)

Is there something you are doing to stay healthy? Please share.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Sooo... I climbed Kilimanjaro and I'm still here...

2019-08-29T23:02:00.000-04:00

There is this misconception that we - Africans - are not adventurous people. I am a pretty adventurous person who enjoys seeing the world, and enjoys doing things that build discipline and growth. But when you put both things together, I'm all in. Well, unless it means dying to prove a point.

Last year, a group of 12 people came together to climb the greatest mountain in Africa. We called ourselves the Rooftop Gang. The whole idea was started by Funmi Oyatogun of TVP Adventures. For someone like me, a trip with other adventurous Africans who would push each other to achieve one of the greatest feats of our lives sounded like a wonderful idea. But really, truly, did we know what we were in for?

I have climbed a few mountains, nothing I would consider at the level of Kilimanjaro, but I think Machu Picchu in Peru (2,430m high), and Monserrate in Bogota (3,140m high) are pretty tough climbs and I did that with strangers. Now when I look back at it though, these do not compare to the 5,895m height and 40km hike up to Uhuru peak in Kilimanjaro.

Now that I am back down, I realize that Mount Kilimanjaro was a beast. With all the very helpful information from TVP Adventures and Eco Africa Climbing, we still could not imagine the actual experience. All that I will say is that my group was DOPE.

If you are thinking of climbing Kilimanjaro, I do not want to scare you, but I want to make sure you have enough information to prepare appropriately because it is one of the hardest things you will ever do. There is information on the web, but it isn't as detailed on the day to day climb, so I will do my best to tell you as much as I can and give you recommendations of what to bring. Speaking of what to bring, here are some things that helped me:

1. Clothes: We were dealing with multiple climates and terrains in addition to the altitude and sleeping in tents, so what we wore was uber important. Note that the below is a minimum, in my opinion.

2 long sleeved thermal tops
2 long thermal bottoms
2 short sleeved non-cotton absorbent t-shirts
Sports bras (hey girls!)
2 trekking pants (like cargo pants)
1 fleece top/jacket
1 waterproof jacket
1 down jacket
1 winter cap
1 sun hat/baseball cap
Sunglasses
Glove liners
1 pair of think gloves
1 pair of windproof pants
1 balaclava
1 pair of gators
2 pairs of thermal socks

2. Shoes: Invest in proper shoes for both the day time and night time. It is dusty, windy, and cold at night. And with the bathroom situation, you should have shoes that can easily be cleaned.

Trekking boots
Crocs or some sort of rubber slip-on shoes

3. Toiletries: We slept in tents on camp grounds. This just means that we had no showers and had to be creative with our cleaning techniques. Our climbing company provided us with a bowl of hot water each morning to clean up, and a cup of hot water to brush our teeth. This water was filtered and purified so we didn't have to worry, but that heat sure felt good in the morning. You won't be showering for 7 days so do others a favor and try to be as hygienic as you possibly can.

Tooth brush
Tooth paste
Soap (I used baby wash)
Lotion
Deodorant
Face towel
Wipes
Vaseline (for cold, dryness, and sunburn)
Sunscreen
Hand sanitizer
First aid kit
Body mist (just to feel good)

4. Drugs: Some people needed nothing but I wanted to at least be prepared for whatever my body could throw at me. Please confirm all of this with your doctor and get an exam before you put your body through this.

Altitude sickness medicine (prescribed by your doctor as dosages vary)
Painkillers
Peptobismol or something for your stomach
Diarrhea medication (on Summit Day, some people develop severe stomach issues)

5. Food: Snacks all day. You will need the energy to function. I think my team over-prepared on the snacks front because we had so much left over at the end, but it is best to be over-prepared than under-prepared. I bought about 10 of each thing but only actually ate about 3 snacks a day so it is different for each person. But over-prepare!

Protein bars
Granola bars
Fruit gummies or energy gels
Almond butter
Crackers
Trail mix
Gum
Energy drinks/Electrolytes (I didn't use these but it did help others to drink more)

6. Sleeping gear: These were thankfully provided by the company we hiked with. I can't imagine having to buy and lug sleeping gear halfway across the world.

Sleeping bags
Sleeping bag liners

7. Bags: If you are trekking with a company, ask them if they will be carrying some of your items each day. The company we used carried the large items we needed, while we only carried when we needed to get through that day's hike. Thus, you need to consider how to pack for both you and the porters.

Big backpack (fondly referred to as our "big" bags)
Small backpack (fondly referred to as our "day" packs)

8. Other items: There is so much to consider like how to keep your phone charged for all the photos you want to take, how to survive with no electricity and no internet, and how to keep your belongings safe.

Trekking poles
Hydration packs or water bottles (I recommend hydration packs as you will need to drink 2-3 liters a day on the trail, but then for Summit Day, you will need a water bottle that keeps water warm)
Power banks
Headlamp and batteries
Luggage lock

All that said, you will also need to carefully select the company you climb with. Ours could not have been better. They told us how excited they were that a group of Africans were coming to explore our own peak, which I believe factored into the personal connection we had with them. But honestly, they were just kind and generous people.

I've given you a long sermon already, but let's talk a bit about each day on the climb.

Day 0

We all found our way to Kilimanjaro airport (JRO) from our different starting points. From the airport, Eco Africa Climbing picked us up, took us to our hotel, and briefed us. We stayed at the Panama Garden Resort in Moshi, Tanzania. Moshi is only about 980m above sea level so no acclimatization is really required. The company spent time introducing the 7 guides, briefing us on what to expect for the next day, and even inspected our luggage so they could advise us on things we were missing. They also did rentals for some of the items so it worked out for everyone. This was where I got my sleeping bag and sleeping bag liner and paid cash in USD for them. We had a good rest knowing it was the last night we would experience beds before the tent life.

Day 1

Eco Africa picked us up from the airport bright and early. They took our oxygen and heart rate levels (something they'd continue to do each day).

They then took us to their office to weigh our big backpacks. It is important to note that the country has regulations on the number of guides required for each party, and the weight a porter can carry (20kg max). Oh yes, the porters (a.k.a. Kili Fighters)! We ended up with about 41 porters based on the weight we carried. The porters carried our big bags, sleeping bags, tents, chairs, food, cooking equipment, medical equipment, etc. We also had 2 chefs who were to prepare the meals according to the nutrition we would need each day of the climb. I have mad respect for the porters. MAD. They move so fast in those mountains.

On day 1, after all the prep, we started the climb from Machame Gate with 6 male guides and 1 female guide (pictured above). She turned out to be so bad ass, and was our fearless leader on the first day of the climb. We hiked 11km from Machame Gate (1800m high) to Machame Camp (3000m high). It was supposed to take us 5 hours, but with a few breaks, I think it took us about 7 hours so it was dark when we got to the camp site.

We ate, took another reading of our oxygen and heart rate, and went to bed. We were each assigned a tent that we shared with one other person. Our toilets were in tents of their own, but at least they had toilet seats, were flushable, and there was toilet paper! I dreaded pit toilets so this was a welcome surprise.

Day 2

Another bright and early day! We were woken up at 6:30am with some hot water to wash, asked to pack up for a few minutes, and then meet in the Mess Tent for breakfast. Breakfast was some oatmeal, eggs, toast, sausages, and some fruit. This was pretty consistent for the the days we hiked.

We set out 5km from Machame Camp to Shira Cave Camp (3750m high). It was pretty much uphill the whole time and took us about 6 hours. Lunch was packed for us, and our bodies were done at the end of the day.

Day 3

From Shira Cave Camp, we walked 10km to Baranco Camp (3900m high). This day was loooong. It involved a long walk that wasn't too steep, but then came the downhill or what they called 'scree'. I didn't anticipate that coming down would be as tough as going up because it was so easy to slide, hit your toes, or sprain your ankles.

Day 4

We woke up to that beautiful view. From Baranco Camp, we walked or rather climbed over Baranco wall, and then walked another few kms for a total of 6km to Karanga Camp (3995m high). This thing called Baranco wall is literally a wall of rocks. And so the first 1.5km or so of the day was spent climbing using our hands and knees and our whole bodies. This was tough for me. When I crossed the wall, it was a major achievement and had metaphorical significance as well. Each day, we climbed high to adjust to the altitude, but we came back down to a lower altitude to sleep.

Day 5

We walked from Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp (4673m high), which was only 4km. This was a much needed "short" hike because we were not getting a full night's sleep before the big Summit Day. We slept from about 8pm to 11pm, and the summit effort was to start at 12am. I'm not certain why it has to be 12am, but I think most people want to watch the sunrise as they get to the top.

Day 6

On Summit Day, the trek started at 12am. We walked 5km with an ascent of approximately 1200m to reach 5895m high at Uhuru peak. This was a BRUTAL 8 hour climb for me as it was climbing the whole way, it was cold and snowy, dark, and slow. Your water freezes up really quickly, and while you want to eat, the stress to brave the cold and get things out of your day pack just seems like a major hassle. Every bone in our bodies was freezing even with all the layers we had on. My breathing started to get labored but I pushed on. This is the point where it becomes completely mental because if you are just listening to your body, you will stop and just sit in the snow.

We got to Stella Point first, which is only about 700 meters from the peak. In my head, it pretty much meant I was there. But at this point, I had slowed down and so it took another 40 mins to get to the peak. I felt like my body was giving in so many times, but taking it one step at a time, I knew I could do it.

With all the forces against us, we still got to the top, and I cannot explain the feeling of accomplishment to you. On day 6, after continuously pushing day after day, you see that Uhuru peak. We were literally at the top of Africa. After getting a bit of oxygen (which I needed in all the excitement), we celebrated, gave hugs, and quickly began to descend. Yes, you only spend 10-15 mins at the top because it is so cold.

The one thing I did not expect was how difficult it was to get good pictures because there were so many people reaching at the same time, and everyone was scrambling for photos. But we got some.

We immediately began to descend to get the altitude back in check. We trekked the 5km back down to Barafu Camp, and rested for a couple of hours before walking another 3km down to Millennium a.k.a High Camp (3950m high). This is where we spent the night.

Day 7

Everyone was eager to get to the finish line. We had finished the tough part, which was climbing, so going downhill was expected to be a breeze. We trekked 3.5km from High Camp to Mweka Camp (3100m high).

And then another 10km straight down to Mweka Gate. The long downhill was really tough after having climbed for days. Most people complained about their knees, ankles, and toes. But we made it and our journey ended with a little handstand photo to celebrate!

The attention to detail by our travel experience company (TVP Adventures) and our climbing company (Eco Africa Climbing) was impeccable. If you are thinking of Kili, you should definitely use them. We had a certificate issuing ceremony and a tipping ceremony at the end. This is typically done during lunch, but as we wanted our whole team to be there, we had it at the hotel. Please do research on proper tipping etiquette before you go as these individuals do so much to support climbers.

This is as much info as I think is helpful for now. Hopefully this prepares you for your trip, or maybe scares you. If you are thinking of climbing Kilimanjaro or any other mountain, you can do it. Just be prepared, stay informed, and remember that your mental strength is just as important as your physical. I have a video diary, which I will post but I'll let you know when I decide to.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

King Athletic Jump Rope and Other Exercise Tools

2019-06-25T11:50:00.000-04:00

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I received some fitness tools from King Athletic a few weeks ago to try out: a jump rope, some massage balls, and a resistance band loop. This was super exciting as I love little fitness knick-knacks that I can use while I travel. And since I just finished the Brooklyn Half Marathon, I desperately needed some other cross training workouts outside of running to recover.

The jump rope was supposed to be the highlight of the pack as it triggered the most excitement from the King Athletic reps. When I received it, it had squishy handles and was long enough for me (you will be surprised to know how much of an issue this is when I buy jump ropes). The look, sturdiness, and length were very much appreciated.

On my trip to Sierra Leone a few weeks ago, I took the jump rope with me because I knew I most likely would not be able to find a gym close-by, and was not certain how stable the internet connection was to do YouTube training videos. So the jump rope would come in handy.

If you are interested in viewing the jump rope in use, you can check out my video here. It moved well and I did not have any immediate complaints. That's why I looked so happy in the video :) My only concern was that right after using it one time, the squishy handle already started to peel off. This is not a problem I have faced with other rubber handles so I wasn't very impressed with that, but everything else seemed to work well.

My verdict? The functionality and length are great, but the quality of the foam on the handles need to be improved. What I found out was also that they have workout videos of skipping sequences to help if you are new to jump rope workouts. To try this out for yourself and get in a relatively cheap workout, you can find the product on Amazon here.

My highlight was actually the massage balls. I love love love them. If you are a runner, you understand!

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Yoga is too expensive? How to get it for cheap!

2019-06-10T12:20:00.000-04:00

Contrary to popular belief, yoga is hard. But it does work on muscle strength (especially your core) building both strength and flexibility. Most people I know that do not do yoga tend to raise the excuse of not knowing where to start, and the excuse that yoga is too expensive. When I first started, I had the privilege of getting a few classes for free as I was in school at the time and the campus provided students with free classes. However, after two sessions, I was quickly intimated by complex poses people were doing, and I retreated thinking I would never get there.

Well, I retreated but not really. I decided to use a gift card someone had given me to Barnes & Noble to buy a Power Yoga DVD. It was three sessions of 20 minutes each, and was for beginners. I could do this in the comfort of my own home! This DVD was just about $10, and I used it for over a year as I also learned the basic poses enough to create my own flow.

When YouTube became popular and people started putting videos up there, it opened my eyes further to free yoga classes I could do in the comfort of my home. I do now pay for yoga classes as well when I can go, but most of my sessions are by myself with YouTube or DoYogaWithMe.com.

Let me talk about DoYogaWithMe.com for a minute. These guys have various categories of yoga videos based on experience level, type of yoga, body part you want to work on, etc. And it is free. It makes it so easy to carry yoga with you wherever you go. If you use this site, consider donating to them though so they can stay afloat.

Now, of course, if you are doing yoga at home, that also means you need some basic tools. So it isn't free free. You can get a yoga mat, sports bra, and some shorts off of Amazon for under $50 and be good to go. If you want to get all fancy, you can add in yoga gloves and some blocks.

For those who have been wanting to try yoga, but have been coming up with excuses, hopefully this gives you some ideas of how you can cut down the cost and also try it at home if you don't want to be intimidated.

Have other cost-cutting yoga ideas? Let me know!

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Workout with me for 10 mins on YouTube!

2018-08-07T09:10:00.001-04:00

Due to the questions I've received on how to start exercise, I thought it made sense to record an exercise video. If you are looking to get started and don't have too much time, try this calorie-burning workout for just 10 minutes. If you are feeling spicy, do it multiple times but you will be sweating buckets at the end of this anyway. Who doesn't have 10 mins? No equipment too!

Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Travel and Fitness: How to Make it Easier

2018-06-12T16:43:00.000-04:00

As a frequent traveler, I constantly struggle with staying fit on the road - Am I going to be able to get up early enough to work out? Do they have fresh, healthy food that I like where I'm going? Will I be able to run? What will the weather be like? These are just some of the questions that constantly roll through my mind.

So I thought I'd share some of the tools I use to stay fit while on the road, and hopefully it helps you too.

Always pack a pair of sneakers: The first thing that goes into my suitcase is my sneakers. I actually keep a pair of travel sneakers so I have no excuse to not pack them, like my suitcase being full...lol.

Yoga mats are my best friends: Depending on where you are going, you may be able to pack your yoga or exercise mat in your large suitcase, or buy a strap and carry it with you. I prefer to carry it because of my next point. If I have absolutely no gym, it is like my own mini-gym.

Travel in exercise gear: Okay, this is common sense to me as I want to be comfortable on long flights. However, I'd also rather travel in leggings or yoga pants because then if my flight is delayed or I have a long layover, I can find a quiet spot at the airport and yoga it out. This is all based on your level of comfort but I'm all about airport yoga. Shout out to the airports that actually provide you yoga space, like San Francisco.

Make a workout schedule: When out of town, I do not have the luxury of all the equipment I may have at home. So I don't wing it. I plan what I want to work on for the time I am on the road, and I stick to it. If I'm staying at a hotel, this includes checking out the gym to see what I can do there or what I need other tools for.

Research trails in the city/neighborhood: If I am visiting a place where I think gym options will be limited or if I have running in my workout schedule, I research trails closeby before I go. I'd rather run outside than on the treadmill if I have the option!

Always have an internet option or take a DVD: YouTube and DoYogaWithMe.com are my best tools for workouts on the road when I don't want to think or create my own routine. Plus, it simulates going to a class :) Back in the day though, I used to carry at least one workout DVD with me everywhere.

Pack an exercise loop or ankle weights: Because I will most likely work on my legs, I take something to help me with strength training. Airport security apparently does not like ankle weights anymore so I take my exercise bands now if I'm flying.

Plan meals ahead: Is there a restaurant nearby I am familiar with? If yes, I know I will be getting some food from there. It helps me organize my meals and not overeat because we are tempted to eat 3 course meals when away from home. If I am staying at a hotel with a kitchen or at an apartment, can I cook? Can I buy good fresh food?

What do you do to stay fit on the road?

Cheers Eights & Weights!

2017 NYC Marathon Training

2017-11-13T22:41:00.001-05:00

Running the NYC marathon in 2014 was my first venture into training for a full marathon. Yes, I run many races and many half marathons at that, but a full one was a different beast.

My first full marathon was a lot - I got injured during training (my knee was pretty much busted), and the windiness on the day of the race was crazy - but I was determined to just finish no matter how many times I had to stop for the bathroom. And I did. In 5 hours and 3 seconds.

Anyone who has ever run a marathon will tell you that right after the race, you swear you will never do it again, and then in a few months, you can only remember the feeling of accomplishment. So yes, after a couple of years, I was itching to do it again. And because I didn't care about my time the first time I ran, I knew I would be focusing a lot on beating my previous time.

The 2017 marathon was one of my proudest achievements, more than the first one was. Why? I have spent so much time learning about my body over the last few years that I felt like my training was so much more disciplined, structured, and tailored towards me. I didn't miss a day of training and did not get an injury even with the extremely long runs.

With all that, I thought I'd share a few highlights of both my training and my run.

What training program did I follow?

If you are looking to run a marathon and don't know where to start, my opinion is that it takes about 18 weeks to get to the finish line, if you have run fairly consistently before. But this differs for everyone. I was looking to finish in about 4 hours and found a training program that supported that. Note that this involves running about 5 days a week on average (Training Plan from Competitor.com).

How did I fuel before the big day?

Again, this is different for different people, but one thing I have come to realize is that you shouldn't do really new things on race day. So whatever worked for your training should work on the day with one caveat. You usually get on the road very quickly when you train, but the madness of race day could mean that you are stuck in transport for hours (see my story below) and so think about that as well when you fuel.

What are some unexpected things to remember on race day?

Transport to the start line can take hours! It took me about 4 hours to get to the start. During my training, I literally stepped outside of my apartment and started to run, which meant I didn't need much fuel at the start. Because there was a long gap between my bed and the race start on race day, I had to have some fuel (a bagel). But remember that you are running for hours so my advice is not to eat too much or you'd probably need the bathroom. You don't want to need the bathroom.

The assumption is that you also want to drinks lots of water, but I found that for me, it was important to control my water intake so I don't stop for the bathroom as well. Think about this as you plan. Also, take a couple of gel packs in case you start getting low on energy. These were a life saver.

Remember to dress for the weather, not the temperature. When you run, you will get warm so don't wear so many layers that it gets heavy. If it is raining, don't wear cotton because you will be soaked and have to run in heavy clothes.

Conserve your energy! At the start of every single race I have been on, people just get this burst of adrenaline and run way faster than they planned. What then happens is that midway, when the adrenaline is gone, their bodies start to hit a wall and they can't push past it. Remember that at the midway point, you should feel like you've just started the race. When folks are running past, give them space.

If you are running anywhere like NYC, the energy of the supporters will push you. These are the amazing people that got me through. Engage with them, smile at them, give them high fives.

How did I finish?

At mile 23, I hit a wall. My body was moving forward by a thread (the willpower thread!) and the hills did not stop. I did have to slow down somewhat towards mile 24, but I ended up finishing in 4 hours 10 mins and 19 secs. Don't let the smile deceive you; walking was a challenge.

How did I recover?

Because I had to be at work the next day, I needed to ease my muscles quickly and so I went straight in for a massage. For the next few days, I did quite a bit of yoga to stretch out those tired muscles and I took walks so I didn't get stiff. But most important, I took a break from running and started to ease back into strength training. As I write this, it's been just over a week and I'm still in strength training mode :) I will get back to the pavement but have to let my body heal.

Hope you learned something! Have you run a marathon? What worked for you?

Cheers Eights & Weights!

How Does Weight Loss Happen?

2017-07-31T17:35:00.000-04:00

It is no secret that weight loss is one of the biggest struggles people have. There is so much information out there, but it can be overwhelming especially when it feels like your body is not doing what you need it to do. So to help ease the process, I'm going to tell you the basics of how weight loss happens. Ready?

First off, every person's body is different in structure, mass, length, processing of calories, etc. and your weight goals should be heavily dependent on what your own body is like. So for example, a man that is 6ft tall will probably never be 120lbs and shouldn't be. So look into what is right for you from a health perspective before you begin to compare to other people. One great way to do that is to find out what weight range is healthy for your height: Ideal Weight Calculator. It is important to recognize that weight alone is not a good factor for analyzing your health or goals.

Why do you put on weight?

At a high level, when you consume food, your body converts that food into energy so you can use it for everyday activities from walking to sleeping (yes, you need energy to sleep). More physical activities usually require more energy so walking requires more energy that sitting. If you consume more energy that your body needs, it converts that into fat. And then you become "fatter". However, you can lose the excess weight by eating less and moving more, and the fat loss happens through the metabolic process. A process you would rather I didn't get into...

But why is it so hard?

It sounds easy, right? Then why is it so hard to lose weight? One big reason is that people overestimate the calories they burn when they work out and underestimate how much they eat. Another reason is that lots of people are actually pretty sedentary throughout the day and think that going to the gym for a half hour is more important that consistent motion throughout the day. Plus, let's be honest, we eat rubbish.

What can I do now?

I truly believe nutrition is more important than exercise, and consistent motion throughout the day is more important than a quick half hour in the gym in the morning. To start to lose weight, begin with basic movement like taking the stairs, parking a little way away from the store, standing up for a stroll every hour, and controlling your food portions. You'd be surprised how much of an impact these little things can have. And then depending on what your goals are, you can begin to add more exercise and look at the content of the food itself.

Obviously, this is basic and if your goals are to put on muscle or become stronger, you will need to add in more strength training and adjust your nutrition accordingly. But now that you understand the basic process, what are you going to do about it?

Cheers Eights & Weights!

How to Prioritize Workouts when Work Life Gets Tough

2017-06-08T13:23:00.001-04:00

Who doesn't get demotivated when life comes rushing at you hard? I know I do! This week, we have a great article from Vanessa Davis of Diet.st on how to find time in your schedule when so many other things are taking priority and killing your motivation. Enjoy and stay motivated!

There are times when our work schedules can be overwhelming, but a job shouldn’t make us cast aside our health and physical activity completely, especially since exercise is one habit that helps us stay sane and relieves stress. Unfortunately, because training already isn’t most people's favorite things, it is very easy to scratch it off more often than we should. This article is a gentle reminder of ways to find time for your workouts even when work life gets rough.

Let Your Schedule Dictate Your Tempo

Here’s the thing with workouts depending just on motivation: they don’t always work out. When you start each week or day drawing out a schedule, you are more likely to stick to it. If you are operating based on defined time slots in your day, you are more likely to stick to the exercise slot. Don’t be tempted to use your time for training do to something else though! Just as you are working towards work deadlines and daily meetings on your calendar, do the same for your workout.

But Don't Overdo It

If you’ve skipped a few workouts, trying to make up for list time by overcompensating is not the answer. If you push your body over its limit, you can be sure it will fight back and you'd find it hard to get back again after too much intensity. Moderation is always the right answer when we are thinking long-term. When you know you won’t be able to work out quite as often as you would like, focus focus even more on your diet (we know diets are just as important). Avoid late night junk food temptation and unhealthy snacking, and focus on eating healthy nutritious meals. If you are away from the gym for a while, that is okay, return slowly in a way that feels good to your body.

Decide How You Want to Train

When you’ve got a lot on your plate, it may not be feasible to run for an hour or go to the gym. But there are other ways to move, lose calories and feel good. There are many options to training – team sports like soccer, volleyball or football, or solo sports like cycling, swimming, tennis or yoga. Do your best to honor your preferences, so that training becomes something you look forward to instead of something you dread.

When You Rest, Rest

When we’re overworked and exhausted, our beds seem like a haven. However, rest could include spending some quality time with your family and friends, or doing something special for yourself like cooking a delicious meal, doing yoga, or reading a book. It is wise to do some mild exercise or stretching during rest days too to keep your metabolism going and your muscles developing.

Finding balance between your work life and personal life is anything but easy, but we have to try the best we can. Life will always get in the way so it is important to be purposeful and not be carried away by the current wave.

Vanessa Davis is a former personal trainer, mother of two and blog writer at www.diet.st. She’s originally from New York, and when she isn't writing she usually spends her free time playing with her children and her dogs. All images and content sourced and provided by Vanessa Davis.

There's Wheat and There's Wheat...

2017-04-07T17:03:00.002-04:00

I must say that I am constantly guilty of falling prey to marketing tactics (you probably are too). These guys just know how to get us! Because people have been trying to eat healthier in more recent times, you can actually see companies start to repackage their brands to sound healthier as well.

One of the major areas where you see this exhibited is with wheat and grains. Once people see that their bread is brown, they automatically think it is good for them, right? So what do marketers do? They use that to their advantage. Make the bread brown, put a lot of sugar in it, take out natural nutrients so it gives you a high and is more addictive, and sell it to the customers.

Bread isn't bad, just like carbs aren't bad. It is important however to get the right kind from as natural a source as possible. How do you measure how natural wheat or any other grain is? Besides buying food with as few ingredients as possible, and making sure sugar is not close to the top of the list of ingredients, there is a way you can guess how 'whole' the grain in your food is.

There are pretty much three forms of grains when it comes to their level of processing:

Whole: Contains the whole kernel of the grain in as natural a state as possible.
Refined: Grains have undergone a refining process that removes the germ and bran, as well as most of the nutrients, to give it a smoother texture. PS. This is where white rice usually falls.
Enriched: Version of refined grains where they try to add some nutrients back in, but not in its natural form.

It is important to note though that they still try to trick you. Remember when we said that ingredients are listed in order of volume in the product (highest volume first)? So if something contains whole grains, it doesn't mean that it isn't blended with refined or enriched grains somewhere down the ingredient list. Check out the whole list! Here is an example of something that had enriched grains and whole grains. If you only looked at the front, you'd see 'whole wheat bread' and be satisfied.

Hopefully, that helps you make better choices. Let's eat food that nourishes our bodies, not raises our blood sugar levels unnecessarily.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Precision Nutrition and

Drinking More Water? The Brita Stream Filter Can Help You!

2017-02-24T10:33:00.000-05:00

You know by now that water is good for you and so I'm always on my campaign to get people to drink more water. In New York City, we are blessed with pretty clean water so people can drink right out of the tap compared to most places. So when I received the Brita Stream water filter to try out, I was more concerned with how pretty it looked...lol. Don't blame me!

After unwrapping the pack and installing the filter though, I did start to get excited. I filled it up with water and noticed a few things. First of all, the filter wasn't like regular filters. Typically, you would have a compartment where you fill with water that seeps slowly into the main jug as the water is filtered. That way, you have clean water in the jug and you can quickly pour it into your glass as you need. But with this, there is no compartment. You fill the jug directly and the filter is between the jug and the spout so the filtration happens when you pour the water out.

Secondly, you don't have to rely on magic to tell you when you need to change the filter! There is a filtration meter on the top of the Brita Stream that tells you when it's time to switch out the filter in the Brita Stream. This is probably my favorite part :)

Thirdly, the red was cute on my countertop! Let's not forget that...

What's my verdict? I really like this water filter compared to most of the ones I've seen. The only drawback is that the water pours slowly because the filtration happens when you are pouring the water out. So you have to be very patient. But the water tastes so much better without the chemical taste you get from the chlorine.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Note: The Brita Stream was received free to test and review from Influenster.

Noom Review: So you’re looking to lose weight? Let’s talk about Noom!

2016-12-13T21:37:00.000-05:00

Speaking of the holidays and overeating...

With food, when you force yourself to see who you really are, deception goes out of the window and you can focus on actions that help you make progress. Recording your meals forces you to count the good things and the bad things, and you’re faced with your honest reality. If that is the case, why not just take a notepad and write your daily meals, right?

Enter Noom Coach. This weight-loss coaching tool goes one step further to do the work of building a database with nutrition information for you. It already has a list of food items you can select from with their nutritional information, but you can add yours if you don’t find what you’re looking for. It stores it in the database for you so you can access that food item anytime.

There are many tools out there that let you set your weight-loss goals and work towards them, and Noom is no different. It calculates the amount of calories you should target daily. As you add food in each day, it tells you how many calories you have left. You can enter breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between. You can also log your exercise daily (there is also a database to choose various types and lengths), which adds on to your calorie allowance for the day. I really like this feature because it is not an ‘average’ calculation, but pretty much what you did that day.

Now, how is Noom really different, you ask? There are a few functions that stand out:

Coach: You can work with a dietitian (your coach) to talk through your goals. My coach, Nancy, first introduced herself to me, and it felt like a dating app. But once we chatted about my goals and she provided advice, I was able to go back to her with questions or concerns. Having a knowledgeable person at your fingertips makes the process simpler, as there are things you cannot answer from an app alone. e.g. nutritional value can be heavily focused on calories, but if you want to find details about macro and micro nutrients and add those to your target, this is where to go.

Recipes: I like the variety of recipes available in the app (including nutritional information). And if you use a recipe, you can simply add it to your log!

Daily articles: You frequently receive tips and articles with guidance for your goals. One of my favorite articles was called ‘Lifestyle Modification: Diet’. Apart from detailing out the risk factors for being obese, it helped provide tips on actions you can take to make healthy eating a part of your life. Tips like replacing refined sugars with whole grains and limiting your intake of sodium were included. As someone who carries the placard for a lifestyle change rather than a diet, this article and other ones like it that I received resonated with me.

Weighing in: In order to add the accountability factor, it is good to measure your success against your goals. In losing weight, weighing yourself periodically can help. Noom Coach helps provide a way for you to enter your weight periodically so you can track against your goals. You can also enter in your blood glucose and blood pressure if those are things that you want to track against.

Reminders: You can set it up to remind you enter in your details for the day so you’re not back 3 days later trying to figure out what you ate then.

I mean, this app cannot be perfect, right? What are a few things to watch out for?

Calories: Really, calories are just calories and the tool does not really highlight eating natural food over processed food in the rating of each meal. While this is in the articles, each meal is rated solely based on calories. My belief is that calories are not all that is needed to lose weight. However, I admit that this is tough to do digitally.
Weighing in: Noom Coach also provides a way for you to enter your weight, but not other stats. If you are losing weight and gaining muscle mass, the scale may not shift the way you want it to, and this can be misleading. Again, this is a very specific requirement that I have not seen anyone solve well so maybe in a future version of Noom? :)

Did I like Noom Coach overall? Yes. I think it was easy to use, and there is a lot you can do with it. The coach feature is my favorite (a registered dietitian at your fingertips!), but I understand not everyone is looking for or will use it. If you cook, the recipes are great and it makes you life easy to just pull them into your nutrition for that day.

Let's make this a little easier for you if you are trying to make a decision. Noom Coach has provided discounts to all you readers so you can try this out for less. Check that out here.

Disclaimer: To be honest, I hadn’t heard about Noom Coach before they approached me to review their app. But I’m glad I did! So yes, this is a paid post. However, everything noted here is my honest opinion.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

How will you be staying healthy during the holidays?

2016-12-12T13:38:00.002-05:00

So we are in the middle of the holiday season! Whatever you celebrate, it is that time of the year where we eat until we hate ourselves, and then don't work out because we are too busy socializing. Yes, we're all guilty.

So in the middle of all the parties and time with family, how can we stay at least a little bit true to our goals? Here are a few tips:

Have regular meal times. This may sound silly, but for most of the year, you were able to stick with the theme of X meals a day so why can't you now? Plan where you will be at your meal time, and eat only during those times.

If you slip, don't stress. We all need time to relax, and stressing over drinking too much eggnog has proven to actually do nothing but add on to your waistline. If you fall, let it go; concentrate on the next day!

Get enough sleep. This may also sound silly, but people who do not get enough rest tend not to lose weight. Party on, but sleep more.

Scan the buffet before you jump. You are loved and everybody cooks for you; okay, good. But when there is so much food, it doesn't mean you have to eat it all.If there is a buffet, slow down and spend time scanning the options before you jump. You make better decisions when you slow down. When someone asks what you want and gives you options, think a little first.

Smaller portions are the way to go. I cannot dare tell you to drop every fun thing during the holidays (who am I?) but try to use smaller plates to make sure you are not eating more than your stomach can take.

Alcohol can be your friend or your enemy. We tend to drink a ton of our calories, and alcohol is no different. A glass of wine or beer may not hurt, but having round after round may make you hungrier and just adds on to the calories you are trying to stay away from. Try not to be out drinking each night.

Find creative ways to exercise with your loved ones. Whether it is a yoga class, dancing, some exercise videos, or just taking walks together, look for ways to burn off the pounds and still hang with your loved ones. If you are off work, try to work out early in the day so you can focus on other fun things for the rest of the day.

How will you be staying healthy during the holidays?

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Fitness Trackers: Who Does it Best?

2016-10-06T16:41:00.000-04:00

A friend reached out to me yesterday asking for my opinion on the top fitness trackers, so when I also received this article on a detailed review of 78 of the fitness trackers out there, it could not have been more timely. I read through this review and it will be helpful to anyone who is so confused by the sheer mass of information out there. Here it is all in one place to help you make that very important decision :)

Check out the article here: Fitness Tracker Reviews.

Don't forget that you can buy FitBits from the link up on this site (shameless plug)! Do you have feedback about any fitness trackers you have tried? Share with us.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Want to Measure More than Just your Weight? Try out the BeestBlu Smart Scale

2016-09-19T19:47:00.000-04:00

You know scales and I are not good friends. Mostly because it does not tell you the whole story. Of course, if you factor in your age, sex, height, and muscle mass, the number on the scale could mean less or more. Because of this, I tend to stay away from scales and focus on body fat percentage and BMI.

But why? Why do I care about these things? Well, your body fat and your BMI are a much better indication of whether you are healthy or not, whether you will look more 'cut' or have some more flab, and whether you are eating right as well.

Both men and women have trouble with this because women like to spend endless hours doing cardio (slim doesn't mean fit, ladies!) and men like to spend all their time lifting weights (muscles on top of fat doesn't erase the fat). A lot of women are skinny but not healthy, and a lot of men are big but not healthy either. A good balance between cardio and strength is necessary to maintain a good body fat percentage. And guess what? To build muscle, you eat food :)

As for the BMI, it really is used to group you so that your risk of certain diseases can be measured. Your height and weight are used together to estimate how fat is distributed around your body. Easy as that.

Okay, now that we know why they are important, how can you calculate them? BMI is easier once you know your weight and height. You can use easy formulas (see one here). For the body fat percentage, it gets a little more complicated as you have to get dunked in water, pinch your skin, or use a smart scale. I discovered that the third option is actually pretty good with a scale I just used.

I have used BeetsBlu products in the past and have enjoyed them, and this one I think both me and my friends will benefit from. Let me start by saying I received the BeetsBlu smart scale free to test. It is a pretty sleek-looking scale (goodbye bulky scales!).

Like most of us, I have a scale at home and expected that this will just be a prettier one, but it was more than that. When I realized it calculates BMI and body fat percentage for me, I was pretty excited. Like yay! Don't have to use formulas again. Don't have to go to my gym to get pinched again. Nice :)

Well, the scale actually works using Bluetooth beyond being digital. You do have to download the app (for free though) to make the most of it, but you simply enter some numbers and goals into the app on your phone, and continue to monitor your progress daily towards your goals. And you can do this for your BMI and body fat instead of just your weight.

Setting it all up was very easy, and then every time you step on the scale, it just updates it for you. After a few days, you can track your trends, see how much you are changing, and make new goals. Easy peasy!

This scale is sitting in the corner of my bedroom because I use it everyday so far. If you are looking for something better with more useful numbers than the usual scale, definitely try it.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Working out at home? Here are a few sites to try...

2016-07-28T18:01:00.000-04:00

When you think of a fit person, a lot of the time you procure that image of the gym goer with perfect shorts grunting to every exercise on every machine. But in reality, fitness can be anywhere especially in the age of the internet. If you have kids, live far from a gym, or don't have enough time/money to go to the gym and back consistently, working out at home is a great, less-intimidating option.

Now, the next question is: do you struggle with trying to figure out what to do when you are on your own at home? The internet can be overwhelming, but I have found a few YouTube channels and websites that help me get a good home workout (and they are free!):

Millionaire Hoy: My YouTube fitness subscriptions change consistently, but he is my current favorite. I like the idea of challenges every month, the idea of working out along with him rather than having a predetermined group of people doing intense exercises and smiling...lol. Most of his videos are about 30 or 40 minutes and are quite high intensity. But you will feel like you got a great workout after. Sweat pouring everywhere!

Christine Salus: Christine also works out alone and it makes it feel like she is working out with you. She travels and does them in different locations so you feel like it is reality and you can also do them wherever you are. She has to stop on occasion as well to breathe and so you feel like she is human! The great thing about her channel is that she also has short videos on nutrition and talks about her diet choices. She is vegan and so it is not necessarily a lifestyle you may subscribe to, but it's nice to learn. Her videos are also high intensity workouts.

Do Yoga With Me: This has been my go-to yoga website for a while. The videos are free and are taught by amazing yoga instructors. There are varying levels of practice and varying video lengths so whether you are just starting or are advanced in your practice, there is a place for you. Some of these videos will leave you sweating profusely so I implore you to try them out.

I will also be loading some videos on my YouTube channel soon to help you kick-start that fitness lifestyle so stay tuned!

Do you have suggestions for great fitness channels or websites to try out? Share them below.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Trying to Work on Your Abs? Try out #AbsWednesdays!

2016-06-19T19:02:00.000-04:00

One of the areas people struggle with the most is the midsection. Whether you are trying to lose the fat on it or trying to build some muscle, you can find yourself in the cycle of crunch-situp-crunch. And that, my friends, does not help you much.

If you've looked through a lot of posts on here, you will notice that I always say there is a formula to a good midsection - a healthy diet, cardio (yes, bloody cardio), and strength training. So crunches alone will not do the trick. In fact, many exercises known to work other parts of the body force you to use your whole midsection and build muscles there.

Every Wednesday on Instagram, I post exercises to help you work on your abdominal muscles. Some are new innovative things I'm trying, and others are things I learned from experts. Check my page out (@eightsnweights) every Wednesday if you aren't already!

Here are 3 examples of my favorite abs exercises that do not involve doing the traditional crunches. Watch the videos carefully before attempting each one. And then of course try them out in your workouts today!

Straight leg abs twists

Spider planks

Russian twists

Cheers Eights & Weights!