We are introducing a new segment on the Active Brooklyn Blog called Mixtape Monday. As you know, music can provide energy, motivation, and keep you in a rhythm. We are going to start providing you with mixtapes to workout to featuring different djs and all genres of music to keep you going during your workout.

Our first guest dj is none other that our very own Lazysundae. If you read her post last week she provided a link to her mix, but here it is again if you missed it....

Lazysundae September Mix

Playlist:

1. Lilac Wine - Nina Simone

2. With Arms Outstretched - Rilo Kiley

3. Redondo Beach - Patti Smith

4. The Fairest of the Seasons - Nico

5. The World's Not Bad - Smoosh

6. Bulletproof - La Roux

7. Cherry Bomb - The Runaways

8. One Evening (VV Mix) - Feist

9. Strawberries - Asobi Seksu

10. Your Silent Face - Velocity Girl

11. You'll Find A Way Player - Santigold

12. Jenny Come On - Dressy Bessy

Enjoy!

I saw this post on Time Out NY this morning and decided to share my story. I liked that there was a range of lifestyles, from those who do not work out at all to those who are pursuing a life in sports/nutrition.

Right now, I run at least 2-3 times a week and have worked my way up to about 2 miles per run. I'm getting to the point now where I feel that I can keep going, and I ran 3 miles straight for the first time last Sunday at the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in Central Park with Active BK.

But it was not always like this. I grew up riding horses, which, contrary to what most people think, is not just riding around in circles. Just try going on a long trail ride - muscles you never even knew you had will be hurting. I had strong legs and a tight butt and was pretty healthy.

Well all that stopped for me when I injured my back a few years ago. I'd fallen off a horse and my spine was basically the letter "L." I went to a chiropractor for about three months and then continued work with a physical therapist. When I returned to NYC I sought out another chiropractor, but the results didn't really seem permanent. I stopped going and that was that. I wasn't really doing any sort of exercise. I had a bike but used it mostly for transportation around Brooklyn and sometimes into Manhattan.

Long story short, I eventually developed a bulging disc. I went through 6 months of physical therapy that involved electric stimulation, massages, exercise and decompression therapy. Amazingly, no surgery was needed. Even after that I still did not exercise regularly. I kept up with my core exercises and even did a kickboxing video a few times. I tried running but just could not get into it.

Then I went to Kenya and I'm not sure what happened. I came back in May feeling like such a slacker and that week I laced up my sneakers and went for a run. I kept feeling better and better, and this time it stuck. Even if I was feeling shitty or tired, I forced myself to get out there and do it, even if I cut my run short a few blocks. The point was, I was out there running. After a couple of months are so it got less difficult to run. The breast cancer run was the first time I'd ever done anything like that and now I am hooked! I've signed up on NYCRuns.com mostly to use their race calendar and I'm going to start taking my gear with me when I travel. It's a great way to see the city on foot.

As an added bonus, I want to eat less and less junk food and my body actually craves stuff like leafy greens and tofu. I've always loved vegetables but now I can actually feel it physically.

So here are a few pointers for those who are having trouble getting started.
1. Find a partner at your same level. My partner (Alex) is more fit than me so he would run as far as I could then drop me off at home and keep going. Having a partner is good for motivation and companionship.
2. Get some cute workout clothes. I'm serious! If you have to leave the house and do something that makes you sweat, you'll feel better doing it if you like what you're wearing. I went to Catholic school for 7 years and they swore up and down that the way you dress affects the way you act. Well guess what, those nuns were right.
3. Do not put it off. Even if you don't want to go outside or to the gym, at least do some stretching. Once you get used to "I'll do it later/tomorrow/another time" your brain will get used to you making excuses.
4. Push yourself, but not to the limit. If you push yourself too hard, you may hurt yourself. Know your limits in everything you do!
5. Get some good running music. I love music and used to make a playlist every month. That stopped a long time ago, but now that I'm running I've picked it up again. Here are two to download, one from August and one from September:
August
September

I hope you've enjoyed reading my story. If you want to visit me in Bloggerland, you can pop over to Clinton Hill Chill which has turned mostly into a photo blog of my life in NYC, mostly Brooklyn.

Remember, the hardest part about getting fit is getting started. You just have to put your mind to it.

<3,
Alexis
Also on Tumblr

This past Sunday the Active Brooklyn Race Team took part in the Komen Race For The Cure to raise money for breast cancer research. We met our fundraising goal and cruised to the finish line with ease. The weather was perfect for the little over 3 mile run and the crowd was huge. Practically everyone was running for a survivor or someone who passed from this terrible disease. We have all been effected by cancer in one way or another so I am very proud that Active Brooklyn was a part of this extremely important cause and we got some exercise out of it too. So lets all keep lacing up those sneakers to keep the memories of our loved ones in our hearts forever, keep supporting our survivors, and continue to support research to end cancer. Extra special thanks to Alexis and Angel for doing such a great job raising money and for hanging in there the whole way! 

Exercising with a partner has its pros and cons. If you decide to workout with somebody you should  select that person wisely. A good partner will have similar goals to you, be committed and on time, and have a similar level of fitness insuring that they neither pressure you to do more than you’re currently capable of, nor hinder you from progressing. A little bit of close healthy competition can go a long way.

Hiring a Personal Fitness Trainer can be a great decision too when starting out or to "shake up" your routine. Studies suggest that those who have a Personal Fitness Trainer achieve results 80% faster than those who don’t. A good Personal Fitness Trainer will provide expert advice on an exercise program flexibility, agility and balance, as well as ongoing motivation, and accountability to suit your changing needs.

You might have read how I lost 7 pounds in 5 days doing the Master Cleanse. But you should have also read that I do not recommend this method for weight loss. While you can lose a good amount of weight in a short period of time, in the long run it can actually be unhealthy and chances are you will gain the weight back and then some. I will say it again, "fad" and "crash" diets are not safe or effective. To lose weight and keep it off you should do it gradually by making lifestyle changes. Look at it this way: 1 pound of body fat is equivalent to approximately 3,500 calories.  If your goal is to lose 1 pound of body fat per week, you would need to consume an average of approximately 500 fewer calories than your body actually requires each day. This is considered a realistic, safe, and ‘muscle-sparing’ rate to lose body fat. If you drop calories too drastically, you risk your body breaking down hard earned muscle for emergency energy supplies which will only leave you with a slower metabolism in the future, which in turn means it will be easier to regain fat! Check your weight periodically, and adjust your level of calories and/or exercise accordingly if necessary.

A simple calculation and good place to start to see how you are doing health wise is to calculate your Body Mass Index or BMI. Your BMI is a statistical measure of body weight based on your weight and height. It does not actually measure the percentage of body fat, but is used to estimate a healthy body weight based on a person's height. Due to its ease of measurement and calculation it is the most widely used diagnostic tool to identify weight problems, usually whether individuals are underweight, overweight or obese. To calculate your BMI use one of the following equations depending on which system of units you are using:

  

Once you have your BMI calculated you can use the chart below to see which weight classification you fall under.  

Alternatively you can use the graph below based on your weight and height without having to calculate your actual BMI:

BMI can also be used to estimate your risk of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease.  The higher the BMI falls into the obese range the more risk of developing these diseases.  Through a healthy diet and a good exercise program you can lower your BMI and greatly reduce the risk of developing one of these deadly diseases.