I’m running the Houston Marathon this year on behalf of Buffalo Bayou Partnership. My goal is to raise $1,000 for their organization by November 1st.

CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR ME!

Please help me raise $1,000 for Buffalo Bayou Partnership! If you are an active Houstonian like me, most likely you’ve used the Bayou at least once this year for running, hiking, kayaking, biking, playing with your dog or just hanging out with friends! Please support me and my goal of helping this great organization. Thanks!

BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP is the Houston non-profit dedicated to transforming and revitalizing Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource. Bayou improvements include a continuous 20-mile trail system and recreational amenities along this popular running route. Currently, over $5-million of related improvements are under construction including improved trail segments, pedestrian bridge and underpass, and additional trail amenities.

Here is my sample jumprope circuit workout. I do this workout all the time up at Fit and either use free weights, bands or exercises with my body weight (ie squats, pushups, etc). It just takes a little practice and before you know it…you will be a jumprope pro!

Fall Training Camp Cari’s Fall Training Camp is designed to help you kick-start a healthy lifestyle and introduce you to the wide range of fun and healthy fitness activities you can do in Houston. It includes a variety of strength training and cardio activities including: boxing, resistance bands, running, yoga and more. In addition, monthly members will get a food journal (and reviews by Cari), nutrition advice, assessment with goal setting and body analysis. Cari will also take the group on an optional grocery store tour to learn how to shop healthy; on a restaurant tour to learn to order healthy; and an optional shopping trip to buy functional and stylish workout clothes and the latest gear. Memberships are $200/month or you can pay $20 for a single class.

To sign up click HERE or to get more information, email me at Cari@Cari-fit.com.

Get in shape NOW – before the Holidays! It’s not too late to join!

What’s Included?

• 2 Outdoor workouts a week at various locations so you won’t get bored (Spotts Park, Memorial Park, Sabine bridge, etc).  They will consist of cardio + strength training. Workouts will include upper body, lower body and abs by mixing in boxing, resistance bands, kettlebells, plyometrics and more!

• Package Also Includes (*For monthly members): a Food Journal; Personal Assessment and Goal Setting; Before/After Photos and Measurements; Yoga Classes at Joy Yoga; Kenyan Way Workouts, Cari’s Exclusive Recommendations for Online ExerciseTV Videos and Home Workouts, Workout Plan for Other days and a Copy of Cari’s new ExerciseTV dvd!

• Saturday Classes Include: a Grocery Store Tour, Shopping Tour (gear, watches, shoes, clothes,etc) at Luke’s Locker; Restaurant Tour (how to decide what to order at your fave places) and more… Read the rest of this entry »

Now you can get my exclusive Long Lean Legs workout plan and food journal to accompany your Long Lean Legs DVD! You can download the workout plan and food journal on ExerciseTV’s site HERE (or click the pics below) and then use it along with my dvd to really get lean legs FAST. I’ve put together a 30-day plan with ExerciseTV that will incorporate my dvd, cardio (hills and other workouts to target legs), yoga and a healthy eating plan so you get maximum results. The best part is it’s FREE! All you need to make the plan work is your copy of my DVD: Long Lean Legs and you can buy it HERE.

I try to mix in a hill workout once a week, especially when training for a race. But, I can’t always get outside to run hills and sometimes it’s just way too hot. So, below is the treadmill workout that I did today up at Fit Athletic Club in Houston. This pretty advanced, so you may need to decrease your speed some to adjust but try to keep about the same inclines to really work your legs. Basically, running on an incline makes it much harder for your heart, lungs and muscles so you get a better workout in less time. Plus, hills are great for sclupting your legs…specifically glutes, hamstrings and calves. I do hills sometimes when I don’t have much time for weight training and this way I get in my cardio and also work my legs.

Read the rest of this entry »

It’s HOT!

I’m training for two upcoming marathons and that means lots of outdoor running. A few Saturdays ago, I went on my usual 6am run but I could tell it was going to be unusually hard just because it felt so humid, not to mention this is the hottest August (on avg.) we’ve had in Houston. When you take those hot temps and add humidity, it’s extra hard on the body and can make it feel like it’s 10-15 degrees hotter. I wanted to share this chart with you so that you can see what exactly your body is dealing with. If you live in Houston or another humid city, you need to take extra precautions to keep your body cool during outdoor workouts. Even as the Fall approaches, temps + humidity can continue to take their toll.

This chart represents the Heat Index, which is the temperature your body feels when the heat and humidity are combined. *Keep in mind that the chart is actually based on partial shade and with light wind. Exposure to direct sunlight can increase the Heat Index by up to 15°F!!

		Relative Humidity (%)
		40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	90	95	100
	110	136	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	108	130	137	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	106	124	130	137	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	104	119	124	131	137	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	102	114	119	124	130	137	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	100	109	114	118	124	129	136	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	98	105	109	113	117	123	128	134	-	-	-	-	-	-
	96	101	104	108	112	116	121	126	132	-	-	-	-	-
	94	97	100	102	106	110	114	119	124	129	135	-	-	-
	92	94	96	99	101	105	108	112	116	121	126	131	-	-
	90	91	93	95	97	100	103	106	109	113	117	122	127	132
	88	88	89	91	93	95	98	100	103	106	110	113	117	121
	86	85	87	88	89	91	93	95	97	100	102	105	108	112
	84	83	84	85	86	88	89	90	92	94	96	98	100	103
	82	81	82	83	84	84	85	86	88	89	90	91	93	95
	80	80	80	81	81	82	82	83	84	84	85	86	86	87

*Source: National Weather Service

Approximately 400 people die each year from exposure to heat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All that gross sweat is actually serving a purpose and is a good thing.  Your body uses sweat to cool itself through evaporation and once your sweat starts to evaporate, your body temp drops. This why it’s more dangerous in humid conditions: sweat won’t evaporate as much and thus, your body stays hotter.

Tips to remember:

• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
• Cut down on exercise. Your normal 4 mile run may be really hard…so either scale back the distance or pace, or both!
• Stay hydrated! Start hydrating your body the day before if you can and then you will need fluids before, during and after your runs. You will most likely need  a sports drink with some electrolytes, sodium and potassium especially if you are sweating a lot or working out more than 30-60minutes. See Sweat Rate Below…
• Don’t forget sunscreen, sunglasses or a hat. I always run with a hat.

Calculate Your Sweat Rate (Good Rule for Runners):

Weigh yourself before and after your workout. 1lb weight loss=1pint fluid loss. For example, if you lose 2 pounds during an hour run, that’s 2 pints or 32 ounces (your “sweat rate”). Thus, you need 8 ounces of water or sports beverage every 15 minutes to replenish your sweat.