Hear Me Roar – PMS and the Athlete #LetsTalkPMS

Hear Me Roar

I am a female athlete, hear me roar! I love the strength, power and grace shown by women in sports, and believe, in many ways, female athletes are superior to men. Now, don’t get your panties in a wad, gentlemen – obviously you have an arsenal of strengths including sheer muscle volume and all the testosterone stuff. I’m not arguing a 100lb female can beat a 200lb guy in an arm wrestle, so don’t challenge me please!  Despite a woman’s brain wiring, body composition and hormones being very different to a man’s, she can still be very successful in sports. We women are naturals at teamwork, multi-tasking and making less impulsive decisions. Women also have a different muscle-to-fat composition which, in general, can help spare glycogen in endurance events, and some of our hormones, like estrogen, have been shown to make us stronger in adverse conditions

PMS and the Athlete

However, every once in a while, my female ROAR is a little weak – namely on those days when I’m suffering from Pre Menstrual Syndrome.  So, #LetsTalkPMS  . . . The fatigue, muscle aches, bloating, sore chest, irregularity and mood swings the week before my period starts can take the attack factor out of my workout schedule if I’m not proactive. Thankfully, I have been spared many instances of PMS as I haven’t had my period on a regular basis in 25 years between long-term bouts of amenorrhea,  pregnancies/nursing and now middle age (sorry if TMI). So while my periods usually can’t be planned for, they also aren’t completely unexpected – because of the annoying PMS reminder!

While female hormones might not always be fun ,the are definitely functions — I mean, sheeze, we make a baby! The level of hormones in the female body during different parts of the cycle also play a factor in the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat, and protein, blood plasma volume, and tolerance to heat – all of these are important factors in many sports. Ironically, while the week or so leading up to your period may have you feeling super PMS-y, this “low hormone” stage is considered by many experts to be optimal for female athletic performance. But, you have to manage the physical and mental challenges of PMS and kick them in the buttt!

Now, if I wasn’t into running, CrossFit, yoga, lifting weights and so many other sports, I would probably be caught completely off guard by my infrequent visit rom Aunt Flow. However, there’s something about being a competitive athlete that I believe keeps a woman more in tune with her body, and therefore more likely to notice the onset of PMS symptoms. Oh, and I know!

Jayde PMS Natural Herbal Remedy

Since I don’t like to take time off from training or use prescription medications except when life-or-death necessary, I have looked for natural ways to treat PMS. One of the natural products I really like is Jayde from IntraNaturals. Jayde Natural Pain Relief is “100% Herbal Happiness for Women During their Menstrual Period” that may help soothe cramps, relieve muscle aches, and ease general discomfort.

Jayde PMS Natural Herbal Remedy The natural ingredients in Jayde include Cramp Bark, Turmeric Curcumin, Boswellia, and Bromelian—all inspired by the ancient healing powders of Ayurvedic herbs. The only herbal ingredient I wasn’t familiar with was Cramp Bark – so I reached out for more information. Cramp Bark is a smooth muscle relaxant with similar properties to valerian that targets the uterus specifically to reduce inflammation. It may help lessen ovarian and uterine cramps both before and during menstruation.

As a disclaimer, the benefits statements of Jaye have not been evaluated by the FDA but, my experience with this natural solution to PMS has been nothing but “thumbs up,” – plus the capsules are easy to take once or twice a day as needed. Additionally, Jadye is vegan, nonGMO, gluten-free, soy-free and comes with a 100% Lifetime Guarantee. This promise of quality means that if you should become dissatisfied with the product at any time, the company will gladly offer a full refund.

IntraNaturals is proud to partner with Vitamin Angels This is another amazing reason to love Jayde and IntraNaturals! With every order, IntraNaturals donates to their non-profit partner, Vitamin Angels, in order to provide life-changing nutrition to children in need (40,000 kids/women helped through their donation last year). Through this program, children and pregnant mothers without adequate access to important nutrients needed for optimal health are provided life-changing vitamins. While I’m over here freaking out my PMS symptoms (honestly, pretty trivial in the scheme of world health), others don’t even have the basic vitamins they need to thrive . . . or survive. So, I feel twice blessed knowing I have the means to take care of ALL my health concerns while helping children and pregnant mothers much, much less fortunate.

Do you avoid working out when you have PMS or your period? What is your worst symptom? Share in the comments if you care to – XOXO, Jennifer

Thank you to IntraNaturals for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

 

Yoga Workout for Active Recovery + Daily Multi-Vitamin for Wellness!

New-Chapter_Blog-Photo-11Training is hard. Rest days are harder, often they can be a hard pill to swallow!  I hear this from dedicated runners, triathletes CrossFitters, obstacle course racers, weight-lifters and other hard-core athletes all the time. In fact, I often fight the urge to workout 365, even when I know rationally that my body needs adequate time to recover from a hard effort on the track or in the gym. In part, it’s this drive to go balls out regardless of pain and suffering that distinguishes winners from losers on game day. However, keeping this mindset every day of the week can wear you down mentally, tear you down physically and get you stuck in a rut where you’ve plateaued and are no longer making gains.

jennifer laughing crossfit situpBut who among the athletic elite (and even us regular people just striving to be the best we can be) want to sit around on the couch all day, waiting for some sort of generic mandate of “not moving a muscle” to pass?!  That’s not really the best option mentally and physically either. Activities on these light load days should take into consideration your current fitness level and fatigue felt from the previous workout – less volume, less intensity (less than 60% effort) and keeping it fun are the key points!  My go-to active recovery day includes a short walk followed by a gentle, stretching yoga sequence to help flush out toxins and encourage mobility so I’ll be ready to go harder the next day! Here is one of my favorite active recovery “Rest Day” Yoga Workouts:

Yoga Rest Day Workout for Active Recovery

Getting enough sleep (7 to 8 hours would be optimal), rehydrating with plenty of water (check out my post on 50 Shades of Pee) and eating well with a focus on fresh vegetables and fruit paired with lean proteins are also important to workout recovery.

Another important part of recovery is eating right, right?! Most of us are aware that carbohydrates metabolize into the quickly-sourced energy that powers performance and that consuming a protein-rich snack post-workout (in a 3:1 to 4:1 carb to protein ratio) helps repair muscle and tissue taxed by exercise. But what you eat every day, day in and day out, has a profound effect on athletic performance too – you can’t outrun a poor diet!

New-Chapter_Blog-Photo-24

In addition to eating a balanced diet of lean proteins, fresh fruits and veggies and healthy whole grains, I I also take a daily multivitamin to make sure my bases are covered. Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin from New Chapter caught my attention from the hundreds (if not 1000s of different brands out there) because of the way that it’s made. These vitamins are fermented with probiotics and whole foods and gentle enough to take any time – even first thing in the morning on an empty stomach!  I’ve never feel woozy or nauseous after taking any of their products.

Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin from New Chapter is ideal for active women because it contains extra nutrients for energy support, stress support†, immune support and bone support.* And, this award-winning vitamin (BEST Multivitamin Award.  Delicious Living 2016 Supplement Awards) is Non-GMO Project Verified, made with certified organic vegetables & herbs, vegetarian, kosher, gluten free and has no synthetic fillers. I love how they are equally helpful to the planet as they are to us – all ingredients are mindfully and sustainably sourced!

You can purchase Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin at a number of online retailers including Amazon.com– love how I can usually get free shipping and also save by setting up a subscription (because, it really sucks to run out of vitamins)!

What are your tips for recovery and general wellness for an active lifestyle? Are you racing competing, training or taking it easy this weekend — please share in the comments, I’d love to chat! XOXO — Jennifer 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, care, or prevent any disease.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Live Happy, Live Healthy, Live Now + NOW Foods #Giveaway

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of NOW Foods.

 I think my new “Live Happy, Live Healthy, Live NOW” shirt sums it all up to a T! When a company whose products you already love, loves you back with double-puffy-hearted hospitality, it’s a win-win-win – for me, for them, for YOU! Recently, I was invited to visit Now Foods at their Midwest Operations Facility and Corporate Headquarters in Bloomingdale, IL (a suburb of Chicago) to learn more about their products lines, core values and mission to “enable people to live healthier lives.” NOW Foods Blogger Immersion 2016 It was a fun and fact-filled two days with a group of other health and fitness influencers.  Of course, we naturally had fit a group workout into the festivities and headed over to Lifetime Fitness for a specially developed HIIT workout that targeted 9 body parts to promote Target’s awesome athletic line called “C9.” That serious sweat session was followed by a bit of relaxing yoga and a delicious post-workout smoothie made with nourishing NOW products. NOW Foods Blogger Immersion 2016 My excitement is bubbling over from seeing with my own eyes how NOW products are made from start to finish and meeting with company executives including Jim Emme (CEO) and Dan Richard (son of founder). Oh, and by the way, please feel free to take a virtual tour of the Midwest Operations Facility yourself! NOW Foods Midwest Operations Facility Not only did I get a chance to tour the facilities, but also got to participate in some fun and educational sessions including a presentation by the lovely Dr. Wendy Bazilian on Food Tribes (more about this in an upcoming post) and impact these different diet choices (like Gluten-free, Paleo, Vegan, etc) have on athletic performance. It was also fun to partake in a DIY session where we made our own Aromatherapy Bath Soak and also Exercise Equipment Cleaning Spray using very versatile and pesticide/herbicide free Now Essential Oils. So, to recap my amazing experience, I want to share with you three awesome things I learned about this honest, totally-transparent and quality-focused company that started out way-back-when in 1968 as a simple health food store.  Also, make sure to read through to the end, they are generously sponsoring an enormous giveaway of products for one lucky reader to win! 1) NOW Foods makes and sells nearly everything on my shopping list! Seriously, I think this company makes almost everything I need to support my healthy living . . . except fresh fruit and vegetables. Not only does Now Foods make a vast array of vitamins, supplements and sports nutrition products (how I first found them), but they also have an impressive selection of personal care and wellness items, essential oils, healthy foods and even natural pet care products! Even though this large company produces so many different items, each individual product is very thoughtfully and carefully made — it’s as if each came from a single-focus boutique operation. There is just that much passion among the employees at this company that has been recognized as one of the “101Best & Brightest” to work in the nation!

Now Sports Plant Protein Complex and Sprouted Brown Rice Protein  Over here to the left, a couple of the protein powders that started my love affair with NOW Foods. Oh, and their food lines is amazing and so many of their products, from BetterStevia™ (it really is better) to gourmet, small-batch Ellyndale Foods™ to  , are the foundation for many of my healthy recipes on the blog including my Kiwi, Apricot and Feta Salad with Hemp Honey Dressing   (I used their organic hemp seeds and avocado oil for this yummy summer dish). Gold Kiwi Apricot & Feta Salad with Honey Hemp Dressing is an easy, elegant and amazingly nutritious addition to your dinner party. Also, the Living Now™  line up is has a nice variety of tasty, junk-free products that make it easier and more convenient to keep a gluten-free diet. Ellyndale Gourmet Oils by Now FoodsWe also had an interesting and informative “oil tasting” led by the adorable and talented Executive Chef in their corporate test kitchen. Apparently, there is a proper way to appreciate the flavor of oils (think wine tasting) and I slurped in little bits of various oils one at a time, from pumpkin seed and almond to olive and sesame, and let them slowly wash over my tongue!  At the end of this taste-test, I have very moist lips as a whipped up a homemade berry salad dressing using the macadamia nut oil.  We also made to-go salads for our travel home that day and packed our jars from a rainbow array of produce, nuts and healthy grains – of course, I went straight to the Organic Tri-Colored Quinoa from  NOW Real Food™ , one of my favorites ( because, when meat isn’t on the menu, this near-celebrity-status seed offers a complete amino acid chain). Jar Salad with Now Foods Tri Colored Quinoa 2) NOW products are a blessing for my body and budget Now Foods products are both affordable AND high-quality — gasp, I know!  These two factors are important to so many of us trying to live, role model and share our passion for the “fit life.” It’s such a common assumption in the natural health food and supplement industry that the more expensive, the better   — not so! In fact, many times (not always), an expensive product is actually quite cheap in quality and just jacked up with a big marketing budget. But NOW Foods never tries to trick you into thinking that you’re getting something you’re not. They don’t waste money (which is ultimately your $) on overkill advertising because they are confident that their products always stand up to the test – literally!

My reaction at the hotel to my bags full of NOW products! High quality and affordable, whoohoo!

My reaction at the hotel to my bags full of NOW products! High quality AND affordable, whoohoo!

Just one example, I can get NOW Whey Protein Isolate for double the amount for half the price (okay, that’s a generalization, but the point is it’s a very good deal) as many other brands I’ve tried – plus the macros are spot on in my opinion, as opposed to many of the other protein powder options out there. Same goes for product after product in their collection of hundreds (if not thousands) of different items. NOW also maintains a highly efficient, low-error operations facility that helps keep costs down.  And, because NOW is privately-owned, they don’t have to jack up prices to please profit-margin focused shareholders – actually, NOW wants to please YOU, even if that means a little less moola in their own pockets 3) NOW Tests to be the Best

NOW Foods labratory

Learning some of the high-tech testing that goes on at the $40M lab at NOW.

So what did I just mean when I just said in #2 that “products always stand up to the test”?  I mean that NOW is highly committed to quality and bringing you the cleanest, safest products. Their 263,000 square foot facility is widely regarded as one of the most scientifically-advanced in the natural products industry. The $40+ million lab of this privately-owned company is simply amazing and is nearly unmatched both nationally and world-wide. I could tell from the giddy grins on the otherwise serious chemists, bio-scientists and other laboratory professionals’ faces that the NOW lab was THE place to be. jennifer now foods facilityNot only does NOW test the quality of their finished products, but they also monitor and maintain quality all through the entire manufacturing process which starts with product development and receiving raw ingredients from vendors and ends with storing in appropriate thermostatically-controlled environments and shipping out from a precision-inspired, highly-streamlined warehouse.  They also keep samples from each batch of products for a lengthy six years to ensure that if there ever is a problem, they can identify and correct immediately. I really appreciate that NOW is very transparent about the make-up of their natural products, ingredient lists and macros for nearly everything on their website. Plus, with all this testing I’ve described – I am 100% confident I’m getting what’s sold. Plus, they stand by their products if there ever is a rare, rare, rare exception.  The overwhelming majority of NOW products certified organic and non-GMO, those few that aren’t are always in the pipeline to meet those standards as soon as viable in the ingredient sourcing process. Feel free to read more about the Must Use Ingredients and Must NEVER Use Ingredients. Join the twitter chat on June 16th (9PM EST) to learn get into the conversation — follow @NOWfoodsand #NOWgetfit Gigantic giveaway of NOW products Enter my giveaway for a huge haul of NOW products, the same two huge bags of items they sent me home with!  It’s so much stuff, I can’t even describe it all – but it’s a bit of everything (probably $200+ at least) and you won’t be disappointed! USA only! Thank you FitFulFocus.com for the photo of loot, because I was so excited to try everything that I forgot to snap a pic! Don’t miss #NOWGetFit Twitter Party 6/16 9pm EST w/ me @NowFoods and @Fitfluential #ad a Rafflecopter giveaway

Run, Workout, Eat, BCAA 2x Day, Repeat! + Med Ball WOD

Jennifer Fisher Austin Runner - Zilker RelaysRunning comes naturally to me, it always has and I am so thankful for that. Being a runner is part of who I am (been running strong for 25 years), and God-willing, I’ll be competing at some level for many more decades. But I don’t just wake up and assume my body will perform like my ego thinks it should. I’ve eaten crow too many times for that. Staying where I want fitness-wise takes a holistic, whole-body approach which includes training smart along with eating and sleeping well. While real estate tycoons capitalize on location, location, location – we athletes make our gains on recovery, recovery, recovery!

Now, as hard as it is to admit, my gains look a little different. I’m no longer that runner in my late 20s who can train hard and play hard and still pull of a 2:50 marathon. Flash forward 20 years (and it was a flash), and I’ve slowed some . . . while that’s a hard pill to take some days, I remind myself that I perform at a higher level on an age-graded scale and, overall, I’m a stronger, more well-rounded athlete. I actually workout now– not just run!  I just have to pay more attention to rest and nutrition as part of my recovery strategy.  Today, I’m recovering from a run and this Med Ball Workout.

Medicine Ball Workout

Sleep is so important for recovery and a problem area in my life, but I’ll get to that later. Nutrition is the other main component, and thankfully I can more easily control how goes down with my workout recovery! I optimize my performance for the next day by eating a colorful, wholesome diet with plenty of muscle-making protein balanced with healthy complex carbs. After an intense effort, I have a 3:1 carb-to-protein ratio snack or shake within 30 minutes (typically a whey protein isolate in the form of a shake or bar), followed up by a good meal within a couple hours. Personally, for my size, I’m eating about 100 grams of protein a day to support my active lifestyle – that’s quite a bit, but not undoable if choosing lean proteins or super-clean protein powders.

Drinking Isopure Aminos right after my workout has been really helping with muscle recovery!

Isopure AminosStill, I sometimes have trouble with achy joints, dead legs or delayed onset muscle fatigue (damn you CrossFit). I’ve started taking a great new lean amino acid protein product immediately after I exercise (in addition to my protein snack)–  Isopure®  Aminos. If you think amino acids are for hard-core bodybuilders only, look at me and think again. This forward-thinking formula supports comprehensive body and mind benefits with BCAAs combined with Tart Cherry (to reduce inflammation and thusly next-day soreness) and L-Theanine for a relaxed, calm feeling. There are studies that suggest both tart cherry and LTheanine also help to promote better sleep – yay!

Research shows that the biggest surge of muscle-making growth hormone happens while we sleep, so it’s important to get enough quality snoozing time and have adequately eaten before bed. To fuel my body through the night, I always have a slow-digesting protein snack before bed such as Greek yogurt, almonds or a protein powder shake – if I don’t, I’ll wake up before 4 am hungry! Adding a BCAA product like Isopure®  Aminos can also help with the night-time muscle recovery and building process – plus, the Tart Cherry brings on the elusive Zzzzz’s!

Isopure AminosSo, are you wondering — how do you use this stuff? Just put a full scoop of Isopure®  Aminos into 10 – 12 ounces of water – I appreciate that it dissolved really easily into my water bottle, no shaker or blender required. Isopure Aminos also tastes really good and refreshing after a sweaty workout or run and comes in yummy flavors including Cranberry Grape, Alpine Punch and Cherry Lime.

With only 10 calories per serving, there’s no worry about busting your daily allotment – it’s just a great booster to pair up with a whey protein isolate or other protein-rich food.

Isopure AminosCome back on September 29th – I’m sharing a yummy bedtime snack using Isopure Aminos. Meanwhile, check out ISOPURE to get more info on how it can help you bring your strongest fight to a workout every time!

Do you take any post-workout supplements? How many hours of sleep are you logging per night? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

This post sponsored by ISOPURE. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Healthy Bones for Handstands, Marathons and More #BeActiv

TheFitFork BeActive Handstsand

Can you believe we are already a month into  2015?! If you’ve already set some goals for the New Year, take a few minutes to check in and see if you’re on track. No goals yet? No worries, it’s never too late to state your intentions for living a healthier, happier, more productive and ACTIVE life. Don’t know where to start? I’ll take the first step down the path by sharing some of my non-negotiable goals for living well —- Eat Clean, Drink Water, Move More, Stress Less and Sleep Better.

Healthy Living Inspiration

When I rattle off this list it amazes me how interwoven these intentions are – each one affecting the outcome of other. For example, I know when I’m having a lot of stress and don’t sleep well, I also don’t eat well. Or, when I’m not drinking enough water, my head doesn’t feel clear and my body doesn’t want to perform. I know I won’t attain perfection every day. . . make that ANY day – but I having this list in my head will keep me from taking too many rabbit trails and falling off a cliff.

Viactiv Calcium Chews an Gummies - TheFitFork.com

One tool in helping me reach my goals to #BeActiv is to supplement my clean-eating diet in any areas were there may be a deficit. Even though I eat dairy products and do plenty of weight-bearing exercise, getting enough calcium is a biggie with me — especially since I’m getting older, have had a stress fracture in the past, and my own mother has been diagnosed with osteopenia. While it’s important to get vitamins and minerals from real food sources, sometimes an extra boost is required. That’s why I take Viactiv Calcium Chews and Gummies– to ensure that I’m getting the recommended amount of daily calcium for bone health based on my age. I was so surprised to find out that 70% of adult women aren’t getting enough calcium – and teen girls are even worse off with 85% in a deficit.

Viactiv knows that being active means different things for different people, and my journey isn’t yours. For example, I want to “Move More” and #BeActive – for me, that means learning some new yoga poses, stepping it up in CrossFit and having fun running. You may be interested in gardening, taking hikes or entering a triathlon.

Keep your bones strong for what YOU want to do! Viactiv has a several products to help you meet your daily calcium intake. Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews have been my favorite for a while, these individually-wrapped calcium supplements provide 100% of the daily calcium requirement for most women and also include vitamins V & D. Available in milk chocolate, caramel and sugar-free milk chocolate flavors, these chewy tabs are a tasty way supplement your healthy diet and bone strengthening exercises.

Viactiv Gummies are another great option for calcium supplementation – these gluten-free, dairy-free gummies come in assorted fruit flavors. Two gummies offer 100% of the daily value of calcium along with vitamin D, which helps the body better absorb calcium.

Enter the #BeActive with Viactiv sweepstakes at http://bit.ly/1E4Lytt through 2/26/2015 for achance to win retailer gift cards, wearable fitness technology and Viactiv products.

You can find Viactiv in stores like CVS, Rite Aid, Target, Walgreens and Walmart. For more information about Viactiv and to learn more about keeping bones strong, visit http://www.Viactiv.com  #BeActiv

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Viactiv . The opinions and text are all mine.