Latest articles by Melanie Valerio
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A Quick Flip
Still doing open turns in the fast lane of the open swim session at the Y, aquatic center or health club? Time to break free into faster swimming and attempt the dreaded flip turn!
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Around and Around and Around We Go.....
Having any shoulder pain these days? Too much repetitive motions over the years? Cold air making it feel even tighter? Small rehabilitation exercises are a very important part of treatment for a rotator cuff disorder. If pain, weakness, and stif...
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The Perfect Sit-Up
Any muscle when you exercise it, gets bigger. If your technique is shaky, sit-ups can actually bulk up your body muscles, leaving you toned but a little thicker and rounder. Sit-ups are very basic. Sit-ups are done slowly to avoid momentum while fe...
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26 Days
January 26th. 26 days since your New Year's resolution. So, how's it going? THey say if you make it past Valentine's Day you're good to go. What keeps you going thru the next few months?
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Remember the Dancing Raisins? Well, Did You Remember They're Good for You Too?
MarieClaire.com talks about California Raisins.
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Ooooooh Yea! Rockin' It Underwater with Cheap Trick
Marie Claire talks about the new underwater iPod.
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Ooh, ooh that smell…Can't you smell that smell?
Little known fact: when U.S. soldiers were shipped off to Vietnam in the 1960's, the Vietcong could actually smell them thanks to their American diets. New arrivals were often put on new diets based on local cuisine simply to rid their bodies o...
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CoreStick
A friend told me about a new abdominal workout. CoreStick. The CoreStick can be used safely by starting out with small movements and work into medium and eventually large movement patterns, in order to challenge the muscles to react&rd...
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Time to Clean
Had too much of a good thing? Feeling out of balance, a bit heavy or puffy? Then it's time to get clean. This gentle herbal blend helps the body help itself as it stimulates the liver, one of our natural cleansing mechanisms. Based on organic ro...
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DRI-FIT
Still not sure what exactly Dri-FIT is? Maybe you got a shirt or pair of tights as a holiday gift and although you've heard of it - maybe you're really not quite sure what on earth it is.
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Goofy Gift
A friend recently e-mailed me asking which underwater MP3 player to buy. Now I've seen a few people using these the past few years but honestly no one I know personally. Swimming is loud. The sound of the water moving past your ears and head is definitely not quiet. Peaceful but not quiet. And the faster you swim the louder I'm assuming it gets. However, I think underwater MP3 players (which run from about $100-$150) are a fun gadget gift for the swimmer or triathlete on your gift list. I did some research (which means I asked the few people I saw wearing one, what they thought).
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Holidays & Vacations
How far should one's training go? Do you continue training while on vacation or during the holidays while traveling? I was just in Las Vegas and am surprised to see so many people out running in the early morning. Now I know not everyone is there to gamble their savings away but I figure if you booked a trip to get away and relax (and I know Vegas is not a great example) don't you need some time away from training as well?
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Power Of The Scarf
Did you know you shiver, your core temperature has dropped so much that your body believes it is an emergency? Your blood gets much thicker, which causes heart attacks and strokes and the immune system is weakened, so you pick up bugs more easily. Lack of sunlight also weakens the immune system and allows viruses to thrive, while crowded, warm places help them to spread. So what’s the best way to keep healthy this winter?
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Six Quick Tidbits
Six quick tips for a healthy life.
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The Perfect Goggle...
Does it exist? Does the perfect man exist? Is there a perfect face? A perfect body. Guess it all depends on who you ask. Goggles included. I've never heard a swimmer-swimmer (someone who swam in high school or college) complain about leaky goggles. Hmmmm........so where is the dis-connect between what I hear so many complaints about and what I swim with everyday in the pool.
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Is It All A Big Croc?
Everyone knows what Crocs are these days. And although they've been ridiculed from You Tube to SNL, they are a comfortable crazy looking shoe. Well, that crazy shoe company has started a new line of not so crazy looking shoes for women.
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TIMEX Wireless Fitness Tracker
TIMEX Introduces Timex® Ironman* Wireless Fitness Tracker It's a digital transmitter and watch system that calculates calories, distance, steps and pace. This is a new product from TIMEX that I think is just absolutely great. Absolutely ANY woman can use this watch. Someone just curious about fitness to a hard core athlete. And with the holidays right around the corner this gadget makes for a great stocking stuffer that can't go wrong.
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Cheap Trick Or Treat Alternatives
Well there not exactly cheap but I couldn't resisit. THey are however healthy alternatives to the usual Halloween tricks and treats.
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CW-X
CW-X I never knew until today when I saw a girl running with a very interesting pair of tights on. Wacoal Sports Science dedicates CW-X® to people everywhere in the world who love the exhilaration and challenge of sports. Because to celebrate sports is to celebrate what's best in human beings. Japan's Wacoal Corp. (NASDAQ: WACLY), the world's largest manufacturer of intimate apparel, has spent half a century creating clothing born of a deep understanding of the body. Combining its scientific knowledge of the human anatomy with its experience in complex fabrications and apparel design, the company first entered the performance sports apparel market in Japan in 1991 with CW-X® Performance Conditioning Wear. Recently the company launched the CW-X® brand in the US market through the newly formed Wacoal Sports Science Corp. Wacoal Sports Science Corporation, headquartered in New York City, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wacoal International. The company's mission is to meet the sports performance needs of the active US consumer through the CW-X brand, the world's first truly anatomically-engineered high performance sports apparel.
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ORTHOREXIA NERVOSA
In case you've never heard of it, it's definitely something to take notice of. As an athlete, I have plenty of friends who fall within this category. Wikipedia states the following: Orthorexia, or orthorexia nervosa is a term coined by St...
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The Last Weekend Of Summer
Technically yes, but I don't think Fall hits Tuesday morning. It's been awhile since I've had real seasons but from what I can remember Labor Day isn't the end. Perhaps just the beginning. Having a three day weekend is a great way to start an exercise program or even re-vamp an existing one. Three days to start running. Three days to start swimming. Three days to get outside and enjoy the weather. Walking. Even three days of playing Guitar Hero is better than just three days of sitting around and eating.
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Weekend Follow-Up
So here we are-Monday. All clean and cleansed. It does honestly feel good. If you have no l=clue what I am speaking of, I just completed a 5-day Blueprint Cleanse last Friday and have worked my way back to reality eating with ease.
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Time To Clean House-Well Sort Of....
So, a friend of a friend was telling me about a cleanse that she recently tried. Not a cleanser like Clearsil or Clorox but a nutritional cleanse. Now I've gone thru a somewhat strict fast before and one other cleanse but these w...
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Madame Blueberry
Ever try freezing your blueberries? Not as in "freezing your blueberries off", just freezing fresh blueberries. Here's a tip: freeze your fresh blueberries in the summer then add to hot oatmeal. THey taste great and will cool your oatmea...
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ABACUS DIET?
In case what you've got going isn't quite doing it for you. Perhaps you should try the BEAD DIET / ACCU-WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAM. A sort of abacus diet if you will. I guess it could work. No weird-er than a cabbage soup diet, cookie diet or grapefruit diet so why not?
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Nike+ Human Race
Nike+ Human Race
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Joint Juice
How do you care for your joints? Here's four basic tips: Manage your weightEvery extra pound puts four times the stress on your knees and other weight bearing joints. The good part is that even a small amount of weight loss will give your knees relief. StretchStretching isn't just for workouts. Take breaks throughout the day, including at your office, to get re-energized. Range-of-motion exercises are a good way to keep your muscles and ligaments flexible and strong. Use good techniqueWhen sitting, standing, and especially when lifting, using proper technique will prevent fatigue and injury. Be supplement savvyGlucosamine, a dietary supplement, has been shown to help improve joint function and mobility. Some studies suggest that it may contribute to cartilage repair. Chondroitin, the major component of cartilage tissue is available as a supplement and often combined with glucosamine. Here's also a great easy to access product that will help with joint care and tastes great too. Joint Juice
