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Category: Fitness, Health, Happiness

Outdoor Gear for Dog Adventures: Alcott Adventures
Sometimes love just wants to go out for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise. It will run you around the block
and leave you panting, breathless.

–Taylor Mali,
from ‘Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog’

I can’t imagine how I would spend my days without my dogs.

Well, obviously I can imagine, but my life would just be missing something without a dramatic morning hug and face licking (she’s up! she’s up!), without a pup keeping my feet warm all day, without two four-legged friends greeting me every time I walk in the door regardless of how long I’ve been gone as if they’d been waiting all their lives for just this moment, without a furry beasty sitting by my side as I type into the night, pressed up as tightly against me as I will allow.

Naturally we try to make our animals’ lives richer, as they have for us. That means toys and bones; tasty, good-for-them food and treats; sweaters and beds; and lots and lots of cuddle time.

It also means letting them leave their everyday environs and join in the activities we love. Like hiking and hitting the beach.

So many new things to smell! So many exotic places to pee!

Active dogs are healthy dogs. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, an estimated 55.6% of pups in the US are overweight or obese. Jimmy is looking kind of jumbo-sized these days, so we’re looking to get him moving more.

Getting outside has benefits for everyone, even our four-legged companions: keeping their weight in check prevents a host of health problems like heart and joint issues, not only ensuring they’ll keep us company longer but stay more comfortable during their time with us. And the more fun outdoor time is for everyone, the more you (and your tech-addicted kids) will keep doing it.

You know what’s fun? Outdoor gear just for dogs.

I recently was sent a gift card to try out and review Alcott Adventures, which “features an array of dog products, offering pups + their people an adventurous lifestyle, whether on a walk around the block or a trip around the globe.”

I love that their focus is not so much on pampering your dogs, but supporting adventures that you can take with them: you can actually search the online site either by category or by adventure (Essentials, Explorer, Traveler, Mariner). They carry the expected high-quality collars and leashes, toys and beds, but specifically ideal for travel— slimmer, more comfortable and lightweight.

They also have all of these items which just beg for epic outdoor fun for the four-legged. Maybe this summer I’ll brave camping and boating with the kids and dogs? Or is spending a lot of time in the backyard and on park trails enough to justify a pup tent and UV goggles? Perhaps 🙂
- Mariner Life Jacket, UV Goggles, Pup Tent
- Adventure Backpack (one pocket is insulated!), portable paw and claw resistant Inflatable Pool, trailer wagger Collar Charm, Visibility Dog Vest
With the gift card I opted for the Cooling Bandana (1) and Visibility Bandana (2) for Karma, our Saint Bernard. The Cooling Bandana has water-absorbing beads inside it, so it can be soaked and put on her to help keep her cool on hikes or just in the heat of summer. The Visibility Bandana makes me feel a little secure about her being outside alone since we border on state park land where deer hunting is allowed; I can’t help but think her size and white tail mean that mistaking her for a deer isn’t completely out of the question. Normal people would probably think about visibility to other hikers or to cars while out on a walk, particularly at dawn and dusk.

Jimmy aka “The Dogness” received an upgrade to his bulky harness, which has never fit well and seems like it’s hot to wear when the temperature rises. The Adventure Harness (3) clips around the neck like a collar and then has two clips around the waist, so I don’t have to make him step through to put it on, and a lightweight chest pad. In addition to the standard harness ring placement further back, this one has a ring at the collar to attach a leash to (Jimmy seems to like this better).

I’m always worrying over what size to buy for our dogs; I literally spent hours agonizing over Christmas sweaters and collars. Karma is tall and slim for her breed (Jeff calls her a racing Saint Bernard) and Jimmy just the opposite, long but short and stocky, a beagle mixed with something much more barrel-chested.

The harness adjusted perfectly. Alcott reinvented dog sizing to make it easy on their humans; generally speaking, if you buy a medium collar, you’ll also use a medium in all the other Alcott products.

Which is why I went for a medium in the other purchase I made through Alcott with my own money. Karma got two things, so I had to get Jimmy two— gotta keep it even steven with our babies, amiright?

Look how super handsome and Red Baronesque he is in his Bomber Jacket. He’s the Top Gun of beagle mixes.

You can search for a store that carries Alcott Adventures using this store locator, but if like me your nearest location is at least an hour away, you’ll find the online store a treat to browse. Shipping was fast and well-packaged.

GIVEAWAY!

Alcott Adventures is offering one of my readers a $25 gift card to help kickstart your next adventure, whether it’s a swim in the lake or a run around the block. Just visit AlcottAdventures.com and leave me a comment with what product you would like for your canine companion!

For an optional second entry, send out a tweet about your adventures with your dog, tagging @FunWithAlcott and the hashtag #DogsLoveAdventure. Make sure to leave a 2nd comment with your Twitter @name letting me know you did.

This giveaway will end at 11:59pm on Sunday, March 30. One winner will be selected at random and notified using the email address used to leave comments.

Ever taken your dog camping? Anything I should know?

P.S. The whole I was typing this I was thinking of my favorite dog adventure video— it makes me smile widely and tear up unabashedly every time I see it. Do yourself a favor and watch!

Also, just for fun: puppy photoshoot outtakes 🙂
March 24, 2014
15 Reasons to Get More Sleep- and 12 Tips to Help Get Those ZZZs
You’re always in a rush,
or else you’re too exhausted to have a proper conversation.

Soon enough,
the long hours, the traveling, the broken sleep
have all crept into your being
and become part of you, so everyone can see it,
in your posture, your gaze, the way you move and talk.

― Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go

Ouch. Way to get personal, Kazuo.

Feel like that passage might be describing you? As I get older, I definitely feel the need for more sleep, and the effects of not getting enough.

I become forgetful. It’s difficult to concentrate. I’m generally run down.

I’m tired. And the more tired I get, the more squirrelly I feel.

I wrote the bulk of this post a long time ago, but for World Sleep Day— that’s today, folks, don’t forget to celebrate— I thought I’d drag it back out and give it a bit of dusting off.

It’s funny how we take our fitness needs and our nutritional needs so seriously, dedicating time and money for the right training, the right clothing, the right foods and vitamins. But sleep? Who scans the internet or hires personal trainers for advice on sleeping well? Who buys books full of great ideas for ways to get a delicious night’s sleep?

Nobody, that’s who. Sleep is the 3rd component in the Healthy Lifestyle Trifecta and it’s the easiest to do, but we don’t prioritize it the way we should.

A poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that:
- 43% of Americans aged 13-64 said they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep on weeknights.
- 60% experience a sleep problem — snoring, waking in the night, waking too early — every night or almost every night.
We know, intuitively, that sleep is good for us; we can feel the difference between being well-rested and being sleep deprived. But do a little digging and it’s kinda scary just how important it really is.

15 Reasons Why You Need Sleep

1. Sleep deprivation increases risk of car accidents, with severity and fatality rates comparative to driving under the influence.
2. It also increases your risk of heart attack.
3. Poor sleep can be linked to obesity, chronic diseases, hypertension, diabetes, depression and teen risk behaviors.
4. Sleep improves the functions of your immune system, produces necessary hormones, repairs damaged tissue and may help fight cancers.
5. Sleep improves connection-making by clearing away mental clutter, and bolsters memory (both mental and muscle memory) through a process called consolidation.
6. Sleep deprivation makes us mentally groggy and fuzzy, but our agitating nerves become hyper-reactive, causing stress and jumpiness.
7. Lack of sleep impairs decision making by undermining emotional and cognitive processes.
8. Tired people are more likely to obsess over the past with “displaced aggression”: thinking about how things could have been better if THAT GUY had done something differently rather than examine their own behavior.
9. Better sleep can mean better pain management and better recovery times.
10. Extra sleep can be correlated to peak performance and a competitive edge in athletes (and shouldn’t we all be striving for peak performance and a competitive edge all the time?)
11. The lack of focus brought on by lack of sleep can lead to clutter and disorganization (mental and physical).
12. The sleep deprived tend to be less motivated to cook and are more drawn to high fat foods.
13. In one study, a group who slept 80 minutes less than the control group was found to consume an additional 549 calories daily on average.
14. Sleep deprived people are perceived as less healthy and less attractive.
15. Beauty sleep is no misnomer, as you can see sleep deprivation in your skin due to stress-related aging and chronic dehydration.

Cass and Karma have no problems sleeping.

That’s all well and good and easy for me to say, right? The real question is, How do we achieve better sleep?

I think you know the basics, but here’s some advice for a better night’s sleep. Maybe there’s something new for you.

To sleep, perchance to dream:

12 Tips for Better Sleep
1. Reserve your bedroom for rest and sex only. You can work somewhere else.
2. Unplug from screens an hour or more before bedtime. If you wake up during the night, resist the temptation to check your phone. (If you’re having trouble breaking the sleep late/go to bed late cycle, try checking your phone as soon as you get up. It will help jolt you awake.)
3. Keep noise and electronic glow/hum to a minimum. Ideally, kick all tech to a different room.
4. Keep it cool for unbroken sleep cycles (optimum temperature for sleep is 65-72° for most people).
5. Exercise. Recent research indicates exercising at any time, even near bedtime, helps most people; however I often hear people say that nighttime exercise is a stimulant for them personally. Experiment to see what timing is best for you.
6. Can’t shut off your monkey brain? Grab a pad and pen and write out your to-do list. Once it’s out of your head, you can rest a little easier.
7. Get some sunshine during the day to improve circadian rhythms.
8. Take a warm shower or bath before bed; the warm/cool cycle helps prepare your body for slumber.
9. Sleep training works for adults too: develop a bedtime and routine and stick to it.
10. No nightcaps- they might help you drop off faster, but alcohol can negatively affect your overall sleep.
11. Try melatonin for improved quality of sleep.
12. Apparently, sleeping on your left side can increase your chances of nightmares, possibly because you’re putting more pressure on your organs that way. Leftie sleepers, roll to the right for mellower dreams and better rest.
How’s your sleep? Any tips to offer?
March 14, 2014
Shows to Stream During Workouts plus Fitness Tips for the Perpetually Busy

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
-Mark Twain

Disclosure: I’m a member of the Netflix Stream Team, and they’ve equipped our family with a streaming account to drive discussion.

I hate running. And the elliptical machine. And the stationary bike. Did I mention I hate running?

I like CrossFit, and a large part of that is because each workout is new and interesting and challenging, with a lot of different exercises done for a short amount of time. I can do anything for 90 seconds. I can do most things for 5 minutes if I know I’m going to get a 60 second break.

But the crazy WEATHER we’ve been having lately means I can’t always get all the way into town to hit CrossFit Riverfront and I’ve learned that too many days off make returning awful. So, treadmill and elliptical and bike it is. (And the 1,000 Burpee Challenge. You’re in, right?)

The only thing that breaks up that monotony for me is something to watch on the TV to help make the time fly by. THANK GOD FOR NETFLIX. I’d be lost without it.

I love this “Exercise TV Playlist” with a breakdown of calories burned exercising while streaming your favorite shows.

Getting lost in a good show means you tend to perceive your workout as less taxing, so you’re willing to work a little harder and a little longer— maximizing the benefit of the workout and the odds you’ll keep with it over time. Pretty cool, yeah?

For me at the moment, it’s generally Sherlock and Sherlock and more Sherlock, with sides of Doctor Who, Orange is the New Black and the occasional X-Files; I’ve finally finished Breaking Bad. (Let me know in the comments what I should queue up next, I’m about due.)

The most common complaint I hear about starting a new fitness regimen is that there is no time, no time, and I hear you. I had to set my workout times in stone and adjust my life around them; otherwise I don’t think I ever would have had “enough time” to spare. There’s never “enough” time: always work to be done, dishes to wash, errands to run. You have to MAKE the time.

Here’s some more tips for those of us perpetually on a (NON-fitness) hamster wheel from celebrity fitness expert Harley Pasternak, who works with famous busy parents like Jennifer Hudson and Megan Fox:

Harley Pasternak’s Fitness Tips for Busy Parents

1. Resist: Even the busiest mom or dad can carve out at least 5 minutes to do some resistance “sculpting” exercise. Pick one exercise a day (i.e. lunge, squats, superman) and do 3-4 sets of 20 reps. Over time, add some weight and increase the sets.

2. Walk: You shouldn’t stop moving from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed. Use an activity monitor like a Fitbit to make sure you walk at least 10,000 steps a day. Make your phone calls as you walk around the block, park your car a little further away, take the stairs, and walk to your favorite cafe in the morning (instead of brewing your own).

3. Blend: Soups and smoothies are the perfect “on the go” meals that take only seconds to prepare. They’re a great way to get all your veggies, fruits, healthy fats and lean protein in one meal.

4. Be Entertained… But Not on the Couch: I tell all my busy parents to make sure they’re moving while watching their favorite show. Whether it be “Breaking Bad” or “House of Cards,” stream your show to your phone or tablet with Netflix and you may end up working out longer and harder!

5. Sleep: One of the most common complaints I get from parents is they are exhausted! It’s so important to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Parents— make sure there is no light at all in your bedroom. That means no cell phones flickering, televisions blaring or alarm clocks flashing. Studies show even the smallest amount of light can disturb your sleep patterns. Other sleep tips include avoiding caffeine after noon, wearing an eye mask and avoiding surfing the web before you fall asleep.

I wrote up some more tips for my friend Annie’s blog Mama Dweeb a while back, you can see those here.

Your turn. Best tips for fitting in fitness?

And don’t forget your streaming recommendations, you hear?

January 31, 2014