runDisney Running Guides

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First off, I am sorry for the lack of posts over the past few weeks. There have been some very exciting, but very time consuming changes/projects over here, and sadly, the blog has taken the biggest hit. My hope, however, is to start back up on the whole writing thing and slowly return back to normal, weekday articles. It may take some time, but my plan is to get 3-5 articles out weekly for the next few weeks. Then, resume all as normal!

Now, for the more exciting and way more important news- today is sign-up day for the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon!!!!! Oh my goodness, I can hardly contain my excitement for this. It is going to be absolutely fantastic!! Are you going to be running it?

Right now, we have a group of about twelve teacups running this together. Some are girls, some are guys, but all of us will be dressed up! My only hope is that all of us get registered in time!

As for what I have been doing to corral this excitement, well, I have been listening to massive Disney running podcasts (more about that another time) and I have been going Pin crazy. Here are a few of the articles, pictures, and items I found to be the most helpful or just plain entertaining!

A mile-by-mile rundown on what you should be doing and how you should feel for a runDisney half.

A great Wine and Dine recap!

Race recap for the Disney Princess half.

Lacing patterns for foot types.

Runspiration of the Disney sort. Do you know what song this is?

All about that foot strike.

Get mental toughness to complete your race.

What a runner's diet should look like, does look like, and what people think it looks like. Love this!

I get side stitches all. the. time. Maybe this will help!

So, are you running your first Disney race or have you run one in the past? I would absolutely love to hear what you are most excited for and what you loved best!!

Does Wine Make You Fat?

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This is a question that has plagued me for years, does drinking wine make me gain weight? Is that just bloat? There are so many mixed opinions on wine, so let's find out the truth together.

Wine is Pretty Calorie Loaded

Wine can have anywhere from an abysmally low 25 calories to an embarrassingly high 400+. Obviously, not all wines are created the same way, and not all wines have the same sugar content. A pinot Grigio will hit you somewhere around 130 calories while a less sweet Sauvignon Blanc will be about 120 per glass. Reds will have the same range with Merlots and Pino Noirs being in the lower 120's and Burgundies being closer to 130. 

A nice little trick to staying on the lower side of the calories is to steer clear of dessert and sweeter wines like Rieslings that can have anywhere from 125-240 calories per serving! Dry wines will have less sugar, and therefore, fewer calories. Reds will have more alcohol content (on average) and will take longer for your body to digest. 

Wine Slows Your Metabolism

First off, wine is made up of 14% carbs and 86% alcohol. There are no fats or protein, and really, hardly any carbs. So where does that bloat come from? Well, any alcohol will trick your body into breaking it down before any food item. Calories from alcohol cannot be stored in the body, and therefore, must be broken down first. This means that if you are drinking a glass of wine with dinner, all digestion stops when that white or red touches your lips. 

Likewise, all metabolic activity ceases and anything fat unable to be broken down will be stored. This process will also increase fat storage around the belly- that bloat!

Alcohol Increases Our Want of Fats

When we digest wine (or any alcohol), our bodies digest the alcohol first and the carbs second. This can lead to a drop in our blood sugar and a feeling that we must eat. And this is what leads you to binge eating after a big night out. Of course, there is pretty little chance of this happening with one glass, unless it is a dry wine which causes blood sugar to drop. 

The sad thing is, any alcohol consumption will trigger the same area of our hypothalamus that says we need more fats. A chemical called galanin is produced when we drink alcohol or eat fatty foods. This chemical is also the one that makes us crave it. Therefore, the more we eat or drink, the more we will want to eat or drink. 

What About the Bloat? 

Yes, unfortunately wine can cause bloat. But, it may be for a different reason than what you are thinking. Alcohol dehydrates the body and increases the visible signs of cellulite, also known as my nemesis. Like galanin, both the bloat and the increased cellulite are tied together. Any alcohol will cause dehydration and inhibit vitamin absorption. This can lead to water retention, known as bloating, and increased cellulite since the skin is not as elastic as usual. Loss of elasticity in the skin can make cellulite easier to see because the fat molecules that are pulling on the connective tissue that is less elastic and more susceptible to that pulling effect. 

The Real Kicker

Ready to think all science is just bored people spinning a bottle on what new discovery has been made? Well, here is is. Long and broad scientific studies have found that women in their middle ages who have had a normal amount of wine on a daily basis (one 5-ounce glass) gain less weight and are less likely to become obese than those that did not. 

Of course, there are a few things we can do to ensure that one glass per day does not wreak havoc on our bodies. Be sure to drink plenty of water, only drink wine when your body is not digesting other foods, continue your normal healthy diet, and keep working out! All of these little things will ensure a healthy body now, and apparently, a healthy one later in life as well. 

How to RunDisney

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Congratulations to anyone out there who completed the Princess Half Marathon at Disney World this past weekend! It looked like this year was just as fantastic as all the rest, and even a bit warmer than one or two ;) And goodness, be happy that you are not running today since Florida has decided to do a complete 180 and be hot and muggy. Yuck. 

Have you got the running bug and thinking of running a Disney Race? Disney races are kind of know for being super fun, super lavish, super expensive, and getting a super awesome finisher's medallion at the end- and all you need is a 16 minute/mile pace or faster! 

Now that I have a team of friends and family running the Wine and Dine with me, I have been looking up massive tips, running advice, and articles on what to expect from my first long Disney run. Turns out, there are entire blogs dedicated to running Disney races. I love it! My current favorite is A Healthy Dose of Pixie Dust, hands down. If you are planning on running a Disney race in the near future, or you just want to see what you should expect should you make the leap, this is a great site to check out. A Few of my favorite articles are listed below. 

Disney Running 101 that just has links to lots of other Disney running articles

From the above article, a few of my favorites include The Day Before the Big Race, The Week Leading Up to The Race, and The Packing List. Both were so helpful on what to expect! 

The Wine and Dine Race Recap is pretty high on my favorites list as well, go figure ;)

The Expo has some wonderful info for anyone wondering if it is worth checking out.

Aaahh, it is 8 months away and I simply cannot wait!! What race training have you used in the past? I have heard great things about Jeff Galloway and am considering using his run walk training for my first race. 

Housekeeping

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Today's post is going to be all about housekeeping on the blog because I feel like I owe it to you. First off, I am sorry for the embarrassingly low 3-4 posts per week. There has been so much going on in the new year and, sometimes, writing just slips. That does not mean that we will keep on going like this, but it may continue until February is over.

Since February is such a busy month, my thinking is to do four posts per week with a possible surprise weekend post when I can. Post days will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with Friday or Monday being possible skip days. Really though, I have no idea which Monday or Friday will be the skip day, it will just depend on how the week goes. And hopefully, I will be able to start doing those weekly workout sum-ups again for the Sunday surprise posts!

Then, we will get back to the regular beat in March with lots of spring time posts, Disney posts, and workout posts!

This week, there are some pretty great recipes coming your way (kale and tortellini, anyone?), Valentines day gifts and things to do, and a good workout or two!!

For now though, I will leave you with this. My good friend and I decided to do this yesterday. Goodness, I had dreams about it last night and cannot wait to start training! If you have any suggestions, I am all ears!!