Calories Burned at Disney World Parks

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I, along with about half the US, am so excited about our Disney trip planned this summer! Every year we try to plan a day trip to Disney World on our way back from Michigan, and every year we end up not doing it. That is, until this year. Business will be taking us down the mid-line of the state and it just makes sense to stop in along the way... Especially since it will give me so many possibilities for healthy Disney blog posts in the future!

In the past I have done totals on calories burned at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. Although the information has been hecka useful in the past, it has never been condescend into one simple post talking about where we burn the most Calories at Disney and why.

There have been rumors that one walks the most in EPCOT and therefore burns the most calories. I am happy to say this myth is completely untrue. In fact, the park that will burn the most calories is Magic Kingdom- the place almost all of us go on every trip to Disney World. This is partially due to all the back and forth walking and partially due to the inclines you have no idea you are hiking. Next after Magic Kingdom is EPCOT since it is just so big. This is followed by Animal Kingdom. Then, way in the back is Hollywood Studios. This really cannot be much of a surprise since Hollywood Studios is just so darn small.

Below is a handy dandy chart showing my averages for all parks over 8-hours of time. Of course, your steps and calorie burn could be way different than mine depending what you do and how you get there. In almost every situation we drive or take the bus. Then, we tend to go on 3-8 rides in 8-hours and sit down for 1-3 shows, depending on the park. There is also eating time that we are not walking and lots of back-and-forth time for things like Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom or the Pirate Quest in Adventureland.

It is also good to take into consideration that there are very few people who will spend a whole 8-hours in either Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios. Although the calories burned is for 8-hours in each park, these two parks are more likely to be 4-6 hours, tops.

This Week in Workouts: Summer!

The Michigan weather has been wonderful this week and I have been able to take advantage of that with a few wonderful, albeit short, runs. Thankfully, that pesky plantar facialis has gotten itself cleared up and running is no longer a super big pain. Unfortunately though, not running for a week+ has made getting back in the groove a little more difficult. I ran through this and am now, pretty much, back up to the usual running distance and speed.

Good news! I have also been talking with a few of the runners we have at the Leadership Reunion (one of them being a Guinness Book of World Record holders for running) and have plenty of tips for marathoning and half-marathoning along with a great recommendation from marathon training that we will be talking all about in the future! For now though, let's get to those workouts...

Sunday: Sunday was quite busy here and ended up being a rest day with about 12,000+ steps added in.

Monday: That foot was still acting up so this was a fantastic yoga day centered around the bum. I ended up doing this Tara Stiles flow twice, one play-through for each side. This Tara Stiles Yoga Flow for Lean Legs was next.

Tuesday: My new favorite flow for runners by Lesley Fightmaster!

Wednesday: 2-mile slow run that felt quite nice!

Thursday: 3-mile trail run onto some of the camp's old horse riding trails. It was so fun to trail run through past areas the hubs knows so well! The picture above is also from that run :)

Friday: Rest day

Saturday: A 15-minute Squat-tastic Workout that will be on the blog later this week! Man, it is a doozy, but soooo good!

Weekly Workout Goal

We will be running more this week in general and this week will be my last time for a while to run during the Michigan Summer. For this reason, my big goal this week is to run at least three times and run 15-miles during the week!

TBT: What is Water Weight and How to Loose it

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Water weight is like a stealth bomber to so many people's fitness aspirations and one of the main causes of the dreaded mini yo-yo effect. With the mini yo-yo, you can gain and loose up to 10-pounds in as little as one night. Simply put, there is no way that we are able to gain pounds of fat or muscle that quickly, even if we are eating cruise ship style. Those crazy scale fluctuations that simply make no sense and leave me recalibrating my scale on an [almost] weekly basis can be attributed to water weight. This small annoyance has got me asking the questions what is water weight and where does it come from?

In simple terms, water weight is an abnormally large amount of fluid in our circulatory system. This fluid is mainly from the pressure in our capillaries getting too high. When this pressure gets to high, fluid is excreted into the surrounding tissue as a way of equalizing. Sometimes, this fluid is re-absorbed back into the capillaries when pressure regulates, and sometimes, it does not. When the fluid is not immediately re-absorbed, it becomes what we endearingly refer to as bloat or water weight.

Water weight can usually be found in our abdomen, legs, knees, and ankles. Although rare, water retention in the ankles and feet can also be a sign of congestive heart failure. This is normally only seen in people ages 50 and over. Other symptoms of congestive heart failure include fluid in the lungs and chronic coughing.  

There are a few less severe reasons for water retention other than congestive heart failure. Usually, bloating is brought on by a diet too high in sodium or alcohol, or too little water. By decreasing the alcohol consumption and limiting the amount of processed foods eaten on a daily basis, we can usually cut back the bloat. Of course, drinking at least 8 cups of water per day is vital for water retention prevention.

The average person will see a decrease in water retention after 1-4 days of a diet with lower sodium and alcohol and a higher intake of water. Sometimes, the weight loss process can take as long as three weeks, depending on one's diet. If your first go at loosing that water weight leaves you heavier rather than lighter, do not fret. It is common for our bodies to retain both the water we are drinking and the fluid in our body for a small amount of time. This normally goes away after the first 1-2 days.

Try eating grapefruits, blueberries, and non-artificial sweeteners to increase the water weight loss. Exercising at least 30-minutes per day will also help reduce water weight along with staying away from carbonated beverages, starchy foods, and dairy. For those who are extra serious about loosing those extra lb's, take Jillian Michaels water wight-loss challenge and drink 60-ounces of distilled water mixed with one tablespoon of sugar-free cranberry juice, 1 dandelion root tea bag, and two tablespoons lemon juice daily for a week. 

Check out this article for an in-depth list of foods to reduce bloating, and this article to find out some of the foods that cause it.  

Originally published on September 9, 2013 :)

Great Running Paths at Disney World

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Did you know that Disney World Resort has more than just theme parks? Gasp! It is true. In fact, Disney has so much to do outside the theme parks, you just might want to spend some of your next trip out and about instead of schlepping it with all those other hot, sweaty park attendees.

One of the nicest bits about Disney World, and further, staying at a Disney World Resort, is all the incredible outdoor areas they have manicured and perfect for your vacationing entertainment. Although most people may not consider jogging to be part of a happy holiday, there are a few of us who love the idea of jogging around and exploring new areas of the Happiest Place on Earth. For those people, and even a few who would just like to meander through some picturesque promenades, you have the running and walking paths at the resorts.

Some of the walking and running paths are ones you will not want to miss, others not so much. Whichever trail you go with, a good tip to remember is to run early in the morning and take it easy. Early morning runs are good since Florida is, well, ridiculously hot. Also because it will be easier to run early in the morning when your feet have the energy and the path is less obscured. Secondly, running super fast along these paths could cause a collision with the other path patrons and leave you a bit too sleepy for the rest of your incredibly eventful day!

Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter

These paths are great for year-round use and will take you right next to the Sassagoula River. It is also one of the longer path options at the Disney Resorts. The first part of this trail will take you by all the beautiful southern colonial mansion inspired hotel buildings and keep you under the shade of about 1,000 oak trees around a 0.7 mile loop. If you opt to make the run longer, you can jog the distance between the Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside Hotels. This path will take you next to the river for a mile there-and-back.

Wilderness Lodge

This is easily considered one of the prettiest paths on Disney property. Be warned though, there will be mosquitos and bugs in the summer months, especially early in the morning. Thankfully, this path has enough shade that you could run it in the afternoon without too much heat resistance and far fewer bugs. The main path runs from Wilderness Lodge to the Fort Wilderness Camp Grounds and is about a 2.5 mile loop. There are also plenty of smaller paths branching off this one that take you throughout the Fort Wilderness property.

Caribbean Beach Resort

The Caribbean Beach Resort has a running path that takes you around the lake. There is plenty of shade and some very pretty views. Caribbean Beach Resort is known for its tropical birds that can be seen in the mornings along this path. The entire loop will take you about 1.4-miles and past Old Port Royal. This is a super good thing to note since you will most likely (and hopefully only figuratively) run into a few early morning coffee goers depending on the time you run.

EPCOT Resorts

The EPCOT resorts include Swan and Dolphin Hotels, Yacht and Beach Club, and the Boardwalk Inn. All of these are grouped together and connected by paths along a waterway. This is one of my personal favorite places to stay since EPCOT and Hollywood Studios are a quick walk away. If you are lucky, you can also see firework shows from each resort while sitting in the comfort of your hotel room!

Of course, with so many hotels and fun in one area, there is bound to be some great paths! When it comes to running at the EPCOT resorts, you have plenty of options with some of the greatest inclines Florida has to offer- bridges. The course ranges from less than a mile to over 3, depending on which you choose to do.

The run directly around Crescent Lake is 0.8 miles, to Crescent Lake's path from the Dolphin hotel is 1/4 mile, the Yacht and Beach Club run is 1.3 miles, The Canal run is almost a mile, and a run around the whole EPCOT resort area is 2.4 miles. Together, you are looking at a solid 5-mile run without treading the same path twice!

I very good tip for this area is to either run late at night or early in the morning. Firstly, these paths have very little shade, and secondly, the Boardwalk is a busy area from afternoon till night.

Other Resorts

Although all of Disney resorts have paths and perks of staying there, the ones above are my most recommended for running. The reason some of the more well know parks did not make the list (sorry Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian) is either because there is very little shade or it is just too busy.

Magic Kingdoms resorts have great paths around the Seven Seas Lagoon, but there is virtually no shade. If you enjoy running in the sun or it is a chilly day, this could be a fantastic option. The views from the path are great and there are many times you can see lots of the Magic Kingdom.

As for Pop Century and Art of Animation, the running path is around the Hourglass Lake. This is about a 2-mile run but will take you into some less desirable parking areas. It would be very wise to review the map before starting this run. You may even want to pause your music during parts to avoid any issues with people and their cars.

Coronado Springs (although a beautiful resort and one of my faves) did not make the list because the running path is busy around the pool and lobby areas. It is also not very shaded for most of the way. So sorry Coronado.

If there is a favorite path of yours that you did not see listed here, please let me know in the comments! I am always up for new areas of Disney to be explored and would love a jogging adventure on our next trip!