Hey Lovelies!

Hey lovelies, first, I’m so sorry for the hiatus! I really am. However I’ve been super busy with my other blog, and training my horses, and a whole list of excuses that really mean nothing. On the bright side, Running Sole Girl is back, and will be better than ever. I’m currently in the process of completely re-branding my other blog (allysmusiclens.com), and switching it to this blog.

What does this mean for you?

Simple, it means I’m re-focusing my attention to Running Sole Girl, and giving it the attention it deserves.

This next part is copied from the post my other blog AML  that announced part of the up-coming changes. You lovelies are actually getting an exclusive bit of news, because I haven’t announced the name change on the other blog yet. That’s tomorrow’s announcement exclusively on the Facebook Page.

New Content Categories:

“Health & Fitness : 

A few years ago, I actually had a fitness blog, and I loved it, but it came to the point where I wanted to talk about more than just fitness, motivation, etc. I also had the blog during the time my mom was going through her battle with Leukemia (she’s still in remission!), and so I dropped the blog to help my mom out as much as I could. However I want to get back to my blogger roots.

I miss that part of the blogging community, filled with people who have the same passion as me to help people become the fittest and healthiest they can be.

I’ll be posting workouts of my own, motivation, health & fitness tips, de-bunking some “trendy” tips, etc. I’m really excited about this topic.

Samples: Routine | Facts | Fun Exercises | Stretches 

Recipes : 

I love cooking, and baking things, and I want to share those recipes with you lovelies. Especially since I have a milk allergy, and most dairy-free recipes suck. I’m sorry, but a majority of the ones I’ve tried, aren’t the best.

I’ll be posting recipes for: smoothies, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, and just food in general. You know any type of recipe for whatever type of food.

Samples | PB Smoothie | Banana Oat Smoothie

Making The Old New:

Blogging Tips : 

This topic isn’t new for the blog, but I’m continuing it. You lovelies seem to really love the posts, as they typically have the highest views, and I really love sharing the information I’ve learned over the seven years of blogging… wow it’s been seven years since my first blog. Excuse me while I go find a walker to help me get around, because apparently 2008 was seven years ago.

I want to expand the blogging tips into social media tips, design tips, etc. Just really covering everything you need to know to have a great blog.

Blogging Tips Category

My Thoughts : 

I want to broaden this topic. So far I’ve really only done posts on body-shaming (Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3). All of which are some of my top posts, and they almost always have some of the highest views compared to the other posts the month they’re posted.

Tea Talk / Inspiration : 

Tea Talk is the little post series that covers my life posts. Anytime I do an update on what I’ve been up to I’ve been calling them Tea Talk. Essentially it’s what I would talk about over tea with friends.

Last Tea Talk

Inspiration posts are like my monthly favorites, pins I’m loving, and Instagram/Pump-up round-up posts. Basically just a round-up of the things that have been inspiring me, or that I’ve been loving at the moment.

July Favorites | Pins I’m Loving | Instagram/Pump-up Round-up“

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I hope you lovelies are excited! I am, but I’m also super nervous.

The best way to keep up with the news on the blog switching thing?

Social media. I’m talking about the entire process on all of my social media. Links to all of them below.

Comment below your thoughts on the upcoming changes.

Until I blog again,

Ally

Instagram | Facebook Page | Twitter

 

Thoughts Every Runner Has When Running

One of my friends sent me this video, and to be completely honest I’ve never seen something as true as this when it comes to the thoughts runners have while running. Therefore I figured I would share it with you lovely people.

Hope you guys enjoyed.

Thanks for reading,

Ally

Daily Motivation

7 Facts About Your Muscles

Ever wondered about your muscles? What they’re made of? Well I did a bit of research and found 7 facts about our muscles that’ll help you understand more about your muscles.

1. Your muscles can actually be up to 70% water. So when you work out, you should always carry some water with you to keep them hydrated. Plus make sure to get your daily amount of water in ounces, which is approximately half of your body weight. For example if you weigh 140lbs. you should try to get 70 ounces of water.

2. Muscle tissue makes up about 30-40 percent of your body weight. So make sure to keep this in mind before jumping to conclusions when you jump on the scale. Because when you’re exercising and/or lifting weights regularly it’s more than likely you gaining muscle, not fat.

3. For every pound of muscle, the average person can actually burn up to an extra 50 calories.

4. Using heavier weights in your exercise won’t necessarily make your muscles stronger. In order to make strength gains, practicing good form is everything to actually building muscle.

5. Even though you can’t target weight loss, you can actually spot tone certain muscles. Just do workouts that are specific for the area you want to work on (shoulders, abs, legs, etc.), and you’ll start seeing in no time.

6. Did you know that a single step uses almost 200 different muscles? It true, some include your hamstrings, quads, iliacus, and psos major and minor.

7. Your muscles actually memorize movement patterns. What does this mean? It means if you take a break from the gym- planned or not -all your body needs is a few warm-up exercises to remember how to get into the swing of things.

 

Thanks for reading,

Ally

 

Daily Motivation

Running isn’t a sport for pretty boys/girls… It’s about the sweat in your hair and the blisters on your feet. It’s the frozen spit on your chin and the nausea in your gut. It’s about throbbing calves and cramps at midnight that are strong enough to wake the dead. It’s about getting out the door and running when the rest of the world is only dreaming about having the passion that you need to live each …and every day with. It’s about being on a lonely road and running like a champion even when there’s not a single soul in sight to cheer you on. Running is all about having the desire to train and preserver until every fiber in your legs, mind, and heart is turned to steel. And when you’ve finally forged hard enough, you will have become the best runner you can be. And that’s all that you can ask for.

– Paul Maurer

Your Body On: Diet Soda

I see many people who are trying to lose weight that drink diet soda like it’s water, but what they don’t know is that diet soda can actually make you gain more weight than regular soda. So in my opinion, if I still drank pop, I would rather have the one that actually tastes good with the 150 calories than the one that tastes horrible for 0 calories. Plus not only does it make you gain weight more than regular pop, but it’s not good for your body… like at all. So here is what your body does/is like on diet soda.

Teeth:

Downing 3 or more diet sodas a day ups your risk of tooth decay, thanks to the super high acidity level.

Mood

Drinking 4 or more cans a day makes you 30% more likely to develop depression.

Heart:

A daily diet soda increases heart attack risk by 43%, finds a 2012 study.

Metabolic Syndrome:

Daily diet-soda consumption causes a 36% rise in the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Weight:

Each daily serving of diet soda ups your risk of obesity by 41%.

Kidneys:

Drinking at least 2 diet sodas per day is linked to double the risk of kidney disease, finds a study of 3,000 women.

Reproduction:

Soda bottles and cans typically contain the chemical BPA, which may alter hormones and decrease fertility.

Diabetes:

Drinking at least 1 diet soda every day is associated with a 67% greater risk of type 2 diabetes.

 

Thank you guys for reading,

Ally

 

10 Ways to Lose Belly Fat

One key area that everyone wants to trim down is their midsection, and although you can try doing crunches all day long, it isn’t going to do anything unless you do some changing in other areas of your life. Therefore because of that I’ve compiled up some ways that can help you trim down your midsection.

1.  Inflammation and Bloating

Eliminate food that may be causing inflammation and bloating in your body. Avoid foods like fake butters, processed wheat, soy, corn, and vegetable oils.

2. Quit Drinking Toxins

Most soft drinks contain sugar, high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners, all of which contribute to increased belly fat.

3. Stop Ingesting Pesticides

If you can’t find all of your fruits and vegetables from a local source or organic, look for the ones that been found to have the highest pesticides and only buy organically.

4. Don’t Eat as Many Grains

Although there are many grains that offer a very good nutritional value, they just might be the culprits in holding on to your belly fat. Only have 1-2 servings of grains like rice, quinoa, millet and amaranth each day.

5. Know your Body’s Response to Dairy

Many people are unaware that they actually have a intolerance to cows milk, and therefore continue to drink it everyday. Switch to soy, almond, or goats milk for all of your milk needs and see a bit of a difference in your belly.

6. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Making sure your body has enough water is important to create an ideal environment to burn fat, especially around your belly.

7. Strengthen Your Core

One of the best exercises to help strengthen your midsection is the plank. Get down on your forearms and toes and HOLD. It’s a super simple exercise to add to your daily routine.

8. Ditch Grain Fed Meats and Go To Grass Fed

Grass meats are naturally higher in fat and fight omega-3 fats and Conjugated Linoleic Acid, both found to increase fat burning all around the body.

9. Increase Your Intake of Organic, Unrefined Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has been referred to as an actual miracle worker as it is one of the only foods that can naturally increase your metabolic rate. This in turn leads to more excess fat burned off of the body.

10. Try to Decrease Some Stress in Your Life

Of course there is no way to just stop stressing about things in your life, but you should try to de-stress everyday. Try a yoga class, meditating, saying NO to so many commitments, or you can do what I do and go for a run. Increased levels of stress has actually been shown to be one of the leading causes of stubborn belly fat

 

Thanks for reading,

Ally

How To: Start Running

I remember when I started running and I wasn’t quite sure where to start, and I know that there are people who are probably in that same place that I was. Which is why I’ve come up with this little compilation of things that you should know/do before you start running.

1. Check with your doctor

If you’ve never run before, it’s important to make sure that there aren’t any underlying conditions that will make it unsafe for you to starts. Schedule a physical and go over your plans for running with your doctor so she/he can sign off or give you and recommendations regarding exercise.

2. Don’t just buy any shoe

There are tons are super cute sneakers out there, but just because a pair might be your favorite color doesn’t mean it’s suitable for your foot. Instead of shopping online for a super cute pair, go to a specialty running shoe store to your gait analyzed, and measure your foot for the right size, this is important since sometimes running shoes need to be bigger than your normal shoe size.

3. Sign up for a short race

If you’re new to running, you should try to find a beginner-friendly race that will keep you accountable and help you chart your progress. Fun runs like The Color Run and 5Ks are perfect ways to get excited about running and having a good time while you’re at it.

4. Have a plan

If you’ve signed up for a 5K, be sure to also find a beginner’s 5K plan (like the Couch to 5K app) this will help ease you into running so you don’t get injured. Because nothing is worse than a sprained ankle that will stop you from running for about 4-6 weeks (I know, I have one now). However if you’re just wanting to run 30 minutes straight (about the time needed to run a 5K), this eight-week beginner running plan is made for you.

5. Walk it out

If you’ve never run, or it’s been awhile since you’ve last done so, you’re going to have to work your way up to sustain a jog for an extended period of time. So instead of overexerting yourself straining to run a mile, start out with smaller goals, like running nonstop for one to five minutes and then walking a little until you catch your breath.

6. Stick to a schedule

If you’re actually serious about becoming a runner, practice makes perfect. You won’t see improvements unless you’re consistent. Try to fit in at least three runs a week to see improvements before you know it.

7. Go with a friend

A friend with a similar or slightly faster pace can help you push yourself as you get better at your running. Plus, starting a new exercise routine with someone who’s similarly motivated will keep you accountable on those days you just want to completely skip. If your friends aren’t as enthusiastic about running as you are, keep an eye out for a beginner running club at shoes stores, gyms, or your local community center.

8. Stretch after every run

Many aches and pains can be prevented by just stretching after a run. It’s important to stretch after a run to help work the lactic acid out of your muscles. To keep your muscles from being too tight, make sure you stretch after every run with these cooldown stretches in order to help with muscle soreness and to loosen tight ares that can pull your joints and cause injury

Thanks for reading,

Ally

 

Daily Motivation

15 Convincing Reasons to Start Running

Running can be a lot tougher than it seems, trust me and every other runner out there. Because we all had to start somewhere. Due to running being especially hard when you start out, I found 15 pretty convincing reasons to start running. If I wasn’t already a runner this list would make me want to be one. So here are reasons to run:

1. Make new friends

2. Save some cash

3. Eat more carbs

4. Live longer

5. Bring sexy back

6. Boost memory

7. Get a natural glow

8. Improve self-esteem

9. Get an energy boost

10. Bond with furry friends

11. Carve that core

12. Sleep better

13. Say goodbye to stress

14. Be one with nature

15. Increase stamina

And if that doesn’t convince you, this might:

Women reduce their risk of breast cancer by up to 30%

Research shows runner who do intervals have more fun running

Running for an hour a week can reduce the risk of heart disease

Just one running session can increase energy and chip away at fatigue

Regular exercise might actually remodel the brain, making it calmer and more stress resistant

Now if by any chance these reasons didn’t convince you, you check out a similar post I did that had even more reasons to run. You can check that post out here.

Thank you for reading,

Ally