Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from the Binkovitz Family!
As you make your resolutions come alive, consider family activities: ski trips, walks, community walk/runs, local ice skating open skates, swim sessions, winter nature hikes, and indoor activities like dancing to those old albums from high school!

Stress Relief!

It's cold (well, cool), and grey, and the days are short (but getting longer!). Who doesn't need some stress relief? If the day seems filled with tedium, you may benefit from some motivational materials - including podcasts and an email newsletter, "The Chain of Pain." It might be a good time to watch some episodes of the TV show, "The Office." Motivation is a big part of fitness - but laughter may be even better!

Grammy Time!

As you get ready for the Grammy Awards, consider running movies. Find the latest news and a suggestion for a good running movie at runningmovies.com.

Time to Enjoy That Left-Over Chocolate!

While holiday eating can add unwanted weight, it is also pleasurable - and may even have some benefits. If you're a fan of chocolate, consider the news about benefits for aging blood vessels. The theobromine in chocolate also acts in a manner similar to caffeine and may serve as an ergogenic aid as well! Of course, you have to consider chocolate in the context of your entire diet - including factoring in the fat and calories. If you're still game and you didn't score much chocolate over the holidays, try Daffin's Candies - an athlete brought me a sample - well, OK, more than a sample - and it is wonderful!

Did you resolve to eat more fruits & veggies?

Love to eat? Does it seem that everything you like is less than nutritious? Veggies can be delicious - and make terrific comfort food - at home or out at a restaurant. Check out the veggie page of this fun blog (good restaurant info, too).

Heard the latest nutrition info? Yeah, raw, fresh vegetables are good for you, but now you can feel virtuous eating cooked carrots - recent research reveals that cooking makes the vitamins more bio-available. The salt in your cooking water can also reduce the osmotic flow of nutrients from the vegetable into the water (some people use the water, so they don't lose the nutrients).

NPR had a feature on nutrients in different plants - contemporary compared with heritage plants.

It's time to start thinking about CSA subscriptions, too. I used to have one at Far Corners farm, but they no longer offer that service. Let me know if you have CSA suggestions.

Get on the Treadmill!

Treadmills are good supplements to outdoor running, but they give a very different experience, emphasizing hip flexors and de-emphasizing the backward push as the belt carries the leg back. It is also difficult to use for backward running. This group apparently didn't find that to be a problem. Take a look at this video.