Your Cheeky Health Freak

Q: Any tips on how to break the mental block on running? I can do it, I’m fully capable, but I tend to mentally give up very easily.

KZ: Running. Just reading or hearing the word is enough to send people into a frantic tirade of excuses. You say you are fully capable of running, which makes many people jealous. Just strain your Achilles tendon, sprain an ankle, feel the sharp pain of shin splints, or pull a hamstring and then running really becomes impossible. When I was running with the wrong shoe, I strained my IT band, causing pain in my knee so horrible that I had to stop running for a few weeks. It was then that I missed the results and the “high” so much that I realized I’d never take the ability to run for granted again.

Here are some keys to becoming a happy runner:

Correct footwear. Don’t buy a shoe based on color, how it works with your gym wardrobe or the fact that it syncs up with your iPod. Go to a proper running store like Fleet Feet where the staff is trained to look at your running stride and help you find a shoe that feels so great when you put it on that you’ll want to run right then and there. I wear Mizunos – and since switching from the swoosh, I haven’t had a single injury.

Make an appointment or meeting with yourself to run. Let’s say you want to do a nice 30 minute run – commit those 30 minutes to nothing else. It’s so easy to get on the treadmill and start mentally coming up with things you should be doing: “I really have to do laundry…Shoot! I needed stamps…I should call my mom back.” Instead, focus on the way you will feel after the run: healthy and refreshed.

Run outside. If you run outside, you’ve got to get back – the only way to do that is to run home. Most times when I’m dreading a run, once I get to Castaways, my body has warmed up and I’m good to go.

Music or TV. It’s proven that runners who listen to tunes while they run can go the distance longer than those who don’t. I keep a mix of songs on my iPod that I update weekly – and I only allow myself to hear them when I run. If I’m dying for a little Kings Of Leon – I’ll throw on my headphones and go for a jog. You’re going to watch The City anyway – why not ask the nice people at the gym to put the TV on your station and sweat it out to MTV.

A running buddy. My friend, Aaron, and I – both new to running – made Sunday morning run dates. At 9 am, we’d do three miles no matter how hungover or tired either of us felt. Knowing that I couldn’t let my partner down – I always showed up on time.

Q: Any advice on how to get better abs and shrink my midsection?

KZ: The midsection (aka – beer belly, gut, muffintop) is one of the toughest parts to tone. When you lose weight, it starts from the top and goes down. First, your face leans out – then your arms, butt and thighs. Through the process, your belly will also shrink, but it’s impossible to target just one area. It’s a true prize to have great abs because they are so darn tough to get, but here are a few tips on how to be topless in a flash:

Cut the carbs. Yes, sugar turns to calories, which love to hang out in the middle of your body.

No salt. And I don’t mean just put down the shaker. Many packaged meals and soups are loaded with sodium. Nuts like almonds make great snacks, but not the salted kind – those will make you retain water faster than you can say “my jeans feel tight.”

Water. I know – water isn’t easy to take down for some people. But it’s key in not only having great abs, but also weight loss in general. Aim to drink three liters a day.

Drinking. Sorry – this is really tough for most men to hear, but beer must go.

Train your entire core. Obviously, we now know that crunches alone won’t get you washboard abs. You need to incorporate the lower back and oblique muscles as well.