Do Treadmill Miles Wear Shoes Out at the Same Rate as Road Miles?

Ready or not, winter is just around the corner, which means many of the miles you log in the next few months will likely happen indoors. So, do you need to worry about your shoes wearing out as you walk or run on a treadmill? Read on to find out.

“Miles Are Miles”
Whether you prefer pavement or would rather spend time on the treadmill, “miles are miles,” says pro runner Morgan Gonzalez. “Sure, dirt and treadmill running may be a bit more forgiving, but for the average runner, it would be impossible to figure out the varying impact forces and pounding that compresses the cushioning of your running shoes.”

In fact, a study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise journal says there’s essentially no difference in the biomechanics of a runner, whether he’s running on a treadmill or outdoors. Still, some experts stress that when your moving body hits the moving belt of the treadmill, it creates more force on the outsole of your shoes than you’d experience outdoors. You may also be more apt to heel strike while walking or running on a treadmill, placing more pressure on the back of your feet than your toes.

The Best Shoes for the Treadmill
While the variations between treadmill and road running may be minute in terms of biomechanics, you should still take special consideration with your shoes. A study released last December reports that runners fare better on a treadmill wearing minimalist running shoes—that is those with little “drop” between the heel and forefront of the shoe. The rationale? Running on a treadmill in thick, super cushioned running shoes complicates the foot/ground interaction compared with the minimalist style of shoes—and could potentially cause injury.

Don’t want to switch up your shoes just to run on the treadmill? Just be sure your workout shoes fit right and feel comfortable and supportive. Those made with a breathable material will help, too, as you’ll likely encounter more heat in your feet from the belt of the treadmill than you would outdoors.

Walking and Running Shoe Replacement Basics
Even if your shoes stay shiny and clean because you’ve only worn them indoors, you should still keep a watchful eye out for any wear and tear. Gonzalez recommends these simple sensory-based tools to determine when it’s time for a new pair of shoes—no matter what type of surface you run on:

1. Swap your shoes seasonally.

“Replacing your shoes every 300—500 miles is a great starting point, but it can be tedious to track, and differs so much runner to runner. If you aren’t running 50-plus miles a week, consider a new pair seasonally—or four times a year.”

2. Check the tread.

“If the bottom of your shoe looks visibly worn, smooth or deformed, it is likely time for new shoes regardless of how long you’ve worn them.”

3. Have a spare pair.

“By owning two pairs of shoes and rotating them every other workout, you give the cushioning time to rebound and recover, therefore extending the life of your shoes.”

Our Recommendations:

SpeedForm Apollo

If you’re looking for an ultra breathable minimalist shoe, check out the SpeedForm Apollo Vent.

SHOP WOMEN

SHOP MEN

Speedform Gemini

With a seamless upper and Charged Cushioning, the Speedform Gemini is built for a long winter full of miles.

SHOP WOMEN

SHOP MEN

SpeedForm Fortis

If you’re cross-training after your run, check out the Fortis.

SHOP WOMEN

SHOP MEN

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The Beginner’s Guide to MyFitnessPal

Whether you want to lose weight, tone up, get healthy, or just learn a little more about your eating habits, you’ve come to the right place. No matter what goal you’re working toward, MyFitnessPal provides the tools, support and motivation you need to succeed.

Over 100 million people have used MyFitnessPal to live healthier and happier lives.

Getting started is easy. Simply download MyFitnessPal and tell us a little bit about yourself. We’ll provide you with a daily calorie target that’s personalized to help you reach your goals. After that, you’re ready to start tracking.

The key to success on MyFitnessPal is consistent tracking. As you track, you’ll learn about your eating habits and how to make healthier choices. You’ll also gain a better understanding of the impact of exercise on your progress toward your goals. As tracking becomes a habit, you’ll start to see how your healthy habits impact the numbers you see on the scale.

There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re first getting into the habit of tracking on MyFitnessPal:

1. The more you track, the more likely you are to reach your goals.
2. Tracking gets easier the more you do it.
3. It’s always better to track something versus nothing at all.
4. You can start building the habit of tracking by logging one meal at a time.
5. If you can’t find an exact match for what you want to track, just pick something similar.

1. Set Custom Reminders

Set custom reminders so you never forget to track your meals. Choose when you want to be reminded, and we’ll help you remember to track. This is especially helpful when you’re getting into the habit of using MyFitnessPal.

2. Connect Your Apps + Devices

Users who connect their MyFitnessPal account with another health app or device are twice as likely to succeed. We connect with all of your favorites.

3. Add Friends

When you add friends on MyFitnessPal, you have an extra layer of support, motivation and accountability. We give you control over whether your friends can see things like your weight, diary entries and amount of weight lost.

4. Go Premium

MyFitnessPal Premium offers advanced tools (food analysis, macronutrients by gram, quick-add macronutrients), an upgraded experience (ad-free, priority customer support) and more customization (different goals by day, exercise calorie settings, home screen dashboard).

5. Try Our Other Apps

MyFitnessPal is part of Under Armour Connected Fitness, a suite of apps that work together to seamlessly deliver a 360-degree view of your nutrition and fitness. Try one of our other apps including: MapMyFitness, MapMyRun, MapMyWalk, MapMyRide, Under Armour Record and Endomondo.

1. Save Your Favorite Meals

Whether it’s yogurt and granola for breakfast, celery and peanut butter for a snack or a turkey sandwich for lunch, many of our users eat the same meals over and over. Save your favorite meals so you can add them to your diary with one click.

2. Search the Database

We have the biggest food database in the world. With over 6 million foods and more being added every day, you should find what you want to log. And, just in case you don’t, we give you the ability to add foods directly to our database.

High-tech tip: Look for the    when you search for a food. This icon appears next to items in our database that we believe have complete nutrition information.

3. Try the Barcode Scanner

Simply scan a food’s barcode to enter it into your diary. It’s that easy.

4. Use the Recipe Tool

Our recipe tool lets you save recipes from anywhere on the web without having to manually add each ingredient. If you have a recipe that you don’t know nutrition information for, you can easily calculate it using this tool.

1. Tap Complete Diary

When you’re done tracking for the day, be sure to tap the Complete Diary button. This will give you feedback on how the choices you made during the day impacted your progress toward your goals.

2. Update Your Weight

As your weight changes, so will your calorie and macronutrient goals so it’s important to update your weight at least weekly. Be sure to weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time, in the same clothes.

3. Visit the Progress Screen

The progress screen has graphs and charts of your progress over time. This can help you identify healthy changes you can make to your eating habits and exercise routine.

4. Reflect on Non-Scale Victories

Not all victories happen on the scale. Did you climb the stairs with ease? Skip the donuts at work? Reduce your blood pressure? Make sure you’re reflecting on how your healthy habits are having a positive impact on your life.

If you’re interested in learning more about MyFitnessPal, nutrition, exercise or how to reach your goals, try these MyFitnessPal-approved resources:

Hello Healthy

Hello Healthy is our healthy living blog. Here you’ll find articles with helpful tips and information about eating, moving, living and learning.

Nutrition 101 Series

Nutrition can be complicated, so we break down the basics for you in this infographic series. Learn more about calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

Community Forums

Connect with other people who are working toward similar goals in the MyFitnessPal Community Forums. Whether you have questions about getting started, losing weight or staying motivated, you’ll find answers in the forums.

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Baked Oatmeal Cups

Make your morning less hectic by preparing baked oatmeal cups in advance. You never have to go hangry in the morning because you can walk out the door with a balanced breakfast! Just add fruit and protein-packed Greek yogurt then chomp into your oatmeal cups.

Baked Oatmeal Cups

Ingredients

• 1 medium (120 grams) banana, mashed
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/4 cups (100 grams) rolled oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 large (30 grams) egg white 
• 1 1/2 cup (370 grams) plain Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 cup (185 grams) fresh berries 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C). Then, spray muffin tin cups with cooking spray.

Mix the first four ingredients together until well-combined. Use a 1/4 cup measure to portion mixture into muffin tins. Press the mixture into muffin tin with the flat side of a spoon or with your fingers.

Bake the oatmeal cups for about 15 minutes or until the edges are brown. Allow to cool before handling. Serve with 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup fresh berries.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 6 | Serving Size: 1 muffin sized granola cup  + 1/4 cup plain yogurt + 1/4 cup fresh berries

Per serving: Calories: 160; Total Fat: 1g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 3mg; Sodium: 34mg; Carbohydrate: 31g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 18g; Protein: 9g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 173mg; Iron: 5%; Vitamin A: 1%; Vitamin C: 9%; Calcium: 7% 

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What’s Better for Athletic Performance: Carbs or Fat?

We all know adequate nutrition is a big component of athletic performance, particularly for the serious athlete. When it comes to fueling for things like endurance races or high-intensity sports, carbohydrates have long been the primary fuel source of choice. Recently, however, some professional athletes have made headlines for, quite literally, going against the grain––trading carbohydrates for fat to fuel everything from 50-mile runs to cross-court sprints. Not surprisingly, this has many sports-minded individuals wondering just what is better for performance, carbohydrates or fat.

How Carbohydrates Compare to Fat During Exercise
While the body can store both carbohydrates and fat, when it comes to converting these nutrients into energy, carbohydrates are by far the fastest and most efficient form, which is why they’re great for fueling athletic performance.

Fat, on the other hand, is a slower-burning fuel. As duration increases and/or intensity decreases, the utilization of fat as an energy source increases at the cost of speed and intensity.

The body’s fat stores are almost limitless in relation to available carbohydrate stores. This makes fat an attractive fuel choice for endurance exercise like long-distance runs, bike rides and swims. How well your body can use fat during exercise depends on how athletically conditioned you are.

Can Fat Adaptation Improve Performance?
It’s been well established that, with training, the body becomes better at using fat for fuel, and in 2004, the Australian Institute of Sport concluded that even in the short term, the body can adapt to a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet by burning more fat during exercise.

However, according to Louise Burke, researcher and head of sports nutrition at the Australian Sports Commission, research hasn’t yet shown that extremely high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets (also known as ketogenic diets) actually enhance sports performance.

In fact, these studies generally show that high-fat diets impede athletic performance during high-intensity exercise such as sprints, and lead to an increase in perceived exertion, meaning those sprints felt harder. It seems, in these circumstances, nothing beats those fast-burning carbohydrate stores for fuel.

To date, the vast majority of studies looking at fat adaptation and performance are small in size and lack consistency in defining these “high-fat” and “low-carb” diets, weakening both sides of the argument for and against fat-adapted training. It also makes the findings less actionable to the average person looking to tweak their diet to improve performance. More research is needed in larger, more diverse populations before the final verdict on fat adaptation, and whether or not it can improve or even sustain one’s performance, is reached.

It is best to stick with the sports-nutrition strategy that is evidenced-based, which is adequate nutrition from carbohydrates, protein and fat, keeping in mind your needs are dependent on type of sport, sex and environmental conditions. Inadequate nutrition can result in muscle loss, increased fatigue and prolonged recovery, making you more susceptible to injury and illness.

Fueling with Carbohydrates or Fat: What Is the Best Strategy?
If you’re looking to optimize your performance, it’s wise to stick with the sports-nutrition strategies that have been consistently backed by research. Carbohydrates are converted into energy by muscles faster and more efficiently than fat, proving why they’ve been the go-to fuel of choice for so many athletes for so long now.

Every sports-nutrition plan should be individualized, however, as one person will respond differently than others. For this reason, you may want to experiment with different carb-to-fat ratios and see how it impacts your performance and overall health. Whether you’re a recreational or serious athlete, a sports dietitian can help tailor a nutrition plan to meet your individual needs.

One last thing to keep in mind: If you’re an athlete or someone who is concerned with performance, when you eat your calories is just as important as what and how many calories. Not eating enough or eating a low-quality diet can result in muscle loss, increased fatigue and prolonged recovery. As far as timing goes, the important windows for thinking about fueling for performance are: 3–4 days, 24 hours and 4 hours before training or competition. Additionally, spreading your caloric intake throughout the day is ideal to help maintain lean body mass, reduce body fat and have the energy you need to get through your training session and competition well fueled.

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4 Indoor Cardio Routines that Are More Effective and Fun than the Treadmill

If the treadmill has you dreading your cardio time (did you know it was actually designed to be a torture device in the 1800s?), it may be time to shake things up a bit.

The good news is that running on a loop to nowhere isn’t the only way to burn extra calories; there are plenty of other successful ways to burn fat and build your fitness level at the same time.

Here are 4 indoor cardio routines to consider including in your regular workout rotation:

11-Minute HIIT

What it is: A short but sweet high-intensity interval training (aka HIIT) cardio workout that’s over in 11 minutes flat. Get ready to work hard during the intervals (not to worry; low-impact options are included), and it will be over before you know it.

Why you need it: Including HIIT-style training into your cardio routine could be just what you need to bust out of a rut and break through a plateau. The higher intensity of these intervals means you will see better results in half the time (just make sure to include HIIT as part of a balanced workout plan to avoid overtraining), making this routine the perfect sub for your usual 30 minutes on the treadmill—especially for days when you’re pressed for time.

15-Minute Kickboxing for Weight Loss

What it is: A basic, drill-based kickboxing session that engages the entire body for an allover cardio and conditioning workout.

Why you need it: It’s a cardio blast that not only works core muscles in your abs, back, shoulders, arms and legs, but it also helps develop coordination, agility, speed and power. Oh, and it’s the perfect way to blow off some steam after a long day.

25-Minute Cardio Boot-Camp Boogie

What it is: This cardio session isn’t your typical boot camp (you won’t see any burpees or squat thrusts here), but the speed, agility and quickness of these moves will help you improve your fitness level and get your sweat on.

Why you need it: The quick directional changes and footwork in this routine help you build coordination while you burn calories.

30-Minute Cardio Ball Blast

What it is: A unique cardio workout that incorporates the use of a small playground ball to amp up the moves and build core strength and coordination.

Why you need it: This one is a great calorie burner, and the added element of the small ball (or similar small object) helps to develop hand-eye coordination, which is important for both a healthy body and brain.

For more fun ways to burn off calories at home (sans the treadmill), don’t miss my “Walk On: 5 Fat Burning Miles” DVD. This program includes a customizable mile menu that allows you to design your own personal cardio session every time you use it—no equipment required.

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Cranberry Turkey Roll-Up

Cranberry turkey roll-ups are as colorful as they are convenient. Just roll up lean sliced turkey breast with crisp veggies and cheese. The secret kick is in the sweet cranberry sauce, which you can buy at the store or make at home.

Cranberry Turkey Roll-Up

Ingredients

• 4 (10-inch) 100% whole-grain tortillas (about 190 calories each)
• 1/2 cup (140 grams) canned whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 12 thin slices (12 ounces or 340 grams) deli turkey breast
• 2 medium (240 grams) tomatoes, halved and sliced
• 12 small lettuce leaves, washed
• 4 slices (4 ounces or 115 grams) Swiss cheese, halved

Directions

Lay out 1 tortilla on a large plate, and microwave for 10–20 seconds. This will soften it, making it easier for you to roll.

Spread 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce in the center of the tortilla wrap. Layer turkey slices, tomatoes, lettuce leaves and cheese on the wrap. Leave 1–2 inches on the sides of the tortilla.

To create your roll-up, fold in the sides of your tortilla, then tightly roll toward the top.

Top with deli sliced turkey, sliced tomatoes, lettuce leaves and cheese. Fold in the sides of the tortilla, then roll tightly toward the top. Repeat to create 3 more rolls. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

When you’re ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and slice into 4–6 roll-ups.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 roll (makes 4-6 roll-ups each)

Per serving: Calories: 392; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 50mg; Sodium: 862mg; Carbohydrate: 36g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 30g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 531mg; Iron: 18%; Vitamin A: 29%; Vitamin C: 46%; Calcium: 28%

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12 Tips for a More Healthful Holiday Season

I love everything about the holidays, especially festive decorations, good food, friends & family gatherings and gift giving! But, as you know, all that decorating, baking, socializing and holiday shopping can be a serious drain on time and energy, which can easily have negative consequences on our sleep, exercise and eating habits.

The holidays are brief, so we should certainly enjoy them, but part of that enjoyment should come from making ourselves and our health a priority too. To help us all get through the next 3 weeks, I put together these 12 tips for a healthier holiday season:

1. Make sure yule log! Logging food and exercise keeps us accountable, but it can be slightly more burdensome, and maybe even a little bit scary this time of year with all of those tempting holiday party hors d’oeuvres, desserts and cocktails around. Taking the extra minute or two to log those Pigs in a Blanket and that pomegranate martini in MyFitnessPal can allow you to better budget those calories and plan an extra workout in advance, so you can stay on top of your goals!

2. Take a weight loss vacation. If weight loss is a goal of yours, put it on the back burner during the holidays. Just aim not to gain any weight instead! In the grand scheme of things, taking a short amount of time off from trying to lose weight won’t hurt, but being overly ambitious in the face of all these holiday indulgences might be just discouraging enough to make you give up altogether. Go on, readjust your goals in MyFitnessPal and enjoy the bump in calories! You can pick back up on losing weight in January.

3. Sign up for a New Year’s race. Whether you’re a walker, jogger, cycler, swimmer or triathlete, there are lots of races happening during the holidays. New Year’s Day races are great because training will keep you active during the hectic holiday season. Sign up friends and family members for more fun, support and motivation! Just search the web for a New Year’s Day race near you!

4. Put new workout gear on your gift wish list. It sounds superficial but nice workout gear really can make you feel better during a workout, and be an incentive to get you moving. Those breathable, comfortable and flattering fabrics can get pricey though, which is why adding them to your gift wish list is a win-win. Your friends and family will enjoy giving you the gift of better health and you’ll enjoy exercising more!

5. Plan 1 active outing for every holiday celebration. While you’re adding those holiday parties and dinners to the calendar, pencil 1 active outing into your schedule as well. Participate in a holiday race, coordinate a family hike or sign up for a special workout class with a friend before the party begins!

6. Earn your treats before you indulge. Treats aren’t really enjoyable if they just leave you feeling guilty afterwards. Eat healthfully the day before heading out to that holiday party or work up a sweat before sitting down to a big holiday meal. You’ll likely enjoy what you eat even more if you know you’ve earned it!

7. Sleep more. Sleep deprivation literally messes with your mind and your appetite. When deprived of sleep, the body produces more ghrelin, a”hunger hormone” that increases your desire to eat… and eat… and eat. Simply by getting enough sleep your body will better regulate those hunger cues all on its own, which will make it easier for you to moderate your consumption of those tasty, holiday appetizers and desserts.

8. Remix your own recipes. We all have our own holiday dish traditions, but sometimes making just one simple ingredient swap or poking around the internet for a healthier version of your favorite recipe can make a huge difference, without sacrificing flavor. Cooking Light has over 15,000 delicious dishes in their recipe vaults, many of which are remixed versions of our favorite, sinful dishes. Want to try an ingredient swap yourself? Check out these 83 Healthy Recipe Substitutions from our friends at Greatist.

9. Weigh-in weekly. The point isn’t to obsess over every pound or two, but crossing paths with a scale once a week can be used as an early warning system for preventing weight gain. In one study, 75% of individuals who had successfully maintained weight loss weighed themselves weekly. If you don’t own or don’t like using a scale, a well-fitting pair of pants can give you just as much insight. Since muscle weighs more than fat, noticing how your pants fit might even be a better way to gauge if those workouts are helping you tone up and slim down.

10. Don’t wait until January to start exercising. It’s been shown that frequent exercise usually drops to its lowest point in the month of December. This makes now the perfect time to get to know your way around a new gym, find an exercise class you love and introduce yourself to a new trainer. Less people will be exercising, which means you’ll get more attention! Getting your foot in the door will give you a jump-start, and an advantage over all those folks trying to make good on their New Year’s resolutions. Plus, exercising during the holidays is a great way to relieve stress and offset those extra holiday treats.

11. Listen to your tummy. Our bodies have an amazing ability to regulate food intake, if we actually listen to them! If you overindulge at a holiday feast, hold off on eating until you truly feel hungry again. Don’t eat just because there’s only one slice of pie left on the table, or because your Christmas brunch begins at 10AM, sharp. If you’re not hungry, sip on some tea or coffee while everyone else digs in, and make yourself a small plate for later. It’ll be there when your tummy grumbles!

12. Focus on food & fitness Monday through Friday. You’re probably already on a schedule during the week so build as many healthy meals and workouts into your usual weekday routine. This will give you a little wiggle room, and an excuse to indulge or kick back and relax a bit more on the weekend!

I hope you find these helpful. Have a very happy and healthy holiday season!

What other tips or tricks do you have for staying focused on your personal health and happiness during the holidays? Share them with us in the comments below!

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