This story is aimed at the ladies. Guys, you can feel free to tune in to the next post/newsletter.

I know I missed National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October), but this is an issue that needs to be addressed. Ladies, you’ve got to protect the girls. By “girls” I mean your breasts. As athletes, our breasts can really take a pounding. Research has shown that when we run or workout, they move in all sorts of directions, move independently of each other, and move at all sorts of speeds. If we do not have an excellent sports bra, our exercising may result in early sag because the tissue and ligaments that support and give the breasts shape have been damaged.

Bra shopping is one of my least favorite activities. but, when it comes time for a new sports bra, I take shopping for one very seriously. When shopping for a sports bra, grab a few that meet the impact level you need (yoga=low, running=high)  and head to the dressing room. When you put the bra on, be sure all of the breast tissue is in the cups. This may involve bending over as you put the bra on then standing up, using your hands to move the tissue into the cups, and making other adjustments. If all of the tissue will not fit into the cup (no bulging on the outside or inside) you need to go to a larger cup size.

After all the breast tissue is settled into the cups, start jumping around. Jog in place. Yes, I’m serious (I see you laughing out there). You want to see how much your girls move. If it fits, but doesn’t stabilize the girls, the bra isn’t doing the job it needs to. In my book, I want a bra where the girls only move a tiny bit or not at all. If they move more than that, that is not the bra for me. I keep trying bras on until I find one I like. This process can take a while. Once I find a bra I like, I stick with it. My current favorite is the Maia from Moving Comfort. However, you need to find a bra that works for you and your level of activity.

With a good fitting bra, you and your girls will be happy and perky for many years!

One of the great things about interns is that they give me tips on new products I have not seen yet. Honestly, there are so many new products available at grocery stores, it is impossible to keep up with them. One of my interns told me about Emerald’s Cocoa Roast Almonds. They are roasted almonds that are dusted with cocoa powder. It is just enough cocoa powder to give a chocolate flavor that is a perfect blend with the almonds.

One ounce of the cocoa roasted almonds give you 150 calories, 13 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbohydrates, and 6 grams of protein. This is a lot of calories in a small space, so you do need to be careful with them. Just because they are nuts does not mean you can eat as much as you want.

I have found they make a nice, filling snack (because of the mix of protein, carbohydrates, and fat) particularly after dinner when I’m looking for a taste of chocolate.

Give them a try and let me know what you think!