Everyone knows about counting calories because as women, we're raised to strive to reach for an unattainable body type. So many have starved themselves, binged, or felt unworthy in the skin they were in. When you hear the word diet, we don't think about all the food that we put into our body to fuel it...which is what a diet is. Instead, we think about all the things we restrict ourselves with or what we shouldn't eat. Getting a metabolic efficiency test was EYE OPENING. We were able to pinpoint where I'm most efficient as a runner and how I can train to run even more efficiently. I learned about why it's important to pay attention to the ratios of protein, fiber and fat in every meal and how to fuel my body so that I can run my personal best. Anyone who has ever given everything towards a goal knows how huge of a sacrifice it is. Last year, I struggled with muscle cramps both during training and during the NYC Marathon. My coach Rebeka Stowe and physical therapist Michael Conlon both suggested I get a sweat test so that I can see exactly how much salt I and sweat I lose on the run to get precise about my fueling. Luckily, at Finish Line Physical Therapy, you can get both an Advanced Salt Test and a Metabolic Efficiency Test. What is an advanced sweat test and a metabolic efficiency test? An advanced sweat test is two-fold: First, Nicci tests the concentration of sodium you lose in your sweat. Turns out, it's genetically determined and varies greatly from one person to the next. (Turns out I'm a below average salty sweater but a really, really heavy sweater.) Then, she had me weigh myself before and after a run to figure out my sweat rate. Then, that number combined with my specific concentration of sodium lost yield an exact fueling strategy for my runs! A metabolic efficiency test is ideal to help you determine if your current nutritional strategies are helping or hurting your performance. You will find out how your body utilizes fats and carbohydrates as fuel and learn how many calories you really need for your next race. For more info, check out Nicci's website http://elevatebynicci.com/or pop into to Finish Line Physical Therapy (http://FinishLinePT.com) to learn more. To support the Run, Selfie, Repeat podcast, become a patron of my Patreon page! CLICK HERE http://bit.ly/2xeJuDv to learn more.