Thursday, February 26th, 2009 at
3:15 pm
A person doesn’t need a fancy gym membership to be sound or stay fit. With some creativity and some effort, you can shift earthly everyday burdens into swift bursts of exercise. With our present-day delicate economy, we must do everything to put each and every hard-earned buck to ample use.
Fiscal standings are a typical excuse for people who don’t want to enhance their weight and wellness. The fact is they are just too indolent to come up with a resolution. They are just looking for excuses to rationalize their inadequacy of momentum to be slim. If you honestly want something done, you’ll definitely find a way to realize it no matter what, and getting fit is no exception.
Below are a number of tips where you can merge work out into your day-to-day lives. Please remember to check with your doctor first before carrying on any physical exercise. Having a decent pair of running shoes would be helpful as well.
Walk to school if you live just a few blocks away. Stretch your legs and put them to ample use rather than driving your car or taking a taxicab. Not only will you rid of calories, you will conserve on petrol as well. Park several blocks away from your office and walk the rest of the way if it is too a long way to walk from your house.
Take advantage of the stairs by getting out a few levels below yours. Better yet, climb the stairs all the way!
Parks and jogging tracks are your friends. Parks are commonly free of cost to use and a great way to network with other fitness fans as well. Pay attention and you may pick up a number of advice that they may be willing to part with. An all natural treadmill for you to use as long as you have ambition and running shoes.
Do basic stretches during work. Long hours of sitting and brooding over work may cramp your muscles. An effective way to keep pace with your fitness is by taking a quick breather and doing basic leg, arm, neck, and back stretches.
In place of commissioning help, do your own loft cleaning. 5 minutes of sweeping, vacuuming, and polishing will do so many wonders to your entire body and house as well.
Find a sport that you enjoy and play it like an ace. Your intention is not to win so do not sweat it if you do not play good. You want to work a sweat and trim off those unpleasant undesirable fats. Also, it would be choice if you can have your pals join you.
Change night-outs into a work out. Instead of catching a film or spending the night drinking, go to clubs or attend concerts and dance to your heart’s desire. Again, this is a fusion of fun and exercise!
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 at
5:52 am
First, let’s describe what running over 50 is NOT. It’s probably not going to involve running with the elites. It’s probably not going to allow for sub 5 minute miles, 35 minute 10k’s or marathons in less than 3 hours. It may not facilitate faster leaps out of bed in the morning, boundless energy lasting all day or the return of the endurance you had as a 20 year old. But, take note that everything on that list had a qualifier. Because any of them are possible. Maybe some, or all of them are your goals. That’s great. Just don’t let unrealistic expectations deter you from starting to run.
So, what about it? You’re 50, or close to 50, or well over 50. Maybe (probably) you would like to make a more shallow footprint in the sand at the beach. After a flight of stairs, you breathe faster than you should and at your last annual check-up, your doctor not so subtly suggested that elevated blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol are all related to weight. Those jeans keep shrinking after each wash and it’s such a relief to loosen that collar on the way home from work. You try to watch your diet and if you just had the time and energy you would go to the gym. But running? Get serious—not at your age. Besides, you may have hated running in gym class or the Army. Your friends will make fun of you, neighbors will roll their eyes and embarrassment is not your idea of a fun day. As it that wasn’t enough, everyone knows of at least 1 case where some guy dropped dead while running.
If you’re still reading, and in agreement with most of the previous points, let me tell you why you may want to start running—at your age. There is no other aerobic exercise that will burn more calories in less time than running. Each mile is worth approximately 100 calories immediately, with some residual burning effect lasting well after you’ve stopped. Unlike purchasing an expensive gym membership, or the newest treadmill or exercise equipment, running does not involve great expense. Buy a good pair of shoes for around $75, and you’re on your way. The feeling that you will have when you finish running is one that will last and keep you coming back. You should have learned by this time in your life that what people think or say about you is only partially dictated by what you do. In other words, people will talk about you regardless of what you do, so why not do something positive for yourself?
Don’t stop reading this and start running. Instead, why not start walking short distances and make that doctor’s appointment you’ve been putting off. Once you have the OK from Doc, start integrating some very slow, intermittent running into your walks. Take a few weeks to transition from all walking, to some running and eventually to MOSTLY running. Don’t be discouraged if you need to take walk breaks. You SHOULD be taking walk breaks. It may be a couple months before you are running the majority of the time. That’s alright. The 2 most important things about your running are that you 1) Start and 2) Continue. Times, distances and even frequency are irrelevant. You should set goals, but don’t be too hard on yourself. You’ve waited 50 years to start; if you miss a few days, it doesn’t matter. In a short amount of time, you’ll learn the runner’s secret: it’s not running we love, it’s the after-running feeling we love.
Thursday, February 19th, 2009 at
4:01 pm
Staying Motivated to Run
Do you have a hard time staying motivated to run? There are a lot of things that can affect your desire to go running. In f act, every runner, even those who are passionate about it, often experiences times when they would rather be doing anything but running. In order to stay motivated to run, it is important to understand that a lot of these “reasons” are actually just excuses. And excuses often indicate a simple lack of motivation.
The good news is, these issues are very easy to overcome, especially if you understand all that running can do for you. It improves your health and your mood and is very good exercise. When you feel as if your motivation for running is not as good as it can be, use some, or all, of these tips to get you going.
Understand Why You Like Running
After you get back from a particularly successful run, get a piece of paper and write down exactly why you love running. Keep this list in a safe place. Now, when you can think of a million things you would rather be doing, read the list. Use it as a way to inspire you and get you out the door.
Prepare the Night Before
If you go running in the morning, lay out your clothes and shoes the night before. Sometimes, it is difficult getting moving in the morning. When you are groggy, the last thing you want to do is shuffle around for your clothes. If you make the process of getting dressed simple, you will be more likely to stick with it.
Train for an Event
Sometimes, having an event to train for is a great motivator. It doesn’t need to be a marathon. You can pick something a little less involved, like a 5K or a 10K. Select an event, choose a training program, and stick with it. If you want even more to shoot for, choose a running event that is a benefit for charity. Not only will you have a goal to help you stay focused, but you can also help raise money for your favorite charity.
Find a Running Partner
Some people like to run by themselves because they enjoy the solitude. However, others have a difficult time getting motivated unless they have someone to run with. If you need to run with people, you can either find a running partner or join a running group. It can be fun to train with others, especially if you all share the same goals.
Run With Music
Music can also be very motivating. If you have a difficult time concentrating during your runs or if you have chosen not to run because you think it is too boring, try bringing some music along with you. Choose something that is upbeat and lively so that it will help you move more quickly.
