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So true

So true

Jog Blog

Hi everyone. Ok so this week I was due to start week 2 of my training.
On Sunday, after I completed session 4, later on in the day I felt a slight niggle in my left knee muscle. I didn’t think anything about it at first and just thought it was because of my training I had done the whole week. The next day (Monday) getting up and ready for work it was very sore and I could feel it pulling when going up and down the stairs. I thought as it was my rest day I would have time to rest my knee and hopefully it would be better the next day in time for my session. I did some research for what to put on my knee as I heard a lot of different things from different people of what to do. Put ice or cold compress on it, put heat on it, or combined ice and heat. I really was unsure of what to do. So I researched it online. I found that for acute injuries such as minor pulled muscles in the knee or sprains to put ice on the injury after the activity as this reduces swelling and discomfort. And to only put heat on chronic injuries before an activity to loosen and warm up the muscle. So I sat with a bag of frozen chips on my knee for no longer than 15 mins and took ibuprofen every 4 hours to soothe the pain. I had an early night and let my leg rest.
The next morning (Tuesday) it was much better and no pain was felt when moving it. It was until I walked up and down stairs that it started to niggle again however not as bad as the previous day. Oh dear, I hoped it would get better during the day as I couldn’t wait to start my second week of training. So yesterday after work I decided that if I jogged on it, it would only make it worse. So instead of not doing any exercise at all, as i don’t want the muscle to seize up, I did some gentle exercises in the form of lunges, knee presses and stretches to warm up my knee muscle and get the blood flowing to it. I did this for about 10-15 mins and couldn’t do any more as it was starting to niggle again. Ah dear never mind, I’m sure I’m doing the best I can. I’m not in pain it just twinges every now and then. I’m going to see how it is today and maybe go for a short, easy walk tonight just to keep moving it and then hopefully i can get out for a jog tomorrow. Fingers crossed. If anyone has any advice for me, it would be greatly appreciated as I can’t wait to get out and jog and continue with my training as I’m really getting into it and enjoying it :)

Jog Blog

Sunday 25th March

Week1 Session 4 
Yeyy I’ve completed my first week. It’s been brilliant. I have really enjoyed it and so glad I have stuck with it. I think that writing this blog has helped to motivate me and keep me training so I can have something to write about.
So the clocks have gone forward so summer is here. And what a perfect day. It is hot, really hot that it is important for me to stay hydrated while running. So a bottle of water is always needed. Even when it isn’t hot.
I begin my warm up and I can’t wait to get outside. It’s so lush. Today I did a 30 minute easy jog, so it was important for me to really slow my pace down and to gently take smaller strides, rolling my feet from heel to toe to help me do so. I felt very comfortable and relaxed straight away. The music this time was upbeat but chilled, not to fast paced, a steady easy tempo which was easy to follow. The personal trainer kept telling me to just gently and easy jog, and that I should be relaxed :)
There was a few times where I did feel myself pick up pace and then was reminded that this is an easy jog and to slow down.
I did about 3 miles today and yesterday which I was happy about. When I came to the end of the session I slowed my pace down and just started to walk to get my heart rate down to a steady pace. My breathing was good and I didn’t feel really breathless, this making me feel that I am making good process.

Jog Blog

Saturday 24th March

Week 1 Session 3
Today’s session was a 30 minute steady state. For my warm up I mixed my stretches up a bit. I had some interesting advice from a friend on Facebook which was to not do static stretches before my jog. I had a look at a video on YouTube and took this into consideration, as this kind of warm up helps to warm your muscles up more efficiently and get you ready for your jog. You can then do static stretches after your jog. It helped a lot. I felt myself getting more geared up to get out and run and it got my heart rate pumping more before my jog, resulting in me not feeling as breathless early on. Off I went. The music on this session was much better than the last. A easy melodic tune made by piano keys. There was more of a solid beat to follow making me slow my strides down but lengthen them. I felt like I was lightly bouncing off the ground and I really got into the workout. And what a gorgeous day to be outside jogging. The sun was shining, the hustle and bustle of people making the most of it around me was making this jog more enjoyable. There was a cool, refreshing, misty breeze in the air. My dad was riding alongside me on his bike which was also very comforting. I’m feeling really good. I’m pushing on but keeping in mind what the personal trainer is saying to me through my ears. To really make sure I don’t shorten my strides as this will tire me out. I keep my arms moving to help drive me on. It’s going great! The music is fab and the beat is there for me to follow with my steps. I don’t feel as tired as I did during the last session and I know that this one is a little longer so I’m preparing myself mentally.
My dad smiling at me every now and then is keeping me motivated :)
The voice in my ears gives me the 1 minute to go mark and tells me to really push it for the last bit. So really lengthen my stride, still keeping with the beat. I can feel it in my pelvic muscles, but it’s a good feeling. I’m so determined to push on for the last few seconds. The music fades and I slow down gently to a easy walk to then begin my cool down and static stretches. A really successful jog :)

Jog Blog

I have thought bout nutrition a lot since doing some research about it. I had dippy egg and soldiers (toast cut into strips) this morning as eggs and bread are great source of protein to give you energy before a run. As its been a few hours since breakfast I am going to eat a banana and a handful of walnuts and almonds. I have heard that they are great to eat before a run to boost your energy levels.

I am raising money for the British Heart Foundation

I am raising money for the British Heart Foundation

Fundraising

So I thought that it would be a good idea to do the Great North Run not just for challenging myself and self achievement but for a good cause. I thought about raising money for The British Heart Foundation as I have done fundraising for this charity before when I bungee jumped off the Middlesborough Transporter Bridge. :)
So I have set up a JustGiving page. Check it out, your support means a lot :)

Reblogs

I have re-blogged some interesting facts and fitness advice below which are really interesting and a must read for fitness, training and exercise hope they help you too.

t-is-for-training:

1. Catch the running bug. You’ll continue to burn fat after your jog: People who run for at least four hours a week melt more calories than non-runners, even when they’re not running, a Yale University School of Medicine study reports.
2. Crank it up early. Working out harder during the first half of your workout and taking it easier during the second burns up to 23 percent more fat than doing the opposite, according to a study from The College of New Jersey.
3 & 4. Go hard — and make it quick. Staying at 80 percent of your max heart rate for 40 minutes can amp your metabolism for 19 hours afterward, research published in Obesity notes. And doing a shorter workout at 75 percent of your max aerobic capacity will give you a greater metabolic boost than sweating longer at 50 percent, a Colorado State University reveals.
5 to 7. Lift dumbbells … slowly. More muscle equals mega metabolism boost. Strength training can help you trim major fat, research reveals — and doing super-slow (versus normal speed) reps increases strength by 50 percent.
Plus, using dumbbells activates more muscle fibers than using machines, explains Gregory Haff, Ph.D., an associate professor in the exercise physiology department at West Virginia University.
8. Speed up, slow down. Alternating bouts of high-intensity and low-intensity cardio has been shown to torch pounds.
9. Put on weight (literally). Wearing a weighted vest (about 10 percent of your body weight) while walking can boost your calorie burn by 8 percent.
10. Download Rihanna, not Brahms. Listening to up-tempo songs actually makes you run faster and harder than listening to slower-paced music, British scientists say.
11. Let kettlebells ring. Not only does working out with kettlebells build muscle, but doing it for 20 minutes burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute-mile pace for the same amount of time.
12. Keep it up. As few as 80 minutes a week of aerobic or weight training helps keep you from regaining belly fat after losing weight, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
13. Add poles. Use Nordic poles while you walk, and you’ll burn 20 percent more calories, says research from The Cooper Institute in Dallas.
14 & 15. Lift first, nix the rest. Doing strength training before cardio can torch more fat than cardio alone. And if you do one move after another without pausing, “you’ll see more gains in strength and muscle mass,” says Dr. Pierre Manfroy, M.D., consultant for the book “100 Ways to Supercharge Your Metabolism.”
16. Add pounds. Lift heavier weights for fewer reps to make your workout more intense — and burn more fat — Manfroy says.
17. Try aromatherapy. Exercisers who inhaled strawberry and buttered-popcorn scents torched more calories than those who sniffed neutral odors, according to research from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago.
18. Box yourself in. Wii boxing knocks out nearly twice as many calories as some other games, like Wii golf.
19. Kick it. Playing soccer not only torches more fat and builds more muscle than jogging, but it feels less tiring, Danish research reveals.
20. Stay in shape. Fit people have more fat-burning metabolites in their blood than couch potatoes do, scientists say.
IN THE KITCHEN
22. Get more protein. Eating a protein-packed breakfast and lunch helps you burn more post-meal fat than if you eat lower-protein meals, according to Australian research.
23 & 24. Guzzle green tea — or coffee. Downing five 5-ounce cups of green tea a day boosts metabolism, says Lyssie Lakatos, R.D., author of “Fire Up Your Metabolism.” Two cups of coffee will also do the trick, one study shows.
25. Have an omelet. Eating two eggs for breakfast while dieting will help you trim more weight and body fat than if you ate the same amount of calories noshing on a bagel, scientists say.
26. Stay above 1,200 calories… ”The average person’s body goes into starvation mode if she eats fewer than 1,200 calories a day,” says Eric Berg, author of “The 7 Principles of Fat Burning.” “That’s stress, and stress creates more belly fat.”
27. … and cut calories gradually. If you diet, don’t trim more than 250 calories a day. Cutting calories too quickly slows your metabolism down, Dr. Manfroy says.
28 to 33. Munch on these. Almonds, cherries, yogurt, grapefruit, whole grains, and spicy foods have all been shown to torch fat.
34. Fuel up right. Eating a low-glycemic-index breakfast (such as muesli and peaches) will help you burn more fat during a subsequent workout than eating a high-glycemic-index meal (like waffles), researchers from the University of Nottingham reveal.
35. Think before you drink. Sipping as few as 90 calories’ worth of vodka can slow your metabolism by 73 percent, one study shows.
36. Graze. Women who go without eating for long periods are more likely to have higher body-fat percentages than women who nosh more regularly, one study notes.
37. Dine like a Greek. Eating a diet rich in monounsaturated fat (think olive oil, avocados) can help trim both weight and fat, research published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows.
38. Stop gorging. Your body can only handle so much food at a time, so stick to 600 calories or less per meal to maximize fat-burning, says Leslie Cooper, co-author of “Flip the Switch: Proven Strategies to Fuel Your Metabolism and Burn Fat 24 Hours a Day.”
39. Skip juice. Reaching for an apple instead of apple juice is not only better calorie-wise, but it’ll also do a better job of boosting your metabolism, Dr. Manfroy explains.
IN YOUR LIFE
41 & 42. Get C and D. Vitamin C can help you burn more fat, and D may help you lose fat, research notes. Aim for 400 to 500 mg of C and 800 mg of D a day.
43 & 44. Walk more (in denim). Researchers found that fitness-friendly offices (think treadmill desks, mobile headsets) helped people trim pounds and fat, as did wearing jeans to work, since dressing casual encourages you to move more. Wear comfy clothes when you can, pace while on the phone, and stand while chatting with co-workers.
45. Add fish oil (And work out). Taking 6 grams of fish oil per day and hitting the gym three times a week can help nix body fat, an Australian study reveals.
46. Work the day shift. Keeping nontraditional hours lowers levels of hormones that trigger satiety, increases blood glucose and insulin levels, and raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol (which can drive you to eat more), scientists say.
47. Nix the boob tube. Cut your TV time in half, and you’ll burn more calories each day, research from the University of Vermont suggests.
48. Go mental. People who visualized themselves training a specific muscle boosted the strength in that muscle group, researchers found.
49. Eat a smaller dinner. Your body may not digest food — and burn fat — as efficiently if you down a huge meal right before bedtime, especially because your metabolism is slower while you sleep, Dr. Manfroy says.
50. Jump-start your morning. Wake up your metabolism — and get fat-burning started — by doing some sort of exercise within the first few hours of being awake, Cooper suggests.
51. Get your snooze on. Sleep for a solid 81D 2 hours instead of 51D 2, according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, and you’ll lose more fat. Sweet dreams!


Really interesting tips :) A MUST read

t-is-for-training:

1. Catch the running bug. You’ll continue to burn fat after your jog: People who run for at least four hours a week melt more calories than non-runners, even when they’re not running, a Yale University School of Medicine study reports.

2. Crank it up early. Working out harder during the first half of your workout and taking it easier during the second burns up to 23 percent more fat than doing the opposite, according to a study from The College of New Jersey.

3 & 4. Go hard — and make it quick. Staying at 80 percent of your max heart rate for 40 minutes can amp your metabolism for 19 hours afterward, research published in Obesity notes. And doing a shorter workout at 75 percent of your max aerobic capacity will give you a greater metabolic boost than sweating longer at 50 percent, a Colorado State University reveals.

5 to 7. Lift dumbbells … slowly. More muscle equals mega metabolism boost. Strength training can help you trim major fat, research reveals — and doing super-slow (versus normal speed) reps increases strength by 50 percent.

Plus, using dumbbells activates more muscle fibers than using machines, explains Gregory Haff, Ph.D., an associate professor in the exercise physiology department at West Virginia University.

8. Speed up, slow down. Alternating bouts of high-intensity and low-intensity cardio has been shown to torch pounds.

9. Put on weight (literally). Wearing a weighted vest (about 10 percent of your body weight) while walking can boost your calorie burn by 8 percent.

10. Download Rihanna, not Brahms. Listening to up-tempo songs actually makes you run faster and harder than listening to slower-paced music, British scientists say.

11. Let kettlebells ring. Not only does working out with kettlebells build muscle, but doing it for 20 minutes burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute-mile pace for the same amount of time.

12. Keep it up. As few as 80 minutes a week of aerobic or weight training helps keep you from regaining belly fat after losing weight, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

13. Add poles. Use Nordic poles while you walk, and you’ll burn 20 percent more calories, says research from The Cooper Institute in Dallas.

14 & 15. Lift first, nix the rest. Doing strength training before cardio can torch more fat than cardio alone. And if you do one move after another without pausing, “you’ll see more gains in strength and muscle mass,” says Dr. Pierre Manfroy, M.D., consultant for the book “100 Ways to Supercharge Your Metabolism.”

16. Add pounds. Lift heavier weights for fewer reps to make your workout more intense — and burn more fat — Manfroy says.

17. Try aromatherapy. Exercisers who inhaled strawberry and buttered-popcorn scents torched more calories than those who sniffed neutral odors, according to research from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago.

18. Box yourself in. Wii boxing knocks out nearly twice as many calories as some other games, like Wii golf.

19. Kick it. Playing soccer not only torches more fat and builds more muscle than jogging, but it feels less tiring, Danish research reveals.

20. Stay in shape. Fit people have more fat-burning metabolites in their blood than couch potatoes do, scientists say.

IN THE KITCHEN

22. Get more protein. Eating a protein-packed breakfast and lunch helps you burn more post-meal fat than if you eat lower-protein meals, according to Australian research.

23 & 24. Guzzle green tea — or coffee. Downing five 5-ounce cups of green tea a day boosts metabolism, says Lyssie Lakatos, R.D., author of “Fire Up Your Metabolism.” Two cups of coffee will also do the trick, one study shows.

25. Have an omelet. Eating two eggs for breakfast while dieting will help you trim more weight and body fat than if you ate the same amount of calories noshing on a bagel, scientists say.

26. Stay above 1,200 calories… ”The average person’s body goes into starvation mode if she eats fewer than 1,200 calories a day,” says Eric Berg, author of “The 7 Principles of Fat Burning.” “That’s stress, and stress creates more belly fat.”

27. … and cut calories gradually. If you diet, don’t trim more than 250 calories a day. Cutting calories too quickly slows your metabolism down, Dr. Manfroy says.

28 to 33. Munch on these. Almonds, cherries, yogurt, grapefruit, whole grains, and spicy foods have all been shown to torch fat.

34. Fuel up right. Eating a low-glycemic-index breakfast (such as muesli and peaches) will help you burn more fat during a subsequent workout than eating a high-glycemic-index meal (like waffles), researchers from the University of Nottingham reveal.

35. Think before you drink. Sipping as few as 90 calories’ worth of vodka can slow your metabolism by 73 percent, one study shows.

36. Graze. Women who go without eating for long periods are more likely to have higher body-fat percentages than women who nosh more regularly, one study notes.

37. Dine like a Greek. Eating a diet rich in monounsaturated fat (think olive oil, avocados) can help trim both weight and fat, research published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows.

38. Stop gorging. Your body can only handle so much food at a time, so stick to 600 calories or less per meal to maximize fat-burning, says Leslie Cooper, co-author of “Flip the Switch: Proven Strategies to Fuel Your Metabolism and Burn Fat 24 Hours a Day.”

39. Skip juice. Reaching for an apple instead of apple juice is not only better calorie-wise, but it’ll also do a better job of boosting your metabolism, Dr. Manfroy explains.

IN YOUR LIFE

41 & 42. Get C and D. Vitamin C can help you burn more fat, and D may help you lose fat, research notes. Aim for 400 to 500 mg of C and 800 mg of D a day.

43 & 44. Walk more (in denim). Researchers found that fitness-friendly offices (think treadmill desks, mobile headsets) helped people trim pounds and fat, as did wearing jeans to work, since dressing casual encourages you to move more. Wear comfy clothes when you can, pace while on the phone, and stand while chatting with co-workers.

45. Add fish oil (And work out). Taking 6 grams of fish oil per day and hitting the gym three times a week can help nix body fat, an Australian study reveals.

46. Work the day shift. Keeping nontraditional hours lowers levels of hormones that trigger satiety, increases blood glucose and insulin levels, and raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol (which can drive you to eat more), scientists say.

47. Nix the boob tube. Cut your TV time in half, and you’ll burn more calories each day, research from the University of Vermont suggests.

48. Go mental. People who visualized themselves training a specific muscle boosted the strength in that muscle group, researchers found.

49. Eat a smaller dinner. Your body may not digest food — and burn fat — as efficiently if you down a huge meal right before bedtime, especially because your metabolism is slower while you sleep, Dr. Manfroy says.

50. Jump-start your morning. Wake up your metabolism — and get fat-burning started — by doing some sort of exercise within the first few hours of being awake, Cooper suggests.

51. Get your snooze on. Sleep for a solid 81D 2 hours instead of 51D 2, according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, and you’ll lose more fat. Sweet dreams!

Really interesting tips :) A MUST read

healthysexyhappy:

7 Healthy Foods That Will Fill You Up

  • Bananas - If you reach out for a banana when you feel hungry instead of an empty calorie snack, you’ll nourish your body and you’ll be ingesting way less fat and sugar than many snacks.
  • Eggs - As long as you’re not eating 12 of them in one week, eggs are good for you.
  • Almonds - Just one handful of almonds will keep you full for a long time because they are great at suppressing appetite.
  • Avocados - It contains good fats (monounsaturated fatty acids) and it contains protein that will fill you up nicely
  • Peanut Butter - You can easily find peanut butter that contains only 100% roasted peanuts (you can buy the organic and non-organic kinds). There are no hydrogenated oils, sugar or salt added to the peanut butter. This is a healthy option.
  • Oatmeal - Is a great super food because it’s low in sugar, high in fiber and it’s so quick to prepare. 
  • Apples - Packing an apple for your daily snack will not only add one fruit/vegetable portion to your daily recommended intake and the fiber will fill up your stomach

Really interesting food facts to help when running and training :)