Energy – part 2.
Jul2
I talked a lot about what types of energy your body uses as you breathe, walk around and work out. You basically use the three types : carbohydrates, fat and protein in that order of preference.
I got quite a few questions about that from you all. The generic question I hear is “If I work out at a fast pace, do I burn more calories and get faster?”
Well – the wonderful answer to this question is “it depends!”. So you know nothing more then you did ... Read More
Some new exercises!
Jul0
Training again with Travis this morning – he never ceases to amaze me by coming up with new stuff every time. I like variety though, so happily go through the new moves he throws at me (and then stands by and just laughs!! PT are sadists at heart really I have decided)
Here’s some that you really ought to try in your gym!
For your hamstrings and balance:
Find a regular bench, stand on the right of the bench, facing along the length of it ... Read More
Sun, Sand and Simple fun
Jul0
Yesterday, I simply had a lot of fun…or even a lot of simple fun.
The weather was a little grey and not actually that great, so I decided a bike ride would definitely cheer me up. As I rode with two of my cycling buddies, the weather cleared up and it actually became a nice summer day. We often ride in the area, without having any fixed idea of where we want to go, but this time we had decided to find a new path that we knew had to be there specifically for hikers and bikers ... Read More
Tour de France
Jul0
I have to admit to being a huge fan. And this year it’s gotten even better – not only have we survived years of doping, spiralling out of control, but we now have Twitter! It all adds to the ability to keep track of what is going on, all afternoon/evening long.
Personally, I have always used the Tour as a great training tool. Yeah, you heard me right, training tool. I am obviously not in the same league as the guys out there battling it away over 100;s km – but I can ... Read More
Laughter
Jul0
It’s not for nothing that people say Laughter is the greatest medicine…. it’s true, when you feel sad, laughter will lighten your mood. But it also does wonders for your health. Not only are you using more facial muscles then when you are frowning (I will get you the exact numbers!) but you release hormones that will make you feel better then you did when you were sad.
A slight variation on a great old saying: “A smile a day keeps the doctor ... Read More
Crazy Crunches
Jul0
It’s time to start working those abs a little more – it’s amazing how all magazines seem to have a line on the front cover saying “get your bikini-body” or something to that extent. I think about 30% of all women dare wear a bikini – the other 70% prefer to wear something that covers a little more! Anyway – it grabs your attention. Now here’s how to really get those abs toning. By the way, you can tone all you like, but don’t forget that ... Read More
Running Schedule
Jul0
This is a great schedule. It’s both designed for novice runners that want to get started as well as for expert runners that have suffered an injury and need a guide to getting back into running again. I got it originally from a great phyisical therapist and have used it (more often then I’d like) over the past 20-odd years!
If you are new to running, start with Step 1!! Don’t underestimate how much your body needs to acclimatize to the action of running. All you will ... Read More
Some more creativity…
Jun0
I’ll continue to add some outdoor excercises since a number of people have now told me how much fun they thought those were. One great thing of all this outdoor exercising is, that you can bring a big soft towel and when you are done, just stretch out and enjoy the sun on your (sun-lotioned) skin…
So if you have:
One of those reverse U-shaped racks that the girls do turns on – you can do some excellent upper body work.
Hold on to the ... Read More
Gadgets – Nike iPod/Sportskit
Jun0
It all keeps getting better! Gadgets are great anyway, but those that connect several goals at once, are the best. Like the new Nike/iPod Sportskit
Now you can set your goals and record your progress with your iPod Touch or Nano. Simply take it with you to the gym, connect to your cardio apparatus and climb, step or run the h…out of it. Then at home connect it to your ... Read More
Long bike ride and dessert…
Jun0
I love long bikerides – and am heading out today on one. Get a map of your local area, and discover the trails near your town. It’s so good to just enjoy the scenery but moving at a slower pace and taking it in, instead of speeding by in a car. For me long means 3 hours (or more). Great for my basic level condition since I am not blasting at full speed the whole time, and good for burning those calories and get my metabolism moving.
Tonight I’ll have one of my ... Read More
Be creative!
Jun0
Ready for the weekend?? I am – weather is going to be great so I will be out there enjoying myself 
When it gets to being summer, I always find myself disliking heading to the gym. Not because I don’t want to be working out, but simply because it is INSIDE, and I want to be out there in the gorgeous weather, feeling the sun on my skin (or rain more likely in ... Read More
And then it’s late….
Jun0
So these are the days that exercising can be so hard – it’s been a nice sunny day out there, you have been out with some friends straight from work and you are feeling exceedingly lazy and definitely not in the mood to even think about working out.
Well for one thing – if you have had a few drinks (alcoholic ones that is) – a hard exercise session is probably not a good idea in any case, but you could do a lot worse then just putting on those comfy shoes and ... Read More
Training & Recovery
Jun2
This is a subject that is as broad as it is long – how do you decide when to train and when not to train? If you read my blog yesterday on heartrate monitors, that’s one aide that can help a great deal in deciding that question. Once you know what your resting heart rate is like – you also have a benchmark to measure against. When you are not well, or you are training too much – your resting heart rate will actually reflect this, sometimes by as much as 10 beats per ... Read More
Get on y’r bike…..
Jun0
It’s time for a fun, hard, sweaty weekend workout. I hope you find some time this weekend to get through this routine. You can do it on a bike (stationary or rolling!) but you could follow the same instructions and use a cross-trainer or eliptical trainer if you prefer. All music can be downloaded from iTunes.
Superstition – Stevie Wonder 4:27
Your warm-up – keep it at a nice even pace..
Easy riding, pedal at smooth rate. Aim ... Read More
How to stay fit – whilst working like mad…. mini-workout!
Jun0
Everyone these days suffers from one of two things – or even a combination… You feel overworked and you are stressing about the state of the economy, be it on a micro (personal) level or on a macro (global) level. And then there’s me cheerfully telling you that you need to work out. I am sure over the past week, you may have read my posts and gone “yea, right – she’s probably not doing anything else so it’s OK for her to talk…”. Well ... Read More
Mid-Week Crisis?
Jun0
It’s like a mini mid-life crisis every single week – you have started out enthusiastically on Monday with the best intentions of working out every day, and suddenly it is Wednesday and you haven’t actually gotten out there yet so you feel miserable and a loser. Or something like that It’s called the mid-week crisis. And you are not alone.
I read a great ... Read More
Energy – where do you get yours from??
Jun0
I love this topic, but it is one of the hardest to tackle in a simple blog. If you want to achieve anything with your exercise or sport though, or simply want to maintain a healthy balance in life, you need to understand how your body is fuelled.
Let me break it down to basics – there’s three major sources of energy that your body can use: carbohydrates, protein and fat. All day long, these sources are broken down into usable format by your body, which is effectively just ... Read More
Find a rhythm
Jun0
For me, exercising is like breathing. If I don’t do it regularly, I don’t live.
People often ask me how I manage to make time every day for sports, or exercise. It’s like eating though – you all make time for a meal, right? But I understand that it is not that easy for everyone to motivate themselves.
The “trick” is to make it a routine. Don’t try and work out whenever you feel like it, but set yourself a time maybe three times a week ... Read More
Sunday run
Jun0
I just have to share this with you – I went out for such a great run this morning! Looking outside, it was pretty cloudy with a light drizzle. Since I don’t mind rain when I run anyway, I decided to go for it nevertheless. Sitting inside just makes me cranky! It was heaven out there, great temperature, running in shorts v. early in the morning through a wet and deserted wood. And to top it all, I encountered a wonderful 1 year old stag, big and strong with newly forming antlers. ... Read More
Sunday morning exercises
Jun0
It’s Sunday morning, you just rolled out of bed and standing there yawning you realise you really ought to do some exercises. Now, normally you’d probably push that thought to the furthest corner of your awakening brain and head off to get a great big breakfast. But why not make today a little different and start of with some easy stuff that will leave you feeling looser and give you a reason to have a second piece of toast later?
Since you have been lying down all night, ... Read More
