5 Fat Burning Lies

o you struggle to burn body fat no matter how much effort you put in at the gym? You might have fallen for a fat burning lie. If you want to burn fat effectively, make sure you are aware of these five fat burning lies.

Resistance training builds too much muscle

If you’re going for that ‘lean’ look, people might have told you to avoid lifting heavier weights in case you end up bulking up rather than losing fat. Instead, they’ll suggest lifting lighter weights and doing more reps. These people are wrong. Lighter weights simply do not create the level of metabolic effect needed to initiate fat loss, which means you might not be enjoying the full fat burning potential of your training sessions.
Resistance training with heavier weights is an amazing weight loss method, because as your strength develops you’ll be burning more and more fat when you’re not even working out. Regular resistance training with heavy weights serves to increase your metabolic rate by as much as 15 per cent according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, which speeds up the rate at which you burn calories.

Crunches will give you a flat stomach

Crunches have long been the exercise of choice for people looking for a toned flat stomach, but they’re wasting their time. And so are you if you are doing thousands of crunches hoping to lose body fat on your stomach. Crunches are a hugely ineffective fat loss exercise. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning compared a group of people doing crunches every day to a control group of people doing absolutely no exercise. They found that there was no noticeable difference in body fat between the two groups after six weeks.
In fact, crunches are so ineffective that experts at the University of San Antonio found that it would take 22,000 crunches to burn just a pound (0.5kg) of body fat. Targeting your stomach for specific weight loss is impossible, but you can speed things along a bit. Try a combination high intensity cardio session with sprint intervals and hill training, coupled with core-building exercises like the plank. This will turbo-charge your metabolism and strengthen your core at the same time.

Leg extensions burn fat on your legs

We’ve said it time and time again; spot-based exercises do not work for burning fat. But go into any gym in the world and you’ll see someone on the leg press machine for seemingly hours on end trying to ditch the fat on their thighs. Sadly, it’s not going to work. Leg extensions are an isolated exercise that develop the quadriceps, but do nothing for the body fat surrounding them. That means all you’ll be left with is defined quadriceps hidden under a layer of fat.
What you really want to be doing is compound exercises that will define your legs whilst simultaneously burning body fat. A great leg-based fat burning exercise session you can try is a set of jumping lunges. Think of a standard lunge that then springs into a lunge on the opposite leg, all the while swinging your arms. It’s almost like an exaggerated version of running on the spot, and will really help you to burn fat.

You should stick to the same workout

Once you’ve found a workout routine that works well for you, it can be tempting to stick with it indefinitely. This is a huge fat burning no-no. It’s thought that the human body takes around three weeks to adapt to a workout, after which point the results from that workout will gradually diminish. Before you know it, you’ll be meeting the dreaded fat loss plateau. That’s why if you want to burn fat effectively, you need to mix up your workouts.
Now we’re not saying you need to switch your workout routine every day. All you need to do is challenge your body from time to time by throwing a variety-filled circuit training session into your training schedule, and you’ll see sustained fat loss results. If you can’t fit in any circuit training, variety can even be as simple as changing the amount of reps you do of a certain exercise, or the weights that you lift.

Ab-stimulators will give you a flat stomach

If any new-fangled effort-free workout machine sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. The fat burning-lie that ab-stimulators can give you a flat stomach has generated millions of pounds for the fitness industry, so you can see why this is a lie you hear so often. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin tested these electronic ab-stimulators, and found that they did cause the abdominal muscles to contract as claimed in the adverts. However, this contraction did not activate the chemical or neural signs that lead to muscle development, meaning the machines are effectively a waste of time.
These machines are in fact so useless, that the researchers could not notice any difference between a group of people who had been using ab-stimulators daily, and a group who had not used them at all. No extra abdominal development was noted, and absolutely no fat loss was measured. No matter how much you want there to be, there is no effort-free fat loss technique out there.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/fitness/article/5-fat-burning-lies/

What It Means To Be Fit

The major building blocks of fitness are often penned the three ‘S’s: Stamina, Strength and Suppleness. So, what gains are there from getting fit and how should we achieve it?

Stamina

In terms of your health, stamina is perhaps the most important aspect of fitness. Aerobic fitness (or cardiovascular fitness) relates to the efficiency of your heart and lungs. Someone who is aerobically fit is not only more able to get through that workout video without giving up, they are also able to deal with daily tasks, stresses and strains without feeling burned out by the end of the day. But despite its name, you don’t have to ‘do aerobics’ to get aerobically fit. Star jumps and grapevines are fine, if that’s your thing, but if not, you can gain and maintain stamina through any number of activities – most commonly ones that use the large muscles of the legs and body, require large amounts of oxygen and are prolonged and repetitive.
For example, walking briskly, running, dancing, swimming or cycling. The harder you work during aerobic exercise, the more calories you’ll burn, but there’s a pay-off to be made between intensity and duration. That’s why it is so important to vary shorter, harder sessions with longer easier ones. It’s also vital to allow your body time to adapt gradually by building up your aerobics workouts slowly but surely, therefore minimising the risk of injury.

Working out for increased stamina

Since cardiovascular fitness is so important to health, experts recommend that we aim to get 30 minutes a day of aerobic activity on most days of the week. That doesn’t necessarily need to be all in one go – in fact, some studies have shown that breaking exercise down into mini bouts, of approximately 10 minutes, actually burns more calories than doing one prolonged session, due to the effect of exercise on metabolism. If you want to go beyond merely safeguarding your health, however, you should aim to work a little harder in some of your aerobic activities. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends two to five sessions of more vigorous exercise, lasting 20-50 minutes.

Strength through resistance training

The importance of strength goes far beyond building muscles and being able to lift heavy objects. Performed regularly, it’ll reward you with a faster metabolism, less body fat, a toned, firmer physique and stronger connective tissues and bones. There is also strong evidence that suggests strength or resistance training can favourably modify several risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, including lipid and cholesterol levels, blood pressure, body composition and glucose metabolism.
Resistance training is also recognised as a great way to burn calories. Even once your resistance training has finished, your body will continue to burn calories as a result of EPOC (Excessive Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption). As the oxygen demands on the body have been high during training, the body will take longer to recover to its resting state. Therefore the body will still be burning calories long after the exercise has finished.

How muscle mass helps you burn calories

One pound (0.45 kg) of fat uses just a handful of calories to maintain itself each day. A pound of muscle, however, is far more ‘energy-hungry’ requiring approximately 45 calories a day. So, replace two pounds of fat with two pounds of muscle and you’ll actually be burning 90 more calories every day, even when you’re not exercising.
Strong muscles have more tone and are denser than untrained ones, too, so even though you may not weigh less on the scales, you’ll look and feel trimmer. Another important benefit of resistance training is that it can help to stave off osteoporosis, because the action of muscle pulling on bone stimulates bone to get stronger.

Working out for better strength

You can perform effective resistance work with just your own bodyweight as resistance, use tubing and elasticated ‘resistance’ bands, hand weights, medicine balls, Swiss balls. To make significant strength gains (and sculpt and tone muscles), you’ll need to work with weights two to three times a week, and increase the amount of weight you lift as soon as it becomes comfortable. Muscles only get stronger when you make them do something that is tougher than what they are accustomed to.

Suppleness through stretching

Being flexible isn’t about being able to wrap your legs behind your neck, or even touch your toes; it’s about having a good range of motion in all your joints, allowing for easy, fluid movement, good posture and muscle balance. Regular stretching increases blood supply and nutrients to joint structures, keeping tissues pliable and elastic and possibly slowing joint degeneration. Flexibility differs from joint to joint. You may have fantastic hip mobility, for example, while you find it difficult to reach your hand around your back to do up a dress, because your shoulders are tight and immobile. That’s why a total stretching program is important, rather than simply focusing on one or two muscle groups. Regular flexibility work can help to offset the effects of aging and slow down the decline in suppleness. It can also help to realign soft tissue structures that have adapted badly because of postural habits.

Training for better flexibility

Ensure you make time for stretching after your activity or on alternate days of the week. It’s a great way to ‘switch off’ after your workout, and you’ll find that the deep breathing and slow, gentle movements involved aid relaxation and bestow a feeling of well-being. Activities such as yoga, Pilates, swimming, Tai Chi and other martial arts will all also help you maintain flexibility, due to the variety of positions and ranges of movement involved.

Core stability

Core stability is a phrase often bandied about by fitness professionals – but what does it mean and how can you get it? In brief, core stability refers to the strength and responsiveness of the muscles around the back and pelvis (the core), from which all other movement emanates. Poor core stability puts you at risk of injury, back pain and muscular imbalances – and is usually associated with poor posture and body awareness. Exercises to improve core stability differ from typical strength, stamina or flexibility exercises in that they are often very subtle, can be repeated a number of times each day and usually don’t require any external resistance. The other difference is that you won’t actually see when your core stability has improved. The muscles you are working lay deep below the surface of the body, so any improvement in strength or recruitment is more likely to manifest itself in improved efficiency of movement, better posture or an absence of discomfort.

Training the core

To get a feel of the core muscles, stand up and place your fingertips a few centimeters in from your hipbones and feign a cough – you should feel the muscles contract involuntarily under your fingertips. The easiest way to initiate a contraction in these muscles is to start by pulling up the pelvic floor (as if you were trying to stop yourself from peeing). This is because the lower fibers of the deep-set transversus abdominis muscle actually intermingle with the pelvic floor muscles. Now imagine you are wearing a corset around your waist, which has a zip in it. Continue to pull in and up, using those muscles you located in the cough, imagining you are doing up the zip from your pubic bone to your navel. Breathe freely throughout and sustain the contraction for a few seconds, building up the length of the holds as you get more used to it.
Fitness is not all about losing weight, entering competitions or winning times, getting fit now might mean that you have the flexibility to carry out day to day tasks when you are older.

Getting to know your fitness level

Before you embark upon an exercise and fitness programme, it is vital you assess your level of fitness. Here's our guide to working out your current exercise fitness level, so you don't jump in at the deep end.
Read the statements for each of the fitness categories below and decide which one applies best to your current exercise situation. Begin at that level and as your fitness and experience builds up, re-check against each fitness category to confirm if you’re ready to move up in your exercise training programs.

Beginner fitness level

• You are starting to exercise for the first time and/or ...
• You are returning to training after an: illness, injury, other commitments and/or… period of inactivity
• You are new to exercise classes (you have never attended an exercise class before)

Intermediate fitness level

• You exercise two or three times per week and have done for at least 6 months and...
• You have attended exercise classes regularly in the last 6 months (perhaps one to two classes per week)

Advanced fitness level

• You exercise more than three times per week and have done for at least six months and...
• You frequently attend exercise classes (perhaps more than two classes per week)
• https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/fitness/article/what-it-means-to-be-fit/ 
•  

Top 7 Excuses to Overindulge, and How to Take Control

Don’t let excuses get in the way of eating healthy! Check out our tips on breaking out of the scarfing cycle.

Excuses, excuses.

Excuses, excuses. We all make them when it comes to eating healthy. But when you think about it, there’s really no reason to scarf down all that “bad for you” food. Here we shoot down some common excuses for putting away those extra calories.

1. It’s a holiday (or the weekend, or date night). Life has lots of special occasions (and weekends)! Indulging a little on holidays won’t hurt — but you can plan ahead for special meals that are healthy, too. For example, hack your holiday cookies by using oatmeal, fruits and nuts as main ingredients.
   
   
2. I’m down in the dumps (or stressed to the max). You blew a work deadline, had a flat tire or left your wallet at the grocery store. “Comfort food” is calling you. Bigger stresses, like unemployment or caring for a sick relative, can also cause you to overeat — even when you’re not hungry. Try taking a brisk walk and reaching for a healthy snack. When you have a minute to slow down, check out our tips to control your stress.
   
   
3. I already blew it with that cookie. Nobody’s perfect. Focus on what you can do next, not on what you did last. You can also try planning ahead to eat well on the run. Hint: Portable snacks like fruit, nuts and popcorn can save you from the vending machine.
   
   
4. Someone brought donuts (or cake, or pizza) to the office. It’s OK to pass on the freebies! Keep some healthy snacks handy to curb the cravings. If you do indulge, find a way to get in some extra physical activity at work! Try these tips to get active.
   
   
5. I don’t have time to eat healthy. You can cut up a carrot and slice some strawberries in the time it takes to call the pizza place and find that coupon. Salad is a great make-ahead meal, and the possibilities are endless. Get our tips on making a hearty, healthy salad.
   
   
6. It’s hard to find healthier choices when eating out. Restaurants are changing! Healthier options are everywhere if you know what to look for. Look up menus online ahead of time, and don’t be afraid to ask about substitutions. if you’re tempted to overeat, skip the buffet. Try sharing portions or saving half for later. Check out more healthy tips for dining out.
   
   
7. I’ll start being healthy tomorrow (next month, after the holidays). Why wait? Start now and you’ll see the benefits sooner. Take small steps to build lasting healthier habits. Begin with these simple tips on how to eat healthy. You’ll be amazed at what you can do — one bite at a time.
8. https://healthyforgood.heart.org/Eat-smart/Articles/Top-7-Excuses-to-Overindulge-and-How-to-Take-Control 

Suggested Servings from Each Food Group

If you’re looking for a simple way to watch your weight & eat healthy, follow this handy serving size chart to understand portions. It’s easier than you think!

Confused by all the different diets being touted as the healthiest way to eat?

One friend will only eat raw food, another has gone full paleo on you, and yet another has sworn off gluten! The good news is, there’s a science-based healthy eating plan that doesn’t require you to give up all the foods you love.
The American Heart Association recommends an overall healthy dietary pattern tailored to your personal and cultural food preferences. This pattern can include a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, fish, skinless poultry, nuts, and fat-free/low-fat dairy products, and should limit sugary drinks, sweets, fatty or processed meats, solid fats, and salty or highly processed foods. It’s all about making smart choices.

So, what and how much should you eat?

Here are the recommended number of daily or weekly servings of each food type, based on eating a total of 2,000 calories per day. Your calorie needs may be different, depending on your age, activity level and whether you are trying to lose, gain or maintain your weight. To find your recommended daily calories, use the NIH Body Weight Planner found at https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/bwp/index.html.

What’s a serving?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to measure everything you eat. We’ve provided a few examples of what represents one serving of common foods. Be sure to check the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods to understand the serving size and number of servings per package. And be aware of “portion distortion.” The recommended serving size is often less than the amount you’re used to eating or the portion you are served, especially at restaurants.

Vegetables

• Fresh, frozen, canned and dried¹
• 5 servings per day
• Examples:
  •  1 cup raw leafy greens
  • ½ cup cut-up vegetables
  • ½ cup cooked beans or peas²
  •  ¼ cup 100% vegetable juice³

Fruits

• Fresh, frozen, canned and dried¹
• 4 servings per day
• Examples:
  • 1 medium whole fruit
  • ½ cup cut-up fruit
  • ¼ cup 100% fruit juice³
  • ¼ cup dried fruit¹

Grains

• At least half should be whole grain/high in dietary fiber
• 6 servings per day
• Examples:
  • 1 slice bread
  • 1 small tortilla
  • 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal flakes
  • 1 oz (⅛ cup) uncooked pasta or rice
  • 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal
  • 1/2 cup popped popcorn

Dairy⁴ 

• Low-fat and fat-free
• 3 servings per day
• Examples:
  •  1 cup milk
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1.5 oz cheese

Poultry, meat and eggs

• Lean and extra-lean; skin and visible fat removed
• 8-9 servings per week
• Examples:
  • 3 oz cooked meat or poultry
  • 1 egg or 2 egg whites

Fish and other seafood

• Preferably oily fish that provide omega-3 fatty acids
• 2-3 servings per week
• Example:
  • 3 oz cooked fish or seafood

Nuts, seeds, beans and legumes

• 5 servings per week
• Examples:
  •  Tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 Tbsp or 1/2 oz nuts or seeds
  • ¼ cup cooked beans or peas²

Fats and oils

• Preferably unsaturated
• 3 servings per day
• Examples:
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (canola, corn, olive, soybean, safflower)
  • 1 Tbsp soft margarine
  • 1 Tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp light salad dressing

¹ Frozen, canned and dried produce can be as nutritious as fresh. Compare nutrition info on package labels and choose products with the lowest amounts of added sugars and sodium. Look for vegetables without salty sauces and fruits packed in their own juices or water instead of heavy syrup. Drain and rinse canned produce and beans.
² Note that 1/4 cup cooked beans = 1 oz protein equivalent but 1/2 cup cooked beans = 1 vegetable serving.
³ A small portion (1/2 cup) of 100% juice can fulfill one of your recommended daily servings. But keep in mind, juice isn’t as filling as whole fruits and vegetables and may have extra calories and less nutrients like fiber. Avoid sweetened juice and juice drinks.
⁴ Includes nondairy nut/grain/soy-based milks that are fortified with calcium and vitamin D and low in sugar.
https://healthyforgood.heart.org/Eat-smart/Articles/Suggested-Servings-from-Each-Food-Group 

Why having a dog is good for your health

The health benefits of owning a pet

Anyone who regularly has the experience of coming home after a hard day to be greeted with a wagging tail, excited yelping and an expression of pure joy won’t be surprised to learn that having a dog is good for you.

What couldn’t be good about unconditional love, a non-judgemental ear on your day, a dependent to fuss over (and take your mind off your own problems) and a reason to get out and exercise on a daily basis?
While cynics might think that it’s purely this last factor — exercise — that marks the difference, Australian research found that dog owners walk just 18 minutes longer per week than non-dog owners. Meanwhile, British statistics revealed that half the nation’s pooches are overweight, so it’s safe to say that walkies isn’t the reason why dog owners tend to be healthier than those without a four-legged friend. Evidently, other furry forces are at work. So what gives?

Research has long shown that pet owners have better physical and mental health, but what wasn’t clear was whether people of more robust health were more likely to get pets in the first place, or whether it was the owning that had made them healthier. A German study set out to answer that question, using a sample group of 10,000 people, which they studied over a five-year period. They found that those who had a pet continuously for the five years had the fewest visits to the doctor, with people who had got a pet within the study period being the next healthiest. The next question to ask was why.
Physiologically, it seems the main effects are on cardiovascular health. One study from New York State University found that hypertensive stockbrokers lowered their blood pressure readings after adopting a dog for six months — other research has found that just 10 minutes in the company of a pet can significantly reduce blood pressure, as well as raising levels of the ‘bonding’ hormone, oxytocin. Pet owners also have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels than non-pet owners, which probably contributes to the 3 per cent reduction in heart attack mortality rate. A New York study found that pet ownership was predictive of survival, one year on from a heart attack. Children who have a pet in their first year of life are less likely to suffer from allergies or asthma, too.

But there is undoubtedly a strong psychological component in the pet-health connection. American research found that pet owners coped better with adverse life events, such as bereavement, while other research found that children in war-torn countries coped with their harrowing circumstances better if they owned a cat or dog. Having someone else to worry about other than yourself is probably a big part of it, as well as deriving comfort from the love of a pet. British researchers found that children frequently preferred pets to humans as providers of comfort and as confidants, and noted that pet-owning aided development of self esteem. Even 50 per cent of adults confide their worries to their pets — 48% describing them as their ‘best friend.’

The benefits of pet ownership have been demonstrated so convincingly that organizations are beginning to take action to convey the advantages of having a four-legged friend to a wider audience. Pets as Therapy is a UK organization which organizes doggy visits to hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions —benefiting around 10,000 patients and residents every week. An increasing number of companies in the United States are allowing dogs to be taken to the workplace — 10,000 companies now participate in the annual ‘take your dog to work day.’ According to the American Humane Association, firms that allow dogs to be brought to work regularly benefit from happier employees, reduced absenteeism and increased productivity. What’s the odd chewed up shoe, dirty paw mark or ‘accident’ compared to that?
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/why-having-a-dog-is-good-for-your-health/ 

 

10 kitchen tips to keep you slim

10 quick ways to make your kitchen diet-friendly

With its fridge and cupboards full of tempting treats, sometimes the kitchen can seem like a dangerous place to be when you’re trying to lose weight. However, with a few subtle kitchen changes you can equip yourself for better diet success. Here are our top 10 kitchen tips to help you stay slim.

Keep healthy foods visible...

A study by researchers at Cornell University found that we are three times more likely to eat the first item we see in the kitchen than the fifth, meaning that keeping healthy food visible could aid your dieting goals. Try to make healthy food options more accessible by ensuring they are as appealing and convenient as possible, as well as making them visible and easy to find. Leave out a colourful fruit bowl, prepare a salad in advance, and put some chopped veggies at the front of your fridge, for example.

... And move ‘bad’ foods out of sight

Just as putting healthy foods in a prominent position can help your diet, it follows that the opposite is also true. While it may be best to avoid buying junk food completely, if you must stock up on the odd treat make sure they are hidden away at the back of cupboards to help prevent cravings. By making these foods a little more difficult to get to (store them behind piles of tins, in high cupboards or in locked drawers – whatever helps), you will also prevent mindless snacking and give yourself some thinking time to decide whether you really want to give in to temptation.

Get some fridge-spiration

To help stay motivated in the face of your cravings, try transforming your fridge from a source of temptation into an inspirational reminder of your progress so far. Consider sticking your favourite photograph of yourself on your fridge for a positive reminder of why you should resist those cravings next time you’re tempted to hit the fridge. Alternatively, stick on a motivational quote or a handwritten note to yourself listing five good reasons not to binge.

Opt for small, blue serving dishes

While many of us think we are eating standard portion sizes, this is in fact not always the case. To help reduce your temptation to overeat, try swapping your plates, bowls, glasses and cutlery for smaller ones, which will help control your serving sizes as well as how quickly you eat. Also, while you are making the switch, think about opting for a blue color scheme for your crockery, as blue is thought to act as an appetite suppressant.

Set aside an eating area

Whether you eat your meals in the kitchen or a separate dining room, it is important to set aside an area with a table where you can sit down and eat. Furthermore, it is important to ensure you actually sit there. Make it a rule never to eat out of packets or standing up and you will find that this drastically reduces your tendency to overeat. The process of putting food on a plate and sitting down to eat it not only reduces the tendency to mindlessly pick at food, it also increases your awareness of what – and how much – you are eating, and may make you think twice about doing it.

Spice up your kitchen

Your cupboards and fridge may be packed with healthy items, but how’s your spice rack looking? You might not class it as a kitchen essential, but if you’re looking to cut calories in your meals it can help to keep a well-stocked herb and spice rack. Not only does adding herbs and seasonings to your meals add flavoring to your food without extra calories, but spices such as cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper and ginger can actually help to promote weight loss.

Keep your kitchen tidy

If you’re lacking motivation to cook, it may be that your kitchen’s to blame. Cluttered worktops and messy cupboards hardly act as an incentive to start whipping up a gourmet delight so, if you have to clear a path to the oven or forge through piles of half-opened packets of food to get to what you want, it may be time to give your kitchen a makeover. Treat your kitchen as a place for food preparation – rather than a rubbish dump, mailroom or storage space – and you may be more inspired to reach for the wooden spoon rather than a takeaway menu the next time hunger strikes.

Impose a TV ban

If you’re one of the large number of people who prefers to eat their meals in front of a TV or computer screen, then you could be sabotaging your diet without even realizing it. According to research findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition, eating when distracted can cause you to ignore signals from your body that you’ve had enough, leading you to eat more than you normally would. To help cut your calorie intake, make sure you keep distracting items such as the television out of your eating area, and try to keep the two activities separate.

Set kitchen “closing hours”

To help cut the amount of food you are consuming, it is helpful to make the kitchen out-of-bounds once you have finished your evening meal. Move anything you may need during those hours out of the kitchen (and no, this doesn’t include chocolate!), then turn off the light and close the door as a reminder to yourself that the kitchen is now closed. While you will still need to rely on your own willpower to stick to these rules, this should help reduce mindless snacking and trips to the kitchen next time you’re feeling bored.

Kill your cravings with vanilla

If you struggle to resist sugar cravings following your evening meal, it may be worth investing in a vanilla-scented air freshener or candle for your kitchen. A study at St George’s hospital, south London, found that using vanilla-scented patches on the back of participants’ hands significantly reduced their appetite for sweet foods and drinks.  It is thought that this is due to the smell of vanilla, which is believed to help suppress sweet cravings.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/10-kitchen-tips-to-keep-you-slim/ 

 

Need to lose weight quickly? Here’s how one writer lost half a stone in FIVE days on the latest new 5-day fasting diet

If you need to lose weight quickly, the new ProLon 5-day fasting diet might help, says Victoria Lambert, who lost half a stone on it in five days
Could a little self-denial offer more than just a swift weight loss? Professor Valter Longo, Director of the University of Southern California (USC) Longevity Institute, believes so. His team reported in 2014 that fasting for as little as three days can regenerate the entire immune system, even in the elderly. The research suggests starving the body kick-starts stem cells into producing new white blood cells, which fight off infection.

Professor Valter Longo is a
member of the team that created
ProLon.

As a result, his team is studying the impact fasting could have on making chemotherapy more effective. They have developed a patented five-day diet, known as a Fasting Mimicking and Enhancing Diet (FMED). The quick-fix will be sold over the counter as ProLon later this year for about £150.

ProLon will help you lose weight, of course, but Professor Longo’s team believes it will help kick-start your immune system too

ProLon will help you lose weight, of course, but Professor Longo’s team believes it will help kick-start your immune system too, thanks to its highly researched constituent elements.
The nutritional composition of the day’s meals is considered key to its effects. It’s a delicate balance of flavour, appetite-tricking nutrients and all important minerals and vitamins. The idea is that these calories eked out across the day will make it more comfortable to stick to than other fasting programmes.

A full set of meals for the five-day ProLon diet.

So how many morsels of grub do you get?  Well compared to the 500 calories on a fasting day of the 5:2 diet, or the 440 cals on the most extreme version of the Cambridge Weight Plan (a monitored Very Low Calorie diet), ProLon’s average 800 calories a day seems generous.
On day one, you consume foods that are 10 per cent protein, 56 per cent fat and 34 per cent carbohydrate, making 1,090 calories in total. Then, on days two to five, you are allowed no more than 725 calories, split between nine per cent protein, 44 per cent fat and 47 per cent carbohydrate.

Most of us would only need to do it twice or three times a year to achieve results

Some weight loss is inevitable at this level, but is the effect sustainable? Interestingly, Professor Longo thinks most of us would only need to do it twice or three times a year to achieve results.
I tried out an early prototype last year and lost five pounds which stayed off till Christmas; so it was time to see if the new version could cut the (imaginary) mustard.

Victoria Lambert begins the ProLon diet with a nut bar, herbal tea, and Algal Oil supplement.

Day One. Motivation high, but portions small. Breakfast is a teeny nut bar and herbal tea, plus two capsules of Algal Oil (£21, amazon.co.uk). This is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, vital for our brain function, sourced from algae. Lunch is a cup of soup with five olives and three squares of kale crackers, plus a daily vitamin and mineral supplement. Another nut bar and herbal tea sustains until supper’s cup of minestrone soup, and ‘‘Choco Crisp’’ bar.  The most notable side-effect isn’t hunger but that dreadful headache you get with no caffeine and no sugar.

The ProLon diet incorporates several types of soup, olives, and kale crackers.

Day Two. The portions shrink ominously. Lunchtime mushroom soup is relieved only by olives OR crackers, and there is no second nut bar. But from today, you get L-drink: an energy cordial you add to bottled water, quantity depending on body weight.  Remarkably, the energy drink is very useful for satiating any twinges of hunger.

The most difficult day is day three

Day Three. The most difficult day is number three, when your body has stopped munching through the easily accessible carbs we store in our liver, and starts breaking down actual fat instead.  I felt grumpy and tired as I sullenly ate the nut bar, and swigged the two cups of soup, but there weren’t even any olives in this day’s plan. Those five green delicacies had become the highlight of my day.

Day Four.  Two sets of olives today, and my mood lifts, which might also be due to my body’s shift into fat-burning properly. The headaches have eased, and at supper time there is a Choco Crisp (albeit the size of an After Eight). I realise I am trying to bring bed times forward as I prefer being hungry and asleep to being hungry and awake.
Day Five. I organise an absurdly busy day to get through the last achingly empty 24 hours.  The soups which started the week as tolerable now seem to resemble gruel. And the kale crackers are (almost) inedible. I even leave one. Despite my groaning belly.

Who wants to go through a week of starvation and then risk the results?

The Transition. The diet suggests you transition back to normal food by drinking juices and soups of your choosing, and small amounts of protein and veg on day Six, and then eat normally from Day Seven. I felt a sense of relief, but also very mindful of what I was eating. Who wants to go through a week of starvation and then risk the results?

Victoria Lambert shows off her
waistline after losing an inch
on the ProLon diet.

And what was the conclusion? Half a stone in weight loss, and an inch lost from my waist. So far, no sign of it returning either as often happens following a crash diet. By the end of Day Six I definitely felt renewed energy and have slept very well.  Would I do it again? Incredibly, yes.
http://www.healthista.com/need-to-lose-weight-quickly-heres-how-one-writer-lost-a-stone-in-five-days/

 

Time-saving exercise tips

Working exercise into your life

Trying to fit a daily exercise routine into a packed modern lifestyle can be a tricky proposition. However, exercise needn't mean taking time out to plan a gym session. Instead, exercise can be worked into your life, through commuting, household task and sports.

The scourge of modern day living is that we never seem to have enough time – for anything. Despite more and more labor and time saving gadgets, from increased car ownership to internet shopping – all designed to save us time, we still seem short of it.
Nowadays, our lifestyles are frequently a constant whirl of activities and we rush from one to the other, barely pausing for breath. One of the problems is the lack of available time for the most important activity for good all-round and long-term health – exercise. Very often it’s exercise that gets sidelined in favour of other things because ‘we’re just too busy’.
Making time for exercise is important, so if you’re struggling to fit exercise into your life, help is at hand – here are our top tips to help you integrate exercise into your life, even on the busy days.

Commuter exercise

With traffic congestion ever on the increase, combining exercise with your commuting trips to and from work can not only save you a trip to the gym later, but it can also reduce your commuting time.
Walking a mile and a half at the beginning and end of your working day wins on every level...

• It only takes about 25 minutes.
• It counts towards your recommended weekly cardiovascular exercise quota of 5 sessions of 20 minutes or more.
• It burns off the equivalent of up to half-a-pound of body fat a week

Cycling is very efficient exercise and enables you to cover greater distances. Plus, you can get a better workout in the same time frame.
If you have shower facilities at work, perhaps try jogging a couple of times a week or even easier, a jog home brings in a quality workout.

Superset exercise

Super-setting is a great technique to save time in the gym. Used correctly, it can cut your exercise time by 50% yet still give you the same results. Instead of having rest periods between two sets of an exercise, you select an alternative exercise that rests the muscle that you’ve just trained, and exercises the opposite one, before you complete your second set.
For example, alternate exercises for:

• Chest and upper back.
• Stomach and lower back.
• Front and back of upper arm.
• Front and back of thigh.

Circuit training

This circuit training is great for a gym workout and combines cardiovascular and resistance training in one fast-paced and supremely effective session. Try out the sample program below:

• Start with a cardiovascular (CV) warm-up for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Complete three sets of different resistance exercises for different muscle groups, without a break, for example:
  
  
  1. Chest press
  2. Lat pulldown
  3. Leg press
     
• Move straight onto a piece of cardiovascular equipment for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Choose three more resistance exercises and keep alternating with cardiovascular training as before.
• Finish with an easy, relaxed cool-down.

Activity for life

Being fit and healthy isn’t all about living at the gym or running marathons. Building activity into your life is a great way to keep fit without encroaching on precious time. Think about the following exercise inclusive strategies to help improve your fitness and save your time:

• A family weekend activity such as a woodland walk is a great opportunity to spend time together and also enjoy the benefits of some exercise.Walking
• Any sport – almost every sport requires physical fitness and there are a host of sports where you can build and improve your fitness as you learn the activity. Why not choose a new sport that you’ve always fancied trying and use it to improve your fitness as well?

Exercise and television

It sits in the corner of everyone’s lounge and we all watch it. But you can still enjoy your favourite shows and improve your fitness. Flexibility is the most neglected component of fitness and relaxing with a routine of all over stretches can easily be carried out whilst you tune into your regular soap operas!
Always make sure that you are well warmed up before you start and then simply ease into each stretch in the comfort of your own home. You’ll not only save specific training time, you’ll also find that your other workouts are more effective as your flexibility improves, as well as making you feel loose, supple and relaxed.

Make every training session count

When you workout, it is easy to slip into a rut and ‘go through the motions’. That could mean reading a book on an exercise bike or carrying out exercises without any real structure or focus. Although you get some training benefits, the problem is that you’re not maximizing your training time. The solution is each session a quality session, where you really put in the effort. The big advantage here is that because you are going for quality, you will find that you can do fewer training sessions and get either the same or even better results, thereby saving time.

Plan and organize your exercise

One of the keys to success in any field is to be organised – that way you are more efficient and you save time. Exercise is no different. You don’t need to be overly regimented, simply thinking in advance about how and when you can fit some exercise into your day will make a big difference. Why not try packing your gym bag the night before and taking it to work so that you can stop off for your workout on the way home? That way you save unnecessary traveling time.

Make the most of your lunch hour

Lunchtime can be an excellent opportunity to get an exercise session in. It could be a brisk walk in the park, a cycle ride or perhaps a quick gym visit followed by a sandwich at your desk. If you have an hour for lunch, with some planning you could squeeze a 30-minute session between traveling and showering and still be back before the hour is up.

Conclusion to time saving exercise

The key to saving time for exercise is to want to do it. Setting yourself a goal or challenge will help you concentrate on what is important to you and it will help you focus on incorporating exercise into your life. Communicate your goal to family and friends so that they can ‘buy-in’ to your commitment and help out with tasks and chores. Time for you is important and with some careful planning, everyone can tap into some of the exercise strategies above. Try out a few of the time-saving ideas and before you know it, your new exercise routine will have become something of a habit – and a fun and healthy one too.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/time-saving-exercise-tips/ 

 

Top 10 post workout treats

Rewards for completing exercise

Be it a heavy training session, a race or just an exercise class at the gym, we all deserve a little bit of pampering after our workout. Not only will a few relaxing rituals serve to calm your mind and recuperate your body after exercise, the prospect of a comforting treat to look forward to is a great way to keep you motivated during a workout. Try some of the pampering ideas below, and remember to drink plenty of water to replenish what you've lost through exercise.

A tasty, healthy treat

After a workout it is a good idea to replenish your energy stores with a healthy snack. Why not make yourself a smoothie? Toss equal handfuls of blackberries, strawberries and blueberries into a blender along with 250ml of soya milk and a pinch of cinnamon (great for maintaining healthy joints). Wizz the whole lot together with three ice cubes. Delicious. And only 140 calories with just three grams of fat!

Take an invigorating shower

Take an invigorating shower using shower gels made with ginger, lemon or grapefruit.Ginger is thought to have properties that can stimulate our will and motivation, and the essential oils found in citrus fruits like lemon and grapefruit are great for relieving sore or aching muscles. So shower to condition your body and mind for the next bout of exercise.

Recline in the sauna or jacuzzi

If you are a member of a gym, find out if they have a sauna or Jacuzzi. These facilities should be all a part of your monthly fee so make sure you find time to use them! As using a sauna brings about body responses similar to those of exercise (increase in pulse rate and circulation), it is a good to have a cool shower before entering the sauna.

Have a relaxing massage

Treat yourself to an occasional post-workout massage – especially if you're doing resistance training – to knead out any stress and tightness. In addition to feeling great, massages improve circulation and help rid the body of waste products that can accumulate when muscles are overworked. If you're at home, ask a friend or partner to give you a massage after exercise.

Stretch out

Indulge your muscles with a thorough stretching session; take ample time to really stretch from head to toe. This will relax and calm you after your workout, will help to reduce any soreness you might feel the following day, as well as bringing long-term benefits to your posture and overall flexibility.

Go on a shopping spree

Reward yourself with a new exercise kit. Hitting the shops and investing is a great treat. Try and find something you really love, something you can’t wait to put on. This will not only serve as a great post-workout pleasure but will spur you on to complete all your future exercise sessions.

Give your feet a break

Treat your feet after exercise. If you have been undergoing frequent workout training, your feet will be baring the brunt of it, especially if you are doing repetitive activities like running. Try soaking your feet in some warm water, great for relaxing tired feet and drawing out toxins. However, try not to soak for too long – you don’t want to soften your feet too much and leave yourself prone to blisters.

Find your inner zen

Meditation is the perfect way to unwind and relax after any workout. Yoga practitioners always conclude sessions with periods of meditation as it’s a great way to totally relax the body and mind. Meditation involves consciously focusing your attention – be it on your breathing, sounds or ideas – to alter your state of consciousness. If you have not meditated before, just find a quiet place to sit and maybe listen to some relaxing music, or alternatively why not try taking a class?

Drink a delicious herbal infusion

Have a cup of tea after exercise. Herbal tea is a great tonic after exercise and with so many to choose from, each with different medicinal effects, you can pick one just for you. Go for teas such as peppermint which is a strong muscle relaxant, nettle which provides iron and is great for the circulatory system, or go for the calming affects of chamomile. If you like it sweet, avoid using sugar – honey is the far better option and is thought to also reduce fatigue after a workout.

Take a relaxing bath

A soak in the tub is probably the most obvious post-workout pleasure but there is nothing like a long hot bath to relieve aching tired muscles after a workout. A great idea is to drop in some essential oils. Try ylang ylang; not only has it uplifting qualities but it's also been found to slow down too rapid breathing or heartbeat, perfect after a strenuous workout.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/top-10-post-workout-treats/

 

An introduction to core stability

A guide to core strength training

oor posture is one of the biggest problems facing people's health in modern life. However, regular core stability exercise can improve your core strength and your posture. Here's a guide on getting started in core strength training exercise.

How do you usually watch television?

When watching TV, most people relax on a soft sofa for comfortable viewing but that is very different to the way in which a young child sits to watch TV. Children invariably watch TV sat on the floor, totally unsupported with a straight back.
Try the ‘television test’ yourself by sitting unsupported on the floor and after about a minute, you’ll probably find that you’ve rounded your shoulders and are leaning forward onto your knees to support your upper body.
So what do children have that many of us have lost? The answer is core stability. Running right around your abdomen is a network of ‘core’ muscles that hold us in and keep us stable. They are critical to maintaining good posture and because we sit on soft sofas etc, these muscles have become ‘de-trained’ with a resultant loss of posture. By training your core muscles, you can regain your core strength together with a host of additional benefits, particularly:
Top benefits from core stability training:

• Improved balance
• Improved joint and body stability
• Improved posture
• Increased core strength
• Reduced risk of injury
• Improved sporting performance
• Fun!

Choosing core stability training equipment

Minimal equipment is needed to improve your core strength and there are many exercises that can be executed solely using your bodyweight. However, to fully challenge your core muscles, a stability ball is a tremendous aid. Stability balls are becoming far more commonplace but before using one, it is important to select a suitable diameter ball for your size.

Many shops sell ‘one-size-fits-all’ 65cm (25in) diameter stability balls but for most people, these are far too large. Because they are so big, they are then used under-inflated and by exercising on a very soft ball, a large surface area is in contact with the ground, which reduces the effectiveness of the exercise. Far greater and faster gains can be achieved through using a smaller ball pumped up harder, so that there is less surface area in contact with the floor.

Foundation stability ball exercises
1. Stability ball balancing and kneeling

Technique

Stand with feet approx 45cm (18in) apart.
Position the stability ball on the floor and up against the knees and shins.
Place hands on top of the ball.
Pushing up from the toes, slowly roll forward with the ball until feet are off the floor until balance is achieved.

Key coaching point

Initially, position a mat in front of the ball to provide confidence should you roll forward.

Progression

Once balance can be achieved, remove a hand or leg and eventually both hands until it is possible to kneel completely upright on the ball.

2. Stability ball floor bridge

TechniqueLie face up on the floor, arms outstretched either side of the body.

Position heels on the ball, toes pointing at the ceiling and lift body off the floor. Form a straight line from shoulders through to ankles. Contract core muscles and keep pelvis elevated to maintain correct position.

Key coaching points

If the standard floor bridge position is too challenging, reposition feet so that ankles and calves are supported by the ball. As core strength increases, revert to solely heels on the ball.

Progression

Gradually bring arms in towards body until eventually they can be lifted off the floor together, leaving only the shoulders in contact with the floor.

Fun

One final benefit of stability ball training is that it is tremendous fun despite the challenging nature of the exercises. That alone is an excellent endorsement and regular stability ball training will add a completely new dimension to your exercise routine, providing a comprehensive range of benefits.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/an-introduction-to-core-stability/#pagination-top

 

Stability ball workout guide

Getting the most from your stability ball workout

The stability ball, also known as a swiss ball or fitball is rapidly increasing in popularity and it is now commonplace to see them in gyms and leisure clubs. Stability balls are fantastic pieces of exercise equipment and their primary purpose is to train the core muscles, which are frequently underdeveloped. Whatever your exercise goals, working out with a stability ball is guaranteed to advance your fitness, and correct core training brings about rapid gains.

A strong core means:

• Better posture
• More efficient movement
• A stronger body

Irrespective of your age, goals or sport – if you want to experience the benefits of stability ball training, read on for hints and tips on how to get the most from your stability ball workout.

Finding your core

Before you start core training, it is important to initially ‘find your core.’ Time spent practicing activating your core muscles is necessary before progressing to more advanced training.
One of the most effective ways to initiate core control is as follows:

1. Position yourself on all fours on the floor.
2. Relax and draw your navel in towards your spine to activate your core.
3. Practice alternately relaxing and activating your core muscles with no other body movement.
4. Maintain relaxed breathing throughout.

Starting core training

Once you have found your core, you can progress to the next stage. All the following exercises are simple but extremely effective and should be mastered before moving onto more complex movements:

1. With your feet flat on the floor, sit on the ball and maintain correct upright posture. Use a mirror or partner to monitor your position.
   
2. Maintaining this position, move the ball forwards, backwards and from side to side using small controlled movements of the hips, whilst focusing on maintaining good posture.
3. Return to starting position; then raise one foot a few centimeters from the floor. Focus on keeping completely upright with no side-to-side hip movements.
4. Try all of the exercises with your eyes closed – this will make each exercise much more challenging. 

Moving up – foundation exercises

Kneeling on the stability ball

This exercise rapidly progresses your core strength and combined with balance and proprioception (sense of where you are in space), all contribute to your core fitness.

1. Stand with feet approximately 45cm (18in) apart.
2. Position the stability ball on the floor and up against the knees and shins.
3. Place hands on top of the ball.
4. Pushing up from the toes, slowly roll forward with the ball until your feet are off the floor and balance is achieved.
5. Once you can balance, experiment with removing a hand or leg and eventually both hands until it is possible to kneel completely upright on the ball.

Just a few minutes practice a day will result in you progressing from being unable to balance on the ball at all, to being able to kneel completely upright.

Stability ball floor bridge

This exercise focuses specifically on pelvic core strength as you counteract the rotational effect of the ball. Additionally, it exercises the hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh as you hold your position.

1. Lie on your back on the floor, arms outstretched either side of the body.
2. Position your heels on the center of the ball, toes pointing at the ceiling.
3. Lift your body off the floor, forming a straight line from shoulders through to ankles.
   
4. Contract your core muscles and keep pelvis elevated to maintain the correct position.

Once you can maintain the position for 60 seconds, try gradually bringing your arms in towards your body until eventually they can be lifted off the floor together, leaving only the shoulders in contact with the floor.

Advanced exercises

Once you have successfully mastered the foundation exercises, to fully develop your core strength, try the following more advanced exercises.
Stability ball floor bridge single leg

1. Start in the foundation stability ball floor bridge position from above.
2. Whilst keeping both legs straight, slowly elevate one leg 45cm (18in) from the ball and hold.
3. Keep your pelvis elevated throughout, so that your shoulders, pelvis and knees remain continually in line.
4. Return your leg back to the ball under control.
5. Repeat with opposite leg.
6. Build up to holding for 60 seconds duration on each leg.

Stability ball floor bridge pull-in

1. Start in the foundation stability ball floor bridge position from above.
2. In one synchronized movement, bend your knees and pull the stability ball in towards your body.
3. Keep your pelvis elevated throughout so that your shoulders, pelvis and knees remain continually in line.
4. Return the ball to the start position under control, keeping your pelvis elevated throughout.
5. Build up to two sets of six repetitions.

Stability ball training tips

To ensure that you get maximum training benefits from your stability ball workout, always follow the protocols below:

Size is everything

Choose the right size ball for you. Most commercially available balls are too large at 65cm (25in) diameter, whereas for most people, a 55cm (21in) ball will provide far more training benefits.

Relax when exercising

Always keep your breathing relaxed. It is common when exercising to hold your breath when an exercise becomes challenging. Instead focus on relaxed breathing whilst still maintaining a strong core contraction.

Partner up when training

Getting the most from your core workout means carrying out the exercises using precise and controlled movements. Ideally, partner up with a friend who can monitor your body position throughout the exercises.

Mirror, mirror

If you are training alone, a mirror can be extremely helpful in monitoring your form and technique.
Train twice a week
For maximum stability ball training gains, carry out your core workout twice a week.

Conclusions on stability ball training

Stability ball training should be a key component of everyone’s fitness program, whatever fitness gains you are training for. In addition to a comprehensive package of benefits, exercising on a ball is great fun – and fun should be a part of everyone’s workout. If you’ve never tried core exercises in your workout before, try building the exercises into your usual session and you’ll be amazed at how fast you improve – and what a difference stability ball training makes.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/stability-ball-workout-guide/ 

 

Is running good for you?

The pros and cons of running

Is running good for you? Running has often been viewed as a potentially dangerous activity. But can a sport that improves your cardiovascular fitness really be bad for you? Here's an assessment on whether running is good or bad for you.

A common point of discussion amongst runners and non-runners is weighing up the benefits (or not) of running training. Detractors will discuss valid points such as joint problems and repeated muscle injuries, whilst advocates will enthuse about cardiovascular benefits and the freedom that running can bring. So who’s right and who’s wrong, or is there some middle ground? In this article we aim to put the record straight with a balanced assessment of the pros and cons of running that’ll help you decide on whether running is right for you.
To keep the assessment balanced, we have listed our top six discussion points with the arguments from each camp (for and against), together with our overall verdict on whether running really is good for you or not.

Running causes joint problems and impact injuries

• Running is good for you: Running strengthens your joints and bones and provided you wear well-cushioned shoes, run off-road regularly for improved shock absorption, and avoid heavy training mileages, you’ll not experience problems.
  

• Running is bad for you: Repeated pounding takes its toll (in both the short and long-term) on bones, particularly on joints such as the knee, which is particularly susceptible to injury.

Regular running will strengthen the skeleton but equally, if you always run on pavements, have unsuitable footwear or focus on long distances on the road, you can get injured.

 

Running is boring

• Running is good for you: The great outdoors, off-road exploration and the freedom that running brings means that it’s never boring.
  

• Running is bad for you: Plodding around the same routes week in, week out is dull, dull, dull. Exercising without any purpose (as opposed to running during a football game or sport) is pointless.

Running can be boring because by nature it is a repetitious activity. However, by varying your routes, distances and training sessions, training with friends as well as alone should mean that you never get stale.

Running causes imbalances in the body

• Running is good for you: Running mainly strengthens the legs but the upper body is also employed for posture and driving the arms, particularly on hills.
  
• Running is bad for you: The majority of runners have muscle imbalances because they neglect upper body training and tend to opt for more running. Hence they can become susceptible to injuries and typically have limited upper body strength.
  

A great many runners are imbalanced with weaker upper bodies. Running does build strong legs but every runner should devote time to all-round conditioning to build upper body strength and maintain complete postural balance.

 Runners are inflexible and frequently get muscle injuries

• Running is good for you: Providing you warm up well and include flexibility exercises in your training schedule, runners should not experience strains and muscle pulls.
  
• Running is bad for you: The primary topic of conversation on any running club night or the start line of any race, is who’s currently injured, who’s been injured and who’s coming back from injury. Injuries and running go hand-in-hand.
  

It’s true that far too many runners get injured and needlessly so. Following correct training protocols and focusing on regular flexibility training, particularly for the older runner, should ensure that you can continue to train unhindered. Neglect this key area of training and you’ll be on the sidelines more often than not.

Running is inherently dangerous to your health

• Running is good for you: Running brings a whole host of physiological benefits, including an improved cardiovascular (CV) system, stronger heart, greater blood volume and improved resistance to infection to name a few.

• Running is bad for you: Running is a killer. Remember Jim Fixx, the American running guru that died whilst on a training run? More recent examples of fatalities in the other major running events show that it is a dangerous activity.
  

Yes, Jim Fixx did die whilst running and of a heart attack, but his sedentary father died similarly when he was ten years younger than Jim. It is likely that Jim Fixx’s devotion to running gave him an extra ten years of quality life that his father didn’t enjoy. The percentage of fatalities in races is infinitesimally small and regular running provides a great many health and fitness benefits that outweigh rare instances of heart attacks or other medical problems that may occur whilst training or racing.

Running is unhealthily obsessive

• Running is good for you: A good run gets the blood coursing through your veins, improves your mood, is a great weight management tool and because of all these positives, makes you want to continue repeating the experience. That makes for a long term commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

• Running is bad for you: Runners are over-focused on weekly mileage, never missing a training session and manipulating their day around their training run so that it dominates above all else.

Running is an obsessive activity and can attract obsessive characters. Equally, it brings a whole host of physical and psychological benefits every time you run. The key is to keep your running in perspective and in balance with the rest of your life so that it enhances your life rather than dominates it.

The verdict on whether running is good for you

Both camps have valid points. As a healthy active living website, advocating activities such as running, it would be very easy for us to categorically promote running and disregard the valid and real problems that running can bring. However, to remain completely balanced, that would be an invalid assessment.
Consulting our team of professional specialists, all with many years experience of training and racing, overall our assessment is that running is a life enhancing activity that can be enjoyed at every age and level by whoever puts on a pair of training shoes.
But, and it’s a big but… similar to any activity, there are sensible and necessary precautions to take that will ensure you are able to train safely and can continue to train long-term. To get the most out of your running, keep it in balance with everything else in your life: your work, family, relaxation etc. Then, as a health and fitness activity, it’s pretty hard to beat. In our view, it’s neither a killer nor a cure-all but the positives of running outweigh the negatives by a considerable margin.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/is-running-good-for-you/

 

The motivation for taking up running

What's your running motivation?

What's your running motivation? Here’s a great list of reasons why people love to run, and why you should to! 

Intrinsic or extrinsic perspectives whilst running

At a basic level, the motives for running can be viewed from an intrinsic and extrinsic perspective. A person with an intrinsic motivation to run might gain satisfaction from running around a local scenic route on a calm, sunny day. An extrinsic person might run the same route with the ultimate goal of winning their age group in an upcoming local race.
For the intrinsic people there is a basic joy inherent in the simple act of running. Running can invigorate one's sensory faculties through seeing the natural landscape, feeling the cool wind on your skin, hearing the rustle of the trees or feeling the contours of the changing terrain beneath your feet. The extrinsic people are often drawn to the challenge of running where they are responsible for setting and achieving their goals. Many people of course are a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic running mindsets.

Escape through running

Running can be motivated by a need to escape from the pressures of everyday life. It is not uncommon to feel a weight lift off of the runner's shoulders as frustrations, stress and burdens are left behind. Running can also create much needed mind space where new ideas can flow freely, and older, established ones can take on new light.

Improving mental alertness by running

Running during a lunch break cannot only provide physical benefits but also enhances mental alertness. Just give it a try and go for a run during your lunch break and see what your productivity and mental alertness is like during the afternoon.

Looking good through running

There are those that are motivated to run by the opportunity to wear the very latest sporting gear and footwear. The world's leading running companies do a great job in supplying a myriad of styles, fabrics, soles and assorted paraphernalia to go running in.

Running for the love of food!

Running can be used to justify our consumption of great tasting foods like chocolate, coffee and beer. Running triggers the production of aerobic enzymes that stimulate our appetite and makes food taste so good. The increased metabolism induced by the physical demands of running allows those who indulge in it to eat more generously in portion as well.

The running events

Running can be motivated by the physical challenge of having a go at new events and training runs. There are plenty of running events out there, from short races such as a 5k up to the marathon distance and beyond. You need to put at least one major marathon on your bucket list.

The runner's high

The release of endorphins after running is widely acknowledged as a strong motivation to run. This 'runner high' is a powerful and satisfying mental state often experienced by the runner at the end of a memorable training run or race. This feeling is a mixture of elation, fatigue and satisfaction.

Spiritual running motivation

At a metaphysical level, some claim running can be motivated spiritually. Sri Chinmoy is the proclaimed leader of a spiritual ideology that uses meditation as a source of inner strength and immense spiritual power. By tapping into the inner joy and peace from meditation, the capacity to run is greatly inspired and energised. Sri Chinmoy followers talk of the enriching experience of self-discovery and inner growth to be gained from the personal challenge of running.

The social life of a runner

Running is sociable. Or it can be if you run for a club or enter races. It gives you the chance to mix with like-minded individuals and meet new people. It is no coincidence that runners flock to the major city marathons around the world to collectively share in the ultimate of running experiences. This extends to an unspoken understanding and mutual respect of the effort and commitment required to train for running.
People find a wide range of reasoning and benefits for their involvement in running. However, perhaps the greatest motivation is the personal growth and life changing experiences that running is able to give you. Whatever your motivation, enjoy your running.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/the-motivation-for-taking-up-running/ 

 

Why you might not lose weight by running

Reasons running doesn’t always lead to weight loss

If you're running to lose weight but aren't getting results, don't panic. There are several reasons why this could be happening - Scott Overall, explains here. 

How long are your runs?

The length of your runs might need to increase to get the real weight loss benefits.It is all very well going out for a 10 minute jog, but if you still eat the same amount of food (perhaps junk food), any gains you make by running will be immediately lost by the food you eat.

If you can go running for maybe 30 minutes, three times a week you should find this will help the weight fall off. You will of course reach a plateau where you will not continue to lose weight without eating less or running more, and only one of those I would recommend. You should be running and eating a healthy diet, replacing the calories you've burnt with nutritious food instead of cakes and sweets.

Are you building muscle?

The more you run the more muscle you are going to build, and replace the fat. However if you are constantly on the scales this is not going to give you a true reflection of your fitness/health. Muscle weighs more than fat, but it is of course more healthy. So even though you might look at the scales and not be happy, just remember that you are certainly fitter and better for it.

Weighing yourself every day probably isn't the best idea to accurately measure your weight loss. All you are going to be measuring is the fluctuations in your hydration levels, the more running you are doing the more water your body is going to store.

Are you running at high enough intensity?

If you are going out the door three times a week and just running one pace you are more likely to hit a plateau quicker than you think. The initial weight loss will come quickly, and then you will struggle to lose any more. The reason for this is because you are simply not running to a high enough intensity. What I mean by this is that you may have become quite comfortable going out and running a relaxed pace, but clearly you will burn more calories by running faster.

However, this is where your fitness will come into play - you may not be able to run the whole run at a faster pace, so break it up into segments. Go out the door, run your usual pace for 10 minutes so that you are adequately warmed up, and then do a fast 30 second effort before going back to your steady pace and repeat this for 5-10 minutes. These fluctuations in pace will increase your heart rate, you'll work harder, and the end result will be you will use more calories.  

Try fuelling on fat

When training for a marathon there are some runners that change their diet completely so that their body changes the fuel that it uses, instead of burning carbohydrates it will burn fat. To do this runners will severely limit their intake of carbs, when there are no carbs to burn the body then uses the fat stores. This is great of the marathon because no one has enough fuel in their body to power them for the whole 26.2 miles, without taking on board extra carbs (energy drinks, gels, etc).

By burning fat you have a supply there that contains more energy and burns more slowly than carbs - again, great for the marathon. This is an extreme example but running on limited carbs can help burn fat. I would also talk to a coach or a nutritionist before starting that.

Focus on health not on weight loss

At the end of the day your weight is just a number on the scales, what really matters is how you feel about yourself and what is going on inside.The more running you do the healthier you are going to be, with increased lung capacity, stronger heart, and you should feel much better about your overall fitness. It shouldn't matter how much you weigh, as long as you're healthy.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/why-you-might-not-lose-weight-by-running/