How to Start Running Without Injury or Burnout

First run horror scenarios are common, but preventable nonetheless. In fact, if you never ran before or are out-of-shape, then running is going to be a little painful because your body is not yet conditioned to the high impact activity. Fortunately, you can keep the discomfort at bay by taking walk breaks and keeping your pace under control. This is what is known as the walk-run-walk program.

The Walk/Run

The walk-run-walk training recipe is the ideal approach for boosting fitness level without risking injury or burnout. Usually opting for this method lets you catch your breath and protects your joints and muscle from any premature damage.

How It Is Done?

 

 This beginner’s program consists of alternating between running intervals (shedding pounds and improving fitness) and walking boots (for recovery). The length and intensity of each interval depends on your fitness status and training goals. 

For The Beginner

If you’re a beginner, then aim for a 30-second run, interspersed with one-full minute recovery. And as you get fitter, make sure to take less walking breaks and boost the time spent running until you’re able to run straight for 30-minutes without much trouble.

A guest post by David Dack

2 Eating Guidelines For Losing More Pounds

Every dieter knows that he needs to follow the right diet guidelines for the long haul—if he ever desires to lose the weight and keep it off for good. True to form, this is hard. And requires lots of energy and suffering through lots of plateaus and setbacks.

Fortunately, you can do something about it by just doing the following:

Banish the booze

Yes you know it. Excess beer drinking can take its toll on your bank account, but it can also wreak havoc on your fitness level. According to Swedish study published in the journal Obesity, drinking alcohol boosts cortisol levels –the hormone responsible for weight gain and other health troubles—and decreases blood testosterone in men. 

Not only that, researchers at  the University of Helsinki found that binging on alcohol hinders the post-workout recovery process and muscle growth, thus compromising your fitness efforts.

Keep a food diary

Clarity is power. And with power comes awesome results. The best way to get clear on your eating habits is via a food journal. The latter can help you keep track of your daily calorie intake, while at the same time, shed light on the most hidden parts of your eating knee-jerk reactions. 

Therefore, if you’re suffering from weight loss plateaus, look no more; go ahead and grab a journal and start keeping track, then introduce the right changes.

2 Workout Shortcuts For Awesome Fitness Results

Workout success is no secret: you exercise, you recover, then you exercise for some more. Nevertheless, there are some shortcuts that can help you get faster results without spending a fortune on supplements and personal trainers. Here are a couple:

Start at the bottom

Starting out your workout with performing leg exercises has been shown to boost levels of testosterone and growth hormone, according to Norwegian research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. This can help you boost strength for the rest of the training session, thus leading to better fitness results.

Free your muscles

You don’t need pricy training machines to get into the best shape of your life. All you need is a couple of free weights and off you go. In fact, according to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, using free weights rather than fixed machines produces better muscle activation, thus leading to greater strength gains.

Get In Shape Without Spending a Fortune

Yes you can get into the best shape of your life without losing your bank account. But it’s not an easy feat. Getting into the best shape requires time and sacrifice—regardless of how much you’re willing to spend. Nevertheless, it’s worth the sweat.

Therefore, if you’re looking to boost your fitness level without spending a fortune on gym fees and supplements, here are few diet and training shortcuts that can help

Train in teams

Who said you need a personal trainer when studies show that you can actually lose more weight and be consistent with your training program by just peering up with a training buddy. According to a two-year study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, people who trained with a partner lost more weight than those who exercised alone. 

Furthermore, another study by the Oxford University showed that exercising in teams helps minimize perceived levels of fatigue and tolerate more pain, leading to better consistently and fitness results.

Run From hunger

Running is one of the best exercises that can help you shed weight and boost fitness levels, but it can also help you avoid weight gain by preventing overeating. According to study published in the Journal Of Sports Science And Medicine, subjects reported lower levels of ghrelin—the hormone that regulate hunger—after completing a long run at between 50-70 of their maximum cardio capacity.

Are you in a rush to lose weight?

Research shows that seeking the quick fix is not the way to go when it comes to losing weight. In fact, instant gratification behaviors might be the reason why you’re struggling with your weight loss resolution.

Therefore, here are some ways that can help.

-          Think long term by developing good eating habits for life and having a plan—especially during harsh times.

-          Gradually remove instant gratification behaviors from your life. This kind of change does not happen overnight. It requires time and practice, thus be patient.

-          Readjust and adapt. Being inflexible with your weight loss plan can wreak havoc on your fitness and weight loss efforts. Instead, be flexible like water going through the peaks and valleys with smoothness.

Seek the company of successful people. This will not help you shed some pounds; it can change your life for good—in both senses. After all, you’re the company you keep