The 12 rules for running further and faster with less effort

Hi everybody! Today’s post will focus on the 12 easy rules to follow if we want to improve our posture and physical efficiency while running.

Ready, set, GO!

 

1.       SHORTEN YOUR STRIDE

I know, it is not something that comes naturally, but if you shorten your stride, step frequency increases. The benefits derived from it are two: you will run more efficiently because you will run on your forefoot and you will reduce the risk of injuries.

2.       LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD

By looking straight ahead, depth perception latency will be reduced. According to a research carried out by the University of New York, setting running goals (for example overtaking a predetermined point such as a tree) may make distance appear smaller and you may fell less tired. Moreover, dividing the distance to be covered into multiple parts will help you cope psychologically with it. 

3.       LEAN FORWARD

Harness gravity by leaning forward at the ankles rather than at the hips. 

4.       RELEASE TENSION IN YOU UPPER BODY

Contracting arm and shoulder muscles is a waste of energy. A good posture brings substantial health benefits.

5.       WARM AND STRETCH BEFORE BEGINNING

No engine can go full speed when cold without negative consequences. The same applies for our legs: warming up before running and doing cool down stretches afterwards is a blessing for your body.

6.       CHANGE YOUR SHOES

If you run more than 500 km (200 miles) in a pair of shoes, they can get thinner and stiffer. It can also lead to injuries that take months to heal. Therefore, you should always replace your shoes when you realise that they are worn out. How do you understand that? Put one hand in your shoe, and press on the sole with your other hand. If you can feel your fingers pressing through, those shoes are worn out: the cushioning totally compressed or the outer sole worn thin.

7.       BUY PROPER CLOTHING

Using proper sportswear when you train is of vital importance. In fact, it allows sweat to evaporate and facilitates thermal balance.

8.       DRINK A LOT OF WATER

Dehydration during exercise is a real danger therefore, drinking is extremely important. It is quite difficult to understand when to do it though, as it depends on the outside temperature and the weather. Bringing a bottle of water everywhere we go is always a good idea.

9.       TRAIN WITH SOMEONE

It is inevitable: running with a friend helps us give our best. In fact, it has been observed that the average speed improves by 5″/km as chatting with someone makes time go faster.

10.   TRY AND AVOID BOREDOM

Boredom is an ugly beast as the feelings of fatigue are accentuated. Listen to music, look around, think about your day, and focus on the movement of your body. These are all activities that might help you put fatigue in the background.

11.   EAT HEALTHY

A balanced and healthy diet will help you with your trainings. Do not overeat but at the same time do not eat too few calories: your body needs proteins, carbohyrates, fats and vitamins.

12.   GET SOME REST

Resting is an integral part of the training regime. Scheduling rest days will help you be energetic and recover from muscle fatigue.

Water: an essential resource!

Hi everyone! Today's post will deal with the qualities of water and how important it is to drink it.

It is common knowledge that
Adults should drink at least 1.5 litres of water a day. Dr Wendy Doyle of the British Dietetic Association says this amount is based on sound medical reasoning. Adults lose around 3 litres of fluid a day, she says: 1-1.5 litres as urine, 0.5-1 litres in perspiration, around 400ml in our breath, and about 300ml in our faeces.
 It also goes without saying that this amount should increase in hotter weather, if you exercise a lot and if you do physically demanding work as fluid loss should be restricted. 

If these two arguments are not enough for you, I will list the 10 main positive implication of drinking more water and staying hydrated:

1. Weight loss: water helps regulate the appetite. It promotes a feeling of fullness and helps get rid of the feeling of hunger.
2. Metabolism stimulation: fluids help boost the metabolism and burn calories.
3. Training improvements: water increases muscle power. Therefore, it is recommended to drink
   before beginning any physical activity.
4. Skin improvement: drinking 2 liters of water a day hydrates the body. It helps combat dry skin and eliminate the toxins and bacteria accumulated. Staying hydrated improves skin's appearance and gives the face a more youthful appearance.
5. Headache prevention: not drinking enough water is a common cause of headaches. 
6. Improvement of concentration.
7. Strenghtening of the immune system.
8. Improvement of purification and digestion: water helps our organism eliminate toxins and body waste. This function is combined with regular bowel movements that are critical to proper digestion. Drinking water might help relieve constipation.
9. Increased energy.
10. You will feel better.

30 day squat challenge

Hi everyone!
Since I've heard a lot about the so called 30 day squat challenge, I decided to take it up. I also have noticed people on Youtbibe saying that it worked. Will it produce the promised results?

If you have no idea what I'm talking about here's an explanation. The 30 day squat challenge only has 1 exercise which is squats. You have to do it each day, and the time spent doing the exercise slowly increases day by day to help you build up your core body muscle strength gradually, ensuring you are able to complete the final day of the challenge easily. You start by doing 50 squats and end up on the 30th day doing 250. There must clearly be intervals between a training cycle and the other. It also goes without saying that you must limit yourselves on the basys of your physical form.

It is of vital importance to know how to perform these exercises well, otherwise we risk damaging our back and knees. Here are the basic rules:

• Stand with your legs spread out. The width betweeen you legs should go beyond the width of your pelvis. It is important to maintain a stable position. 
• Keep you back straight and pretend to sit on a chair that's far away from you.
• Go down below your knees and then come squat back up by pressing on the heel.
• Return to the starting position by contracting you glutes. 

On sun safety and skin tones

Here I am, back again!
After this long holiday season I'm back with my advices on how to live a healthy, long and joyful life. As you may expect these advices don't just deal with fitness/diet but with health in general, with how we live.
This is why today's post will be about taking care of our skin and protecting it from the sun. I will provide you with some information about different skin tones and how to treat them well 'cause if we don't want we can get something bad.

Who doesn't like going to the beach and getting suntanned? I personally love the feeling of the sun warming my skin. I hate sunscreen but I also hate sunburn... and if there's something we should watch out for is sunburns!
When I was younger I got sunburnt very easily as I felt that putting sunscreen on was a sign of weakness for a boy. However, while growing up I realised how important it is to protect our skin from the sun. In order to do so It is vital to identify our skin type and act accordingly.

There 6 different skin types:

• 1 and 2: Nordic peoples with blonde hair and pale skin. They get sunburnt in less than 10 minutes and they need a very high sun protection factor (SPF): 50 or more 
• 3 and 4: peoples with golden brown hair and skin. They need a SPF in between 10 and 30
• 5 and 6: peoples with dark or olive skin. They only need a low SPF 6-10

Age affects our sunscreen choices as well: young people until 15 years of age and the elderly need to use higher SPFs no matter their skin tones.

Therefore, just choose the right sunscreen for you skin type (I hope I have been of some use) and you'll be fit as a fiddle and at the same time perfectly tanned!

Oh, my cherries!

Hi everyone! After a few days, I am back! And today I will entertain you with some nutrition basics.
As said in the previous posts this blog will not barely deal with fitness meant as exercising and diet. It will also provide you with intresting facts about your daily routine that may change the way you see things.

Therefore, today's topic will be cherries. What a wonderful fruit! I do not know about you but they are so delicious that once I start eating one, I just cannot stop!

Since it is one of those fruits that everyone likes it is important to state that cherries have various beneficial effects on health. They contain vitamins A and C that improve our vision and help the immune system. They also help prevent diseases suh as arteriosclerosis, kidney failures and cellular aging.

It is also recommended, and extremely smart, to use the all fruit for food/drink preparations. For example, if you suffer from cystitis, you can prepare a green peduncles infusion to drink twice a day.
If you suffer from joint pain, do not throw the cherry pits away as they are good conductors of heat to be used for relieving pain. Here are the two most common use:

• Hot therapy - joint pain: wash the cherry pits and let them dry out. Creat a pillow out of them and heat it in a microwave for about 1 minute. Put it wherever it is needed. 

• Cold therapy - contusions and sprains: wash the cherry pits and let them dry out. Creat a pillow out of them and put it in the freezer for about 2 hours. Put it wherever it is needed.

Food Yoga: Nourishing Body, Mind & Soul!

Today I will inaugurate a series of posts that do not necessarily deal with fitness in its strict meaning but with healthy living in its broader sense.
Here I will mainly focus on adopting healthy habits for a better life by giving a few ideas in the form of recipes.

As said many times before, eating is strictly linked to our physical and mental health. While many believe that in order to lose weight it is necessary to eat very little and, if possible, fast, there is nothing more wrong than that. Metabolism needs always to be moving and in order to do so it is important to eat.
Of course it is not easy especially during seasons such as winter when cold and greasy ingredients have the best of us. However, if we pay attentions to the ingedients we eat, choosing seasonal products (especially fruits and vegetables) we will not find any burdens on our paths.
I will give you the instructions for a healthy and fresh summery salad, may it inspire you!
Ingredients:
2 oranges
1 lemon
1 avocado 
1 fennel
1 shallot
some mint leaves
a handful of pinenuts
Peel, de-pith and section the oranges, cut the avocado into cubes and sprinkle the juice of a lemon on it. Cut the fennel and shallot into thin slices and chop the mint leaves with the pinenuts. Arrange the orange slices on a plate, season the avocado, fennel and shallot with oil, salt and pepper and put the mix over the first layer. Sprinkle the mint with the pinenuts over it. Enjoy!

I would not want to repeat myself but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Therefore, the way we eat breakfast, what we eat is crucial for our day. Eating too much is not recommended just as much as eating not that much is not an option. It is also important to keep an eye on what we eat during the morning or along the day while at work. We should replenish our body with the lost fluids and energies without stumbling upon unhealthy sugary snacks. The best alternative would be to prepare energising fruit-based smoothies at home and take them along with us everywhere we go! Here you have two intresting recipes:
Ginger and Turmeric Tea
Pour hot water over a ginger slice and a pinch of turmeric and cardamom. It is best served hot but not boiling!
Bananas and almond milk smoothie
Blend 1 banana with 30 gr almond, a cup of yogurt, a teaspoon of flaxseeds and one of almond milk. It is a perfect recipe for breakfast to be eaten with a slice of whole-wheat bread.

whole-grain bread

a Slice of Whole-Grain Bread

a Slice of Whole-Grain Bread

Variety is the spice of life... even in fitness!

Variety is so important to any fitness program because by avoiding boredom, you will be able to get in shape. However, before going into further details I would like to address a tricky topic that concerns men: six-pack abs.

Who said that women are the only ones to be obsessed with the perfect swimsuit-ready body?
Nowadays, more and more men are living a sedentary lifestyle: they use the car to go anywhere, their job constists in sitting all day long in front of a computer and they have no time to keep fit. In addition to that, they are constantly eating more and more UNhealthy food with the result of having the so called beer belly (even if they do not drink).
To be honest, (and I am talking as one of these men) everyone wants to have a v-shaped body even though men tend not to say it loud.
This is why, I decided to design a series of exercises for your abs to be done daily, a few minutes each day. In this way, you will not feel exausted but you will see the results in a matter of months.

Now it's time to go back to the main topic of this post!
If traditional workouts have run their course for you, if you are not a gym person, take a look at one of the most unusual fitness trend I found that is inviting folks to have a little fun while breaking a sweat. Who knows? Maybe it could be your ticket to fitness.
If you’ve always dreamt of being in Cirque de Soleil, trapeze classes are your chance to unleash your inner circus star. Indoor and outdoor trapeze schools are popping up throughout the country for those who want to learn how to flip and fly. Most beginner classes start out with basic moves taught on the ground before moving to the skies. And, aside from being super fun, it’s a fantastic way to target your upper and lower bodies, particularly your lats and shoulders, and carve out your core.
Together with being an extremely intresting activity, trapeze schools allow you to get fully in shape. Unlike exercises such as spinning, kickboxing and zumba fitness that are characterized by cardio and lower body workouts, trapeze enables a fully body workout: thighs, glutea muscles, harms and the upper body are all involved! See you at trapeze schoo then!