It is interesting to know that the popularity of triathlons is increasing though it has high injury rate. Sean D. Hamill has written an article ‘Triathletes, on Your Mark …Whoa!’ in New York Times about the high probability of being injured compared to performing one type of exercise only.

According to the article, most of the injuries are caused by over and rigid trainings which usually hit the leg parts. Despite of this, triathlons continue to thrive and appeal to the people. Perhaps one of the motivating reasons to point is the physical benefits you get.

Triathlons are combination of three sports - cycling, running and swimming. With such strenuous exercise, it will indeed challenge the level of your stamina. Also, the benefits of these sports to your body cannot be
underrated. It eliminates too the boredom in your exercise program because
it entails three activities. You will run, bike and swim.

No wonder that even triathletes are subject to punishing pain and inevitable injury, they continue the pursuit.

It was cited in the article ‘Triathletes, on Your Mark …Whoa!’ that this has been a great learning curve for sports science doctors as they aim to address the case of injuries. It is really an interesting article to read especially if you want to discover more about the triathletes.

Read the full article, ‘Triathletes, on Your Mark …Whoa!‘ from NYTimes.com - Fashion and Style.

Hi Ladies,

Thanks for all your 40th birthday and 2010 challenge wishes.

This month I will share with you my winter break training plan and how I will be beating the guilty feeling of over eating in the festive season.

First I am writing this months blog from the plane taking me to my winter training camp, yes I am sending my first week of my break in sunny climes at a sports boot  camp where I will start my half marathon training plan.( I know I am completely mad get time of work and go running, but ladies it is in the sun)

Day 1 arrive to heat of 77 degrees check in to the gym to get the travel legs moving. A 2 hour workout followed by a visit to the spa that will do me.
.
Top gym tips:
Work harder, not longer. For your cardio workout decrease your duration and increase your intensity, follow the rule that each cardio session should leave you needing a short recovery, if you can jump off and on the cardio equipment with feeling you need a break your not working hard enough. You will burn more calories in a short time if you work to a higher intensity then if you stick to your moderate level for a longer period.

Day 2
Ok so am not that comfortable with pounding the streets, but once I get my head around it I quite enjoy the feeling I get from running, it gives me a sense of freedom and strength that my body moves under the control of my mind.

So 7.30am off I go to join the morning run after  a strange warm up by the pool we head to the stadium where we get put into groups on what distance we wish to cover as I am at day 1 of my program I choose a nice 5km to find my feet with the road surface and heat also to check out the other runners abilities (they all look like pro’s).

The running guide as they are called is a young danish girl who looks like a gazelle, she tell us she will run at 5min/km pace (means nothing to me as I only do miles) in my mind I think I need to ask Kim one of the fab 5 running fitfarmers, to translate, but after my flash of oh damn that could be fast I work out that I did my last 10km race in 50.37mins so its a similar pace to that. Ok off we go the gazelle sprints off followed by her heard of pro runners, great! it could be a long week. Twenty mins into the run a women that I was pacing drops out (think she was just running for the bus) damn now am stuck to keep up with the heard 25.47 mins later I arrive back at the stadium at least 2 mins  behind the gazelle and her heard. What is it they say about fitness trainers, they can’t count and find it hard to calculate distance and time! (The gazelle is my next fitfarm recruit).

The sun was out but no time to rest I am off to a bodycombat class, great fun and a good workout, then hit the gym a intense workout on the arms and core, then guess what next off  to the spa after my first full day I needed to plan the rest of my training and where better to do it then in the sauna.

Day 3
Woken by thunder and lightening was I back in Devon! No its the lovely Julies on holiday let’s piss down syndrome or is it the curse of Mr. Cole!

Made my plan in the sauna last night, which was to run between 40 - 60 mins this morning with my new training partner Garmin, I will try and cover as much distance as possible but concentrate  on time as I need to build my confidence that I am not out of my depth when I return home to join the local running club.

52 mins later I have done 6 miles, I am pleased with that, weather was great to run in just a little drizzle of rain, no rest though my plan was to do 4 classes to day so straight off to body attack armed with oatcake I make my way to the disco area, 1 hr later I wait to join in the Latin class from the back of the room (don’t want to put people off with my lack of rhythm), then at 11 am its time to refuel and yes hit the spa, best thing in here is the ice plunge pool and the hydrotherapy pool great ways to keep the legs lactic acid free.

After lunch I hit the gym with my arms getting the bullet, then off to a fitball class where I discover my core is working nicely, then back to the gym to finish off my arms.

Torn between revisiting the spa and a ballroom dancing induction! Um ok I know its a hard choice but the mad bit of me that says I can move my feet so strictly here we come.

Catch up with me again on my return and find out if I am longing to be Ginger Rogers or Paula Radcliffe.

For now ladies just one motivation tip:

The best motivation is a bit of progress, stick to your plan.

The more you visualise having achieved success, the quicker that success will become reality.

Julie Brealy
FitFarms Health Manager

Visit our Weight Loss Programme websites:
UK Fat Camp | UK Fitness Boot Camp | UK Children Weight Loss

By Julie Brealy

Have you watched the biggest loser? Is it amazing to see their body transformation from obese to healthy and well toned physique? You witness how they train hard and are challenged to take their body’s limits in weight loss and fitness boot camps.

These rigorous physical activities s are indeed effective in shedding unwanted pounds and building fitness fast. So if you consider this option to get fit, here are at least the five things you can expect in any fitness or weight loss camps.

Varied Activities. The exercise activities are varied because a fitness boot camp aims to break the boring and monotonous routines in the typical gym.

Spirit of Teamwork. It is more motivating to workout with people who shared the same goals as yours. Also, your group and instructor can be source of inspiration and support to help you continue with your fitness program. It will be a teamwork motivation and effort for a common goal.

After-Program Support. It is easy to workout if you are surrounded with motivated individuals however the greater challenge awaits after you finish the boot camp program. It is important that your boot camp has support group or person you can contact after the program is over.

In this way, you can rely for support and find a source for motivation in situations where you are discouraged to continue keeping a healthy lifestyle.

Educational. As part of your training, it is expected that your trainers will impart you with tips and information about health, weight, fitness and nutrition. These are valuable information that you can use particularly once the fitness or weight loss program is over.

Qualified Personnel. It is not only about the trainer’s qualification. There should be qualified nutritionist and dietitians too. A long term weight loss is sustained through proper balance in nutrition and exercise.

These are at least the five things you can expect from a weight loss or fitness boot camp. You pay to get fit so make sure that it happens and you get back your money’s worth.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Brealy

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It is quite common for us to take for granted breakfast meal because of various reasons.  We always rush in the morning to catch the bus or we don’t have time to prepare a hearty breakfast meal because we wake up late. Though we are aware that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, we hardly pay attention to this fact. Instead we grab the easiest and convenient breakfast which can either be coffee, donut, croissant, and fat-rich breakfast items.

That is why reading the article in CNN Health entitled ‘Breakfast Can Help Keep You Lean’ is very striking.  Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, and with the help of American Dietetic Association’s experts, reviewed few of the most popular breakfast meal and accordingly graded it into A, B, and C.

The idea is to pay attention to what you eat in the breakfast. A good choice is a combination of protein, carbohydrates and fiber, and the ideal breakfast concoction is comprised of oatmeal with skim milk, a half-ounce nuts, berries and orange juice.

Also, according to the article it is essential to consume significant calories for breakfast and a recommended amount is 500-calories for an average person.

You can click here to read more about the article, ‘Breakfast Can Help Keep You Lean’ from CNN.com - Diet and Fitness.

There is an interesting article in New York Times entitled ‘Train the Mind to Run Right Through Winter’ written by Gina Kolata.  She cited how other people’s exercise routines are affected with the weather. During winter and fall people tend to quit their exercise routines compared in the summer season.

How many of us are guilty of this? It can be a good excuse to escape our exercise regime, right? However, the article conveys a message that we should carry our exercise regardless of the weather.

It means exercising against all odds. Exercising despite of the weather condition is a matter of commitment to our fitness goal. A one-day-slip from our exercise routine can turn to two days or more until we realize that we eventually lost track of our fitness goal.

It may not be easy to run in a chilling weather but a proper conditioning of the mind will greatly help. To be a seasoned runner or biker, one has to run or bike in any season. Weather condition should not beat your determination to keep up in your fitness goal.

Read the full article, ‘Train the Mind to Run Right Through Winter‘ from NYTimes.com - Fitness and Nutrition.

We are all aware that carbohydrates play a vital role in our body. It provides our body the necessary energy hence if we are involved in strenuous physical activity, it is important to cautiously review our carb intake.

The article in CNN health entitled “Replenish your energy with the right carbohydrates” outlines the list of best source of carbs which contain the valuable nutrients such as vitamins and proteins. One of it is the energy shake that is comprised of yoghurt and fruits. The article referred it as a winning combination because yoghurt boosts the protein and calcium content while the fruits add natural sweetness and vitamin C. It is an ideal drink for tired and sore muscles.

Other options include whole grain oats, rice noodles and mixed grain salads.

We are oftentimes misled that carbs can make us fat. However, choosing the right source of carbs which are packed with nutrients can boost our energy level. Indeed reading the article ‘Replenish your energy with the right carbohydrates’ is enlightening. It gives us a deeper understanding about the right carbs to ensure that we stay fit and healthy.

Read the full article, ‘Replenish your energy with the right carbohydrates‘ from CNN.com - Health.

Yes! I know is it really true?

Well much to my disbelief yes today is my 40th birthday.

Every month this year I am going to share with you a log of what targets the FitFarms Health Manager has set  herself. Yes, I set myself targets as well you know. Which brings me to my 2009 target which I set last January  for my 40th birthday. The target was to go under 11 stone. At the time I weighted 12st 6lbs. Ok so I hear you, why should that be a problem she’s a fitness professional? Well ladies like you I also have hurdles to jump over to get to where I want to be. As you know I have quite a busy job which involves giving lots of time to others. When clients flock to FitFarms you only give me one week to change your health for the better and then you fly away again (hopefully stronger and fitter) so I never get much time to myself. So just like some of you missing meals at not eating at the right times this also happens to me.

Julia the nutritionist said my adrenal glands were working over time and my thyriod function was very low which all added up to my body not losing weight or body fat.

I know what you’re are now thinking you work at weight loss and fitness camp you exercise everyday……… but you forget ladies we all have to work in our zones and while chasing you around for 7 days keeps me fit I don’t actually get in my zone driving the car to make sure you are in yours!

So in January I sat down with Julia to see what advice she could give me. We discussed types and amounts of food I would need to eat to support my glands and hormones and to be as disciplined with my eating as I am with my work. She basically told me off!!

Then I planned my exercise for my weeks outside FitFarms, I ran 4 miles 3-4 times a week, 2 classes of step, lots of kettlebell swinging and a gym session everyday, while at FitFarms I worked out when you ladies were still asleep at 5am with my kettlebell and lots of core strengthening, the food became like clockwork eating 6 to 7 times a day with no temptations to distract me.

I’m pleased to be able to report that I have reached my target to be under 11st by my 40th year. There were a few ups and downs but as I stand on 12/11/09 I weigh 10st 10lbs.

So what next?
Well over the last 3 months I’ve had kind words from a number of clients saying that I have been an inspiration to them and that has spurred me on to go out and set myself targets for my 40th year. Read more…

Have you been struck with boredom in your exercise regime? Running alone in the neighborhood park can be a solitary experience and there is a risk that your motivation level to get up and to continue jogging will plummet.

In The New York Times article ‘To Train Harder, Consider a Crowd’, writer Gina Kolata discovers that group training can be an enormous motivating factor that leads runners to perform better.

Though there is still a lack of solid scientific explanation that backs up this theory, it is evidently effective to the marathon runners that had been featured in the article. More athletes nowadays are considering to train with the group as it is deemed to help them tremendously.

If you are struggling to keep your morning exercise, try to exercise with your buddies. Experiment it in yourself. Look for an exercise buddy or group in your local community and after a month, evaluate how it affected you? Are you more motivated since you join the group? Are you exercising now with fun and anticipate your exercise time with more enthusiasm because exercising with your buddies now becomes a socialization activity.

Sometimes thinking out of the box keeps us sane and motivated in our pursuit in life such as aiming to live a healthy lifestyle. It is always great to hang out with people who share the same values as you do and start it by keeping an exercise buddy.

Read the full article, ‘To Train Harder, Consider a Crowd‘ from NY Times -Fitness & Nutrition.

by: Gergana Ganeva

Can you acknowledge how many times in the past year you have openly told yourself, “from now on, I start working out every day so that I can get in shape, lose some weight, and look better?” Now, think of how many times you actually made this happen? I am almost sure that you have not had a serious reason for not starting to exercise, you were either lazy or tired, am I right? The truth is that laziness and tiredness are the top two opponents of fitness.

Is it a sin to be lazy?

I believe that there is not a single person in the world who would honestly say that he/she has never been lazy. Even people whose whole lives are surrounded around sports tend to get lazy sometimes. It is simply in our nature to get sluggish, and honestly it is very hard to fight this feeling. It is normal to relax and get lazy sometimes but we should not let it happen very often.

Many years ago in Christianity laziness was viewed as one of the top seven deadly sins. Although over time the nature of this concept has overcome a big change, today it is still perceived negatively. Psychology defines laziness as a mental problem, medicine as a medical condition, and biology defines it as an instinctively behavior of saving energy.The only positive effect that comes out of laziness is that we can relax by doing nothing. Relaxing is a great feeling but we do not want to make it a constant daily routine.

Read more…