Monthly Archives: November 2014

November 21, 2014

HOW STRESS CAN SABOTAGE YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS GOALS.

Over-eat

Forget stress eating—new research shows that crazy long to-do lists do more than encourage you to reach for that triple chic muffin. Try these simple stress busters to keep your metabolism up to speed.

Take a spin. Twirl around in a circle and say what’s bothering you out loud. You’ll feel silly and may even laugh. It’s hard to laugh and be stressed at the same time!

Get outdoors. When you go outside, you realise that you’re not the centre of the universe but just a part of it. So your problems don’t seem as big. To turn your stroll into a walking meditation, say ‘peace’ each time you take a step. Five minutes a day keeps stress at bay.

Give thanks. Keep a running appreciation list on your phone. Being thankful every day puts frustrations in perspective.

Deck out your desk. Place a photo of a loved one or some fresh flowers near your computer. It’ll remind you that your world is not simply about paperwork, computers and deadlines – there is more to life than your desk.

Cut the clutter. Straighten up your drawers or clean out the cupboards. Rifling through things takes up time and creates frustration. These are mindful things that bring order to your life.

Find a new hobby. New endeavours enrich our lives and give our minds a rest from our daily to-do list. How about taking a new art class, hiking, singing, or getting involved in a book club?

November 14, 2014

YOGA FOR RUNNERS: DOWNWARD-FACING DOG.

Mediation

Everyone knows Yoga is a great stress buster. But it also packs serious perks for runners, like improving flexibility, easing aches and pains, and helping you recover from long runs and races faster.

The Downward-Facing Dog pose will help you to stay strong and balanced while you train.

Instructions: Start on hands and knees. Place your palms a handprint’s distance in front of your shoulders. Tuck your toes under and lift knees off floor.

Pull your hips up and back away from your hands. Keep knees bent and focus on lengthening your torso – press down into your hands, pull up on your arms – then shift your weight onto your legs.

Without losing that sense of direction or length in your torso, begin to lift thighs up as you reach your heels back and down, which will straighten your knees.

Engage your quads by pulling your kneecaps up. Hold for five to 10 breaths. Lightly lower both knees back to floor.

Benefits: Down Dog stretches the hamstrings and calves, and creates length in the spine.

November 7, 2014

DO I REALLY NEED TO STRETCH?

Dynamic

This is one of the biggest controversies in fitness.

Will stretching help you get a better workout? Probably.

Does it matter how you do it? For the average person, probably not.

Research shows that long static stretches, in which you hold the area still for 60 to 90 seconds, can cause a decrease in force and power, but by only about 3-6%.

And if you hold the stretch for a shorter duration, there’s not much difference at all.

Regardless, according to a majority of studies, dynamic stretching – moving while you stretch – doesn’t negatively affect performance, therefore this form of stretching is recommended after a warm-up.