Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from Lucozade.

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When running a marathon, the training plan you choose will depend on whether you are an experienced runner and the distance you would normally run.  This article provides you with a number of marathon training plans to suit all levels of runner.

Beginners

If you are new to running, you should work your way up to the marathon distance by entering smaller races first. It is important to give yourself time to get into shape too.

You should first work on your ability to run by incorporating small runs within your workout routine. Start with either 10 minutes or one mile of running. Once you have built up a little more endurance, you can follow the plan for casual runners.

Casual Runners

If you have already entered a few smaller races, you will know what to expect. The key is building up your endurance.

You will need to run at least one long run a week during your training program, then gradually building up the mileage. Give yourself around four months to train and work your way from eight miles for your run and build to a 20 mile long run.

Seasoned Marathoners

Seasoned marathoners will, in most cases, run long distances on a more regular basis and will therefore be more accustomed to training for a marathon. If you are aiming to decrease the time it takes you to run the race, work on some speed training.

One day a week, you should work on your speed by giving yourself a goal and completing your run at that pace. This generally wouldn’t be for your long run, as this should just be used to practice your endurance. If you want to run at your goal pace during your long run, try to save it for the last couple of miles.

Fuelling Your Body For Training

A lot of people think that they should concentrate on consuming carbohydrates while training for a marathon. However, it is important to try to eat a variety of foods.

Incorporating plenty of high-fibre foods into your daily routine is a great help, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. When you do eat carbohydrates, concentrate on whole grains and combine this with carbohydrates with a little protein. This will help towards prolonged energy and your body will in turn run smoother.

Hydration is one of the most important elements in training for a marathon. Dehydration can lead to illness while you are running and can be fatal for marathoners in extreme cases. Take a good amount of water or sports drinks with you on training runs and try to stop at as many stations as possible that provides water or other beverages when you are running in the marathon.

Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from Christine Kane who writes on a variety of different topics for a number of different blogs.

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Maybe you’ve been running for a while and you’re looking to take your running to the next level. Maybe you need some extra motivation to get out the door and work out every day. And maybe you’re just looking for a new challenge to tackle. Whatever your reason, signing up for a race is a great way to push yourself and see what you’re really capable of accomplishing in terms of your physical fitness. However whenever you do decide to dive head first into tackling a 5k, or even a marathon, make sure you don’t commit these common faux pas:

1. Don’t Skimp On Sleep The Days Leading Up To The Race

Getting enough sleep is crucial to preforming well at your race, and this means getting several good nights’ sleep in the days leading up to the event. Even if you don’t get enough sleep the night before the race, if you’ve rested up in the days prior you will be fine. Likewise, if you skimp on sleep in the days leading up to the race then you’ll probably show up tired and not ready to give it your best effort.

2. Don’t Start Off Too Fast

It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of toeing the start line of a race. The crowd is cheering, you’ve trained hard, and you’re ready to GO. Unfortunately, a lot of people – newbie athletes and experienced ones alike – make the grave mistake of starting out way too fast… and then end up burning out before the race is over. Be sure to pace yourself at the start so that you can finish strong.

3. Don’t Try Anything New On Race Day

If you’ve been eating toast before your runs then stick to toast before your race – don’t try to experiment with new foods because the end result could be unpleasant. You should never try anything new on race day, and that’s not just for foods but also for shoes and clothes too – the last thing you want is for your body to have a negative reaction to something leaving you uncomfortable and out of luck.

4. Don’t Skip The Water Stations

You have to stay hydrated so that you can keep going! It might be crowded at each station, but slowing down a little bit to grab a cup of water is a much better option than slowing down – or passing out – during the race because your body is no longer functioning the way it should be… dehydration is easy to avoid, so avoid it!

5. Don’t Show Up At The Last Minute

Remember: early is on time, on time is late. It’s better to get there way too early than it is to get there late so that you can have time to make sure that you can go to the bathroom, loosen up, warm up, stretch and anything else that you normally do pre-run. Getting there late will only leave you stressed out, which is never a good thing.

Participating in races is a great way to push yourself farther, get in some exercise, and connect with like-minded individuals. However if you aren’t kind to your body it likely won’t be kind to you, so treat it with respect so that you can give it your best shot!

About the Author:
This guest post is by Christine Kane from internet service providers.  She is a graduate of communication and journalism. She enjoys writing about a wide-variety of subjects for different blogs. She can be reached via email at: Christi.Kane00 @ gmail.com.

Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from avid runner David Dack who owns Runners Blueprint.

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Are you overweight and looking for a way to lose those extra pounds for good? You’ve come to the right place. Being overweight can take its toll on your health and life quality. Fat is not a well liked buddy. Therefore, getting rid of it is mandatory. Starting a running program can help you lose those extra pounds and keep them off for life.

Unfortunately, if you are overweight, running can lead to a myriad of injuries due to the high impact. Therefore, you need to make sure you start a running program in the right way. In this article I provide 2 steps you need to take to go from being a total couch potato to a true running pro.

1st Step: Flip The Mental Switch

You’re the sum of decisions you’ve made up to this point. Decisions shape our life. And what drives them is our mindset—primarily our beliefs and values. See, what we believe and value most in life, tends to materialize in the real world. For instance, if you value short-term gratification than taking the wise, often the hard, health choices, then you’re most likely to indulge in bad eating habits thus more weight gain.

In addition, if you believe that you can’t change or it’s impossible to be healthy and slim, then the chances of that ever taking place are very thin. “If you think you can or you can’t, you’re right”– John Ford.

Therefore, you need to align your mindset with the type of results you’re after. Here some ways to help you build more empowering beliefs and values:
- Peer up with like-minded people who are on the same path as you. Just beginner overweight runners in search for support and company.
- Set small, measurable, and realistic goals. And go on to achieve them one by one.
- Find a mentor and have him hold you accountable for your actions.
- Keep learning about running, by reading articles, books, magazines and success stories.

2nd Step: Start Walking, Get Running

The mind is just if the first component of the puzzle. Practicing running in the field is what matters more. Here is where the robber meets the road. However, many beginners renounce from the training early on for just one main reason: Doing too much too soon. This is what is known as over training.

For starters, you may be really excited about your new resolution to start running and lose weight, but that’s no excuse to over train. Doing so will just set you for failure and a premature disappointment. No wonder most beginner runners can’t make it past the 2nd week of training.

Therefore, the healthiest approach is to start walking first, then introduce the running afterwards. It’s okay to walk. Walking will allow to get your feet wet, help you build the habit of regular exercising into your daily life. This is of utmost importance.

For instance, during your 1st week of training, go for three to four 30 minutes walks around the neighborhood. There is no need to run even if you feel the urge to. And as the training progresses forward, starting on the second week, you can add 30-45 seconds of running intervals with the walking sets. This is what is known as the Walk-Run-Walk method. And as you get stronger and fitter, you should lengthen the running and shorten up the walking.

This simple method can boost your fitness level without running the risk of injury or burnout. Many despise running because it’s too hard and impossible to sustain— physically and mentally—for a long while. Well, the Walk-Run-Walk method is the perfect recipe for injury-free training while reaping the maximum benefits from each session. Each session should take about twenty to thirty minutes, three times a week. this is the amount of moderate exercise recommended by numerous studies and fitness experts.

By just abiding to the above steps you can start running in no-time while staying injury free. Nonetheless, the key to success is implementation. Therefore, you should start take action now, and learn to trust yourself.

About the Author:
David Dack is a runner and an established author on weight loss, motivation and fitness.
If you want more free tips from David DACK, then go to http://runnersblueprint.com/weightlossrunning.html and for a limited time you can grab this special “Weight Loss By Running” FREE report

If you really want to Lose Weight fast and forever, this is a proven step-by-step technique that can help. You can lose up to 5 pounds each week by just following this simple report. So what are you waiting for? Click Here Now!

Your first thought when reading the title of this article was probably one of confusion. After all, the cold weather and the low daylight levels are not exactly what you would describe as ideal jogging conditions. However, if you look a little deeper jogging is actually one of the best exercises you can do over Christmas. In this article I will be explaining why by providing you with 7 benefits of jogging during the festive period:

1) IT CAN HELP YOU AVOID CHRISTMAS COLDS & THE FLU

During the festive period you are much more susceptible to the common cold and the flu. Whilst there is currently no cure for these ailments, a strong immune system can help you deal with them much more quickly.

The good news is that regular exercise such as jogging can boost your immune system in multiple ways. First, it stimulates the production of lymphocytes (white blood cells) and macrophages (cells that attack bacteria). Secondly, it improves the distribution of immune system cells in the body and increases their effectiveness.

2) IT HELPS YOU SLEEP

With all the parties and social commitments over Christmas it is very easy for your sleep patterns to become disrupted. Fortunately, exercises such as jogging can help you set your circadian rhythms and ensure that you get a good night’s sleep despite these distractions. In addition to this, jogging has a soothing effect on your mind which helps you to relax and fall asleep quicker.

3) IT GIVES YOU SOME ALONE TIME

In terms of your social life, Christmas is 1 of the busiest times of the year. If you are not out partying you are probably visiting various friends and relatives. Whilst it is good to catch up with all your friends and family, sometimes you just need a few moments to yourself. The good news is that jogging can provide you with a temporary escape from all the hustle and bustle and give you that little bit of alone time you deserve.

4) IT RELIEVES STRESS

As well as being a busy time of year, Christmas can also be a stressful time of year. Getting the perfect present for each person can be a real nightmare whilst planning the Christmas dinner can cause plenty of headaches.

Fortunately, jogging can come to the rescue in this area too. When you jog for long distances your body releases endorphins which then attach to the parts of the brain associated with emotion. This results in a feeling of extreme happiness that is often referred to as the runner’s high. If you are feeling stressed, the runner’s high can eliminate this emotion and replace it with more positive thoughts.

5) IT WILL GIVE YOU SOME VITAMIN D

Vitamin D (also known as the sunshine vitamin) helps keep your bones and teeth strong by allowing your body to absorb the bone boosting nutrients calcium and phosphorus. Unlike many of the other vitamins, your body can produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, if you fail to get enough sunlight your body produces less vitamin D and you can become deficient. This is a particular problem around Christmas because there is less daylight and the cold weather makes you want to stay indoors even when it is light outside.

The good news is that jogging can help solve this problem by getting you outside in the sunshine and stimulating the production of vitamin D. Just 15 minutes of sunlight each day will allow your body to produce enough vitamin D so even a short jog will do the trick.

6) YOU SET THE LENGTH

As I mentioned above, Christmas is a very busy time of year. In fact you may not have enough free time during the day to fit in a full length workout. That is where jogging comes into its own. If you only have 30 minutes spare you can put your trainers on and do a few quick laps around the block. If you have more time available then you can extend your jog. No matter how much or how little time you have during the day, jogging can be slotted in.

7) YOU CAN GO WHEN YOU WANT

Since Christmas is so busy you may not have the luxury of sticking to specific workout times. For example, if you normally go to a Zumba class every Friday night, social commitments may get in the way over the festive period. However, this is not an issue when if you choose jogging. You can go jogging at any time which means that unlike many other forms of exercise, it can fit around your routine.

SUMMARY

I hope this article has shown you that jogging is 1 of the better exercise options available to you over Christmas. Obviously, if the weather makes it too dangerous you will have to find an alternative exercise. However, if the roads are ice free, go get some warm clothing, put your trainers on and get jogging.

What do you guys think about jogging and Christmas? Do you agree that there are lots of benefits of jogging during the festive period? Do you think that other exercises are more suited to this time of year? Leave a comment and let me know.

Hello everyone.  Today’s guest post comes from Jade Evans who is a freelance writer with uShip.

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It may not seem like it for those who have not exercised in a long time, but cycling is one of the easier ways to exercise .

As the Huffington Post notes:

“A recent Harvard university study found that biking — even for as little as five minute each day — can stave off weight gain for middle aged women, according to Health.com. The researchers followed more than 19,000 women and found that those who started a five-minute-a-day bike ride routine gained 1.5 fewer pounds than their non-cycling peers over a 16-year period. Those who rode for 30 minutes a day kept off 3.5 more pounds than those who didn’t bike. “Bicycling is an answer to weight control,” lead author Anne Lusk, Ph.D., told Health.com.”

That’s a pretty ridiculous statistic, huh? Want to go out and buy a bike now? If you aren’t convinced, cycling has these benefits as well – and I can tell you from close personal experience that this is true – my father had heart issues over a decade ago and started cycling on the advice of his doctor, and hasn’t had heart issues since!

But to the benefits -

Heart-healthy: Cycling does this in two different ways – riding a bike – like all exercise, increases your heart rate, but in a steady (rather than erratic) manner, which does help to increase your cardiovascular fitness by up to 7%. And according to the British Medical Association, cycling just 20 miles a week can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 50%.20 miles! That’s less than 3 miles a day – take a ride into town and back instead of driving, and that is all that it takes!

As well as helping your heart directly, biking helps your heart indirectly, by helping to promote good cholesterol – HDL – and improving your blood chemistry. Cycling has also been shown to help reduce blood pressure.

Weight: While not completely associated with massive weight loss, cycling is a great method of toning your muscles, which in turn slims down your frame. Cycling has also been shown to help keep weight loss down in women, especially if done at a more-than-leisurely pace.

Increased longevity: Cycling has actually shown to help increase lifespan. Cycling has been regularly associated with increased “life-years” by a department of the US government. And if you can do anything to help increase the quality (and quantity) of your years, wouldn’t you want to do it?

Coordination: While we all know that video games can help with our hand-eye coordination, cycling is an activity (or a sport, depending on how you ride) that engages your whole body, which, like other whole-body activities (like, say, dance or yoga) increases your overall coordination. So if you’re too klutzy to show your face in a dance studio, start biking instead!

Whole Body Health: Cycling is also known to help strengthen and promote other systems of your body, including:

• Mental health: cycling during your leisure time or to and from work could potentially increase your overall mental health and wellness.
• Immune system: Not only can cycling boost your overall immune system, but it has been well documented that cycling can help improve your body’s defenses and abilities to fight cancer.
• Joints and muscles: Especially in the lower body, biking has been shown to build muscle and increase joint flexibility. As biking in the lower body is rather low-impact, it allows for those with injuries to the hips and knees to exercise when they otherwise might not be able to be physically active.

Overall, cycling is quite good for you! Even if you aren’t a courier, biking madly around the city, a little bit of a jaunt on your bike cannot do too much harm. There are risks attached to cycling, though, so before you start seriously cycling, talk to your doctor about your current state of health and the unique risks that cycling may present for you.

About the Author:
Jade Evans is a freelance writer who works frequently with uShip, an online shipping marketplace that offers everything from couriers to long distance or cross country moving assistance.

“To a runner, a side stich is like a car alarm. It signifies something is wrong, but you ignore it until it goes away.”

Recently I have been looking back at some of my most popular posts and found that there was a lot of interest in this post on jogging. After reading through my previous jogging articles I realised that I’ve really not done a lot of outdoor jogging this year. I have been focussing quite a lot on gym work and not getting outside to jog even though we have been having some gorgeous weather here in the UK.

Looking back I feel quite disappointed in myself because jogging is probably 1 of my favourite exercises. It allows you to relax, de-stress, enjoy nature and be alone with your thoughts but in the last year I have just let it slip. The good news is that Sports Direct have made getting back into outdoor jogging a whole lot easier for me by sending across a brand new pair of Asics Gel Innovate 2 men’s running shoes (see below).

They look great and I cannot wait to try them out. Thanks to Lucie Oge for setting it all up and Sports Direct for providing the running shoes.

All this focus on jogging got me thinking about 1 of the most important factors for having a good run – music. I find that the right jogging music can really help you to keep going and make your run a lot more enjoyable. That’s why today I am going to be sharing with you my top 5 best songs to run to:

1) EVERCLEAR – I WILL BUY YOU A NEW LIFE

I originally got into Everclear after hearing their track ‘Unemployed Boyfriend’ on Yahoo Radio. After listening to a few more tracks I downloaded all their albums and they have become 1 of my favourite bands. I find a lot of their slower songs are really good running tracks and ‘I Will Buy You A New Life’ is 1 of their best. Something about the music in this song makes me really happy and motivates me as I run.

2) SURVIVOR – EVER SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN

I found this song after watching the Sylvester Stallone film ‘Lock Up’ (good film but no Rocky). It starts playing during the end credits after Stallone’s character is finally released from prison. After hearing the track I was hooked and had to know who sung it. The answer was Survivor. These guys have a lot of great tracks and are probably most famous for the Rocky theme ‘Eye Of The Tiger’. Whilst that track is a good punchy tune, ‘Ever Since The World Began’ is my favourite song from them and a really great piece of jogging music. I find it really relaxing and it makes me feel like I am almost floating as I run.

3) JOURNEY – DON’T STOP BELIEVING

Admittedly, this song has been played to death since it was covered on Glee. However, I actually heard it first on an episode of Scrubs and fell in love with the track. It is quite a simple song with a simple message but I find it really easy to run to. I think the chorus is brilliant and I get an extra burst of energy every time it kicks in.

4) HEART – ALONE

As you can see there is quite a theme developing here. I am a sucker for 80’s power ballads and this 1 from Heart is another of my favourite pieces of jogging music. Like ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, this track has a killer chorus and really gives me that motivation to run a bit faster.

5) PHIL COLLINS – AGAINST ALL ODDS

This is 1 of the most famous songs by Phil Collins and in my opinion 1 of this best. It is a really relaxing tune and allows me to clear my mind as I run. If I am feeling stressed or worried I can put this song on, forget about these things temporarily and just run to my heart’s content.

SUMMARY

Looking at this list you can see that I prefer running to slower more relaxed music and simple power ballads. For me, the most important thing when I am out jogging is to clear my mind. If I have too many things floating around in there I start thinking about them too much and I cannot run properly. These songs help me do just that. They completely empty my mind and although the lyrics are not always happy lyrics (‘Against All Odds’ is about an ex-lover), I find the music behind them really inspirational. It always puts a smile on my face and makes me want to keep running.

So now I have my new trainers and I have my relaxing playlist all that is left to do is get out there and jog. I’m aiming to get some jogging done this weekend. If you want to see how I get on then I’ll keep you posted via Twitter – FFT_UK.

Now I want to hear from you guys. What is your favourite jogging music? What do you think of my playlist?  Do you feel music can make or break a run? Let me know by leaving a comment.

P.S.  I know not everyone is a fan of 80′s music so if it is not your thing please go easy on me ;-).

Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from Kate Wilson who writes for DIY Health.

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Running is an exhilarating sport and has been found, among its other benefits, to slow down ageing. Other confirmed benefits of running include weight loss, improved cardiac health, improved cholesterol profile, stronger and denser bones, and a better immune response to diseases. In addition, it leads to a better self-esteem and a healthier emotional health.

If you enjoy running as a hobby, you will eventually want to take it to the next level and train for longer and more intense runs and races. One of the risks attached to the long distance or speed running and training for it is that of injuries. Studies have found that continuing to run when your body is not at its optimum health can lead to serious health hazards. Additionally, it has been found that running when one should not run can lead to permanent change to running form, which can lead to greater risk for injuries. Here are some indications that your body may give to tell you that it is time to stop running.

1) Feeling Uncomfortable In The Upper Part Of Your Body

When your body is exerted beyond its capacity, the organ that is challenged the most is the heart. If it is not in optimum health, it can succumb to the demands placed on it when running beyond one’s ability. You might not realize what is happening as the rest of your body is pumping chemicals and calories to keep pace with your needs, but your heart might be under severe strain. Heart attack symptoms can be very difficult to make out in the heat of the moment. If you are experiencing chest pressure, tightness of the neck of jaw, and if your pain is radiating towards the arms, it is better that you stop running and get yourself checked thoroughly by a doctor.

2) Feeling Faint, Lightheaded Or Nauseous

There may be many reasons for feeling faint or lightheaded. Running drains your body of electrolytes and heats up to extreme metabolic levels, cleaning out your spare sugar reserves. If you feel faint or lightheaded, stop immediately and replenish your electrolyte and sugar levels by slowly sipping a sweetened electrolyte drink and rest in the shade. If your symptoms do not resolve in a short while, get to a doctor immediately.

3) Feeling Breathless

While you are running, you should be able to breathe normally, without having to exert yourself or using your shoulder muscles to breathe. A healthy cardiac and respiratory profile should have your breath and your heart rate coming back to normal levels within 7 to 12 minutes of stopping running. If you are feeling breathless, discontinue running immediately. If you are still feeling difficulty in breathing normally after resting for a few minutes, seek medical attention.

4) Feeling Joint Pain Or Discomfort

Proper form during running is essential. Keep your body upright, and with a slight forward lean so that your center of gravity is on the front of your feet instead of on your heels. As you start training, be prepared for your muscles to ache as they stretch, grow, and repair themselves. What you must be on the lookout for is pain or discomfort in the joints either during running or after. Even clicking, popping and locking of joints are signs to be concerned about. This is a sure indicator for you to stop running. Running on injured joints can cause permanent damage to your joints and the muscles that help the joints to function. If you have joint pain or discomfort, stop running, and see a doctor.

Running for recreation is one of the most rewarding hobbies one can have. The risk lies in the fact that the pleasure of running often distorts what is known as perceived exertion level. This causes the brain to misjudge the true level of exertion caused by an activity. Become familiar with the signs mentioned above that are indicators from your body to stop running. Be aware of the fact that your judgment regarding your exertion level may not be accurate. Use your wisdom and the information given here to preserve and protect your body from damage because of running when you should actually stop.

About the Author:
Kate is a blogger and writer. She loves writing on health and parenting. Beside this, she loves cooking. These days she is researching on breast cancer as that is subject of her new article.

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Mariana Ashley - a freelance writer who works for http://www.onlinecolleges.net/.

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The slump. The plateau. The why-aren’t-I-losing-weight-like-I-used-to? It goes by many names, but no matter what you call it, it stinks. After starting an exercise regimen and sticking to it for many weeks, people are often very disappointed (to say the least) to find that they aren’t losing weight or gaining muscle at the rate that they were when the exercising started to pay off.

Many people are convinced when they hit this fitness plateau that they have simply reached the lowest weight (or maximum muscle mass) possible for them—this is just not true. The truth is that after a period of time, even if you’re working out as hard as you can, your body will acclimate to the demands you put on it if you aren’t mixing up you’re routine.

As you become more and more fit, it becomes more and more difficult to challenge your muscles and continue to burn fat using the same exercises. This means that you can’t just add more weight or make your runs longer to continue on your journey to fitness, but instead means that you have to surprise your body by doing something completely different.

So, what’s one excellent way to totally surprise your body? It’s called sprint training. Adding higher intensity periods of exertion during exercise, even if the total workout time is shorter, will give you explosive results in your training. It confuses your muscles by not allowing them to find a rhythm, and by so doing, keeps your metabolism high. It also builds muscle in a way that regular exercise won’t—and more muscle makes for a higher metabolism as well.

If you’ve hit that plateau, and are ready to keep burning fat, try this workout and you’ll be surprised by how explosive you can be. Alternate these workouts doing each only once in a week, and change the order in which you perform them every week.

Week 1
• Jog 1 mile
• Sprint 200 yards at 50% of your maximum pace
• Jog 200 yards
• Sprint 100 yards at your fastest pace (100%)
• Jog 200 yards
• Sprint 200 yards at 75% of your maximum pace
• Jog 1 mile

Week 2
• Sprint 400 yards at 100%
• Rest
• Lunge walk for 100 yards
• Rest
• Do 3 sets of 10 pull ups
• Rest
• Sprint 200 yards at 100%
• Jog 1 mile

Week 3
• Run 2 miles at your fastest jogging pace (approximately 50% of your maximum sprinting pace)
• Rest
• Bear crawl for 100 yards
• Rest
• Do 5 sets of 10 push ups
• Rest
• Jog 1 mile

If these exercises prove too difficult at first, cut the numbers in half, but keep the workouts the same. And, of course, if they’re too easy, you can always add more, or combine the workouts in one day. The point is: be explosive, and always keep changing your routine.

About the Author:
Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

Hello everyone.  Today’s guest post comes from Ron Fritzke who is a cycling products reviewer, a former competitve runner and currently directs his competitive efforts towards cycling.

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Working from home has many perks and, as our economy adjusts, so do we. Freelancing from home has become quite popular. Even big companies are jumping in and outsourcing work to former employees.

As I sit at my computer working with my lunch at my desk, I realize there is one perk that may be too close at hand. Since you set the pace for when you take breaks, it is easy to work the old lunch break into a working lunch.

Losing Touch With The Outside World

Another drawback to working from home is losing touch with the outside world. When you operate your business from a computer it’s easy to narrow your view of the world.

This makes an exercise routine more important than ever. Since you set your own hours, you would think that working in a routine for fitness would be easy, right?

Wrong!

If you’re like me, it’s easier to grab a bite and carry on with that assignment. After all, it is due tomorrow! And if you don’t schedule your time, you can easily find yourself sitting at that computer past bed time.

Using High Intensity Interval Training To Stay In Shape

HIIT (high intensity interval training) is a form of cardiovascular exercise that is beneficial to burning fat in a short and intense workout. While high intensity interval training is all the rage these days, it’s not something new.

When I was running competitively, intervals were a mainstay of our workouts. Before us, the best runners of the 1950′s were using short intervals of very high intensity to achieve revolutionary results.

Usual HIIT sessions may vary from 9 to 30 minutes. The original protocol set a 2:1 ratio for recovery to work periods. For example, a runner would alternate 30–40 seconds of jogging or walking with 15–20 seconds of hard sprinting.

Interval training can be used with any type of exercise that will get your heart rate up, including cycling.

HIIT Goes Hand In Hand With Cycling

Cycling is the ideal form of exercise for interval training. There is less stress on your joints as you smoothly pedal your way toward fitness. It is much easier to do hard and fast pedaling for 15 or 20 seconds than it is to sprint.

Here is an example of a HIIT workout on your bike:

•10 minute warm-up of easy spinning.
•10 minutes of alternating 10 seconds ‘all out’ effort with 20 seconds of easy spinning.
•10 minute warm-down of easy spinning.

Always check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. It might be wise to begin your training with a shorter duration. Simply change cut the times in half ending up with a 15 minute workout.

Starting with a shorter duration will ensure you don’t overdo it and get burned out before you have had a chance to reap the benefits.

Taking Your Routine Indoors With Bike Trainers

Don’t let bad weather put a damper on your fitness routine. You’ve enjoyed your new bicycle and are feeling great. But there are times when you just don’t have time to pull the bike out, change your clothes and cycle all over the neighborhood.

This is where bike trainers save the day. A bike trainer is a compact frame that will turn your bike into a stationary piece of equipment.

You can purchase a new bike trainer for around $170 to $300. They easily fold away and store compactly in the hall closet. And best of all, you can take 10-15 minutes to exercise anywhere in your home.

Indoor Trainers Come In A Variety Of Choices

Kurt Kinetic fluid trainers are top of the line bike trainers. In the eyes of serious cyclists, these trainers excel because they are quiet and are able to provide nearly limitless amounts of resistance.

The search for a ‘realistic’ ride leads some cyclists to search out the CycleOps fluid trainers. Their cam lever makes for easy loading of your bike on and off the frame. The CycleOps trainers have a few ‘bells and whistles’ like a cam lever for getting your bike into and out of the trainer with the least amount of effort.

Another choice is the CycleOps Super Magneto trainer. This trainer offers resistance that progresses in intensity as you pedal harder…all without the inconvenience of getting off your bike to adjust your trainer.

No matter what your needs, there is sure to be a bike trainer that will fit them.

In Summary

When you work from home, staying fit doesn’t have to take a back seat. Combine cycling indoors or out with HIIT (high intensity interval training) to keep those unwanted pounds away. Even busy entrepreneurs like you can find the time to fit this program into your schedule.

About the Author:
Ron Fritzke is a cycling enthusiast who reviews cycling gear for his website, Cycling-Review.com. Ron is also a former 2:17 marathoner who now directs his competitive efforts toward racing his bike…and looking for good cycling products.

Hello everyone.  Today’s guest post comes from Ron Fritzke who is a cycling products reviewer, a former competitve runner and currently directs his competitive efforts towards cycling.

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It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the best fitness programs combine both good diet and regular exercise. While healthy eating habits can take a seasonal ‘hit’ (think Halloween candy and Christmas sweets), staying diligent with regular exercise can also get to be a problem at certain times of the year.  I’m talking about trying to stay in shape through the cold storms of winter.

That’s where an indoor bicycle trainer can come to the rescue.

There are three basic styles of bicycle trainers, each categorized by the way in which they create resistance.  Starting at the top, they are fluid trainers, magnetic (mag) trainers, and wind trainers.

Fluid Trainers Sit On Top

If you have the money, it’s hard to beat a quality fluid trainer like the Cycleops Fluid 2.  Fluid trainers are the quietest type and are able to provide sufficient resistance to satisfy even the maximum efforts of Tour de France-type riders.

While being quiet may not seem like much of an issue, it doesn’t take too much time at maximum velocity on a wind trainer to agree that ‘silence is golden’.

Riding for long periods of time on a trainer can be quite uncomfortable.  That’s why some of the most effective indoor trainer workouts involve easy riding interspersed with periodic sessions of high intensity.  This ‘interval’ style of training maximizes the benefits of time in the saddle.

Fluid trainers are well suited for interval workouts since they will resist the rider’s efforts no matter how strong the cyclist is.  That can’t be said about some of the mag or wind trainers.

Mag Trainers Are Improving

When I first started getting obsessed with bike trainers it was difficult to find a satisfied mag trainer owner.  There were stories of mag trainers ‘listing’ to one side, and tales of them being hurled across the room by angry cyclists.  That isn’t the case today when it comes to the latest mag trainers produced by top notch companies like CycleOps, Kurt Kinetic, Blackburn, and Minoura.

One of the more interesting mag trainers to hit the market recently is the CycleOps Magneto.  CycleOps claims that this is the first and only mag trainer to provide ‘progressive resistance’.  While other mag trainers won’t change their levels of resistance levels without the cyclist’s intervention, the Magneto alters the workload by varying the position of the magnets in the flywheel automatically using centrifugal force.  The faster the rider pedals, the further away from center the magnets spin, progressively making the ride more difficult.

It’s a pretty simple system, no doubt leaving the other companies scratching their heads and murmuring, “Why didn’t we think of that?”

Wind Trainers May Be OK For Casual Cyclists

In the ‘hard core’ world of cycling that I come from, wind trainers wouldn’t suffice.  They just aren’t capable of producing enough resistance for hard intervals.  But not everyone is foolish enough to train for bike racing.

Wind trainers are very simple in design, which means that of the three types, they’re the least expensive as well as the least likely to break down.

This type is best suited for lower intensity, sustained efforts.  When putting the pedal to the metal on a wind trainer, you’ll notice two things…a wind trainer can create one heck of a roaring sound, and the resistance tapers off at the upper end.

So if tooling along at a sane intensity fits your fitness goals, you may not have to look any further than a wind trainer.

You Don’t Have To Start The Summer Out Of Shape

You may have been caught in the seasonal fitness cycle for the last few years.  You know…work hard on your conditioning all spring, summer, and fall, only to slack off during the winter and have to do it all over again.

But if you spend a bit of effort maintaining a semblance of fitness through the cold months, you won’t have to start over from ground zero every year.  Benefiting from the convenience of an indoor bike trainer can go a long way toward the goal of staying fit year-round.

About the Author:
Ron Fritzke is a cycling product reviewer with a passion for ‘all things cycling’.  A former 2:17 marathoner, he now directs his competitive efforts toward racing his bike, and searching for good cycling gear.