CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4.WHAT ABOUT TRAINING? Now, before we start to run its always a good idea to get some stretching exercises in. Actually, it's helpful to have a stretch session pre-and-post your run. How do you stretch? I'll explain the way I do. It works well and I have hardly ever a problem with leg cramps or pulled muscles in all the years I have been running. Your performance as an athlete, and yes you can consider yourself an athlete, will always be enhanced not to mention safer if you religiously make sure to stretch or warm-up as it is called, every time you exercise. You will be amazed at the difference it will make. Many runners underestimate how these simple exercises which I will outline shortly can make a real difference. When you think about it, the body takes a lot of strain especially the legs of course in the action of running or even walking briskly. Pounding the pavement can be heavy on your legs and back area which is why I highly recommend spending a few moments before and after your run. The less high impact on your body the better it is. I'm going to give you a few exercises to get you going. There are a lot of exercises that you can do but the ones I am going to mention are simple and effective. They are the ones I personally use. 1) Quad Stretch: The first one is for your quads. This is an essential stretch. Kneel on one foot and on the other knee, and push your hips forward. 2) Hamstring Stretch: Stand with 1 foot lifted on to a table, with your leg bent lean your chest into the bent knee. 3) Achilles Stretch: Stand upright placing the ball of your foot onto a step then bend your knee and lean forwards. 4) The Toe Touch: Bend knees, standing up erect; bend over, stretching to touch your toes-hold for twenty seconds, and release. repeat four or five times. This exercise will tone the upper body and is great for hips, calves and your hamstrings. 5) Pull-Stretch: Lean against a wall or post with your right hand. Now take hold of your left ankle and lift it up to touch your left buttock. Then do the reverse with your right ankle to the buttock. As before maintain the pull/stretch for around twenty seconds or so. 6) Wall Stretch: Face a wall or post. place both hands flat against the wall, standing about three feet away, and lean into the wall keeping your legs straight. This will give your legs an overall stretch, improving circulation and flexibility. 7) Swing Stretch: With your hands clasped together at the back of your neck, feet spread three feet apart, swing your torso to the left and to the right in a smooth motion, up to twenty times. This is good for your spinal area. Keep on with the above stretching exercises and you will be amazed and delighted at your progress. No doubt, you will also have noticed how the fat is beginning to drop away and that slim figure that you have dreamed about is becoming a reality! Why not go and check the bathroom scales right now. Interesting things happen to the body when we exercise regularly. Here are just a few of the benefits; muscles become stronger predominantly your legs, of course, The cardiovascular system benefits and the heart grow stronger. The first thing I noticed when I started running was breathing. Before I started running I would notice that I would get of breath very easily with any kind of exertion. Running up the stairs example would cause heavy breathing and hoarseness. After just a few weeks of exercise, that problem disappeared. I was ecstatic to discover I no longer ran out of breath. This proved that my lung capacity had dramatically improved, and in such a short space of time; it was fantastic! I could feel also the increasing leg strength. Also, my sleep pattern which used to be erratic had also improved. Now I slept like the proverbial baby. When I looked into the subject of the physiology of running and exercise generally, I found that the heart is a muscle -- a non-stop muscle, which relies upon a plentiful supply of blood. Fortunately, in order to get more blood to strengthen and exercise muscles, your strengthened heart Can now pump a greatly increased flow of blood at each stroke. This is because the fine capillaries that serve the heart have increased. Also, as well as strengthening the muscles your running is enabling you to get rid of excess fat, which is one of the main reasons you are reading this book and hopefully, following out the teachings. The fat you are losing is useless body fat that has been stored in your body. Yes, you are becoming a lean mean running machine! Another benefit is the effect training has on the mind. The extra blood has a significant effect on your mental outlook and capacity. We will be looking at this factor a little later on in the book. I wanted to end this chapter with a little warning. To prove to you just how crucial it is to warm-up and warm-down prior to running, here are a few facts and figures from that august publication Runners World. They state that from a survey of 800 runners the following facts regarding injuries were spotlighted; Knee injuries 18%, Achilles tendon injuries 14%, Shin splints; 10.6%, Arches; 6.9%, Ankles, 6.4%, Foot fractures; 3.6% Calves3.6%, Heels 3%, Hips 2.6%, Hamstrings 2.6%,Thighs; 1.3%, Leg fractures 1%. That's quite a scary list above, isn't it! But don't worry, if you follow the instructions in this book you should have little problem with injuries. After all, it's no big deal, it only takes a few minutes to go through the exercises. So keep running and above all have fun lose weight and get fit. The next chapter is all about running safely and securely on the highways and byways.

chapter 3

CHAPTER 3. WHAT ABOUT EXERCISE? CHECK THE SCALES First...step on the bathroom scales and check out your weight. You are going to be shown beyond a doubt just how effective the Run For Your Life combo diet/run really is! Now, let's look at some exercises 'cause we're going to get out on the road or better still a grassy area which will be much easier in the beginning for you. Put on your trainers, or comfortable shoes if you don't have running shoes. We'll be discussing trainers/ sports gear a little later on in the book. BABY STEPS Begin by walking briskly. Power-walk style. Swing your arms and breathe deeply. If you get slightly out of breath that's good, not bad. The aim is to get some good cardiovascular training, as well as the flexibility of the body. Keep up walking whilst counting up to100. Then begin to very gently jog whilst counting up to 50. Do not strain! You are not ready for the Marathon yet! Repeat this exercise; walk -jog- walk- jog until you have been exercising for around 30 minutes. Then rest. That will be enough for today. OH, DEAR! The following day, you may have discovered some aches and pains in parts of your body that you didn't know existed! Don't worry, that's completely normal. The pain will go very quickly. One thing to watch for; be sure not to tense up whilst exercising. Try to walk and run in an easy flow. Look straight ahead, don't lean forward. Keep erect. Try not to stoop or clench your fists. The reason for this is to avoid putting unnecessary strain on your back shoulders and neck. I advise you do this for at least 10 days. At this stage patience really is a virtue. DRINK When you do start to run always be sure to hydrate well as I mentioned in the previous chapter. Carry a water bottle if it helps. But do it. You will be very surprised how quickly your body will adjust, and you will be running up to a mile in no time all. You will find that stiffness aches and pains will be no more unless of course you push yourself and overdo it. Don't worry we've all been there! BURN THAT FAT. When you feel ready to sprint a bit, or "give it some welly" as we Brits say, you will discover that you will burn calories rapidly. It is said by the experts that one minute of high-intensity running can account for a loss of up to 60% more calories than gentle jogging. Now you can see how the weight will begin to melt off as you keep up regular running. CHECK YOUR PROGRESS. When I started, I used to keep a log of my runs. I still have them today, some 20 years later. They are a mine of information. I advise you to do the same. Keeping track of your progress is a wise thing to do. You will be able to clearly see just how you have improved over time. Let me explain how you can create your own running blog. Of course, you can get one online at any running site, however, I believe mine is straightforward and simple to make. LOGIT Get a piece of paper, A4 or A5 whichever you prefer, and draw a rectangular box. Draw a horizontal line at the top about 1 inch down, and then draw vertical lines 7 in total to the bottom. The vertical lines should be drawn in such a way as to create seven boxes. In these boxes, we are going to put our information. The first one going from left to right we will write in: the day and the date. The second box we write resting pulse. The third box we write distance and type of run. The fourth box we write time taken. Then in the fifth box, we write weather conditions/hot, wet, windy, snowy, cold. In the sixth box, we put other training such as swimming, cycling, etc. And then in the final box, which is the one at the top right-hand corner, we put comments/how you physically and mentally feel. You could also add your race pace per mile speed. In case you don't know, 10 K = 6.214 miles and half marathon =13.109 miles. And yes, you will be able, if you choose to run that kind of distance. You might have trouble believing this at the beginning of the journey, but trust me- you will be able to hack it. MAKE THE TIME When I first started running, I was in my late 40s, well past the athletic sell-by date as some would have it. But as I have shared I was desperate to improve my health all costs. My sedentary lifestyle working in the media and for a time in show business could not afford me many opportunities to get fit and well. Time was short. I now believe That we all have the capacity to make more time if we truly desire to. I put my hands up, I was lazy and afraid of the hard work involved. There is no point in kidding ourselves -- that way lies delusion! I'm sure that many readers of this book will understand what I just said. Perhaps you have been there too? But what a delight to know that we can do something about it. It only takes a little effort to make a big difference. When all is said and done there is nothing in life as important as one's health and strength. There is a price to pay for everything. My motivation was to get as healthy and as strong as I possibly could in the shortest time. I can tell you categorically that you definitely will also achieve this if you truly want to. No excuses, you can do it! So if you will come with me to the next chapter, we'll take a more in-depth look at training. Incidentally, I hope that you are putting into practice every day the lessons that I'm teaching. If you are you will already be experiencing the many benefits I have outlined for you so far.

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2. WHAT ABOUT DIET? WHY DIET? Well ,since you picked up this book, I assume you already have some idea why you want to diet,and realise that there is some graft involved if you are really serious. So, in this chapter we'll take a look at the obvious (and the perhaps not so obvious) reasons why you should diet. You see,it is one thing to get to your ideal weight and level of fitness,but its altogether another ballgame to remain there year in and year out. Perhaps you've tried a weight- loss diet/exercise program before, maybe lost a bit of weight even. Then,the pounds which melted off reappeared with a vengeance. You were worse off than before; 'cause now you're disappointed too! Never mind,just stick with the tips given here and it wont happen again. It is pretty much an established scientific fact that physical exercise contributes to one losing weight. Why? Simple; if you burn off more calories than you take in through consuming food and drink,you WILL LOSE WEIGHT. It's that simple. Let this message be your golden rule the standard of your life in terms of your ongoing health. Exercise more-lose fat more. That statement may not be correct grammar,but it is factual! Another thing that regular exercise and a sensible diet will do is cut your chances of getting some pretty horrible diseases. These are diabetes,heart disease,cancer and strokes. Everyone is aware that the stress of today’s world contributes in a major way to many folk dying prematurely through these and related illnesses. It's almost like there’s a conspiracy going on. The vicious circle of stress and our modern day sedentary life-style,where lack of exercise is endemic, all contribute to the misery and expense of ill health. No wonder the Western world health services are at breaking point! As one who used to suffer from prostrate problems (amongst others) I can tell you that the program in this book really works,if you'll work it. regular exercise/diet regime will reduce the risk of breast and uterine issues,and definitely lower your cholesterol,and blood pressure too. Later in this book I will address the issue of positive mental/mood changes that occur when one embarks on a program such as this. For now, suffice to say...its all good news. Through our Jog and Juice Plan, you'll also notice, that as you persist in your training your energy levels will increase dramatically. You will get a more positive focus and good sleep will be a doddle. We all need to have a sense of purpose in our lives,and exercise will do that for you. Get your goal firmly fixed and go for it! I will be looking at the social aspects of running and also ways to ensure you stick to the program and ENJOY IT too. It is not, as I've already mentioned a hard road,one that is difficult to do. Far from it. I will give you a plan for your exercise that's effective and fun to do as well. Different Kinds of Diets: Not all diets are considered to be healthy. In this day and age least in the Western world we are very much into eating junk food. Nutritionists believe that this diet poses serious risks to health and have very poor nutritional value for long-term benefit. This is true of course especially of fad diets also short-term plans of way to lose weight involving extreme dietary changes to the norm. I'm going to put here just a few of the many diets around today. Of course diets are ever-changing and come and go frequently. By the time you read this I guess it will all have changed! In my research I discovered an interesting list of diets from good old Wikipedia. Here they are; 1. Faith-based diets 2. Vegetarian diets 3. Weight control diets 4. Low calorie diets 5. Low carbohydrate diets 6. Crash diets 7. Other diets. This is simply an overview, because of the ever changing dietary landscape! Personally, I have tried various diets over the years. The only one that really has worked well for me is based on a vegetarian diet. Through trial and error I have discovered that this diet is the most natural the most nourishing and the most energising. You may totally disagree with this. That is your prerogative. But, please, be open to change as you continue through this book. I will say that my diet is mainly vegetarian because I do occasionally eat meat. However I have discovered that when I do, I never seem to have the same sharpness and energy level that I do eating through eating mostly plant based food. You may well have tried many diets over the years. Some may have worked some may have not. All I know is that the only one that ticks all the boxes for me is the vegetarian-based one. The regime based on the Hallelujah Diet made popular by Rev Malkmus is my diet of choice as,trust me, it gets results. Weight control Weight control is the main reason people have for dieting. But surely one's overall health should be the main criteria. It is scientific fact that good nutritious food coupled with good hydration coupled with plenty of rest and as a little stress as possible will result in a physical body well proportioned flexible and strong. Of course without exercise it all falls apart. That of course is the main reason that I wrote this book, because I could see how many times people have lost weight only to regain it again shortly afterwards! What a waste of time and money and energy. If you follow a plant-based diet coupled with regular running/stretching exercises, you will not only reach your ideal weight but stay that way indefinitely. Water... Water ! Frank Sinatra was reputed to have said "Water? I never drink the stuff ,it rusts you !" Well, he always did it his way, but he was wrong. Actually water is crucial to our lives naturally, but far more important to our health than people understand.. Fortunately it is commonplace nowadays to see guys carrying water bottles around with them. Obviously this message is catching on. Just think of water as a nutrient that your body requires. When your intake of water is less than your output of water, urination sweating etc. then you are in serious danger of becoming dehydrated. Have a Drink. Drinking water assists the body to maintain a balance of bodily fluids. As you probably know our bodies consist of at least 60% water. That's a lotta water! Water can help in calorie control too. Dieters have known for years how water can be used to fall the stomach into thinking it is full. So it certainly helps you to lose weight. How much should you drink? Doctors recommend at least six glasses or so a day. That sounds like a lot but sipped throughout the day is not so bad. So... the golden rule is drink drink drink!

CHAPTER 1

<

DISCLAIMER

Disclaimer In terms of our general health, physiological make-up and nutritional needs, every person is different. It is strongly advised that all readers recognise the importance of obtaining the advice of a health professional before embarking on this or any exercise and/or dietary based programme. This is especially so if one is taking any form of medication, or is diabetic for example. The information given in this work is not intended in any way to be a substitute or cure for any kind of medical condition. Its purpose is for encouragement and inspiration only, and the Author and Publisher cannot be held liable in any way for what is stated or displayed.