Tag: exercise

It’s 5K Season! I Try the C25K App: Week One

As the weather grows warmer and the sun stays up later, millions of people around the world begin participating in 5K walks and runs. I have never been a fan of running. In fact, you may have read in a previous blog entry that I hate running. In truth, I don’t hate anything, I’m not much of a hater. I do, however, strongly dislike it. However, transitioning into maintenance once I hit my goal weight put me at a loss for goals. Sure, I’ve made progress with my kettlebell workouts, but I just felt I needed something else to work towards, since the scale was no longer useful for rewarding me. I happened to mention to my coworker Josh that I might be interested. Josh, an aspiring artist, has recently begun lifting weights (could some of my healthy habits rubbed off on him?) and kind of latched onto the 5k idea. (Okay, okay, he basically bugged me until I agreed to train with him.) We decided to use the C25K Free app to train.

Image Courtesy of http://weight.sdghealth.com/couch_to_5k_weight_loss_success_stories.html
Image Courtesy of http://weight.sdghealth.com/couch_to_5k_weight_loss_success_stories.html

The C25K app (C25K stands for Couch to 5K) is an 8-week long plan designed for people who are just beginning to run. There are 3 sessions a week, each alternating walking with running until you build the strength to run the entire time. The sessions begin at 30 minutes and eventually stretch to 40 minutes, including warm ups and cool downs. Plus, like I said earlier, it’s FREE. There’s way more to the app than I just mentioned, including compatibility with playlists and GPS programs, but I’m sticking to the basics here.

We started our training on the warmest day thus far in April. It nearly hit 80 degrees in South Jersey that day, and we were dressed to enjoy that warmth!

We were at a decent sized park with a combination of paved and gravel paths and lots of grassy areas. There wasn’t a huge amount of elevation change, being South Jersey, but there were some small hills and a short flight of stairs. Right off the bat I told Josh that I would do my best to finish all of the jogging segments, but that I wasn’t sure I could. Josh had far more faith in me than I did, insisting that I would do just fine, because I worked out regularly, but I argued that kettlebells and running use different sets of muscles, which, I soon discovered, was absolutely true. More on that later.

Day 1 of C25K involves a 5-minute warm-up, followed by intervals of 60 seconds of running alternative with 90 seconds of walking, then a 5-minute cooldown. Despite the heat and my lack of running confidence, we made it through Day 1 without stopping! There was the minor detour through an invisible mud puddle which resulted in much swearing, hilarity, and the startling of a recreational fisherman, but other than that, smooth sailing. My calves, however? They SCREAMED at me for days. I’ve had my quadriceps and hamstrings ache after a particularly good kettlebell workout, but never my calves. I took it as a sign that I’d done something right!

Day 2 I did alone. This day was much, much different. The temperature didn’t make it to 50 degrees, the sun was cruelly hiding behind a blanket of grayish clouds threatening rain, and a brisk wind was more reminiscent of March than April. Ugh. So I cranked up my favorite podcast, The Morning Stream, turned on the app, and got moving. I was freezing in running pants, a tank, a tee and a hoodie. I told myself I would be warm if I just kept going, which turned out to be true. And, lo and behold, I made it through yet again! It wasn’t easy, and it was cold, but I did it.

Day 3 Josh and I were a team again, this time just running through the neighborhood near work. The day was gorgeous once again, despite being cooler than Day 1. The route we chose had a large hill on the return and traveled through a small wooded area with a creek that was just beautiful. It made the run way more pleasant than my dreary, freezing Day 2! For some reason, it felt like my body was ready for Day 3. I kinda sorta understood why people might like this running thing. My favorite part? The challenge of the hill. It was difficult, but I didn’t feel like my head or lungs were going to explode like they did a year or so ago when I tried running. I’m going to go ahead and chalk that up to kettlebells doing my body good!

Stay tuned for a Week 2 update, coming soon, and until then, have fun and flash those guns!

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Dynamic vs. Static Stretching: What to do When

So you have a workout routine. Maybe you’ve even done a couple of the ones I’ve shared on here. You’ve heard the phrases “warm up” and “cool down” and “static” and “dynamic stretching”, but you’re not sure what the difference is. I can help you with that!

Jumping lunges - dynamic http://www.fitnesstreats.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/jumping-lunges.gif
Jumping lunges – dynamic
Image courtesy of http://www.fitnesstreats.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/jumping-lunges.gif

Dynamic stretching is the act of moving your muscles to loosen them up while the body is in motion. It’s meant to warm up the muscles and lengthen them in order to prepare your body for exercise and prevent injury. It also loosens the joints. Dynamic stretching should be done before your workout. Examples of dynamic stretching include:

  • Arm circles
  • Hip circles
  • Side bends
  • Lunges
  • Squats
Hamstring Stretch - Static Image courtesy of http://users.rowan.edu/~brooks94/Website%20pics/stretchhamstring.jpg
Hamstring Stretch – Static
Image courtesy of http://users.rowan.edu/~brooks94/Website%20pics/stretchhamstring.jpg

Static stretching is slow, focused movements intended to loosen the muscles while the body is at rest. It’s better to do these sorts of stretches AFTER a work out, as you’re trying to cool your body down. Static stretching is great for reducing DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and preventing muscle stiffness and thus injury later on. Examples of static stretching include:

  • Toe touch
  • Cross body pull
  • Triceps stretch
  • Quad stretch
  • Cobra pose

There’s a good 13-minute cooldown video here at Fitness Blender.

I hope this brief guide helped you figure out the difference between dynamic and static stretching and when to use which! Take care of your body to avoid injury, it’s the only one you have!

Giving and Getting Back: Why I Love Volunteering for an Animal Shelter

I’ve had a love of animals since I was a child. As a toddler, I have vague memories of our Pekingese named Gizmo. In elementary school, I had a cocker spaniel named Honey Bear, whom, I distinctly remember, refused to sleep in my bed, preferring to camp out on the back of our sectional sofa. And of course, if you’ve read any of my previous entries, you know I have a beloved Boston Terrier named Bingley.

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As of late, I’ve needed to find an activity to fill up some odd bits of spare time and get me out of the house. Several friends suggested volunteering, and after much browsing and a few applications, I got approval (on a very snowy Saturday afternoon, no less) to train as a volunteer for the Animal Adoption Center. I was so excited to be accepted! I attended an orientation where a group was introduced to the facility and what would be expected from us during our time volunteering. The following week, I attended the animal handling orientations, and then, I was free to volunteer whenever I wanted!

Lulu
Lulu

I showed up the very next Monday to walk dogs. There were several volunteers there that day, so I only got to walk two dogs, but I left with a huge smile on my face. While I was walking the dogs, I was totally focused on them and their well being. I didn’t have time to focus on my own inner issues because I had this other creature to care for. The dogs got exercise and freedom, and so did I: I got more than 10,000 steps in that day according to my FitBit, and for about two hours I completely forgot about my cares. I left feeling tired yet refreshed, with a feeling of accomplishment. This feeling was replicated the next time, when I got lucky enough to walk three dogs, one of which, Lulu, I had walked previously. The first time I walked little Lulu, she was timid and shy, repeatedly looking up at me as if to say “Am I behaving myself okay?” She flinched if I stepped funny and my foot came too close to her. I’m not sure she was badly abused, but she was unsure of herself. The second time I walked Lulu, two weeks later, she was like a different dog: confident, lively, happy to see me. It warmed my heart to see her change for the better, despite living in the shelter. It said to me that she was getting the care she needed, and I knew it was a good place. As I left that day, I saw her name on the adoption board: Lulu was getting a forever family!

Dante
Dante

A few weeks later I saw an e-mail from the volunteer coordinator, requesting a volunteer dog handler for an adoption event on Easter Sunday. It was like the stars aligned for me. Not only was I going to be spending Easter Sunday alone because The Hubs had to work, I was desperate to find something to do! I signed up immediately. Even better? THEY GAVE ME A PUPPY! Not to take home, haha, but to handle at the event. I felt so lucky! I nearly squeed my pants! Dinah was the cutest, sweetest thing ever (after my Bingley of course) and she was a joy to walk around the store. (It’s way easier to get strangers to talk to you when you have a puppy. Seriously. Especially handsome men.) The best part? Little Dinah got a forever family that very night. And Dante, the other dog, who had been one of the first two dogs I had walked at the shelter and who was also at the event, was also adopted the very next night.

Volunteering at the shelter doesn’t just help these amazing, loving animals who need homes. It helps me. On days when I don’t have enough to do to distract me from myself, I head to the shelter, and I always leave feeling better than when I arrived. Helping these creatures helps me, mentally and emotionally. According to www.nhs.uk, volunteering has many health benefits, including:

  • A longer life
  • A healthier lifestyle
  • Improved family relationships
  • Meeting new people
  • Improved self-esteem and sense of purpose

Plus, it has been scientifically proven that spending time with animals is beneficial to your health. Helpguide.org lists the benefits of spending time with animals:

  • Dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.
  • People with dogs have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets. One study even found that when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months.
  • Playing with a dog or cat can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.
  • Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.
  • Heart attack patients with dogs survive longer than those without.
  • Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.
Me and DInah
Me and Dinah

So I’m going to keep going. It makes me happy! In fact, I love it so much that I got another e-mail today asking for volunteers and I got so sad because they need volunteers for Saturday, and I work every Saturday, boo. But I’ll be back to reap the benefits, while helping these adorable pups (and cats, too, I promise) get new homes.

(If you’re interested in donating to the Animal Adoption Center, CLICK HERE. They can always use your support, and they are a dedicated team of only EIGHT full time staff who pride themselves in successfully running a NO KILL shelter. They get no public funding and rely on donations and volunteers.)

Thanks for reading, and I hope you find a way to make a difference in the world, because no difference is too small!