After all, an aerobic workout can increase your metabolism by 7 to 10 times above the resting level. This means, if you were to exercise hard for an hour and dissipate no heat, you could raise your body temperature from 98.6° to 140° F. (You’d cook yourself in the process!) In the summer, your body sweats heavily to dissipate this heat. But in the winter, the warmth helps you survive in a cold environment. Runners can enjoy a tropical environment in their running suit within minutes of starting exercise.

Because food provides the fuel needed to generate this heat, the right sports diet is particularly important for skiers, skaters, runners and other athletes who are exposed to extreme cold. The following article addresses some common questions and concerns about winter and nutrition and offers tips to help you enjoy the season.

For safety sake, winter athletes should always carry with them some source of fuel in case of an unexpected slip on the ice or other incident that leaves them static in a frigid environment. Winter campers, for example, commonly keep a supply of dried fruit, chocolate or cookies near by for fuel if they wake up cold in the middle of the night. You want to have an emergency energy bar tucked in your pocket, just in case…

Why do I feel hungrier in the winter than in the summer?
A drop in body temperature stimulates the appetite and you experience hunger. Hence, if you become chilled during winter exercise (or when swimming, for that matter), you’ll likely find yourself searching for food. Eating “stokes the furnace,” generates heat, and helps warm your body.
Food’s overall warming effect is known as thermo genesis (that is, “heat making”). Thirty to sixty minutes after you eat, your body generates about 10% more heat than when you have an empty stomach. This increased metabolism stems primarily from energy released during digestion. Hence, eating not only provides fuel but also increases heat production, warmth.

Do I burn more calories when I exercise in the cold?
Cold weather itself does not increase calorie needs. You don’t burn extra calories unless your body temperature drops and you start to shiver. (And remember: the weather can actually be tropical inside your exercise outfit.) Your body does use a considerable amount of energy to warm and humidify the air you breathe when you exercise in the cold. For example, if you were to burn 600 calories while cross-country skiing for an hour in 0° F weather, you may use about 23 percent of those calories to warm the inspired air. In summer, you would have dissipated this heat via sweat. In winter, you sweat less.
If you are wearing heavy clothes, you will burn a few more calories to carry the extra weight of skis, boots, heavy parka, snow shoes. The Army allows 10% more calories for the heavily clad troops who exercise in the cold. But the weight of extra clothing on, let’s say, winter runners is generally minimal…

Why do I find myself shivering when I get cold?
Shivering is involuntary muscle tensing that generates heat and offers a warming effect. When you first become slightly chilled (such as when watching a football game), you’ll find youself doing an isometric type of muscle tensing that can increase your metabolic rate two to four times. As you get further chilled, you’ll find yourself hopping from foot to foot and jumping around. This is Nature’s way to get you to generate heat and warm your body. If you become so cold that you start to shiver, these vigorous muscular contractions generate lots of heat–perhaps 400 calories per hour. Such intense shivering quickly depletes your muscle glycogen stores and drains your energy. This is when you’ll be glad you have some emergency food in your pocket!

What’s a big nutritional mistake made by winter athletes?
Failing to drink enough fluids is a major problem among winter athletes-hockey players, skiers, runners and winter hikers alike. Cold blunts the thirst mechanism; you’ll feel less thirsty despite significant sweat loss (if you overdress), to say nothing of respiratory fluid loss. That is, winter athletes need to consciously consume fluids to replace the water that gets lost via breathing. When you breath in cold dry air, your body warms and humidifies that air. As you exhale, you lose significant amounts of water.
Some winter athletes purposefully skimp on fluids because urinating can be problematic-too much hassle to shed layers of clothing (ski suit, hockey gear, snow pants, etc.) Yet, dehydration hurts performance and is one cause of failed mountaineering adventures.

What’s best to eat to warm myself up?
If you become chilled by the winter weather, as can easily happen if you-
–wear sweaty, wet clothing that drains body heat,
–fail to wear a hat (30 to 40% of body heat can get lost through the head), or
–drink icy water (from a water bottle kept on your bike or outside pocket of your back pack when winter hiking),
the best way to warm yourself up is to consume warm carbohydrates-hot cocoa, mulled cider, and steaming soup, as well as oatmeal, chilli, and pasta. The warm food, added to the thermogenic effect of eating, contributes to rapid recovery.
In comparison, cold foods and fluids chill your body. Research subjects who ate a big bowl of ice cream in five minutes experienced a drop in fingertip temperature of 2° F in the first five minutes, 5° in 15 minutes. In summer, this cooling effect is desirable, but in winter, hot foods are the better way to warm yourself. Bring out the thermos of soup!

Why do I gain weight in the winter?
Some people eat more because they are bored and less active. Instead of playing tennis, they are eating mindlessly in front of the TV. For others, the change of seasons has a marked affect upon their mood (known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD). Changes in brain chemicals increase carbohydrate cravings and the desire to eat more. Holiday temptations also contribute to weight gain. A study of 195 people indicates they gained on average 0.8 pounds in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years. Overweight and obese people gained even more, with about 14% of the group gaining more than five pounds. The problem is, very few of the subjects lost those holiday pounds. Hence, yearly holiday weight gain becomes a major contributor to America’s obesity problem … that’s eight pounds in ten years.

One weight management solution is to stay active in the winter. By investing in proper clothing, you’ll be able to stay warm from head to toe. You’ll benefit from not only being able to enjoy exercise but also from sunlight-a good way to battle winter depression (and attempts to cheer yourself up with food). Winter exercise is an asset for managing heath, weight and the winter blues. The tricks are to dress right, fuel well, prevent dehydration — and you’ll stay warm!

This should be one after a jog/warm up for at least 10 minutes has taken place.

Numbers 1 to 3 repeated on both legs, as well as 9  and 10 with both right and left arms.

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Cut out saturated fats

They do nothing for you, so avoid them completely. These are fats found in greasy foods, crisps, chocolates, pastry…

Reduce late carbs

Make it a strict rule not to have any of the following after 5 p.m.

• Pasta
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Bread
• Fruit

Cut out junk/fast foods

Yes they are convenient but they contain nothing but rubbish. They are ladened full of saturated fat and unhealthy ingredients. Eat crap and your body will look like crap. Why do you think so many people have such deep-rooted fat like cellulite? Stay away from junk food. If you see a fast food place, avoid it. Go to a sandwich shop instead and get a sandwich.

Eat only when hungry

This is really important. Why on earth are we eating constantly? When was the last time you let your body experience that hungry feeling? There is nothing wrong with having an empty stomach for a few hours. Get used to it. Eat only when you feel hungry.

Eat smaller meals

Don’t eat what is put on your plate for you. Fill the plate up only as much as you can eat without stuffing yourself. Eat more frequently but eat smaller portions. This is a good way of speeding your metabolism up.

Drink water

Yes you have heard it a million times. What do you think shifts the fat out of your body? Drink water throughout the day, every day. You must drink at least 2-3 litres a day, more if you are sweating or trying to lose fat.

Make CV a integral part of your every day life

Try and do 45+ minutes, 3-4 times a week on either the stationary bike, rower, stepper or go out fast walking. CV is the only guaranteed way of getting rid of the fat which you already posses.

Eat fibre

It is amazing to see just how many people are constipated. Why? It’s not rocket science you know! If you don’t exercise and you don’t eat fibre, chances are you will be constipated. Fibre ensures a healthy intestinal tract, less toxins and less fat. Eating fibre reduces food passage time and can aid fat loss. If you are confused, then get a packet of prunes and have some during the day.

Drink green tea

The wonder drink for relaxation and fat loss. They drink it in the Orient and you can’t deny that they are slimmer than most others.

Shop only on a full stomach

The classic mistake people make is to go shopping on an empty stomach. All that happens is you end up buying sugary foods to satisfy your hunger. Always always go shopping after you have eaten. You will amazed at just how wise you will be in your choices!

Get more active

Every little bit helps. Stay active. Use the stairs instead of the lift. Walk to the station instead of driving. Go out during your breaks. Make sure you are suing calories at every available opportunity. Remember, winning starts with beginning.

Drink caffeine

Caffeine is without a doubt a good fatburner. A cup of coffee in the morning followed by a cup of grapefruit juice (yeah it sounds disgusting!) can be a very good start to your fat-burning day.

Don’t get stressed – relax!

People who are too desperate to lose fat, usually put their progress back. Stress means the release of cortisol which destroys muscle and stores fat! So don’t get stressed and try to find ways of relaxing.

Lose the “fat” not “weight”!

Don’t get obsessed with the scales. How much you “weigh” is not the issue here. Your weight consists of fat, muscle, bones etc. It is how much “fat” you have which is important. Throw your scales out and make sure the mirror is your guide. How much you “weight” has NOTHING to do with how much fat you have.

Do weight training

Weight training builds muscle tissue. Muscle tissue ensures a steady fat-burning furnace is operating in your body. Don’t neglect bodyparts like the legs, which can burn a great deal of body fat.

Be persistent

Fat doesn’t appear overnight and it most certainly doesn’t disappear overnight. Be persistent and stick to it. The body is not a mystery. Start, stick to it and you will succeed.

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16 Week First Marathon Training Schedule

16 week, 3.5 hours finish, Marathon Training Schedule

Run safe, strong and injury-free – wise up to the what’s, whys and when’s of stretching

If you’ve been running well and your muscles feel fine, stretching might seem like a waste of good running time. But scheduling in some stretching could slash your chance of getting injured, help you recover from existing injuries and could even boost your muscles’ performance on the track.

Why?

Stretching helps prevent sports injuries by increasing your range of movement and reducing the tension in your muscles.

Every muscle in the body has an opposing one that works against it – quads and hamstrings, for example. Each of these muscles provides essential resistance to the other, and if one becomes stronger or more flexible the imbalance could result in injury. Hamstring tears, a common running injury, are caused by strong quads pulling against weak, inflexible hamstrings.

Increasing your range of movement means an increase in the distance your limbs can travel before they incur damage – so your muscles work harder for you and your running.

When?

After warming up with a brisk walk or jog, pop in a short stretching routine before you crack on with your main training session. Taking time to stretch (gently) at this point will help prevent injury. Start by stretching to 50-60 per cent of your range of movement for 10-15 seconds, and increase this slowly as your flexibility increases.

When you’ve finished your session and cooled down, don’t just stop. A few minutes’ stretching will reap huge benefits, preventing tight muscles, reducing the symptoms of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and helping your muscles recover by flushing out waste and circulating fresh blood. This means you can get going again quicker, and with less risk of causing strains to tired muscles.

Make sure you put stretching at the heart of your routine, and pencil it in on a regular basis when you’re designing training schedules.

Types of stretching

There are two reasons to stretch – for maintenance of muscles, and to develop muscles – and two chief ways of stretching: static and dynamic.

Static

Static stretches are performed without movement. Simply pick a position, hold the stretch for a period of time and then slowly relax out of it. For example, a static calf stretch is achieved by sitting down and touching your toes with your leg straight out in front of you. Make sure you’re stable and relax into and out of the stretch – wobbling and jerky movements can cause injury.

Passive stretches are very similar, but use a partner or piece of apparatus to stretch the muscles further. For example, stretching the hamstrings by lying down with your leg in the air, and a partner pushing against that leg. Passive stretches achieve a greater range of movement are great for rehab. However, the bigger force and longer stretch increases the risk of injury from stretching this way – so pick your partner with care!

Dynamic
Dynamic stretching uses controlled bouncing or swinging to stretch the muscles. Stretching the hamstrings and hip flexors by standing shoulder width apart and swinging one leg backwards and forwards is a dynamic stretch. Using a stretch to replicate the actions of a sport, or ‘muscle sequencing’, comes in especially handy for faster running and sprinting. If you’re trying out a dynamic stretch, make sure maintain control of the movement, and keep it slow to avoid injury.

How to stretch safely

Before you get stuck in, take a few moments to try a few gentle stretches to assess your flexibility. You don’t want to dive in over-enthusiastically and cause injuries.

Stretch safely with these commandments:

1. If a muscle group doesn’t feel 100 per cent, avoid stretching it. If it’s recently strained, only stretch it very gently.
2. Warm up – increasing the temperature of your muscles makes them more supple and pliable so you’ll get the most out of your stretches. It also signals your body to supply your muscles with plenty of oxygen and nutrients.
3. Stretch each muscle’s opposite number to avoid inbalances in strength and flexibility – a recipe for injury.
4. Stretch for the right purpose at the right time – before exercise to prevent injury; afterwards to aid recovery.
5. Stretch gently and slowly to relax muscles and avoid strains and tears caused by fast, jerky movements.
6. Stretch only to the point of tension – you might ‘feel the burn’, but do not put yourself through pain.

Breathe easy. Lots of people accidentally hold their breath, causing muscles to tense and making stretching harder. Breathing steadily relaxes your muscles and supplies them with oxygen.

Two things you must remember when you are training.

1.  It is important to warm up for approx 10 mins or a mile of your run before you do any static stretching of your legs, do not over – stretch your leg muscles and always stretch your legs muscles after, which will avoid fatigue and aching of your leg muscles.

2.  Eating  healthily has a big effect on how well you run.

On the final week before the  run on the Tuesday and Thursday, but very light 4 miles.

Have Fun! It will be worth it.

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