Running

When is the last time you did some running? I hope it was yesterday when you did the Wednesday Workout I sent you (hint hint, if you did not do it, you still have time). Back to running. Today I will share why running is a great activity. Did you know? You must have the proper shoes to wear for running. Not all shoes are considered equal. Make sure you purchase running shoes that are designed to absorb the shock of your foot strike on ground. Make sure they have the proper heel/ankle support, arch support, and ball of foot/toe support. Running can be addictive. The psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi might describe the experience of running as "flow," the state of mind in which you are fully immersed in what you are doing. Or it could be what William Glasser calls, "positive addiction," where you perform a repetitive activity without self-criticism or judgment that has a beneficial effect on your mind and body.

What are the health benefits of running?

The American College of Sports Medicine Position Statement on Exercise is a document full of studies proving that vigorous exercise yields plenty of health benefits. One of the major points of the position statement is that there is a dose response to exercise. The more you do, or the harder you do it, the more benefit you accrue. But this point is not to discount moderate exercise. You get plenty of benefit from moderate exercise, it's just that vigorous exercise seems to accrue even more benefit. The ACSM report makes it clear that "many significant health benefits are achieved by going from a sedentary state to a minimal level of physical activity; [but] programs involving higher intensities and/or greater frequency/durations provide additional benefits. For example, one study found that individuals who ran more than 50 miles per week had significantly greater increases in HDL cholesterol (the good fat) and significantly greater decreases in body fat, triglyceride levels, and the risk of coronary heart disease than individuals who ran less than 10 miles per week. In addition, the long-distance runners had a nearly 50% reduction in high blood pressure and more than a 50% reduction in the use of medications to lower blood pressure and plasma cholesterol levels." What are the fitness benefits of running?

As you get more aerobically fit, your heart will pump more blood and oxygen with each beat (this is called stroke volume) and your muscles will extract (or consume) more oxygen. For instance, if you have 100 oxygen molecules floating around in your bloodstream, a conditioned muscle might consume 75 molecules, whereas a deconditioned muscle might only consume 30, or even fewer than that. In fact, elite distance runners can be as much as three times more efficient at consuming oxygen than sedentary individuals. Running improves your aerobic fitness by increasing the activity of enzymes and hormones that stimulate the muscles and the heart to work more efficiently.

What about running and burning fat?

A study comparing fat burning in running and uphill walking to cycling found that fat burning was 28% higher during running and walking uphill than it was during cycling. The authors of the study aren't sure why this is so, but it is suggested that the pounding of weight-bearing activities like walking and running may cause more fat burning than a seated exercise like biking, or an activity like swimming where there is no pounding at all. This is intriguing research, but more needs to be done before we truly sort out these issues.

Reference: Weil, Richard, Running, Medicine Net

Today is a brief look at the benefits of running. I will continue to share more information about running. Consider adding it into your routine to boost your body's efficiency. Since it is hot outside, if you decide to run, make sure you are well hydrated, covered with sunscreen, wear light fitting clothing, and hat/visor to protect you head from the sun. You make need sunglasses too. Have a FANTASTIC THURSDAY! Make IT A Great Day!