Charlie Webster's tips for Health and Fitness

Time

The word that frequents our conversation in an increasingly negative way. ‘I don’t have time to exercise.’ ‘I don’t have time to look after myself.’ How many times have we all said that? By the time you get home from work, it is dark, you’re hungry, tired and probably a little stressed. When you wake up in the morning, it is dark, you’re hungry, tired and probably a little stressed!

On the contrary though exercise is the best way to combat these feelings...and yes it is easier said than done.

However if you exercise, improve your fitness and strength. You not only look good, you feel good, become much more tolerant in coping with stress, you sleep better but also your stamina increases in everyday tasks. I’m not talking about marathon running; I’m talking about eliminating that flagging feeling and snappy mood at the end of the day. Come on I’m sure I’m not the only one who ‘snappy mood’ rears its ugly head too?!

The good news is it is all about efficient exercising and that takes no time at all, isn’t boring and the results are quick and maintained. The myth of having to spend loads of time in the gym is just that, a myth.

This will help drop excess weight quick and tone to create lean muscle. In other words tightens your bum, tummy and shapes to give lovely looking legs.

Running has endless benefits and I’m its number one fan so that is where we will start.

30 minutes or less: running session on a treadmill.

The beauty is anybody can do this at ANY level and you don’t have time to get bored.

Warm up: 5 minutes, easy pace jogging or walking...as long as you increase your heart rate and body temperature. This could be 5kph, 6kph less or more, whatever feels comfortable for you.

The session: 1 minute on treadmill at increased pace. 1 minute rest. Repeat increasing the pace by 1kph each time, always have 1 minute rest the same amount as you are running. Do not go over 1 minute rest.

Reach your maximum where you are breathing heavily, your legs ache and it is getting pretty tough...and then repeat but decreasing 1kph each time until you reach where you started.

It doesn’t matter how fast you go, as long as you increase your pace and then decrease it.

It should like something like this, a ‘pyramid’ shape, going up the ‘pyramid’ and then going down it...

8kph 1 min run – 1 min rest

9kph 1 min run – 1 min rest

10kph 1 min run – 1 min rest

11kph 1 min run – 1 min rest

12kph 1 min run – 1 min rest

11kph 1 min run – 1 min rest

10kph 1 min run – 1 min rest

9kph 1 min run – 1 min rest

8kph 1 min run – 1 min rest

Cool down: 5 minutes easy pace jogging or walking...as long as you decrease your heart rate and lower your body temperature. Follow by a light stretch.

It doesn’t matter how many you go up the pyramid, build it up gradually, you can do 2 increases of pace up and 2 down if you are a beginner, or as many as 8 up and 8 down if you are more advanced. It is all about you and your start level; you will feel an improvement almost immediately.

Challenge yourself this week to do this session at least twice.

I will be back next week to see how you are doing....