Posted on Oct 12, 2020
Running is a simple and effective physical activity that almost all of us can get started on straightaway, says personal fitness trainer Lucy Wyndham-Read.
The health benefits of running include improved cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure, a decrease in body fat, improvement in lung capacity and increased flexibility. And, of course, it’s free!
Undertaking physical activities such as running has been shown to bring immediate rewards in terms of weight loss and a more youthful heart.
A study of middle-aged, overweight men and women revealed that, regardless of whether they lost weight by exercising more or eating less, all of the participants’ hearts responded to the weight loss by gaining the ability to relax more quickly, recovering some of the elasticity characteristic of younger heart tissue.
So whether your goal is to lose weight or simply improve your all-round fitness, give our running programme a try: you can fit it into even the busiest of lifestyles and, if you stick at it, you may see the results sooner than you think!
Running programme for beginners
Preparation
The run
Plan your route from your front door. Your first route should be about one mile.
Be sure to warm up before you run, as this prevents injuries: simply march on the spot or go up and down stairs for two minutes.
0 – 6 minutes = brisk walk
6 – 9 minutes = light jog
9 – 11 minutes = power walk
11 – 14 minutes = medium jog
14 – 16 minutes = light walk
16 – 17 minutes = fast jog
17 – 20 minutes = brisk walk and slowly start to reduce the speed as you cool down.
Stretch
Aim to do this run three times a week for two weeks. In week three, reduce your walking by one minute and increase your jogging by one minute. In week four, aim to complete your route by running the whole distance. Thereafter, simply increase your distance.
Nutrition for running
Dietitian Azmina Govindji offers the following tips to help ensure your run is enjoyable, healthy and safe:
You can get free physio session with our Equipsme Health Plans to help keep you in tip top shape for your running schedules.
Find out more at www.watkindavies.com/health or call us on 029 20 626 226
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