1. Breakfast
   • Make a direct difference to your day every morning. According to the American Heart Association, a boiled egg is the best way to go. The AHA has also removed its previous limits on weekly egg consumption – as long as you diet your fine. An average egg only contains 1.5g of fat, and 72.5% of it all protein. Here’s the low down on the perfect Egg. Place the egg in a small pan and cover with at least 3cm (1 inch) of cold water. Add a pinch of salt and set at a high heat. When the water is just shy of boiling stir and set the time at three minutes for soft boiled, five minutes for a firm yolk and seven for a hard boiled egg. Now reduce the heat so the water is bubbling and stir again carefully. Done. Remove with a slot spoon and serve immediately.
   • Kitchen Craft White Porcelain Double Egg Cup – £3.50
2. Work Shade
   
   • Make sure your surrounded by colour/color.The Science Journal published a research article stating that certain colours improve your work productivity in different areas.  Seeing the colour red makes you more accurate and blue increases your creativity. Researchers at Columbia University, New York, tested 600 people and found that office workers shown red shades performed better on spell-check tests whereas the ones who ever given blue shades performed far superior in creativity.
3. Drink Smart
   • Drinking caffeine during the day is not a good idea. Whilst it can work wonders, it begins to be a problem once you start to drink it everyday. Your body becomes more tolerant and the stimulant causes less effect as an aid to concentration. Fill the void in your motivation by a sharp shot of glucose. Lancaster University has researched that a small dose of sugar can boost your memory by 50%. Sugar they say has had significant effects to memory long term boosts. They say it is linked with the spike in arousal and alertness associated with glucose consumption. Just 25g of the amount found in a standard bottle of isotonic drink can provide a positive full psychological effect in under five minutes. So your brain will be able to soak up more facts.
4. Listen Up
   
   • You might think you’ve heard it all before, but there is now a very sound reason for training to your own tunes. You can pump out 10% more weight. The right playlist can reduce anxiety and increase motivation and even make your kids more sharper.
   • Sennheiser OMX 80 Sport II – Sport Line – headphones ( over-the-ear )

Sail through long sessions with tips from treadmill experts. It’s to easy to start your session with a nice 10 min stretch, hit the cross trainer for 15 mins and then jump on the treadmill not even to make it to 20 mins because of those nasty demons.. beat the boredom with these tips and stay focussed and locked in your training mind frame.

1 – Picture your prize

Why are you training?

• Weight loss
• Want to get fit
• Stress
• Stay in shape
• Gain Muscle
• Fun

Whatever your reasons for you being on that treadmill – keep that at the front of your mind at ALL times. So if you want to get married – keep that picture of your partner at the front of your mind ALL through your session.

You should also go over your motivations – say if you were doing it for charity and you were clocking miles – you suddenly get a stomach upset for a few days. Get back to training as your motivation for training was for charity – good motivations and sticking to them get quality results.

2 Be a DJ

Listening to music can help you take your mind off training. So make up detailed play lists on your MP3 player for each training session. If you are planning to run get a running playlist – if your planning to walk – get a walking playlist in. Your mood can pick up with a favourite song and can keep you going way past your struggle points. Personally if I was running at full pace for 5 mins and wanted to stop I would put music on and realise I can go way past my “mind limited zone”. Go over things to do in your training and think about some healthy food – talk to your friends – do anything that will keep your mind off training.

3 Focus on Success

Think about how you made it through other times and you’ll find it’s great way of convincing yourself that you can get through it. I thought regularly about time without a job, hanging with the bad crowd, problems at home and at college.. and only to come out on top of all those.. and when I think about that – it really helps.

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Four easy steps to making yourself younger.

1 SPRAY / AFTERSHAVE

The scent of your youth days may be Lynx Java and Africa and the occasional XL in the P.E locker room, however, your older now so upgrade your aroma. The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that “linalool” a natural scent in fruits lowers the stress hormone level “cortisol”. Get yourself some Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme Sport – the scents of orange, and grapefruit will make you smell and feel more like a modern gentlemen and lower stress levels.

£30-£40 from Amazon – Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme Eau de Toilette Spray 50ml

2 LIFECYCLES

Cycling to and from work a few days a week will make your body nine years younger – wow.
The average pedal to work is 8.7 miles which means that just three days of eco-commuting is enough to keep you upright and roll back the years to keep ageing in the slow lane.

Barracuda Classic bikes, £100 suspension bike – Barracuda Arizona Alloy Full-Suspension Bike

3 HEAD START

Marmite is full of vitamin B. Vitamin B contains B12 folic acid, an effect inhibitor of over production in homocysteine, an amino acid associated with Alzheimers disease. Love it or hate it, get some down you and get a full extra bit of breakfast to to ensure your mind keeps well and young in your twilight years.

Honey, good natural honey is good to, especially because it’s summer honey can reduce your pollen hay fever problems as well increase memory, reduce anxiety, clean your skin, refresh your mind, act as an anti detox and much more. Arm-Bar writers love good honey. New Zealand Natural Food Co Organic NZ Soil Assn Clover Honey 454g

4 HEALING

The Royal Edinburgh Hospital discovered that sex three times a week can make you 10 years younger. A decade long study of 3,500 European and American men found that sexual activity was second only to physical exercise when it came to staying sprightly. Sex releases testosterone which strengthens your bones and muscles. The pleasure releases chemicals in your immune system to ward off the ageing effects of general ill-health. Being in a relationship with a younger woman helped even more. If she is not game either get some new underwear or tell her that it makes women 12 years younger, too. Get some womens underwear and while your there read The Secret Body Language of Girls.

A diet high in iron is vital for men who exercise because of its role in transporting oxygen around the body. But iron deficiency causes other problems, including tiredness and difficulty concentrating. The NHS recommends at least 8.7mg per day for men. Here are the best foods to up your intake.

Bran Flakes 20mg per 100g

Drinking a glass of vitamin C-rich orange juice with these foods will help the body absorb more iron.

Sesame Seeds 10.4mg per 100g

Sardines 4.6mg per 100g

Grilled rump steak 3.4mg per 100g

Crab 28mg per 100g

So why do you need Iron? There are many benefits of having an iron rich diet.

Benefits

1. Iron is anti cancer
2. It boost the body’s energy level and as a result will improve physical performance.
3. Improves the body’s immunity
4. It encourages restful sleep and prevent insomnia
5. It also helps in preventing difficulty in learning among children

Who Would Benefit?
The adult RDA for this mineral is 14 mg daily, equivalent to a handful of dried apricots or a beefsteak. However, in treating certain health problems, the amount can be increased. Certain people may find that iron supplements could help them maintain a healthy body. If you experience the symptoms below, ask your doctor about the possibility of taking iron supplements

Painful Periods
Iron supplements may help to ease the pain associated with monthly menstruation. You may need to take the supplement daily.

Fatigue
If your doctor believes that your weak body or frequent fatigue are associated with poor iron intake in the diet, your condition can be improved by using iron supplements.

Improve Concentration
Young girls who have poor dietary iron intakes would normally have academic problems because they just cannot concentrate in their classes. Iron supplements have been proven to be beneficial in this scenario.

Treat Anaemia
If you have this health problem, your doctor would normally prescribe you with iron supplements.

Sources – http://www.oohoi.com/healthy_living/vitamin-info/benefits-of-iron.htm – Benefits of Iron – 1st June 2006

Many foods that are called “bad” are actually “good” for you.Welcome back these foods but not at once. Just forget the old nutrient taboos that surround them.

Nuts

The Myth “Causes you to gain weight”
The Truth

Nuts contain fat. That is a fact. What most people forget is that they contain the mono-unsaturated fat – the good stuff. Studies suggest that fat delays muscle fatigue. According to the British Journal of Nutrition, almonds keep you slim by controlling appetite. They’re also full of vitamins, minerals and electrolytes.

There are a number of ways to enjoy your serving. Cashews in stir-fries, almond butter on oatmeal and walnuts – just mix and match.

Cheese

The Myth “Diary is high in fat and causes you to gain weight”
The Truth

Cheese is also fatty. However cheese is rich in calcium and magnesium and protein. Cheese is readily absorbed and used to repair muscle. Both Berdan and Clarke say runners can budget in one serving of full-fat cheese a day. Hard, aged cheeses like Parmesan, Swiss and Sharp cheddar are higher in protein and calcium then softer cheeses.

There are a number of ways to enjoy your serving. Cashews in stir-fries, almond butter on oatmeal and walnuts – just mix and match.

Potatoes

The Myth “High-Gl foods are bad for you.”
The Truth

Baking potatoes do have high Gl (as opposed to new sweet potatoes), but they are actually very good for athletes, especially during ultra events. The high GL means that a potato’s carbs will reach the muscles more quickly giving a instant boost for running. Because these are complex carbs it will make you last longer when running.
Check out Nancy Recipe a day to make the potatoes salad in the image..

Red Meat

The Myth “Meets like beef are high in saturated fat.”
The Truth

Some cuts are fat. Others.. well others make my mouth water. Other cuts can be as lean as chicken. Red meats are rich in thiamin, riboflavin and B6. These are needed for energy production and improve endurance.

Run smarter and faster with some of these tips

• HEAD – Your head should always be in a neutral position – eyes on the ground 10 to 30 metres ahead. Don’t let it bob: it’s less efficient and can lead to neck pain.
• TORSO – Run tall. A straight back promotes optimal lung capacity and a powerful stride. Your torso is the centre of gravity.
• SHOULDERS – Keep your shoulders relaxed so that they are low and loose. If they are tensed up and rubbing against your ears you’re off-balance and wasting energy.
• ARMS – Try to keep your arms as relaxed as possible. Make sure your elbows are bent at 90 degrees and swing them with your leg stride to drive you forwards
• FEET – Your feet should hit the ground lightly, landing mid-foot, under your centre of gravity.
• STOMACH – Your breathing should be controlled and relaxed. But if you find yourself panting, concentrate on breathing from the diaphragm.
• KNEES – Don’t lift your knees too high – it’s a waste of effort. The lift is about driving the leg forwards and following a comfortable stride with quick and short light steps.

Runner Susan – http://www.runnersusan.com/
TX Runner Mom – http://txrunnergirl.blogspot.com/

Any more running blogs post them in the comments section below and I will add them to the post with nofollow off

Chocolate is a combined mixture of cocoa paste, cocoa butter and sugar. Just saying the word cocoa is delicious enough. These days, in the commercial sector, we find starch, diverse sugars and fats – as well as vegetable proteins inside it.

Yes, chocolate can be a stimulant, euphorisant, and anti-depressor. It is not, alas an aphrodisiac according to the majority of scholars in the Science… I think it would be fair to say that “chocolateers”, would say otherwise, based on the idea which goes back to the beginnings of civilization, even  before its arrival in Europe: it was the 16th century, while the Aztec’s  prepared a drink called tchocoatl (made of cocoa nibs) known for its nourishing, fortifying, and even aphrodisiac qualities.

1) Chocolate contains the same addictive, crave-inducing components believed to contribute to alcoholism.

2) A 40g square of dark chocolate may have as many cancer-fighting antioxidants as a glass of red wine.

3) The ancient Mayans used chocolate. As stated above, maybe for sexual enhancement for an aphrodisiac.

4) The word chocolate comes from two ancient Indian words which mean “bitter water”.

5) The blood in the infamous shower scene of Hitchcock’s Psycho was actually chocolate syrup. Just take one bottle into the shower.

6) Chocolate makes you immortal. Well not quite, but in a study of 7,800 men, researchers at the Harvard University found that those who eat chocolate live longer than those who rarely eat it.

7) It may help for the LDL-cholesterol levels and keeping them in some form of control. It contains a type of fibre which is known as lignin and is said to be found to have this effect.

8) Seventy per cent of the world’s chocolate comes from just three places: Ivory Coast, Ghana and Indonesia.

9) Dark chocolate is the healthiest, and has the most nutrients and fewest calories, white milk chocolate is the least health and the highest in total calories. While milk chocolate is the least health and the highest in total calories. Best to ration the chocolate buttons then.

10) The swiss eat more chocolate than any other nation, with each person average scoffing 24 pounds of the stuff a year. We Brits come second in the chocoholic league, eating a shocking 16 pounds a year.

11) The average person in Britain spends around £8,000 on chocolate in their lifetime.

12) The Aztecs were thought to use cacao – the plant cocoa comes from – to boost fertility in men.

13) In its illustrious history, chocolate has been used to treat exhaustion, anemia, fatigue, tuberculosis, fever, gout and kidney stones.

Check these great blogs on chocolate if you wish to know more, including reviews, videos, recipes – these are some great sites with lots of information.

chocablog.com – Brilliant site

choklit.net

And thanks to

http://www.pastrywiz.com/archive/whatis.htm

Arm-Bar – Literally drooling having wrote this.

Patellas are your knee caps. A common type of injury that you will know is your knee and the back of your lower leg. It is a common injury, a painful and a difficult one to recover from completely – it’s a shame when you’re in pain as you can’t train to your full capacity. The knee joint has to support the most bodyweight, thus making it the most vulnerable to any injury sustained through training. Because of the movement and weight of your body, as well as the impact of training – especially when running – it’s critical that you know the most common ways you can injure you knee and the most common ways to repair it. The most common injury is called patellar tendonitis, an inflammation of the knee tendon that is caused by overuse.

Patellar tendonitis is common in sports that involve jumping or changing direction quickly and regularly like football and running. It can be painful in itself but has wider implications because it places additional strain on the hip and knee joints, which could lead to further injuries and more time on the sidelines. Follow this three step series of wall squat exercise to treat the problem and strengthen your knees.

Phase One

Aim: Improved elasticity
Duration: Two weeks

Start by standing on your injured leg and leaning your back against a wall – keep your foot about 60cm from the wall. Keeping your foot in line with your knee and hip, slide down the wall until your knee is bent at around 30°. Hold for 30 seconds before putting your other foot down and using both legs to return to the start position. Perform three to five reps.

Phase Two

Aim: Improved strength
Duration: One week

Exactly the same as phase one – except one change. Increase the angle progressively to a 45° then 60° of flexion at the knee.

Phase Three

Aim: Improved Speed
Duration: One two to three weeks

Starting in the same position, lower your knee down to 45° before returning up with both legs. Do three sets of ten reps slowly, taking three seconds to go down and three up. Increase the speed of the return in the second week and go as fast as you can in the final week, as long as the knee is pain-free.

People often think that the cause of injury is due to lack of experience or over experience. We all know it does vary but as a pilot would describe the way to get a perfect plane landing, they would describe “a perfect approach”. A perfect approach is aligning the plane with the runway from a great distance and getting a low speed to slowly descend to the run way, as if your walking down a long hill with no steepness. I think warming up by stretching for ten minutes at least before you start training; then when you finish, a full complete cool down by walking and stretching out too. Taking it easy at first and building up.

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Everyone always asks about ways to keep your body in shape. Here’s three ways you can keep both your mind and body in top shape.

There’s now yet another reason to keep yourself in shape – you become smarter. The University of California (UC) conducted a research study that found people who had higher body mass had smaller brains. This included memory and planning areas of the brain.

I want to show three quick and simple ways to boost your brain, let’s face the music – if you spend 45 minutes on a treadmill four times a week, for the next 6 months – that is an average of 180mins a week which is 720mins a month which is 4320 mins half a year, which is 8640 mins of running a year. That is a 144 hours and about 6 days of running non-stop. The amount of calories you can burn, the amount of endorphins you can release is incredible. Being fit means thinking fit – I know that makes no sense, but here is a statement someone said to me at the gym: “If you look good, you feel good”.

1) Do Puzzles – Sudoku

Playing mind games, filling crosswords and continuing to challenge yourself whilst your on a train for example – is a great way to train your mind to cancel out everything around you – keep at it and you can really build a tolerance of working under pressure.

There are countless studies that have shown doing puzzles or learning a language can build neural networks in the brain. This helps you stay sharper for longer.

2) Eat oily fish

Oily fish is great food. Oily fish are heavy in Omega-3 which transports nutrients to your brain.

Oily fish are high Omega-3 fatty acids. They are vital for healthy nerve cells and help transport nutrients into brain cells. Eggs, flaxseed and kiwis are other good sources too. A monthly dosage of oily fish can help restore dead brains cells too.

• Includes fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and herring.
• Omega-3 rich – which also means it prevents you getting heart disease.
• Good source of vitamins A and D (did you know that?!)

3) Get breathless

Working out for at least 30 minutes three times a week will not only fight fat, it will also improve circulation to your brain, flooding it with oxygen and nutrients to keep it working effectively.

You can muscle up next year after all the holiday food with some of these simple tips. Before I mention them I wanted to let you know about some cardio boosters. Cardio boosters are a way to jump your energy levels and place your brain into thinking you can work out longer. I’ll give you an example: A cup of coffee or anything containing high levels of caffeine can reduce your brains perception on how hard you think you have trained. The high levels of caffeine (Note I have not mentioned Lucozade Sport with Caffeine Boost – I find it the worst taste and I can never finish it, the Lemon Plus one) act as stimulant that interferes with the part of your brain that is responsible for dealing with pain – The University of Illinois in the US say’s that the caffeine can give you this energy boost resulting in you training for longer without mentally and physically taking note. Another cardio booster is having a warm shower before your morning training sessions – not only because it’s like -100c outside (Manchester) – but having a hot shower gets your blood pumping to your muscles and priming them for action and doubling as an effective warm-up ahead of early-morning sessions, helping you avoid strains and tweaks. Take a read of our “4 steps to go from skinny to biggy”..

#1 Go easy on the cardio

I can tell you know that your six-pack will only come out of hiding when you have reduced your body fat down to around ten per cent, but this doesn’t mean you should spend hours pounding the pavement. In order to put muscle on you need to consume more calories than you burn, so that means keep your cardio sessions brief. Having short breaks between your weight sets will work your cardiovascular system and your muscles.

#2 Stick to complex moves

You need to keep to Isolation movement, such as biceps curls and calf raises. They are great for building up your muscular endurance. The fact is however is that these exercises won’t build mass in the same was as squats, deadlifts and bench presses do. These compound moves involve more than one muscle group which means they’ll shock shock your body, flooding it with good ol’ testosterone and leading to greater sizes gains – everywhere.

#3 Keeping sets short

Cranking out hundreds of reps will fatigue your muscles but it won’t make them grow back bigger. Stick to low-rep sets with heavy weights to overload the muscles, fatigue them faster and force them to grow stronger.

Someone told me (at the gym where I go) that they heard the more hardcore lifters mention that you should stick to low rep building – start on the shoulder press at 10kg and do 15 reps. Then go up the next weight, 15kg and do 15 reps, then go up to 20kg and do 15 reps – just keeping adding the weight on as you go on each rep and at each session.

#4 Eat up

The average man needs around 2,500 calories a day just to maintain his weight, so you should take on 500 more calories to put on muscle – naturally speaking this doesn’t mean eating more calorie-dense foods (junk food). You can get high quality protein from eggs, fish, nuts and lean meat, all of which make these the best source for muscle-building grub. You should aim for 1.6g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight every day – you should also take it an hour before you workout and 20 minutes after your workout.

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