Running Sugar Free

sugar

Today’s the day we go sugar free.  How sugar free are you going?

I’ve decided on no added sugar in any processed foods, which means being vigilant in checking labels, not eating my favourite treat of tahini and honey on a corn cracker –might have to revert back to vegemite and avocado- and not adding any sugar to cooking, which I very rarely do anyway.  When I do bake, it’s usually muesli muffins, much loved by my family and the “hippy” children up the road, but no-one else. These have honey and fruit juice added, which for the purpose of sugar free eating I’d consider sugars, so they are out for me as well. I’ll still be eating fruit and my home-made muesli which has a small amount of dried fruit in it.

Personally, I think a little bit of sugar is ok. I do use convenience foods such as tinned baked beans, occasionally tomato sauce (what’s a sausage sanga without sauce) and from time to time I add some bottled pasta sauce to a home-made bolognese.

The point of going sugar free was simply to see what all the hype is about.

Will I feel better and will my running improve, if my diet is completely sugar free for 4 weeks? Quite possibly yes.

Although I like to think I don’t eat much junk, on reflection, I probably eat more than I’m admitting to. I know I’m carrying a few kgs at the moment, and I’ll probably lose a bit of weight being sugar free.  I am going to be far more conscious of what I eat (no quick chocolate as an afternoon pick-me-up),  and drink. I’m intolerant of yeast and fermented products so not drinking any alcohol is bound to make me feel extra good.

I don’t drink much as a rule generally-used to be about once/month  I’d have a couple of glasses, but since I’ve discovered the fantastically knowledgeable proprietor of Wine Culture in East Roseville, I’ve been tending to share a bottle with my husband which may or may not be finished over the course of a week. So, no wine at all will make me feel a million times better I’m expecting – but it’s not the sugars, it’s the yeast that I have a problem with.

The point I’m making is it’s pretty hard to take sugar out of your diet without taking out a lot of other stuff that isn’t great for you. Take out sugar containing processed foods, and you’re bound to take out a lot of fats and food additives as well. So is it the reduced sugar, or the reduction in the rest of the junk that will have an effect on my well being?

Calcium Rich Foods For Runners

Calcium is important for many functions in the body, including muscular contraction, maintaining blood pH levels, strong teeth, and of course for helping to maintain bone density.

When thinking calcium, many people automatically think dairy, but there are many more calcium rich foods.

Here are a few ideas for dairy and non-dairy calcium sources.

Calcium rich foods for runners

Motivational Quotes

Having spent almost the entire week prior to Christmas working in my backyard from literally dawn to dusk preparing the area for turf, I went into the holiday period ill-prepared on the reading front. I can usually rely on at least one good book or a gift certificate at a book shop for Christmas, but none were forthcoming this year. It was slim pickings indeed when I went to the bookshelf to find something I hadn’t  already read. My husband is keen on biographies and autobiographies, so I picked up a biography of Barry Humphries and also a book by Jack Gibson (Rugby League coach).

 

I’m still only half way through the Barry Humphries biography-one of those books you keep reading because it’s mildly interesting and you think it must get better soon. I did discover that terms such as “technicolour yawn” “liquid laugh” and “siphon the python” entered the Australian vernacular as a result of Humphries’ film The Adventures of Barry McKenzie. Clearly not the most riveting book if that’s all I’ve drawn from it!

 

On the other hand, and quite surprisingly, Jack Gibson’s 4th book, The Last Word is very good. I recently read Wayne Bennett’s latest offering (also a Rugby League coaching legend) but didn’t get that much from it. I stuck with it till the end, but as a coach, it didn’t light any fires for me. Not being at all interested in Rugby League probably didn’t help! I was therefore delighted to find The Last Word offers much food for thought from both a coaching and a personal point of view. The first part of the book is written by Gibson and the second is a collection of quotes he noted down over the years. Some are altered slightly to suit the coaching idiom. Here are just a few:

 

Time is a created thing. To say “I don’t have time’ is like saying ‘I don’t want to.’ LAO-TZU, CHINESE PHILOSOPHER AND TEACHER. (If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say they don’t have time to exercise, I’d be a very rich woman).

 

The first time you quit it’s hard. The second time it gets easier. The third time you don’t even have to think about it. PAUL BRYANT. AMERICAN FOOTBALL (Precisely why we like you to try to make up any missed sessions ASAP).

 

A leader takes people to where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be. ROSALYNN CARTER, WIFE OF THE 39THUS PRESIDENT (Keep this one in mind when I ask for that little bit extra effort)

 

A player’s performance tends to rise or fall to meet the coach’s expectations. FRANK F. HUPPE, BUSINESS CONSULTANT AND MOTIVATOR. (Ever felt you couldn’t possibly do what I’ve asked you to do, but you surprise yourself by doing it? Generally, I’m not surprised. You are all capable of so much).

 

Nothing is so simple that it can’t be misunderstood. JUNIOR LEAGUE MAGAZINE (Definitely one for me to keep in mind!)

 

Half of getting what you want is knowing what you must give up to get it. ROBERT ANTHONY, PSYCHOLOGIST AND MOTIVATOR

 

Whatever your past has been, you have a spotless future. MELANIEGUSTAFSON,US HISTORIAN (All too often I see people sabotaging their efforts by looking back rather than forwards. If you eat a chocolate for breakfast, that’s no reason to continue eating junk for the rest of the day!)

 

I think the covers are too far apart. AMBROSEBIERCE,US AUTHOR AND SATIRIST, WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON A PARTICULAR BOOK.

 

Nothing happens until someone steps forward and says “You can count on me” ROB GILBERT, EDITOR, BITS & PIECES

 

Share the quotes or sayings which you use for motivation below.

New Year’s Vision

 

At this time of year, just about everyone is banging on about New Year’s Resolutions – why you need them, how hard it is to keep them, how to keep them, some articles even go so far as to suggest what you should  resolve to do.

 

At the beginning of each year I try to map out my 20 year “plan”. After about the 10 year mark, it’s more a vision of how I’d like my life to be than a plan, but at least it does give me some idea of where I’m heading, and of course it’s much easier to get there if you know where you’re going, to use a well worn cliché. I also find it’s handy to check out my husbands 10-20 year vision. That way we won’t get to be 60 years old and find we’ve been heading down different paths for the last decade.

 

I stole some time yesterday whilst one of the neighbours hosted the school holiday mayhem for a while, to put some thoughts down on paper. It really is amazing what a difference writing something down actually does to strengthen your resolve.

 

So….. I thought I’d share some goals of mine with you, rather than tell you what yours should be, or how to stick to your new years’ resolutions. I’m sure someone else will be doing that.

  • Set a secret goal and don’t share it with anyone. Done. And I will be sharing it with you some time down the track, but it’s just one for me at the moment. Eases the pressure a little bit.
  • Take care of myself. Very often we pay lip service to this one. Lots of friends and clients assume that because I exercise more then the average person, then I’ve pretty much covered the taking care of myself goal. Wrong!! Exercising a lot, particularly when I’m in heavy training means I need to take some extra care. Something I have to admit I’m not all that great at. Stretching, sleep, eating well, sleep, massage, sleep. Guilt free time out!! Well, I’ve had a massage this morning, and I’m encouraging my nearly 5 year old not to run into my bedroom as soon as he wakes at any time between 5:15 and 6:15, and I’m really focused on the guilt free time out as well…. If only I were a man, that one wouldn’t even be an issue. Would it?
  • Travel – this will be firmly planted on the radar with some definite plans in place for the next 5 years. First up looking atHamiltonIslandfor the hilly half marathon in early May. I’d love to do this one with some of you. You can cover the entire ½ marathon yourself, or team with 2 other people to do a 7 km leg.
  • Racing. I might do one half marathon this year, but the focus is definitely on getting quicker over shorter distances, and maybe a few novelty events, just to put the fun back into fun running.
  • Hooked on Health. We have lots of goals for Hooked on Health this year. All of them centre on giving you more. More concise information about what you are interested in via use of our face book page (which has been sadly overlooked to date), a revamped website including a blog, webinars, and a running camp. We’ll also be asking for your feedback via questionnaire from time to time, so we’d really appreciate you taking the time to tell us how we’re going.  In the meantime, feel free to use the comments box below.

 

I have heaps more of course. This is just a snapshot of my thoughts, and very self indulgent, but now you know a little about what makes me tick. Basically, I’m just like you!

 

Use the comments box below to tell us of your New Year’s visions, goals or plans, or any unusual ones you’ve heard of. A great place to draw a line in the sand and state your commitment!

Running Aids Brain Growth

Recent headlines suggested scientists had “discovered” that exercise was good for the brain, however the recent study out of Cambridge University and the US National Institute on Aging is just part of a growing body of work on the subject.

 

Of course, our clients have been telling us for years that exercise makes them feel better mentally, from simply making them feel more alert, to increasing their sense of well being, making them nicer people to live with, and helping to keep depression in check.

 

This SMH article, Brain Cell Secrets Explored,  is reproduced in it’s entirety below.

 

THE health benefits of a regular run have long been known, but scientists have never understood the curious ability of exercise to boost brain power.

Now researchers think they have the answer. Neuroscientists at CambridgeUniversity have shown that running stimulates the brain to grow fresh grey matter and it has a big effect on mental ability.

A few days of running led to the growth of hundreds of thousands of brain cells that improved the ability to recall memories without confusing them, a skill that is crucial for learning and other cognitive tasks, researchers said.

The new brain cells appeared in a region that is linked to the formation and recollection of memory. The work reveals why jogging and other aerobic exercise can improve memory and learning, and potentially slow down the deterioration of mental ability in old age.

The research builds on a body of work that suggests exercise plays a vital role in keeping the brain healthy by encouraging the growth of brain cells. Previous studies have shown ”neurogenesis” is limited in people with depression, but that their symptoms can improve if they exercise regularly.

Scientists are unsure why exercise triggers the growth of grey matter, but it may be linked to increased blood flow or higher levels of hormones that are released while exercising. Exercise might also reduce stress, which inhibits new brain cells through a hormone called cortisol.

The Cambridge researchers joined forces with colleagues at the US National Institute on Ageing inMarylandto investigate the effect of running.

They studied two groups of mice, one of which had unlimited access to a running wheel throughout. The other mice formed a control group.

After training sessions the mice in the exercising group scored almost twice as highly as the other mice in a repeated memory test for a sugar reward, a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said. The sedentary mice got steadily worse at the test.

 

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/fitness/jog-your-memory-brain-cell-secrets-explored-20100119-mj77.html

 

School Holiday Activities

If you are looking for some low cost holiday activities to keep the kids moving, here are some ideas. I know there are loads more things to do out there, so please add any of your own ideas to the list.

 

Watch some aeroplanes. The street to park in to watch the planes is  KYEEMAGH Ave in Mascot. It is offGeneral Holmes Dr heading towards Brighton Le Sands.

Thanks to Merrin Dhond’t for this one.

 

Treetop Adventure Park

http://www.treetopadventurepark.com.au/home.php Highly recommended. I went with kids aged from 3 to 9 and they all loved it. A bit challenging for the younger ones in parts, and aLOT of patience required as a parent, but well worth it. Just checked the website again for pricing and the price has recently increased from $20 to $25 for 2 hrs for kids under 10, but if you go with a group of 10 or more you’ll received a 5% discount.

 

Take a train to Woy Woy , then a short walk down to the wharf and picnic with the pelicans. Someone in the wednesday morning group suggested this one.

 

Jump on the Palm Beach Ferry and go to Ettalong markets-apparently pretty good if you like markets. Not the cheapest day out as a return adult fair is $20, kids $10. Markets operate each weekend. See the Palm Beach ferries and Ettalong Markets websites. http://www.palmbeachferry.com.au/ http://www.ettalongmarkets.com.au/index.php?section=1

 

Go to the beach!! The water is really warm at the moment – I spent over 2 hours in the surf the other day-both with and without kids.

 

Make the most of local walking tracks. So many of us live near bushland. We took the kids through the bush down to Davidson park the other day (underneathRoseville bridge) and cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast. Got to say Saxon (nearly 5) was over it by the time we starting making our way back up the hill, but it was worth the complaints to see wallabies, blue wrens and a massive goanna in the wild, not to mention numerous wildlife species (at least 10- we had to count them for entertainment on the way back home) Take your running shoes with you and do a 3 km time trial along the road. Start at the parking metre at the boat ramp and stick to the river side of the road. You’ll find we’ve marked out 250m, 500m, 750m, 1km and 1.5km (all in yellow on the left side of the road).

 

Walk up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse, accessed from the northern end of Palm Beach. Tours are conducted every Sunday at a very low price, but it’s probably better to go during the week when there are not so many people on the path. If you feel like a challenge, take your running shoes with you. The track is very easy now that it has been paved. It used to be one of my favourite runs from the southern end of Palmy up to the lighthouse and back, and the views never cease to take my breath away. Alternatively, walk around the headland, but make sure it is low tide and someone knows where you are and when you should be back –just in case.

http://www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/nsw/barrenjoey/barrenjoey.htm#Access

 

Boogie boarding in the sand dunes at North Palmy. Will cost you absolutely nothing. Go back after dark without the kids! A favourite haunt of Kerry Furrer (during the daytime that is)

 

Walk across the harbour bridge. It’s free!

 

Ride a bike. It’s free!

 

Fairfield CityFarm – a bit more pricey. $20 for adults, $12 for kids, under 3’s free. Vouchers available on website for one free child entry per transaction per day. Quite good for the under 7’s. It’ll be hot out that way though!

http://calmsleyhill.com.au/city-farm/colouring-in-competition

 

Amazement. Found in the Yarramalong Valley. Mazes, animal farm and a few other bits and pieces. Haven’t been there myself, but have heard good reports. $16 adults, $12.50 kids, under 3’s free. http://www.amazement.com.au/index.php

 

Add your cool school holiday suggestions in the comments box now.

 

60 Minutes of Exercise For Kids

Kids Running St Ives

 The Hour of Power

 

Just how much physical activity should your kids be getting, and how do you encourage it?

The department of health and ageing recommends that AT A MINIMUM kids should be active for at least one hour on most days and should spend no more than two hours in front of the TV, computer games, internet etc on any day.( Personally I think 2 hours a day of screen time for young kids excessive, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

 

The American National Association for Sports and Physical Education similarly recommends

  • children get one hour or more a day of moderate to vigorous exercise,
  • participate in several bouts of 15 minutes or more of activity each day
  • do not have periods of inactivity lasting longer than two hours.

In short, it’s good for your kids to move.

Physical activity in kids builds

  • Muscular Strength and Endurance
  • Aerobic / Cardiovascular Fitness
  • Coordination
  • Confidence
  • Teamwork skills
  • Lays the foundations for a healthy lifestyle

Encouraging Physical Activity in Kids

  • It’s important for kids to the have the opportunity to be active each and every day. Keep lots of  games and sports equipment on hand. Keep it simple (and therefore inexpensive). Balls, skipping ropes, hoola hoops, chalk to draw hopscotch squares on the footpath
  • Be a role model. They need to see that you value physical activity and fitness. If you want your kids to be active, you need to be active too.
  • Brainstorm some ideas with them. What’s fun for them, what’s not.?Most kids will be happy to get their power hour  of activity(and more) if it’s fun, and if they feel it’s something they’ve had a say in.
  • Make it a family activity. Kids love to play with their parents. Try some backyard cricket, a family walk after dinner, bike riding,  walking to school or the shops, twister, or simply kicking the ball around in a park.
  • Leave time for kids to have unstructured play, and keep the screens away. I’m always amazed at the games our kids come up with when left to their own devices. The kids in our street organise themselves into handicapped foot races, bike races,  and “bus stop” – a highly complex game involving scooters and lots of rules – to name just a few. All the kids get into it from the two and half year old to the ten year old. So see if you can enlist some other kids to knock around with.

 

Organised Sport

Organised sport is also a great way for kids to get active, develop self confidence and co-ordination, and improve their skills.They meet new kids and pick up ideas from them, and develop a routine which involves exercise. Most of these activities require certain techniques/skills, and these can be experienced in a learning environment that is fun and sociable at the same time.

Hooked on Health offer a number of kids running training sessions. Find out more.  HOH Athletics.

 

Tell us what sort of activities your kids enjoy.