What Do You Want to Achieve?

Before undertaking any form of regular exercise, it is advisable to decide exactly what you want to get out of your new fitness regime. Is it simply a matter of increasing your overall fitness level or do you wish to lose weight and achieve a toned appearance? Decide how much time you can devote each day to your fitness activities and what impact it may have on your other daily routines. It is important to set yourself some sort of measurable goal so that you have something to aim for. Fitbug Orb is ideal for measuring your ongoing performance and gauging how close you are to your ultimate objectives.

The reason it is important to decide beforehand just what you want to get out of your fitness regime is that running and walking are two very different beasts. If you are completely new to exercise, the activity of running is really not for you. The high-impact intensity of a solid run will simply put too much strain on a body that is ill-prepared for such an activity. Running is better suited to those who possess a decent level of fitness to begin with.

The Benefits of Running

It has been scientifically proven that running burns more calories than walking. Those with a calorie counter will be amazed at what can be achieved by embarking on regular runs. As you use up to two and a half times more energy running rather than walking, it stands to reason that you will burn more calories. An average person burns 800 calories per hour running, while walking for the same period of time burns 300 calories.

The Benefits of Walking

Despite these facts, walking still has a number of benefits too. As the act of walking is less high-impact than running, you are much less likely to suffer from injuries such as hamstring strains, knee complaints or shin splints. In addition, walking is highly beneficial in a spiritual sense. The slower pace of the activity allows you to take in more of your surroundings, emptying your mind of worries in the process. It is still a good way to lose weight too, so keep your fitness app to hand to measure your progress.

Running and walking are both highly effective forms of exercise but which is best for you depends on your personal fitness level and abilities. Beginners and those less physically able will benefit from regular walks, while those of a more advanced level will achieve more by running.

As Suzanne Nottingham, a spokesperson of the American Council of Exercise, put it to Weightwatchers: “Walking outdoors in winter is extremely invigorating and almost meditative. It’s like you’re part of nature, walking in the midst of howling winds, blowing snow and a bright sun.”

Make your winter hike as comfortable and enjoyable as possible by following these handy tips:

Kit yourself out in appropriate clothing

There is a good chance that you will be caught in a rain or snow shower while exploring the great outdoors throughout the winter.

Be prepared for such changes in the weather by wearing appropriate clothing for the time of year. A thick fleece will keep you cosy no matter how low the temperatures dip, while thermal clothing will give you that extra layer of warmth.

A little more thought will have to go into your choice of boots though. You will want the footwear to be suitable for climbing steep hills and traversing muddy terrains and streams, while also keeping your feet warm and dry. Merrell boots achieve all of this, on top of looking extremely stylish, and are available in a raft of designs at Millet Sports with free delivery.

Ensure you are seen

The days are shorter during the winter, with very little daylight when the sky is grey or the weather is misty and foggy. Therefore, it is very important that you are always seen when out on a hike.

Attempt to stay on paths dotted with streetlights or clearly marked tracks if you are heading out into the countryside. It’s recommended that you take a jacket with reflective strips or a hi-visibility vest to ensure you catch the eye.

Check your route

While you shouldn’t need to worry too much if you are just walking to a local park or around a neighbourhood, you will want to check the weather forecast before hiking across one of the UK’s mountain ranges.

Fortunately, the Met Office regularly updates its online mountain area forecast chartto ensure you know when it’s a good time to head on a trek and when it is best to plan a different walking route.

My wife is currently pregnant with our second child and we were discussing the other night about a possible fitness routine to help her get back into shape. She only has three weeks left to go and so far so good. A big thanks to Amy aka Mutha Fitness too for helping me write this article!

Exercising while pregnant may be the last thing on your mind if you find just getting out of bed on a morning a challenge. The one thing I would recommend though is to just stay active. If you didn’t go in the gym before you fell pregnant then you shouldn’t really consider going in now but everybody walks and so should you. A walk every day will be so beneficial to you and your baby and I’ll explain why in a minute. The most important thing is this though, safety. Safety for you and your bump so I’ve got a few exercise tips for you in this article.

Benefits

Everyone knows that when you exercise it helps you stay fit and healthy so staying active before, during and after your pregnancy can only be a good thing. Here’s a short list:

• It will help you prepare for when you are carrying the baby around with you. I can remember putting on a front baby carrier for the first time and saying to my wife, it was really heavy. She replied, that’s what I’ve been carrying around with me for the last few months!
• It will help you prepare for the physical elements during labour
• It gives you an energy boost
• It can reduce the risk of you getting some illnesses
• Constipation and back ache are a common problem with pregnancy and exercise will help keep these at bay
• It will help you sleep better. I’m currently writing another article about sleep and exercise so make sure you check it out
• It will also help you get back into shape quicker after giving birth

Safety

This is the number one priority and I can’t stress this enough. Plus, I don’t want to be writing anything that may put you and your baby in danger as I’m no Doctor. It’s common sense to not try anything that could make you slip or fall, so you shouldn’t be considering things like running! If you feel great throughout your pregnancy, then you should consider staying active by trying the following:

• Walking
• Yoga
• Swimming
• Pilates

Other tips include, making sure you’re wearing a comfortable maternity bra. This goes without saying but you should always make sure you warm-up correctly too. Take care with awkward positions, so things like sit-ups shouldn’t really be considered. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, you should be doing this anyway! The last tip is making sure you cool down, this will give your heart a chance to return to its normal rate gradually.

If you experience dizziness, short of breath, difficulty walking or any other type of joint pain then you should stop exercising immediately.

So there you go and I really hope this helps. I’m hoping to be back soon with some exercise tips once you’ve given birth so stay tuned. If Amy agrees, we may even use her as a case study but I’ll need to twist her arm to get some photos!

Stay fit, heathy and happy folks. One last thing, being a parent is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done but without doubt the most rewarding.