On the Bookshelf

Soda. Pop. Fizzy. Soft drink. Whatever you are inclined to call it, in the past two weeks I haven't had a single drop of one of these sugary, carbonated beverages. It was not really part of any planned diet or anything - although I do think it might definitely be contributing to some minor weight loss - but rather after being designated driver one night out at the clubs with friends I got home and realised that while I had not touched a drop of alcohol I was so wired from the caffeine and sugar from all of the Coca Cola I had drank. I figured that could not possibly be healthy, either.

While I am also not drinking as much pre-packaged fruit juice one of my favourite ways to up my fruit intake and make sure that none of the fruit in the house goes uneaten is to make up some juice myself. Some of my favourite fruits to throw in together in the juicer are apples, oranges, watermelon, and grapes but there are plenty of other fruits you could throw in to the blend. The end result is what my mum likes to call "a glass of fresh" (a phrase I believe she has borrowed from Oprah) and tastes so much better than any bottled juice I have ever tried - not to mention the added benefit of not losing all the pulp.

Definitely one of the more delicious ways to relax on a hot day or after a hard work out!


Terra

In my first Active Readers post we talked about the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge but before we jump in and get exercising it is important to know how to start off your routine if you want to avoid injury. If you don't realise how important it is to warm up before your exercise routine and cool down afterward it can be pretty tempting to just throw yourself in to it and go straight for giving it all you've got. Making sure you include warming up and cooling down in your exercise routine can go a long way to helping to make sure that you avoid muscle strain and injury.

Your warm up routine should last five (5) to ten (10) minutes with the goal to slowly increase your heart rate.
The increased blood flow oxygenates your muscles and prepares them for the coming exercise. Your blood will vessels dilate which means less stress on your heart and the increased body temperature helps improve muscle elasticity. This site can give you some ideas on some easy to moderate warm up stretches to get you started.

Cooling down at the end of exercise is just as important as warming up. For something that so many people overlook, I am now finising it be one of my favourite parts of working out - a good cool down routine always leaves me feeling good! The goal of your cool down routine is to slowly bring your body temperature, heart rate, and breathing back down to their normal levels. One way to cool down is to continue with your exercise but slow it down. Then follow that up with some giving those muscles a good stretch. This site suggests some easy to moderate cool down stretches to give you some ideas.

Remember, guys, you should talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet of fitness regime. In the meantime I hope everyone is feeling happy, healthy, and active.

Terra

Active Readers is a new blog feature that I have been planning to introduce for ages. As both readers and bloggers it can become easy to find ourselves in a rut where we are doing an awful lot of sitting - sitting with a book, sitting at the computer, sitting in front of the television. The plan for Active Readers is to have an open discussion about fitness and well being.

To start with, I'll be posting this once every two weeks. Depending on how well it is received and how much time I have, posting may increase to weekly down the track. I even made a (somewhat crappy) icon - something I have not done in years. Definitely not like riding a bicycle!

For the very first issue of Active Readers I would like to help make people aware of a fantastic challenge called the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge, founded by Trish and currently being run by Allie and Jill. Head on over to the challenge blog to sign up and set your goal. Check in every week to share your progress and cheer on your fellow bloggers on their quest to better fitness!

My goal for the current round of the challenge is to complete 200 miles (approx 322km) of exercise and fitness. After taking a break for a few weeks due to injury, I am pretty far behind but excited to be getting back into it. It does seem improbable that I will reach my goal in time but I refuse to say that it is impossible! Not only will I get there but I plan to smash it! ;)

The current round ends in June so it is not too late to join in! Don't forget to join the round that follows either. It is a great motivator to know that others are striving right along side you and cheering you on!

So, what do you think about my new blog feature? Are you motivated to join the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge? Share your thoughts and comments below!


Terra