What I Learnt Today

1. If you don't do your trainers up properly, you will get a blister on your toe.

2. If you don't look where you are going, you will step in a muddy puddle.

3. If you wear predomintantly white trainers to a park after it rains, they will get dirty.

4. If you try to use Jedi mind tricks to get someone out of your photo, they will not move.

Went for another walk today. I went all the way to Streatham Common and back with a good walk around the Rookery. I will post photos on my photoblog most likely, but this photo is one I particularly like.

And rest...

I feel great. I always feel good when I do something I said I'd do.

I have just come back from my walk. I wasn't out for the whole time since my last post, but I was out for about 3/4 of an hour. I power walked down to the library and got some recycling bags. I also got my watch fixed having broken it about five months ago while camping. All of this was done while trying to keep my heart rate up, so wherever I walked, I did it quickly.

Now I'm back home having some water, and I'm about to have something to eat. It is lunchtime after all!

Having mentioned the benefits of water in my last post, I am now going to mention a bit about the food side of exercising. If you find yourself getting more and more into exercise, you should begin thinking about what you eat and when. When you exercise, even going for a brisk walk, you burn calories, and lose moisture. When you return home from exercising, your body will tell you it needs food and now! It will also tell you that the best thing for it is yummy sugary or fatty foods. Avoid eating fatty foods and simple carbohydrate* foods (sugary foods). Instead, try and feed your body a bit of complex carbohydrate* (potato, bread, pasta) and perhaps a bit of protein (chicken, fish, lean meat). After light exercise, the best thing you can do for your body is have a tuna sandwich (easy on the mayonnaise, add lettuce if you have it), washed down with about a litre of water. Simple, easy to make, and good for you.

Now where did I put that mars bar... :-)

*The main difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is the speed they are absorbed into the body. Simple carbs (chocolate, sugary drinks) are a quick fix; you feel good quickly, but will lose that feeling equally quickly. Complex carbs (potato, pasta, bread) release their energy steadily and slowly; keeping you energised for longer and you don't have a come-down like that of simple carbs.

It's Good to Walk

I have decided to do more exercise.

Like many people, I indulged a bit too much over the Christmas and New Year period. I've put on a few pounds (which I took off last year!), and really want to increase my fitness level.

One thing people think when they decide to start exercising is that they need to run a long way often, or lift heavy weights until it hurts. Increasing your base fitness level is not that hard. A minimum of 20 minutes exercise three times a week is all it takes. The simplest and cheapest (free!) way to exercise is go for a walk. You needn't go and buy loads of kit. Put on some comfortable shoes and trousers and go for a walk. Walk slightly faster than you normally would to increase your heart rate, and try to keep it up for 20 minutes.

Simple ways to ensure you walk for 20 minutes:
Get off the train/tube/bus a stop or two earlier.
Park your car a little bit away from your house.
Explore a part of your neighbourhood you have never been to.
Explore a part of your friends neighbourhood.
Go for a ramble.
Walk to the shops when you are off to get milk/eggs/the paper, and take a longer route.

Doing even one of those suggestions will ensure you get a bit more exercise, and boost your fitness levels.

So, now I have to put my money where my mouth is. I'm off for a walk to my local library to get some recycling bags. Boring, I know, but it gets me out, and will take about 20 minutes there and back. I feel healthy just writing about it!

Finally, and most importantly, drink water. Take some with you, or have some in the fridge for when you get back. Your body loves water, and it helps the body to flush toxins, regulate your body temperature, and lubricate your joints, muscle fibres, and arteries; and that's just a few of the things water does for you!

Exercise

I just got home with every intention of going out for a walk and then decided I couldn't be bothered.

Bloody winter!

At the moment I'm too caught up with getting used to blogging, as well as playing with my photos in my photo blog and my flickr.

I'm going to have to start excercising at some point. I think I'll have to make that my priority this weekend.

Until then, back to flickr, and photoblogging!