Disgusting Digestion - kiddies book thats actually quite good!

I was given four of these Horrible Science books for Christmas; I thought "oh, uh, thank you." And wasn't quite sure what to say. They're actually quite entertaining and informative.

I keep them in the bathroom and dive into one of them at random. This morning I was looking at a page on the energy value of foods, so here's my own puzzle:

In the table below, join the food stuff on the right with the actual calories in the left.  Put your answers as comments to this post - I'll put the actual answer into a separate post next week -

Food Item	Calories
A. Apple	1. 160KCals
B. Turkey (100g)	2. 22KCals
C. Baked Potato (300g)	3. 487KCals
D. Tomato (medium)	4. 278KCals
E. Egg (medium)	5. 66KCals
F. Butter Beans (100g)	6. 94KCals
G. McDonalds French Fries (large)	7. 338KCals

Getting Hooked on Fitness

Here's a weird question for a fitness blog: do you or have you ever smoked? Do you know someone who smoked?

How long did it take to get hooked? One cigarette? A packet? Several packets?

In effect, just how easy or difficult was it to form an unbreakable habit?

Certainly, getting hooked on smoking for many people isn't easy! The first few cigarettes are absolutely horrible: you cough and splutter and choke and wonder "where's the fun!?"

Smoking is a really bad habit to form and its chemically addictive (I won't go into all the "it'll kill ya!" stuff, that's actually not what this post is about.

The point is, that people who get hooked on smoking don't get hooked straight away; they have to go through a period when it is really horrible.

Yet they get hooked!

Now take fitness; many people starting out really struggle - they cough and splutter and choke! Yet the benefits are immense.

Obviously, I wouldn't be into Personal Training and fitness if I didn't enjoy feeling comfortable in my own body. And I had to form a habit and a routine in order to get and maintain a level of fitness - I've not always been into fitness and I nearly threw up in the first circuits class I went to!

The message: getting hooked isn't easy - stick with it: you're worth it!

Snow Run

I've just got back from running in the snow. Went up to the top of Purdown and back along the river. It felt like such a buzz to be out - and now I feel like I've run 10 miles rather than the 5 it actually was: having to really control balance on ascent as well as decent added a real challenge to what was a familiar route.  My legs ache like I've spent an hour doing squats!  That's hill running for you!

Personal Training Bristol - Fitness Toolbox: Update on Project Handstand

Personal Training Bristol - Fitness Toolbox: Update on Project Handstand: At last! Something is beginning to really click! Yesterday I was able to hold an unsupported handstand for about 10 seconds! I've mana...

Update on Project Handstand

At last! Something is beginning to really click!

Yesterday I was able to hold an unsupported handstand for about 10 seconds!

I've managed a few since of about 6 seconds, so they are a but more than fakes (ones where you kind of get up vertical and then it's just the initial moment before a collapse); 10 seconds isn't a brilliant time, and I still require the wall to catch me after most of my kicks before returning to a freestanding, but this is a definite stand and I am dead proud.

It's since I incorporated practice poses like "the crow" that has caused my head to finally click on what was required and where the weight had to be in my hands (I "knew" that it needed to be somewhere nearer my fingertips, but I didn't actually Know!). Things like the headstand, whilst not being very pleasant and making my neck ache, taught me about how to align my body.

Physically, my core is stronger and my posture has improved. The is some additional strength in my back, chest, triceps and shoulders. And I get a buzz from being see the progress I've made - even if it is slower than I'd hoped.

I reckon that I'll really be getting on with handstands soon! I the summer I'm going to get pictures of me dong a handstand wherever I go as proof!

How would it feel to run a marathon?

For many of us the feeling of running any kind of distance simply fills us with horror. When you first start running (or any kind of exercise) never having done it before, you may well find it really uncomfortable!

But try and think how it feels for those people that do manage it - they have looks of triumph and elation when they pass the line - even if earlier in the race they looked like it was killing them. Look at others in the race, they actually look as though they are enjoying the process - they may not be the fastest, but they are loving every minute of it.

Many run for a charity and that motivates them to finish the race when they are struggling - and then they have the double whammy of finishing and doing good for other people.

The amount and type of training that people do to run varies wildly - there are a few lucky ones that can "just do it", and there are others (like me) who have to really work at it. Actually, I think that I am one of the lucky ones: it it didn't require effort, I don't think I'd get nearly as much from running as I do.

When I started in 2005, I couldn't run a mile. It took me a month to be able to complete my first lap of the park. Then I did two laps, then three and then started heading off and exploring. Many people managed better then me when they first started training, others struggled for longer. I admire those that found it tougher than me and kept at it: in my opinion, theirs is the greater achievement!

So keep at it, foot in front of foot, any one can do it if they want it!