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	<title>From Couch to 5k &#187; Health and Nutrition</title>
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	<description>Running Tips, Running Ideas, and Running Plans for Couch Potatos and Inexperienced Runners</description>
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		<title>How to Force Yourself to Eat Healthy</title>
		<link>http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/how-to-force-yourself-to-eat-healthy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/how-to-force-yourself-to-eat-healthy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:16:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health and Nutrition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/?p=102</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/healthyicon.jpg" alt="How to Force Yourself to Eat Healthy" title="How to Force Yourself to Eat Healthy" width="100" height="100" class="floatleft" />To have healthy eating habits is a goal that many of us try to work towards, but eventually fail at. For a couch potato, this is probably the toughest goal to accomplish. Here are a few pointers to convince your mind to eat healthy, and to force yourself to do so.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>To have healthy eating habits is a goal that many of us try to work towards, but eventually fail at. For a couch potato, this is probably the toughest goal to accomplish. Here are a <a href="http://8f7b5d4o3gcq4sec0fxycs7r2p.hop.clickbank.net/" title="Healthy Eating Secrets">few pointers</a> to convince your mind to eat healthy, and to force yourself to do so.<br />
<img src="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/healthy.jpg" alt="How to Force Yourself to Eat Healthy" title="How to Force Yourself to Eat Healthy" width="580" height="235" class="alignnone" /></p>
<h3>Throw Away Everything Unhealthy</h3>
<p>If you have any sort of addicting unhealthy foods tucked away in your house, you will always have the urge to eat them in the back of your head. Get rid of the cause of this urge and get rid of all of the unhealthy foods in your house. You can either give them away to a friend or simply chuck &#8216;em. If you don&#8217;t have access to unhealthy foods, you will be unable to destroy your health.</p>
<h3>Stock Up on Healthy Snacks</h3>
<p>Replace your junk food with some healthy snacks. If you do get a craving for food, then you have something to eat and you won&#8217;t gain 10 pounds just from eating it. There are many <a href="http://8f7b5d4o3gcq4sec0fxycs7r2p.hop.clickbank.net/" title="Healthy Eating Secrets">healthy snacks</a> out there that taste great and could easily replace junk foods. Here are some examples:</p>
<p><script type="text/javascript">// <![CDATA[
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<h3>Track and Count Your Calories</h3>
<p>When you know how many calories you&#8217;ve consumed, then it will be much easier to see what you need to cut back on. Always look for the nutrition facts on a food label to see what exactly you are taking in. For a runner, lots of carbs, a bit less protein, and very little fat should be a good caloric content. Here are some personal online calorie counters that you can use as a log:</p>
<ul>
<li> <a title="My-Calorie-Counter" href="http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/calorie_counter.asp">My-Calorie-Counter</a></li>
<li><a title="Nutrition Data" href="http://www.nutritiondata.com/">Nutrition Data</a></li>
<li><a title="The Daily Plate" href="http://www.thedailyplate.com/">The Daily Plate</a></li>
<li><a title="Fit Day" href="http://www.fitday.com/">Fit Day</a></li>
<li><a title="My Fitness Pal" href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/">My Fitness Pal</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Use Running as an Excuse</h3>
<p>This is one of the benefits of running, that it will give you an excuse to eat healthier. How does it do this? If you have a very unhealthy diet, then you will feel utterly terrible when out on your run. With a <a href="http://8f7b5d4o3gcq4sec0fxycs7r2p.hop.clickbank.net/" title="Healthy Eating Secrets">healthy diet</a>, however, your running experience will not be nearly as painful. If you want to be a successful runner, you also must be a successful healthy eater.</p>
<h3>Get Everyone in Your Household to Eat Healthy</h3>
<p>If you are surrounded by healthy eaters, then you yourself will find a much easier time eating healthy. Try announcing to whoever you live with that you want to cut down on all of the junk food. Depending on what kind of people you live with, you may or may not be able to accomplish this task. But, know that if you are successful in getting your family or roommates or whoever to eat healthy with you, then your experience will be much easier.</p>
<h3>Stay Away From Restaurants</h3>
<p>Restaurants may have some of the most delicious foods, but they also have some of the most unhealthy foods. Just because they aren&#8217;t from fast food chains doesn&#8217;t mean that these foods aren&#8217;t healthy. Save money and your health by eating all your meals at home!</p>
<p><a href="http://8f7b5d4o3gcq4sec0fxycs7r2p.hop.clickbank.net/" title="Healthy Eating Secrets">Want some more Healthy Eating Secrets? Click here!</a></p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Suggested Articles</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/5k-racing/why-should-you-train-for-a-5k/" title="Why Should You Train For a 5k?">Why Should You Train For a 5k?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-benefits-of-running/" title="The Benefits of Running">The Benefits of Running</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/training/all-about-training-logs/" title="All About Training Logs">All About Training Logs</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-unhealthy-effects-of-being-a-couch-potato/" title="The Unhealthy Effects of Being a Couch Potato">The Unhealthy Effects of Being a Couch Potato</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/training/tips-for-making-running-less-painful/" title="Tips for Making Running Less Painful">Tips for Making Running Less Painful</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Unhealthy Effects of Being a Couch Potato</title>
		<link>http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-unhealthy-effects-of-being-a-couch-potato/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-unhealthy-effects-of-being-a-couch-potato/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:39:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health and Nutrition]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/?p=39</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/heartattackicon.jpg" alt="The Unhealthy Effects of Being a Couch Potato" title="The Unhealthy Effects of Being a Couch Potato" width="100" height="100" class="floatleft" />What happens to you if you don't get off your butt and start running? What happens if you just stay at home and sit there like a lazy couch potato? Well, the outcome is not very good for you. Here are some unhealthy effects of being a couch potato.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What happens to you if you don&#8217;t get off your butt and <a href="http://b2849avc1m7o9kbfpdogxhcmdi.hop.clickbank.net/" title="Jogging for Beginners">start running</a>? What happens if you just stay at home and sit there and eat like a piggish couch potato? Well, the outcome is not very good for you. Here are some unhealthy effects of being a couch potato.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/heartattack.jpg" alt="The Unhealthy Effects of Being a Couch Potato" title="The Unhealthy Effects of Being a Couch Potato" width="580" height="242" class="alignnone" /></p>
<p>Here is an article written by Carolyn Hansen:</p>
<h3>If You Are Inactive You Are Doubling Your Risk of Heart Disease</h3>
<p>Most of us never give so much of a thought to one of the most important muscles in our body &#8211; our heart. It beats away in the background like some faithful servant, never complaining and always on the job.</p>
<p>But by the age of 40 almost 50 percent of men and more than 30 per cent of women will have heart disease and the sad part is they will not even know it. That is until it is too late when they end up in the emergency room with a brain or heart disaster.</p>
<p>Coronary heart disease is a massive global health threat with more than 2,500 people in the US dying each day from it and 7 million worldwide each year. It is no surprise that &#8216;lack of exercise&#8217; is a major risk factor for heart disease. Currently 60 percent of the world&#8217;s population does not get enough proper physical activity to benefit their health with women and older adults being at the very top of the list.</p>
<p>Our keenness not to move much has given us the label of the most inactive population that ever lived. We spend most of our day sitting, in the car, at our work, back into the car then parked in front of the television or some other small screen for the evening. Is it any real surprise that we are so out of shape we develop pot bellies in our 20&#8242;s?</p>
<p>Our poor hearts struggle with our clogged arteries causing our blood pressure to zoom and leaving us gasping for air when we have to climb a flight of stairs. We continue to poke things that resemble food but contain no nutritional value whatsoever into our mouths causing our waistlines to bulge putting further strain on our long suffering hearts.</p>
<p>The heart being a muscle responds to exercise like any other muscle. You can beef it up and keep it strong and healthy or you can let it get scrawny, weak and prone to disease. To <a href="http://b2849avc1m7o9kbfpdogxhcmdi.hop.clickbank.net/" title="Jogging for Beginners">help your heart</a> you need to strengthen your whole body. Strong muscles help push blood around the body taking strain off the heart.</p>
<p>When muscles are firm and toned they squeeze or &#8216;milk&#8217; the blood back to the heart every time you move. Flabby, weak muscles cannot do this so the heart has to work much harder every minute of the day and night to keep you alive.</p>
<p>The only type of exercise to strengthen your heart and every other muscle in your body is strength training exercise. No other type of activity can even come close to the life giving benefits that this type of exercise performed properly can provide.</p>
<p>Long, slow, steady state, high repetition, low intensity activity has now been proven to make the heart/lung system smaller and weaker than what was previously believed. Downsizing the heart and lungs is not a healthy thing to do as it increases the risk of disease which is why strength training is the best type of exercise for a strong heart.</p>
<p>With added strength the heart can deliver life giving oxygen and nutrients to all cells and tissues with less beats. It does not need to pump as often so it becomes more efficient with less wasted effort. If you reduce your resting heart rate just 10 beats per minute you will save your heart from beating 14,000 times per day. This can extend its longevity and give you more <a href="http://b2849avc1m7o9kbfpdogxhcmdi.hop.clickbank.net/" title="Jogging for Beginners">active and productive</a> years.</p>
<p>Take action today and start a proper strength training program. This will be your protective measure to steel your defenses against this silent killer. If you leave things up to chance you will be doubling your risk of heart disease which is a little like playing Russian roulette with your life at stake. But you are lucky you now have the knowledge that can change these odds in your favor so you can live a long, healthy and active life.</p>
<p>Do you want to discover the secret to rejuvenating your body, regaining lost vitality and improving the quality of your life? Download my free ebook &#8220;I&#8217;ve Found the Fountain of Youth &#8211; Let Me Show You Too!&#8221; <a href="http://www.over50looking30.com" target="_new">Health Related Fitness</a></p>
<p>If you are looking to lose weight permanently go to <a href="http://www.fitnessweightloss.com" target="_new">Fitness Weight Loss</a> for the solution and a free ebook.</p>
<p>Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who coaches clients to look and feel younger. In her nearly 30 years of fitness and bodybuilding competition experience she has helped thousands of people start their journey towards being strong, fit and youthful at any age.</p>
<p>Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Hansen">http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Hansen</a></p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Suggested Articles</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/training/all-about-training-logs/" title="All About Training Logs">All About Training Logs</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/running-injuries/how-to-choose-the-right-running-shoes/" title="How to Choose the Right Running Shoes">How to Choose the Right Running Shoes</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/running-injuries/how-to-cope-with-a-running-injury/" title="How to Cope With a Running Injury">How to Cope With a Running Injury</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/how-to-force-yourself-to-eat-healthy/" title="How to Force Yourself to Eat Healthy">How to Force Yourself to Eat Healthy</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-benefits-of-running/" title="The Benefits of Running">The Benefits of Running</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Benefits of Running</title>
		<link>http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-benefits-of-running/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-benefits-of-running/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:06:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health and Nutrition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost:8888/fromcouchto5k/?p=15</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/runninghealth-icon.jpg" alt="runninghealth-icon" title="runninghealth-icon" width="100" height="100" class="floatleft" />Why is it so important that you start to become active? Why should you go through all of the trouble to become a healthier person? These shouldn't even questions that I need to answer. The real question is, why aren't you fit?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="size-full wp-image-21" title="There are many benefits to running" src="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/runninghealth.jpg" alt="There are many benefits to running" width="580" height="270" /></p>
<p>Why is it so important that you start to become active? Why should you go through all of the trouble to become a healthier person? These shouldn&#8217;t even questions that I need to answer. The real question is, why aren&#8217;t you fit?</p>
<h3>The Physical Benefits of Running</h3>
<p>The benefits of <a href="http://b2849avc1m7o9kbfpdogxhcmdi.hop.clickbank.net/" title="Jogging for Beginners">running</a> are astounding. It is a sport that almost anyone can do, and is probably the most beneficial to your health. Here are some statistics about the physical benefits of running that might convince you to start running:</p>
<ul>
<li>Running has been proven to help fighting the aging process</li>
<li>Running prevents muscle and bone loss caused by aging</li>
<li>Running promotes the human growth hormone</li>
<li>Running helps fight disease</li>
<li>Running reduces the risk of stroke and breast cancer</li>
<li>Running reduces the risk of heart attacks</li>
<li>Running strengthens the heart and lowers blood pressure</li>
<li>Running raises good cholesterol</li>
<li>Running creates a higher concentration of white blood cells, boosting the immune system</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Psychological Benefits of Running</h3>
<p>Not only does running help out your body, it also helps out your mind. Here are some facts about running&#8217;s benefits for the mind.</p>
<ul>
<li>Running builds confidence and character</li>
<li>Running relieves stress</li>
<li>Running improves your mood</li>
<li>Running provides you with a sense of empowerment</li>
<li>Running makes you feel just plain good</li>
</ul>
<p>As you can see, the benefits of running are endless, and there is no reason why you shouldn&#8217;t start doing it right away. If you <a href="http://b2849avc1m7o9kbfpdogxhcmdi.hop.clickbank.net/" title="Jogging for Beginners">begin running</a>, you will never look back.</p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Suggested Articles</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/5k-racing/why-should-you-train-for-a-5k/" title="Why Should You Train For a 5k?">Why Should You Train For a 5k?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-unhealthy-effects-of-being-a-couch-potato/" title="The Unhealthy Effects of Being a Couch Potato">The Unhealthy Effects of Being a Couch Potato</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/running-injuries/how-to-choose-the-right-running-shoes/" title="How to Choose the Right Running Shoes">How to Choose the Right Running Shoes</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/running-injuries/how-to-cope-with-a-running-injury/" title="How to Cope With a Running Injury">How to Cope With a Running Injury</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/training/all-about-training-logs/" title="All About Training Logs">All About Training Logs</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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