From Couch to 5k » Motivation http://www.fromcouchto5k.com Running Tips, Running Ideas, and Running Plans for Couch Potatos and Inexperienced Runners Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:45:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc How to Force Yourself to Eat Healthy http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/how-to-force-yourself-to-eat-healthy/ http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/how-to-force-yourself-to-eat-healthy/#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:16:00 +0000 admin http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/?p=102 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.]]> 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.
How to Force Yourself to Eat Healthy

Throw Away Everything Unhealthy

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 ‘em. If you don’t have access to unhealthy foods, you will be unable to destroy your health.

Stock Up on Healthy Snacks

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’t gain 10 pounds just from eating it. There are many healthy snacks out there that taste great and could easily replace junk foods. Here are some examples:


Track and Count Your Calories

When you know how many calories you’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:

Use Running as an Excuse

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 healthy diet, 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.

Get Everyone in Your Household to Eat Healthy

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.

Stay Away From Restaurants

Restaurants may have some of the most delicious foods, but they also have some of the most unhealthy foods. Just because they aren’t from fast food chains doesn’t mean that these foods aren’t healthy. Save money and your health by eating all your meals at home!

Want some more Healthy Eating Secrets? Click here!

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]]> http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/how-to-force-yourself-to-eat-healthy/feed/ 0 How to Get the Motivation to Run http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/motivation/how-to-get-the-motivation-to-run/ http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/motivation/how-to-get-the-motivation-to-run/#comments Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:00:07 +0000 admin http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/?p=37 The toughest part about running is being able to do it with your own willpower, without anyone else pushing you. It's hard to get off of the couch and to run multiple miles. Luckily, there are many different ways to motivate yourself to stay fit and run. ]]> How to Get the Motivation to RunThe toughest part about running is being able to do it with your own willpower, without anyone else pushing you. It’s hard to get off of the couch and to run multiple miles. Luckily, there are many different ways to motivate yourself to stay fit and run.

So, how can you motivate yourself to get from couch to 5k? Well, here are some tips for you!

Write Down Your Experiences in a Training Log

Keeping a training log and writing down your workouts and experiences is very helpful in getting yourself motivated to run. It is a great feeling to watch as your weekly, monthly, and even yearly mileage quickly adds up. Think of it as a game, and your mileage is your score. Try your best to get your score as high as you can! A training log can truly help a lot in getting yourself to run. All you need is a simple calender or notebook.

Remind Yourself of the Health Benefits

There are a huge amount of health benefits of running. All you need to do is keep those in mind whenever you feel like it isn’t worth it. Running is tough, we all know that. But, it will be worth it for everything you gain from doing it. Tell yourself that you don’t want to be an old couch potato who lives a sedentary life. Just check out this article on the benefits of running to see everything that running can do for you!

Take a Break Once in a While

Sometimes, in order to get yourself motivated to run, all you need is a break from exercise. Of course, this will only work if you’ve been running for at least a few weeks. If you restrict yourself from running, you will be so much more enthusiastic about doing it again. This may seem crazy, but you’ll actually WANT to run! Even if it turns out that you don’t, the break will still help you a lot to heal your body from any sore spots or possible injuries.

Set Yourself Some Goals

Whenever we have any goals, our motivation to complete them always increases. This is why you need to set yourself some goals. The perfect goal for any beginner at running would be to run a 5k race. Read this article on Why You Should Train for a 5k to learn why. Also, having a goal to work towards will help you figure out what kind of shape you are in. Some other goals can include:

  • To get my weekly mileage up to 20 miles
  • To finish a 7 mile run without stopping
  • To stay uninjured

You can get the idea. Try keeping your goals realistic to what you can do, as well.

Reward Yourself

Everybody likes to earn a rewards, so they can be great motivation for you to keep on running. Try giving yourself some rewards for every goal that you complete. Rewards for your accomplishments could include buying a new shirt, going out for a meal, or even just a simple day off from running.

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]]> http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/motivation/how-to-get-the-motivation-to-run/feed/ 1 Why Should You Train For a 5k? http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/5k-racing/why-should-you-train-for-a-5k/ http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/5k-racing/why-should-you-train-for-a-5k/#comments Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:56:49 +0000 admin http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/?p=30 Why should you train for a 5k? Why should you even think of running one? Why? Because you can. The 5k is the shortest distance event out there, and the most common one to find. If you're going to run to become healthy, then training for a 5k is just something you should do.]]> Why You Should Train for a 5kWhy should you train for a 5k? Why should you even think of running one? Why? Because you can. The 5k is the shortest distance event out there, and the most common one to find. If you’re going to run to become healthy, then training for a 5k is just something you should do.

If you aren’t aware, 5k stands for 5000 meters. That is about 3.125 miles.

Most of us are goal-oriented people. The only way we can get work done is by moving towards a goal. Your first 5k race will be that goal. When you cross that finish line, you will feel great, and all that work will have been worth it. If you have a goal like, “to stay fit”, then you will have a harder time fulfilling it. How fit you are is all up to you, it is subjective. There is no one point where you can say that you’ve achieved your goal. If you have a goal like, “Get under 25 minutes in a 5k race”, or “Run my first 5k”, then you will know when you have gotten what you’ve wished for.

Why a 5k race? Why not a 10k or even a marathon? Well, as stated earlier, the 5k is the shortest distance race that can be found, and thousands of them are held all over the country. Being short, it won’t be agonizingly painful for any new runner. It’s the best kind of race for a newbie. Once you’ve conquered the 5k and are thirsting for more, you can move onto bigger and better things, like the 10k or marathon. Or, if you are satisfied with yourself, you could continue your regular training regimen. It’s all up to you.

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]]> http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/5k-racing/why-should-you-train-for-a-5k/feed/ 0 The Benefits of Running http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-benefits-of-running/ http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/health-nutrition/the-benefits-of-running/#comments Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:06:55 +0000 admin http://localhost:8888/fromcouchto5k/?p=15 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?]]> There are many benefits to running

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?

The Physical Benefits of Running

The benefits of running 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:

  • Running has been proven to help fighting the aging process
  • Running prevents muscle and bone loss caused by aging
  • Running promotes the human growth hormone
  • Running helps fight disease
  • Running reduces the risk of stroke and breast cancer
  • Running reduces the risk of heart attacks
  • Running strengthens the heart and lowers blood pressure
  • Running raises good cholesterol
  • Running creates a higher concentration of white blood cells, boosting the immune system

The Psychological Benefits of Running

Not only does running help out your body, it also helps out your mind. Here are some facts about running’s benefits for the mind.

  • Running builds confidence and character
  • Running relieves stress
  • Running improves your mood
  • Running provides you with a sense of empowerment
  • Running makes you feel just plain good

As you can see, the benefits of running are endless, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t start doing it right away. If you begin running, you will never look back.

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