Hey guys.
First, glad you are all (mostly) enjoying Wimbledon.
Second of all, I got an email today from someone called Lee Gant who works on ITV’s The Biggest Loser (so by getting this email I am thinking it is bloggie big time). He wanted me to give a little shout out for potential contestants (I nearly wrote customers there) on my blog, so here is the information:
‘The Biggest Loser is back and we are on a nationwide search for duos of friends and relatives and couples that are desperate to lose weight. The programme aims to take these people through a structured plan of rigorous exercise, training and diets in order to help them attain their dream physique.
Last year’s winner Wil Graham lost a staggering eight and a half stone. As if that wasn’t enough he also went home with £25,000!
If you’re ready to transform your life, and have someone to share the journey with you, then apply to be on the new series of The Biggest Loser.
Go to www.biggestloseruk.com for further details and to fill out an application form.
Or if you prefer, you can e-mail us at biggest.loser@shine.tv, or simply call our voicemail box on 0844 6780 156 and leave your name, address and contact telephone number. We will send you an application form with a SAE.
(Calls cost 5ppm including VAT)’
So, the info is there in case anyone fancies acting on it (or knows someone who would- I always wondered how they got contestants for things like that).
And now normal service resumes.
Breakfast was lovely today- I had some frozen blackberries (still trying to empty the freezer so we can defrost it) and so I put them in my porridge. Yum I just love berries (and cinnamon) in porridge.
After work I had a cereal bar for some energy;
This gave me quite a sugar boost I think! Some nice seeds in there, and dried cranberries, but also the yoghurt coating, although it went quite well with this bar, whereas on some I find the yoghurt coating a bit too sweet. Maybe the seeds and other things kept the actual bar less sweet.
Anyway, then it was time for a run. My calves have been stiff all day (it was a different instructor at aerobics last night, and I do not think I stretched enough after), but I was keen to try the next Audiofuel one. It turned out to be the same, but each section was 5 steps per min faster (so we got up to 180, I say we, I mean me and Martin Yelling of course). The recovery pasts still felt slow (but not quite as bad) but the fast bit was hard- by the end of the final fast interval I was finding it hard to get my breath! But that is a good thing! Then I came home and did the yoga for runners podcast, which I think really helped stretch out my muscles.
Then I had another freezer meal- a lentil, kidney bean and veggie chilli with added spinach and frozen broccoli. Bonus points for me all round today!
I was thinking today- association vs disassociation. When I first started running I would do anything to take my mind off the run (eg listen to music, think about other things) but since listening to marathon talk I have been trying to think about the actual running a bit more. I have read articles before about this, and how people like Paula Radcliffe focus on their running and form and breathing etc as this helps them improve and perform. I was worried that the Audiofuel podcasts would seem too hard as I would not be able to think about something else, but I think it is really good for me to have the little reminders about keeping my shoulders relaxed and so on. During body pump I tend to try and focus on how strong I feel, as I think the positive mindset helps me achieve, and it is hard not to think about it while your muscles are burning!
So which kind of exerciser are you? Do you think about what you are doing, or try to take your mind off it?
🙂
I mostly lift, so when I’m doing that I am 100% in tune with my body — maintaining a good mind-muscle connection, focusing on form, etc. But when I do cardio, other than reminding myself to keep my shoulders relaxed and stand up straight once every couple of minutes, I TOTALLY dissociate haha. I focus on anything BUT what I’m doing.
When I’m doing weights I have to focus otherwise I loose count or form easily but with cardio I like to loose myself – with running its with my iPod otherwise its a class that I can mindlessly follow and just have fun with it.
Yeah I think when you do weights you have to think about it otherwise form goes pretty quick.
🙂
It really depends what I’m doing, I think with running my mind is usually in the run most of the time and occasionally it will drift off. Brendan Brazier writes about this in Thrive Fitness that exercise can actually improve creativity when you do a form of exercise that lets your mind drift off! I really must defrost my freezer but the thought of trying to eat everything in there is scary to say the least!
Sometimes when I’m running my mind will drift off, but on some occasions I find this more of a help than a hinderence, especially on a difficult run.
Both, I think. Sometimes I let my mind wander, others (especially when it’s feeling tough) I try to concentrate on my breathing, posture, technique etc. It usually helps!
I also used to go for disassociation, but I found I would just bumble along and not make much progress. I would also get sloppy and lazy when tired, which is bad news for injury. It was actually through lifting weights that I learnt about association: how focusing on the muscle that’s burning, and you think is going to fail, can actually get you through it. Something about not fighting it but accepting it as well. You also stay more focused and get more out of the last few reps / minutes / miles etc, which is when the real progress is made. Like others though I do sometimes liek to jsut let my mind wander. That’s for pleasant exercise like long slow runs or walking or whatever though.
Yes you are so right that focusing helps form and stuff, and also feels like more of an achievement I think. But yeah for gentle long slow runs or walks it is lovely to let the mind wander- that is good for you too.
dissasociation when running, association when boxing! When I try and think about my running form it lasts a few metres then I forget again haha
Every run is different in terms of to what degree I associate or dissociate. I guess because I’m fairly new to running I tend to think a bit more about what I’m doing. I quite like the rhythm of running and find it hypnotic.
association when doing weights in the gym – want to make sure my form is correct, the breathing is good, my core is tight.
disassociation when running – although funnily enough I went out day before yesterday and really tried to focus hard on my posture a lot more and ended up doing a really good time 🙂
That Muesli bar looks good- not spotted that one yet!