12 New Years Resolutions Lose weight, run your first race, stay consistent: Heres how to get started RIGHT NOW on your big goals for the new year. By Kelly Bastone; Want to become a better runner in the new year? Of course you do. January 1 inspires most of us to dream big. Well lose 20 pounds, run regularly, earn that finishers medal. Its good to set goals: After all, people who make New Years resolutions are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals than those who dont, says John C. Norcross, Ph.D., a University of Scranton professor of psychology who has studied the follow-through of Resolutionaries. As the saying goes, you cant hit a target if you dont have one. But dreaming isnt enough, and procrastination will make 2014 look a lot like last year. So weve laid out steps you can take right this minute (and later today, and later this week) to set you up for success. RESOLUTION 1: START RUNNING REGULARLY Plug four or five 15- to 20-minute runs (or walks, if youre not currently exercising) into your schedule for the week–thats enough to build fitness and establish a routine without overtaxing your body. Write them down before the week begins, and make them non-negotiable, says Gus Arias, a sales engineer who in four years transformed from a sedentary 285-pounder to an ultramarathoner and Team in Training coach. Later today. . . Complete your first session. If youve been doing some walking or running, run for one minute and walk for three–repeat for 20 minutes total. New to exercise? Go for a 15-minute walk. Most people try to do too much, too soon, says Arias, adding that it took him eight weeks before he could run for five minutes without stopping. When youre done, log on to runnersworld/the-starting-line for a seven-week plan that will build you up to 60-minute sessions. Later this week. . . Create a progress chart and reward structure to fuel your motivation after your initial enthusiasm has ebbed. Once youve logged your first weeks workouts, get a pair of new running shoes, schedule a pedicure, or sign up for a fun, untimed event, like a color run or mud run. RESOLUTION 2: DIVERSIFY YOUR DIET Go to runnersworld/ravenous to find runner-tested dishes from chefs, cookbooks, and other runners, or dust off one of your own cookbooks. Bookmark a recipe on your smartphone or put the book in your car so you can reference the ingredients list when youre at the grocery store, says sports dietitian Suzanne Girard Eberle, author of Endurance Sports Nutrition. Study the recipe to ensure you own the cooking gear youll need to make it. Later today. . . Choose an ingredient you always have on hand and collect three recipes that use it. They dont have to be complicated main dishes, says Eberle. Simple sides, soups, or salads also count toward your goal. After youve worked through those, pick another ingredient and collect recipes for it. Later this week. . . Start a monthly online recipe exchange with friends and family who cook (or aspire to). Ask each participant to e-mail a recipe theyve tried–with success–and encourage everyone to attach photos of their creations. Check out the Runners World Cookbook (available at runnersworldcookbook) for tasty, healthy dishes you (and your fellow chefs) will love. RESOLUTION 3: SET A 5-K P Do 12 push-ups–or as many as you can before your form crumples. Upper-body strength is essential for boosting your speed, says Jeff Horowitz, author of Quick Strength for Runners. Driving forward with your arms helps you tap into the power required to conquer a long sprint, which is what a 5-K is. Add one or two push-ups to your routine every week until you plateau. Later today. . . Register for a race that plays to your strengths. Flat, straight courses appeal to most runners. Make sure favorable weather conditions are likely, given your chosen location and date. Later this week. . . Add six to 10 strides to your prespeedwork warmup to improve your turnover and get acclimated to running fast. (You are doing speedwork, right? For some workouts, go to runnersworld/speedwork.) Run hard but in control for 50 yards, rest for 30 seconds, then do another. Aim for four to eight repeats total. And remember: Strides are a great way to warm up for your race, too. RESOLUTION 4: RUN YOUR FIRST HALF-MARATHON Log on to runnersworld/training-plans and download a guide designed by our experts. Then sign up for a half thats at least three months away and within driving distance. Racing close to home makes it easy for loved ones to cheer your progress and celebrate your finish with you, says Team in Training coach Arias. Later today. . . Call or e-mail loved ones to broadcast your plan, and share it on your social networks. It definitely makes it harder to back out once youve advertised your goal and have people checking up on you, says Arias. Later this week. . . Buy new kicks. Endurance events demand well-designed shoes that truly fit you. Running stores are staffed by really knowledgeable people who can help you choose shoes youll love, Arias says. RESOLUTION 5: LOSE WEIGHT Drink water. Hunger pangs often signal thirst, not a need for more food, says Brian Maher, a personal trainer in Philadelphia who specializes in weight loss. Later today. . . Clear your fridge and pantry of high-calorie junk foods. Most people dont have the discipline to turn down a Hershey bar if its right there, says Maher. Later this week. . . Make a weekly meal plan and matching grocery list. Opt for quick, simple combinations: Eggs, brown rice, and spinach make a fine dinner. Try these weight-loss meal plans that Brian Maher has developed for his clients. BREAKFAST 6 egg whites 1/2 cup mushrooms 1 small tomato 1/2 cup oatmeal SNACK 1 1/2 cup skim milk 2 biscuits of shredded wheat 4 oz strawberries LUNCH 4 oz chicken 1 cup asparagus 4 tbsp salsa 1 sweet potato SNACK 2 2 plain rice cakes 1 tbsp nut butter DINNER 4 oz salmon 1 bag salad with tomato, onion 2 tbsp oil/vinegar 4 tbsp salsa SNACK 3 6 oz Greek yogurt 1/2 cup blueberries Total: 1,649 calories; 115 g protein; 178 g carbs; 53 g fat BREAKFAST 6 egg whites 1 cup Cheerios 1 cup skim milk SNACK 1 1/4 cup almonds 3 oz strawberries LUNCH 1 large garden salad 1 tbsp oil/vinegar 1 cup croutons 4 oz green beans 6 oz turkey breast 1 cup tea SNACK 2 2 slices seven-grain rye bread 2 tbsp natural peanut butter DINNER 4 oz chicken breast 1 medium sweet potato 2 tbsp salsa Total: 1,645 calories; 142 g protein; 168 g carbs; 45 g fat BREAKFAST 1 cup oatmeal 6 oz Greek yogurt SNACK 1 3 rice cakes 1 tbsp natural peanut butter LUNCH 5 oz chicken breast 1/2 cup brown rice 1 cup tea SNACK 2 1 corn tortilla 1/2 cup boiled pinto beans 1/2 cup sweet bell peppers DINNER 4 oz salmon 1/2 cup broccoli 1/2 cup black-eyed peas 1 cup tea SNACK 3 1 cup blueberries 6 oz Greek yogurt Total: 1,828 calories; 114 g protein; 199 g carbs; 64 g fat RESOLUTION 6: COMPLETE YOUR FIRST TRIATHLON Make a list of everyone you know who bikes or swims so you can hit them up for loaner gear, suggests Amy Charity, a triathlon coach in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Get your own after your first race, should you commit to the sport. Later today. . . Locate facilities where you can complete your swimming and cycling workouts, and plug them into your schedule. Sign up for Spin classes if you havent yet secured a bike (or if you live in a snowbound region). Later this week. . . Go to the pool, grab a kickboard, and complete a few legs-only laps. Kicking is a crucial aspect of swimming, Charity says. Kick from your hips (rather than your knees), keep your legs parallel, and dont exaggerate the motion by kicking above the water surface or below the bodyline. RESOLUTION 7: STAY MOTIVATED Identify your bugaboo: Cold weather? Dark mornings? Not having a race on the horizon? Figuring out what triggers your off times puts you in a better position to engineer the fix, says Rachel Dehner, a Denver coach with Revolution Running. Later today. . . Pick a goal that will get you out the door. You dont have to train for a race, although thats one popular objective. You might run so you can treat yourself to new running gear, or lead the pack during your weekly group run. Later this week. . . Climb back on the wagon, but make moderation your mantra. Most runners are so worried about the fitness theyve lost that they overdo it when they start running again, says Dehner. She recommends walk/running to start (if its been months since you last ran) and limiting your workouts to every other day. RESOLUTION 8: QUALIFY FOR BOSTON Go to baa.org and read the qualifying and registration guidelines to make sure you understand the fine print: Not all marathons are Boston-certified; a barely-made-it qualifying time may not be good enough to get you in; and some of the best qualifying marathons take place after Bostons September registration. Choose a race that suits your schedule, your course-profile and weather preferences, and Bostons requirements. Later today. . . Push yourself out of your running comfort zone. A lot of runners do every workout at the same moderate intensity day after day, so they see their speed hit a plateau, says coach Dehner, a five-time Boston qualifier who ran it in 2011. After warming up with a few low-effort miles, pick up the pace gradually until youre working hard and running at a speed that feels challenging but sustainable. Later this week. . . Do the last two miles of your long run at your BQ race pace. In the coming weeks and months, you can gradually increase that race-pace period until youre completing all your long runs (even the final 20-miler) near your BQ goal speed. RESOLUTION 9: GET INTO YOGA (FOR REAL THIS TIME) Log on to runnersworld/sunsalutation and learn a sequence of moves to help you warm up before or cool down after a run from Rebecca Pacheco, yoga instructor, runner, and creator of OmGal. Later today. . . Call or e-mail local studios and seek advice on the best class for you. Ask for a beginner focus, so you can learn proper alignment, but let the teacher help you decide what style can help you achieve your goals–whether thats to increase flexibility, to build strength, or to calm your mind. Later this week. . . Complete four short yoga sessions at home. With yoga, frequency is more important than duration, says Sage Rountree, author of The Runners Guide to Yoga, adding that shorter sessions also reduce the likelihood of overdoing the effort. Visit runnersworld/yogaseries for free video routines. RESOLUTION 10: FIND RUNNING FRIENDS Sign up for Twitter and Instagram (youre probably on Facebook already). It takes just minutes to open an account, and it lets you connect with other runners in your area and across the country, says Dorothy Beal, a running coach and blogger at mile-posts. Search for hashtags like #runchat, #runnerds, and #seenonmyrun to connect with other runners. Later today. . . Research relays in your area, and browse their forums: Most have a place where teams can post runners wanted notices. Once you find an opening, jump on it–even if youve never met the other participants. Doing a relay with people you dont know is life-altering, Beal says. Theres something about being tired and silly and working toward a shared goal that brings people together. Later this week. . . Visit your local running shop–the manager will have the scoop on all running-related happenings in your area, from hash runs to races to lectures by visiting shoe-company reps or well-known runners. Plan to attend something–these events encourage mingling, and you know youll have something in common with others. RESOLUTION 11: RUN A TRAIL RACE Search the Web to find local trail-running groups and clubs, and make plans to join the next meet-up. Youll get pointers–and suggestions on where to race–from veterans, says Denver-based coach Dehner. Later today. . . Start building hip strength and flexibility with the Myrtl routine, a series of 12 exercises that mimic the way trails challenge your body. (To see exercises, go to runnersworld/myrtl.) Trails uneven surfaces force your legs to move in various planes, not just forward and back, Dehner says. The Myrtl routine improves your range of motion and may build the agility youll need to avoid a face-plant. Later this week. . . Log your first trail run. Sign up with strava to find the best beginner loops in your area. Pick a short route–trails obstacles can make a distance that seems easy on the roads more fatiguing–and dont worry about speed. Road shoes are fine for most trails, but choose cushioned socks with a high cuff to keep out rocks, twigs, and other debris. RESOLUTION 12: GIVE BACK Consider what population youd like to serve, then get online and research opportunities to work with them, suggests coach and blogger Beal. You might prefer to help wounded vets, needy families overseas, or even ultrarunners who need pacers for their epic efforts. Later today. . . Reach out to your target organization and commit to a certain activity or block of time. Not sure how you can help? Ask what their needs are, and fill in as requested. Later this week. . . Follow through on your offer, if your organization can use you right away. If not, see if an upcoming local race needs volunteers, donate toward a friends charity bib, or just pick up and throw away a few pieces of trash on your next run. Act generously: The more you do it, the easier it becomes–just like running. runnersworld/running-tips/12-new-years-resolutions
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:05:45 +0000
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