I once ran a 10K on St. Patrick’s day. At the finish line, rather than bagels and bananas and bottled water, we were greeted with a beer tent and each given three tickets for big plastic cups of Guinness. I’ve heard of carb loading before and after a race, but never thought about beer as being part of that concept. Maybe I should change my mind?
A recently released study proves that moderate female drinkers, those who imbibe more than 45 drinks a month (which seems like a lot of drinking, although it really only averages out to just shy of 1.5 glasses of wine a night) exercised 14 more minutes per week on average than those light drinkers who drank one to 14 drinks in the month. These women also reported exercising on average 20 minutes more than those who abstained from alcohol altogether. Also, drinkers of both sexes were 10 percent more likely than their sober peers to exercise vigorously in any given week.
The weather is cooling off, and now is the perfect time to get out there and exercise. It’s so much easier to run, walk, bike or skate when it’s not a million degrees out with 500% humidity. Fall is my favorite season, and one of the greatest things about fall is eating home style soups, stews and the like.
What do those three sentences have in common and how can you use that commonality to your advantage while pursuing healthy eating? Both call for easy, hearty meals, and both can be resolved with my greatest kitchen friend – the slow cooker. Thick, rich, hearty soups and stews are comforting and filling, and can be made inexpensively – always a bonus in these tough economic times.
So, today was an interesting day. For the first time since my first of two difficult-to-heal injuries – I ran. And it was truly a pathetic thing. A humbling spot, and one I never imagined I’d find myself in again. After all, I’ve run several 5Ks, a few 8Ks, one 10K and a very memorable and torturous half marathon. I’ve been a runner for quite a while. I wasn’t always a runner, though – when I first began my weight loss journey, I couldn’t even walk around the block without stopping to catch my breath. (And cry – but we can just pretend that we never spoke about that, OK? Keep it just between the two of us.) I started walking a block at a time, added a small distance every couple of days, and one day, found I was covering more than seven miles. I could either walk further or start running, so I started running. And until I injured myself, I ran just about every day.
While the benefits of running are extensive, it can also have its down sides if you don’t take precautions to be a safe runner. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you hit the road to ensure you return short nothing more than breath and sweat!
1. Map your trail: Always figure out your path before you start your run as this will keep you from getting lost or ending up in a dangerous place.
2. Run during the day: Try to run during the day or follow a well-lit path. This will help prevent any possible danger that could happen at night.
3. Take a partner: A running buddy is always a safe bet in case of injury or to keep would-be assailants away.
Seattle, Washington is an amazing coastal city that has so much to offer its locals and tourists. Seattle is home to luxurious sky scrapers, rock legends, irresistible fresh seafood, and an active outdoors culture with several great places to run. Below is a list of the best and safest places to run in Seattle.
Best Places to Run in Seattle
- Green Lake Park: One of Seattle’s most beloved parks that attracts tons of locals and tourists each day. The park offers plenty of recreation area, a newly reconstructed three-mile jogging path, and scenic lake-front views.
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