In this blog post, we will delve into the science behind deep tissue massage and explore the ways it can enhance your well-being. Whether you’re an athlete looking to improve performance or simply seeking relief from everyday stress, deep tissue massage has the potential to revolutionise your life. So, let’s dive in and uncover the transformative power of this ancient healing practice.

Understanding the Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage goes beyond the surface level relaxation provided by traditional massages. It targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, by using slow, firm pressure and techniques such as deep finger pressure, friction, and kneading to target areas of tension and pain in the body. This technique is highly effective in addressing various health issues and promoting overall well-being. 

Deep tissue massage can have several benefits, including reducing chronic pain, improving posture, increasing range of motion, and relieving tension headaches. It can also help to break up scar tissue and reduce the symptoms of conditions such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Not only does it benefit the body but also the mind and emotions which we will see later on in this post.

How Deep Tissue Massage Improves Physical Well-being and Flexibility

One of the key positives of a deep tissue massage is its ability to improve physical well-being. By applying pressure to specific areas, deep tissue massage helps release chronic muscle tension which can alleviate pain and discomfort caused by conditions such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, and sports injuries. Additionally, deep tissue massage stimulates the lymphatic system, which plays a crucial role in removing waste and toxins from the body. By increasing lymphatic flow, deep tissue massage can boost immunity and promote overall detoxification.

If you’re an athlete or someone who engages in regular physical activity, deep tissue massage can significantly improve your flexibility and range of motion as the targeted pressure applied during a deep tissue massage helps lengthen and stretch tight muscles, allowing for greater mobility. This increased flexibility doesn’t just enhance athletic performance but also reduces the risk of injuries such as strains and sprays, by addressing muscular imbalances and improving overall muscle tone.

Deep Tissue Massage for Injury Prevention and Recovery

Whether you’re an athlete or someone recovering from an injury, deep tissue massage can play a vital role in your rehabilitation journey, by targeting specific muscle groups and addressing imbalances, deep tissue massage can help prevent future injuries. Moreover, deep tissue massage can speed up the recovery process by reducing scar tissue formation and promoting healthy tissue regeneration. It can also help alleviate pain, stiffness and inflammation associated with injuries, allowing for a faster return to normal activities.

Inflammation is a common underlying factor in various health conditions, including chronic pain which a deep tissue massage can actually be used for to help reduce by improving circulation. The firm pressure applied during the massage helps dilate blood vessels, allowing for better blood flow to the affected areas which in turn brings fresh oxygen and nutrients to the tissues while removing waste products. This can speed up the healing process and promote overall tissue health.

Deep tissue massage offers a holistic approach to managing chronic pain through targeting the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, which can help release tension and alleviate pain. Research has shown that deep tissue massage can be effective in reducing pain associated with conditions such as osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and sciatica and that regular deep tissue massage sessions can provide long-term pain relief and improve the quality of life.

The Mental and Emotional Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become a common part of our lives and the slow, deliberate strokes of deep tissue massage help calm the nervous system and promote relaxation. Symptoms of anxiety and depression can be alleviated through the reduction of stress and increased relaxation with released endorphins (which are natural painkillers and mood elevators) during a deep tissue massage which also contributes to a positive mental state. Moreover, this mind-body connection from the deep tissue massage can lead to increased self-awareness, a greater sense of overall well-being and an improved mental state. 

Preparing for a Deep Tissue Massage Session

Before you embark on a deep tissue massage session, it’s important to prepare yourself physically and mentally. 

• Hydrate well before your session to ensure optimal tissue hydration 

This can make the massage more effective and reduce post-massage soreness since well-hydrated muscles are a lot more pliable allowing for the therapist to be able to get into your problem areas without causing you too much discomfort.

• Take a shower

Taking a shower before your massage can create a more relaxing experience for you as well as reduce any potential discomfort since the warm water will help loosen your muscles.

• Wear loose and comfortable clothing

Muscle soreness can vary for a person after the massage is over, so loose clothes may be easier (and more comfortable!) for you to put on once your massage is over and just before you leave the clinic.

• Communicate openly with your massage therapist about any specific areas of concern or pain you may have 

They can tailor the massage to address your individual needs and ensure maximum benefits.

Conclusion: Embracing the Transformative Power of Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage has the potential to revolutionise your well-being. From relieving chronic pain and reducing stress to improving flexibility and promoting better sleep, this ancient healing practice offers a myriad of benefits. Whether you’re an athlete looking to enhance performance or simply seeking relief from everyday stress, deep tissue massage can be a powerful tool in your wellness toolkit. So, take the time to unlock the hidden benefits of deep tissue massage and experience the transformative power it can have on your life.

Remember, deep tissue massage should always be performed by a qualified and experienced massage therapist. Consult with a professional to determine the best approach for your specific needs and start reaping the benefits of this incredible healing practice.

The post Experience the Healing Power of Deep Tissue Massage: Discover Its Surprising Benefits first appeared on JogBlog.

The post Experience the Healing Power of Deep Tissue Massage: Discover Its Surprising Benefits appeared first on JogBlog.

Well, yes, but also, no.

In fact, just no.

A sports bra or running bra is of vital importance when you’re engaging in high impact sports such as running or something else high impact that I can’t think of right now (sorry, menopause brain kicking in).

Top tip: Do not wear two normal bras instead of one proper one

When I first started running, I wore two normal bras – one on top of the other – to try and prevent any wobbling about. Unsurprisingly, that didn’t work and I don’t even have that much to wobble.

So, after a while, I decided to get a ‘proper’ running bra and, oh my, it was so much better. Everything (and when I say ‘everything,’ I of course mean ‘my tits’) stayed in place and running was a lot more comfortable. I would even have felt like a proper runner had I not still been wearing a normal cotton t-shirt, thick tracksuit bottoms and trainers that cost £10 from a cheapy shoe shop in town.

Still, underneath I looked like a proper runner, hell yeah.

Sports bras designed for high impact sports like running don’t just bring comfort though, there are also the health implications to consider if you run in something not up to the job (or nothing at all. Don’t do this).

Breasts are of course made up of fragile tissue and ligaments and so, if you run without a high-impact sports bra, those tissues and ligaments will get stretched and damaged. This is why wearing a supportive bra designed for high impact sports such as running is absolutely key to your comfort and health.

So, remember kids – two bras aren’t better than one!

The post Why a sports bra is important for runners first appeared on JogBlog.

The post Why a sports bra is important for runners appeared first on JogBlog.

Harry Wilson is the Head of the Digital Marketing Department at Globex Outreach. He helps clients grow their online businesses and occasionally writes blogs to share his experience with other professionals.

Is CBD the Ultimate Food Supplement?

There are so many food supplements on the market and most are there for good reason. They’re a great way to enhance a balanced diet and get more goodness into your system. There’s one interesting up and coming product: CBD. Derived from hemp, this may not seem to naturally fit as a food supplement but that’s exactly what it is. More than that, though, it may be one of the most versatile, effective, and healthiest food supplements available.

What is CBD?

Like all food supplements, CBD is derived from a plant. What makes it unique, however, is that it comes from the Cannabis sativa plant, which is banned in some forms. One variety, known as cannabis or marijuana, is grown for its intoxicants which produce the feeling of being high or stoned which is associated with this plant. CBD can be derived from the marijuana plant but that’s not usually why it’s grown.

In other forms, however, the Cannabis sativa plant is perfectly legal. In this instance, the THC levels are minimised, meaning that you can’t get high from ingesting it. You still get access to all the other chemical compounds, including CBD. The CBD can then be extracted and sold as a food supplement in the form of a capsule or oil.

If you want to find out more about CBD, then Cibdol offers plenty of information.

Are There Any Side Effects?

For the vast majority of users, CBD won’t have any negative side effects. That’s why it’s easy to market as a food supplement rather than a drug. You won’t experience the cognitive impairments associated with marijuana. The effects of CBD are subtle, though incredibly valuable to many people.

In very rare cases, there have been some reports of side effects. These include nausea, diarrhoea, and fatigue. Even in these instances, the symptoms are mild and often outweighed by the benefits. Make sure you source your CBD from a responsible licenced seller to minimise the chance of an adverse reaction. If you do experience any side effects, then lower your dose or try an alternative. In general, however, people don’t experience problems.

Benefits of CBD Supplements

So what makes CBD so popular? With an incredible range of uses, this one of the most versatile food supplements. Everyone takes it for a different reason but the most common benefits include:

• Managing pain: as an anti-inflammatory, CBD can help a person to live with their chronic pain. It’s often used after an injury or intense workout session to ease any aches.
• Lowering anxiety: one of the most common mental health conditions, anxiety is a harmful part of many people’s lives. CBD has been shown to calm the mind without the side effects associated with prescription medication.
• Enhancing sleep: many people are lacking in sleep, finding themselves fatigued throughout the day. CBD leads to more restful nights and leaves people waking up refreshed and energised.
• Beauty benefits: high in antioxidants, CBD leads to clear skin with fewer pimples and wrinkles. That’s why it’s often added to beauty products like face cream.

If you love food supplements, why not try CBD? It has so many benefits to turbocharge your mental and physical wellbeing.

The post Is CBD the Ultimate Food Supplement? first appeared on JogBlog.

The post Is CBD the Ultimate Food Supplement? appeared first on JogBlog.

With effective planning and a good understanding of what makes up a healthy, balanced vegan diet, you can often get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to be healthy without having to rely on daily supplements.

On the other hand if you have a busy schedule or find it hard to plan a properly balanced diet you could be missing out on essential nutrients your body needs. Vegans in particular need to ensure they get enough iron, calcium and vitamin B12.

What are the main things we need for a balanced diet?

Iron

This is a mineral that plays an integral role in the production of red blood cells in the body. Good sources of iron include broccoli, beans, tofu, wheat, and raisins. You could also consider eating iron-fortified cereals.

Protein

This is an important nutrient for almost all parts of the body. The building blocks of proteins are known as the amino acids. You can get these from peanut butter, nuts, grains, seeds, and legumes.

Calcium

This is the nutrient that is responsible for strong bones as well as protects you from osteoporosis, which is a health condition that weakens your bones and might cause breaks. Consider eating bok choy, broccoli, and kale. Soy milk also contains calcium.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is another nutrient that will give you the best bone health. It ensures that your body absorbs enough amounts of calcium, thereby promoting bone growth. Your body naturally produces Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, which is why you are advised to get at least ten minutes of sunlight each day. 

Vitamin B 12

Besides protecting you from anemia, Vitamin B12 helps to produce red blood cells in your body. While Vitamin B12 is mostly found in shellfish, fish, meat, and other dairy products, you can also get it from products that are fortified with the vitamin. Food such as soy milk and other cereals.

The Bottom Line

If you are a vegan, there is a good chance you have incorporated much of the above into your diet. If not you may want to consider taking a quality multivitamin. 

The post How vegans can get vitamins in their daily diet first appeared on JogBlog.

The post How vegans can get vitamins in their daily diet appeared first on JogBlog.

Photo credit: PureGym

It’s still Juneathon, so I needed to find a class for this week. The only class that fitted in with other stuff this week was circuits and even that wasn’t ideal as I do yoga on a Wednesday morning (yes, I enjoyed it that much I’ve been back every week since, unlike Zumba, which I will never ever ever be doing again) which meant being in the gym for about sixteen hours (okay, two hours).

But, it’s Juneathon and I’m a) hardcore; and, more importantly, b) not a slacker and so I signed up for the circuits class and luckily it had stopped thundering and lightninging by the time I left the house (someone please tell the cat that though, as she’s been in her hiding place since the storms started in the early hours) and I cycled up to the gym, went on the rowing machine for a twenty minute warm-up and then stood outside the wrong part of the gym wondering why I was the only person there until some kind soul saw me from the right part of the gym and came and got me. Thank you, kind soul.

The instructor gave a quick run through of what we were going to be doing and I clearly wasn’t taking any notice because then it started and I thought what the fuck? but it was simple enough. You start at one exercise station and do stuff for a minute (it might have only been 30 seconds, I’m not sure) then move onto the next one. This is what we did (please excuse my non-technical terms for the things):

1. Kettlebells

This was straightforward enough. We (there are two of you at each exercise station) just had to do the squatty-swingy-kettlebell-through-the-legs-thing. I’m sure you know what I mean.

2. Heavy Round Holdalls

I have absolutely no idea what the name of these were but they were like heavy round holdalls you had to hold to your chest while doing squats.

Photo credit: PureGym

3. Medicine Balls

I’m assuming these were medicine balls but they weren’t like the rock-solid leather ones at school, these were soft and squidgy. Then again, I went to school in Victorian times so maybe soft and squidgy is the new rock-solid. We had to hold these above our heads, then slam them to the ground. ‘Throw it hard, not like you’re dropping an egg’, the instructor said as he saw my feeble effort.

4. Hexagonal Flippy Donut Thing

This was – as I’ve so eloquently described above – some kind of huge hexagonal (I think, it may have had eight sides. It’s not like I counted them) box with a hole in the middle and straps on the side that you had to ‘flip’ over and then the person on the other side flipped back to your side (trying not to kill each other in the process as who the fuck wants ‘Crushed by Hexagonal Flippy Donut Thing’ on their gravestone? Actually… that sounds quite cool.) I say ‘flip’ but in actual real life what happened was I kind of inelegantly hauled it up by the strap then kind of pushed it back over the other side. I wasn’t the only one – this thing was heavy and my exercise partner also struggled with the ‘flip’ side of things.

5. Plank

You all know what a plank is. I’m crap at planks. I didn’t manage the whole thirty seconds, unlike my exercise partner who did and it wasn’t even like she was a young gym bunny, I think she was probably older than me. Bah.

6. Upside-down Table Pushing Thing

While I’ve been on the rowing machine in the gym on previous occasions, I have seen people pushing this thing that looks like an upside-down table with a heavy weight on it and they have always made it look easy, so I assumed it was on wheels. It’s fucking not on wheels. I pushed it to the end of where we had to push it to then realised the exercise hadn’t started yet and I was the only one doing anything. Not embarrassing at all. But it just meant that I was more hardcore than anyone else because I did more, and I’m sure everyone else just thought I was more hardcore than them and not that I was a complete weirdo.

Photo credit: PureGym

7. AirBike

I’d been on the AirBike a few weeks ago after seeing a woman on it at the gym and I thought I’d give it a go. I don’t know whether I’d got on it just after someone who had the resistance ramped up to 11 had been on it or whether I was just a weed but it was brutal. Today wasn’t so brutal but that might have been because everything else so far had tried to kill me and so sitting on a bike for thirty seconds was a relief.

8. Pull Down Cable Things

This was another machine I’d seen people on before but hadn’t tried because… I’m not sure why, actually. Maybe it just looked a bit boring. It has two handles attached to cables high up above your head and you pull them down while squatting.

And then we had to do everything all over again. I was so knackered by this point and you’d think they’d decrease the weights but I think the fuckers increased everything because by the end of it I was done in. I had a great time though, the class was brilliant and I’ll definitely be doing it again but although I’d planned to do some more exercise in the half-hour between finishing circuits and doing yoga, all I had the energy to do was post on Facebook that I’d just done a circuits class and was dying.

The post The Things I do for Juneathon: Circuits first appeared on JogBlog.

The post The Things I do for Juneathon: Circuits appeared first on JogBlog.

I have always said I’d never, ever do Zumba. I mean, look at it – it involves dancing, in public, sober: what the fuck? But I’d nosed at a class that was going on in the gym while I was on the crosstrainer the other week and it didn’t look *that* bad, so I thought I’d give it a go in the spirit of all things Juneathon.

I fucking hated it.

‘Hate’ is possibly a bit strong but by 11:03 I’d started to check my watch and the class only started at 11:00. By 11:30 I said to the woman next to me I wanted to go home and she said the instructor wouldn’t mind if I left but I said I’d stick it out.

Although the class wasn’t full of young, thin, coordinated women with rhythm (I’d guess the average age was about 50), I was convinced I was shuffling around more haphazardly and looking more bewildered than anyone else there. The instructor sashayed and shimmied and jumped and squatted, and just as I caught up with what she was doing, she started doing something else.

My god, I’ve never been so glad for the stretching part of a class to come.

I didn’t think Zumba was for me and I was right. At least I gave it a go though, eh?

The post The things I do for Juneathon: Zumba first appeared on JogBlog.

The post The things I do for Juneathon: Zumba appeared first on JogBlog.

Juneathon 2019

It’s the thirteenth year of Juneathon and each ‘athon I usually set myself a challenge within a challenge. This Juneathon I set myself the challenge of trying a new gym class each week. Today’s class was yoga.

I’ve toyed with the idea of trying yoga for a while now because:

a) I’m getting creaky in my old age and I read yoga is good for flexibility;

b) for months now I’ve been under the impression sleep is something that happens to other people and I read yoga is good for sleep; and

c) everyone on the telly who says they do yoga is thin (although I am aware that most people on the telly are thin because it appears fatties aren’t allowed on the telly unless it’s a programme about fatties).

Puregym Folkestone

When I moved to Folkestone a couple of years ago, I joined a gym about a mile away. I didn’t go very often because:

a) it was a mile away which in itself wasn’t a problem but it was a mile away uphill so cycling there wouldn’t have been any quicker or easier; and

b) I couldn’t be arsed (mostly due to a)

so I cancelled my membership.

Then a few months ago a Puregym opened with an opening offer of £10.99 a month for the first year. The cheap price tempted me but it was a bit over a mile away and most of that mile was uphill. But then I googled to see if there were any alternative routes there and, lo! google told me there was a flat way there. I gave it a test run on my bike and woop, I got there in under ten minutes. Result.

I do feel a bit of a knob when I get to the gym and see the hills behind it and my brain starts telling me I should be getting my exercise walking up the hills, not pissing about on machines in a gym, especially on a sunny day. I enjoy both though and, to prove it, here’s a pic I took last Sunday of the gym from the top of the hill.

I can see the gym from here

Yoga

As with most gyms, classes are included in the membership and, although most of the classes are free at Puregym, the yoga class costs an extra £2, presumably because they have to get specialist instructors in and not use the staff who are already there.

I have to admit, I felt some trepidation at attempting yoga because I thought everyone else there would be:

a) young;
b) thin;
c) bendy; and
d) coordinated

and none of these things can be applied to me and, to be honest, only two ever have been (you can guess these for yourself. It’s like a free quiz, yay. There are no prizes for the correct answer though, ha).

I entered the studio, where the instructor was fortunately sat on her own and not surrounded by young, thin, bendy and coordinated women and she asked me the usual questions about had I done yoga before (no) and did I have any injuries (yes*) and she asked if I minded if she came over to adjust my position if she needed to and I said no because I’d probably be doing it all wrong anyway.

There were only three of us in the class and a small part of me felt meanly pleased to see I wasn’t the biggest or the oldest and even the smaller, younger one was only slightly smaller and younger.

My main concern apart from not being young, thin, bendy and coordinated – and hoping my feet were clean as we had to take our shoes and socks off – was that it was an hour-long class and, if I was as crap as I thought I’d be and unable to follow what we’re supposed to be doing, I’d get hideously self-conscious and want to flee the class but I’d be stuck there for an hour doing the wrong thing and trying not to cry.

As it happened, all the downward dogging and sun salutationing and stretching and stuff was easy to follow (especially when I glanced sideways to see what the woman next to me was doing) and I didn’t get singled out for doing it wrong all the time. Ha, get me Miss Yogi.

The hour went quickly and afterwards I felt amazingly relaxed, light and bendy. I thanked the instructor and told her how good I felt – like I’d been foam rollered all over, in a good way – and she said I’d done really well and I looked like I was standing taller.

I’ll definitely be going again.

*I broke my foot last year staggering home drunk from a party. I’ve been paranoid about my foot ever since and avoid anything that may involve stretching my toes. 

The post The things I do for Juneathon: Yoga first appeared on JogBlog.

The post The things I do for Juneathon: Yoga appeared first on JogBlog.

If you read my blog in the olden days, back in 2006, you’ll know all about my traumatic experience with B&Q when they did my bathroom. The experience was so traumatic I couldn’t even step into a B&Q for about ten years, let alone buy anything from them and, if friends bought anything from them, I felt deeply betrayed. It put me off home improvements for life.

Thirteen years on, however, feeling slightly less traumatised and living in a house that needs an overhaul top to bottom, I’ve been brave and allowed various tradesmen (and woman) to come in and pretty my house up for me. So far, it’s all gone swimmingly (I probably shouldn’t use that word seeing as, as I’m typing this, I’m using my washing machine for the first time since it’s been plumbed in to its new conservatory location).

In the last almost-two-years, this is what I’ve had done to my house, with no B&Q-style disasters (touch wood).

Fence repairs

I live by the sea and it’s fucking windy all the fucking time (except when it’s not, which isn’t very often). This means that fences get blown down regularly. I’ve had mine fixed twice and the last panel is only staying up because I’ve got a garden bench propping it up. I thought as I was getting the fence fixed, the fence man might as well tidy the garden up at the same time. And a sterling job he did of it too.

Attic room

I decided to paint the attic room myself because I thought it would be nice and simple. Wrongy McWrongface! Me, being a non-DIY type person, didn’t know that a) cheap paint is shit; and b) blue is a really difficult colour to cover, even if it’s light blue. It took me four or five coats (even after ditching the cheap paint after the first coat for a more reputable brand) and I still did it really badly and if you look closely (please don’t) you can see see bits of blue.

I wasn’t going to try and install a floor myself so I paid professionals to do it and a lovely job they did of it too. They didn’t even moan that I’d left a bit of furniture in the room (when I got my carpet in London done, the company that did that had a £25 charge per item that needed to be moved in their terms and conditions).

Bathroom

I am ashamed of myself. You’d think after all the trauma I had after my B&Q experience that I would never ever ever buy from them again. And I really didn’t want to but I scoured the entire world (sort of) for a bathroom I a) liked; and b) didn’t cost approximately a billion pounds, and the only one I found meeting these two requirements was in B&Q. The man at B&Q asked me if I’d bought from then before and I took great delight telling him about the time I took them to court, and won. He said ‘good’ which I found amusing but made a mental note to never employ him due to his extreme lack of company loyalty. He also said they didn’t do installations anymore and I said it was probably because people kept suing them for royally fucking it up (I used a politer phrase than that but you get the gist).

So I bought my pretty B&Q bathroom and paid a professional plumber and not some random untrained limbless brainless monkey B&Q found on the street to install it for me. The bathroom was delivered on time (shock horror) with nothing missing (ditto), the plumber plumbed it in, I got the people from the flooring company who did my attic floor to lay some vinyl flooring, the fencing man put up a new door and, although the bathroom needs finishing by way of a bit of boxing and stuff, it looks very nice indeed.

Conservatory

My kitchen is teeny tiny. Seriously, despite what my friend on Facebook says about it not being the smallest kitchen in the world, I reckon it is. I had originally planned to extend the kitchen by knocking into the side return and building outwards to almost triple the size of the kitchen but, because I wanted the back of it to be mostly glass in a kind of half-conservatory/half-kitchen hybrid, I realised it wouldn’t really give me much more storage – only more floor space – so I decided to have a conservatory built there instead.

It took seven days by a team of brilliantly bantery builders who I missed after they’d finished. It’s not exactly an ideal conservatory, as I’m mostly using it for overflow kitchen storage (thanks to a cabinet from Ikea that I can store my bread machine, slow cooker, blender, air fryer and everything else in) and not for sitting in, sipping tea in the sun, and since I had the kitchen done, I’ve now got the washing machine in there but it’s given me a lot more flexibility space-wise and it doubles up perfectly as a craft room/writing room (I’m currently sitting in the conservatory typing this).

Windows and front door

When I moved into my house it had brown windows and a brown front door and all the fittings were a manky peeling-off gold colour. It was minging. In an ideal world I would have lovely wooden sash windows but this isn’t an ideal world and I’m not rich so although I could have had replacement aluminium windows, I went for a nice, clean, crisp white bog-standard uPVC.

I had spent MONTHS choosing a new front door after the man in the window shop gave me two big brochures featuring lots of lovely (and less lovely) front doors, only for the man who came round to measure everything to tell me my doorway is too narrow which left me with a choice of only five. I chose the one I hated the least and coincidentally saw the very same one on a house just a few days later and hated it much less in real life.

Kitchen

My kitchen, as well as being teeny tiny, had obviously been put up by a DIY-er who had just pointed the worktops and cabinets in the general direction of the kitchen and told them to put themselves up with no care or attention. Had the cabinets and worktops been in better condition and put up properly, they would have been fine. However; they weren’t.

I had a new kitchen put in last week (bought from and installed by Wickes) and it’s BEAUTIFUL. I can’t stop looking at it, I love it so much. I need a new floor and I need the walls painted but then it will be done (except for buying all the new things such as cutlery and storage jars and a kettle and toaster and everything else one obviously needs for a brand new sparkling clean kitchen). I also have a dishwasher again for the first time in two years and this pleases me very much.

I can’t think of anything in all these improvements that have gone less than smoothly. Fingers crossed all future improvements go just as well.

The post Stuff I’ve had done to my house (so far) first appeared on JogBlog.

The post Stuff I’ve had done to my house (so far) appeared first on JogBlog.

If you’re a keen runner, few things are more frustrating than getting an injury. Sadly, it’s an all-too-common problem for joggers. The feet and knees are particularly vulnerable, and something like a fractured metatarsal or strained ligament can put you out of action for weeks. It’s certainly not ideal when you’re training for a big event (and speaking of big events – sign up here if you don’t want to miss the deadline for event ballots again)!

Getting back to running – the stress-free, simple way

• Rest is vital. Admittedly, it’s hard to rest when you’ve still got to carry on with everyday life; whether that’s taking the kids to school or walking to work each day. But put your feet up as often as possible, even if you feel fully recovered. This provides your body with the time it needs to recover properly, and means fewer problems in the future.
• Wear the right footwear. Now is the time to live in your well-fitting trainers; or a similar shoe that offers appropriate support. Those slip-on sandals or flip-flops are not going to cut it, and don’t even think about putting on the stilettoes.
• Listen to your body. If it hurts, that means something isn’t right. Don’t push through it, hoping it’ll go away. If it’s bad enough to make you wince (even if you’re just strolling to the corner-shop at the time) that means you need to rest up again.
• Don’t worry if you don’t feel motivated. After a period of extended absence from running, it’s common to feel demotivated. If it feels like a chore, try to remember how you motivated yourself the first time around. Did you listen to a podcast or music while running, for example? If not, this is a great way to inject some fun back into the process. Vary your routes too; this can reignite your love for running again.
• Go slow. It doesn’t matter if you’re pain-free when you first get out there again; your body is unlikely to thank you if you go on a ten-mile slog straight away, after months of inaction. Build up slowly; and don’t be afraid to break up the first few runs with periods of walking.
• Do other forms of exercise. If you’re struggling with running, remember that you can do other forms of exercise too, which will provide the same level of endorphins. For example, if it’s your foot that’s hurting, you may find cycling a better alternative for a while. Or, if its your knee or hip, swimming is a good option.
• Prep yourself properly. When you’re ready to get going again, prep properly beforehand. Listen to some upbeat music as you get changed into your running gear. Have a quick snack and a sip of an energy drink. Even a spray of an invigorating fragrance like Aventus could work; whatever it takes to get you in the mood.
• Remember it’s a short-term thing. Above all else, don’t feel despondent. Your injury may feel bad now, but it will heal (and this will happen faster if you rest it properly!). In a few months’ time, it’ll all be just a distant memory, and you’ll be back on your feet again, and pounding those streets.

The post Getting Back to Running After an Injury first appeared on JogBlog.

The post Getting Back to Running After an Injury appeared first on JogBlog.

Dating in your 40s isn’t the same as dating in your teens or 20s. In some ways it’s a lot easier (who’d want to be a teenager again, going through all that hassle with boys? Aieeeee) and in some ways it’s more difficult. I’m not exactly an expert on dating in my 40s (or in any other decade, to be honest) but here’s a few thoughts on mature dating:

It’s more difficult to meet someone on a general day-to-day basis

As a teenage girl, boys were everywhere. Teenage girls do not have trouble attracting boys, as we might as well be made of magnet and boys of iron filings. Boys and girls meet just walking down the street to the shop, let alone in pubs and clubs and parks and wherever else us young people hung out. When you get older, we slowly fade into invisibility and, if we want to meet someone single and mature, we might need the help of dating sites, such as the imaginatively named Single and Mature.

It can take a while to weed out the weirdos on a dating site

Although I’m not on any dating sites at the mo, when I am, I’m fussy about who I chat to on them. I discount all those who are:

• bald
• fat
• beardy
• holding fish
• type in txt spk; or
• say nothing but, ‘hi how ru’ (spelled correctly or otherwise) as their opener.

This list is not exhaustive but you get the picture. Although I may be shallow and discriminatory, at least I don’t end up with the cheating, lying creeps my friend Seraphina (not her real name but it’s such as nice name I might suggest she changes her real name to it) ends up with. She’s been on dozens of dates over the last few years and 99% of the men have treated her badly and this is probably down to her not being as fussy as I am. She definitely won’t be discounting any fat bald men soon though because she loves fat bald men and I don’t think she’d care about txt spk either. As for beards, she met someone with a beard recently and, although he shaved the beard off at her request, he dumped her after a few dates, so maybe I’m right to swerve the beardy ones.

Good things about dating when you’re older

It’s not all bad though. If you meet someone when you’re older, you’ve probably both got your own places so, if you stay together, this can be lucrative as one of you can rent your house out and move into the other, or you can sell both your houses and buy one big posh one. However, I would advise not selling both houses to buy one big posh one as, if you split up, you’ve then got all the hassle of selling the big posh house and splitting the money and having to buy a smaller house again. If you’ve both got your own houses and you split up, whoever owns the house you’re living in can stay there, while the other goes back to live in their own house (or sells it for a tidy sum and buys one mortgage-free at the seaside instead and banks the rest of the money. Ahem).

Despite my cynicism, dating in my 40s is a lot easier than dating in my 20s. I’m more comfortable with myself and I don’t have the same insecurities and to be honest, I’m perfectly happy sitting at home watching the telly with my cat.

The post Dating for the over 40s first appeared on JogBlog.

The post Dating for the over 40s appeared first on JogBlog.