Ready, Set, Go! Starter Tips For Newbie Runners

There’s nothing more naturally healthy than running. If you’re looking for a frugal way to keep fit or merely a new hobby, this could be it. Of course, starting any new regime can be hard. Luckily, though, there are some easy starter tips that you can try for yourself. Here’s just what you need to know if you want to literally hit the ground running. 

Learn How To Warm Up (And Cool Down) Properly

When you’re new to the world of running, it can be tricky to make sure you remember the basics. If you fail to warm up and do the proper stretches before running and cool down afterward, you could leave yourself open to all manner of health complaints. It’s not safe and it’s not okay. 

Warming up will ensure that your muscles are prepped for the hard, endurance work that you have ahead of you. Then, as you start to become tired and need to rest, you need to be careful and cool down at a rate that suits you. Getting this just right is a fine balance, but once it’s done, you will find that your running schedule improves no end. 

Try Wearing Some Minimalist Training Shoes 

Of course, you’ll want to make sure that you have just the right shoes for your new found hobby. If you just go with any old trainers, you could be doing yourself a disservice. Instead, you need to take the time to find some that suit you. 

According to a study conducted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, running in minimalist footwear can help boost the volume of your leg and foot muscles. If you happen to be looking to strengthen your muscles, you may just have found the ideal way to do it. Take some time to find the footwear that suits your style of running before you start. 

Slow & Steady Wins The Race 

One of the major mistakes that every single new runners makes is trying to go too fast too soon. Sure, you may want to dart about the place like Usain Bolt, but doing so is just not practical. The most likely thing that will happen here is that you will end up causing yourself an injury and putting yourself out of the game completely. Nothing could be worse than that, right? 

So, if you want to work at being the very best runner you can be, you need to go slow and steady. That means picking up your speed just a little each time that you train. If you do so, you will find that in time you end up being stronger and faster than you ever imagined possible. 

Take Care Of Your Weak Points 

There’s no great shame in having a weakness. We all have them. If there’s an area of your body that needs a little extra support, providing it for yourself ahead of time is the smartest thing you could ever do. It just makes sense. 

For example, let’s say that you have a weak or achy back. Looking up the 10 Best Back Braces for Running before your first session will be a huge help. The very last thing you want to do is end up causing yourself more unnecessary pain in this area. So, the sooner you solve the problem, the sooner you can continue jogging and running. Simple. 

Create A Training Journal Or Log 

At first, you may find that your progress feels rather slow, which can be off putting. That’s why it may help to keep a log or journal of each run that you do. In doing so, you will see that things are getting easier and easier with each step you take. 

In fact, a recent study from the American Psychological Association found that monitoring your progress when it comes to goals significantly increases your chances of reaching them. So, go ahead — get started and get writing! 

Find A Buddy To Go Along With You 

There’s one thing that many new runners overlook; training alone can be a little isolating. If you’re the type of social creature who always needs a friend by their side, there’s absolutely no reason that you can’t have one. 

Making running into a social activity will not only make it more enjoyable, but it will also likely encourage you to go even when you don’t want to. Ask around and find out if any of your closest friends or family members fancy taking up a new sport. If they do, you could make training together a regular feature in your weekly diary. What could be better? 

Set Small Goals & Smash Them 

Finally, here’s one of the most important tips that you will hear. You have to set goals. Starting any fitness project is pretty much pointless if you don’t have a goal in mind. For example, you may want to run a certain distance in a year’s time or you may wish to train for a specific event. 

Having that goal or target in mind will help you keep your eyes on the prize. That means that when things start to get difficult and you want to give up, you will have the motivation to keep going stronger than ever! Control your destiny!

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Juice & Smoothie Recipes For Health! 4 Great Options!

Contributed by Samantha Zeigler, Frugal Fitness Running Advisor, & Author of Running and Cupcakes

I love juice and I love smoothies. I also love being healthy. But really, who doesn’t? No one likes to be sick.

As a marathon runner I have to pay special attention to all of the signs when I feel like I’m getting sick. Any type of illness could put a damper on my training.

After fighting and fighting with a head cold, and finally visiting the doc last week, I realized what I should be doing.

I should be taking in more vitamins the natural way – through fruits and vegetables. But I can’t just sit and eat apples and bananas and handfuls of spinach all day, now can I?

Enter – Juice. And smoothies. I’ve been drinking my fruits and veggies every day for the past week – I kicked the cold, and I feel great!

I don’t know if the juice/smoothies and kicking the cold really go hand in hand, or if it was more of a coincidence – but what harm can eating drinking more fruits and veggies do?

Here are a couple of my favorite recipes for you to try! If you try them, I’d love to know what you think.

Sam’s Protein Smoothie (1 serving)

I drink this every day for breakfast.  I also use it as a recovery beverage after a hard workout, if I’m home.

Ingredients

• 1 Scoop Protein Powder of your choice (I use Unflavored GNC Pro Performance 100% Whey Protein – it has no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, and no preservatives).
• 1 cup frozen fruit (Pineapple and cherry are my two favorites).
• 1 cup orange juice or milk (I use the oj – it gives it a nice fruity flavor. I buy OJ that’s fortified with calcium and vitamin D, so I don’t worry that it’s lacking essential vitamins. I just don’t like the milkshakey texture it has when made with milk).
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (Chobani for me, of course).
• 2 large handfuls baby spinach

Place all ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth.

Looking for antioxidants? Try this:

Blueberry Immunity Booster (Approximately 2-3 16 oz. servings)

 (Here’s a great article on the health benefits of Blueberries)

Ingredients

• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 apple or pear
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 cups crushed ice
• 2 large handfuls baby spinach

How you prepare this one is entirely up to you. I don’t own a juicer – so this comes out pretty pulpy. For this recipe I don’t mind – since it’s just like drinking juice with the pulp in it.

Either way – combine all the ingredients and either grind up in the blender until combined, or process all the ingredients through your juicer (If you use a juicer – either refrigerate, serve over ice, or blend with crushed ice before drinking.)

Coachy’s Carrot Juice (Approximately 3-4 16 oz. servings)

This recipe comes from Coachy. You definitely want to use a juicer for this recipe or somehow strain/press it after the ingredients are chopped up and blended. I drank it chunky and it was very, uh, fibrous. 

Ingredients

• 2 apples
• A pile of carrots (Coachy’s words, verbatim. I think I used about 6 large carrots)
• 1/2 a lemon
• Shredded ginger (to taste)

Combine all the ingredients and either grind up in the blender until combined, or process all the ingredients
 through your juicer. Don’t forget my warning above. 

Chunky carrot “juice”

Coachy’s Carrot Juice Smoothie (One serving)

Okay so the smoothie is actually my recipe, but I didn’t have a creative name for it. Since the base of the recipe is Coachy’s Carrot Juice, we’ll let him have some of the credit. 

Ingredients

• 1 scoop Protein Powder of your choice
• 1 cup Coachy’s Carrot Juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• 1 cup crushed ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

I have been trying to drink at least a glass of one of the juices (the ones that are not my daily smoothie) every day. If not more. Especially now – I just ran my 18 miler and my 20 miler is this weekend. That’s a lot of time outside, on your feet, in the elements, running your body into the ground. Best be prepared, right? After New Orleans, I’ll be recovering for a couple of weeks, and then jumping right back into training for Cox Rhode Races. There’s only 9 full weeks between Rock N Roll New Orleans and Cox Rhode Races. No time to be unhealthy!

I hope you’ll give some of my recipes a try, and let me know what you think!

Do you have any juice recipes you’d like to share?

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I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

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- Weightlifting Beginner Tips To Know

- 7 Day Beginner Weekly Workout Split

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