Start Cycling to Keep Fit and Have Fun

Staying fit should always be important, no matter how you do it. Some people take a long time to find the things they enjoy. There are so many things out there to try, though, so everyone should keep experimenting until they find something they love. Cycling has become much more popular since the last Olympics, and lots of people are taking it up. Many haven't been on a bike since they were children or teenagers and don't realise how fun it can be. If you want to start cycling for fitness, begin by doing the following things.

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Get a Bike

You don't have to buy a bike right away if you want to start cycling. It's possible to hire one in many places or to borrow one from a friend. If you're not sure whether you wish to start cycling, it's a good idea to do one of those things first. But if you want a bike that's tailored to your needs, as well as your size, you should buy your own. Consider where you want to ride before you get your bike. Will you be in the city or somewhere more rural? Once you've got your bike, it's a good idea to use a bike insurance comparison site. Protecting your bike against damage and theft is essential, especially if you've invested a lot of money in it.

Start Cycling to Get Around

The great thing about owning a bike is that you can use it for your commute and to get around. You can use it to get fit during the time when you would otherwise be sat in a car or on a bus or train. It's faster than walking, and you'll burn more calories too. If you want to make it easier to store your bike or carry it around, you might consider getting a folding bike. Start getting fit through cycling by riding to work and back, or just doing one length of the journey. You could take your bike with you for other things too, like going shopping.

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Cycle in Your Free Time

Cycling isn't just to help you get from A to B; you can also just do it for fun. There are several ways you can start riding your bike more as a hobby. You could take long bike rides through country lanes and forest paths, or even up and down hills and mountains. You might even get so into cycling that you decide you want to do some races. One thing you can do is look for cycling groups and events in your area.

Take a Spin Class

If you prefer to exercise inside, you can get on an exercise bike instead. Doing it on your own can be a bit boring when you're in the gym, though. Make it more exciting by looking a spin class to join in with. You'll have an instructor, and there's usually music and even lights to keep you motivated.

Cycling is an awesome way to keep fit, and it's easy to fit into your routine. Get on your bike today and you'll soon be cycling circles around everyone else.

Mylo's trail dog run of Top chief fort william

Mylo has been playing with the GoPro again and wanted to share his latest adventure with you all. How you like it. 

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Sports Injury Recovery: how to optimise and speed up the process

You may or may not know but I am a sports masseuse. I am always seeing people after a sports injury. No matter what kind of sport you take part in, accidents and injuries can easily happen. Not only can they be extremely painful, but some injuries are severe enough to put you out of action for weeks or even permanently. If you’re an active person, this can make you feel defeated and cause you to lose all motivation. But in some cases, the recovery process can actually to boost your determination and improve your technique. So use this guide to making a full recovery and come back better than before.

Get a sports injury diagnosis

If you’ve sustained an injury, the first thing you need to do is get with any sports injury is a medical diagnosis. Many people don’t seek this help straight away as they believe that their pain will eventually wear off. If the pain continues or gets worse, it’s vital that you get medical assistance. The doctors will be able to carry out tests to determine what is causing your pain and discomfort. This is also an excellent opportunity to think carefully about how the injury occurred. Maybe it was caused by another medical issue you have or perhaps it was just human error. Knowing what caused your injury can help the doctor prescribe the best form of treatment. Depending on how severe your injury is, you may need surgery, time off work and help at home.

Start a rehab plan 

Once your doctor has given you pain relief for your sports injury, the next step is to establish a suitable rehabilitation plan. This will give you assistance and support from experts who can help you start to regain movement and strength. This plan will include simple exercises that are tailored to you and your injury. As you progress, these exercises will get more challenging to encourage your body to regain strength and form. The physical therapist and trainers can also help you stop getting injured again in future by improving your balance and posture. They may even help you improve your technique too. Your rehab plan will take time, so it’s important to remain patient even though you will feel frustrated at times. Having a supportive team around you will give you the motivation you need to continue. 

Sort your nutrition 

Recovery like training is not all about the physical aspects. Your body needs different vitamins and minerals to help the recovery processes and to perform at prime capability. It is important to know what your body needs to keep it performing at its optimum to accelerate the healing process and maintain health and fitness. Where to start with nutrition can be overwhelming. I recommend starting with vitamin and nutritional testing. This will give you a baseline of what your body requires. This will give you the right stepping stone to the best recovery process. Get 15% discount from Healthlabs on any of their extensive range of health testing. This is the best time to really learn about how your body works and what vitamins and minerals you need not only for the recovery process but for future training. 

Don’t push yourself 

No matter what sports injury you have sustained, it’s important that you don’t rush your recovery. This will only increase the risk of further injury and damage being caused to your body. We all heal at different rates, and it’s important to allow your body to heal fully before rejoining your sport. Keep yourself preoccupied during your recovery to stay enthusiastic and focused. You could enlist the help of a personal trainer to help you continue to build up your strength. You may even want to use this time to help coach sports teams in your local area. this will keep you involved with your team or sport whilst recovering from your sports injury. This will stop you feeling like you are missing out. 

Once you feel back to normal and have fully healed, there is no reason why you can’t rejoin your team or coach. Just remember to pace yourself.

the healthiest careers do you have one in the list?

The key to choosing the perfect career choice for you is to select something that you are passionate about and that you are going to enjoy doing for the rest of your life. It is also a good idea if you can find something that promotes your well being, as this will enable you to have a happy and healthy lifestyle. With that in mind, read on to discover more about some of the healthiest career choices.

1. Chiropractor – Chiropractors spend all of their days helping others. They alleviate pain and help to get rid of stress. They are also advocates for good body practices and healthy living.

2. Counsellor – There are many different types of counsellors available today. There are diet counsellors, who help people to develop healthy eating and fitness habits. There are also counsellors that help people with mental health issues. You can take an online masters degree in counselling if you wish to go down this path. After all, being healthy is not just about having a healthy body, but a healthy mind too, and so this is certainly one of the best career paths to go down for overall well-being.

3. Massage therapist – Is there anything better than making someone feel good about themselves? This is what a massage therapist spends his or her day doing. Not only this, but the sole focus is on relaxation. You will be working in a relaxing environment, which will make you feel better about yourself.

4. Nurse – There is no denying that being a nurse is stressful, but most people would agree that the positives outweigh the benefits. After all, what could feel better than saving someone’s life? Moreover, as a nurse, you will learn all about healthy habits. Maintaining a good work-life balance can be difficult, though, and this is something that will need to be managed.

5. Yoga instructor – This is another type of profession that is all about relaxation and getting rid of stress. Yoga teachers live healthier lifestyles and they practice meditation regularly. This is definitely one of the least stressful jobs you will find!

6.  Nutrition or dietician – Last but not least, experts in food know exactly what it takes to fuel the human body. All of the knowledge you pass onto your clients is something you can apply to your own life as well.

As you can see, there are a number of different options available to you when it comes to healthy career choices. No matter whether you decide to become a nutritionist, a chiropractor, or something else mentioned on the list, you will have found something that allows you to be healthy and happy while helping other people to be so too.

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Improving Your Daily Commute

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The daily commute is a major source of frustration for most of us. But since it is a necessary evil and something which you spend so much of your time doing, you may as well make it as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. So, let’s look at just a few of the best ways of doing this.

Listen to Audiobooks or Podcasts

To get yourself mentally stimulated for the day ahead, listening to audiobooks or podcasts is a great way of engaging your brain in a wide variety of different subjects. And with so many different shows and books out there, you have an endless source of entertainment and distraction right there at your fingertips.
Or go old school and read a book.

Plan Your Time

The daily commute provides the perfect opportunity to make plans for the week ahead - or even further in advance. There are plenty of admin-based tasks which you could take part in such as writing out your weekly shopping list or making a household budget. To give yourself something to look forward to, why not start planning your holiday? Otherwise, you could make a simple plan of the days ahead of you, which helps you to feel like you have a greater degree of control over your life.

Use it to Reduce Your Stress Levels

We all live busy and stressful lives these days. And rather than letting your commute add to these stress levels, you could instead use it as an opportunity for some self-care. Perhaps you could practice some meditation. You may simply want to listen to your favourite tunes or unwind with a good book. Otherwise, you could indulge in some escapism like the Final Fantasy 15 exclusive mobile game. Your commute should act as decompression time which gets you ready for the day ahead and relaxes you at the end of it all.

Make it Leisurely

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The worst part of a commute is the feeling of rushing around and the high levels of stress which inevitably come along with this. And while it may feel unpleasant to wake up earlier in the morning, you will feel a lot better about the day ahead if your commute is better. Another alternative could be to look into is the different forms of transportation out there. Perhaps you could look into public transport so that you don’t have to worry about driving. Otherwise, maybe cycling is an option, which also has the advantage of giving you that much-needed exercise in the morning.

Find a Different Route

Switching things up and finding a different route to work is a simple method of improving your daily commute. Not only are you changing your surroundings, you may also find a route which is more enjoyable. And you never know, it may even be quicker!

How To Get Beach Body Ready In Less Than 6 Weeks

There're so many different types of health and fitness plans out there on the internet - sometimes it can be hard to tell what works, and what doesn’t. That’s why I’ve put together my top tips to get beach body ready in less than six weeks.

Nobody said it was going to be easy. So get prepared to throw on your trainers, empty the junk cupboard and eat healthily. You’ll have the perfect beach body you always dreamed of, and you'll feel amazing!

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Mix up your cardio

Whether you enjoy swimming, running or cycling - always mix up your cardio exercises. Not only will you be working different parts of your body, but you also won’t get bored doing the same workouts. This gives you a great opportunity to try new sports, too!

Create a meal plan

Getting a fabulous beach body doesn’t come from just exercising on a regular basis. Eating smart is crucial to getting a flat tum and a tight bum. Clean out the treats cupboard, don’t shop when you’re hungry and stick to healthy meals.

There are heaps of printable meal plans available online. Fill it out with some of your favorite healthy meals or find some available online. Once you've filled it out, stick it to your fridge and don’t stray from it.

Join a fitness class

Committing to a weekly fitness class is a great way to motivate yourself. Get in touch with your local fitness club and see if there are any sessions that you can join. I recommend a spin and circuit class because these are perfect for losing weight and toning up.

Create a motivational board

It’s easy to lose sight of why you’re pulling yourself out of bed in the morning to go for a run or going to an exercise class. Creating a Pinterest motivational board will help keep you focused. Pins can include healthy meals, model inspiration or training routines.

Get a personal trainer

Nothing is more motivating than getting a personal trainer. You’ll get a plan tailored to your body, and they’ll motivate you to push yourself to the fullest. If you’re looking for quick results, and you're serious about getting fit, this is a no-brainer.

Team up with a buddy

Sometimes it’s too easy to make excuses, renege on going to the gym, or to have a cheat meal. If you team up with one of your friends or your partner, then you’ll find it a lot easier to commit to your plan. You’ll have someone to share your achievements with, and someone to keep you company at the gym.

Track, achieve, reward

When you’re working towards a goal, it can be difficult to see the progress that you are making. Remember to always track how far you’ve come and set yourself milestones. Each time you hit one of these achievements, treat yourself. Whether it’s a naughty low-calorie dessert or a new bikini for the beach - you deserve it!

cycling adventure In The North Pennines

The Mighty Pennines

For walkers and cyclists, heading to the North of England could make for the perfect adventure. The North Pennines can be the greatest escape for anyone looking to remove themselves from city life and focus on their own wellbeing. The Pennines gained the title Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1988 as it is one of the greatest landscapes in the UK, so if you haven’t been already – you’re really missing out.

But what makes the ‘mighty Pennines’ worth visiting?

Depending on what you plan to do there, whether you’re a hiker or a cyclist, there will never be a dull moment. With the stunning views that this heritage site provides, you will constantly be pushing yourself to find the most magnificent spot – although this could prove to be difficult as the entire area is breath-taking.

This place can be challenging at times, but that seems to be the core reason as to why people keep returning regularly to head out and achieve more of their goals. The North Pennines has heather moors, peatlands, dales, meadows, upland rivers and woodland areas, meaning you have plenty to explore when you get there.

With the help of Leisure Lakes Bikes, we’re going to plan your entire itinerary. So, grab your cube mountain bikes and hiking boots and make your way to this stunning part of the country to create everlasting memories…

Where to start?

One of the better cycle routes in the North Pennines is the Wear & Rockhope Valleys, as it has a bit of everything. From the Burnhope Reservoir to Lintzgarth Arch, the beautiful scenes will encourage you to keep pedalling and complete this trail.

You should begin at the Durham Dales Centre in Stanhope, so if you’re staying for the night you might want to book a hotel close by where you can relax after that long ride. The Durham Dales Centre is home to a gift shop, craft shop and tea room, giving you the opportunity to have a warm drink before you set off on your journey.

Beginning your journey

Once you’ve got your bike ready and you’re all prepared to leave, exit the Durham Dales Centre and follow the A689 towards Stanhope Town Hall – don’t be tempted to stop at the Stanhope Fish and Chips shop, you need to stay focused.

Continue to follow this road and you will eventually come to a bridge that you need to cross. Proceed in the direction you’re currently going in, before taking your third right and following the road upwards. You will pass Greenfoot Hotel and Greenhead Farm before eventually reaching Rockhope. If you need to have a break in Rockhope, The Rockhope Inn would be the ideal place to stop. It has outdoor seating so you can grab a drink and freshen yourself up.

Once you’ve passed Saint John’s Church, continue forward where you will then reach the town centre. Here, take your second left, following the main road channelling the Rockhope Burn river where you will come to Allenheads. Once you’ve reached Allenheads, a stopping off point would be the Allenheads Inn as it a popular destination for cyclists and hikers alike.

Once you come into Allenheads, take a right and stay on the B6295 road and you will be in Cowshill. In Cowshill, the only place you will be able to stop at will be the Cowshill Hotel. Fortunately, they are more than welcoming to cyclists who are stopping by for a well-deserved break. After this visit, follow the road downwards where you will come to the A689 road — remain on this road and continue to Ireshopeburn.

Then you will cycle past St John’s Chapel and Daddry Shield — make sure to stay on Pleasant Road and not divert onto any other route. This area is full of different cafes and pubs, including Chatterbox Café, The Golden Lion and The Blue Bell Inn. You will then reach Brotherlee, where you need to remain on the road that you’re currently on and eventually you will pass Horsley Hall – a country hotel. Continue following this road and you will reach a bridge crossing the River Wear. Take the right onto the B6278 here and you will be back in Stanhope!

To complete your journey, take a right and head back towards the Durham Dales Centre and relax!

How long will it take?

The entire distance to complete this route is 24.36 miles. If you’re completing this at a speed of 10mph, you should complete this in 2 hours, 26 minutes. For those who are a bit quicker, at 13mph you will reach the finish line in 1 hour, 52 minutes.

At 19mph though, you will complete this course in 1 hour and 16 minutes. If you’re going 22mph, however, you will complete this cycle route in just 1 hour and 6 minutes.

Any challenges?

Hills can be a test for some cyclists and depending on the weather conditions, these can become even more challenging. Fortunately, we’ve listed these in advance so that you know what you’re in for:

• The Brandon Walls and Hill Top has a height of 1570ft and will take 2 miles to complete.
• Rookhope Head has a height of 1745ft and will only take 0.75 miles.
• Burtree Fell has a height of 1836ft and will take up 1.8 miles of your journey.

Source:

http://www.explorenorthpennines.org.uk/

http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=42072

http://www.northpennines.org.uk/