Guest Post: James McGrath is the owner and editor of Supplement-Deals.co.uk, which provides price comparisons of bodybuilding supplements including the popular Peak Body Pro 50 Bars and other whey powders, creatine’s and fat loss products. Don’t forget to check out his writings on the sports nutrition blog.

Running is one of the best, most complete exercises for improving general fitness. It works legs the most, but also has an impact on your back, your core, chest, arms, and the cardiovascular system. Running is also one of the easiest ways to get exercise; and you don’t need a lot of special equipment. A good run can be enjoyable and fun as you move through your town or city — or as you run down country roads. Running can be great for increasing your level of athletic ability, losing weight, and making sure that you stay strong and fit — at all ages. As easy and straightforward as it is, there are a few things that you should know if you are just getting started with running.

Clothing and Accessories

First, you will need to have the right shoes. Good running shoes will be very light; this is so that you are not expending all of your energy bringing your legs up off the ground but are instead putting it into forward motion and increasing your speed. Running shoes should have some ankle support, especially if you are running outside, but should not go so high up the ankle that they add a lot of weight. They should also have some way to breathe through holes in the sides or top so that your feet do not become too hot and contained. Most good sports stores will be able to advise on a good pair of shoes for running, even better are specialist running stores which can measure the shape of your foot and recommend the perfect pair accordingly.

Next, you will want to have the right clothing. If you’re not running competitively but just to get exercise, do not worry about tight, aerodynamic clothing — however, you may want to get this if you do plan to start running competitively because the right clothes can help shave seconds or more off of your time. The most important thing to have is a good pair of shorts. Make sure they are not too heavy or bulky; also, make sure that they have a draw string so that they are not moving excessively while you are running. You want them to be tight so that they are not going to fall and cause you to trip. You can wear any sort of shirt, though a sleeveless shirt is often best so that your body doesn’t overheat.

Depending on the climate you are in, you may wish to wear a light, breathable jacket which will help keep you warm whilst your body warms up, but prevent overheating later into the run.

Finally, you may want to consider compression socks. These socks are tight near the knees and grow loose as they go down to the foot. They promote better blood flow in areas far away from the heart, helping your muscles to get the blood and oxygen that they need so that you can run better and recover faster.

What Schedule To Start With

Start by running three days a week, an amount that will give you fast, consistent improvement without taxing the body too heavily. Take a day off in between each run to let your body recover. Running on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday will give you a schedule that is easy to remember; this also gives you an extra day of rest on the weekends, which can be very nice especially for beginners and can help you fight mentally through the Friday run.

The first time you go out, pick a distance to shoot for. If you have never run before, it might be a good idea to only run a mile. You can work your way up to longer distances later as you get in better shape. Pick a spot that is roughly a half a mile away from your home, turn, and come back. Do this every day that you run until you feel that you are ready to increase the distance. Remember not to run too far too soon, because you will have to walk back if you become too tired to keep running, which will make you more likely to give up.

Where To Run

If you want to run outside, it’s best to stay close to your home when you are first getting started. If you want to run two miles, for example, do not run a mile away from your home unless you are sure that you can get back. This is true in the city or the country. Just run a half a mile away, come back, and then repeat the process if you are still feeling good. This is not to make it so that you will quit, but to make it so you are not a long way from home if you decide that you can’t carry on.

If you want to run indoors, you can get a membership at a local gym or YMCA. Every good gym will always have treadmills that you can practice running on, while watching television or listening to music. They will often have tracks made of heavy rubber; these have some give and are easier on your knees than sidewalks. Older folk or those with weak legs or knees may be best practising on a treadmill first to get a feeling for how your legs will cope running on hard ground or pavement.

Safety Tips

For most, running is a perfectly safe activity, but accidents and injuries do happen. Take note of the safety tips below to reduce the chances of an injury.

• Do not try to do too much at first; work your way up to longer runs.
• In the first few weeks, stay close to home in case you need to stop.
• Drink lots of fluids before and after.
• Eat no less two hours before you set out.
• Stretch properly, for at least ten minutes beforehand.
• Listen to your body, take a break if you need it.

Almost any town or city will have several established running clubs. Just search your location + ‘running club’ and see what’s available near you. Running clubs can be invaluable to the beginner, and most members will be happy to provide tips and advice including where to run, timetables of local races and more.

And Finally…

Have fun! With a little preparation and planning, running can be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding exercises around.

As you progress along your program, whether your primary aim is to build muscle or lose body fat, you absolutely must be on the lookout for some of the signs and symptoms of overtraining syndrome.

Those who become overtrained often have to take weeks if not months off of their training entirely in order to recover, so this isn’t something that you want to be taking lightly.

What’s more is that if you are on a fat loss diet plan, your risk of overtraining will be amplified due to the fact that you are taking in less fuel and therefore your body just doesn’t have as much energy to deal with all the stress that is placed up it.

Since prevention is always the best medicine for overtraining syndrome, knowing the signs to watch out for beforehand can help you curtail the problem before it gets too large.

Let’s have a look at the most important things that you should be on the lookout for.  If you notice any one of these starting to creep up and see that they are persisting past a day or two, it’s time to take some action immediately.

A few days off now could save you from taking weeks off down the road.

Lost Desire To Train

The very first and most obvious signal of overtraining is if you have no desire to workout at all.  While this could just be an issue of poor motivational levels, if you’re normally all excited to get into the gym for each workout and then find you just can’t even muster up the energy to drive to the gym, something bigger may be at play.

Motivational issues tend to only occur for a day or two while you’re in that ‘funk’ where you just don’t feel like it, but when overtraining is at work, you may find that you don’t have desire for a week or longer.

Loss Of Appetite

Second, another sign that overtraining could be setting in is if you experience a lack of appetite.  While you would normally see an increase of appetite with elevated training levels, when your appetite level declines, that’s when you know a problem may be brewing.

This is especially problematic if it’s also accompanied by a rapid weight loss as well, as that could indicate that you’re losing lean muscle mass.

Take note though that sometimes lack of appetite isn’t always the problem and in some cases it could be an increase in appetite, so watch out for that as well.

Really, any major change of appetite should be noted and when seen, you should look for underlying causes.

Poor Sleep

Third, if you’re normally a good sleeper but lately have been finding that you can’t get to sleep or stay asleep, that’s another sign overtraining could be taking place.

Again here, most people would think that overtraining would mean you’re so exhausted all you want to do is sleep, and sometimes that’s the case as well, but for most people it’s more of an issue that they are exhausted yet can’t get the sleep that they really need.

Low Libido

The next sign of overtraining that can come about as things progress along is a very low libido level.  This is also commonly seen as you do proceed with low calorie diets and as you reach a state of being a lot leaner so also evaluate whether that could also be taking effect.

Those who are on the verge of overtraining however will notice that they just don’t have the desire or interest in these activities any longer.

Elevated Resting Heart Rate

Finally, the last thing to check to see if you are becoming overtrained is your resting heart rate.  If you take your pulse first thing before getting out of bed in the morning on a regular basis and then notice at one point a large increase in this pulse, that’s a strong signal that something may be wrong.

This is something that you should always be monitoring every so often as you go about your training program as it does tend to be one of the first indicators that you may be doing just a little too much and should back off slightly.

So there you have the top things to remember about overtraining. If you can catch it before it becomes too serious, there is a very good chance that you’ll quickly be able to get it under control without having to take that extended break away from your workout regime.

Guest Post Bio: Adana is a fitness enthusiast who loves hitting the gym & owns a website offering high quality adjustable dumbbells for sale.

A regular exercise routine is a critical part of maintaining your weight and of staying healthy overall. Many people start out strong, but have difficulty sticking to an exercise plan.

If you’re one of those people, take the time to ask yourself some serious questions before you begin, once again, to try and tackle an exercise program. If your exercise program is not suited to your personality, your lifestyle and your preferences, it’s doomed to fail.

One of the big questions you’ll need to ask yourself is where you should be working out. Some people have far better success in a gym, while others do much better at home. Here are some things to consider.

You’re Better off Working Out at Home if:

• You’re self conscious about your weight and how you look in front of others
• From a budget perspective, paying gym fees will be stressful
• You sometimes just have 10 or 15 minutes at a time for working out, so you like to break your workout up into short segments
• You spend most of your day at home anyway
• You have other issues, such as child care, that make it tough to get to the gym
• You enjoy working out alone

Of course, some of the answers to these questions can be a little misleading. For example, just because you already spend most of your day at home, doesn’t mean you should be working out there.  Some people who work at home, for example, really love heading out to the gym because it breaks up the day, gives them a chance to get out of the house, and helps them focus on their workout without being distracted by the things going on at home.

You’re Better off Going to the Gym if:

• You can never seem to get a good workout in at home because you get distracted by other things before you’re finished
• You enjoy being around other people when you work out, or you enjoy group fitness classes
• You really like changing up the equipment you use, so you could never afford to equip your home gym with everything you like
• You’re out and about anyway and enjoy the stop on the way to or from work
• Knowing that you can work out any time at home only makes you put the workout off indefinitely

Fitness centers are still big business, and many people say that they would be lost if they couldn’t get in their trip to the gym. However, today’s trend is definitely toward working out at home.  This trend is likely due, in part, to the declining economy leaving fewer people with the disposable income for gym fees. It really is much cheaper in the long run to buy some equipment for your home than to pay monthly gym fees indefinitely.

Another popular trend is a hybrid of these two workout scenarios. Many people are choosing to have some fitness equipment at home and perform most of their workouts there, but to also sign up for some classes away from home. In particular, Zumba classes and boot camp style fitness classes are soaring in popularity. Zumba is an aerobic dance class that focuses on Latin style moves. Boot camp classes are intense fitness classes done in a military style that whip you into shape quickly with whole body workouts.

Classes like these are the perfect compromise for many people. From a time and money commitment, they are short term, and less expensive than joining a gym. At the same time, however, they give participants a chance to socialize with others and give them a nice break from working out at home every day.

Taking the time to determine the right location for your workouts is an important step toward creating a routine you can stick with. Working out isn’t supposed to be a chore, so find the right place that makes it fun and comfortable for your personality and your lifestyle.

Guest Post Bio: Edward is the website owner of BuildMuscle.org, a website offering free tips on how to build muscle.

There are a bunch of fitness applications that you can use to keep you on track when working out. If you own an iPhone, there are many free applications to choose from, and can help you record your progress. I’m personally an iPhone user so I use a bunch of them.

For running, I use the Nike + iPod and Couch to 5K apps to help me keep track on my running distances. They also allow me to see how much I’ve progressed over time. If you’re training for a 5K, the Couch to 5K app is great for you!

The great thing about apps are that they are free to inexpensive, and you can keep track of your progress. We’re all different, and have different goals so of course we’re not going to be using the same apps. I know not everyone has an iPhone, but there are apps for other phones like the Blackberry, Android, or other mobile phones. Of course there are other ways to keep track of their workouts besides using apps.

Do you use a fitness application, or another way of keeping track of your workouts? How has it helped you?

The first time I joined a gym on a monthly basis was when I moved to Florida. I knew that I wanted a gym that provided a variety of options to work out with as minimal extra fees as possible. I enjoyed having the option of working with a trainer, or attending a fitness class or just working out on my own on a machine at this gym. Unfortunately, going to the gym was a challenge when I became stressed due to work and other life happenings. So I had to quit.

I opted to using workout DVDs instead. I didn’t have to worry about a gym membership fee, and I had a variety of DVDs to choose from. I liked the fact that I could pop a DVD in when I felt like working out and that was that. Sometimes its better to get some kind of direction to keep you motivated. I feel that workout videos do the trick, since you are directed to do certain exercises and moves. Really good workout DVDs keep you motivated and teach you a thing or two about the exercises you’re doing. It is also really easy to turn off a DVD though, so you really need the willpower to just finish!

However way you exercise, make it work for you! Convenience is definitely important, but of course, you need to enjoy what you’re doing and remember you’re doing it for you!

How do you workout? Do you go to a gym, work out using DVDs, or just go outside?