There’s a lot of debate out there about how to approach each of them.  Running is obviously a huge step in the right direction when it comes to getting enough physical activity, but what about your approach to diet?

There’s a whole industry out there dedicated to solving the diet problem…some of it is great information and some of it is complete bunk.  We’re not about to get into the “best” way to manage your food intake, but we will say this: if managing your weight is a priority for you, it’s important to get a handle on how many calories you’re taking in each day.

That doesn’t mean you have to become a compulsive calorie counter, keeping track of every bite that enters your system…at least not long term.  But you’d be surprised at how many absent-minded calories you can eat over the course of   the week without really thinking about it.

Maybe you’re taking in a few hundred while snacking in front of the TV or maybe that home-made dish that you absolutely love just has waaaay more calories in it than you thought.  Things like that can add up fast and before you know it you are taking in more thoughtless calories in a given day then you are burning even during a long, tough workout.

If weight loss is your goal, try keeping track of your calorie intake for just a couple of days so that you can get an idea of where you stand.  There’s a good chance you’ll learn something, whether it’s a time of day that you’re vulnerable to  unhealthy snacking or just a new way of looking at your daily portions.

In general, people do a very bad job at guessing what their daily caloric intake actually is.  Consider doing a little homework to find out for yourself.  Nutrition information is now available for pretty much everything and a quick web search can usually help you fill in the blanks.  It doesn’t have to be something you do forever, but a few days worth of information can really improve your diet.

While you’re at it, keep an eye on what food groups your hitting each day, too!

Even among those of us who do take the time to get warm, quite a few don’t really  focus on doing a thorough job and getting it right.  Think of yourself as a car that’s been sitting overnight.  You don’t just fire it up, rev the motor a couple of times and consider it warm.  If you watch the temperature gauge, it actually takes a little while to build up heat.

Your body is the same way.  Jogging for five minutes or doing some jumping jacks  simply won’t get your body temperature up to where you want it for a hard run, especially if it’s cold out.

Some things to keep in mind during your warm up:

You should sweat.  Consider those first drops of sweat to be like your car’s temperature hitting that little hashmark in the middle of the gauge.  If you aren’t breaking a sweat, you aren’t quite warm.

Breaking a sweat can be tough.  There’s a good chance that you’ve never really broken a sweat during a warm-up.  That’s because for most of us, it does take a little bit of work to get there.  Make sure you’re dialing up the intensity to get where you need to be.

There’s more than just jogging.  Remember, you don’t have to break a sweat with jogging alone.  Try some quick, high-intensity moves like pushups or cruches.  Bootcamp is full of good ideas for this.  If you are running (or even running in place) do high steps, getting the knees up higher than your belt line.

You can do it inside.  Warming up out in the cold can be tricky because (A) you’re fighting the air temperature as well as your resting body temperature and (B) as you do warm up, you end up wanting to shed layers that you’re now stuck with five minutes down the road.  High-intensity running in place (again, high knees) or other stationary exercises are great ways to get your temperature up before you step into the cold.

Image Credit: UjENA FIT CLUB

Hal Higdon has been an inspiration to countless runners and is the architect of Bluefin’s full and half-marathon programs.  This week Bob Anderson, founder of Runner’s World, published an interview with Hal on his blog UjENA FIT Club as part of their ongoing series featuring 100 iconic athletes.

At Bluefin we credit Hal with giving runners of all ability levels the motivation, inspiration, and training tools they need to be successful.  We’re honored to have his experience and training plans (not to mention voice!) as part of our running apps.

This great in-depth interview is well worth a look.  Let us know what you think!

Two seconds ago you probably weren’t really thinking about it, but if you focus your attention, you can become more aware as you inhale and exhale while you’re reading this.

The same thing can happen while you’re running.   Maybe you go a good long stretch with your breathing on complete autopilot, but at some point you might become suddenly (and sometimes uncomfortably) aware of your own huffing and puffing.

It can be a little frustrating, because what is ideally a mindless function turns into the only thing you can think about.  And like a lot of things, breathing is one of those activities that we tend to do best when we aren’t actively thinking it through.

So what’s the best way to breathe when you’re in the middle of a run?  Here are a few quick tips that can help you refocus, stay efficient, and get your mind back on other things (like the finish line).

Open your mouth.  You can’t maximize your air intake with your nose alone.  Breathing through your mouth is better than your nose, but ideally you’ll get to a point where you can breathe freely through both at the same time.

The scientific formula looks something like this: More air flow = good.

Think deep.  As you fatigue, it’s easy to start breathing quick, shallow breaths.  This is at best inefficient and at worst a recipe for  hyperventilating.  Even if it goes against your physical instincts, force yourself to breathe loooong and slooow. Inhale over two or three steps and exhale over two or three steps.  Music can help.

Adjust your pace.  If you really can’t get a handle on your breathing, chances are that you’re moving at too aggressive a pace.  When it becomes difficult to breath slowly and consistently, it might be time to dial back on the intensity a little…unless the finish line is in sight.

The bottom line is that you want to make sure you remain in control of your breathing and that you can keep breathing in and out efficiently and without putting an unnecessary drain on your body as it’s trying to fire on all cylinders.  If you consistently have trouble getting a handle on it, think about trying yoga or even simple meditation.  Both can help you become more aware of your body, lungs included.

January can be a tough month for runners.  You feel motivated and pumped about the new year, but a lot of us are waking up to icy sidewalks and frigid temperatures.  Sometimes this translates to a gym membership and a lot of time staring at a treadmill monitor.

Don’t end up in a rut.  If you’ve joined a gym, remember that there are tons of activities available beyond the treadmill.  Get the most for your money by mixing it up with these alternative workouts.

• Hit the weights.  You don’t need to be a body-builder to benefit form a little weight work.  Squats and lunges with light dumbbells are a great place to start.
• Run some laps.  Lots of gyms have a nice, synthetic track that you can run on.  It’s a closer simulation of outdoor running than a treadmill and can be surprisingly fun.
• Go for a swim.  Swimming is one of the best cross-training activities there is.  Even if you’ve never swam laps before, you might be surprised at how quickly you end up feeling like a pro.  (A little pool work can also give you the confidence you need to tackle one of those triathlons that always catch your eye…)
• Take a class.  Most gyms have all sorts of classes and organized activities taking place throughout the week.  Pick something that interests you — dance, martial arts, yoga, spinning — you name it.  You’re already there…might as well take advantage of everything the place has to offer!

Haven’t joined a gym?  Be sure to check out our Bootcamp app for a bunch of full-body circuit exercises that can all be done right at home.

Readers, how about you?  Any favorite gym activities that you’ve been enjoying lately?

With Bluefin programs, you’re spared a lot of the guesswork of coming up with workouts, but there are still some small tweaks you can make to your routine that can help you prepare yourself for those longer distances.

Hydrate differently.  Longer distance work means (obviously) longer runs and more time out there sweating and losing hydration.  That makes drinking plenty of water that much more important.  Just remember, we’re not talking about guzzling right before your run.  Hydration needs to be an all-day affair.  If you do want to go heavy on the water at some point, make it a little while after your run, not before.

Cross-train.  A 5k pace is pretty good for building the muscle you need to run 20 or 30 minutes with pretty good intensity.  At longer distances, it becomes more important to mix it up with things like weights, circuit work, or just fun sports and activities that add some variety to your week.  Doing this will not only help you get stronger than you will by running alone, it will also help protect your body from repetitive-motion injuries.

Gear up.  If you are doing more and more distance work, it’s probably safe to call yourself a serious runner.  If that’s you, don’t be afraid to invest in the things that help you perform well.  Don’t just ignore annoyances like chaffing, scratchy layers, or ill-fitting clothes.  Even if it’s one small piece of gear at a time, get what you need to feel good while you work out.

Change your music.  We’ll end with an easy one.  When’s the last time you refreshed your playlist?  You might find that different kinds of music (and differently ordered tracks) do a better job of focusing and motivating you through your run.  Experiment a little and see what you think.

How about you?  Any tips for helping developing runners go the extra mile?

This week Ease into 5K hit the Amazon Kindle store and can be downloaded for just $0.99 (limited time introductory price).  Just like of our iPhone/Android apps, the Kindle version will keep track of your workouts and time your intervals for you.

If you’ve been holding out for a plan on a platform other than your phone, this might be the one for you.  Or, if you’ve got friends or family who have been watching you get fit and wishing they could jump on board, this could be a perfect introduction to running for the e-bookworms among them.

Obviously the Kindle isn’t designed to fit in a palm or a pocket the way your phone is, but it’s still more than capable of keeping you company on the treadmill.  You’ll also be able to enter your pace, weight, and other stats into the workout journal for safekeeping.

Looks familiar, right?

You guys have been amazing with your feedback here and on Facebook and Twitter.  We wanted to make some changes that would not only improve the look and feel of the blog, but also make it easier for you to weigh in on the topics you care about.

It’s great to hear what you guys have to say and we love to follow the discussions that unfold online.  The more we can prompt conversations and encourage the exchange of tips, advice, and success stories, the better job we’ll be able to do coming up with regular new content and bringing you the latest in what’s happening in the world of running and fitness.

We’ve made it easier to comment and discuss posts and adjusted the navigation so that we can start rounding up our archived content in easy-to-find places.  The idea is (with your help and support) to build a solid resource online that we can come back to again and again.

Hope you enjoy.  Tell a friend!

No commitment required.  Of course you can do Bootcamp as regularly as you would Ease into 5K or any of our other programs, but it’s designed so that you can complete a one-off workout whenever you’d like.  You’ll have a full set of go-to workouts without feeling like you need to commit to a robust program.

You can do it anywhere.  Bootcamp exercises can be done anywhere you have a few feet of space to move around; no weights or equipment required.  If you’re travelling, stuck inside, or for whatever reason can’t get out and run, circuit training is a great plan B.

There’s variety.  Bootcamp isn’t just one set of workouts.  There are plenty of circuits to choose from, whether you’re trying to burn fat or target and tone a specific muscle group.  And if you need to customize beyond our standard group of workouts, you can always make your own (see next).

Build your own workout.  Creating your own circuit is as easy as dragging and dropping exercises from one side of the screen  to the other.  You can even name your custom workouts and save them for later.

It’ll make you a better runner.  Circuit training (and cross-training in general) will help you strengthen your body beyond what you’ll get from running alone.  Not only can you greatly strengthen key muscle groups like your legs, you can also strengthen your core, improve your posture, and fine-tune your balance – all things that will make you a faster runner.  You’ll be less prone to injury, too.

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