6 Bad Habits That Make You Likely To Miss A Run
These common routines and habits may be sapping your will to lace up and get out there day after day. Time to ditch them.
1/ You skip breakfast
Maybe you’re not hungry, maybe you’re too busy, but it’s a bad move if you want to run later, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The researchers found that breakfast-eaters were more likely to exercise (and burned nearly 200 more calories during the morning) than those who skipped breakfast. For an energising brekkie that keeps you feeling ready to run all morning, aim for slow-burning protein and fat; bacon and eggs, avocados, cheese and yoghurt. Don’t tell us that doesn’t sound good.
2/ You take your own tweet time
There’s only so much time in the day, so the minutes (or even the hours) you spend on social media take away from the time you spend in your running shoes. Research at the University of Ulster found that the more time study participants spent on social media, the less likely they were to exercise.
3/ You live to work
Getting your kays in is easier when you’re not tethered to your desk. When you’re on email all day, worried about deadlines and living in fear of your boss, your training schedule may get shunted onto the back burner. A study at Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil, found that the more job stress people experience, the less likely they are to exercise. If work regularly robs you of the will to get out there, schedule your run for the morning, before work takes over and ruins everything.
4/ You’re a night owl
If you think a hard and fast bedtime is only for the most compliant of toddlers, think again. ‘A good workout starts the night before,’ says coach and personal trainer Aja Davis. ‘If you’re watching TV or on your computer until late in the night, you won’t feel restored and refreshed the next day.’ Poor sleep wreaks havoc on the body and the mind. It leaves you more susceptible to illness and injury, and reduces motivation, found research at Saarland University, Germany.
5/ You don’t take breaks
You’ve probably heard that ‘sitting is the new smoking’. There are numerous convincing reasons why parking your derriere for eight hours plus a day is bad news for your health, and research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that those who do so are less likely to exercise. To combat the ill effects, take frequent breaks to stand up, stretch and move around.
6/ You take two painkillers and wait till the morning
Hangover, neck pain, sore knee… dealing with pain can become a daily habit that stops you from getting your heart rate up, but try this motivational tonic: exercise. Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise makes us more tolerant of pain and discomfort in the long term.