FEELING GREAT: Make sure that you don’t get caught in the ‘running trap’

“I call it the running trap, because running is just too convenient. Once you get into the habit of doing it, it’s very difficult to get out of it. Running requires very little thought or planning."

Let’s talk about a massive unhealthy habit – running! That’s right, running. Let me explain to you why and how it becomes an unhealthy habit.

It’s not uncommon for people to get into the daily habit of going for a run, and doing so is great for heart and lungs.

A quick run is perfect if you haven’t got much time on your hands to do some exercise like swimming or cycling, which might take a little longer. However, there’s a big but coming right up.

And here it is: one of the problems with enjoying going for a run or a gentle jog is that it’s very easy to become lazy about doing it. Not lazy in the physical sense of avoiding effort, but in the routine you get into. Going for a run requires very little preparation or effort and it’s over and done within 30 minutes or less.

I call it the running trap, because running is just too convenient. Once you get into the habit of doing it, it’s very difficult to get out of it. Running requires very little thought or planning.

Finish work, head straight home and put your runners on and then out the door. Within 30 minutes, your exercise for the day is done and dusted and the benefits felt.

Shower included, it probably takes no more than 45 minutes to feel as healthy as you want to feel for the rest of the night.

Because of the amount of endorphins (the feel-good chemicals which are released during exercise) running daily can very easily become an addiction (not just a habit). But here’s something to bear in mind that most people don’t know: long-distance, cross-country style running is great for your body’s strength and fitness, and even stamina, but it can have a negative effect on the flexibility of your joints and muscles.

It can further restrict the natural flexibility that you’re already losing on a daily basis, once you pass 40.

Here’s a few suggestions to mix things up. Swimming might take a little longer to get done, but it’s a great activity to increase your general all-round fitness.

Maybe add in a bike ride once a week, even a session of yoga and/or Pilates.

Because you’re having a couple of nights off from running, your joints are going to get a nice rest from the constant pounding it brings.

Best of all, doing it this way, you’re still working on your fitness and health in other ways, meaning your heart and lungs are getting the nice workout.