Time Management 161 - Advice for

Hello everyone, this is Helen Huang @ Organizing, based in Beijing, China. In order to better learn and practice the YiXiaoNeng Time Management System, after finished publishing 100 Chinese articles, I decided to continue writing and publishing a daily English article in another 100 days based on the "YeWuBin Time Management 100 Episodes" audio program. Today is the 161st day.

Today's topic is: Advice for the Novice Runner

Your energy comes from your body. In the last lesson, I talked about the concept of the Jian Ai Running Step: run slow, so you ensure you don't get injured during training. For it is better to run consistently over time than it is run hard and risk injury. In this lesson, we'll talk about the different obstacles and challenges a runner will face while running.

First, what is the best time to run?

I have heard people tell me that running in the morning is not good because of the poor air quality, in China.  Yet, I've also heard running at noon is bad because of the strong ultraviolet light directly overhead. And finally I've heard it is even worse to run at night because you are left vulnerable to criminals as well as the danger of injury because it is difficult to see the changes in the pavement below you causing you to trip and fall.

Personally, I think when you run is not important.  What is important is getting out there at any time, so that you release stress and counter the sedentary activity of a busy work life.

Each different time of day has its own pros and cons. I suggest you run in the morning however, because you will feel your energy build up as the sun rises and this will bring you a good mood and an abundance of energy. Also, remember that exercise not only makes us healthier but promotes the secretion of endorphins like dopamine which makes us happier.

If you have no time in the morning to run, then it is ok to run in the afternoon or evening. Just run according to your own conditions and needs. If at all possible, I would suggest running in the morning. I believe you will find this is the best way to start a new day!

If you have already created a habit of exercising consistently, then I recommend you run 3 to 4 times every week. However, if you have not yet created a running or exercise habit, I recommend exercising consistently at a fixed time every day and continue this until your habit is formed.

The second problem I'm usually asked is how I can run so that I lose or even gain weight?

First, make sure you jog slowly using the Long Slow Distance method which will train your endurance. This will ensure your heart rate doesn't get too high. When your heart rate gets too high, it only takes a few seconds before you must stop or else fall unconscious. I often see runners faint and the reason is they have allowed their heart rate to rise too high.

However, the opposite can be a problem too.  If we allow our heart rate to be too relaxed or slow, then we will not burn energy and achieve the sole function of exercise. That is why I said that a warm-up before running is unnecessary. Run slowly for the first 1km, which is the best form of warm-up, and then speed up when you reach the second or third kilometer.

If you want to build muscles and gain some weight, particularly in the lower body, then just run a little faster. If you want to lose weight, then use a heart rate monitor or belt and keep your heart rate between 100 to 200 beats per minute.  This is the optimal fat loss range.  It should feel like you are running relatively slowly. If your heart beats more than that, then you will be burning carbohydrates rather than fat.

If you're interested in buying a heart rate monitor, I suggest you buy the"ALA" monitor and you can download the ALA coach APP which goes with it. This and many other heart rate monitors are on sale everywhere for about  about RMB 200 or about 30 dollars.  It has a detailed operating manual and it is convenient to use.

The third problem people ask me about is can you listen to music when running? I recommend not listening to music and instead put all your heart and soul into running, and use the time instead to practice introspection.

Well, get out there and start running. Best luck to you.

That's all sharing today. Thank you being with me together today. Have a wonderful day!