5/15 Keep Running

Have read an interesting article which suggests that leptin levels (a hormone associated with weight management and appetite) must stay stable to maintain health. This can be brought about by eating fish soups with citrus juice, getting enough sleep and not binging.

Went running with Corneli, although felt extremely hungry and sleepy. I didn't want to go to bed at 9pm and then be wide awake at 3am, so decided to go, even though I am still sore from Monday's pullups.

Took it very very VERY easy.

Run: 5.5km
Time: 41 minutes
Heart rate: 131 average (just one beat higher than my goal, which is fine)/162 max
Kcal: 611
Temperature: it's chilly at night now, even in a long sleeve shirt. About 17-19C

I thought I'd do just 5 pullups, but felt strong enough for a few more. Didn't want to push for 10 because I'm going to swim tomorrow.

Pullups: 7

Going to try to run on every weekday, except Wednesday's, when I'll be swimming. Let's see if I can...

Oct 10, 2005 NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - How much you exercise may be more important than how hard you exercise in terms of heart health, according to a study of sedentary overweight men and women. And, many will be happy to hear, exhaustive amounts of exercise are not needed for heart health.

In journal CHEST, researchers from North Carolina report that people who walk briskly for 12 miles per week or for about 125 to 200 minutes per week will significantly improve their aerobic fitness and lower their risk of developing heart disease.

"Anything beyond walking briskly for 12 miles per week, whether increasing your intensity or the amount of miles, has additional benefits," Brian D. Duscha from Duke University Medical Center in Durham who was involved in the research said. "So there is a separate and combined effect."

He also emphasized that the 12-miles-per-week walkers in the study improved their fitness without losing any weight. "People need to know: even without losing weight, you are getting significant benefits by exercising - you're improving your fitness level, decreasing fat and increasing muscle and improving your lipid panel - so don't stop exercising," Duscha said.