DHARAN: The 7th Dharan Run, which is being organized every year since the last seven years, is going to be held on March 9, 2019 in Dharan. The marathon to begin from the Yalamber Community Park will cover a distance of 10 kilometers passing through Tinkune and end in Bhanu Chowk.
The marathon to be organized by Newa Charity Dharan and managed by Key Entertainment (P) Ltd. is expected to be participated by more than 5,000 enthusiasts this year, according to Santosh Rai, the organizer.
The amount collected from the event will be used for social welfare, Rai said.
Dharan Run aims to promoting a healthy lifestyle among the youths as well as to raise funds for charity. “This is a means to motivate the youth and the younger children to live a healthy life,” Rai added.
The event is being sponsored by Nepal’s one of the largest steel companies, Aarati Strips Pvt. Ltd. Other sponsors of the event include Prabhu Bank, Yeti Flooring, Nepal Telecom, among others.
Age is no bar to participate in the event. The concept, in fact, was inspired by runs that Santosh Rai used to participate when he was in London. Rai’s initiatives has inspired a lot of youths in Dharan.
Pretty soon, gyms might start losing their members. With Wifi, a smartphone and a bit of floor space at home, you can now YouTube your way to fitness.
Or can you really?
Last week, a friend of mine called, complaining of knee pain.
Not a fitness buff, and after giving birth to two lovely children, she had piled on more than 30kg and decided it was time she shed the excesses to usher in her 50th birthday in 2019.
Due to her size, she was too intimidated to sign up for a gym membership or hire a personal trainer. Not a nature lover either, she opted to learn from the Net.
As a newbie embarking on an exercise programme, the poor woman had no clue which videos were suitable for her except that she wanted quick results. Body awareness and alignment were furthest from her mind.
Monkey see, monkey do – you’ve heard the term before.
What happens? The chimp gets injured, of course!
Today, there are more than two billion free fitness videos on YouTube channels and countless more on social media platforms devoted to everything from weightlifting to aerobics, high intensity interval training, yoga, Pilates and more.
A lot of these videos have a tendency to make false claims that delude beginner followers into thinking they can transform their bodies just by doing 10 minutes of something (e.g. trimming, toning, tightening, etc) a day.
Or a four-minute workout that replaces one hour in the gym.
If only it were that easy, we’d all be looking like super toned models.
Better yet, I found one with three million views that suggests a workout before sleep to slim down the legs. All it takes is three minutes and you can do it in bed.
Midway through the exercise, the commentator asks, “Are you sweating and feeling the burn? That’s a good sign!”
Do you really want to sweat in bed performing non-intimate activities when you should be relaxing before drifting off to sleep?
My friend diligently followed a six-minute one that had 20 million views.
I took a look and it wasn’t too bad. You needed to perform the routine three times a week.
The problem: it wasn’t intended for beginners (although it claims to address beginners) because the host was obviously targeting the fit to get fitter. And you would have to have some knowledge of muscle groups to work efficiently.
For example, when words like “strengthen your quads and hams” are mentioned, the majority of netizens have no clue what muscles these are and where they are located. There were a series of squats and push-ups thrown in the mix.
Being a novice, the friend tried to follow as much as she could because she was motivated by how easy the instructor made it look.
Three months later was when I received her “busted-knee” call. She had a slight tear of both her knee ligaments (meniscus).
On the positive side, she managed to lose 4.5kg, so hooray for that. However, she has to wait until her knees heal before resuming exercise again.
YouTube videos do not allow the instructor to see you, check your form, and offer modifications or corrections based on your performance.
This means you could inadvertently perform exercises incorrectly, or even unsafely, without knowing it.
This is particularly concerning for beginners and those recovering from injuries, as they’re more likely to perform exercises incorrectly, especially squats and planks.
Fitness is a burgeoning industry, online or offline. There is tons of money to be made and stars to be uncovered.
These days, unlike the traditional workout video, where weight loss and fitness was the goal, consumers are logging on to their favourite fitness vloggers for a more intimate and interactive experience.
According to Flurry Insights, which analyses mobile app data, health and fitness app usage rose 62% in the first half of 2014, and it’s growing at a rate 87% faster than that of other industries.
A 2015 study by researchers at the New York University School of Medicine revealed that more than half of all smartphone users had downloaded a fitness or health app.
Yet, our society continues to be obese.
Before you get started on a new fitness regimen, get clearance from your doctor about what’s safe for you and your size. This is especially important if you’re pregnant, injured, ill, or have limited mobility for whatever reason.
Don’t wait till you bust a body part.
(Agencies)
If you want to boost your health, but resolutions seem too daunting, then read on for five easy ways to improve well-being each day and throughout the coming year.
Cut Out Soft Drinks
Even making small diet changes can boost health, and cutting out soft drinks and other sweetened beverages are one of the biggest small changes you can make, reducing both calorie intake and sugar consumption. A high intake of sugary drinks has been linked to a variety of health problems, including increased risk of diabetes, chronic kidney disease, lower chance of getting pregnant, an increase in visceral fat (the type of fat that wraps around internal organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines), and even an increased risk of death.
Walk More
If the thought of a gym membership or marathon training is too big a fitness goal, simply walking more will still bring benefits for health. One study found that walking at least four hours a week, or just 35 minutes a day, may reduce the severity of a stroke, and walking to work has been linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and death, with an even lower risk for those who also walk in their leisure time.
Picking up the pace can also bring extra benefits, with walking at an average pace linked to a 20% lower risk for all-cause mortality compared with walking at a slow pace, and walking at a brisk or fast pace reducing the risk even further, by 2%.
Get Some Daylight
Getting enough natural daylight has previously been linked with a lower risk of depression, a lower risk of postnatal depression in women, and more recently, with improved eye health. Previous research has suggested that getting outdoors in the morning is most beneficial; those who struggle to get outside are advised to open the curtains at home and sit by windows in offices to try to maximize the amount of light, or use light therapy lamps to help fight depression in winter months.
Enjoy A Massage
A massage is a great way to help you de-stress, which is important for health, but recent research is suggesting the benefits may go further than simply helping us to relax. A recent study also linked regular massages with improved arthritis symptoms, while a study published back in 2014 also suggested that shiatsu massage could aid sleep.
So if you choose just one way to improve health this year, booking yourself in for a massage might be the most enjoyable one.
Visit Blue And Green Spaces
If you live in the countryside, this one is easier, but even in a city, most of us have access to blue spaces, such as lakes and rivers, and green spaces, including parks and nearby forests. Taking in these locations can not only help you get more active through walking, but many recent studies are also uncovering a variety of benefits from being near nature and natural space, including fewer respiratory problems, reduced risk of breast cancer in women, improved mental health and a lower risk of depression, as well as improved overall well-being.
(Agencies)