While food in most cases is the number one marker in making a difference to health, exercise comes a close second, and depending on the disease, can even come first in helping to regulate the body’s natural immune system. 

Whenever you are physically active – going for a walk, a run, riding your bike, going for a swim or attending a dance class – your muscles release substances which affect the immune system, so you get an anti-inflammatory effect. Studies have proven that patients who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis feel less pain when they exercise regularly than patients who don’t exercise. So exercise not only makes our heart, lungs and muscles stronger, it also helps in boosting the immune system.

In autoimmune diseases suspected to be caused by the person being overweight, in particular too much visceral fat (the fat around the organs), like scleroses, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1-diabetes, weight loss can aid in prevention or worsening of these conditions.

Finally exercise can also work for some people as a stress reliever. A Swedish study has shown stress to be a significant marker for autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, lupus, type-1 diabetes, scleroses and inflammation in the intestines. 

For these reasons alone exercise is worth prioritising in your life, especially if you are susceptible to inflammation and/or autoimmune disease.

So what kind of exercise does science recommend? The short answer is any and all. 

Whether you are going for a 20 minute brisk walk every day, lacing up your running shoes, dancing or lifting heavy things, your body will respond by producing endorphins to lift your mood, your heart and lungs will be strengthened and your muscles will produce anti-inflammatory substances.

If you are suffering from arthritis in your knees or hips, running might be too much, as this type of exercise is the one which takes a heavy toll on the joints. Likewise if you are suffering from arthritis in the shoulder region, you shouldn’t lift heavy weights above your heart. 

So what can you do? Pilates or Yoga are great exercises to strengthen the muscles, ligaments and bones in the affected areas. Also moderate weight lifting can be helpful.

How much and how often? Thirty minutes daily activity is a golden guideline. This can entail everything from going for a walk, vacuuming, gardening or biking to work. The 30 minutes can even be broken down into three 10 minute parts to make good on your health. So in short, the 30 minutes daily activity doesn’t require you to change into gym clothes or go to a certain place to be active. You can make a conscious effort to implement daily activities at home, walk the dog for at least 20 minutes, go for a 10-20 minute bike ride. Just by cleaning or gardening a couple of days a week you will have your every day activity goal fulfilled. 

It is recommended that you get your heart rate up for 20 minutes twice a week. This means you would have trouble speaking or catching your breath during the activity. Aside from joining a gym or an exercise class, you could just put on some good tunes and dance for 20 minutes, run or jog, take bike rides, go swimming or play ball. 

If you can only fit in activities a couple of times a week, keep doing it and make the best of it (move as much as you can). Any activity is better than none. Look below for important pointers your training should include to maximise the effect on your health.

Important goals for your training should list improvement or maintaining of muscles and tissue (ligaments, tendons and bones). 

Goals should also include movements. If you stop using your body: bend and stretch, move joints in and out/turning – they will lose their flexibility and you will find your movement range diminished, making it hard to comb your hair for example, or pick up stuff from the floor. 

Stiffening in the joints can be caused by inactivity. The cartilage in the joints can be compared to a sponge, which absorbs fluid when you rest and pushes the fluid out when you perform an activity that puts stress on the joints. If you stop moving or bending, turning, stretching your joints, the sponge will ‘dry out’ and the cartilage will stiffen. Therefore, the cartilage in the joint needs you to move and exercise.

Moderate weightlifting is great for keeping the cartilage, muscles, tendons and ligaments active. You can work with your own body weight or invest in a couple of dumbbells or a kettlebell. You don’t need a huge selection or a gym membership to improve your health.

You should be able to perform 12-15 repetitions for three sets with the chosen weight or body weight. Remember to execute the exercises with correct technique to get the maximum benefits. For example, if you are doing push ups it is important to keep your core engaged while moving the body up and down. 

Also, if walking is your chosen activity, send a thought to your core and straighten up. Walk tall, with your chest up, back straight and shoulders relaxed.

To sum up: You can improve your health – even if you suffer from an autoimmune disease or inflammation – by incorporating exercise into your daily life. Finding the right exercise for both your liking and the condition is key to improvement. 

I hope I have provided you with inspiration to find your path to a more active life and if you are already active, I applaud you and hope you enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle.

Questions and comments are as usual welcome to @trainwithadane on Instagram or taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com

It’s true that it’s hard to get started on any type of training, however it is also true that it’s hard to lose your mobility and muscles, which is what happens to our bodies in the autumn of our life. The good news is that it’s never too late to start to move again.

Nina is an amazing 72-year-old lady, who only took up sport after her children became teenagers. Today she is still running track races in her local running club. I met Nina for the first time three years ago on her way to a local 10km race.

“I picked up running when I was 40. Before this I did a bit of yoga and played badminton but up until a friend asked me to go running with her to lose some weight, running was just a sport that I was fascinated by,” shares Nina.

Nina and her friend started out slowly, going from couch to 5km. “First we ran 100 metres and little by little we got up to 5km. We ran the same route, in the same pace for four years. Then we joined the local athletic club and our training became a bit more structured and I started to participate in races. I joined my current running club six years ago and I really enjoy the community.”

Nina developed a love for racing after she ran her first marathon just six years after she started running with her friend. In total she has run an astounding 19 marathons. 

“My best marathon was probably at age 50, where I ran the 42.2km in three hours and 42 minutes, but otherwise the NYC Marathon is my best marathon memory. It was such a special feeling running through the different boroughs. Putting the race-number on my shirt and the buzz of being a part of a bigger race. For years I did two or three big marathons a year and enjoyed the competition that’s involved with racing.’

Like many of her fellow runners, Nina has experienced a devastating injury, which kept her sidelined and, at 59, it would have been easy to give up and throw in the towel. “Two years after NYC Marathon I got a really bad injury, which kept my feet off the road for about two years. I gave away all my running gear, I didn’t think I would come back and couldn’t stand to see other people running. I was devastated. Slowly by nurturing my injuries and eating pretty healthy, I have been able to work my way back to running and today I have a better knowledge of my limitations, the dos and don’ts. I am grateful I can still run today.”

Nina still competes, chasing the club record for her age category (70-74-years-old) on the track and also still entering local shorter races. However her main objective has taken a more social angle. “Running today is more about the social aspect for me and less about competing. I really enjoy the runs with my club. We talk, share stories, problems big and small, and simply enjoy the sense of community you find with likeminded people. Running is uplifting for both mind and spirit and I can’t recommend it enough.”

Nina’s best advice for people, regardless of age, who want to pick up running, is to take it slow. “Take it step by step. Don’t rush yourself into harder, faster workouts than your body can handle. You need to build your base slowly. Also find people who are running the same pace as yourself and go out together. It’s often easier to get up and out and more enjoyable with company.”

Nina runs about 30km a week.

So if you are reading this and wondering if you can pick up a sport – any sport – as a 40, 50, 60 or 70 year-old, then the answer is yes. You can always start training. Take it one step at the time, go slow and don’t push too hard and your body will thank you for it. You will start to feel physically better and stronger, mentally more confident and fresh. These benefits come at any age, but in the autumn of our lives it becomes even more important to keep our muscles, ligaments and tendons strong and working. They let us be healthy, mobile and independent long into our senior years and that is worth spending time on.

I hope you will take Nina’s inspirational story with training and start writing yours, if you haven’t already. Training is not just for kids and the Instagram/ Social media generation. It is important and beneficial at all ages, and perhaps even more in the autumn season.

Comments and questions are as always welcome at @trainwithadane on Instagram or taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com

Spring is officially here and, with brighter and warmer days, we feel the need to spend more time outside. This spring and summer you can make the most of your outdoor time by using your surroundings for training. I hope you can find the inspiration you need in this guide to  get ready for a beautiful summer looking and feeling great, fit and strong.

If you are in the habit of going for walks or runs, you can easily adapt your trips to include strength training. Just dress in clothes you can move around in and bring a bottle of water with you if you can. If you don’t go out, you can do most of these exercises at home. But I genuinely urge you to add walks, jogs or runs to your weekly routine. Being outside, closer to nature will lift your mood, strengthen your immune system and make you more aware of your environment.

Below you’ll find my suggestions to add strength work to your walk or run routine to help you build muscles and burn more calories.

Benches can be used for Dips: Sit on the bench and place your hands palms down on the bench, fingers gripping on the edge of the seat. Scoop your behind off the bench, lower yourself towards the ground, by bending your arms by the elbows, use your arms to press yourself up to bench level again.

A good beginner set would be 3 x 10.

Big tree trunks can be used for standing push ups: Stand an arm-length or a bit further (so you’re leaning towards the trunk) from the tree. Bend your arms by the elbows and lean your weight against the tree, push slowly back to your start position. 

Again do 3 x 10 repetitions if you have time for it (watch for splinters).

Sand dunes/small hills: Walk/run briskly up and walk down. This will strengthen your legs and feet: Quads, hamstrings, glutes and achilles and ankles. Walking/running uphill is a  replacement for weight exercises such as squats. Depending on the height of the dune/hill you could do anything from 3-10 repeats. 

Other environmental tools: Fallen tree trunks (narrow), stripes on the road, small puddles or smaller rocks can be used to jump across either with feet together or as a scotch hop. If you feel the trunk or rock is too high or too broad, then jump next to it and just use if for measure. This exercise will get your pulse up and strengthen your fast twitch leg muscles. A workout could be 3 x 10 with feet together or 3 x 10 on each side. 

If you are walking by the ocean side, on one of the rock beaches, you can skip stones off the water. Or practice throwing long or hard (provided nobody is in the water of course). Another exercise to include for upperbody is to find a solid branch (or a metal bar at a playground) and do pull ups/chin ups. 

A full body exercise which involves arms and back as well, is to roll /flip rocks. Simply squat down, grip the rock lift and flip or just lift, stand up and put back down. 

For rock throwing/skipping I’d suggest 3 x 10 turns each arm, or 3 x 12 with your weakest arm and 3 x 10 with the strongest.If you are new to pull ups/chin ups, I suggest you just hang and practice grip strength or work to failure (till you can’t do anymore). For the fullbody lift or flip, I’d suggest 3 x 5, depending on the size of the rock. If it’s light you can do more than five repetitions. 

I want to point out that the most important thing is to have fun with your activities. If you’re walking or running with someone, ask them to get in on the games with you. If you’re on your own, make it a game for yourself, become better at different exercises week to week. Enjoy being outside, enjoy being able to move and enjoy the thought that these games will help make you stronger and thus improve your life. 

Questions and comments are as usual welcome at
@trainwithadane on Instagram or taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com

By the time you are reading this, January will have passed and left a blazing trail of ‘new me’s’ in the gyms, on the roads and in the sport clubs. If you are someone with a New Year’s resolution involving a healthier, fitter life, read on for more tips and tricks to stick to in order to reach your goals. If you’re just here by chance or curiosity, your time will likely be rewarded too.

Let’s take it from the top. You’ve made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight and start exercising and live a healthier life. You might even have committed to a ‘dry’ January. If you’ve been consistent with your training, eaten pretty healthily and dropped the alcohol for a month, you are bound to get results. How much and for how long is a different story.

There are three hurdles which can stall weight loss or the feeling of progress.

Quite often the body will react to changes initially, which shows in a noticeable weight drop. If you have started exercising and cutting out unnecessary calories, you are in a caloric deficit, which means you burn more calories than you consume, so you are losing weight. 

It’s basic math and, most of the time, this is exactly what happens. However losing weight is not a linear journey for most people. At some point your body gets used to the lower caloric intake and will slow metabolism to preserve the nourishment. While we are very much living in a time and place in the world where starvation is very rare, our bodies are built for a different time and place where running out of food is an option and therefore must be conserved efficiently. 

Secondly, if you are suffering from longterm stress, the weight loss could stall due to rising levels of cortisol, which affects metabolism, increases appetite and often sends cravings for fast energy fixes such as sugar, fast food and chocolate. 

In this scenario the usual ‘calories in – calories out’ math doesn’t work anymore, unless we’re talking extremes, which should be avoided at all cost, since this can damage your health. In extreme cases  this can mean fatigue, menstruation issues for women, hair loss, damage to nail and teeth and loss of muscles.

The third obstacle, which can mess up even the best diet or exercise plan, is lack of sleep. In a lab study for weight loss between people who get 8.5 hours of sleep versus 5.5 hours, the results were remarkable in that while both groups lost the same amount of weight (ca.3kg); the big difference was that people who got 8.5 hours of sleep lost 1.4kg of fat vs 0.6kg of fat for 5.5 hours, of the 3kg dropped for the two weeks the lab study lasted. Considering that one of the kilos lost is most likely water weight, 1.4kg of fat loss is a very good outcome.

Equally important as the quality of the weight loss, the group who lacked sleep had a higher production of the hormone grehlin. 

Grehlin is the hormone which signals to the brain that the stomach is empty and it’s time to eat. In other words it controls the feeling of hunger. Lack of sleep makes the production of grehlin higher than normal and makes you feel more hungry, which can lead to eating more. 

And as if this wasn’t enough bad news about lack of sleep, your muscles won’t repair or grow as well on a few hours of sleep at night. You can train as much as you want, but without proper sleep, you won’t see the best results.

What can we do to stay on track for weight loss and a better health journey?

If sleep and stress are under control, then it might just be your body stonewalling the weight loss because it got used to your diet and exercise. A way to trick the body is to switch up the form of exercise. Introducing HIIT (High intensity Interval training) is a good way to do this. If your training already incorporates lots of cardio with high heart rate zones, you can add weightlifting to your regime. Muscles burn more calories than fat.

If stress is a big obstacle, the general advice is to take care of your mental wellbeing first. If the standstill adds to your stress, the advice is to cut down on your training sessions and/or intensity and try not to be too hard on yourself regarding diet. This is of course a very difficult situation, as changing training and diet plans can add to a feeling of stress in itself. So try first and foremost to yourself grace in this period. If the situation which causes you stress can be resolved this will be your best solution. If it’s something outside of your control, you can work on accepting this and try to find ways to minimise the stress. Or simply accept that your weight loss will be slow in this period, but keep training for all the other reasons, rather than just to lose weight: Being active, if you run/walk/bike outside – enjoy the closeness to nature – learning new movement patterns, becoming good at your sport, enjoying increased serotonin production (feel good hormone).

For lack of sleep there are many roads to take. If you exercise in the evening, try to find time to do it earlier on. For some people the endorphins/serotonin from exercising can interfere with their sleep. If you’re watching TV or looking at screens get into the habit of shutting them off at least an hour before bedtime. Also you can try to avoid caffeinated drinks from the afternoon on.

Regardless of what obstacle you are facing, don’t give up. Losing weight and implementing healthier lifestyle choices isn’t a linear process from A to B. It can be a very winding road,  and sometimes you feel like you’re running around in circles, are stuck in the mud or flying high on a summer breeze. And it’s all part of the journey. So stick with your goal, adjust when you have to, be flexible but consistent and don’t forget to enjoy the journey. You will reach your goal and if you’ve found the road positive and fulfilling, rather than restrictive and tough, you are most likely to succeed in the longterm.

For questions, comments, a like or a follow or idea on a topic; find me on Instagram @trainwithadane

As I look forward to the year ahead, I reflect on the one just past. Not since I first stepped into a boxing ring with the intention to beat my opponent, have I had such a dedicated momentum of training as in 2022. This was the year where my three-year-old obsession with running culminated with completing both my first and second marathon. By sharing my story with you, I hope to inspire you to make your dream a reality, set goals and believe in yourself enough to fulfil those dreams in 2023.

Running a marathon wasn’t my dream when I started running back in 2019. I started because it was a convenient way for me to keep fit and get fresh air. After being in a hospital room with my son for almost a year, I needed to move both body and soul. Running was the answer. Minimum investment of time, not having to depend on a trainer or a class and I got the best ‘payout’ in return: Increased fitness, fat burn and mental happiness.  About once a week, I would go to the local track and do 10 x 100 metre sprints, followed by a couple of push ups or burpees. It was a fantastic recipe of working at high intensity for a short time, with a big benefit.

I was very content with these short track sessions and it wasn’t until Liam suggested doing a ‘Miler-program’ with him, that I started to even consider doing longer runs. 

At first, my longest run was 3 km. It didn’t seem to be necessary to run any longer when the goal of the program was to run a fast mile (1.6 km). I remember stating loud and proud that I was only going to run 3 km. That was enough in the summer of 2019. Then autumn arrived and a 5K race took place not far from us. I’m not sure if it was the lure of getting a medal or just to see how I would actually do on the distance that made me sign up, but I did. It was horrible! It was hard, lonely, and my ipod broke after the first five minutes, so I was without music. I remember running the streets thinking, I had to be there soon, but instead the course just seemed to go on and on. My finish time was within the 30 minutes I had set for myself as a reasonable time, but I was destroyed.

Instead of walking away from running all together, I took part in a new race about two months later. It was a charity race hosted by some of the people who had supported us during our son’s hospitalisation. It was another 5 km race and a possibility to get under 25 minutes: A new goal I had set for myself after completing and surviving the first 5K. 

On accomplishing that goal, running became a part of my life and routine. Three or four days a week, I would lace up my shoes and go for a short run. I even talked a mom-friend into starting running with me and, in the winter of 2020, I found myself talking us both into joining a local half marathon. 

As we trained, our longest distance was 18 km, a long way from the original 3 km I had told the world (or whoever wanted to listen), was the maximum distance I was willing to run. We ran our half marathon in a virtual race during the end of Covid lockdown in May 2021 (no limit of time or distance being spent outside).

This long prologue is to paint you an accurate picture of when and how I started my adventures with running. I was far from a natural and didn’t even enjoy running far (more than 100 metres) when I first sat out. But as I kept finding a new goal, running became a consistent part of my life. And I’ve taken both pride and joy in lacing up, two to five days a week, through the seasons. Through rain, snow, storm and blasting sun and all the days where the weather is just perfect. 

Even as life threw curve balls: sickness, sick child, holidays, family obligations and injuries and forced unplanned off-days on to the schedule, I laced up afterwards. And I am – like most humans – inherently lazy. However the freedom and time outdoors that running provides spoke louder to me than the comfort of sitting down. So, after each planned or forced break, I got up and started again.

The first seed to run a marathon got planted when I interviewed Jette Schmidt, the woman who runs 100-mile races. During our talk, I mentioned the longest distance I had run was 27 km, which was peas compared to her 160 km. She noted that if I could run the 27 km race, I could run a marathon. 

The seed was planted. Could I really run 42.2 km? Running 27 km had been hard, really hard. But so was the first 5 km race. As time passed, the seed took root and I decided to give it a try. And more than a try. I’d find a plan and stick to it to finish my first marathon. Late January 2022, I began following a generic marathon plan from Garmin. 

Everything went smoothly until I was hit with Covid in the beginning of March. That took a week off my schedule, then my son got sick and another week was off. I could have thrown down the towel and called it quits, backed down from the marathon and not many people would have blamed me. After all, two weeks without running was going to set my preparation back. But at this point running had become a steady part of my daily life, that as soon as we were both good, I went back on the road. And why not continue with the plan? Longer story told very short: This was how my marathon preparation went, small hick-ups on the way, but a steady, consistent effort got me to the starting line and four hours later with a big smile and a surprisingly well feeling, body over the finish line. 

This is my story, from a 100 metres to 42.2 kilometres. Your dream doesn’t have to be about running or even related to physical activity. The same recipe applies: Set a goal and find a plan to reach it. Follow the plan, be consistent. Don’t be discouraged by changes, accept them and move on. Turn every setback into a comeback. And remember the most important thing: The journey is as much reward, as reaching the goal. 

I hope you have found inspiration here to step by step set a goal, make a plan and make it happen. It is my biggest wish to share the feeling of overcoming and succeeding in the art of goals with you. And if you need someone to be accountable with, share your goal with friends and family you trust to support you. You’re also welcome to send me a line, and maybe your story will be on these pages next!

I wish you a brave goal for 2023.

Stories, questions and comments are welcome at: taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com or via Instagram:
@trainwithadane

December is often filled with extra chores – cooking, baking, cleaning, shopping for presents and so on – so I don’t blame you for thinking there is no time for anything else this month. It’s the reason so many of us wait until January to do something for our health!

However, with my Christmas calendar, you can start right now and keep going through December and into the new year. It demands a minimum of time and effort and you are largely free to decide what kind of activity you want to do.

This calendar asks for 10 minutes of your time, six days a week, and 30 minutes one day a week. This is of course minutes outside of your already busy life. So, if you already walk the dog for 10 minutes, three times a day, you could then go for a fourth time or spend the minutes on something else.

  It could be something as simple as going for a short, brisk walk outside your home: Five minutes in one direction, return and walk five minutes back. The 30 minutes could be a longer tempo walk. 

You could also cycle, or put on a few tunes and dance around in your living room. You could spend the ten minutes doing push-ups. Start your month by doing them from the knees, taking as many short breaks as you need. With time and practice, the need for breaks will be fewer and you will soon be able to do a few push ups at a time from the full position. 

You could also practice the art of the perfect squat (and hold something over your head to maximise the output of this exercise). Count to five while going down and up, making sure you are in full control during the whole of the movement. As you progress through the month, you could pick heavier objects to lift or stay longer at the bottom.

Jumping jacks or burpees are another full body exercise, which you can do in the comfort of your home. Doing them for ten minutes straight will be very hard, so what you can do is choose to do five or ten in a row, then take 10-30 seconds break and then another handful. 

Finally there is also the choice to mix everything up. Do exercises one day, go for a walk the next, do an extra vacuum of the house on the third. 

So why this ‘Do it Yourself Calendar’ in the busiest month of the year? First of all to attend to your health. Your fitness, muscles, ligaments, bones, heart and lungs will thank you for the extra attention. Our bodies were not made to sit still from dawn to dusk, even if it can sometimes feel like this is all we want to do. We were meant to move. Movement creates serotonin production in the brain, one of the feel good drugs, which makes us feel good: Good about ourselves and our effort, good about life and others. It helps us see the world in a better light.

Secondly, and just as important, following a calendar like this will help you carve out some time to yourself every day. Even it’s just ten minutes, it’s still your ten minutes. Not to be disturbed by others, by the smartphone, the tv or your computer. Don’t dismiss the good of taking a small bit of time to yourself. As we grow up and get responsibilities, time to ourselves is growing smaller and smaller. Setting a goal to fulfill a Christmas calendar like this allows us to say, ‘No thank you’ to other distractions for the short amount of time there is dedicated to each day.

My hope for the calendar is also that this will create so much positive energy in your life that the activities you choose will become routine and habit that will serve you long after Christmas.

For inspiration I have put together this example:

Monday: 10 minute brisk walk **

Tuesday: 10 minute different exercises (Push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, lunges, burpees. Do three and take 30 seconds rest, then another three until the 10 minutes are up)*

Wednesday: 10 minute dancing or brisk walk

Thursday: 10 minute brisk walk or biking **

Friday: 10 minute different exercises (If you chose push ups on Tuesday, you can choose lunges or sit ups this time. Three times, 30 seconds break)*

Saturday: 10 or 30 minute brisk walk **

Sunday: 10 or 30 minute brisk walk **

* 3 exercises/ 30 seconds break – week 1 

4 exercises/ 30 seconds break – week 2

4 exercises/ 20 seconds break – week 3

5 exercises/ 20 seconds break – week 4  

If you continue from week 4, you can – when it starts to feel easy – add in one or two exercises and/or take seconds from the rest period.

** Being outside will do you good. Even if the weather is not. Having to go for a short walk will get you fresh air, on your skin and in your lungs. 

If you think this is too little time to have an impact on your health, in your life, I would not blame you. I think most people would be sceptical of how much 10 minutes exercise/brisk walking a day would do. However would you have time to do more every day? Or would it be easier to skip with excuses of being busy? Remember this is an activity you are doing outside of your normal routine. And something you do, just for you, and who would deny you 10 minutes regardless of how your life looks?

Now if you’re looking for weight loss, it would come even with only 10 minutes a day, but it would be a slow process. So it shouldn’t be your main reason to do this – you’ll risk getting impatient and maybe give up before you see results. Your main reason should be to do something for your health on the long track. I believe you will feel happier for taking time to do something for yourself and that this will help you build healthier habits and make good choices. 

I wish you a wonderful Christmas.

Questions and comments are as usual welcome at: taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com or via Instagram: @trainwithadane

There’s no reason to let the excuse of rain or cold ruin your exercise plans and with a little planning you are good to go on these exercises within minutes.

Equipment: 1) Floorspace. You’ll need space on the floor to do Jumping Jacks, without risk of knocking anything over. And space to do a push up (full body length), again without getting tangled into table legs.

2) A Mat. A yoga mat can be nice as it both gives a little protection to both floor, hands, knees and feet. 

3) A towel and some water. You want a something to wipe the sweat from your face and a ready water to sip from. Just as if you were in the gym.

4) A watch. A stopwatch on your phone or watch can be handy, so you can time the exercises. If you’re doing Tabatas you’ll need a timer. 

5) Music. This is not a must, but I find it often gives me energy to push a little more (depending on the tune of course). 

You can do these as a warm up or as the main exercise if you like. If you want a really sweat-dripping session, you can turn them into a ‘Tabata’ session and go full power (I’ll explain in the end), or you can use them to simply start your day with movement, by doing the exercises slower. 

Let’s meet the cardio monsters: 1) Knee to Elbow. On light toes. High knee (left) to opposite elbow (right), back in place and switch. Do it fast. 

2) Lunges with arms overhead. Stand normal, take a long step forward to a lunge. Lift both arms straight above your head, arms back down as you step back. Arms up again with opposite leg lunge. No breaks between lunges. Keep the motion fluent. 

3) Jump Squats with arms overhead. Stand normal with feet at shoulder width. Jump up and come down in a deep squat. As you come down, lift your arms straight above your head, so when you land in the squat, your arms are up. As you stand up and getting ready to jump again, the arms come down. 

4) Burpees. Yes, the good old Burpee gets a mention here. It is after all one of the king exercises, which works on both cardio and strength. Stand feet with shoulder width, jump straight up with arms straight above your head (Yes, you can clap or not), upon landing squat down with hands to the ground. Next ‘kick’ your legs out back, so they’re straight and you land in the push up position. (Remember to tighten your abs and back). Jump feet back to squat position, stand up and jump again. 

5) Mountain Climbers. Start in the push up position. Remember to lock your ab and back (core) tight. Take a step with left knee to chest/between arms, ‘kick’ it back out and right knee in. Continue to alternate left and right in a fast pace, while you keep your trunk steady and back straight.

6) Jumping Jacks. Stand up tall. Jump legs out in a wide stance and at the same time lift your arms, straight above your head or to shoulder height. (You can clap above your head), jump feet back together again and arms down at the same time. Repeat wide stance/feet together – arms up/arms down.

7) Skiing. Stand up, instead of jumping your feet out wide, jump left leg forward and right leg backwards, so you land in a ‘walking’ position. Let your arms move alongside your legs. Left arm up in front of you and right arm behind you. Switch foot and arm position simultaneously fast paced.

All these exercises, except for the burpees*, can be used as a warm-up, if eased into, and once heart is pumping and your body feels warm, you can add more pace.

(* Due to the jump into push up stance, I would make sure body is warm before doing burpees).

If you want to use the Tabata, you can choose one of the exercises, for example Mountain Climbers for all four rounds, or do a new exercise for every four minute block. The choice is yours, just remember the 20 seconds need to be full on, to get the best of the exercise.

A Tabata is: four minutes of 20 seconds hard work, 10 seconds break. two minutes break before the the next four minute block. Do four x four minutes total. 

And last, since we’re going towards darker days, if you’re feeling low on energy and tired, take a D-Vitamin supplement, eat well and nutritiously, and follow your exercise plan. Energy spent well, will return tenfold to you. Meaning go for your run, do your Tabata, go to the class – you will feel better for it afterwards both physically and mentally and that feeling will carry over to other sides of life than exercise. Even in the autumn.

Happy training! Exercises will be filmed and posted to my Instagram: @trainwithadane

Comments and Questions are as always welcome: taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com or via Instagram.com/trainwithadane 

As a lifelong student and master of training and everything fitness, I say: don’t be ashamed of your body. Love your body as it’s meant to be loved. Be happy it can walk you, run you, dance, skip, hop and roll. Celebrate that you can move, you can do anything you want to (with some practice and patience). We all look different and any body (type) should be celebrated. Why should we only let the models in the magazines wear thong or g-string bikinis, short shorts, miniskirts, spaghetti string dresses and crop tops? 

I say if you feel it, wear it! And tell your judgemental friends and family to help celebrate the bravery of the free choice of clothing for everyone. 

We could all probably do with a little more activity, a little better food and more time sleeping. But life is life and sometimes we get busy. That shouldn’t keep us from enjoying the summer to the fullest.

And yes, I have been judgemental too and thought to myself: ‘Why wear THAT dress with bare midsection, when you have tummy fat?’ As years and experience – and perhaps a better love for all kinds of bodies and their stories – have passed, I’m now at the point where I tell my friends that, ‘She probably knows how she looks and she’s wearing it anyway. I think it’s really cool of her’. 

Today at the beach was such a day, and my friend who commented, turned to me and said, ‘Yes! You’re right! I never thought about it like that’. 

So regardless if you’re training or not this summer, give your body the positivity and love it deserves and respect other bodies. 

If you enjoyed this little pep talk about body-love and respect, but are missing some exercises to show your body some love, let me know in an email or via Instagram. I’ll be happy to use next month’s column for a reader wish.

As always: Comments, Questions are welcome at taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com or via Instagram @trainwithadane

Whether you embrace it or want to run from it, menopause is waiting around a corner, most often hitting women between the age of 40 and 44 years. For many women the menopausal weight gain can seem overnight: Fat gets more easily attached to the body, especially around the midsection, with no lifestyle changes to explain the expanding tummy. However perimenopause doesn’t have to mean the end of feeling and looking great.

 According to the Mayo Clinic regular exercise is the best weapon against perimenopause weight gain, and they recommend as little as 10 minutes exercise a day to help combat the dreaded extra belly fat.

Besides helping to prevent weight gain, the Mayo Clinic also found regular exercise to be good for perimenopausal women for the following reasons:

1. Helping to reduce the risk of cancer, especially breast, colon and endometrial.

2. Strengthening bones. Bone loss and fragility in bones are known consequences of perimenopause and menopause. By training regularly, women can slow bone-loss and lower the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.

3. Regular exercise can also hold off/reduce the risk of diseases, which can come with weight gain: Diabetes and heart disease.

4. Last, but not least. Exercise will lift your mood. Regular exercise in adults lowers the risk of depression and cognitive decline. Exercise releases the feel-good neuro-transmitters in the brain: endorphins and dopamin. If you run or do other kind of aerobic exercise, you’ll also increase the production of serotonin – a third feel-good drug.

According to research any kind of exercise can be beneficial, but it’s worth mentioning that aerobic exercise is one of the best exercises for weight loss/weight control. And strength training is the best for building muscles and strengthening bones. 

It is recommended to start with as little as 10 minutes a day (this could be a walk in brisk pace or a bike ride, or 10 minutes home training). If every day doesn’t fit your schedule, try to get 10-20 minutes done three to four days a week. If you include intensity training in your sessions, you’ll get more fat-burn and better heart and lung condition. 

Intensity training could be small sprints during a run or fast biking during a bike-ride, or a set of 10-20 burpees or jumping jacks during a home-training session. For example: Bike for four minutes in leisure pace and one minute as fast as you can, do four sets of these, to bike for 20 minutes total.

It could also be a jog/run, with two minutes jog and 20 seconds sprint, or 800 metres jog, 200 metres sprint. For a duration of 11 minutes total or 3km (5 sets/3 sets). Sets can be added or subtracted, but try at least to do 10 minutes consecutive exercise.

Food and drink intake is another big cursor, which can move the needle away from the negative effects of perimenopause, especially the weight gain.

Here are some of the most important facts to take into account:

 1. Alcohol is calories. If you must drink, drink only a glass with food and max. 11 standard drinks pr week (for women) according to official Irish guidelines). Or at least swap every other drink for a glass of water. A glass of wine (12cl) is around 90 calories, while a beer (33cl) is 120 and a strong beer (220 calories for 33cl). Spirits top the list with almost 100 calories for 4cl. In comparison a Cadbury Star Bar at 250 calories, while one Clonakilty Sausage is around 95 calories (according to myfitnesspal.com). For women in their forties with a sedentary lifestyle, the average calories used everyday is 1,800. This of course depends on your height and weight. If you want to know for sure how many calories you need every day, there are many online calculators who can help. Just type in your age, height, weight and activity level and the sites will do the calculation. If you are unsure where to look, you can try myfitnesspal.com, nhs.uk or mayoclinic.org. 

2. Reduce intake of pre-made processed food, including fried food (fish and chips), crisps, chicken wings and so on) Food made from scratch at home is often more healthy and the big benefit is that you know what’s in it. Include fatty fish regularly in your diet to get the benefits of Omega 3.

3. If you are smoking, you can slow down the symptoms of ageing and perimenopause by stopping. Your skin and organs will especially benefit from this. 

4. Studies have shown that daily intake of D-vitamin delayed the symptoms of menopause for about 17 per cent of the women in the study. Daily intake of vital vitamins and minerals (including calcium) are also recommended. Preferably through your food, but if you are in doubt, you can take a multivitamin pill plus fish oil. However getting your vitals through food is always the best solution.

Lastly, it is of course always recommended to seek advice from your GP, especially if the changes in your body or symptoms you are experiencing are serious. It can also be a good idea to involve your GP if you plan to overhaul your lifestyle from sedentary to active. Maybe there are specific forms of training that will suit your overall health better, depending on pre-existing conditions. 

In any case, an overhaul is a positive thing, when done correctly and step by step. Build up your muscles, tendons and ligaments slowly but consistently. Don’t rush out and think you can race a 10 km race or join the fitness centre expecting to bench 50 kg on the first day. Doing too much, too soon, can result in injuries and can put a stop or a break to your goal. So start easy, but consistently and work your way towards your goal from here.

For me one inspiration is spring, with its first blue skies and warm sun rays. It fills me with energy and a desire to ‘go out and do something’. It’s like a deep pull within to get out, soak up the D vitamin I can get from the sun and move my body. Run, bike, hike or walk. Or just sit outside, feeling the air and sunshine in my hair and on my skin. It’s a mood-lifter and an energy charger and I use it as often as possible when the sun is out. 

I also get inspired by other people’s work ethics, achievements and accomplishes. I follow several runners and non-professional athletes on Instagram and enjoy reading their training and race posts. Learn how they improve or fail. I get inspired by the commitment ordinary people have towards their goals. 

Like the two Ultra Runners, David and Jette who I interviewed for another inspiration piece. Maybe you remember them? He did five ultra endurance events during September and she just completed her second 100 miles race.

And then there is music, films and books. Music for when the training needs a little ‘extra’ and films and books for the same inspiration as above: Following another person’s journey towards their goal. And now – You tube video! Very hands-on Yoga session to be exact. 

I’m still testing the waters (my form) to see if this year will be the year, to try a full marathon distance in my hometown of Copenhagen. I find that I need to take good care of my body to avoid injuries and thus have off-days and active restitution days.

So this Wednesday, I tried online Yoga! Found a 20 min yoga guide on You Tube, aimed for core, with a fantastic woman called Adriene (Yoga with Adriene). If you’ve looked for yoga online, you probably already know her.

I found the session quite easy-to-follow, despite not being able to see the screen from some positions and, all in all, it felt very organic and natural, especially the way she had composed the flow between positions.

I followed the session with roughly 25 minutes of my own body weight exercise combo to improve my running: Squats, one-legged squats, side lunges, hip bridges, side planks and strict push ups. While none of it made me break a sweat, it also didn’t lead to muscle overuse and gave my body a well-deserved active rest day. 

While writing this, I’m looking forward for another week of trying to create the possibility of reaching the marathon distance. I’m looking at doing the furthest distance yet (28 km). Now this is peanuts for the two Ultra Runners (David and Jette) whom I mentioned earlier, but for someone like me, it’s a big step. 

And then…it only is, until it isn’t. If these three past years of running have taught me anything, it is that what you think is impossible changes all the time. When I started running, I was happy to run 3 km a couple of times a week and I could not see myself run 5 km. That was too long and too hard. Then 5 km became the normal and even then I had many setbacks, having to take weeks off running regularly during these almost three years. My impossible has changed. I now run 10 km for leisure and a half marathon without problems. 

I know, with the right inspiration, drive and commitment, your impossible will change too, no matter what you decide you would like to become good or better at. Your impossible will change and you will change your life for the better. Don’t give up because of set-backs and breaks. Work around things as well as you can and stick with it.

For example, should I, for any reason, not be ready for the Copenhagen Marathon, I will find another goal, which will still move my ‘impossible’. Moving the impossible is the gift from all the hard work and I hope it will inspire you too. 

Questions and comments are as always very welcome to: taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com or via Instagram: @trainwithadane You are also welcome to follow my training and get tips to home sessions.

It’s honestly a mad world. Two months ago we were talking about the pandemic, lockdowns, vaccinations and today we are talking about war. I’m not a foreign policy expert or a medical professional. I’ll leave the analyses to the experts, but of course as a human, I am affected by the state of the world. And just as the pandemic led to stress and uncertainty for the individual, some of us will be more or less affected by the stress of this war. 

My best advice, if affected by stress, is to clear the head. Go outside. Run, walk, bike, swim – if you can’t or won’t do that, then go to a gym, lift, pull, push, or stay at home and stretch, jump, dance and feel. The endorphins released will make your mood better, the muscles activated will make you stronger and the movements will make you feel alive. All of that will lift your spirit. Even in times like these. 

So for a good home-training session let’s talk about that coveted midsection, that all swimwear and underwear brands love to flaunt in our faces. The thing most of us dream about, when we go on a diet or start training in the gym. Men and women alike. 

I’m here to tell you, the midsection does matter. It is important to have a strong core, but NOT because of visible six-pack reasons. A strong core is important as you walk, run, jump and carry. Without core-strength you open yourself up to lower back pain and all kinds of back problems as you get older.

For my March column, I’ll share two abs/core exercises, which are more than ‘just sit ups’. As a fan of functional training, I like exercises which target more than just one area. ‘Getting more value for your bucks’ so to speak. 

Leglifts: First is leg-lifts, which targets abs and core and legs. This exercise can be done in many ways and I’ll talk you through a few of the options here.

Start position beginners: Lie straight on your back, hands under the buttocks (this will support your lower back and make the position a little more comfortable). Keep your legs together and straight as you lift them up around 30 cm from the ground. Pause and lower them slowly. Keep full control as you do this.

To engage more leg muscles, keep your legs straight and together, lift them up. When up, open to sides – still keeping them straight (horizontal scissor legs). Close and then lower in full control again. 

A third version is to lift one leg further 10-20 cm up and then swap position with the other leg (vertical scissor legs).

A more advanced version of the leg lift is to do all the leg exercises with the upper-body lifted from the ground. Raise the upper-body from the ground by resting on the elbows/underarms. This position targets abs/core and legs primarily and the muscles close to the spine and muscles around the shoulders and upper back secondary. 

My recommendation is three sets of 10-12 repetitions in each set. If you combine this with other exercises such as push ups, burpees or squats you can lower the number as it fits. 

Sideplank: My second all time favourite home training core exercise is the Side Plank.

The Side Plank is great because it activates muscles from head to toe (just to keep your body balanced), besides targeting the obliques. 

Start position is either lie on your side, supporting your weight on the elbow or the hand and your foot or knee. To make it harder (and higher) use hand and foot, easier (and lower) elbow and knee. Or you can do a combination, as I have chosen in the photo.

Lift your midsection from the floor, until your body form a line (a plank). Keep it straight and up for a number of seconds/breaths and then lower controlled to the floor.

To make it harder, you can bend the other leg a number of times. This will increase the muscles needed to keep your balance. You can also stretch the other arm up or make dips with your hips. 

I recommend doing three sets of 30 seconds for beginners, 45-60 seconds for intermediates. 

During my run and training sessions, I always take a minute to think about the world outside my own. And for now peace will be in my thoughts as well. 

Questions and comments are as always welcome at:
taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com or via Instagram
@trainwithadane

This month I am sharing my start ritual for home training sessions and my energiser/feel good mat-tool.

I’ve found that my start ritual is a great way to start a session so I hope it will work for you. Setting the mood and telling my body – in a gentle way – to get ready to move, this ritual focuses my mind and makes it easy to transition into my training plan. Performed about eight-10 times, with a little squat at the end, it’s also a gentle warm-up.

My energiser/feel-good mat tool, is a little ‘prickly’ mat, which I roll out now and again to release (superficial) tightness in the back, or just to ‘feel good’ or relax (afterwards). More about this at the end of the column.

‘A half sun salute’ or simply stretching towards ceiling and then greeting the toes, is the start of my home training ritual. It doesn’t matter if I plan to do squats and sit-ups, burpees or shadow boxing. 

The full stretch from fingertips to toes, and full attention to legs, back, core, chest, shoulders and arms provides the perfect start to a session.

It can be quick or slow to do, depending on the mood and timeframe. It takes up very little space and honestly feels so refreshing that sometimes just doing the full sun salutation, along with some 20-ish push-ups is enough training for me. 

To do the ‘half sun salute’: 1) Start by standing tall, bare feet next to each other, straight back, arms down the side, exhale. 2) Exhale. Fold upper body slowly and deliberately down towards the floor. Reach towards your toes and point nose to your knees. 3) Inhale. ‘Roll’ up to standing position. Think one backbone at the time.  

From here you can either start over, complete the full sun salute or start your planned training session.

I won’t cover the full sun salutation here, as I only use the start in my home training ritual. If you want to do the full salutation you can find images and description online, or contact me and I’ll forward the information to you. 

The prickly mat (or Acupressure mat) is a mat with hundreds of small plastic spikes on it. It’s built to work the same way as acupressure or acupuncture. The hundreds of small spikes targets the whole area used on the mat at the same time. This intensifies the blood flow under the skin, making the surrounding muscle groups feel warmer/loose. It also leads to a release of endorphins, which makes the feeling of pain subside. There are claims it may help with anxiety and sleep, but no clinical trials have been done to verify these possible benefits.

You can use it by lying on your back, standing barefoot, or resting your head on it. Due to its hundreds of small spikes, it is NOT a precise tool and neither can or should replace professional acupuncture / acupressure therapy. 

Beginners can use it on a yoga mat, sofa or bed, with a thin fabric between spikes and skin like a t-shirt, to make the spikes less prickly. More experienced users often use the floor/harder surface, and lie on it skin to spikes.

Personally I can testify that about 10 minutes of lying on the mat makes the back muscles under the skin feel less tight (It didn’t relieve deep muscles tightness) and makes you feel good afterwards. 

You can use it for as long as you like, but general guidelines are 10-40 minutes to get full benefits. From my experience, I find that you need be careful not to move while lying on it. It will scratch your skin, which can hurt. Also if you have a skin condition, thin skin or a scratch/bump/rash/healing wound, it might be better to use a thin fabric between the spikes and skin or wait until your skin is better. 

There is no real correlation between price and effectiveness of these mats, so a cheap brand often works just as well as a more expensive one. If you are pregnant or have a heart or blood condition, ask your GP before getting one. 

Stay active and enjoy.

Comments and questions are as usual welcome at taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com or via comments or messages on Instagram: @trainwithadane