Your Mood: Angry
Your blood is boiling! You want to take this anger out on someone before you explode!
Mood Busting Exercises: Kickboxing, boxing, shadowboxing, or martial arts.
Whether you follow a kickboxing video or take a group class, you'll release anger with every punch, kick and jab. Imagine the target of your anger as you do a set of 12 front kicks! Besides getting your anger out you’ll blast calories with these cardio workouts. Any form of martial arts, often overlooked as a form of exercise, will also work. Besides actually making contact with pads, targets, and shields (a major stress and anger releaser!), you’ll gain gaining confidence, discipline, and focus.
Your Mood: Bored
You're stuck in a rut and want to do something interesting, but you're not sure what.
Mood Busting Exercises: Spinning class, step aerobics, or a new fitness DVD
Beat boredom (without food) by taking a high-energy Spinning class at your local gym. Set to great tunes, you'll be surprised how quickly an hourlong class flies by. Step aerobics is another great workout when you're bored because it's always changing. You have to concentrate on the choreography—sort of like learning a simple dance that involves a step. You'll build skills and feel really accomplished when it's over! Lastly, head to the library or video rental store and pick up the first workout DVD that looks interesting to you. Do it at home or invite a friend over to try your newest exercise venture!
Your Mood: Depressed
Depression is no joke. Millions of people suffer from depression that is debilitating and emotionally painful, but exercise is scientifically proven to help treat depression. While finding the motivation to take the first step is the hardest part, the right activity can help.
Mood Busting Exercises: Outdoor walking, biking, or running
There's something restorative about nature. Getting outside to breathe in fresh air and admire the scenery can make a world of difference in your perspective. Plus, regular exposure to sunlight can boost your mood and ward off seasonal depression, too. No matter what outdoor pursuit you enjoy (think outside of the box and try canoeing, climbing, or team sports, too), moving your body can help improve your outlook and symptoms.
Your Mood: Stressed
We're all busy, often taking on more responsibilities than we can handle. When life gets crazy and you want to throw in the towel, you can wind down without giving up on your obligations.
Mood Busting Exercises: Mind-body exercises like yoga, Pilates, or Tai chi
Mind-body exercises take focus, patience, and attention. Because of the complexities of maintaining the correct form and breathing, which connects the mind and body, it's almost impossible to think about your to-do list while you're in the middle of a good yoga or Pilates class, for example. The quiet, meditative atmosphere in these classes (and videos) allows you to tune in to the present moment—something that the overly stressed should do more often! If you're thinking that you're too busy or overwhelmed to try a class, then take advantage of short video workouts that are often broken up into 10- to 30- minute segments.
Thanks SparkPeople!
Aches and Pains in New Shoes
Whether you've run 5 or 50 miles in a new pair of shoes, if you encounte new and different injury issues since you started wearing the new footwear, it may be time to go back to the drawing board. With today's running shoe technology, there should be little or no break-in time for a new pair of kicks. If they don't feel great right out of the box, they likely won't feel any better a few miles down the road.While the root cause of injury is often hard to pin down, if you started feeling pain around the same time you picked up a particular pair of shoes, they may be the culprit. Many running specialty shops have generous return policies, so before you pitch the shoes, head back to the store and see if you can strike a deal to exchange them.
Although your favorite pair of running shoes may have felt great all summer, if you're at the end of the shoe's life, new issues can arise. Sore knees, feet and hips can be telltale signs that the cushioning and support built into the shoe has worn down to the point of no longer being effective. While it can be difficult to tell simply by looking at the midsole or outsole, your body will tell you when it's time to move on.
More: When to Replace Running Shoes
Mileage
One of the most important reasons to keep track of mileage is to monitor the life of your shoes. Most running footwear has a life of 300 to 500 miles, depending on the runner and the particular model. Since we land with nearly four times our body weight and strike the ground somewhere around 15,000 times in just 10 minutes of running, our shoes take quite a beating. By knowing how many miles you've run in your shoes and replacing them at regular intervals, you skirt a number of easily avoidable potential issues.More: How to Increase Running Mileage Safely
Blistering
Just about every runner has had a blister at some point in his or her career. Wet or excessively humid conditions can play a role, as can the type of socks you wear. If, however, you've worn your shoes in more moderate weather and have tried various pairs of moisture-wicking socks and you're still developing pesky blisters, it may mean that your shoes simply don't fit correctly. This could be a result of the footwear being too narrow or wide, or can be an issue with a seam or overlay rubbing the same spot over many miles. Blisters can also develop if your shoes are old and stretched past the point of optimal fit.More: Tips for Blister Prevention