Watch What You Eat

When you're trying to be healthy you ditch the sugary and salty snacks for better options. Beware of what you swap them for! "Low Fat" foods are often full of hidden chemicals and additives and may not be as low in fat as you think. For example: "Less than 5% Fat normally means that the product is more than 4% Fat. Stop and think about this!

Balanced meals with a little extra exercise will stop you from feeling deprived of your favourite foods and keep you on track. Be mindful of portion sizes too. Eating more will not help you lose weight; even if the foods you are eating are healthier.

Tour de France

The race begins on July 3rd in Rotterdam and the finish line will be in Paris on July 25th. That's a collossal 22 days  of intense cycling competition with only 2 rest days. This is the 97th Tour De France. There will be 20 stages covering 3,600 kilometres. But of the 21 teams there can only be one winner.

Anyone for Tennis?

It's that time of year again. Strawberries in the fridge and Cliff Richard on high alert because Wimbledon is back. Just a few days into the tournament we have already seen some phenomenal tennis played and as the battle for mens and womens singles honour heats up the best is yet to come. An hour of playing singles tennis will burn between 450 and 750 calories depending on the intensity you give it. It's also great, competitive fun and a really cheap activity that you can play at home, in the park or at your gym if it's properly equipped. Just grab a racquet and warm up a little before you take your first shots to help prevent injury. We recommend shoulder and back stretches as well as a general 5 minute warm up to wake up your body and help avoid injuring yourself.

Activity of the Week: City Cycling

Since 2009 Dublin City Council has been providing bikes for hire to members of the public. The scheme has so far been a huge success. To take part in the scheme you simply purchase a hire card for a small fee at one of the bike stations using your credit card. Your first 1/2 hour of any hire is free with a 50 cent charge for the next hour. When you get to your destination you return the bike to a local station and your hire ends. This is a great alternative way of seeing the city and getting exercise at the same time. Of course you can also indulge in city cycling while on holiday in cities including Paris, Vienna and Amsterdam. For more information see http://www.dublinbikes.ie/ 

Galway Womens Mini-Marathon

Taking place on June 27th the Galways Womens Mini Marathon will raise money for the Simon Community; feeding the city's homeless. To enter visit www.womensminimarathongalway.ie. Your €25 entry fee will go to the Simon Community and any proceeds you raise to the charity of your choice. www.womensminimarathongalway.ie

Big Weight = Big Risk

Carrying a little extra weight might not seem like a big deal sometimes but it can seriously affect your long term health and life expectancy. Cholesterol, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and exhaustion are all side effects of weight gain and doing nothing about your weight means that you are allowing these issues to shorten your life. Sometimes it can be difficult to find 30 minutes in the day to get out of the house or the office and take a walk. The next time you hear the little voice in your head telling you that the time would be better spent working remember this: that 30 minutes could add another 30 minutes to your life. 

Sports News: Wimbledon 2010 Begins.

Wimbledon opened yesterday in a flurry of excitement and tennis whites and will continue until July 4th. Every year we become captivated by the gritty competitive nature of this sport where shouting is part of the game but elegance and sportsmanship are highly valued. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club was founded in 1868 but the tournament as we know it today took many decades to come together and is now known simply as The Championships. The Mens Singles title has been awarded 123 times with the United States having won it the most (33 times) although the British Isles are only 1 winner behind. The Ladies Singles title has been awarded 116 times and again the US are in front (53 wins) this time by a very substantial margin. All eyes will be on Wimbledon in the coming days as this mammoth event unfolds. You can watch it on TG4 and BBC. See www.wimbledon.org for more.

Monday Hangover

Was it a good weekend for you? We all know weekends are for relaxing but when you're trying to get in shape it's worth remembering that weekends tend to be the time when we splurge on calories. It's all too easy to pile on a few pounds in just one weekend and finding time to burn the calories off mid week can be very difficult. Did you know that a pint of lager contains between 290 and 340 calories? That's a lot of empty calories (by which we mean that they provide no nutritional value). So next weekend try cutting down on high calorie drinks or maybe skipping the pub altogether for fun in the sunshine as the good weather continues.

Get Out More: Free Dance Classes for Over 50s

The Machusla Club on Foley St in Dublin is offering free dance and healthy movement classes for the over 50s every week. This is a great fun way to meet new people as well as getting your body moving and keeping fit. http://www.danceireland.ie/local/macushla.html 

Health Hero Profile: Orla Tinsley

Orla Tinsley is a 21 year old woman with Cystic Fibrosis. She is our health hero thanks to her tireless campaigning to improve health services for CF patients in Ireland and her positive attitude to exercise and health. Orla is not only a published writer and public figure; she is also juggling a college education at UCD. She recently ran the Flora Womens Mini Marathon and has written about her experiences for the Irish Times. To read her article click here: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2010/0608/1224272051983.html

World Cupdate

So we are now in day 5 of the worlds greatest football tournament. Those who caught the opening ceremonies will certainly have thought them a highlight with a particularly great performance from Shakira; singer of the South Africa 2010 anthem: Waka Waka. We thought this would be the sound that would always make us think of South Africa but the vuvuzelas are proving hard to avoid. Anyone else think they sound like a swarm of bees in the distance?
The England v USA match was our best to watch so far and also produced the funniest moment of the World Cup yet as newspapers in the states printed the headline: USA Win 1-1. And they say they understand football? They have a lot to learn. As does Thierry Henry; who managed to keep the laughter in as he contested a handball against Uruguay? There's certainly been plenty of excitement so far and there can only be more to come as the competition heats up.

Exercise Tip of the Week: Stretch it Out

Golf is a great sport. You can play alone and enjoy the solitude of a quiet course or get a group of friends together for a long walk and talk session. It’s a game of skill as well as relaxation but don't let appearances fool you; it's also a very physical sport with a high percentage of injuries and it is very important to stretch before a game. A light warm up with leg swings and ankle circles, calf and hamstrings stretches, arm circles and arm across chest stretches will help you to wake up your muscles before you start swinging a club. This will help you get into the game quicker and prevent post-game pain.

Activity of the Week: Wild Swimming

The summer seems to have finally arrived and you are desperate for a swim in cool waters. The Irish Sea can be a less than inviting prospect for those living on the East Coast. While the Atlantic Ocean is incredible but freezing and exposed on the West. The following has been growing in recent months for wild swimming. This means taking to local lakes and rivers rather than man made pools. This is far from a mad idea - ask your parents and they will likely remember swimming like this. For safety always swim with at least one other person, watch the weather, obey local rules or signage and ask a local about the best place to swim if you are out and about. Wild swimming has seen a bit of a boom in the UK where a guide book has been published pointing out the best spots to swim. Click here for more information http://www.wildswimming.co.uk/

MidSummers Eve Run @ Kilruddery

Monday 21st June. Kilruddery House. Bray. Co. Wicklow. 7.30pm. Take part in a 10k run as dusk falls over the majestic Kilruddery House. It's only €20 to participate with proceeds going to Special Olympics Ireland. After the run stick around to enjoy traditional drumming and bonfires. Check out http://www.aliveoutside.ie/index.php?id=69&eid=82 for more.

Health News: Irish Men Die Younger

More than 25% of all men who die in Ireland this year will be under 65 years of age. There is a high risk level and general poor health among Irish men in their 30's, 40's and 50's. Professor Alan White of the University of Liverpool says he is worried that young Irish men have a negative attitude to health and exercise along with a poor diet and high alcohol intake. In short: Irish men are turning themselves into health timebombs by overindulging and taking lots of risks while they are young with few or no immediate results. Their bad behaviour comes back to haunt them as they age and their bodies can no longer withstand the assault. This sadly leads to a high incidence of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease. The Professor recommends that all men attend regular health screening. This allows GPs to spot serious health problems before they become dangerous and to provide advice and treatment quickly and effectively. Professor White will speak at the Mens Health conference in Galway this week. Source: Irish Times. 

World Cup Fever

World Cup fever has struck the offices of Fitfone and we are very excited about a month of world class sport starting on Friday! This week why not pump up that tired ball in the shed and practice your skills? An hour of playing soccer will burn between 525 and 1125 calories. It's the perfect excuse to put jumpers down for goalposts and call for your mates to see if they can come out to play.

Events: The Dingle Adventure Race

There's still time to register for the Dingle Adventure Race on June 12th. The 26 mile high endurance course involves biking, hiking, kayaking and running in the stunning setting of the Dingle Peninsula. Individuals and teams of 2 or 4 can enter online at www.dingleadventurerace.com 

Sleep Well

A good nights sleep sometimes makes everything seem better and Doctors tell us that sleep is essential for our wellbeing and health. But are you getting enough quality sleep? You should be aiming to get at least 7 hours per night. If you find it hard to undwind and get to sleep at night try these tips: Turn off the TV a little earlier. It stimulates your mind and can cause headaches. Read a book. Reading for a short time before sleeping helps many people to slow their heart rate and become quiet and restful. Get into a rountine. This might mean getting into pyjamas, having a warm drink, lighting a candle or simply locking up the house and putting your mind at rest in the same routine each night. 

Sports News: World Cup 2010

We're just 10 days away from the greatest event in football: The World Cup. Sadly Ireland are not in the running. Enough has been said about that we think. So it’s time to pick your favourite and start cheering. Here at Fitfone we firmly believe that the joy can be in participating (we still love to win though). Taking place in South Africa the tournament will bring together teams from 32 countries to compete for the greatest honour in the game. The first match will take place at 4pm on June 11th when South Africa face Mexico in Johannesburg. Tune in and get accquainted because it's all anyone will be talking about for the next month. For more open any paper or turn on the TV.