Activity of the Week: Speed Walking

Without a doubt, walking is good exercise. Speed walking increases your calorie burn rate and burns approx 440 calories per hour. Simply put, speed walking - sometimes called fitness walking, health walking, exercise walking or striding - is walking very fast without breaking into a jog or run. 

Arms swing in pace with the stride, and one foot is on the ground at all times. Your stride is slightly longer and considerably quicker than in a leisurely stroll. Speed walkers generally walk at a pace of 3.5 to 5.5 miles per hour.  You don't need any special equipment or training to enjoy speed walking but classes are available if you would like an introduction to the sport; try StarFitness.ie. Of course you can use Fitfone to estimate your speed and calorie burn without paying for a class! Don't forget to stretch out all those muscles before you start. 

Get Out More: Music Festivals for the Bank Holiday

Summer in Ireland ususally means plenty of live music and this Bank Holiday is no exception with Castle Palooza taking place (www.castlepalooza.com). But what if you're looking for something with a more local vibe? 

You could try the Westport Music Festival taking place next weekend from Thursday the 5th to Sunday the 8th of August. Featured acts include Mundy, Sharon Shannon, Declan Nerney and the hugely popular Rattle and Hum (www.westportmusicfestival.com). Those who love all things western can head to Letterkenny for CountryFest 2010 featuring Gene Watson, Philomena Begley, Curtis Magee and many many more (www.jwpromos.com). 

Health News: Teens are Stupid!

Before you get upset with us please note that the title is not ours! Teens are Stupid is the latest campaign from the Irish Cancer Society. Aimed at teenagers who smoke, the campaign addresses the dangers of smoking and how easy it is to begin smoking as a teenager. Take a look at their very clever video: Corporate Tobacco Man and pass the link onto any smoker or teen you know. http://www.teensarestupid.ie/

All Ireland Poc Fada

The Poc Fada is a uniquely Irish event which takes place each year. Competitors must puck a sliotar with a hurley (they may lift and strike or hit the ball from the hand). The course runs from one apointed location to anonther and An Corn Cuailgne ("The Cooley Cup") is awarded to the player who takes the lowest number of pucks to complete the course. Ties are broken by the distance by which the player's last puck crosses the finish line. The whole course measures over 5 Km in the Cooley Mountains Co. Louth. 

Exercise Tip of the Week: Walking Back to Happiness

This week we're taking it down a notch and giving you the simplest exercise tip yet: Walk. Walking is a great way to keep fit. You don't need any special equipment or facilities. You can do it any place in any weather, either on your own or with others. There's no time limit or complicated technique. You simply start walking. People who walk every day tend to be less stressed and have healthier hearts; meaning that they live longer. A 75 kg woman will burn 240 calories an hour walking at a pace of three miles per hour so you can also lose weight while walking.

Activity of the Week: Kayaking

Kayaking is not a difficult sport. It can be done on a lake or in the sea. All you need is the appropriate equipment and an experienced guide as this can be a dangerous activity if not carefully supervised. Adventure centres across the country can offer you a first taste of kayaking with simple and fun lessons for all ages for less than €50: try Delphi Mountain Lodge, Outdoor Discovery or The Tain. It's a great way to get out and enjoy the Irish landscape and can be a quiet and tranquil escape from the rat race. The Irish Sea Kayaking Association offers membership to all and this includes regualr meets, training and accreditation. This is a great way to meet new people and is also a healthy workout for your upper body and encourages balance. See www.irishseakayakingassociation.org 

Get Out More: Mens Irish Open Tennis

The Mens Irish Tennis Open Championships 2010 are currently taking place in Dublin at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club. This Saturday the 24th will see the mens singles final take place. With top Irish players including Conor Niland (ranked 162 in the world) and Louk Sorenson (238), this is an event not to be missed by avid tennis fans. Gates open from 11am daily throughout the tournament. Be there to see who takes home the $15,000 AUD prize money as well as who will improve their world ranking on home soil. For more details see www.tennisireland.ie

How to Boost your Energy

Getting into new habits can be difficult not to mention tiring. That's why todays health and fitness tips are geared towards giving you more energy.


1. It might sound a little simple but you've got to move more to move more. An evening walk tonight will hit you tomorrow but the key is to work through it. Get out again tomorrow night and your body will soon get used to your new regime and will thank you for it in the long run.


2. Get a Good Nights Sleep. Adults with busy and stressful lives should be aiming for 8 hours solid quality sleep each night. If you find it hard to wind down after a busy day then try to get into a routine; bath, pjs, book - whatever works for you do it!


3. Watch what you eat. Try to eat less high sugar foods as these will give you a temporary boost and later you will experience an extreme energy low. Instead choose foods with slow energy release such as porridge, brown rice and brown bread, fruits and vegetables.

Activity of the Week: Roller Skating!

Children of the 80's will remember the popular roller skating rinks that sprung up around the country catering mostly to birthday parties. There was loud music, a discoball and brightly coloured everything. Well they're back and not much has changed. With cool ads like the Evian Roller Babies roller skating has taken on a new kind of retro cool and rinks are opening again such as Spin Roller Disco in Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin. Skates can be hired and all ages are welcome so why not check it out? www.spinrollerdisco.ie 

Exercise Tip of the Week: Rock That Body

Someone in the Fitfone office is off out for dinner and dancing tonight and it got us thinking about how good we feel when we dance. Whether it's in a club or around the kitchen table dancing to our favourite music gets us working up a sweat and burning calories without thinking about exercise or fitness. It's all about enjoying yourself and cutting loose from the stress and worries of everyday life. Anyone can dance (some of us just don't look so good when we do)! For example Line dancing will burn 341 calories an hour in a 205 lb [14 stone 8 once] woman. There are so many options from Salsa to Ballroom or even your own unique freestyle.

Activity of the Week: Horse Riding

Irish people have long been known for their love of horses. But that tends to mean betting on them rather than sitting   on them. We are lucky to have some of the worlds finest riding schools, trails and animals here so we thought it was time to get back in the saddle and try out Horse Riding. Lessons cost in the region of €30 per session but you don't need any special skills or equipment and there is a school not far from you wherever you are. Get on Google to find your local school and book a lesson.

Get Out More: Sand Art in Bundoran. Sunday 11th July

Here at Fitfone we know that sometimes you just need to get out in the fresh air and blow away the cobwebs. Well nothing blows the cobwebs away uite like time spent on an Irish beach (even in the height of summer). Swimming, horse riding, volleyball or just walking or jogging with the breeze in your hair and the calming sound of gently breaking waves by your feet makes you feel refreshed and relaxed. With that in mind we are recommending a little beach based fun this weekend in Bundoran. The award-winning and talented artists from Duthain Dealbh return to the clean sands of Bundoran to work on a large scale 2 dimensional artwork in the sand between the tides all day on Sunday the 11th. Why not get the bigger picture from Rougey Cliff Walk and/or the Tullan Strand Car Park from about 3 pm on the day. Remember that the art will be washed away by the evening tide at around 6:20 pm. So get to Tullan Strand Beach, Bundoran on Sunday afternoon and enjoy art and exercise combined!

Health News: Where you live can affect your weight

Do you take the lift to your apartment or the steps to your duplex door? Does the fast food outlet on the ground floor prove too tempting or do you love to get out walking and running on the local beach? What about the kids; do they play in the green spaces and garden or curl up by the TV? Recognising that habits like these are affecting your health can help you to overcome them. Make a deal with yourself to take the stairs when you don't have much to carry. Or put a small set of goalposts in the garden to make it more appealing as a play space. Weight loss is tied into your lifestyle and you can be in control of it. 

Sports News: World Cup Semi Finals 2010

Love it or Hate it: the World Cup has taken over our televisions and many of our lives in the past month. 

But soon it will come to an end as the semi-finals are played out tonight and tomorrow. The first is between Uruguay and the Netherlands and will be live on RTE and the BBC from 7.30 tonight with the second between Germany and Spain at the same time the following night. For those who adore football it's sadly close to the end as the winners will meet on Sunday in the final and for the ret of us it can't come quick enough. But if you have yet to embrace South Africa 2010 then now is the time. Why not throw yourself into just one week fo wild speculation, fanaticism and vuvuzelas. With the number of workplace pools there is likely someone you know who's still in with a shot at a glorious win (even if there's little other Irish interest). You never know- you might even enjoy it!

Exercise Tip of the Week: On Yer Bike

With the good weather continuing we at Fitfone are doing our best to get outdoors and enjoy the sun and fresh air while it lasts. Last week we recommended trying out the new Dublin Bikes scheme that allows you to explore Dublin city on two wheels both cheaply and conveniently. As many of us head off on our summer holidays and relax at home we have the perfect opportunity to try out cycling for fun. Most resorts and hotels can point you in the direction of local bike rental and it's a great way to explore your destination. Leisure bike riding at 5.5 mph will burn 251 calories an hour in a 8 stone 12 ounce woman and more in someone carrying a little extra weight. So now you can combine holiday fun or even a relaxing date with calorie burn!

Activity of the Week: Surfing

Surfing is a massively popular sport and the perfect way to make the best of those stormy Irish summers. Our dodgy weather means that surfers come from all over the world to ride the big Atlantic waves on the West coast. Surfing is a great workout for a toned body as well as incredible fun. It fills you with energy and excitement and it's easy to try out. There are surf schools all over the country but some of the best spots are Lahinch and Bundoran. Lessons are inexpensive but invaluable as this can be quite a dangerous sport if you don't know what you are doing. Why not gather a few mates for a weekend on the waves? You might not be quite up to the Beach Boys standard but you'll feel it!

GIY: Grow It Yourself

On the 3rd Sunday of every month the staff of Airfield House in Dundrum welcome you to their garden allotment for GIY workshops. Learn to Grow It Yourself with free seeds, cuttings and advice. Gardening is a great way to get out in the fresh air and growing your own vegetables or fruits is both healthy and fun. At Fitfone we know that getting fit is all about lifestyle changes like these as well as exercising. For more information on this event and others at Airfield House visit www.airfield.ie