The last year has been eye-opening, and not in a good way. The case of CBC radio broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi, who was accused of allegedly sexually assaulting and choking four women, really shed light on how messed up our justice system really is. It also demonstrated why so many women (and men) don’t report instances of sexual violence.
At the end of the day, Ghomeshi was found not guilty of four counts of sexual assault and one count of choking. The second round of the trials ended with an apology and a peace bond, which essentially is a contract that stipulates the accused must maintain good behaviour for a year and cannot contact the complainant. It is not an admission of guilt and it will result in no criminal record.
Ghomeshi was asked to apologize to the final complainant, Kathryn Borel. His apology mentions the power he held at the CBC and how, after serious consideration, he misunderstood how his actions could be interpreted: “I was a person in a position of authority and leadership, and I did not show the respect that I should have to Ms. Borel … I failed to understand how my words and actions would put a coworker who was younger than me, and in a junior position to mine, in an uncomfortable place.”
Borel decided to forego the trial after being presented with the option of a peace bond because it seemed “the clearest path to the truth.” In a statement following the trial, she said that “In a perfect world, people who commit sexual assault would be convicted for their crimes. Jian Ghomeshi is guilty of having done the things that I’ve outlined today. So when it was presented to me that the defence would be offering us an apology, I was prepared to forego the trial. It seemed like the clearest path to the truth. A trial would have maintained his lie, and would have further subjected me to the very same pattern of abuse that I am currently trying to stop.”
So, it’s over. After intense investigations by various media outlets, excruciating witness interviews, and hours of court time, the Ghomeshi trials are done.
It can be challenging running a charity or not-for-profit organization in the digital age. With so much information available on the Internet, how do you get your message across? How do you make people care about your cause?
Last week, Women’s Post attended Digital Leap 2016, a digital marketing conference for non-profits. The one-day conference was hosted by Stephen Thomas, a Canadian agency that produces and develops marketing campaigns for charities and not-for-profit organizations. The focus of the conference was three-fold: how to embrace the digital realm, how to be brave enough to think outside the box, and how to optimize and brand your work.
For not-for-profits and charities, the concept of a digital campaign can be difficult. Even more questions arise: Where do you start? How do you drive people to your website? How do you ensure people take more than 30 seconds looking at your work?
The first thing to remember is that it is all about content. A banner or square advertisement on a webpage doesn’t get nearly as many hits as marketed content. Peter Coish, founder and lead strategist of Toronto marketing firm Kuration, asked the following question at the beginning of his keynote speech: “How many people actually click on a banner advertisement…on purpose?”
The answer was almost no one. Curated and original content is the key to a campaign’s success. The content must be entertaining, but it also must inform and activate. Make a plan that outlines your organization’s goals, target audience, and campaign themes so that content isn’t being created in the last minute. Digital marketing takes time and if you don’t plan accordingly, it won’t be successful.
Fifty per cent of your content should contain relevant information about your cause or organization, but according to Alice Ferris, founding partner of GoalBusters Consulting, “sometimes, you just need a picture of a squirrel.” It’s important to make sure your content is entertaining and interesting. If you don’t, people won’t follow your work on a regular basis.
Now you have great content, what’s next? Getting your message across to the general public is the next challenge. There is so much noise on social media nowadays that organic reach is not really possible. It is necessary to spend some money pushing out your content on the Internet. This may mean buying Facebook advertisements and creating sponsored posts to bring new readers and donors to your cause. Knowing your audience is key: do they consume media on their mobile phones or do they watch a lot television? That will make a difference on how you spend your advertisement budget.
At the same time, Coish says that email is your biggest resource. Contacting your supporters directly — or people who are interested in your organization’s work — is the most productive and effective way to reach your audience. Don’t completely rule out traditional media as well. Mail is now considered a novelty, so if someone gets a personal letter with information about a specific cause, there is a higher likelihood they will actually read it.
Lastly, it’s important to be authentic. As Simren Deogun, Director of Digital Innovation at Stephen Thomas, says: “These are real missions and real causes and we are trying to create real change. Be real and authentic. That is almost more important than anything else.”
“Digital is not the future,” Deogun said in her panel. “It’s happening around you. From the small charity with three employees to the multi-million non-profit, it’s the fight. It’s not size that drives their bravery.”
It takes a lot of courage to approach your CEO or charity founder and propose a digital campaign. It requires a lot of creative thinking, knowledge of the return, and an ability to take a risk. While making your proposal, remember to take your audience into account and tailor your content to their interests. If you plan, write informative yet entertaining content, and drive your cause out on the appropriate social channels, there is nothing you can’t do!
Do you have any tips for digital campaigns? Post them in the comments below!
Toronto Mayor John Tory will soon be publicly meeting with members of Black Lives Matter to discuss racism and equity, especially in reference to police activity.
Black Lives Matter has been protesting the treatment of black citizens by police officers across North America.
The last time the mayor met with representatives and supporters of this group in a private setting, it led to a lot of shouting and name calling. Tory said he couldn’t get a word in. Suffice to say, it wasn’t exactly productive.
It’s that time of year again! The trees are starting to bloom, the birds are chirping, and grass is getting greener — yes, it means school is almost out.
Have you given any thought about what your kids aregoing to do in July and August while you are at work? Sure, they can stay home and watch television, but why not sign them up for a summer camp instead!
It can be a bit traumatic, to send your young child to summer camp for the first time, but the overall benefits of this type of experience are immeasurable. Kids will spend a week (or a weekend) playing outdoors, building lifelong friendships, developing their creativity, and experimenting with their leadership skills. There is also something to be said about getting away from technology for a week and enjoying life without being glued to an electrically charged screen.
Jackie Carmichael, the managing director of programs at Muskoka Woods, started going to camp when she was nine years old — and she loved it so much she never truly left. It was, however, a rough start.
“My parents sent me and my brother to camp for a week and I absolutely hated it. I was homesick. I did not do well. I had fun during the day, but night time was really hard.”
“The next summer I loved it though! I started going longer. I went until I was 15 and then at 16 I did the leadership program called CEO.”
The Challenge Experience Opportunity (CEO) is a month-long intensive program offered at Muskoka Woods that focuses on leadership and personal development. It can even be applied to a grade 11 school credit!
For kids younger than 16, there are a number of fun and exciting summer camps being offered this year, and there is something for everyone. Muskoka Woods alone offers over 50 different types of activities from sports, crafts, photography, culinary, and video production.
Photo provided by Muskoka Woods
It’s always going to be tough the first time you send your kid to camp, but after that first experience they are bound to come back home with lots of energy and a better understanding of who they are. The best part about summer camp, Carmichael says, is the confidence it gives kids at a young age. Being told they are good at a certain activity, being allowed to experiment and try new things — all of this is important for child development and generates positive attitudes.
“Our vision at Muskoka Woods is to inspire youth to shape their world. We really like to celebrate that and recognize kids who are doing wonderful things. At the same time, we would feel so much more excited and happy if they walk away saying they feel more like themselves. That’s a success for us.”
One of the great thing Muskoka Woods has to offer is something called CITYCAMP, a mobile day camp that spends a week in 15 different locations across Ontario throughout the months of July and August. Kids participating in CITYCAMP will have the opportunity to try archery, skateboarding, paintball, nature experiences, and even have a bit of portable waterslide fun! This way, kids who can’t make it all the way to the Lake Rosseau resort will have the opportunity to have the camp experience.
It can be nerve-wracking leaving your kids at their first overnight camp, but the benefits certainly outweigh the anxiety it may create. Sometimes, kids just need to be on their own to realize their full potential. Summer camp is the perfect outlet for this type of experimentation.
For more information about CITYCAMP, or any of the other summer camps offered by Muskoka Woods, visit their website. Prices range from $240-350 per week, depending on location. Registration is now open!
“I have trouble looking at you while I’m saying these things.”
This is the point the #MoreThanMean campaign is trying to make: that what people say online has a real impact on real people. What’s more —those messages can also be considered as harassment.
A video created by podcast Just Not Sports (@JustNotSports) circulated the Internet last week that aptly proves this point. It features sport writer, columnist/broadcaster Julie DiCaro and Sports on Earth’s NFL writer Andrea Hangst, who have found themselves the target of some truly terrible messages on social media.
But, they are just “mean”, right? As proven by comedian Jimmy Kimmel, reading mean tweets can be funny. So, these women did just that. Except, instead of reading the messages themselves, they had men read these “mean” tweets to their faces. This was the result:
The video itself is cringe-worthy. The men seemed increasingly uncomfortable with the level of hatred and sexual violence exhibited in these anonymous tweets — with good reason.
“One of the players should beat you to death with a hockey stick like the whore you are. Cunt.
“This is why we don’t hire any females unless we need our c*** sucked or our food cooked.”
“Hopefully this skank Julie DiCaro is Bill Crosby’s next victim. That would be classic”
And those weren’t even some of the worst ones. The men were apologetic as the tweets went from “mean” to violent. Many of them pleaded with the director to skip a few of the statements. They couldn’t look the women in the eye.
DiCaro and Hangst were prepared for these messages. They had already seen the tweets before the video was taken, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.
A lot of the people watching this video completely misunderstood the point it was trying to make. Probably half of the comments attached to the Youtube page called it a feminist ploy. Some people thought it devalued the criticism and hate messages male sport reporters received on a daily basis. Others claimed the comments weren’t actually considered harassment —they were just mean statements and these women should get a backbone.
Here are some of the most recent comments as of Monday afternoon (spelling mistakes included):
LurkerDood: What’s with these pussy ass guys?! What’s so hard reading mean tweets?
opinionated hater: some of these are hilarious
Polarhero57: And bullshit that dudes don’t get any of this. It’s not harassment, it’s the fucking internet. This is completely staged.
Ali Bakhshi: If your biggest problem right now is people saying you should be raped on the internet then you seriously need to realise how privileged you are.
Micheal Bay: This is just another stupid feminist thing, these women are exposing themselves, in reality they’re sluts!
nalyd321: to be honest none of these were really that bad
quezcatol: it is also ironic how a fatso, like that big red haired women – can write about sport, that hippo shouldnt tell real athelte what they need to work on. she hasnt done shit in her life herself.
There is a childish undertone to the word mean. “So-and-so was mean to me”, kids will say. That so-and-so will then be told to sit in a corner and think about what he/she had done. The people sending these messages are, most likely, adults who have nothing better than to say incredibly sexist, discriminatory, and purely callous things because they know they can get away with it. Blocking or ignoring these people is the equivalent to asking them to sit in a corner. It does nothing and they are free tocome back online to harass others. These are childish penalties for adult crimes.
Harassment is defined as aggressive pressure or intimidation. It can involve unwanted physical or verbal behaviour that offends and humiliates. Making obscene sexual remarks is considered also sexual harassment. There is no specification that it has to be done face-to-face, and that is the point of the #MoreThanMean campaign.
In this case, these tweets were more than mean. They were violent, inappropriate, and deserve to be blocked and reported by social media networks. They were harassment.
I used to be a Sports Editor at my student paper — the first woman in four years to hold the position. I can say with personal experience that my gender made a difference. Coaches didn’t take me as seriously and neither did the players. At my first hockey game, the player I was interviewing said I should enter the changing room to speak to his teammates. Not knowing any better, I did. I immediately knew that he was messing with me when I saw all the players in jock straps, but I decided to just walk up to the one player I needed to talk to, ignore his smirking, get my answer, and then calmly (but swiftly) get out of there.
And this was all before the prevalence of Internet trolls.
I’m lucky this incident was a one-time thing, but it definitely opened my eyes up to the gender barriers women face in the sports world. With the prevalence of social media, female reporters and broadcasters have opened themselves up to all sorts of attacks — just because they are women in an industry dominated by men. This is absolutely unacceptable. Most of the women in the sports industry are talented, knowledgeable, and capable. They should not have to feel like they need to defend themselves.
There shouldn’t be a need for a viral video and a trending hashtag to bring attention to the blatant sexism these women are facing in this industry. It’s time for society, and social media, to step up. Share this video and spread the message.
Don’t be #MoreThanMean.
Be #MoreThanGrateful that you don’t have to read these tweets every day.
The sun is finally out and the flowers are starting to sprout! It’s here Canada!!! Spring is here! And you know what that means: It’s time to shed those layers!
But, what’s considered professional enough for the workplace? I wouldn’t recommend shorts (unless they are the dressy sort), but when it’s hot outside, the worst thing in the world is having to wear a full pant-suit. On these days, the spring dress is the perfect option.
Here are five styles of dresses that are acceptable for the workplace:
The business-classy: A fitted dress with a belt is a workplace classic. It’s professional, yet stylish, and creates an air of confidence. This particular dress can be worn with a blazer and a pair of black pumps, or dressed down with a light cardigan and sandals.
Le Chateau, $150
The sleeves: This year, sleeves are in. There is no need to go strapless or sleeveless, two options which may not always be appropriate for a business meeting. If you don’t want to deal with blazers or cardigans, try a dress with sleeves. They come off as professional, yet chic, and they are really easy to accessorize.
Zara, $69.99
The floral tunic: A lot of women shy away from patterns and floral patterns, especially when it comes to work wear. But, never fear! You can absolutely rock the floral tunic at that business meeting. The best part is that florals exude springtime and will lift everyone’s spirits. Just make sure to pair it with some simple accessories and bold colours.
Mango, $89.95
The bold colour flare: On the other side, there is nothing wrong with a bold-coloured flare dress. This is yet another simple classic that can be dressed up or down depending on your need. It is the most elegant of the options, and the short sleeves eliminate the need for a shawl or blazer. Pair it with some even bolder jewelry.
Cleo, $99.90
The maxi-dress: These dresses may come off as a bit too casual for work, but they are becoming much more trendy. This type of ensemble is great for an office setting — it’s comfortable and flattering on most body types. Try wearing a bold or dark coloured lipstick to make the outfit more high-fashion.
French Connection, $328
Do you have a favourite spring dress? Let us know what they look like in the comments below!
Ontario’s Equal Pay Day came and went without much fuss.
Women working full-time in the province only earn about 73.5 cents to every dollar a man makes. And this is in 2016.
April 19 marked Equal Pay Day in Ontario — the day in which a woman’s yearly earnings will catch up to the average salary of a man. In essence, it takes four extra months of work for a woman to make the same as a man.
Despite the fact that half of Canada’s cabinet are women and that our Prime Minister self-identifies as a feminist, there hasn’t been much done to ensure equality in the workplace. Ontario’s gender gap continues to grow. It’s gotten to the point where women in the United States are making on average five cents more than women in Ontario.
What’s even more surprising was that Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne did not make a speech or even release a statement about Equal Pay Day. Instead, a press release was sent out early Tuesday morning regarding the results of consultations conducted by Ontario’s Gender Wage Gap Steering Committee. The report was the product of 18 weeks of surveys and in-person conversation.
The women who participated in the consultation said they often felt as if they have to prove themselves in the workplace and that some fields, especially early childhood education, should be presented as a gender-equal profession. At the same time, schools should be encouraging women to get involved in STEM fields or skilled trades at a young age.
The press release also provided an overview of everything the Ontario government has done over the last year to help reduce this gender gap. Some of these initiatives include the following:
A regulation that requires company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange to report on their approach to increase the number of women in management positions.
Increase wages by $2 an hour (including benefits) for early childhood educators and child care professionals.
Increase hourly wages of personal support workers
Invest $120 million over three years for new licensed child care spaces in schools
Implementing a number of training programs for skilled trades, information technology, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.
These are all beneficial programs and regulations that will no doubt encourage more women to aim for managerial positions, but it isn’t nearly enough. Many of these regulations involve increasing wages of typically female jobs like child care worker or a personal support worker, instead of putting the onus on businesses to hire women in positions of power.
Regulations and programs are great, but a change in mentality is necessary to actually reduce the gender gap. How does this start? It begins by rewarding companies that hire using equal opportunity, encouraging more women to apply for managerial or board positions, and addressing the stigmas that are so obviously engrained in the hiring process.
Three years ago Ontario announced Equal Pay Day. It remains the only province to have done so. In a country that prides itself on equality, its shocking that more governments aren’t following suit and bringing awareness to the startling inequality that exists within the workplace.
“Please be seated. The show will begin in five minutes.”
I sat down in my front-row seats — which I sneaked into after certain sponsors decided not to show up — excited to experience the world of high-fashion. The blaring bass pounded as the music started up and the models started to walk down the runway in their high heels and strategically placed outfits. The confidence these men and women exuded while on the runway was varied — there may have been some amateur models in the mix, but everyone did well and there were no falls. Each day was different, with various performers gracing the stage and designers showcasing their beautiful pieces of art.
Fashion Art Week (FAT) is a week-long annual event that features live performances, art installations, and, of course, fashion shows and film. I attended three of the five nights and was incredibly impressed. Some of the outfits were not my taste, but it was fascinating to see how each designer interpreted this year’s theme: “Dress Codes.”
The theme was meant to express how fashion plays a role in a person’s identity and culture. The models strutting down the runway were both male and female, wearing an assortment of outfits that may, or may not, have met the stereotypical definition of what a man and a woman should be wearing. The designs transcended these gender definitions, and this proved quite refreshing. Men walked down the runway in heels, women went barefoot, and everyone modelled the lingerie.
MLine – photo by Jonathan Hooper
Connor McCalden – photo by Jonathan Hooper
Amplify Apparel – photo by Jonathan Hooper
Tuesday night’s ode to Bowie was especially memorable. The collection was designed by Evan Biddell, a Saskatoon-born designer and entitled “Rebel”, a fitting label for the show. Now, I call it a show because with the lights and background music (a compilation of Bowie’s greatest hits), full makeup and ziggy-esque outfits, it was quite the remembrance. There was no better way to represent this year’s theme then to acknowledge Bowie’s brave and iconic representation of sexuality.
Some of my favourite designers displayed a more casual collection. Designer Sun Sun, for example, used the slogan “Custom Androgynous Comfortable Clothing for anyone” to describe her collection. The designs were much more urban and the fabrics chosen were patterned black and white. Above everything else, the models had fun walking down the runway. Most smiled, struck poses, and literally bounced to the beat as they strutted. It probably helped that they were all wearing flat shoes. Friday night featured Padina Bondar, a Toronto-based designer whose work centers around the female reproduction system. It sounds a bit disturbing, but it was actually quite beautiful. The dresses were absolutely breathtaking, and I found myself sitting at the edge of my seat to see how they would make pregnancy and menstruation into such a work of art.
Evan Biddel – photo by Jonathan Hooper
Lococina – photo by Jonathan Hooper
Sun Sun – photo by Jonathan Hooper
Every designer showcased something quite different and unique, which ultimately was what this year’s theme was all about: fashion isn’t gendered, rather it’s expressive of personality, creativity, and individuality.
Despite the long wait between shows, I enjoyed my time at FAT. What I loved most was the creative atmosphere. Guests would walk up to each other and compliment their outfits (most said they made them themselves), asking what colour of lipstick they were sporting, and cheering loudly after each performance. After speaking with some of the designers and guests, most said this was the biggest difference between FAT and Toronto Fashion Week — the atmosphere and the focus on art and photography as an element of fashion.
What about the fashion trends? Here are some of the observations from the night:
Pastels are just as popular as bold colours: About half of the designers chose to use light-coloured fabrics or pastel themes. There were a lot of whites, pinks, and light blues. There was an understated elegance in these collections. In contrast, most of the lingerie was darker and bolder.
Short in the front, long in the back: Many of the skirts and dresses had a flowing silhouette or a sheer train that followed the “short in the front and longer in the back” mantra. Personally, I loved the movement this type of design created.
Texture is our friend: Bold jewellery and chunky designs was a recurring motif throughout the week. Crinoline was used to give the shorter dresses some pouf while bows, flowers, and belts were used to provide texture on seemingly normal black dresses. It’s all about the accessories ladies.
Du Laree by Andy Jones – photo by Jonathan Hooper
Angelou by Hale Chavez – photo by Jonathan Hooper
Padina Bondar – photo by Jonathan Hooper
To be honest, my favourite part about covering FAT was dressing up myself. As someone who works in an office most of the day, my typical office-wear includes a nice pair of pants and a light top/cardigan combination. This gave me the opportunity to test some of the lesser-used tops in my closet, including a flowing butterfly shawl with tassel and my dark purple lipstick.
What do you think of these designs? Let us know in the comments below!
In 2014, women in the United States were paid 79 per cent of what men were paid.
This statistic should shock me, but it doesn’t. Despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s revolutionary claim that “it’s 2016”, women are still facing incredible adversity in the workplace. Similar statistics have been shared, and re-shared, and re-shared every year — but nothing seems to change.
That’s why this date is so important.
April 12th marks Equal Pay Day in the United States, the symbolic day in which a woman’s salary from the previous year catches up to that of their male counterparts. What does that mean exactly? On average it takes a woman three and a half extra months to make the same amount in salary a man earns in a year.
Despite the slow decline in the wage gap, the country still has a long way to go. The Institute for Women’s Policy Initiatives predicts that women won’t see equal pay until 2059, which is absolutely ridiculous. And a new report published by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) says on average, women in the United States earn about $10,800 less per year than men.
According to this report, women of colour face an even greater challenge. African-American women on average are paid only 60 cents per every dollar made by a white man, and Hispanic women are only paid 55 cents. The report also attributes about 40 per cent of that wage gap to sexism and discrimination.
Considering how far we’ve come, it’s startling that this type of gap exists in North America. The world is on the verge of a feminist wave — politicians, celebrities, and activists are all talking about women’s rights on public platforms — but there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure true equality.
But, what’s even worse is that the gap increases when it comes to positions of power. In the United States, women make up only four per cent of CEOs and 16 per cent of the board members at the 1500 companies reviewed by the JEC. Without women in positions of power, there is no way to change the sexist mentalities that exist within the business world.
The question is: how do we change this mentality? Education and awareness is the number one solution, but it’s not enough. Equal pay laws must be enforced and men and women must stand together and demand salaries that are determined not by gender, but by ability.
There are simple ways to ensure that you (and your company) play a part in this revolution. Take the BUY UP Index as an example. This app allows you to make purchasing decisions based on the company’s commitment to gender equality. Criteria for the products listed on the Index includes whether or not the company achieves the benchmark of 16 per cent women on their board and 40 per cent in management, and whether there are leadership programs for women.
Why aren’t people using these types of services to promote and encourage gender equality in the workplace? The Buy Up Index provides a simple way of ensuring that business is conducted with companies that honour the promise of equal pay and treat women with equal respect.
Until every company takes the idea of equal pay seriously and commits to promoting gender equality in the workplace, I fear I’ll continue to be disappointed. Let’s hope that next year the gap decreases significantly — this doesn’t mean by one or two per cent either. In order to be satisfied that the government, and the respective business community, is taking this issue seriously, there would have to be a difference of five per cent.
Do you think that is even possible in today’s political climate? Let us know in the comments below
Ontario’s version of Equal Pay Day will occur on April 19.
This is a big deal. I’m not a very fit person, and I’ve never been able to run for more than a minute without collapsing into a pile of sweat and exhaustion. But, I’ve been in a funk lately and I’ve decided to do something big — I amgoing to commit to running a 5k in June.
Don’t ask me why I chose this specific goal as my catharsis. At the time, it seemed like a great idea. However, after doing some research, I’m beginning to feel a tad overwhelmed.
Since announcing this decision, I’ve received lots of advice from friends. They all say it’s possible to run a 5k in nine weeks (although I’m not sure if I believe them) and that I’ll have no problem finishing (this is possibly a lie). I’ve also done a lot of research on my own on how best to train and prepare my body for such a gruelling exercise. Luckily for you, dear readers, I’ve decided to share this knowledge with you.
Here are five things you should know preferably BEFORE signing up for a 5k:
The date of the race: This may seem obvious, but it becomes incredibly important if you haven’t run a day in your life. Race day has to be far enough away to give you time to train, but not too far that you are lax in your commitment. My race is in nine weeks and, to me, that seems a bit soon. At the same time, if I had registered for a race four months away, my procrastination habits would probably hinder my success rate. I would suggest keeping it between 10-15 weeks.
Do you have the equipment you need: Running shoes, leggings, and a sports bra. Before you commit to a race, make sure you have what you need to train. You don’t need a fancy fitbit or a gym membership, but you do need the basics. Also make sure that you have the money for a) the race and b) the food you need to refuel your body. As a side note: if you (like me) are doing one of those races with coloured powders or lots of mud, think about your eyewear. I’ll be visiting the optometrist very shortly for some contact lenses.
Training is important: Running once a week isn’t going to cut it, and there is no way to magically make yourself appear at the finish line. Most websites suggest running at least three times a week and then scheduling a cross-training workout in the middle. This can be an activity like boxing, cycling, or skipping. The idea is to keep your workout fresh and strengthen the rest of your body. If you are just starting to run, don’t worry about the cross-training. Just focus on running three times a week. If you are insistent, do something low-key like yoga. This will help stretch out your sore muscles and increase your core strength. You can always step it up half way through your training.
You have to give up junk food: It’s not all about the training. You also have to eat properly. If you start to exercise on a regular basis, but you pair that exercise with high-sugar and high-fat foods, your stomach will start to really hate you. Eat lots of low-fat, high-protein, carb-rich meals and snack regularly. It’s also important that you don’t overeat or starve yourself during this process. High-salt foods may also impact your hydration. If you decide to run a 5k, make sure that you are prepared to change your eating habits as well. Goodbye Cadbury mini eggs and hello apples and peanut butter.
Make sure you are surrounded by people who motivate you: It’s going to be tough. There will be mornings you won’t want to run, where you’ll feel like staying in bed with a full bag of marshmallows watching reruns of Gilmore Girls. There will be days where it’s cold outside, where your alarm goes off at 6 a.m. and your entire body says “NO”. This is where it’s important to have a friend, family member, or fellow 5k-er to text or call for motivation. Have them remind you why you are doing this race in the first place and that you’ll feel better once you get your legs moving. Create a wall of inspirational quotes and place your gym bag right beside it. You’ve got this!
Do you have any tips to share with this 5k newbie? Place them in the comments below!
